I got something to share with you

Some of you know that my daughter, Jenn does beautiful beadwork.  Well she's done it again.  She wanted to make a bracelet for Peyton and decided to make her a blue and gold bracelet.  Isn't this gorgeous!!  I can't wait for Peyton to see this.  Jenn will be opening her store soon and I will let you know when.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A needlework set giveaway....

I hope everyone is having a really great weekend and that nothing has darkened your doorway.

I was up at my local fabric store....Sewing Studio.....the other day and came across this adorable print that shows alot of different needlework on it.  I instantly saw a needlework set.  This is what the giveaway includes:

 A project keeper which measures  approx. 9 x 13 inches and zips closed.  A 4 x 5 inch bag that can hold your scissors or floss or whatever.  A needlecase that has 2 pages to hold all your needles.  A pincushion made in a silver tone tin.  Then to start you off right, I've included a 15 x 30 inch piece of 28ct. Milan linen in Soft Rose and a card of Rainbow Gallery Splendor Silk in black.

If you want a chance to win this needlework set, you must be a follower of my blog. Post a comment to this entry and if you want a second chance to win, post a link to your blog (please post a second entry and show me that you linked it).  I will use the number generator next saturday to pick a winner.

I wish everyone goodluck who enters!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

And the winner is......

I used the number generator and up popped the number 11 which was Bekca.  I will be emailing her to get her address so I can get the Just Nan pattern out to her.  Thank you all for your interest in this pattern and on Monday I will be posting another giveaway.  I will be getting everything ready over the weekend and I hope you'll be pleased with my effort.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A Shepherd's Bush finish

Is there a certain finish that you absolutely, positively hate doing?  I do and it's needlerolls.  That's what this pattern from Shepherd's Bush was suppose to be finished in to but I changed it to a floss pocket.  This is fully linen with black silk with a silk ribbon tie at the top to close it.  It's about 4 x 5 inches so it's a nice size....maybe for your scissors and doo dads too.  Everything else about the pattern is as SB intended it to look....just not the finishing.  This will be in my store if anyone is interested.

It's been pretty quiet around here.  Vallie is even feeling the heat and just doesn't want to play catch outside like she usually does.  I do believe today got to 98 degrees and who knows where the heat index ended up.  Is everyone this summer having these same kind of heat waves?  I have a dear friend in Lake Jackson, Texas and she hasn't had rain of any consequence since January.  Can you imagine going 5 months without rain?  No wonder the state of Texas is burning down.  My heart goes out to those people who are losing their houses and businesses from the fires and also the flooding in the central part of the country.  It just hasn't been a very good summer all around and I believe everyone will be glad when it's over.  

Now I have to decide what to stitch next.  I have the quakers from Jardin Prive that I need to do so I'm thinking of starting the one with the Eiffel Tower.  I just have to decide what colors.  Since it is a french design, I'm thinking of using the colors of their flag....blue, white and red.  What do you think?  Too corny???  I'll wait and see if I get any opinions on that before I start it.  Off to work on the crocheted baby blanket.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A Just Nan Giveaway

I just finished stitching this new design from Nan and I'm pretty sure it's not one I'll want to repeat so I'm offering it up to you ladies.  If you are interested in getting this pattern, just post a comment to this entry and I'll draw a name on friday morning.


P.S.  I would love to take the credit of the above framing, but I used the picture that JN has on her website to show you the pattern.  Sorry for any misunderstandings but mine is going to be finished into a ornament.

I hope everyone has had a quiet Sunday,

Blessings as always,

Barbara

It was one of those days!!!!!!!

When I woke this morning, I had a feeling it's was going to be one of "those" days.  You know the kind....you're not sure if you should get up or just throw the covers over your face and pretend the sun has not risen.  I should of done the second thing.

Hubby informed me that he was going to build a different ramp at the front of our shed and he had decided to make this out of aluminum.  Well of course we had to go miles and miles to the "metal" store.  There we spend several hundreds of dollars on what he needed to make this structure.  He placed the sheets on top of my suv and then decided to look for the straps to hold them in place.  Now don't you think you would look and make sure you have those along before you get there?  Not my hubby....we ended up with having only one of them and needless to say, I couldn't drive over 25 mph the entire way home for fear of them coming lose on top and ending up on a car behind us.

Now we're home and Vallie needed to use the back yard restroom asap so I left her out of the house.  Hubby didn't realize this and opened the gates to the back yard and yepper....there she blows!!!!!!!  That little bugger took off like a shot with me chasing her in 98 degree heat.  Pant....pant....pant and five gallons of sweat later, Vallie is housed in the back yard again and we have gotten the metal into the shed.  

We get inside and about an hour later, the power goes off.  Now remember when I said earlier it was 98 degrees....I wasn't exagerating and it got quite warm in the house in the two hours that the power was out.  I can attest to the fact that ice cubes placed in the cleavage cool you down quite quickly but you do end up a little damp.  LOL  Whatever works right??

The bright spot of the day was finding this pattern on Ravelry and making them up.  They are those cheap yellow scrubbies that you can find just about anywhere.  The blue one in the picture shows you the back and the red one shows off the scrubbie part in the front.  What I like about these is that you have a scrubbie side and soft side in one and they take maybe 20 minutes to crochet up.  I think you'll find the pattern easy as pie to read and you can find it here.

I hope the rest of you ladies have had a better friday than I have and I can only hope nothing else happens tonite before bedtime.  Saturday is another day and I'm pretty sure I'll pull the covers up over my head in the morning.  LOL

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Red Quaker Jar

Good Tuesday morning to everyone!!!!   Here is the red quaker jar I was talking about.  It's stitched on the same sparkle fabric as the first one but this one I used a pretty red silk to stitch it with.  This one you'll also find it in my store if you're interested.

I came across a very pretty freebie the other day....here....and that's my next small project.  I'm also looking for a project to stitch on this beautiful piece of linen I bought a few weeks ago.  It's a new color from Picture This Plus and it's calling for a quaker but I can't decide which one.  I'll have to come to a decision soon because it's really bugging me.

I hope everyone's day has been great so far and that darkness does come anywheres near your doorway.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A Florida freebie pattern....

I made mention before that I was going to try and come up with a pattern that showed the colors of Florida....well here it is.  You can download the pattern here.  Just click on "File" over on the left hand side and it will (at least it should if this old woman did it right) have a drop down where you can click on Print.  If this doesn't work for you, please let me know so I can fix it.

I haven't stitched this design yet because I'm working on other things but it kept bugging me.....and I'm easily bugged if you know me LOL....so I stopped what I was doing to design this.  I'd appreciate a picture from someone who decides to stitch this so I can post a finished pic.

Enjoy!!!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A New Finish

These are the jars I came across the other day and as soon as I say them, I knew they could be put to good use holding all kinds of goodies.  They measure about 4" across and about 2" tall and the design I stitched for it is an older Sweetheart Tree design called Crystal Boudoir Box I.  I stitched the design on 36ct. White Linen that has a sparkle to it (I forget the correct name of this linen.....old age ya know).  There are two different colors of beads ....silver and pink....and there are four little pink flowers on the sides.  This was a very fun stitch and I will be making several of these jars for my store.  The next one is done in a quaker design in red.  If you are interested in this one, you'll find it in my store.

I'm gearing up for another giveaway.  I think the theme of this one will be summer and the beautiful colors that surround me here in Florida.  I should have it ready sometime next week so check back.  

I hope everyone has had a great weekend with no troubles in your life.  Mine was a quiet one with the usual things to be done.  Hubby has off tomorrow for two doctor appointments....one in morning and one in the afternoon so that means my Monday is shot with nothing being accomplished.  I'll have to make up for it on Tuesday when I'm alone again....except for Vallie and most of the time, she's sleeping.  She's such a good little girl except when she wants attention and I happen to be stitching or knitting then all hell breaks lose.  LOL

I know I don't say it often enough but I adore each and everyone of my followers and love reading the comments that are left.  When I started this blog I thought it would mostly turn into a journal of just me posting pics of my finishes with no one else interested.  To my joy, I have found lots of friends who are as interested in stitching as I am and also don't mind listening to some of my ravings.  LOL  I can't thank all of you enough for following my blog and for looking at my finishes even though I'm sure some of them are really quirky.  Thank you one and all.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

P.S.  I forgot to tell you ladies where you can pick up these jars for very little money.  I found them in the canning jar section of my local Wally World.  You get 4 in a pack for $3.97....can't beat that price.  Thanks Carol for reminding me to post this fact.  Blessings!!

Some finishes

 Well I finally finished my shawl I was working on.  It was knitted with 3 different brands of yarn....Berrocco, Bernat and Katia Ribbon.  I love the weight of it which is a little heavy and will keep me nice and warm down here this coming winter.  I hate wearing coats and I find shawls are a great addition to my wardrobe.  It's most knitted but the ruffle at the bottom is crocheted.  I made a shawl like this for a friend's mother and I loved how it turned out so I thought I'd finish this one that way.

Then when I had my crochet hooks out, I thought I'd make some washcloths to sell in my store.  This set was made using a cotton/acrylic yarn that has been recycled so you might want to say these are "green".  There are three washcloths that finished out about 8 inches square and a round scrubby which I love to use to remove makeup.  They are all tied up with a red and white ribbon with my "Blessings".  You will find this set for sale in my store.

I came across some unusual jars the other day and I'm working on coming up with something involving them.  They are a great size for holding pins and such and would look beautiful sitting on your sewing table.  I hope to have these finished sometime next week so stay tuned for that.

I hope everyone has a blessed weekend with absolutely nothing to do but stitch....

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Ruth's Biscornu

 I received an email from Ruth today and she sent me these pictures of a biscornu she stitched using one of my free patterns.  Isn't it great!!!!!   I love her color choice - you can never go wrong with red.

On the bottom, she repeated the border and the very center of the design.  She also told me that she had never stitched a Rhodes Stitch and that she learned something new while doing this.  I love learning new stitches and I'm glad I was of some use to Ruth in teaching her something new.

Please, if you have stitched one of my designs, send me a picture and I will be glad to share with the other ladies.  Ruth, you did an awesome job and I'm thrilled that you enjoyed stitching one of my designs.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A beautiful gift

Peyton's mother, Jenn - our daughter, stitched this beautiful Mirabilia mermaid for her.  Peyton picked out a poem about mermaids and that was framed at the bottom.  I think it turned out stunning and Peyton was really pleased with it.  Jenn did awesome work on this as are all of her projects.

Please make sure you click on the picture so you can see the detail.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Peyton's graduation

Last nite our grand daughter, Peyton graduated from high school.  She did so with honors and we are all very proud of her.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

What to do with yarn you don't want anymore....

 Remember me saying I had too much yarn?  Well after giving Vallie a ball to play with tonite, I have one less.  LOL  She loves playing with yarn balls and doesn't quit until she has them all unwound.  This one is leftover yarn from a shawl I am making and it's not what you would call top grade yarn so I didn't mind her destroying it.  

I will give you a clue as to the above picture.  Her head is on the right side.  LOL  Hard to tell isn't it?  She's very fluffy at both ends and sometimes it's hard to tell if she's coming or going.  

Anyways, back to the knitting and I hope to have this shawl finished some time this week.  I will be sure to post a pic when I'm done with it.  I'm knitting it in all natural colors and should be really nice to wear with jeans.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Strawberry Pincushion

As I posted earlier what I was working on, well I've finally finished it.  Kirsten Edwards had posted this free pattern on the GOS blog and you could order the button directly from GOS.  Pattern can be found here.   Well I really enjoyed stitching this but instead of turning it into a biscornu, I just finished it as a regular pincushion with some pretty white cotton lace around it.  Mine was stitched on 28ct. China White Jobelan which to me is a very nice, very light grey and it helped to show off the little white flowers.  

I've been in the mood to do some knitting or crocheting but I can't make up my mind what I want to knit or crochet.  I just cleaned out my sewing room of some yarns I no longer wanted or needed and Karen was the beneficiary of all of them and I know she'll put them to good use.  Unfortunately, this did not clean out all the yarns I have.  Crap, it would take a box bigger than what Office Depot sells or that Fed Ex would accept to ship.  LOL  That should give you an idea of just how much I have.  

I'm in the mood for another giveaway but I'm not sure what kind to have.  Maybe you ladies could give me some suggestions as to what you prefer.

Hope everyone is having a blessed week so far,

Barbara