Cup of Tea Anyone?

Good Monday morning everyone!  I hope everyone had a fantastic weekend and that your week continues the same.  I got plenty of stitchey time this weekend and finished up a sweet little design I've had in my stash for quite awhile.  A few years ago, Just Another Button Co came out with free designs that  showed teacups in monthly settings.  I have several of these and I thought the November one would be a great addition to my "fall basket".  The designs are free but they come with a collection of their buttons that you must pay for.  I stitched this one on a 32ct mystery linen with HDF Silks and I loved doing it and then finished it into a little pincushion.

One of my favorite knitting designers is Cheryl Oberle (see places I love to visit to get to her website) and she has come out with a new shawl pattern which I love.  It's done all in garter stitch which I happen to love doing and ends up being a nice size.  I have started this out of a Louisa Harding yarn which should have a nice drape to it.  I only have a few rows finished so far but I will show you it when I have more done.

Well that's all for my Monday so far.  I'm hoping we get some rain today for my flowers and to help cool it off some.  This is the rainy season down here but we haven't had any in 3 or 4 days.  I need to be careful what I wish for though....the last storm we had a house a few streets over from us was struck by lightning and the entire inside was destroyed.  Lightning can be really bad down here.  This makes the 3rd house in our neighborhood to be struck.  

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A little finish

I love this little owl!!!!!  He was such a fast stitch and he turned out just adorable.  I used an overdyed Mandarin bamboo floss in fall colors for the owl, black silk for the branch and Silk Lame Petite Braid from Rainbow Galleries for the leaves.  This is my first time using the Silk Lame on 32ct. and I love the coverage and how it looks.  I highly recommend using this if you are just looking for something with a little bit of glitz which is what I wanted for the leaves.  I don't think it shows up very well in the picture though.  I've started a little basket for all my little fall pillows and so far I'm off to a good start.

Since I finished Fall Roses I'm thinking about starting another large project but have no idea what.  I think tomorrow I'll sit in my sewing room and not come out till I find something interesting to work on.  I have some Christmas ornaments to start and I would like to have them finished by Halloween so that's a definite maybe.  Have you ever started something and then come across a design that you would rather be stitching?  I'm one of those people who only have 1 or 2 things going at one time.  I really don't see how anyone gets anything finished when you're working on 10 or 12 things at a time....or is it just me?

Anyways, tomorrow I have to stop at my LNS and pick up some buttons I ordered so maybe something will jump out at me there.  

Everyone have a great weekend if I don't get to talk to you sooner,

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A small finish and maybe a start

I know the temperatures across the country sure don't make you think of Autumn but if you go into any of the stores, you are bombarded with them.  Well I decided to bring a little Fall into my home in July.  

First up is a little pillow I stitched on cream Belfast.  After I was finished, I sprayed it with walnut crystals mixed with water but after it dried, I think I'll add some more because it didn't get quite as dark as I wanted it to.  If you look at a closeup of the bow, you'll see that this nut forgot to take out the pins before I took the picture.  I didn't notice they were still there until I went to put it in my basket of pillows.  LOL  Old age maybe?  

The other day I made a trip down to Hobby Lobby and saw something that sparked my interest.  They had this pumpkin knitted out of yarn that was varigated with the colors of Autumn and I loved it.  Well back I went to the yarn department and found one skein of a 100% wool that had the right colors in it.  Home I came and whipped up this little pumpkin but I really think the leaves are too big....what do you think?

When I bought the above pattern, I was in love with the colors and I thought to myself 'You have to stitch this in the colors she calls for'....boy was that a mistake.  You can see the little balls of Valdani silks I got in the mail today and I don't think I like even one color.  Now I have to make up my mind whether or not to stitch it in these colors or match them to some DMC colors and stitch it in solids.  If I do decided to not use these, you'll find them up for sale in Never Enough Stash.

Speaking of Never Enough Stash and Wanting More Stash, I'm very happy that so many needleworker's are taking advantage of these blogs.  As more people join, we're sure to find quite a variety of needlework items over there for sale.

Well that's all for today.  It's raining outside and I can hear the thunder in the distance....it's time for our daily afternoon shower.

I want to thank all you sweet ladies who leave comments and who have truly become friends and also a warm welcome to all my new followers.  As you can see it's getting close to 500 and I've promised a grand giveaway which will include fabrics, silks, patterns and many other items you'll truly love.  Have patience....we'll get there eventually.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A Very Happy Dance Finish

My Fallen Roses is finished!!!  I was able to put the last stitches in it this morning and I only laid the frame on it so you can get an idea of how it will look.  I've taken it to the framer for mounting and when it's safely hanging on my wall, I'll take another picture of it.  We have a brick wall in our living room and it will be there hanging over the mantle.  I can't say I loved stitching this but the reason I stitched it was filled with love.  For those of you who are new to my blog, this was stitched in honor of my parents....Lottie Margaret Reinecker and Ray Andrew Heller and the date is the day they were married.  

Now unto something different and hopefully without blue in it.  If I never see 3750 again, I'll be more than happy.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

My sweet friend Thellie just sent me this very cute picture.  I do believe that Vallie has been leading a double life.  LOL  I think it's time I sat her down and had a little talk with her....but it just might be too late....sadly.

I'm hurting

Tonite I had my eyes opened.  I started watching a documentary on HBO called "Madonna of the Mills".  If you ever get a chance to see it, please watch it.  What upset me the most was this.....I am from Pennsylvania and I grew up near the Amish country....mainly Lancaster County.  What I discovered in this documentary is that most of the puppy mills are owned and operated by the Mennonite and Amish communities in Lancaster County.  How could I of grown up in this area and not know this or is this just new.  I don't know but I am hurting because of this.  I had the most deepest respect for these communities, my paternal great grandmother was Mennonite, and now I find out they are operating these mills.  One of the stories they told was these two Amish brothers who operated two of these puppy mills were told to clean up their kennels and to treat their dogs for fleas.  Instead of taking these puppies to the Vet, they shot and killed 83 dogs legally.  What it comes down to is that replacing these puppies is cheaper than taking them to the Vet.  How can this still be happening in this day and age?  Where are the laws to prevent this from happening?  My respect for the Amish and Mennonite communities has dropped considerably tonite.  I just don't think I can think of them in the same light as I did before....and that's a shame.

I just wanted to pass this information along and please, if you ever get a chance to see this documentary, watch it and have your eyes opened to the terrible truth about puppies being sold in pet stores.

I will leave you with a picture of our baby who we were lucky to get from a breeder in our area.  She was extremely nice and I even got to meet Vallie's mom and dad before I even brought her home.  I just wish all puppies were treated this way.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

It's a sickness I tell ya....

I promise myself I'm not gonna buy anything new and then all of a sudden I'm in the shop and that "Bad Barbara" takes over and I'm leaving my LNS with a bag full.  What's a girl to do I ask ya?  Why take them home and drool....LOL

I've wanted this little JBW French Country Owl ever since I first saw him and today he jumped into my bag and along the way, it grabbed up a skein of Burmilana to stitch him with.  This should be alot of fun to stitch with this wool and give him a nice look.  He also snatched this really cute Mill Hill owl and convinced me I couldn't live without him.  I agreed of course.....I'm not dumb!!!!

Then next to jump into the bag was this year's issue of JCS's Halloween issue.  I'm so glad it decided to come home with me because I really want to stitch the Primitive Hare's design called The Town of Halloween.  I can't wait to get my needle into that one!

Next is the new BBD design called Mother's Garden.  I had the pattern but was missing some of the threads and I decided to pick them up today.  Usually I would of substituted but I loved the colors in this one so much, I decided to get them and stay with the original colors.  This one should be alot of fun to stitch and I will start it after I have finished the L&L I'm working on.....Fallen Roses.

Then it was a good day at the mail box too.  I received Brenda's new design from Country Stitches and the pattern I bought from Sally (Thank you Sally...it arrived safe and sound) on Never Enough Stash.  I have to find tan pillow ticking for the Country Stitches pillow and I hope that's not a problem.

After all of that, my most exciting stop was the Sewing Studio.  I fell instantly in love with these 3 fabrics and I knew they were coming home with me.  From left to right:

Funky Fall by Clothworks

Happy H owl-o-ween by Moda

Funky Fall by Clothworks

and if you are interested in any of these, The Fat Quarter Shop (here) has all of these in stock.  As soon as I saw the Funky Fall designs I thought of BBD and how they would look together....stunning!

Well that was my excitement for the day and I am so glad that "Bad Barbara" was able to come along to both of the stores I visited.  I'm just glad I didn't have to go to the yarn store or I'd really be broke.  LOL

Have a great week!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

I goofed!!!!!

While messing around with my computer this saturday morning trying to change something on my blog, I inadvertently hit a wrong key somewhere and now my blog address is changed.  If this has messed you up, I apologize and from now on, will never mess with computer while half asleep.  

This does not change our two new blogs in anyway, just my main one.  Again, I apologize.  What this means to me is that I must go find all the blogs I was following and list them again.  This could take days as my list was quite long and my mind is quite old.  I hardly remember what day of the week it is most of the time.  I keep a calender on my fridge to help but it really doesn't.  Have you noticed that if you don't know what date it is, you don't know what day of the week it is either.  Kind of like spelling....how can you look up a word in the dictionary to see how it's spelled if you don't know how it's spelled in the first place.  Things like this just drive my poor little pea brain dizzy.  With that I'll end this silly post and get back to stitching.   This is one thing that keeps me sane but this week it's even falling down on the job.

Have a great weekend,

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Brainstorming again

I love how Never Enough Stash has taken off and it seems that alot of you ladies are definitely selling so that's good.  Isn't it nice to sell something and not have to pay a go between any money...except Paypal of course if you use it.  I don't know about you but I'm tired of other people getting my money!  So here's another idea....

I've noticed that Lisa and I are the only ones who have posted charts that we are looking for and I'm afraid they are being overlooked on the blog.  What I'm going to do is set up a different blog for stitchers who are looking for something.  This can be either to pay for something or maybe make a trade....doesn't matter.  The name will be "Wanting More Stash" and it will be the same as the other one.  If you want to post on it, just email me and I'll add you to it.  Very simple.

It will be done sometime tonite if you're wanting to take a look at it.

Blessings as always,

Barbara
Update:  It's up and ready for use.  Let me know if you have any comments or suggestions.  You can get to it from the sign in my right hand sidebar.  Also if you are able to post on the Never Enough Stash blog, you will automatically receive an invite to post on the new one.

Happy Fourth of July

"The best road to progress is freedom's road"

President John F. Kennedy

A pincushion finish

This was such a sweet design I just couldn't resist stitching it.  It's been stitched on 32ct. Cream Belfast linen using the most beautiful pink silk.  It's a Silk N Colors and the name......I know you you'll love this name as much as I did.....Camelot's Lady.  Isn't that the greatest!!!!  I finished it into one of my soft sided pincushions.  On the bottom (which I forgot to take a picture of) is a cream with pink and blue flowers and then around the side is a striped that coordinates with it perfectly.  I then added heirloom lace around the top and a very thin chenille cording around the bottom.  It's been topped off with one of my signature bows in pink.  This turned out so feminine looking and I'm going to offer this up for sale in my store.  You can find it there if you are interested.

Updated to give you the French blog where I found this design:  http://www.mamiloucreations.com/categorie-12390071.html

Well I've restarted my Strawberry Hill Sampler on a piece of 32ct. hand dyed linen from Nina.  I'm going to use the same Sampler Threads that Brenda calls for but I will have to make the design on the box top smaller.  This will probably mean leaving out some of the design elements which I don't want to do but I have no other choice.  

I want to thank everyone who commented on my having to do away with my smaller count linens.  I have tried magnification in the past with terrible results.  I usually end up with a terrible headache and very queasy in the stomach after using one.....so that's not a solution.  I have resigned myself to this and understand that it's a part of getting older.....which stinks by the way!!!

I hope everyone has had a terrific weekend with tons of time to do all kinds of stitchie things.  I know for us here in the U.S., Wednesday is the 4th of July (sorry Brits!) and we really haven't anything special planned.  Whatever you plan on doing, please have a wonderful time and enjoy the 4th!

Blessings as always,

Barbara