Sunday, May 31, 2015

Just a short note to let you know I've posted several patterns in my stitching store for really good prices.  Some have never been used and some come with the embellishments.  If you are interested in any of them, just email me at grammy5822@gmail.com and I'll send you a Paypal invoice.

Thanks, Barbara

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Good morning everyone.  I hope you're having a wonderful saturday so far and that it just gets better and better.
The other day I was sitting on my couch stitching and I happened to glance over at Vallie and she was sound asleep right next to me.  I've told you about the green pillows on my couch that she just loves so I thought I'd take a photo with her curled up in them.  I decided to do it in black and white only because I love that look.  I wonder what she was dreaming about?

I've called the doctor and I have an appt this week to see him.  I'm sure the first thing is going to be blood tests.  I'll keep you posted on what's happening.
I've decided to finish something I started a few months ago and that's the Lizzie Kate "Things Unseen" Mystery Sampler.  It was expensive to purchase so I figured it was something I better finish.  I don't have that much done on it yet so I'll post a picture when there's more to see.

Blessings Upon You, Barbara

Monday, May 25, 2015

I hope everyone has a fantastic Memorial Day and if you see a man or woman in a uniform today, please take the time to stop and say "Thank You".  I'm sure they would appreciate it.

I've been dealing with something lately that I'd like to ignore but I guess I can't anymore.  My hands are beginning to shake and it's making it harder to do stitching, which I love, and my finishing work.  So far I'm still okay at the sewing machine, but hand work is, I'm afraid, going to leave me soon.  I haven't gone to a doctor yet.  I think I'm afraid of what he might say and that's just stupid.  I'm going to make an appointment with my family doctor and see what he has to say.  Sometimes the shaking is so bad that I can't pick up anything.  It's hell getting old!

I was able to finish another Christmas ornie for our tree this year.  This one is by The Little Stitcherr and she's called "Maiden of New Life".  I made it to celebrate the birth of our first great grandchild that will be here before Christmas.   His or her birthday will be put on the back of the ornament.

I have something to pick up at my LNS this Wednesday that I'm dieing to start.  It's called "Cherry Hollow Farm" by Stacy Nash.  Here's what it will look like when finished.  It's a Limited Edition and it's in kit form.  I like that....don't have to find anything in my sewing room....that can be a challenge sometimes.  

So what I'm going to work on is the baby's blanket.  I'm knitting it in a beautiful soft cream and I love doing this pattern.  You start in one corner and you increase every row until it gets to the size you like and then you start decreasing every row.  As you can see it leaves a border of yo's that I plan on weaving silk ribbon thru ..... pink for girl.....blue for boy.....of course.  
Well that's all I have to post on this rainy day here in Orlando.  I'm glad we didn't have any plans for today and I can sit some and vegetate.  I have a pot on the stove with a ham end in it and I'm going to be making ham, green beans and potatoes for dinner.  It's a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe handed down from my Mother and we love it.  

If you do have plans today with your family and friends, please be careful and come home safe.
Blessings Upon You, Barbara

Thursday, May 21, 2015

A New Finish

Hello, hello, hello.  Hope everyone is doing good on this fine Thursday.  The weekend is almost here and that means yard work.  Yuk! 
 I just finished from Cathy at Hand's On Designs her Pomegranate Pocket and it was a fun stitch!  I now wish I had deviated from Cathy's directions and made it a padded pocket....I always like them better for some reason.  I knew Cathy about 20 years ago while working in a local LNS here in Florida and I wish her nothing but success with her designs.  
The Pocket
The Matching Pincushion
The Set

I love how she stitched the pincushion and the finishing for it.  If you stitch this design, follow Cathy's instructions carefully.  It's a might tricky.
Thank you Cathy for designing such a fantastic pattern!
Vickie.....now it's your turn.

Blessings, Barbara

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Other vacation photos

An old mill that's near
where I grew up.  Went swimming
many times in creek
Beautiful views of
Pennsylvania
Beautiful views of
Pennsylvania
Peyton and John coming
up the tower as I was
going down
Looking out over battlefield
from observation tower
Looking down on Devil's Den
from Little Round Top
Pennsylvania Monument
at Gettysburg which has all
the names of the men who fought here
from Pennsylvania
Site of where Lincoln gave the Gettysburg
Address at the dedication of
the cemetary.

Hope you enjoyed these pictures of the beautiful state of Pennsylvania.

Blessings, Barbara

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Now I can show you.....

Every May my sweet friend Rhonda has a birthday and I love making something different for her every year.  Well about 2 years ago I posted a picture of a pattern that I had purchased from Jardin Prive and she just fell in love with it.  It took me two years to finally getting around to making this but this was Rhonda's birthday gift for this year.


I'm happy you like it dear Rhonda.

Blessings, Barbara

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Christmas in May?

I've begun to work on some Christmas ornaments for our tree this year.  When I saw this design I fell in love with the designer's name before the design.  How can you pass up a design by "Grandma Kringle's" I ask you?  I was at Joann's getting the floss for this and I came across a package fabric that said "28ct. evenweave".....don't believe everything you read.  It's by that company MCG Textiles and it reminded me of Fiddler's Cloth and I thought this design would be very cute on it.  It is but.....the evenweave is not evenweave so instead of my ornament being square it's rectangle.


I found some buttons I liked and added them to the design and I borrowed (stole) some twine from my hubby for the hanger.  I loved stitching this design and after I finished it, I was kind of happy he turned out rectangle.....he's different.
This design is in my store if your interested and I'm even adding a piece of the fabric I used in case you want your's to be different also.
Blessings, Barbara

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Well we made it....

Have you been so exhausted that if you came across skeins of silk floss laying in the street, you'd be too tired to pick them up?  Well that's me.  My feet and legs are swollen from sitting in the car so long.  I guess I'll have to see that doctor to recover from my vacation. 
As promised here are some pictures you might enjoy.

First is when we were almost to the Amish sale, we came across one of them arriving and I took a picture.  You don't take pictures of their faces and you'll notice you can't see them in the picture.  It used to be that if you came across one you were not allowed to pass them.  My brother said that it might still be like that in Lancaster County but we were north of there.  This was a father and his son.

As promised here are the quilts.  Imagine a large barn filled with arts and crafts that they have made to earn money for their schools.  The state of Pa. does not give them any money so they have auctions to support them.  Everything you see on the walls shelves....everything was sold.

The story of the lady I was talking about in a previous post is a sad one.  She was in her 80's and still making small and large quilts.  She had finished....if my memory is correct.......5 small ones and 1 large one.  She passed away 2 days before the sale and needless to say, her items went extremely high.  When they auctioned off one, they would hang it from a line with clothes pins so you could see it better.  I couldn't take any pictures of that because the ladies would of been in the pictures....sorry.

I can truthfully say, I've never seen prettier quilts than what I saw there.  The workmanship was fantastic and I love their use of color.  They have certain patterns they stick too but it doesn't matter once you've seen the work up close.  I believe it was Justine who asked if I have Amish in me.  Well my paternal great-grandmother was Mennonite and my Mother has some Pennsylvania Dutch in her.  I think stitching is in my genes and I had no choice but to love every type.

Now for my little beauty.
I absolutely loved the colors in this quilt and that's why I purchased it.  If you look closely at the head of the bed there's a pillow.  That was made out of an antique quilt that I had that was falling apart.  I was able to save enough of it to make the pillow.
I also bought these two prints.

The first one is of a famous barn called "The Star Barn".  It's 135 years old and is located along Rte. 283 in Dauphin County and I understand that it's been purchased and will be moved to a different location.  Here is an actual picture of the barn and it's out buildings.

 I purchased the one below because the house in the picture reminded me of the one I grew up in.  They are both now in my living room.....one hanging and the other on top of a cedar chest beside a clock my father made me.

I have lots more pictures but I'll save them for later.  They are mostly of Gettysburg and Washington, D.C.  All in all,  we had a wonderful trip.  No bad weather but everyone thought it was funny that I live in Florida but went to Pennsylvania to get sunburned.  It's starting the itching phase and then the peeling will begin.  

I hope everyone has a Blessed weekend,
Barbara

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Well today was a lot of walking around D.C. but we made it back to the hotel room exhausted.  The one thing I wanted to post about before I forgot was how nice the people are in D.C.  From the people on the metro to the people on the street, everyone was very helpful about giving directions.  The place I spent a lot of time by myself was The National Arts Museum.  I was an arts major  and to see all of those beautiful masterpieces was just breathtaking.
We leave D.C. tomorrow morning at 5 am.....yes you read that right.  So early to bed.  Be prepared for a long post of pictures when I get back in town.
Until then....Blessings to all.
Barbara

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Well tomorrow we leave Pa. For Washington, DC.  We went to the Amish auction and I came away with so many nice things.  I was lucky enough to win an actual Amish quilt.  I've wanted one for so long and what makes this one special to me is the story behind it.  While the women sit at their frames and to the hand quilting, the young girls sit at another frame and make a "tied"quilt.  That is what I bought.  There's an amazing story about one of the ladies whose quilts were for sale but I'll save that for later.   I got to visit my paternal grandmother's grave, Anna Grace,  and I said a prayer of thanks for all the needlework she taught me.
This is just 2 sections of quilts they were selling.  I really had to sit on my hands.  Lol
 will post more once I get home.
Blessings, Barbara

Thursday, May 7, 2015

We are here in Pennsylvania and the weather is perfect.  I will have so many pictures to share when we get back.  Today the four of us actually did a mile hiking trail up a mountain near where we use to live.  Took the kids to see where we use to live and couldn't get over how everything has changed.
Tomorrow we are going to Gettysburg and I can't wait to go to a quilting shop that specializes in civil war reproduction fabrics. Then on Saturday we are going to an Amish sale that benefits the Amish schools.  I cannot wait to see their quilts!  And the food....amazing.
It's late and I am so tired but it's a good tired.
Blessings, Barbara

Tuesday, May 5, 2015

Once Upon a Time......


I love this show and yesterday I watched this week's episode and the previews for the season ending 2 hour special.  I wonder how many of my fellow "Once upon a timers" read my blog and watch the show.  Can you imagine Snow White as evil?  The acting isn't the greatest but whoever writes this has a heck of an imagination.  Who's your favorite character?  Mine is the evil queen turned good girl Regina.  Sometimes I think she's reverting back to her old ways but then doesn't.  She just keeps me guessing.
Just one last post before we leave on vacation.  Be back soon.
Blessings to each and everyone of you,
Barbara

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Have you noticed......

That I'm having trouble making up my mind what my blog should look like?  I go from reds to browns, purples, pinks and even greens.  I just can't make up my mind.   

Maybe I should just turn everything white and use my imagination while looking at it....nah....that's no fun.....but I bet everyone of you is tired of seeing all the changes.  Sorry but it's a woman's prerogative to change her mind.   At least that's what I've heard.

Me