The mess I call my sewing room....

 I thought you all would like to see my sewing room....or as I call it.....The Black Hole.   It's a 3rd bedroom so it's small and I try to make good use of the space but I'm terrible at organization.  I'm hoping Jenn will overhaul it the next time she comes to visit.  Hint.....hint.....

What you see above is my sewing machine and what I call my Wall of Silks.  I find that if I have them on hooks like this, I'm able to see all that I need at a glance and able to pick out what I need faster.

 This mess is my DMC, Anchor and my cross stitch linen center.  There's also some other fibers in boxes like my Mandarin, Needlepoint Inc. and Au Ver a Soie.  Also some of my favorite designers I keep in binder such as Just Nan for one.

 This is my yarn and finishing fabric center.  I keep the fabrics that I use the most in baskets on top of the dresser which holds most of my yarn.  You'll find yarn in other places too.....not enough room!!!

 In this dresser I keep my yardage of finishing fabrics.  On top is more yarn and also files with patterns I want to do soon.  On the wall you'll see how I keep all my circular knitting needles.  I was tired of them getting tangled in a drawer.

 This is most of my finishing supplies....boxes and such.

 This rack holds embroidery magazines plus small finishing items.  On top you'll see boxes.....one has all my Drawn Thread patterns.

And here are my new shelves to hold all the things I use the most for finishing.  As you can see, I needed those shelves greatly and they leave me so much more room to work.

Hope you enjoyed seeing my mess and where I hang out.  

I received the final part to Carol's SAL this morning and I'll be working on that today.  Also, I'll be finishing the sampler into what I had planned all along.....you'll see that later tonite.

Hope everyone has a "stitchie" saturday.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

And the winner is....

The random generator came up with the number 27 and that was Linda.  She had written:

Gloriana is a dream to stitch with...not available around here, but a dream to stitch with. Snow around here....Ohio weather is weird, it would be just our luck for it to snow already! Thanks for another wonderful giveaway, Barb! 

I want to thank all who entered and to let you know I will be having another giveaway starting towards the end of November and this one will be for Christmas. All kinds of goodies will be finding their way into this one so keep watch.

My hubby was nice enough to hang 3 large shelves in my sewing room this afternoon right above my cutting/project table.  This will help immensely in getting stuff off of my workspace and allow me more room.  Before it was a mess!!!!   I now have the entire drafting table to work on and I'm delighted.  I also spent the remaining time today separating out my buttons by color and putting them in mason jars.  I've wanted to do that for some time now and today seemed like a good time.  These also will be on the shelves above the table for handy use.  That's about all for today except for working on Jenn's ornie which I haven't gotten done yet.  Hopefully tonight during the truck race.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Don't forget about the giveaway

I absolutely cannot believe that it is the 3rd of November already.  Do you realize that in just a few weeks, it will be Thanksgiving!!  Where has this year gone?  And what makes this really bad, is that I'm getting older faster.  Am I the only one who has noticed this?  The older I get, the faster the days go by and there's not enough hours in the day to finish all that I want to get done.  

Well I'm almost finished with the first Christmas ornie.  This one is for Jenn and her family and should match her tree very well.  I should have it finished tomorrow and I'll post a picture then.  Have you seen LHN Joy and Peace Ornament of the Month No. 9?  Well I bought that one the other day at my LNS and I already have the green WDW wool to make the bag out of.  This should be a real fun stitch and that should be my next one.

I want to remind everyone of my giveaway and that you only have till friday evening to sign up for it.  Get a chance to win the frosty blue Gloriana silk that is in my header above and a secret pattern that will be sent with the thread.  

I hope everyone has a great weekend.  I am looking forward to the cooler temps that will be here in Florida starting tomorrow.  Lows down in the 50's!!!!!  Can you believe it!!!!  This is the only thing I really like about Florida.....no snow and cool temps in the winter.  Also, don't forget to change your clocks this saturday if it pertains to you.  It's nice to wake up with the sun but I hate when it gets dark at 5 in the afternoon.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Second part of the SAL

I am just rolling along on the C Mon Monde/Threadbasket SAL.  I now have the second part finished and the third doesn't come out till monday next.....I got time to do some Christmas stitching!!!!!  As always, I'm doing something a little different with my sal.  I'm adding some specialty stitches into it.  On this part, I did smyrna crosses for the red and white berries along the sides.  I didn't think of doing this until after I had already finished the house, so unfortunately it doesn't have any specialty stitches on it.  Maybe I'll add something to that part....fence or maybe a chimney where I could throw some in.  Have to give that some thought when I'm finished with the other 2 parts.

Well I'm off to work on some Christmas ornies that I've been wanting to start.  Everything else that I've started, I'm putting on the back burner until after Jan. 1st so I have plenty of time to work on what I want to get done.  

Anybody else getting any snow?  Our daughter, Jenn, just added some pictures to her blog of the snow they are getting out in Colorado.  You can check them out here.  So pretty.....so cold.....glad I'm in Florida.  LOL

Blessings as always,

Barbara

P.S.  I just found a fantastic blog.  It's called Amish Stories and it's loaded with beautiful pictures of Lancaster, Pa. (where I lived close to) and the best recipes.  If you've never tasted Amish cooking you are really missing out.  Just pick one recipe, try it and you'll be hooked.  So take a moment and visit this blog....it's worth it.

Happy Halloween

Here's the face part of our daughter's Halloween costume this year.  I love the eye lashes!!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Something to share with you and a giveaway

I received an email from my good friend Trina today and she was sharing what she had made for her daughter for Halloween.  Aren't these adorable!!!!  I love them and how creative!!

I also talked with my oldest brother in Pennsylvania tonite and it seems they are getting ready for the first snow of the season.  Well I got to thinking about this and thought.....what a good reason for a giveaway.  So we are going to have a little "snow" giveaway.  If you'll take notice to my new header, there is a skein of light blue Gloriana silk in it.  Well if you post a comment to this entry only, I will enter your name into the drawing to win that skein of silk.  If you receive snow before next friday, enter your name again for a second chance.  This giveaway is open to followers of my blog only and as always, I will add a surprise to the giveaway but only the winner will know what it is.  Good Luck!!

Blessings as always,

Barbara

First part of a new SAL

 The Threadbasket and C Mon Monde together have started a new Christmas SAL and I just finished the first part.  

I have decided to stitch mine on 32ct Stoneypoint linen using HDF silks.  I truthfully didn't think I would ever get this house finished because you need to finish the part before getting the next part.  I really don't have any Christmas pictures and I really fell in love with this one.  

Now unto my next project which is going to be Pineberry Lane Anne Lancaster Needle Book and I'm anxious to get my thread and needle into it.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A remembrance of childhood

 I woke up this morning to an email from a very sweet friend in Ohio who sent me these beautiful pictures of a covered bridge in her area.  When I was growing up, there was one about 2 miles from my home and I always loved it.  Thank you so much Trina for this remembrance of my childhood!!!

I've joined another SAL and I will be posting a pic of my progress soon.....I hope.  This one is a Christmas one and I'm enjoying it so far.  

Blessings as always,

Barbara

Some more photos from Marly

 I received these from Marly this afternoon so that I could see the difference just a few days made in the colors.

 Aren't these trees beautiful!!!!

 Just as Marly said, they seem to glow.

 We see nothing like this here in Florida.

Don't these make you want to take off for a walk!!!

Thank you Marly for sending these to me.

Blessings as always,

Barbara

A finish, a SAL and some wonderful Pa. pictures

 Good Monday morning to everyone!  I woke up to some beautiful pictures in my email and I'll get to them in a minute but first, I have finished Style Quaker by Jardin Prive.  This was an absolute fun stitch and it's one of those you're sorry to see end....mostly because of the soft colors she uses....so relaxing.

 Next up is part 7 of Carol's SAL.  This one is coming to a close and I shall miss it.  I think it's a great tribute to Carol that I feel that way.  I've started other SAL and just haven't enjoyed them near as much as this one and I think it's because of the designers own enthusiasm.  I want to thank Carol for all her hard work that she has put into this SAL....I shall miss it.

 And now for some wonderful Autumn pictures of Pennsylvania from Marly.  Marly made my day with these beautiful pictures of my home state.   She really has started my week on a happy note and I thank her from the bottom of my heart.  So sit back and enjoy these beautiful pictures of my home state in all it's glory!!!!

I hope your monday starts out as great as mine did.

Blessings as always,

Barbara