Whew.....

Well Matthew is on his way to bother someone else and hopefully will die out soon.  We had a tree limb fall off a tree and Peyton and John showed up today to help us with that problem.  We didn't even lose power....although it flickered a couple of times.  

To anyone who has yet to be bothered by this storm, I hope all is well afterwards.  

God is Good

Blessings, Barbara

Matthew....

Well it looks like we are going to get hit with a hurricane named Matthew and here I always liked that name.  Here in the Orlando area we have so many tourists and I know the state government has to issue warnings and all but I really think they get ahead of themselves sometimes.  We've lived here for over 30 years and can remember only one year where we received damage from a hurricane and that was in 2004.  Three hurricanes in 6 weeks was just a little over the top.  So we've prepared as we always have....brought in garbage cans, plants, wind chimes and any thing that can go flying and that's about it.  We will probably lose power and so flashlights and lanterns are ready and we have an extra tank of gas for the grill to cook on. 

Now for you ladies that are also in this storms path I pray that nothing bad happens to any of your family or friends and if you could offer up a prayer for us, I'd be eternally grateful.

Blessings During This Time,

Barbara

Finally Found One

Good morning my sweet friends....hope your Monday is off to a great start.  Mine has been so so.  I think I'm getting my end of summer cold that I get every year.  I usually get 2 colds a year...one in the spring and one in the fall.  This time I headed this one off at the pass and started taking meds immediately instead of waiting.  Maybe it will help and maybe not....who knows.

Well yesterday afternoon, Peyton, John, Little John, Valerie (John's sister) and I decided we were going shopping for my dress for the wedding.  I really didn't want to.  I told Peyton I was planning on waiting till after the holidays to start looking.  Well apparently this gave Peyton a near heart attack because she thought I should have it now and ready.  So off we went to the Altamonte Mall.  Looked at all the major stores and finally came to Dillards.  I don't know why we didn't start there first because I've always had good luck there.  So here's my dress for the wedding.....

I know the picture is terrible but it's the best one I took.  The color is navy blue and it has a nice over cape and sleeves of chiffon with some sparkly lace and jewels around the cuffs.  I think I still need and nice necklace and ear rings and shoes and I'm all set.   The only problem is that it's a floor length gown and when I have it one, there's about 10 inches of fabric laying on the floor.  I swear they make these long enough for a giraffe to wear so I'm not sure if I want to tackle this job myself or take it to a professional.  Thank goodness that's over.

I've been working on the Threadwork Primitives sampler and this is what I've done so far.  I think I miscalculated the size because it's turning out bigger than I thought it would.  Thank goodness I used a larger than needed piece of fabric.

Well I hope all of you have a wonderful week and are able to get some serious stitching time in.

Blessings for the week,

Barbara

Good Tuesday Morning....

I almost typed Monday because DH was home yesterday and it just throws my whole week off.  I'm a Monday laundry person and here I am doing it on a Tuesday....it's gonna mess me up for the entire week.  (sigh)

Well I finished Slate Snowman and I love him.  This is the biggest Shepherd's Bush design I've ever done and it's not really that big....maybe 6 x 8 inches at the most.  I have one of her Gatherers in my collection and I keep putting it off because of the size.  Maybe now I'll tackle it.  Here he is in all his glory.....

I absolutely love him and I'm looking for an off white primitive frame for him.

Next project is a Threadwork Primitives sampler called "Never Fading".  What I like about this sampler is that at the bottom they used a piece of WDW hand dyed wool and attached old buttons, charms, pins, etc.  I have an idea brewing in my head as to what I want to attach to the wool but first I must stitch the design.

I haven't chosen fabric yet but I'm definitely using silks for the stitching.

Well back to my off day laundry day (sigh) and I'm hoping you all have a really great week in whatever you decide to do.

Blessings, Barbara

Moving right along....

I was hoping I would have the Shepherd's Bush Slate Snowman finished by now but no such luck.  My eyes are having trouble focusing on the threads of the fabric.  I have this problem often with darker hand dyed linen....why?.....I have no idea.  I am determined to finish it this weekend if our yard work gets finished fast.  Another limb fell off our maple tree in the front yard so we need to cut that up before we can mow grass.  I have a thing about cutting down trees.....I don't like it.  I won't even have a natural Christmas tree.  I just don't like it and now we have to make the decision to cut down this old maple.  I wouldn't worry about it so much if it was in the back yard but it's between our property and the neighbors and I don't want anything happening to their house because of our tree.  I'm going to miss her if we have to cut it down.  She's offered many years of very nice shade.

Here is what I have finished so far on it.  I love the little house, trees and sheep at the bottom.

I've got the yarn bug again and I'm thinking of making a shawl using this beautiful lace weight yarn I purchased on Etsy from a fantastic Dyer.  Her store is JulieSpins and she truly is a magician when it comes to colors.  Her base yarns are wonderful to the touch.  This one is Merino and Silk and I love the names of the combinations she comes up with.  This one is called Grandmother's Kitchen.  Is that not perfect?

Each skein has 870 yards so I'll have plenty to work with and it will be a wonderful light weight over the shoulders.

No post would be complete without an update of my little buddy...Little John.  Peyton sent me this this morning of the big boy walking in his new shoes.  Don't ya just love that smile!!!   I could just look at him all day.  Peyton and I went out for lunch on wednesday and of course Little John was along.  He can be in a grouchy mood in the car but as soon as he's in a store or a restaurant to watch people, he's happy as a lark.  We went to Olive Garden and I think he had more of my minestrone soup than I did.

I can't believe he'll be a year old next month.  Time sure passes fast when you don't want it to.

I thank God for all the great ladies I have met thru my blog and I hope everyone remembers to thank God for family and friends.

Blessings, Barbara

A start and a finish

I hope everybody has had a fantastic weekend so far whether it be with loved ones or just sitting and stitching.  

I had to start a new project besides the Shepherds Bush one because I just fell in love with this little snowman.  He is stitched in primitive colors which suits me just fine.  I decided he was having some "Wintertime fun" and made him a label.  Buttons at the corners finished him off real nicely.  Teresa Kogut is the designer and you'll find the pattern in my store.

 I've been working on Slate Snowman for about 2 days so I haven't gotten very far but I thought I'd show you the fabric.  I love it!

Remember my Lizzie Kate candle mat I made and remember I forgot to stitch the ball at the end of santa's hat?  Well I decided  since I forgot to do this before I put him together, that I would use a button for the ball.  I like it!

That's all for now except to wish everyone a Blessed Sunday....

Barbara

Betsy has a home.

I hope all of you have had a Blessed Sunday and enjoyed your time with stitching or something else you love doing.  Me.....stitching!

I took Robin's advice about the wooden embroidery frames for Betsy's Tart and it turned out really cute.  I had never finished something this way so I added some touches of my own.  I added a backing which I'm not sure you are suppose to do but to me it just gives it a more "finished" look.  Also, I stained the hoop walnut and I love it.

Here's Betsy:

She's sitting in my china/crystal cabinet only because the hanger that I had attached left loose so I must reattach it then I can hang it where I want.  I'm thinking kitchen.

Then the other day I received a package in the mail from my sweet friend Rhonda.  I had no idea what it was and wow was I surprised when I opened it.  She sent me an absolutely beautiful windchime in remembrance of my brother, Richard.  I purchased a wrought iron hanger at Lowe's and DH hung it for me today.

I had him hang it outside my kitchen window that's over my sink so that I can hear the beautiful chimes and look at it.  I didn't want it out in the elements so it's nicely protected on the front porch.  Thank you Rhonda....every time I look at it I'll think of my brother and the dear friend who sent it to me.

That's all from this part of the world.  I hope everything is in top shape in your corner.

Blessings, Barbara

A finish and new start

Hello to all my blog friends and here's hoping your week has been fantastic so far.  Mine has been so so with nothing earth shattering happening which is a good thing I guess.  I made a comment to someone the other day that my DH and I are boring.....we lead a very quiet life.  They replied back that they wish they could.  I guess in that sense we are lucky.

I was able to finish Betsy's Tart but I think it finished too small to place in the round frame I was thinking of using.  I'm going to have to find a different frame or some other way of finishing it.

I did change one of the colors in the design to add a little of brownish green to it.  I think also I should of done the lettering in a darker thread.  I just don't feel like dealing with the frog so it stays..

Then we have my next project...."Slate Snowman" from Shepherd's Bush.  I do love this design but one thing bother's me about their kits.  To me they cut the silks too short and they drive me crazy to use them so I always replace them.  These will be replaced with Belle Soie Silks which I absolutely love to work with.

Doesn't he look like fun???  I just love their designs.  When I'm finished with this one it will be winging it's way "across the pond" to a sweet lady in England.  She loves Shepherd's Bush and sheep just like me so I thought I'd share this one with her..

I hope all of you have a lovely weekend with family and friends.

Blessings, Barbara

Update

Well it's still raining here off and on but I was able to get to Costco and Joann Fabrics today.  Needed some floss for my next project.  I've really scaled down my fibers.  I only keep on hand those flosses that a pattern calls for and ones that are of a primitive color palette.  It makes it simpler to handle and doesn't take up as much room.

I was able to get Forget Me Not and the LK Merry Christmas ones finished up today.  I'm liking the LK but not so sure about FMN one.

This is the one I dedicated to my brother and on the back I placed his name and date of birth/death.   The little clocks in front of it I just received from my oldest brother.  These were clocks that Richard had purchased for our Mother on two Christmases and he thought I might like to have them.  I think it's perfect to have these in front of the picture.

This little guy turned out great.  I placed the part for the candle in the back so that the light shines down on the cross stitch.  I did a machine quilted pattern on the fabric part and I like how it goes with the Santa.

Betsy's Tart is coming along and so far a fun stitch.  

I just received an order from Stitch & Frog that I just can't wait to start but my next project will be a Shepherd's Bush Slate Snowman.....it has a snowman AND a sheep.  Can't wait to start that one either.  "So Many Projects....So Little Time".

Hope you all are having a fantastic weekend so far.

Blessings, Barbara

Don't ya love tropical storms!!!!

One word for how the weathers been here in Orlando lately.....miserable....but it does make a nice time for stitching.  I don't feel like going anywhere and sure can't work in the yard.  

I was able to get two projects stitched up:

First one is a Lizzie Kate and it is me!!!  I don't like to say Happy Holidays at Christmas.  It's just not right and it's not fun.  So when I saw this design I knew it was for me.  I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it but I'm leaning towards a candle mat using one of the fabrics shown.  This was a great fun stitch!

Next is the Forget Me Not which I'm dedicating to my brother, Richard.  I'm thinking that this should be framed but I'm still debating.

I'm making good progress on the Weaver's Samplers which will be dedicated to my Aunt Margaret who made beautiful quilts.  

And my new project started today is Betsy's Tart.  This I know I'm going to frame in an antique round frame that I found at an estate sale that we stopped at coming home from De Leon Springs.  It's being stitched on a hand dyed fabric of a mystery color name but it's in shades of grey.

Well that's what I've been up  to.  The Lizzy Kate pattern is in my store if you're interested as is Betsy's Tart also.

I hope you've had a wonderful week where you are and that your weekend is even better.  Enjoy your family and friends and don't forget to tell them you love them.  

Blessings, Barbara

PS.  Okay I've lost it!!!  Take a good look at my Lizzie Kate Merry Christmas and tell me what's missing.  Can't figure it out?  How about the ball at the end of Santa's hat?  I'm glad I noticed this before I did the finishing work on it.  Since it's not going to be framed....maybe a pompom?  Hmmmm