Belfonte Notes

Holy Cow...Three Wonderful Years!!

2012-01-25T17:21:00.000-05:00

This one really snuck up on me!! I just want to say two things:

I want and desire to do a giveaway! But not time today to post specifics....just be watching in the next few days to a week, for the post about my giveaway! Over 300 followers and would love so much to see that number grow, so if you aren't a follower yet, please make sure you are following, before you post! You don't have to have a blog, but if you don't, make sure that you post your email address!! I promise, this giveaway, is going to be extra-extra special!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My next thoughts are to say how much I have loved having you as a reader, follower, commentor...it has meant so much to me, and I hope that you will continue in the future to read, follow and comment!! It is and you all are, a true blessing!!!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!

Love, Jan

And the Merriest of Christmas's...

2011-12-23T21:32:00.000-05:00

to you, my dear blogging friends!!

Do you think this guy is busy enough? Whittling away at that special toy? This is just one of my favorite ornaments that adorn the family tree. What is one of your favorites, other than the handmade ones? Do any of you readers, have specific collections, such as a theme, or brand, like Hallmark ornaments? Would love to hear about it, if you do!

I was able to finish The Primitive Needle's Earth Sampler a few weeks ago, not the greatest picture:

Primitive Needle's Earth Sampler

Tree of Life Linens Cocoa Double Dip 40 ct

Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Art Fibers

Substituted white cat for middle motif, in memory of a family pet

Here is a pic of the outside of the Belfonte house...looks so strange without the customary white snow to make it a truly wintery Christmas scene. Grass is greener than it was all summer, strange!

I am pleased that I have everything ready for Christmas. Usually this time of the year, I am frantically putting things together at the last minute, and that really does take away alot of joy in the moment. So, that said, I am hoping that you all are ready for your celebration of Christmas, with your family and friends this weekend. I am waiting with anticipation for my children and grandchildren to arrive for our family gathering on Christmas Day. Lots of good food, good company and good gifts, after reading that timeless Christmas Story. I wish you joy and lots of peace, dear friends and readers... the kind of peace that can only come to the heart, through the grace of God.

What is Christmas without Christ?

Love, Jan

TOO long away....BUT...

2011-11-23T12:07:00.001-05:00

I am here now with a bit of an update on my life on Belfonte Lane! I am sure that I won't get everything shared of my year and I say that, because it has been since the end of February 2011, since I have made a blog post here! I feel badly about that, because I so enjoy posting and having you visit and sharing somewhat in my life, with you all special and dear, blog readers! Anyway, I hope to not stay away so long again, but we all know how life gets, I just need to make a strong effort to have 'make a blog post' at the tops of those never-ending lists that I am always making! Ha!! I am very much hoping that 2012 will usher in a year, a bit more organized, but even if it isn't, I want to be able to come here and post some! I have missed you all!!!

I haven't managed an overabundance of stitching this year, lots of that time, I have been focusing on my design models and stuff for Retreat, but I did manage to finish up this a few weeks ago! Not sure yet, what kind of finish to plan for this, but since it is so late in the season, I have a bit of time before I need to decide.

Blackbird Designs Waiting for the Harvest

GAST Pumpkin Pie and Dark Chocolate
32 Ct R&R American Chestnut

And another wip that is not quite done yet...I was having fun with buttons around it, and it might appear to be done, but isn't yet! Maybe next week I can share a finish of it, and maybe a bit more progress pics. It does motivate to get out my stitching more, just by taking pictures and sharing them with you all here! And also your wonderful words which cheerlead me on to a finish!

Primitive Needle's Earth Sampler
Weeks and GAST fibers, with one substitution and change of motif
Tree of Life Linens Cocoa Double Dip, 40 ct

This has been a fun stitch, several of my online friends and I have been doing a private SAL to remember Lisa and this is the design I chose to stitch. My prayers are still with her family, especially this time of year, the first holiday time they will be without her presence, and I know that it will be a hard time. I do hope to finish this little sweet sampler up soon and get it framed and on my wall. I substituted the motif that looked like a white strawberry with dark seeds, have no idea what it was, so I decided to put in a little white kitty in it's place, to remember a special cat that owned our family for awhile, named Monica.

That is it for the stitchey pics, but I do have some outside pictures that I took well over a month ago, when autumn 2011 was in full swing, so allow me to share them with you all, because if I wait another day or two, I fear that everyone's (including my own) mind will be on Christmas and snow and winter!

My Backyard Foliage behind the property fence

Belfonte Front Porch with Pumpkins and Ferns

Flowers did wonderful this summer and the mums just set everything off!

My Favorite Mum

And I couldn't not share a picture of my grandbabies....

Pumpkin Pickin' with Daddy, just their sizes too!

Happy Girl, Alexandra Catherine, aka Allie Bug

I will be returning soon, with more stitchey pics and updates! Thanks for visiting with me, and getting to the end, and for those of you, that leave me a comment, thank you from the bottom of my heart! I will do my best to visit your blogs soon!

I would just like to leave you now, with a special prayer of blessing this Thanksgiving week, for you and your loved ones! Give Thanks!!

Love, Jan

2011 Tree of Life Samplings Retreat News...

2011-09-14T13:54:00.002-04:00

please visit my Tree of Life Samplings Blog, for the latest news and info about the 2012 Retreat being planned!

Link is in right side bar, thanks so much!!

I really need to find the time to make a blog post soon! I have missed it more then you know!!

Love, Jan

New Beginnings and An Old Friend....

2011-02-28T15:06:00.002-05:00

Hello, hello! I certainly wanted to get a post in sooner, but alas the month of February has flown by, like it usually does, I might add! It is my birthday month, and with the few days short that it boasts, it is almost always quick and over, with the blink of an eye! I hope that all of you have had decent weather, although we have had some weirdness going on at times and with the creeks and rivers being at flood stage, that is always a concern! But all is good for now, supposed to dry up and warm up (a bit) for a few days, before the weekend and the forecast of more precipitation!

With today being the last day of the month, I am determined to get this post, posted! I have been working on several things, so it doesn't appear that I have made much progress on anything, but I have had a blast doing what I am doing, so that is what counts!! Progress will come, I just need to stay at it!

I actually have Three "New" Beginnings this month, which is a great deal for me! Many of you, might think that is silly, especially those of you that joined in the January Crazy Challenge of starting how-many-new-starts-was-that-again???? Anyway, I love and have loved looking at all of the wonderful new starts out there, but to be honest if I had started that many, I would have been definitely found certifiable!!!

First off is Blackbird Designs Anniversaries of the Heart, A Wish For You:

I am doing this all on one piece of fabric, 40 ct Silkweaver's Purely Primitive, one thread of recommended over dyeds over two threads (with a couple of substitutions). I am doing them in NOT the same order as the talented ladies of Blackbird Designs is releasing them. I just felt that this one would look better first, and I will be doing this particular square to celebrate my youngest daughter, Ashley. Hope to finish it up in the next week, we shall see!

Secondly is Mary Glover:

Very little done on this project, but it is started! Thanks to Siobhan and her wonderful enabling, when I saw this sampler and the details on her blog, I just had to do it myself! Please visit Siobhan's blog, if you have not already been there, her projects and pictures are a true feast for the eyes and will definitely not disappoint! Also she has the details on how to sign up, obtain and take part in this SAL. She also has a recent picture of her progress and she has quite a bit more done on it! I did convert the DMC to NPI's, if you would like to have that list, please let me know, and I will edit this post later, with my conversions! I am such a silk snob when it comes to sampler stitching these days! I am stitching it over two threads, with two threads on 32 ct...I forget the name of the color now, although I do know it is an R&R!

Thirdly, here is my birthday start, Needleprint's Marianne Wenn Sampler:

Again, very little accomplished, but it is a start and I am so loving this one! I shared with you all, in a previous post, my conversions from the DMC to NPI silks and I chose 36 ct R&R Flax Fields, stitched with one thread over two threads. I WILL finish this sampler, someday!

NEXTLY (oh my goodness, I am going to have some friends all over that form of english usage, but I don't care, I like the sound of it!) a re-introduction of a very old friend, Plum Street Samplers Seven Days of Creation:

I am not sure what YEAR I started this, Paulette, do you? Sorry, dear friend, I am not putting you on the spot! I do know though, it has been several years, and when I got it out of the wip bag, I thought to myself, self, you have that almost half done, it needs to be finished and on the wall! So, I vowed, once I got it in the scroll rods to work on it as often as I can and get more progress done on it. Because it is so very pretty!! I am stitching it on 36 ct R&R Creme Brulee with my conversion of DMC to Crescent Colours cottons.

BTW, Paulette is a very dear and old friend too, and if you haven't yet purchased or stitched any of her designs, you are missing out! Her creativeness is so heartfelt and she puts so much of herself in to each and every design! I have them all, and hope to live long enough to stitch many more of them!

Well, I guess that is it for this month! Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read my posts; everytime you leave a comment, I am blessed immeasurably! Today, I am thankful to the Living God for friends such as yourself, whom I have learned from and developed many, many happy memories!!

I hope this video works....it is of my 20 month old Allie Bug, going on 30 years, reading the daily paper!

Love, Jan

Her Sampler Fini and Mariette Swift Progress!

2011-02-15T22:46:00.001-05:00

A very quick post, first of all, hope you are enjoying a bit of warmer weather, like we are here in the midwest! What a joy it was for me today to be able to go out on my deck and sweep, without any sign of snow or ice! A breath of Spring is in the air!

I finished Her Sampler a week ago Sunday, and just now sharing a picture of it! It was such an enjoyable stitch, but to be honest, I had more then a few frogging moments with it. If I hadn't loved it so much, it probably would have gotten tossed in a pile somewhere, but I thought it was adorable when I first picked it up to stitch and still do, so all is good!

Carriage House Samplings

Her Sampler

DMC recommended fibers

R&R 32 ct Old Towne Blend Linen

Another sampler that is on my Up For A Challenge list this year, is Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin Mariette Swift 1804. I first saw this stitched by Siobhan and had to have it for myself, so was lucky to win it shortly thereafter on ebay, since of course all of her designs are OOP. Anyway, I started this cutey back in 2008, after converting the fibers to Belle Soie Silks. I don't know why I didn't finish it, just one of those gazillion times that I got side-tracked I am guessing. Anyway, nice to be back to it, and this is really a lousy picture, but at least gives some idea of my progress. Hope to get it finished and soon.

This shows it a bit better:

Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin

Mariette Swift 1804 (Reproduction Sampler)

Belle Soie Silks

(Don't remember the color of linen, but it is 32 ct)

Incidentally, speaking of Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin and those hard to find OOP's, if anyone has her Peace Sampler, I would be most interested in obtaining it. Either purchasing or borrowing, please email me concerning this. It is one that I have long sought after and do not have in my possession, and would so love to stitch it. Thank you in advance for your help!

That's all for now, I do hope that you have some fun with your stitching this week, I hope to get caught up on my blog reading and commenting. Doesn't take but a day or two for me to get behind with that. Also anyone that has inquired about my stitching retreat this summer, be expecting to receive via email Registration information and other pertinent information!

Thanks again for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment! It is such a blessing to me, I have almost reached 300 followers, which totally amazes me! Thank you for being interested enough in my ramblings to visit again and comment!

Sleep Tight!

Love, Jan

Marianne Wenn Conversions and Giveaway Winner!

2011-02-03T13:47:00.004-05:00

Howdy from Belfonte Lane in Indiana! Luckily we did not lose our power, during the Winter Storm of the Century'! So fortunate because in our town alone there were 16,000 outages with about 1/2 that many still without power! My heart goes out to them! I did everything I could to 'button up the hatches' and make things ready just in case the power did go out! Candles and flashlights at the ready and I even made a pot of coffee the night before, and put the fresh made coffee in a thermos! LOL At least if the power went out, I could have a cup of my beloved brew!! But fortunately, it did not, but I still drank the coffee from the thermos, which was still very fresh and hot and saved me from having to make it the next morning! LOL

We did get very strong winds and a mix of precipitation, mostly in the form of freezing rain and sleet, which left us with around two inches of ice! My driveway still looks like a skating rink and they have the schools closed for the third day here in the valley! But my daughter says that the roads are much better this morning.

I did mention that I was going to have another new start on my birthday, which is the end of this month, and that new start was going to be Marianne Wenn from Needleprint! After playing around with it for a while, I wanted to convert to all NPI's and was successful, but also I wanted to calm down the color palette a bit and even more importantly I wanted the color palette to compliment each other. The picture below is on the fabric I have chosen, 36 count Flax Fields from R&R Reproductions with the Needlepoint Silks laying just under the DMC that is called for in the chart. I did change out one color entirely, I am using NPI 871, in place of dmc 842, which is considerable lighter:

Marianne Wenn

Not the best picture, but maybe you can get the idea. This picture below shows the first set of needlepoint silks that I chose, I have since re-worked them, but wanted to share the picture, because it definitely shows the hues of the fabric so much better, although it is a bit darker, then the Flax Fields that I have, isn't quite as dark:

Here are the conversions, if you are interested:

DMC 304 ~ NPI 208

DMC 3706 ~ NPI 205

DMC 3713 ~ NPI 531

DMC 725 ~ NPI 474

DMC 744 ~ NPI 472

DMC 890 ~ NPI 646

DMC 3818 ~ NPI 353

DMC 906 ~ NPI 547

DMC 312 ~ NPI 746

DMC 3761 ~ NPI 742

DMC 433 ~ NPI 957

DMC 3863 ~ NPI 301

DMC 842 ~ NPI 871

DMC 844 ~ NPI 976

NOW, for what you have all been reading to find out, and I thank you for suffering through my meanderings, before I got to the most important announcement.....

The winner of the Blogoversary Giveaway IS:

Kellie

Congratulations dear Kellie! The name of her blog is The Stitching Post, and is a wonderful place to visit. If you haven't visited her yet, be sure and do so! Kellie, can you please email me your snail mail address, so that I can mail out your box of goodies as soon as I can!

Of course, it was so hard to just pick one entry, there were over 90 of you that signed up. So I decided that if the following three blogging friends are interested in receiving a Tree of Life Samplings design, I would love to send it to you! Parsley, Terri from dixiesamplerdesigns and Diana (no blog), please email me as soon as you see this and please tell me which design is your favorite! Thank you all for participating in my 2nd Blogoversary Giveaway! It has been such fun and I always love seeing new blogs that come to visit!

I was planning on sharing a finish of Her Sampler by Carriage House Samplings...however she isn't quite done yet! Mostly because I could not resist starting Anniversaries of the Heart by Blackbird Designs this week! I was so excited about locating just the right size fabric in my stash and pulling together the designs that are released and tentatively assigning squares to my family members! So I just had to put the first stitches in the first block! I do hope to finish up Her Sampler yet this week...maybe I will have it to share on Saturday with you all!

Before I leave, I want to show you a couple of pics, one of my visitors yesterday, the Carolina Wren, the Cardinal (male) and the Tow-Hee (think that is how it is spelled!) in my makeshift birdfeeder! I have had such trouble with squirrels of late, that I have had to be more innovative in getting my bird friends their food. Also with the recent inclement weather, I have not even been able to get a foothold on my decking, from all of the ice. So the pie pan with bird feed and square of suet to the side, right outside my french doors, is as good as it gets! They have been grateful, there have been many visitors, this is just a sampling, if you click on it, it will be larger and you can maybe get a closer look:

And my sweet girl, Boo, aka Sugar Smack, of course, just wanted to get a closer look too, but they weren't having that kind of closeness and flew away:

That's all for now! I do hope and pray that everyone is safe, cozy and warm after the recent storm that hit so many, many starts, and from what I hear stretched over 2100 miles! Thank you for visiting and following my blog and taking the time to write me a comment. So appreciate those, as always!

Today I am thankful for blue skies and sunshine and melting ice...well almost!

Love, Jan

Day After Simply Saturday!

2011-01-30T16:15:00.003-05:00

Hello my kind and dear friends! I almost feel like chirping, now don't you laugh, but the sun is finally shining and has been all day! I needed to have some sunshine, after so much gloomy cloudy skies for at least the last two weeks. After a bit, it really brings your mood down! But today, well it is worth countless words, but won't trouble you with anymore on the subject for now!

First of all wanted to remind you, if you haven't yet signed up for my Blogoversary Giveaway, to please go here and do so, before midnight February 2, 2011. Which happens to be Ground Hog Day...wonder if that rodent-type fellow will indeed see his shadow this year? Anyway, don't forget to sign up and I have added a picture of the goodies, if you would like to share on your blogs! Thank you!

I have a small finish to share with you all...this is Belle Pepper aka Addison Rose:

Little House Needleworks

Belle Pepper

32 Ct Lakeside Pearled Barley

Recommended CC and GAST, substituted 2 fibers

I am celebrating my youngest granddaughter, Addison Rose, with this sampler, and the year she was born, 2010. It will hang in my home. It is not a substitute for a birth sampler, I still want to stitch one for her and her sister, but have yet found one that I want to use. I am probably going to design one, to get it the way I want!

I will return on Wednesday the 3rd with the results of the giveaway drawing! Also I have some conversions for my birthday start, Marianne Wenn I am going to share with you all. As for stitching, I am trying really hard to finish up Her Sampler by CHS this week! After that, I really don't know, but it will either be a new start, or one of my wips, from the list on my sidebar!

Hope your week is grand! I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to read and comment. Your thoughts are always so uplifting, and it is a wonderful feeling to read them all!

Today I am most grateful for the sunshine on this special Lord's Day! This is the Day the Lord Hath Made, Rejoice and Be Glad in it!

Love, Jan

PS I hope and pray it doesn't happen, but there is a winter storm warning in the forecast for these parts, through Wednesday! They are anticipating an accumulation of 2 inches of ice on power lines and trees, and that makes for trouble! There is a strong possibility of losing power, so if I don't get here to announce the winner on Wednesday, that will be why! Maybe this will one of the times, the forecast isn't that accurate, let's hope! I just wanted to let you know!

Two Year Blogoversary Giveaway, Edited with Picture!

2011-01-25T12:10:00.001-05:00

Today is the day, Happy Blogoversary to Belfonte Notes!

~~I have not yet taken a picture to share of what will be in the Giveaway~~, but I assure you, it will be wonderful things! When I do, I promise to edit this post with a picture, so you can have a visual, which I know helps!

Here is a picture taken today on my office floor...sorry, it isn't a great picture, but at least you will have somewhat of a visual to see for yourself and also to display on your blog, for others to see. It includes 3 charts from Carriage House Samplings, 3 charts from Plum Street Samplers, 1/4 yard and 2-1/8 yard cuts of linen (the two in the picture of the 1/8ths are 40 ct and the 1/4 yard is 30 ct). If you win and you would prefer different counts, just say the word, and I will switch them out to counts more of your liking. Also in the picture you can see some skeins of 3 different companies: Gentle Art Sampler Threads, Weeks Dye Works and Crescent Colours. Several skeins of each too. Oh and do you see that small box in the center? It is full of sweet little stitching treasures and things to embellish your smalls with, ribbon, buttons and more buttons, rickrack and other sweet surprises! Good Luck!

All you need to do to be entered into the 2nd Blogoversary of Belfonte Notes, is:

#1, be a follower of this blog.

#2, comment in this thread, by no later then midnight daylight savings time on February 2, 2011. In your comment, share how long you have been online and what was your first experience that you remember, within a stitching community or yahoo group, or other avenue. Also be sure and have your email available to me, either here in the comments section or in your profile.

#3, if you have a blog, please mention this giveaway, if you do not, please don't worry about it, you will still be eligible to enter.

Also would like to take the time to mention, I am in the midst of planning a special weekend stitching retreat to be in Terre Haute, Indiana the end of June. If you are interested in receiving email news and specifics of this special retreat event, please do email me at treeoflife50@frontier.com. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know what they are.

Thanks for all of your visits to Belfonte over the last two years! I very much appreciate your comments and look forward to many more happy years of posting!

Love, Jan

New Stash Keep-Her Sampler-Addison Rose/Belle Pepper

2011-01-21T15:50:00.000-05:00

Hello to my dear blogging friends! Yes, it has been awhile, have been contemplating a new blog post for weeks now...good grief, am I slow or what? Also have been trying my best to keep up with your blogs, love seeing what you are all doing, but I am a day or two behind now, so hope to get caught up with that this weekend.Must be this age thing...brings on confusion, indecision,~~laziness,~~ interruptions, every excuse known to man, one can use when they reach that 'senior citizen' title! Anyway, I am here now and without any more excuses...first of all I want to announce that I do have a second blogoversary coming up in a scant four days, so please be sure and come back on the 25th, when I will announce the giveaway, so that you can be sure to sign up! If you not yet a follower, I would love it if you would do that now, because this giveaway is truly just for my followers! You will have time to sign up later, but for the sake of something coming up to make you forget, you might as well get it out of the way, right?

Boy, I feel this is indeed going to be one of those rambling and I hope not boring posts! Please bear with me a bit longer.

I have so enjoyed seeing everyone's works this month, so many yummy designs that have oodles of progress to drool over! Wow, I am duly impressed by everything I have seen! I did decide at year end, that I would at the very least join the Up for a Challenge challenge, by listing and working on 15 (think I have a few more) wips, that I have vowed to work on this year and hoping to finish at least some of them! For me, it would be too hard to work on them one at a time, I am a very slow stitcher and the progress to be made in a day, is minimal for me at best. So I decided to pick two from my list, and work on them for the month (hoping to finish some of them, although I know that there are some baps that are going to take more then one 'swipe'!) and the two I chose for the month of January are CHS Her Sampler:

This is what I managed to get done further on this piece. Although I hope to work more on her this weekend, and possibly get her finished! And let me tell you, I know she isn't large, not at all, not even for me, but the mistakes and subsequent frogging periods I have with this little sweet ditty has about thrown me over the edge! So when I do get her done, you will likely 'hear' my happy dance! I am stitching Her Sampler on 32 ct R&R something or other with the recommended DMC threads. Fun stitch!

....and LHN's Belle Pepper:

I am halfway pleased with my progress on this sweety of a design, made even sweeter, by my personalization. This will be to honor my youngest granddaughter, Addison Rose. I will also put the year she was born (2010) in the area for a date. I am using 32 ct Pearled Barley (I think, one of my memory lapses of late, seems to be remembering the names of fabrics I have used. I used to be so on target with it, what is up with that?), with the recommended Crescent Colours and Gentle Art fibers, with the exception of two..I changed out the Straw Bonnet to Oatmeal GAST, so it would show up more and also changed the Mulberry GAST to Lancaster Red Weeks, since it is one of my favorite reds.

The rest of the time, I have been stash and stitch dreaming...thinking about all of the lovely projects that I really, really want to finish...some of the larger ones I have started, like Time and Season Sampler by MB, Mary Allen Sampler and Seven Days of Creation by Plum Street Samplers. Then the list that is ever-growing...might as well think about putting it in my sidebar of the blog, right...Ann Raynor, Mary Ann Hutton, Marianne Wenn (destined to be a birthday start next month), Chilvers, Hannah Lancaster (I must be out of my mind!), Villages of Hawk Run, Adam & Eve Sampler by the City Stitcher, Country House Sampler by the Sampler Company, etc. And the list goes on, these are just the BAPS on my mind! LOL

During all of that dreaming, I have been doing a bit of reorganization of stash, and started thinking of how much I have always wanted an antique drysink. There was/is room for one in my family room. I have had for some time two large Longaberger baskets in my family room full of wips, etc. The rest of my stash is all upstairs, in a couple closets and bins. Crazy, I know, but I thought if I could find a nice dry sink, that has at least a couple of drawers, and a cabinet, then I could switch out the storage downstairs! Novel idea, don't you think...well...this is what I came home with the other day:

Yep, an antique dry sink, in really great pristine condition, drawers intact and working and beautiful walnut finish in great shape! I love it!!!!! And I can't wait to fill it!!! I have put off doing that until tomorrow...Saturday is my one day, that I do spend the day stitching, stash diving-organizing and I do it guilt-free!!! My new Stash Keep is waiting....

I appreciate you getting to this point reading my ramblings...things are going great here and I hope they are in your neck of the woods as well! Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to leave some sweet words for me to read, mean the world to me, they do!

Until my blogoversary in four days, stay warm and have some fun with those needles and projects!!!

Love, Jan

Pa rum pa pum pum..

2010-12-24T13:25:00.000-05:00

Do you hear that little drummer boy in the distance?? A newborn King to see...pa rum pa pum pum. It is Christmas Eve and the celebration of His magnificent birth is on the horizon....

Our finest gifts we bring pa rum pa pum pum

To lay before the King, pa rum pa pum pum

So to honor Him, pa rum pa pum pum.

I heart Christmas~ the preparations, the decorating, the baking, the anticipation, the joy of celebrating my Savior's birth. Everything is coming along much as planned for me this year, all I needed to do by now is done, but my celebration won't end until midnight New Year's Day, as my youngest children and my grandbabies won't arrive until early on New Year's Eve. So our family Christmas won't be fully celebrated until New Year's Day...so that said, I still have a few presents to wrap and some baking and food preparation to do next week.

After I get done with this blog post (I couldn't NOT take the time to wish you all a BLESSED and Meaningful Christmas, my dear blogging friends), I will go and finish getting ready. I am going to my eldest daughter's house this afternoon, she is having a Christmas dinner for her family and I want to get an early start. Since we have some precipitation in the form of snow predicted pretty heavily, I want to get there before it gets bad. She lives about 45 minutes away from me. If things get bad later on this evening, she and her hubby have promised to bring me home. I am loved!

I have been stitching, but not as much as I would have liked! I had several ornaments to get finished, three of them; two for one granddaughter, since I had neglected to get her one made last year, and of course one for the new granddaughter! I haven't shared pics lately of the sweetums, so here is one taken recently, when my daughter Megan and I went up to their home for Baby Addison 'Bean' 's dedication at church. Allie Bug was upset about something, but I thought it was still a very dear picture of the three of them:

I didn't get very good pictures of my trees this year, but just let me say I am very pleased with them. I have the large one in the family room, one in the living room/dining room and last but certainly least the one in my bedroom, which has all of the handmade stitched ornaments on it. This is the tree that I have shared closeups of. I am hoping that Santa leaves me some extra funds to shop for a new camera this year!

Today I am thankful for my Savior's Birth, all that He is to me today and everyday!

See you in the New Year!! I am having a blogoversary in January, so be visiting for a special giveaway planned!

Merry, Merry Christmas Dear Blogging Friends!

Love, Jan

Dear Blogging Friends...

2010-11-24T19:58:00.000-05:00

I pray that you all have a most wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving Day with family and friends!

I am thankful today for the good health and well-being of my parents! Such a joy and blessing to still have them here with us!

Blessings, Jan

Finally, a Fini!

2010-11-16T17:39:00.000-05:00

Hello there, dear blogging friends, it has been longer then I would have liked since my last post. But I have been so caught up with work and family, haven't hardly had the chance to check out your blogs even.

If you haven't been to my design blog Tree of Life Samplings, I wanted to show you my latest finish, the second in the Emma Rose Series, Emma Rose Christmas:

Definitely my personal stitching time has been at a minimum, since I had to stitch the above and change several things as I was stitching. But I did get some time afterwards to finish up Blackbird Designs Sunflower House. Sorry if these pics are out of order, thanks to Blogger messing with me. The one picture I took of the entire project, turned out horribly and way too dark. It was a fun stitch, can't wait to get it framed now.

Currently finishing up an exchange piece, so can't show that until much later! Really busy with working on new designs, hopefully to have released for the Nashville Market in February. It does take awhile to put a design all together, from start to finish and with Thanksgiving and Christmas upon us, the time will go swiftly, I am sure!

Thanks for visiting, hoping to have some time to visit you in the next few days. Thanks also for taking the time to comment, you are all the best!!

Thankful today for my son in law, Josh, for being such a wonderful husband to my daughter and a super father to my two granddaughters.

Much Love, Jan

Emma Rose Release~Ideas Needed~Small Giveaway!

2010-10-08T23:45:00.000-04:00

Tree of Life Samplings 'Emma Rose Friendship'

Lakeside Vintage Buttercream, 40 ct linen

Needlepoint Silks

Hello dear friends, I am in need for you, when you have a few extra minutes, to go to my design blog: Tree of Life Samplings. I am working at getting designs ready for Nashville in February of 2010 and need your feedback, ideas, suggestions, for what you might like to see Tree of Life Samplings design. I have several ideas myself already, but some can be put on the backburner, if you come up with something that outshines the rest, so to speak! So come on over, speak your mind, and get your name thrown in a hat for one of my patterns (your choice). When is the drawing? Evening of October 22, 2010! Oh if you don't feel like posting, email me your thoughts and ideas, I am all ears and I will most assuredly include your name in the draw!

Thanks bunches, I appreciate your help and your visits!

Love, Jan

NEW Releases Coming Soon!!

2010-09-28T15:30:00.000-04:00

Please be sure and visit my design blog, Tree of Life Samplings, for my newest releases, one complete in it's frame, and the other a nice little sneak peek, soon to be seen in it's entirety (by the weekend, is my plan)!

I hope that you love them, I am excited to share them with you!

Love, Jan

My New Little Blessing!!

2010-09-19T14:36:00.001-04:00

Introducing my new little granddaughter, Addison Rose, born at 3:50 am on September 2, 2010! I am so sorry it has taken me so long to share this special gift with you all in blogland! This is Addison Rose, two days old, in the arms of her mother, my daughter, Ashley Beth:

Her older sister Allie Bug (now an old 14 months) is very proud of her new little sister!!

Ashley with her two angel daughters, my granddaughters, Alexandra Catherine (14 months old) and Addison Rose (3 days old) all ready for church that first Sunday!

I just know they are going to bless my life in so many ways...they are all healthy and all is well, thanks be to God!

Short post, lots going on with my life right now, many designs are in the works and I MUST get another model stitched! I will be visiting again soon and will also try and get caught up on my blog reading and commenting! Hope you are all well, my blog friends and thank you so much for stopping by and visiting!

If you haven't yet seen the sneak peaks of my newest design Quaker Peace, be sure and visit Tree of Life Samplings Blog! The link is at the top of this blog...the complete design framed will be shown very soon and also a sneak peek of Emma Rose Christmas! Exciting times for Tree of Life Samplings!

Love, Jan

Hearts, Hands and House!

2010-08-18T12:01:00.001-04:00

Greetings...Hidey Ho my dear blogging readers and friends! I was shocked this morning, when I looked at the calendar in my office, it is the 18th of August!!! My oh my where have the last few weeks gone??? Anyway, I wanted to post before now, but alas, better now then later, right?

Weather...Mother Nature has given us a small break in the extreme humidity...dew points have been down in the 60's rather then the 70's, which makes the low 90's at least more bearable. But now we need rain, not exactly in the drought zone yet, but it won't be long until we will. Grass is burning, ugh...hoping for some rain by week's end. My tomatoes are doing wonderfully, won't be long until I have a large enough crop to do some canning. Also the flowers are finally looking good, I had a time with the ones in the front flower beds, but they are thriving now. I want to wait a few more weeks, since the heat is so extreme to get some mums and plant them.I am so looking forward to Autumn!

Stitching...I have been stitching, well trying to everyday as usual and I do have a few stitchey pics to share with you! This is an unfinished exchange I did for a friend (Robin no blog). It is a complimentary design by Hands to Work and is titled Heart and Hand. I left off the bottom rows of alphabet.

All pictures are clickable to enlarge!

Hands to Work Heart and Hand
40 ct Lakeside Vintage Light Examplar
Belle Soie Mer Bleu with Poison Apple (for heart) Silks

Also some small progress on Sunflower House...

Blackbird Designs Sunflower House Loose Feathers #9
Stitched on 32 ct R&R
Recommended overdyeds GAST

I do have an ornament started and almost finished, but alas, it will just have to wait until next post to share with you!

Small Collection: I know that many of you have heard of or probably own a few pieces of FireKing...anyway, I had gotten a couple square containers with lids, in the Fire King pattern from my mother. I think she had them since they were brand new. Of course I always loved them as a child, thought they were so neat, especially with all of that intricate work on the glass. Anyway I recently found a cake pan and a pie plate. Also found a loaf pan, but don't think I have a picture of it. Here is the piepan and cake pan:

Wish you could see them better, it is hard to get pictures to show up all of the intricate patterns in the glass! I was happy to find these pieces. I need to take pics of my square lidded fire king dishes soon and show you.

Also I found this dish several months ago and once again the etchings in the glass aren't clear. I have no idea when it was made, nor by who, but it came home with me, because I knew that my Allie Bug would love it some day. The inside of the dish has a picture of Bo Peep with her sheep, and the outer edges of the dish have the alphabet going around! Love this dish, if anyone has any information about it, I would love to hear from you! I don't care whether it has any monetary value, I just think it is adorable and will be a great keepsake for my granddaughter! Would love to have information on the manufacturer, etc, though, thanks!

That is about all that is going on in my neck of the woods! Hope that you are doing something that you enjoy and taking each new day as it comes and enjoying it to the fullest!! I appreciate you visiting and reading through my post and leaving a comment! Your kind words make my day and I look so forward to hearing from each of you, thank you!

Be sure and have some stitchey fun today!

Love, Jan

Some special treasures, first a gift, then some finds!

2010-08-04T11:22:00.001-04:00

I hope that this finds you, my blogging friends, staying cool, wherever you are! I think that this summer will stand out in our minds for it's extreme heat and humidity! I know that last night, was so unsufferable to even sit for a few minutes on the front porch. I didn't even attempt to go for my nightly walk, because I just knew it wouldn't even be healthy for me! Now that said, I go every night, and usually don't even venture out until sometime between 9 and 10 pm, because of the heat. I try to walk at least 2 miles, and sometimes 3 miles, and when I come home, I definitely need a cool down period. But last night? No maam, wouldn't even attempt it! And I missed it...I just hope tonight isn't a repeat, but I am thinking that it might be. I love the changing seasons, and I don't want to wish my life away, since it is moving swiftly enough, but I can't wait for Autumn!!! Stay cool, wherever you are!

I got such a lovely thank you gift on Monday, from Faye. She sent me this sweet pin pillow, complete with special pins that she made herself! Isn't it the prettiest thing? I will treasure it, Faye, thank you ever so much. I don't have many smalls in my collection and each one I get is a special treasure to own! Also when saying your prayers, if you would add dear Faye's mil Ada, to your list, she is in need of them! Thank you and I know Faye would and does appreciate those prayers!

On Saturday, I decided to treat myself and make a trip to the antique mall that is about 5 miles south of me. I enjoy going once in awhile to see what treasures they might have. Love to have company along, but love to go alone too, because sometimes I just take my time and find more things, you know what I mean? I never fail to bring something home, but this trip, I was able to find some great things, that I have a picture of below:

The drawer is from an antique sewing cabinet and was in great shape, so I couldn't pass it up! Not sure yet what I will use it for, but I can bet I will find a good use for it soon! I love drawers, boxes and cabinets!! Another weakness I have is for glass canning jars...this one was a super buy and it said Drey (I don't have many that are from that company) and it is a larger size, then the quart sizes that you see everywhere. I wish I could tell you what size it is, but I am horrid with measurements, anyone help me out? Is it a quart and a half, maybe? I know it isn't a gallon size! Anyway, I love it!! I only collect the smaller pint sized antique canning jars and they are hard to find. As is this size. Also got lucky and found a couple more flower frogs, now I have four of these! Last but certainly not least, I found five, count'em five antique sewing machine oil cans!!! I was jumping for joy at the find, and the price was right, $4. each!!! Yay!!! I had a great time!!!

I do have a couple of stitchey pics to share, of a couple of my wips! Haven't had as much time as I would like to stitch these days, but I do try to put in a few stitches each day!

This is a really lousy picture of Blackbird Designs Loose Feathers #9 Sunflower House, my progress as of the end of July! A fun stitch, stitching it with the recommended colors of fibers on Old Mill Java by R&R! A slow stitch, since I have some obligation stitching to complete, but I have been enjoying every stitch.

Also another slow wip:

PLEASE do forgive the wrinkle down the middle!!! I needed to bring it upstairs and set up the ironing board, and I was just too ~~lazy~~ busy to do that! This is Beatrix Potter Sampler, not quite in her full glory, but one stitch at a time will bring that to pass. Just not sure what year that will be...She is stitched on 32 ct French Vanilla linen from R&R with Used Brick Crescent Colours fibers. I love how it is looking so far!!

That is about it for now! I am heading out for some early errands, before the sultry heat is in full swing! I want to thank you all so much for coming to visit, and reading and commenting! You all just make my day! If you aren't a follower yet, then I would be thrilled if you become one today!

Today, whatever you do, do with love and gusto!! And try and have some stitchey fun too!

Love, Jan

Birthday Wishes and Pictures to Share!

2010-07-26T19:50:00.000-04:00

It's Monday, the 26th of July and all day it has been my daughter's 31st birthday! I had a bit of a birthday celebration at the house yesterday afternoon! With the exception of my youngest daughter and her wee family, everyone else was here, even my parents! So it was a great day, full of celebration, fellowship, good eats, that left me with a satisfied heart at the end of the day! Happy Birthday to my dear Megan Brooke!! May you have many, many more birthdays, my darling one! Momma loves you enough!!!

Many of you have been experiencing a heat wave like we have around here of late! In fact, the entire summer has been a hot one and very humid! I have been trying to walk every evening, and sometimes with the horrid heat being so bad, I am unable to do that, which I need to do, and have grown to look forward to. So, guess I am really looking forward to Autumn...hope we have an early one!

I had a friend visit a few weeks ago, and she sent me this ever so sweet pincushion as a thank you gift! I was thrilled, it is Blackbird Designs Bird In Hand! Isn't it lovely? Thank you so much, Kathy!

She also finished this little design that I had stitched, by Lizzie Kate, Work, Pray, Trust! While she was visiting, we went to Joann's and picked out fabric and trim and she created this little cutey for me!

Another special friend, Lizzy, blessed me with this Sweet Friendship stitched piece, which I had framed! I am so pleased with it, thank you so much, Lizzy!!!

I am so blessed with such special friends, my cup runneth over!!

Also back from the framer's is Little House Needlework's Brave Hearts, stitched on 40 ct Vintage Pearled Barley by Lakeside with the recommended Belle Soie Silks. A fun stitch, that I started a couple years ago and just finished, about time, huh? I love the molding on this one too!

Another small finish, that I stitched a couple of months ago and just got in a frame is Shakespeare Peddler's Count Your Blessings:

In other stitching endeavors, I am working on a bit of secret stitching, and also Sunflower House by Blackbird Designs. Also trying to get some ornaments stitched, before Christmas creeps up and I won't have anything stitched for friends or family! Must keep up the momentum! Here is one I just finished, designed by Brittercup Designs and titled 'Mine'...I think it was the title that enticed me, so cute!

Other then designing and I just had a recent release, Road Home, if you haven't seen it yet, please visit Tree of Life Samplings blog! I have three more I am working on now, and will most likely, by that I mean, I hope, will be released pretty close together, we shall see!

Thanks for your visits and especially for your ever so sweet and encouraging comments! Keep them coming, they mean the world to me!

Till next time, have some fun with your stitching!

Love, Jan

Announcing the Winner(s)!!!

2010-07-18T22:45:00.001-04:00

First of all, thank you all so much for participating! And my goodness, over 200 followers now! I just hope that you enjoy your visits and I don't bore you to tears! I would hate to lose you, now that I have you...isn't there a song from sometime or other, saying those words? lol

And thanks all for your birthday wishes for my Sweet Allie Bug!

I won't pitter patter around with you, I will just get on with the announcement and congratulate, FIRST of all, Faye from Carolina Stitcher! Just let me say what a joy she is and has such a wonderful blog, I really enjoy visiting her, so if you haven't yet, stop by and check out Faye and her blog!

Faye said:

Oh Jan...how sweet to have a giveaway to celebrate the first birthday!! Count me in for sure,.YOU were one of the first blogs I started following and always look for your posts!!
Again, congrats!!! Faye

Thank you so much, Faye and when you get a minute, dahlin', would you mind sending me an email with your mailing address? I want to get you your VB filled with goodies sent to you as soon as I can!

I can't help it, I was just so overwhelmed with the many, many comments, that I had to draw two more names...not for the VB bag filled with goodies, but for a little something else...something else, that has not been quite decided yet, but if the following two faithful bloggers would kindly email me, I would appreciate it! Don't forget to send me your snail mail address!

Terri from Chocolates 4 Breakfast

Terri said:

Add me to the list of those so happy to see a post from you, Jan! Sounds like you have had a very busy summer. I'm sorry your parents have had some health issues but I now they are blessed to have you there.

Allie is so cute and I know how much you must be enjoying her! Happy Belated Birthday, Allie!
I would love to be entered in your very generous drawing!
Thanks, Jan!!

Marsha from Littlebit

Marsha said: I just don't seem to have the knack for winning a giveaway, but what a nice one this is. Um..does the little Allie Bug come with it? :)

YOU, my followers, commentors and visitors make my days full of joy and complete! Thanks for your lovely, lovely comments!! And thanks for taking part in my giveaway, Allie Bug and I are so glad that you did!

Much Love, Jan

Egads it is time for a Giveaway!!

2010-07-10T16:06:00.002-04:00

I always have such good intentions of posting, but time gets away from me, so again, my apologies for not checking in sooner, and especially for not visiting your blogs! I really miss reading all that you are up to! I hope to get to visit very soon! In the meantime, my summer has been a busy one! My father was very ill, and he was in and out of the hospital for the better part of six weeks, but fortunately, he is on the mend now! My mother is now experiencing some health issues, but you know, when you still have your parents with you, and they are well into their 80's, health issues are to be expected! A burden, but the blessing of having them still, far outweighs any inconvenience!

I really didn't mean to get into all of that, but thanks for giving me your 'ears'!

My precious granddaughter had her first birthday on July 2, 2010! And I want to have a giveaway to celebrate her first birthday! This is what I am offering, a Vera Bradley cosmetic bag, which if you didn't know already, makes a great 'pack and carry bag' for those stitching gadgets! I have stuffed it with silks, fabric, scissors and other sweets for stitchers! Here is a pic of the bag and it's contents:

And another angle:

And a pic of my beautiful, precious and happy granddaughter, Alexandra Catherine, that I affectionately call Allie Bug, on the morning of her birthday:

I have been stitching...not alot, but do have some things to share, and I will do that asap! I miss sharing my stitching with you all!

For the giveaway, please post to this thread, and if you are not already a follower, please follow! Also if you care to post about this giveaway on your personal blog, and that would be great, please leave two comments on this post, so it will be easier for me to 'count'! And do so no later then July 17, 2010! I will post the winner on July 18, 2010! Best of luck, I know you will enjoy the goodies!!

Until next time, I remain forever grateful for your posts!!

Love, Jan

FYI, I am having another great giveaway over at my design blog: Tree of Life Samplings Be sure to visit and have a look-see!

Also, my friend Deb from The Thread Gatherer is having a wonderful giveaway, as well! Be sure and visit! Click on the link to get to her blog!

Deb's Fabulous Giveaway

Tree of Life Samplings 'The Sparrow'

2010-04-28T09:54:00.000-04:00

For more details, please visit Tree of Life Samplings blog!!

Love, Jan

A little stitching and lots of bragging Nana pics!!

2010-04-21T15:18:00.002-04:00

Once again, I have been longer at posting, then I wanted to be, but I know that you all understand, at the fleetingness of time!! If we could just grab ahold of it, and help it to slow down.Like today, being hump day (midweek), wouldn't that be grand? Although I know those of you that work through the week, are wanting to hurry it along to get to friday, and I totally understand that, I also know that time would be grand if it slowed down a bit!

I went and spent last weekend with Allie Bug and her family! What a joy she is, well, her mother was as a child, so I am not surprised! I am sharing a few pics of my time with her, hope I am not overdoing it, but she is so cute, I can't help but share several!

Morning play time! Now which block should I remove first?

Who is having more fun then me? Daddy is a great daddy to lift me up in this pine tree, don't you think?

Oh boy, what fun Nana and I will have, going for a walk in the neighborhood! Care to join us next time?

Oh such a long and fun day, and Nana's arms are pretty neat to fall asleep in! Nana thinks that I look pretty sweet when I am asleep, so she had Mommy take this picture of us! Aww...such a great nap!

Okay, this is the next day...Mommy's birthday, and we are headed for a day of fun! I love it, that Nana is along with us, since that gives me someone else to talk to and look at in the back seat of Mommy's suv! See you all next time!

Alexandra is now almost 10 months old! Where does the time go? Her baby brother/sister is due to join us in September and the whole family is eagerly looking forward to that blessed arrival!

I have been stitching some, I decided for as long as I have had my Time and Season Sampler by the talented Moira Blackburn in progress, that I needed to really work hard at getting it finished! Oh what a glorious day that will be, I will be so thrilled to go and pick out a frame for her, so I can display her in the living room! Anyway here is a shot of her, the last time I took a picture, I do have a bit more done since then, so a bit further along. Not a really good picture, but just one showing where I am on her. Don't know why I am calling her 'her' either! lol I feel like I am roughly 2/3rds done, with all of the jumping around I have done, it is hard to tell:

I also stitched up a small piece, by Shakespeare's Peddler, and called Count Your Blessings, but shoot, I forgot to take a picture, oh well, there is next time!

Also, I have gotten back from my model stitcher the next design to be released from Tree of Life Samplings! It is now at the framer's, but I did take a few sneak peek pics of The Sparrow, if you would like to see, here is one:

AND, there are a couple of others on the Tree of Life Samplings blog, if you would be interested in seeing! At least until I get the piece back from the framer and I get a photo shoot date with it all framed! I am hoping to have it ready for release by the end of next week! We shall see!

That is about all for now, other then I want to thank you all for stopping by and taking the time to comment! It makes my day to read all of your comments, thanks for being out there!

Have some fun with your stitching today!

Love, Jan

As Promised...

2010-04-09T14:55:00.002-04:00

I am back with some pictures to share of my latest stitchings! One of them you have seen, but not in it's frame, the other you haven't seen at all, at least not stitched by my hands! I worked on it this winter, during my illness!

I am just so overcome with your kindness and compassion, thank you so much for ALL of the wonderful and heartfelt comments! Friends such as yourself were and are most beneficial and key to my recovery, and I mean that with all of my heart!

First of all, one of the two I just recently picked up from my framer's is Simply Live by Primitive Needle. It was a delight to stitch, but when it came to finding just the right frame for it, I was having a hard time, till I stumbled upon this one! I think it is perfect for it, and I am so pleased! It is hanging low in my office over one of my filing cabinets. Keeps me 'centered' while working and reminds me to keep life simple, slow down when I can and focus on what matters the most! I love it!

The second piece that I picked up from my framer's is by La-D-Da and titled Watchful Eye. I started this before Christmas and didn't finish it until a few short weeks ago. It kept me going through my extended illness and bedrest, and turned out to be quite meaningful to me! Isn't it something how what we choose to stitch at any given time, does affect what comes to pass? I did change the color palette a bit with this one, if anyone is interested in my changes, feel free to email me, I will gladly share! I have found that I stitch a lot of La-D-Da's and I love her designs but almost always change the colors to suit me better!

I do have a design for Tree of Life Samplings completed! It is titled The Sparrow and is now in the capable hands of one of my model stitchers! I am anxious to show you, and I know it won't be too long a wait until I do! It is a pretty neat design, one I am well pleased with and I think you are going to like it too! Stay tuned!

I have a trip planned for tomorrow, I am going to go and visit my daughter and family for a few days! Of course that means lots of precious and quality time with Allie Bug, I haven't seen her since the middle of February and I am really missing her! I will take a few pics to share upon my return, never fear!

I have a request for a special favor! I have searched high and low for a pattern by Sheepish Designs titled Alpha Birds and cannot locate it anywhere! I have Alpha Menagerie and Alpha Sheep, but not the first one in this set, and I am so wanting to stitch them! If there is anyone that can help, please email me at treeoflife50@verizon.net. I will gladly purchase it, trade for something, anything you request! And I appreciate the efforts, thank you!!!

Hey, thanks again, dear blogging friends, I feel your love and compassion and value you that more then you know! Thanks for being out there and letting me know you all care!!

Make some special fun with your stitching!

Love, Jan

Time Passes....

2010-04-01T20:03:00.002-04:00

and before you know it, it is April Fool's Day! And you start thinking, if you don't get off your duff and post on your blog, everyone is going to forget all about you and never visit again! After all, it has been almost 3 months now since your last post, and what is that all about???

A bit of an explanation ~ I mentioned in my last post, the first part of January, that I had been diagnosed with pneumonia, and I was trying to recouperate. Well, the week following my last post about that, I was admitted to the hospital where I spent the next 15 days, being treated for pneumonia complications and going through lung surgery and recouperating from that. I came home at the end of January, but still had a long way to go, to a full recovery, in fact, I am not there yet, BUT the good news is, I feel so much better now and at least I am able to get back to my life!

Apologies ~ I need to apologize for not having been here to post on my blog's anniversary, goodness, it was my first year's anniversary, and I missed it! I wanted to have a neat giveaway, for all of my readers, and missed the opportunity! I also had another milestone in February, I turned 60 years old...OUCH, boy that does hurt! lol Anyway, just to let you know, I hope I am never away for that long again, I have missed so much visiting with all of you, and commenting on your blogs, I am seriously behind on my reading, but hope to catch up soon!

Pictures ~ Or should I say lack thereof!! I have often said, what is a post without pictures? And always try to share at least one, but this post, is going to be just the written word! I do promise to follow with some pics, very very soon, like in the next week! I have been stitching a little ( not as much as I would have liked, when one is bedridden and getting over a major illness, which is the perfect opportunity to stitch, instead you just concentrate on getting better!) and will share some of that, I promise! And probably a new pic or two of my sweet Allie Bug! My daughter is pregnant again, so Allie will have a baby sibling in September of this year! Such fun that will be!!

Oh and that Giveaway? Maybe later then intended, but it is going to happen very soon, so be watching!

Happy Easter! May you and yours have the most blessed of holidays!!

Thanks for your visit, thanks for your patience and thanks for your comments! I appreciate each and everyone of them and YOU!! Make some stitchey fun very soon!

Love, Jan

Goings On in My 'Little Corner'!

2010-01-07T18:07:00.000-05:00

Once again it has been forever since I posted! I am late in wishing you all a Happy New Year, not to mention, I didn't get to post you a Merry Christmas for 2009! Regardless, I wished both for you all, albeit silently!

I have a couple of finishes that got framed a couple of days before Christmas and I am so pleased with how they turned out!

First of all is Hands To Work This Is The Day and here is a ~~not so great~~ picture of it hanging on my wall:

And one of a closeup of the frame:

I just love, love, love this frame!!!

And the other piece that visited the frame shop, Prairie Moon's Holiday Farm!

And a pretty good example of the frame, close-up:

I just know that both of these frame moldings will be chosen again for something else that I stitch!

Christmas....was an extra special happening here, I thoroughly enjoyed having my family all here to celebrate Christ's birth! The only downside was waking up at 4 in the morning on Christmas Day in lots of pain, couldn't lay down and go back to sleep, so I got up and sat in the living room. Wasn't long before daughter Ashley was up with the baby, and I asked her as nicely as I could, if she could handle by herself the meal I had planned to fix for everyone. She was gracious, and I knew very efficient to get the job done, but I really hated having to do that. To make a long story short, ( I thought I had broken a rib or something), I visited the doctor the next week, and found out I had pneumonia! I was really surprised, had no idea it was something like that, although number 2 son, Dusty, who is an RN had hinted at something like that. Anyway, that is what I have been doing ever since, trying to get back my health, slowly but surely getting there, but I do know I have to patient, because I am definitely no spring chicken and pneumonia takes a while to get over. So taking it slow and easy, even though I am behind on everything!

Stitching...Due to having to lay low and take it easy, I have been stitching, as long as I can stay awake that is! I am working on two projects, CHS's Matter's Choice and La-D-Da's Watchful Eye. Enjoying them both and hope to be able to share some pics soon of either progress or maybe even a finish!

I appreciate you stopping by, and I am thankful and blessed for your lovely comments! Enjoy your day and make some fun with your stitching!

Love, Jan

Sharing some framed stitchings!

2009-12-15T12:40:00.000-05:00

Hello to all of my blogging friends! I have a few pics to share with you, of some projects I have stitched, and finally have framed. I am having trouble with the pics being wonky in the setup process, hopefully you can decifer what is what. I got Megan's Christmas gift framed, A Right Sprit by La-D-Da and the frame is just perfect for it, I think. The close up isn't great of the stitching part, but does show the frame well. Also Autumn Bouquet by Blackbird Designs is finally framed, have had it stitched for a couple of years. Also Autumn's Bounty by Black Star Designs, another one that just goes so perfect with Autumn Bouquet I hung them together. Sharing a photo of them on the wall, just so sorry for that giant flash 'eye' showing up!

I will be away this weekend, granddaughter Alexandra will be dedicated this Sunday at church! Wouldn't miss that for anything, plus I get to babysit her on Saturday evening, while her momma and daddy go on the Holy Walk! So lots of cuddles in store for me! Also they will be here for Christmas this year, they should arrive on Christmas Eve day! I will write more later, just wanted to share these framed finishes with you, in fact have some more shares, but that will be another post, hoping for before Christmas! So far behind, but having great fun getting it all together!

Make some magic with your stitching! Thanks so much for stopping by! Oh, the picture of Allie Bug and me was taken during my last visit the first of November! She is growing so much and getting so strong! We are hoping she will be sitting up by Christmas by herself!

Love, Jan

Thanksgiving Day Celebration...and Rescue!

2009-11-30T17:35:00.000-05:00

I certainly hope that all of my blogging friends had a blessed Thanksgiving with their family and friends! Ours started out wonderfully and ended wonderfully, but quite chaotic! I had several guests at my dinner table, so did not want my kitty Disco to be a bother, so I put him in my bedroom behind closed doors. My daughter went up into the storage room, which is part of the attic to look for a few things, and she did not realize that Disco had followed her in! She shut off the light and shut the door! Anyway, about 4 hours later, I was sitting watching television with my two remaining sons, when we heard a noise in the fireplace! Thinking it might be a wild animal that had gotten in there somehow ( I had had the fireplace cleaned out the week before, and thought maybe they had left the top cover off of the chimney), we just continued to watch television. I was planning on calling the fireplace people the next morning and tell them to come and get the animal out, since of course that is what MUST have happened! After my sons went home later in the evening, I went on a search for my kitty Disco, thinking he had fallen asleep under my bed or was in hiding somewhere! I couldn't find him, then I started thinking, what if somehow he had gotten in the attic storage room, and gotten in that fireplace?????

Anyway, to make a much longer story, a bit shorter, that is indeed what happened! He found a large enough opening to squeeze through in the insulation of the house, walked on the planks of the house to the back, and then fell into the wall in the fireplace! Of course, he couldn't get back out, and once my son came back over to investigate and help me figure out a way to get him out, we decided we had better just call the fire department and hope they would be of assistance! They were great, but of course they had to cut a pretty good size hole in my drywall above my fireplace to get to him! I have a gas log and to have removed all of that, it would have required a lot more costly work to have redone, so we opted for the hole!

Good news is.....Disco was not injured, but was glad to get out, after being in there for almost seven hours!! Also I have been wanting to get rid of that yucky green wall around my fireplace...guess now is the best time! My son, is working at getting the drywall repaired, so life is good! Who would have ever guessed!!

Sorry for the lack of posting, and lack of reading and commenting, I will try and do much better in the next few weeks! Maybe life will settle down!!

I do so appreciate you stopping by and for your comments, I enjoy reading them so much!

I will leave you with two pictures, the first of my dining room table that morning, and the second of Disco and his fearless rescuers! Thank you Honey Creek Township FireFighters, you are the best!!!

Love, Jan

New Mercies by Tree of Life Samplings

2009-10-29T11:42:00.003-04:00

For all of the details of my new design, please visit Tree of Life Samplings Blog (link is in sidebar)!

Thank you all for your visits and I so appreciate your support!

Love, Jan

Autumn is Waffing/Lucky Me Ramblings!

2009-10-22T13:04:00.007-04:00

Dear blog friends, here is it Thursday! I have been enjoying some wonderful autumn weather recently, but skies are overcast today, with rain in the forecast. Today is my mother's 82nd Birthday...Happy Birthday Momma and the family is all heading to the Golden Corral this evening to celebrate! My dear Daddy, asked me the other day to do his shopping for him, bless his heart, so of course, I agreed! Just hope they are both content with what I purchased! lol

Here is a pic of the drive home the other day. This is the road that takes me the back way home, not one I travel much in the winter, because it is narrow and very curvy! But boy is it scenic and does have it's attributes, not only the glorious backwoods areas, but it gets me out of the traffic jams going the other way!

Alas, I should have taken the pic a couple of weeks ago, because now so many of those leaves, are dying and turning a yucky brown color! We have had quite alot of colder weather, but thankfully no snow yet. I do like winter and snow, but it is too early for that, at least for me!

Another pic, of some mums and pumpkins I got for the front porch:

See Kitty Disco?

Also, the lucky me part of my title, referrs to this lucky, lucky win, I received on Jolene's blog recently! You are such a generous heart, Jolene and I just love my goodies!

Blackbird Designs Midnight Watch, with all of the fibers to stitch it, a lovely cut of linen for it, purchased from Shepherd's Bush, an ever so cute kitty ornament, that looks so much like the kitty on top of the house...everything you see in this picture! Thanks again, Jolene, for the opportunity to play and win, at your wonderful blog! If you haven't visited Jolene's blog,Dip Diddley Designs be sure and do so today!

I posted on Tree of Life Samplings blog yesterday, about taking New Mercies, my next design to the framer's! Yay! I can't wait to share with you all, I do so hope you like it! I also posted a little complimentary design for you to click on and print off, if you would like, so be sure and visit there! I will have the unveiling for New Mercies, sometime early next week, just as soon as I get it back from the framer's and snap some pics!

Stitching on Emma Rose Christmas now! Just as soon as I get a little more done, I will post a sneak peek of it! I am really excited about this one, it is the first, in what I hope to be a series of memoirs, celebrating my great-grandmother's life!

Will leave you with one last picture of my Allie Bug...she is helping Momma with the laundry it seems! LOL I am just glad that Ashley uses plastic hangers, and not the wire variety, or it might not have been a laughing matter!

Till next time, make some magic with your stitching!

Love, Jan

Waffing, etc!!

2009-10-12T22:00:00.000-04:00

That is a word, isn't it? Anyway, if it isn't it sounds like a good descriptive 'new' word for Webster to grab on to. The word itself sounds like how I have been these days. Not bad, dear blog readers, no, not bad, just waffing....running around without much direction,trying to multi-task and coming up even more confused,crazy busy,discombobulated,did I say crazy? Etc!

Definitely time for a post on this blog! I am so very behind! But had a very good month, a visit for a long weekend from some stitching pals, lots of stitching, sharing, shopping, eating and NO sleep! Took some time to recoup, but it was oh so worth it!! The following weekend, brought my Allie Bug and her parents to Nana's house, and boy did I get in lots of loving and cuddles! She is growing so much, and trying so hard to coo and chit chat! I loved every minute and still yearn to hear those coos and unidentifiable syllables that come out of her mouth! Of course, I got some pictures!She is 3 months old now!

Love Me, now who couldn't love such a face?

Playing Yahtzee with Mommy and Daddy, after watching the Colts win! Of course, she has a Colts onsie and bib to match!

And I found a great deal on a new swing for Allie, she really enjoys that yellow bear, keeps hitting it and making it spin:

Allie having a good time, playing with Momma:

And Allie hanging out with Nana, watching and listening to Nick Jr on the tube! What a delight she is, especially in the morning hours!

I miss her....

In between cleaning and the usual daily stuff, I have been working on designs! Of course, I always overextend myself, thinking, oh I can get that stitched in a short period of time, yadda, yadda! Anyway, if you haven't seen Quaker Silence, my second design that has been released, here is a picture:

A third design almost ready for release is New Mercies. Here is a small sneakpeek of that design. I hope that it intrigues you, this is just a small portion of it:

In the works now is a Christmas design. It will be the first of a series,hopefully of samplers to remember my great-grandmother, Emma Rose. I am anxious to get to stitching on this one. Will be sure and share a sneak peek when I have some done.

Personal stitching has been at a minimum, although I did finish up La-D-Da's A Right Spirit. I changed the color palette of this quite alot. I do love how it turned out. I used my daughter's initials, since it will be a Christmas gift for her! Shhh...I really don't think Megan reads my blog, but I know that Ashley does, so Ashley dear, don't tell your sister! lol

Other stitching has been for gifts, which I can't share as I am sure that they are at least readers of my blog!

Weather here in Indiana, has turned quite chilly, I believe it got down to 31 degrees the other night. Although not any snow, and I am glad, it is just too early for that, the leaves have been vibrant in their show of colors! Enjoying this time of the year greatly and I do so hope that winter doesn't arrive too early.

So sorry for bombarding you with so many pics, but had much to share! I will leave you with one more, this was taken at my mother's home, first time seeing her greatgrandchild Alexandra! This pic is of four generations, Mimi the Great, Alexandra, Ashley and me!

I hope all is well with all of you, dear blog readers! I appreciate you taking the time to stop by, read and post! I love reading your comments! Take good care and have some stitching fun!

Love, Jan

I am SO blessed!!!

2009-09-16T18:10:00.012-04:00

I truly am befuddled at how long it has been since I last posted!! Oh well, good intentions, crazy-time-speeding-faster-then-light days is my only excuse! It won't be long until Autumn, my favorite time of the year, hope it doesn't move so quickly, as the summer did.

I have been busy with designing and trying to get some organizing done around the homestead. Don't have much to show for it, the organizing that is, since most of the organizing is going on in my head only. Anyone else do that? I really need to get busy though with some of it, I have out of town company coming weekend after next and much to do!

I did start a new blog, for my design business, Tree of Life Sampling, if any of you would like to visit, the blog addy is: treeoflifesamplings.blogspot.com I will be posting updates, sneaky peaks, etc of the designs as they are released. I did post a sneaky peek of my newest design Quaker Silence. I will post a pic just as soon as it is framed and photographed! Hope you like what you see! I also have another one at a model stitcher's house now, and hopefully will have something to show you in a few short weeks!

The reason for the title of this blog post, is because I recently have been gifted with some beautiful framed needlework, from a very loving and dear friend. Robin (no blog) gifted me with A Bitter Flower Sampler from Birds of A Feather and I do believe that she sent the piece to Terri to have framed! That is before Terri lost her framer, bless her heart! It is glorious, as you can see below:

And another of the beautiful molding, close up:

Also not long ago, she stitched and framed another lovely for me, Black Willow Tree Farm by Carriage House Samplings:

I have been, between designing, formatting and packaging up patterns, doing Only One Ewe business and trying to keep the house somewhat presentable, trying to whittle a little away at some of my wips! I managed to finished LHN's Seasonal Saltbox series, and here is a pic:

And another straight on shot:

Little House Needleworks Seasonal Saltbox Series
40 Ct Lakeside Vintage Lentil
Crescent Colours fibers

I am close to a finish on La-D-Da's A Right Spirit and will share my finish very soon. I also hope to start La-D-Da's You Are My Sunshine, for my Allie Bug, so very anxious to start this one. Also hope to get a stocking started and finished for her, but with the way times moves so swiftly, I may need to burn the midnight oil to get it done! Also have put in a few stitches on Seven Days of Creation by Plum Street Samplers. So, I am managing some stitching, thankfully for model stitchers! You are the bestest!!

My lil Allie Bug will be coming for an overnight visit the 3rd of October! I am very excited, it has been since early August since I saw her last, and I know she is growing like a weed!

That's about it for now, hope to catch up with your blogs to see what you all have been up to. I am a couple days behind on my reading and commenting, but hope to remedy that very soon!

Thanks for stopping by, thanks for commenting, and thanks for visiting my new blog, second home away from home!!

Take some time for you, and put in some magical stitches!!

Love, Jan

'Rare Treasures' Giveaway Winner(s)!!

2009-08-30T12:53:00.007-04:00

Thanks to all of you for all of your lovely comments about my first design release! I loved reading them, they were all so encouraging! I am just thrilled that you all like it and for those of you interested in purchasing it, you may email me at the link on the sidebar. Or if you have trouble with that, you can always reach me at keeper50@ ymail.com. I will be glad to get the pattern out to you this week! Hope to see some of you stitching it soon!

Without further delay, I want to announce the winner...well the first winner, because there were so many entries, I couldn't stop at one, so there will be three of you that win the chart!

Deb from http://threadgatherer.blogspot.com/ said...
Jan, I'm so thrilled that you've begun this adventure!!! Of course I want to be entered into the giveaway and I'll post this on my blog!!! Congratulations!!!

Ladybug from http://ladybugquilting.blogspot.com/ said...
Wow, glad I stumbled across your blog! Your design is beautiful and would fit right in with my decor. Your granddaughter is beautiful. I am the proud Nana of 4 little granddaughters.

Katrina from http://theneedlespromise.blogspot.com/ said...
Huge congrats on your first design and of course I want to win ;-). It's so pretty.

Congratulations to all of you, please do comment on this post, so that I know you are aware of your win, and also email me at my profile email account, which is the same as above!

Again, I can't thank you enough for your support and encouragement of my new design, which has given me not a small measure of confidence to continue with my designing! I have another with a model stitcher now and one to soon be sent to another stitcher, so be sure and visit often!!

I have been doing a little personal stitching of late, so will be sharing some things in a post in a few days! It has seemed like forever that my wips have gotten any attention, but thankfully for model stitchers, I can go back to stitching on them!

Until later!

Much Love, Jan

To Celebrate My First Release Giveaway!!

2009-08-25T13:20:00.003-04:00

'Rare Treasures' is ready and to celebrate my first release for Tree of Life Samplings, I am offering a free pattern of it! So comment on this post with your desire to win by August 29th! I will post the winner on the 30th of August!

Please mention this giveaway on your blog, by posting the picture, just rightclick and save to your computer! There will be another chance to win, if you do this.

If you have not yet seen the design here is the pic:

Best of luck and thanks for commenting!

Love, Jan

Unveiling a NEW Design!

2009-08-17T19:35:00.011-04:00

From a brand new designer 'Tree of Life Samplings' (moi)!!

This is what I have been doing of late, designing and stitching the model (which took me forever, since I had so many changes, as I was stitching!) Anyway, it is now in it's frame and patterns are being printed as we speak!

I hope to have them ready to sell within the next week or ten days! So if you are interested, shoot me an email: sales@onlyoneeweneedlework.com Hope you like! You should be able to click on the picture, to get a slightly larger pic and closer look!

'Rare Treasures'
Needlepoint Inc Silks
R&R Creme Brulee 36 ct linen

So busy I have been, stitching this model and designing a couple more, I hope to release, in the not too distant future!

Also, what kind of a post would it be, without a recent snap of my precious Allie Bug?

As always, I really covet and appreciate your kind and encouraging comments! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment! I hope to get caught up with my blog reading over the next few days, to see what you all have been doing!

Till then!

Love, Jan

Celebration Giveaway Winner Is...

2009-07-30T10:46:00.006-04:00

Let me just say I am the biggest winner of all, because I have this precious, beautiful, sweet granddaughter in my life now, to love! She has been long waited for and prayed for, but we have her now, and I feel so blessed!!

Ok, also I win, because of all of these wonderful comments, wow, had no idea there would be so many of you! Loved reading them each day!

What you have really been waiting for is the announcement of whose name was drawn. I will share with you how I did it, I took all of the numbers in Alexandra's birthdate which was 7-2-9 and that totaled 18. I could have drawn names/numbers out of a hat, used the randomizer, but thought this would be involving Allie Bug even more, using her birthdate. And the winner is...drumroll...Tracey (North Carolina), from I Stitch, Therefore I am! A great big congratulations, Tracey! Please do email me soon, my email address is accessible through my profile, with your complete mailing address! I would like to send your package by early next week!

Also since there were so many entries and I do wish I could send you all something, I decided to have a runner up prize of just the chart, With My Needle! For this prize I put my daughter Ashley's (Allie Bug's mom) birthdate together 4-12-83 and the number's total is 99! Gaynor (Ireland) from Stitchers Anon has won! Congratulations, Gaynor! Again, please email me soon with your mailing address, so that I can post your package soon!

Once again, thank you all for commenting and following my blog! Your comments on every post make my day, such a joy to read each one!

May your day be a blessed one, full of every good thing!!

Love, Jan

Special Celebration Give-Away!!

2009-07-23T10:50:00.005-04:00

As promised, here are the Give-Away details, so that you can all celebrate with me the birth of my first grandchild, Alexandra! I'll bet Allie Bug is excited too!

The prize is for the chart and other goodies pictured! Heartstring Primitives 'With My Needle'; also converted Belle Soie Silks to stitch it with, and an 1/8 yard cut of PTP Relic 32 ct fabric to stitch it on!! Also had to include a package of needles, since the design is about using our needles!LOL Also one of Kelmscott Designs Mother of Pearl Threadkeeps in the heart shape, from my heart to yours!!

Aren't giveaways fun? All you need to do is be a follower/reader/commentor of my blog, to participate, and also leave a comment on this post, before next Wednesday July 29, 2009! All readers are welcome to join in the celebration giveaway, even if you don't have a blog, please do make sure that you leave email contact information in your comment though, so that I can contact you, if you win!

Feel free to post on your blog, the link for this giveaway, the more the merrier!! You can even rob the pic and post that on your blog, in fact I encourage it! You will receive an extra entry by doing so! Good luck! I will close the entries late Wednesday evening, and will post a winner on Thursday, July 30, 2009!

Thanks for participating and helping me celebrate Allie Bug's birth! I appreciate all of you so much!

Love, Jan

Sunday Blessings!

2009-07-19T12:07:00.001-04:00

I want to thank Christina for her wonderful award to me a few weeks ago. With the grandbaby's arrival and things being so hectic, I almost forgot! Anyway, I just want to extend this honor to all that follow my blog. I have so many favorites, there are way too many to list, and I would love for you all to have it! You are all so special and great, following, commenting and even just reading my blog. I appreciate each and everyone of you!

Because of this and the exciting summer I have had, with the birth of my first grandbaby, I am going to be offering a giveaway within the next week. I think that you will like the chance to win what I am offering, so be sure and check back often! There are some great giveaways going on now, I know that Paulette has one that you don't want to miss, so head on over to her blog and be sure and post and let her know you are reading!

I am going share a snippet of what I have been working on. This is a design I have created and hope to publish soon. It isn't quite finished yet, but getting there. I won't be sharing the complete piece until it is finished, framed and formatted for publishing, so just please patient. I hope that you like what you see so far!

You all show such lovely flowers from your garden, I am not so gifted with a green thumb as many of you, but I do have this potted hanging basket on my front porch that I love:

I just moved into my present home last September, so this was a surprise when it came up and produced blooms this year. Can anyone identify it for me?

And last but certainly not least of my blessings, is a pic of my Allie Bug, Nana's lil angel, before I came back home, last weekend! Miss this sweet one!

Thanks again, for all of your sweet comments and also for visiting my blog! Don't forget to check back this week, for details of the giveaway, to celebrate the birth of my precious granddaughter!

I pray your blessings are in abundance!

Love, Jan

A First Grandchild....Gift of Joy from God!!

2009-07-08T20:03:00.006-04:00

Alexandra Catherine is here, she arrived at 12:53 am on July 2, 2009, weighing in at 6 lbs, 10.8 ounces and 19 1/2 inches long, she is already charming the sox off of all of us! I was there for her birth, but not in the delivery room, because Ashley has a condition that won't allow her to dilate fully. Of course we didn't know that, until she dilated to 5 centimeters and 6 hours later, she was still at 5 centimeters! The doctor said they would have to do a C-Section, and the surgical room was prepped and within 30 minutes, my Allie Bug was saying hello to her new world!

This pic was taken at just a few hours old:

I stayed much longer then what I thought I would, since Ashley had a c-section delivery instead of a natural birth, as planned, she needed my helping hands. I stayed until yesterday (Tuesday) and am returning for another few days tomorrow morning. After being with the lil sweet bug everyday, I am really missing her!

Taken first day, she found her finger pretty quickly:

And a last one, taken at her home yesterday before I left. She looked ever so sweet asleep in her cradle:

I so appreciate your prayers for sweet lil Allie Bug's arrival, thank you from the bottom of my heart! Sorry for the shortness of this post, but I promise to share some stitchey updates next week, and possibly some more pics of the wee one, so be ready! I just love her to pieces!!! She has been so prayerfully longed for, my heart is bursting with joy, love and pride!! I know that many of you understand that feeling!!

I need to get caught up on my reading and commenting, and plan to do that this weekend, just whenever I can get a stolen moment away from Allie Bug!

Till next week, Happy Stitching and I pray good things for your week ahead!

Love, Jan

Certifiable Start-i-tis!!!!

2009-06-23T14:21:00.005-04:00

OK, you all may be cracking up at the title of this post, but do know I am feeling that there is a problem, with all of my starts! I got the idea for doing this from Dear Margaret. Not that she has more starts then she can handle...exactly the opposite, she starts AND finishes things before I even think about it! She is amazing and a wonderful enabler, as are many more of you, Siobhan, Scarlett House Tanya, Shannon, Nicole, and others. Then I do know there are those that have the same problem with startitis as I do. Right?

Anyways back to my reason for this post and subsequent pictures...I was thinking, gee willikers, I haven't posted for over a week, and I really don't have much to share. BUT, I then decided I would bare all and take some pics of some of my wips in groups. There are ten pictured...ahhmmm.yes.ten. And they are all screaming at me, can you hear them? Should I send them to Margaret, Siobhan, Tanya to finish for me, or should I start more, to feed that start-i-tis addiction?

And the other half:

Any suggestions?
Life here continues to be good, lots of activity though, with summer in full swing, and I mean full swing with record high temps and humidity and storms to go along with it. My dear brother and his wife, were visiting and we had lots of good times. They have now went back to Texas and they will be missed!

Daughter Ashley is two weeks away from her due date and we are so ready!! Excited. Joyful. Thankful. Inpatient. Had a phone call yesterday morning, from DD, that had me flying around here, pulling clothes from the closet, calling son Scotty to come and check out the suv to make it ready for the trip and making lists of things, so I wouldn't forget to pack them. But it was a false alarm...she was just really fatigued I think, from a really uncomfortable, pain-filled sleepless night and was having lots of periodic contractions. So we are still waiting, but at least I have things ready to go!!

I hope that each of you is enjoying your summer and that you have lots of good stitching times during the lazy dog days!

Create some fun. Know you are loved. Stitch like it is the last day of your life.

I appreciate all of your comments...must be honest here, that is the motivation for me making a new post, the anticipation of your lovely words, almost like you are here in person for a visit! So thank you, in advance, you are the best!

Love, Jan

A Lil' Eve and Some Found Treasures!

2009-06-12T10:48:00.011-04:00

It is almost mid-June already, unbelievable the way time just zooms by! Trying to take each day as a new one and be as productive as possible, while still getting in some stitching. Although other then working on an RR and working on a model, Eve has had very little attention. But here to share, her progress:

I am hoping to get some more stitching in on her this weekend. Unless something else grabs my attention, and that probably will happen! It has been a busy one around here, ever since Memorial Day. Lots of company, and the good kind, my youngest daughter and her husband came down for a few nights, always wonderful having them here! Here is a photo of Ashley and me, taken on my backyard deck:

Isn't she just glowing? I love you muchly, my Princess!
And another of her and Joshua, they are so sweet together:

Josh and Ashley's sil, is an amateur photographer and took these pics at their home, last Sunday.

That is the other (so far) member of their family, Brodie. He is a wonderful companion and friend to them.
And my personal favorite:

It won't be long now, they went to the doctor yesterday, and the baby has dropped. They are both hoping it is soon, rather then later, of course. Due date is July 7th!

On another note, my other daughter Megan and her significant other, JR, and I went to a downtown antique mall last week, and I found this wonderful wood plaque to give to Ashley, Joshua and the new arrival:

Don't you just love these shoes? The words say The Journey of a Thousand Miles Begins with One Step.

OK, that is about it for now, I hope that all of you have a most wonderful weekend! I have some blog reading and posting to catch up on, but other then that, I hope to get some yardwork done, that is IF the weatherman is wrong and it will NOT be raining. If it does you will find me either in the kitchen cooking and baking for family, or in my stitching haven, working at doing what I love! Thanks for reading and posting, your posts are always so uplifting and enjoyable to read. I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Leaving you with one last pic...of course, I can't go anywhere without bringing home a good smelling candle, this one will be lit while I am doing whatever this weekend.

Love, Jan

Mary Wigham Conversion

2009-06-04T12:24:00.005-04:00

I spent some time yesterday, pulling NPI silks to match up the DMC charted on this ever so special Ackworth Quaker Sampler! Wanted to share with you, here is a pic:

A nice fabric medium would be Lakeside's Vintage Light Examplar. The fibers really look great on it!

Conversion from DMC to NPI Silks

DMC NPI
725 ~ 554
407 ~ 204
356 ~ 205
963 ~ 941
3857 ~ 127
3768 ~ 323
3052 ~ 401
ecru ~ 871
930 ~ 746
white ~ 991bb
739 ~ 851
3822~ 552
927 ~ 154
black~ 993
934 ~ 296
352 ~ 532
435 ~ 773
225 ~ 706
3855 ~ 133
433 ~ 766
519 ~ 111
746 ~ 991

Please note, in the original listing of DMC posted on the Needleprint site, there was DMC 966 included. After viewing and downloading the first installment, there is no 966 listed in the color key. If for some reason it turns up later, then 662 NPI is a good conversion for 966 DMC.

I had thought about putting in a few Belle Soie for affect, but not being able to see the entire chart yet, I decided to just list the NPI. They are very good match and will make a lovely palette for this project.

Silks continue to be on sale on Only One Ewe Needleworks website, so please email at sales@onlyoneeweneedlework.com if you are needing any of these, before the 15th!

How many of you will be stitching this lovely? I plan too, but won't start yet, will see how it goes. I have Beatrix Potter in the works, and Sarah Moon kitted up, so will just wait on this one. How about you all?

Thanks again for visiting and all of your lovely comments on my Simply Live finish!:)

Living Simply With Joy!!

2009-06-02T17:29:00.008-04:00

Although time is still fleeting these days, and it has seemed like forever since I last posted, it has been a good life, with much joy, family and love! I do have a finish to share, I put in the last stitches last evening, on this sweet piece.

Primitive Needle's Simply Live
40 ct R&R Cafe Kona Linen
Converted Fibers to Crescent Colours and Weeks

I have been trying to post all afternoon, I have several different pics, non- stitching related to share with you, dear friends. But since blogger isn't allowing, I will wait until tomorrow to try again!I also will be getting back to stitching on Eve by La-D-Da this evening, so hoping to show you an updated pic of her!

Thanks so much for reading, visiting and posting such encouraging and uplifting comments! You are all the best! Have a great few days, until next time!

I have been asked for my conversion to this great project, so here goes:

Old Rose ~ Apple Fritter Crescent Colours
Aged Black ~ Blacksmith Blue Crescent Colours
Antique Violet ~ Bamboo or Toasted Marshmallow Crescent Colours
Olive Green ~ Kudzu Weeks
Withered Blue ~ Tartan Plaid Crescent Colours
Tarnished Gold ~ Ye Olde Gold Crescent Colours
Rusted Orange ~ Colonial Copper Crescent Colours
Brown ~ Hickory Sticks Crescent Colours

I did make another change, as I was stitching, I decided to use Hickory Sticks, instead of Colonial Copper for the two borders at the top and bottom of the alphabet. Felt it was just too much of the orange.

A little more Eve and a bit of absence

2009-05-14T18:00:00.004-04:00

Greetings dear blogging friends!

I have been working on Eve, since my last post, and since I am a very slow stitcher, not much progress has been made, but each stitch will be a step to the finish line! I am not sure about the flesh color for Eve, I do hope she is not going to look like she needs a Vitamin B-12 shot or anything, after all she is fresh from God's creation! But I had to switch out the NPI called for, because of my choice of fabric.

'Scuse the wrinkles and the not so great pic!

I will be leaving for my daughter's tomorrow morning. Need to pack up the SUV tonight, with everything for the baby shower. Course most of the food I will just buy when I get up there and prepare. Hope that many come, haven't gotten that many RSVP's, but you know everyone is busy, and especially if they do plan to attend, they usually just come.

I will be returning late Sunday evening, hope that you all have a wonderful weekend, and I will be 'seeing' you when I get home the first of the week!

Thanks for your visits and wonderful comments!;)

Love, Jan

A Tribute to all Mothers

2009-05-09T22:06:00.001-04:00

Sarah, Eve and FREEDOM!!!

2009-05-08T11:23:00.005-04:00

Hello dear blogging friends! It has been awhile since I posted, and I still need to get caught up on what you have been doing the last few weeks. Weather here is so dreary, rain, rain and more rain! I know that many of you are experiencing much the same thing, those that aren't are in need of rain. That is so how it goes!

I have been getting a little stitching done, but not as much as I would like. First picture share is of Sarah Salter by Sheepish Designs and I did change the color palette quite alot in this piece, I converted the DMC to Belle Soie Silks and so far I am loving it! Of course I love Red! I took out all of the blues and pinks in the design (sure hope that Sarah forgives me for that, but I think she would understand!)
Not the greatest of pictures, since I have no natural light, but you can get the idea:

Sarah Salter by Sheepish Designs
36 ct R&R Liberty Gathering Gray
Belle Soie Silks, Conversion

Next is a new start! Since I saw this stitched, I have wanted to do it, just now deciding to bring it out to start! I did change a couple of the NPI silks, since my fabric choice is darker then what was recommended. Not much done, but a start:

Eve by La-D-Da
40 Ct Lakeside Vintage Basketweave
NPI Silks, as charted, with two changes

Now on to the last part of my title, FREEDOM!! I made a decision this month, that I would forego making goals for the month, with my stitching. I have set goals every month for at least the last four years, and I don't know whether it is me, or just the time goes so quickly...anyway, by the time the first of May came, I said to myself "Self, oh drudgery, time to set those goals AGAIN!" I then decided no more, I would just stitch on what I wanted to, and probably get just as much done, and not have that proverbial goal-listing monkey on my back! After all, I have enough to do lists around here, and at my age, they are getting a bit cumbersome!! So I am FREE...FREE...FREE!!!! And it feels so good!! I am enjoying my stitching lots more!! OH yes, there will be some obligation stitching, gifts, an RR I am currently in, but that isn't near so overwhelming as those goal lists!!!:) Do any of you set goals for yourself? If so, it is a good thing, don't mean that, it is just time for me to do something different!!

I will leave you with a couple of pics, here is my Andy Boo, stitching buddy, he is a male calico and just as sweet as he can be! Course now, I caught him napping and he did not appreciate that flash on the camera, hence the half-closed eyes and his mouth is open yelling at me! LOL He does a lot of talking to me...and I am not sure what that black-looking thing in his mouth is! LOL LOL

And lastly here is a pic of my lilac bush in the front, wish I had snapped the pic a few days earlier, it was much prettier then, but oh my the smell is wonderful!

Till next time, enjoy your neck of of the woods, and I hope you get plenty of time to cross those stitches!! Thanks so much for visiting and your so kind and warm comments! I love reading them!!

Love, Jan

7 Days Progress Update & Small Finish

2009-04-27T12:49:00.009-04:00

I didn't get alot more done, but I did manage some on Plum Street Samplers Seven Days of Creation. Wanted to share anyway, showing the previous pic, as it shows more the color of linen more accurately. This is before:

And this is after a bit more stitching, this is a horrible pic, no sunlight and lots of wrinkles! I won't be returning to this one for awhile, have too many screaming my name! And.I.know.you.all.know.how.that.is.

And a small finish from last week, this is LHN's Seasonal Saltbox Series, the Summer Square, three done, one more to go. Stitched on 40 ct Vintage Lentil:

Thanks bunches for your wonderful comments and I hope you have a blessed week!

Jan

Edgar's Lo How A Rose Giveaway

2009-04-27T11:53:00.003-04:00

Edgar is hosting a giveaway for his copy of Lo How A Rose, please visit Edgar for all of the details!

Have a most wonderful week!

C'est Fini!

2009-04-24T11:51:00.009-04:00

Howdy to my faithful blogging buds!It certainly has been a most hectic week, but I am proud to announce I finally have put in the last stitches on 'This Is The Day' by Hands To Work! Without further ado, here it is!

Hands To Work 'This Is The Day'
JCS Jan/Feb 2009 Issue
32 Count R&R Reproductions French Vanilla
Converted Fibers, Crescent Colours, GAST and Weeks

I have been busy putting my new office to rights, course that also entails going through my two stash closets...and you know the time that takes, cuz there is so much to look at, plan and drool over! But I am making headway! Also had stitchey company last weekend, and that was great, great fun, as always!My friend Mary was a great help with my new fiber wall in the shop! We now have NPI Silks at Only One Ewe and they have been flying out the door almost as fast as I can get more ordered! Be watching though, since I will be adding a introductory sale on these on the website very soon!

Also lost my phone line, due to the mower running over it, so I was without phone AND internet for several days...NOT fun, but I did get other things done, maybe I needed that break! Took me awhile to get caught up on your blog posts, but think I finally have!

My stitching plans are to pull out Seven Days of Creation from Plum Street Samplers. I converted this sampler to overdyed fibers, I wanted the lettering, specifically to have some variegation, so far I am loving it! I will share a progress pic in just a few days, so come back soon! OH and another small finish that I have to take pics of yet!Of course I can't wait to start another couple of things, more about that later!

Thank you in advance for your wonderful and kind comments, I read them and always am blessed by what you have said, yes YOU!:)

This Is The Day That The Lord Hath Made, Rejoice and Be Glad In It! Here is hoping that your days are blessed with your families and friendships!!

Happy Easter, Blog Friends!

2009-04-12T11:33:00.001-04:00

Catch-Up and Nostalgic Shares!

2009-04-07T15:06:00.009-04:00

I realized this morning, that it has been over a week, since I last posted, and I had promised myself to at least update once a week, if not twice! I also decided that since all I have been sharing is my SLOW progress on This Is The Day, that I would pull a couple of very old wips that really, really do need my attention. At least once of these days!

We have a wrap-around weekend with warmer temps turning to bitter cold, at least this time of year! Today the sun is shining, after a Sunday or monsoon rain and hail. Here is a pic of the backyard deck, that I snapped with the hail covering. I should have waited for it to stop, cause the deck was virtually covered, before it turned to all rain:

As promised here are a couple of WIPS that do need my attention:

Moira Blackburn's Time and Season Sampler
32 Ct Antique Ivory Belfast
DMC as charted
I don't know what it is with this project, that I started years ago, and have made little attempts at working on. I know it is a large one, but not that large. I am thinking of dying the whole thing when I get it done? Am I crazy? Of course, I am, but has anyone ever dyed a finished project? And if so, how did it turn out? I know that I am safe on the fabric and fibers not being hand-dyed, I would appreciate your thoughts, cause I would definitely love it better, if I could make it more primitive!! Considering the time I started it, is why I didn't dare go with anything but what was charted by the designer. But today, I would have definitely used silks or overdyeds on an overdyed linen...may have even changed the color palette. Sorry the red-checkered tablecloth is showing through in this pic!

Here is another one, that I really need to get back to and as soon as This Is The Day is finished, I am going to! I did change the fibers to Belle Soie Silks, instead of the charted DMC.

Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin Mariette Swift
32 Ct Sheep's Straw by R&R
Belle Soie Silk Conversion

And I promise this is the LAST share I will bore you with, for This Is The Day, until it is finished!!

Hands To Work This Is The Day
32 Ct French Vanilla by R&R
My Own Conversion to a Different Palette, all Overdyed Fibers.
I love, love everything about this sampler, and have truly enjoyed each and every stitch so far, BUT that background behind the alphabet is SO daunting, I am not at all good at mindless stitching, takes forever!! I hope to finish this week, wish me luck!

Thank you all that have been praying for my daughter! She is out of the hospital and at home, unable to work. She has a doctor's visit tomorrow, hopefully they can shed some light on things. Appreciate your continued good thoughts and prayers!

Thanks for visiting, you truly all have given me inspiration and encouragement with your lovely and kind comments! Thanks in advance!!

Happy Easter Blessings to You And Yours, if I don't post again until after the weekend!

Jan

Monday Meanderings...

2009-03-30T12:37:00.007-04:00

Time has certainly gotten away from me, can't believe last week zoomed and this weekend did as well! Had an enjoyable time though, went to my daughter's for dinner. She tried Lasagna for the first time and got rave reviews! Who would have thunk that this girl could cook, and enjoy it too???? Will wonders ever cease??? My contribution was homemade cherry and blackberry pies. You would think that Christmas had happened, that bunch should loves my pies!! Makes it worth the extra efforts!! Got home early evening, and DS came over to help me move my heavy desk, puter and files to the new office. It feels really weird to be visiting with you all, in a new room! Don't worry, as soon as I get it looking decent, I will share some pics! Lots to do this week, so it might be awhile!

I started a new project yesterday, yeah right, like I needed another project, to join the mountain of others I have...but what the heck! It is Sarah Salter by Sheepish Designs. Of course, I had to play with the colors and change them. I found the prettiest cut of 36 ct R&R Liberty Gathering Grey in my stash, and thought it would be great for this project, particularing because I did change the palette, somewhat! Pictured below is my meager beginning with the silks that I chose, Belle Soies...needless to say, with the lateness of the hour, I didn't accomplish much, but a start is a start, right? I plan on this being my Sunday project!!

Also an update of my This Is The Day! Haven't had much time with it, but every little stitch counts, especially when I am working on that fill! GRIEF

These actually show more the color of linen!

On another note, my pregnant daughter, Ashley has been ill. More then likely she has another dreadful kidney stone. Two years ago, she had one lodged in her kidney, and it took two surgeries to get it removed. But because she is in her 6th month of pregnancy, they can't do anything. Would appreciate your prayers and good thoughts, that she able to pass it on her own and soon!

Thanks for visiting and for all of your lovely commments, I look so forward to them and they are very much appreciated!

Have a wonderful and beautiful SPRING week in your area!

An award!!

2009-03-23T19:08:00.004-04:00

Thanks bunches, Gwen!

Oh dear, this is hard, I enjoy each and every blog that I visit! I am pretty new to blogland, but I have already enjoyed so much and learned so much from each of you! That said, here is my list of the 8 blogs required to pass on this special award. If I missed some of you, just know that I have tried not to duplicate.

In no particular order:

Lynda
Edgar
Nicole
Tina
Sharon
Suzanne
Terri
Katrina

Here are the rules.

1. Copy the Kreativ Blogger Award into your blog
2. Make a link to the person's blog who nominated you.
3. Nominate eight (8) other blogs
4. Add their links to your blog
5. Leave a comment on the blogs that you nominated telling them that you have sent them an award.

OK...PHEW...now to finish up the rest of the task, to completely earn this award! LOL

Thanks again, Gwen, I am honored!

Suzanne and Katrina....

2009-03-19T18:30:00.003-04:00

wanted to answer your questions! Thanks everyone for your lovely comments on my two 'pet' projects!!

First of Suzanne, I purchased the pattern for Mary Allen from The Attic Needleworks in Ariz! I need to try and call the designer, I believe she is local there in AZ and try and find out if I can get some of these stocked at OOE! The designer's name is Samplers Remembered, and it is Village Square Sampler, Mary Allen 1818. Let me know if you have trouble locating a copy and I will work on getting some in stock!

Katrina, would love to give you my conversion for This Is The Day! I am flattered that you like it! Here goes:

GAST Pumpkin Pie ~ GAST Cidermill Brown, except for the sun, I used CC Finley Gold.
GAST Roasted Marshmallow ~ Bamboo (I had to go with a little lighter color, since my fabric is much lighter then the called for fabric.)
GAST Picnic Basket ~ Crescent Colours Cocoa Bean
GAST Tomato ~ Crescent Colours Red Currant
GAST Old Brick ~ Crescent Colours Wild Berries
CC Just Rust ~ Crescent Colours Wild Berries
CC Colonial Copper ~ Weeks Whiskey.
CC Camouflage ~ Crescent Colours Bean Sprout.
CC Black Coffee ~ Crescent Colours Blackbird.
Weeks Conch ~ I used a whiter variegated, something with a little lightish brown in it, but plenty of white to show up. I believe it is CC Bamboo or Toasted Marshmallow. Hard to say what will work for another, depending on fabric color choice, and dyelots!

Hope this isn't too confusing, Katrina and hope it helps some. Let me know if there are any other questions, good luck!

Jan

Promised Mary Allen WIP, etc.

2009-03-16T18:37:00.007-04:00

I finally took a pic of my progress on this special sampler. I haven't worked on it since last Friday, though. Itching to get back to it, but also enjoying working on This Is the Day. I also took a couple updated pics of it, to show the progress I made over the weekend.

Very slow progress, but I will get there. This project is just screaming to be done and framed and over my fireplace mantel! And it is all the fault of Siobhan and Terri, for enabling me so, with their finished Mary Allen's! Love you guys! This a pic of the completed model Mary Allen, in case some of you readers haven't seen it yet:

Isn't it just beautiful? I am loving the conversion to NPI Silks!

Also those pics of This Is The Day, by Hands To Work. I converted the called for fibers, to a little bit different look:

and a close up of the over 1 block, just need to add my initials.

It has been a gloriously beautiful day here in Indiana!! Hope you all are experiencing nice weather too!

Thanks for visiting and commenting!

Jan

Friday Thoughts

2009-03-13T11:57:00.003-04:00

I don't have any picture shares for this post, but wanted to touch base and share some of my wayward, random stitching thoughts. You know those thoughts that are always at the brink of our minds? Yep, those! After visiting a few blogs this morning, I have decided that I need to be a bit more conscious of what I do have in my wip basket...did I say basket? Make that baskets, bins, drawers, etc! Good Grief, I think I need help. I am a bit better at the start-itis, but still feel compelled to hurry up and finish a couple in my wip, before starting something new. But with the recent market, and subsequent new releases, boy it is difficult. That said, I am going to be posting a list soon on this blog, to keep track of what I have going, maybe that will make me a bit more mindful, about starting yet another project? Oh well, I will make a stab at it!

The other thing I really want/need to do is work on taking better pictures. I probably would benefit from the purchase of a new camera, but not in the budget to do so at this time, so just going to have to study and work with the one I have.

Trip out of town today, hoping Friday traffic isn't awful, so I can get home and spend some more time working on Mary Allen. I have spent some lovely, enjoyable time with her this week. Wasn't overly crazy with the color palette at first, but now I can see it all coming together!

Will be back with an updated pic of my progress on her this weekend. Thanks for stopping by and posting. Your comments are always appreciated so much!!

Jan

Meanderings Continued...

2009-03-10T14:39:00.004-04:00

Just stopping by to say hello to all of my fellow bloggers! Life here has been humdrum at best, but know it will improve. Appreciate your comments and lovely words of encouragement, please know that!

I have done some stitching, working on an ornament, but not finished with it yet. Also stitching on Mary Allen Sampler, but will wait till the end of the week, to share a picture of my progress on that. Also spent some time with This Is the Day, from Hands To Work. Both of these, I am really enjoying the journey of stitching, each stitch is a joy. I would love to have them both done and framed and hanging in my home, but I do know that I must cherish each day that I stitch on each of them. So I will bide my time! I pretty much completed the tree on Hands To Work, have I told you I love trees? And this one is extra special with it's details! Here is an updated pic.

Once again, thanks for visiting and for all of your comments! I appreciate them!

Jan

Can I suck my thumb in the corner?

2009-02-27T17:25:00.006-05:00

It has been one of those weeks, that is full of things that must be done, because they involve other people and their lives, and I cannot digress! Oh, but I want to, I want to go and sit in the far corner, away from the world, pull my knees up with a pillow and stick that thumb in my mouth. Maybe then Mother will take care of everything...Good Grief, what I am saying??? My Mother take care of things, and I am well up in my ahmmm 50's? Anyway, I am sure you have all had a week such as this and you probably handled everything like a true grownup person should, unlike me, cringing and wanting to eat everything in sight, just to get over the stress!! Next week WILL be better, this I know, because God promised to take care of things!

Thanks for letting me vent, now on to a bit of stitchey news. I haven't been doing a whole lot, last weekend, I spent at my baby daughter's home and we went shopping for baby stuff! She was a great daughter and baked me a Carrot Cake for my birthday, bless her heart! A really lovely weekend, then to come home to the week of 'more stress then I care to handle at once' week.

Oh yes, I was going to share some stitchey news, see how my mind is jumping all over the place? Worse then usual, cuz my dear friends know that I am all over the place usually! I did finish an ornament last night, Blackbird Designs Christmas 2004 Ornament. Stitched on R&R Autumn Leaves, with the recommended GAST threads. Picture is above. And that is because I am still green between the ears, with this blogger thing. Then I just decided to pull out my wip on Plum Street Samplers Seven Days of Creation, stitched on R&R 36 Ct Creme' Brulee with converted fibers from Crescent Colours. I have not worked on this in forever, but plan to put in some work on it this next week. Okay, so that ended up above the ornament at the top! OH well! Next, is a sampler that I have been working on for several weeks, and I am really enjoying it. It is Hands To Work This Is The Day Sampler, stitched on 32 Ct R&R French Vanilla with various fibers from Crescent Colours and GAST, different from what the designer used. The pciture is lousy, think my hands were shaking, either it is too much coffee (pffftttt) or just an after affect of the week!

I so plan to spend as much time this weekend as I can, best stress-reliever that I know of!! LOL

Thanks for visiting and posting a comment! I love getting comments, it is so encouraging, thank you all!

Jan

A New Treasure!

2009-02-13T12:04:00.000-05:00

When my friend Mary, was here for a visit a few weeks ago, of course, we had to do a little shopping. I found this really neat box, that screamed 'Take Me Home! Found it at Joann's and it was very reasonably priced! I decided that I would keep all of my projects for stitching ornaments and smalls this year. My goal is get back to getting lots of ornaments stitched in '09! I have been away from doing that for a couple of years, and this is the year, to have plenty. I hope I keep up that momentum, because I have a lot of other stitching in the works, many of them larger projects to keep me busy. But if I am good, and do some every month, then that will get me away from doing larger projects, and the result will be at least a few finishes! LOL

On another note, I just spoke with my darling baby daughter! She had a doctor's visit today and all went well. She is at around 20 weeks along. I got so tickled at her yesterday, because she was more then a little disturbed at some of the changes, random aches and funny pains going on in her body. Guess it is natural for a first time mother, to go through this, and fret about 'What If'? I was so glad she was able to go over these things with the ob gyn today, and put her worries to rest...at least for today!!

I am out of here for now, have a full day of packaging orders and getting them ready to go to the post office tomorrow! I love my job!:)

Thanks for visiting!

Jan

Windy and Rainy Day

2009-02-11T10:36:00.001-05:00

I really do need to get going today, but wanted to post my latest finish. It is Holiday Farm from Prairie Moon, stitched on Lakeside Vintage Maritime White, 40 ct, with Weeks and dmc! A fun stitch, but took longer then I anticipated, probably because of all of the color changes. See those quilt-looking blocks in the border? 7 colors in each one, egads!!!

After I run my errands, it will be a busy day in the shop, packaging and invoicing orders. I might even get the desire to organize a bit, now that would be a good thing!

Thanks for stopping by!

Jan

Brrrr.....And Some Stitching

2009-02-03T11:15:00.000-05:00

It turned sharply cold here last night and the readings are in the negatives for the windchill! I am sure glad that I planned to stay at home and work today! We did get a little more snow too, not much, maybe half an inch, but it did give the snow on the ground from last week, a fresh look, so that isn't all bad!

I finished a couple of things this week, always feels good to get a project done. Here is my progress on the Seasonal Saltbox Series, from LHN, I am stitching them all on one cut of 40 Ct linen, two done, two to go. I won't be working on this again, until March or April.

I also finished a small ornament, this is Rudy by Glory Bee Designs, stitched with Weeks fibers on 32 ct linen.

Lil Blog, please forgive me until I get the hang of this blog format! I got the pics backwards, but oh well!

Till next time, Happy Love Month!:)

Jan

First Entry

2009-01-30T18:49:00.000-05:00

I sure have been procrastinating starting a blog. I love reading others', so I thought it was time for me to start one. Of course, my passion is counted cross stitch, so most of the postings will be related to that somehow!

We had a huge snowfall this week, just shy of a foot of the white stuff. Thankfully there was no ice in the mix, so getting around wasn't too bad. Roads have been cleared and if you had someone sweet come along and offer to plow your driveway, then life couldn't get any better!

Here is the Belfonte Homestead, with it's wonderful cover! Probably won't see this much snow again, for along time. They say it is the largest snowfall we have had here in Indiana since 1987.

I will be back tomorrow, with hopefully some pics of my latest stitching!

Jan