Her Sampler Fini and Mariette Swift Progress!

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

Hearts, Hands and House!

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

Birthday Wishes and Pictures to Share!

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

Special Celebration Give-Away!!

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

Sarah, Eve and FREEDOM!!!

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