Back to the real world

We are back from our shopping excursion through seven states. Other than a small disappointment in the Cranberry Festival, we had a great time. Before I show you what I found on the trip, I have to show you this. It's my new license plate, and it was waiting for me. Is it cool, or what? I think it says it all!


These are a few of my bargains. The gingham apron is like the one I made in 7th grade Home Ec. It was my introduction to sewing, and I loved both hand stitching the x's and using a machine. It was a whopping $1.99, as was the small oil can. Now, I can make one of those pin keep birds from With Thy Needle. The vintage photos are my favorite to find. I always wonder about these people. What was their story? I love to use them in collage art, which I've neglected to do for a very long time. The ideas are there. The four women are going to become awesome witches. I'm sooo glad I don't have to dress like that!

My prize find is the crock on the bottom right. I didn't realize that it was such a cool and different color until I placed it with the others.

We stopped at a couple of farmer's markets, and I picked up some gourds. For now, this big boy is sitting in the entryway with the fake pumpkin. When it's dried out completely, I'll make another bird feeder out of it.

No trip back to the Midwest is complete unless I bring home some real bittersweet. I swear, in my next life I'm going to be a bittersweet farmer. This batch cost me $10.00, which I was more than willing to pay. I'd love to have tons of it growing all around me. More than anything else, it says that fall is really here.

To those of you who are patiently waiting for me to fill your orders for needlework sets, I promise I'll get to them this week.

A hunting we will go...

for antiques and other cool stuff. Thursday morning will find me hopping on a plane with my sister and friend for a flight to Minneapolis. There, we will meet up with my niece for several days of shopping till we're dropping. Every year we get together for giggles and a good time. This year, we're heading here. There's supposed to be a ridiculous amount of craft and antique vendors. We've heard great things about this festival. Hopefully our rented SUV will be so weighted down with our fabulous finds that it does wheelies all the way home. I'm hoping to find at least one piece of salt-glazed crockery. Who knows what else will catch my eye?

Here's a small bit of progress on the A&E. I'm not sure about the blue ship...that color may have to be changed. Remember, I'm giving this magazine away to the best comment. I've been highly amused and impressed already, but I won't decide until I'm finished with the sampler.

A&E from May 2009 issue of Cross-stitch and Needlework

Are you all excited about the upcoming market? There are some wonderful things coming our way. I've already ordered Sarah Woodham. Isn't she a beauty? I hope she's waiting for me when I get back.

Monday's show & tell

Blyler House by The Goode Huswife is finished. As with all of the GH designs that I have done, I'm always surprised at the charted thread colors when I lay them out. I have a hard time imagining the outcome, but I'm always pleased with the result.

Rebecca Robinson now resides on my bedroom wall.

I went with a simple frame since the design is so busy.

Since Melissa wondered what my next "big" sampler would be. Here it is. I wouldn't call it big though. The design was in the May issue of Cross-stitch and Needlework magazine. The picture below shows the original antique. There was also a reproduction which I won't bother to show because, well...I don't like it at all. They used Olde Willow threads, and I thought the colors were odd. I came up with my own DMC and NPI conversions which are closer to the original. I'm using 40ct. vintage Homespun from Lakeside. It isn't as yellow as the antique, but more than my photo shows. The border's a breeze , too. I'll be giving the magazine away when I'm done. I'll give it away to the person who comes up with the most original, humorous, "begging or needing it" comment that I receive. Obviously, it won't be until I'm finished, but start thinking.

I know it's still early...

new set on my Etsy

but I'm done with summer. I'm completely summered out! I know that I just used horrific grammar, but I'm moving on to fall, even if I have to go by myself. I'm dying to dig out my pumpkins, gourds, and bittersweet. I love decorating for autumn more than any other season.
One can only handle just so much of the sunshine and blue skies. I want a cool, cloudy day. I want a pumpkin bar with my pumpkin latte. I want some leaves to fall off the trees. I want to wear real shoes, not just flip flops. I want to need a jacket when I'm outside. I want to burn a cinnamon spice candle. I want to make a pot of homemade soup when it's below 90 degrees. I want a caramel apple. How about you? Are you ready for a new season?
Digging through my stash for something different, I came upon this one from Notforgotten Farm. I love the willow tree and tombstones on her dress. I might stitch this up and make her into a pillow. If I start now, I might be able to enjoy it this Halloween.

The border didn't kick my butt...

I survived the border...woohoo! I finally finished her on the last day of August. Now she patiently waits for her frame. If you've been considering this sampler, go for it. She's a little repetitious, but much prettier in person. Here's a sampling of Blyler House by The Goode Huswife. I'm using 40ct. vintage something with NPI. After stitching the full figured Rebecca, this one is a treat.

I mentioned on my last post that I had painted some thread keeps for Bloom Woodworks. Here's a few:

This one can be personalized with one or two initials.

Men are clueless

Okay, I know you're wondering what this post is all about after seeing my title. I'll get to that in a minute. Here's more of Rebecca. Only twelve more of the alien looking border flowers. I'm forcing myself to stitch at least two a day. I'm starting to feel that I'll eventually finish her. I have to admit that the border is pretty...not just pretty boring. I've been sneaking a stitch or two in Blyler House by The Goode Huswife, also. It's an oldie that I've wanted to do forever.

Tonight, my husband will come home and ask me what I painted today. When I show him my version of Adam and Eve, he's going to say "who would want little naked people on that?" I'm going to reply "hopefully, somebody". He just doesn't get some of my subject matter. The tombstone angel set was the perfect example. He didn't understand why anyone would want that either. The look on his face was classic when I told him it sold right away. Now, it all makes sense, right?

I sent my first package off to Bloom Woodworks on Tues. They will soon be offering assorted thread keeps that I've painted. I'll show photos in a day or two.

Something new...

from The Scarlett House studio. I am happy to now be offering these complete sets on my Etsy shop. The four piece set includes a needle case, ruler, thread keep, and scissor fob. The scissors are my own beloved Ginghers, and are not included. For the longest time, I have wanted to complete my sets with a fob and thread keep. I was recently contacted by Bloom Woodwork's about painting for them. They make these wonderful horn book fobs and thread keeps in all kinds of fun shapes out of solid cherry. Their workmanship and attention to detail is the best I've seen. I am so thrilled to be partnering with them. In the very near future, you will be able to purchase individual items from them. I'll occasionally show the designs here on blog. If you've purchased one of my previous sets and would like the matching pieces, please email me for details.

On the stitching front, I'm still working on that darn Rebecca border, and hating every minute of it. My friend, Margaret, is stitching her, too. She has turbo needles, and I've threatened to go take her needles away if she finishes it before I do, since I've been working at it so much longer. She only thinks I'm kidding.

I did finish the third sachet for my Stacy Nash grouping. The little coverlet design took the longest. Let me tell you, the lavender filling smells wonderful.