Goood Morning America...

and world (for the international readers)...
What's for breakfast today?

Was it Wheaties, waffles or eggs & bacon??

Hmmm...what shall I have for breakfast today? Brrrr...tis a tad bit chilly on the toes here this morning in NW Iowa...

Let's go see what everyones eating, shall we?
Go figure, Woody is eating suet...again! He really needs to mix up his diet a bit...
Mr Nuthatch is going to make off with a peanut, I just know it...
did I ever mention I love peanuts???

Mother Cardinal and the house finches are enjoying some "Joe's Mix" this morning. I don't know what makes it "Joe's Mix", but I'm telling you as soon as these folks leave, it is up the pole I go...

Jeepers, looks like the birds need to do some house keeping...see the bird do-do??...disgusting!!!

Auuggghhh....now the chickadees are there....it was my turn. Don't you just hate it when birds budge???? Gesh...where are their manners??

Well it looks like I'll just sit here and eat the droppings this morning. You know it seems like an awful lot of work getting breakfast sometimes around here. There are these things called baffels and squirrel proofs this and thats...

these things just always seem to test my acrobatic skills...

and well, some days it's just too blastid cold and a squirrel doesn't always feel up to hanging upside down while it eats its morning breakfast...
You know what I mean??

In today's squirrel lesson of the day, we will be learning all about distance. Remember learning this in geometry?

Squirrel lesson #101...

the shortance distance between 2 objects is a straight line. Very important lesson on mornings after a 10" snowfall overnight...

when you're a squirrel...

Yep, us squirrels are pretty smart...

pretty hard to out-smart us!

You humans have a wonderful day & keep those hands warm!

Hugs,

The Squirrel

A skinny bolt...

is all we have left of the red prairie cloth for the "CUPID'S ARROW" pattern/kit.

If you are wanting to have this little cupid flying around in your heart & home for this year's Valentines season you need to hurry! When what is left on our skinny bolt is gone, there will be no more until April/May-ish, when the manufacturer expects their next shipment of this cloth.

It's snowing huge "goose feather snowflakes" this morning, straight down....it's beautiful. I just want to sit by the window and watch...BUT off to work I must go, as there are orders to fill!

Have a good weekend,
Brenda

An Ann Update...

I managed to finish one of the larger urn motifs on the "Ann Dickinson - 1819" sampler. I've been suffering from some ADD...

when I'm doing needle punch,

I want to be cross stitching,

and when I'm cross stitching,

I want to be punching...

& then when I'm punching,

I want to be sketching that idea that just popped into my head.

Anyone else suffer this stitching disorder? Maybe all of us who suffer from this disorder need to unite! I think I need a support group...what could we call our group??

Anyhoo, I am to a fun part of the "Ann" sampler...a row of one pretty little flower urn after another. And then its onto the bottom band of the sampler...my favorite part of the piece!

* * * * * * *

The count down is on! Don't forget American Idol starts tomorrow night! Remember ladies, don't forget to hide the remote tomorrow night from the dh. Maybe your household isn't like ours...BUT the dh seems to think that it is his "manly duty of the house" to be in charge of the remote...at all times! If I don't hide it, he walks into the room, picks it up and changes the channel. And then after I spew out a few choice words, he nonchalantly asks, "Oh, were you watching that?" Ugghhhh.......no, I'm just sitting here, facing the TV, with my eyes fixated on it for shits & giggles...my usual come-back comment. (Please pardon my French). So, I am very much looking forward to stitching and watching Idol once again...a perfect combo! I am sad that Simon won't be there. I was always in a love/hate relationship with that guy, but darnit it just isn't going to be the same without him...

* * * * *

We are in for a string of very cold days here in NW Iowa...hoping you are all staying warm wherever you are at. We had a heat wave yesterday (33 degrees)...am thinking that was probably our January thaw...and only 1 day long!

Stay warm,

Brenda

Margaret asks...

so what's in the crock pot?

See, I do read my comments!! In Margaret's (of the French Bear blog) comment; she asked, "what's in the crock pot?". Well I was feeling immensely organized & energized this morning, so I thought I'd put together a dish in the crock pot for lunch. Aren't crock pots the best thing since sliced bread? There is just a teensy comfort-factor, knowing that tis only 8:00 in the morning and lunch is already fixed...totally makes me feel like Betty Crocker or even maybe Martha Stewart! No not really... just love the fact that I can sit and stitch to the aroma of lunch cooking, without spending half of the morning in the kitchen.

Today's meal from the crock pot was, Angel Chicken. A recipe taken from the current issue of the Midwest Living Magazine. This issue features the Top Ten slower cooker recipes from all of it's issues. Now how could anyone pass up a headline such as that? Not me, so after thumbing through a few of the pages of it...into the shopping cart it goes.

Did I ever tell you I am the biggest S.U.C.K.E.R. when it comes to grocery shopping? I would surely make a wonderful "lab rat", if you will, for any food product test marketing campaign. I mean, if it is cute, if it is a pretty color, if it is miniature-ized, or even just the word NEW on the bag...it is on it's way into my shoppin' cart.

Let me show you...

See these cute little bottles of water and half-cans of pop...yep, into my cart! Here it was the, "aren't these cute" factor...

See the word NEW...darn it, gets me every time...into my cart!
Oh lordy, that word "mini" next to Reese's is guaranteed to get me...into the cart it goes. I love eating miniature candy bars...totally takes away, some of the guilt, of the fact that you just ate 20 peanut butter cups while checking your email... Darn it, that word "mini" gets me every time.

Into the cart, a bag of these go. Do I like pears, you ask? Not particularly. Just thought they were pretty. Love that color yellow...would like to paint my kitchen this color of yellow some day, with white wood-work trim...
And plus, I thought these pretty little Chinese Ya Pears would take a pretty little picture. You never know when you might need or want a picture of three pears... I've titled this photo, "the three pears". I've Photo-Shopped the title to the side of the photo in French... Why? Do I speak French? No. I should with a name like Gervais... but rather, because I think french writing has a certain romantic flair to it...it's just pretty!
Now honestly, how cute is this little girl...in her sweet little pink peasant-styled dress with her arms loaded with grains? S.U.C.K.E.R for pretty packing...into the cart it goes. Who could resist this darling packaging?? Do I have a recipe in mind for these? No, just liked the packaging... Are you seeing a trend here, folks? *sigh*

I mean, look at these? Aren't these little angel hair pasta nests the cutest things you ever did see??

So where am I going with this post? Let me stop and think... Oh yea, Martha wants to know what was in my crock pot. See those cute little pasta nests? Remember that Midwest Living magazine, the one with the headlines that got me? The one with the Angel Chicken recipe in it...

That's what was in our crock pot! Served upon those "cute little pasta nests". The dish was delicious and I'm renaming it "Chicken upon her Nest"...

It is super delish!

"Chicken upon her Nest"
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (it seems that all of our local chickens seem to be well-endowed as of late ...if you know what I mean, so I cut each breast in half lengthwise...making for a smaller portion)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 8 oz. package fresh button mushrooms, quartered
1/4 cup butter
1 - .7 oz envelope of Zesty Italian dry salad dressing mix
Can of mushroom soup
1/2 of an 8 oz. tub of cream cheese spread with chives & onions
1/2 cup white cooking wine
sliced green onions to garnish
(**Note - the recipe also calls for 6 oz. of fresh Shitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced. I chose to omit these. The dear husband doesn't like mushrooms you see...he would have flipped out if he had that many mushrooms to pick out. He refers to them as "boogers"...)

In a large skillet, brown chicken on both sides in hot oil over medium heat. In crock pot cooker, add mushrooms to the bottom and top with browned chicken. In a medium saucepan, melt butter;stir in Italian dressing mix. Stir in mushroom soup, cream cheese, and white wine, until cheese is melted; pour over chicken.
Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 4 hours. Serve chicken and sauce over angel hair pasta. Sprinkle with green onions.

Enjoy,
Brenda

We have a finish!

I received an email today from Bonnie in MA, sharing a picture of her finish of "Cupid's Arrow".

She chose to add a little sparkle to her cupid by dipping the arrow's point & feather tip in glass glitter...nice touch!

Thanks for sharing Bonnie!

Lunch is in the crock pot and today I'm going to get back at some stitching on the "Ann Dickinson - 1819 sampler". I haven't picked up a needle for almost a week...so much for trying to get a motif a day stitched on this piece. Oh well, sometime life just gets in the way of our stitching...darn it!

Enjoy your day,

Brenda

Note taking...

Are you a note taker? Do you jot things down? What do you write your notes on? On a napkin while at lunch with a friend? The back of a deposit slip? Or are you one of those who writes little notes to yourself on the inside of your hand?

My life seems to rotate around my notes, and note taking. Sometimes, I really could use a note to myself just to remind me where it is that I left my notes...Hate it when that happens.

Here is what you will find my notes written upon these days...

The weavers cloth that surrounds what I am punching...a perfect place for jotting important information! Information that will be needed when it's time to write pattern instructions.

I am currently working on some "everyday" type of patterns. The one in the hoop will be titled "Proverbs 31:13". A favorite verse of mine...This piece will be my largest piece to date, the piece requires a 17" hoop...it's a big one folks!

"She seeketh wool and flax & willingly worketh with her hands." - Proverbs 31:13

Also, a cross stitch design featuring this favorite biblical verse is on it's way to my model stitcher. Watch for these new patterns in February sometime.

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

10"

of fresh new snow!

gently & quietly falling straight down..
giving everything

a new winter-white blanket...

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

Do you like...

my new screen savers????

Here you go...let me zoom in real close so you can see better look.
Ahhhh yes, makes me giggle every time I sit down to my computer!

It's still snowing, 10" of the white stuff is fore casted...holy moly! If I'm lucky I'll get to witness my dh in his new hat again today...there is going to be lots of snow to blow...but then again...maybe I won't...

Have a good week,
Brenda

New Arrivals!

New hand-crafted quilt block necklaces and lapel pins have arrived!

They can be found here...take a peek.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Have a good week,

Brenda

So one day...

this hat shows up in the mail.

A buffalo plaid hat, lined with fur from some poor critter...I don't even want to think, know or go there. This hat is equipped with tiny little flaps on the sides to snap up or to leave open...exposing 2 cute little "metal-ish" air vents. I mean this is one special hat folks.

I call him Walter when he wears it...

(as in Walter Matthau...Grumpier Old Men)

Not that he looks like him or anything.

I'm just sayin...

Oh, and honey if you should happen upon this blog today, "THANK YOU" for my new camera lens...the zoom on it is awesome! Why not only can I photograph birds, but Holy Moly I can even stand up in the landing of the hallway on the second story, open the window, hang my body halfway out the window on a subzero day and take a picture of you in your cute little "Walter Hat"... Oh, and one more thing...don't even THINK about putting a stinky dead fish in my car...

Thanks honey, I love you!

Brenda

Brrr.....

the weather outside has been frightful...

We woke to a dusting of snow in the morning, high winds in the afternoon and eve, making near blizzard conditions here in NW Iowa yesterday. More cold weather, windchill factors & snow are in the forecast through the weekend and into Monday. Sounds like a good weekend to stay indoors. Perfect weather to snuggle up and stitch in between loads of laundry. I really don't know how I would get through these long & cold winters if I didn't have my stitching. My stitching is my sanity!!

I have set a goal to stitch a motif a day on the Ann Dickinson sampler. Yesterday I stitched two (yippee) & am now just beginning the center cartouche. This sampler is filled with lovely little urns filled with flowers, birds, and a couple of silly birds & more...all little motifs that are so fun to stitch. I couldn't help but laugh as I stitched the silly little bird in the center photo and wondering... Wondering, what kind of bird is this? And here I thought I knew most of my birds...what is this silly little bird?? I call it, "Ann's Silly Little Bird". There are two of these "silly litte birds" on the sampler.

I've been receiving emails in regards to estimated release date, size of sampler, etc...

To answer your questions~

I have no release date in mind, I am just leisurely stitching this piece and when it's done, it's done!! The finished size of this sampler will be approximately 18" x 20" before framing.

Stay warm & have a good weekend,
Brenda

It's that time...

time to go back to "work work"...

and I only say "work work" because we've been on a vacation...

a vacation from filling & shipping orders.

Each end of year when I take this working vacation I make a list...

a list of all the items I want to accomplish.

It goes something like this...

Clean off my desk,

Clean the office,

Close out the year,

Run year-end reports for Uncle Sam and upcoming insurance audit,

Reflect on the past year & plan for the new year,

Work on new Easter designs,

Sleep in until 7 AM,

and the list goes on and on with some home front items thrown in as well, that I won't bore you with.

And every year, the mini working vacation always seems to come to an end before I have everything crossed off my list...darn it, hate it when that happens!!

(***sigh***)

So it is off to "work work" I go today...

And for all our customers who placed online orders during our year-end shut down, we will begin filling those orders today. Thanks for your patience and allowing us to take some time to clear our desks, clear our minds and just exhale!!

With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda

New Patterns...

are ready!

All I need to do is get them uploaded onto the website.

In the meantime,

here is a peek...

Pattern for a punch needle penny rug with woolly tongues & backing. Flosses in lovely shades of chocolate truffle brown, cinnamon imperial red, ironstone whites and dried thyme are used in this piece...

* * * * *

Cross stitch chart for a 6 1/2" hanging heart pin keep/pocket. A perfect little sewing companion for safekeeping of your pins, scissors & other sewing needfuls. I chose to fill the pocket with an old photo that has been trimmed down with scalloped scissors and 3 old ivory shell buttons sewn to the top. Design is worked on 40 count flax linen over 2 threads using DMC flosses.

* * * * *

Pattern for a sweet little 7" cherub with a cross stitched heart. The cherub is carefully tied to a bundle of old books for a wonderfully-unique display. Cupid's wings and paper-cut heart garland are constructed from pages from within the old books. Pattern will include a piece of the red fabric for the cross stitch. NOTE ~ We will have only a limited amount of these pattern/kits...so order early before the red fabric is gone!! I won't be able to get more red fabric until March...

Keep a close eye to our website for the release of these 3 love-themed patterns!

With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda

It's a Tricks of the Trade Tuesday...

Have you ever spent days, weeks or even months looking for your last one of these...

only to find it wrapped around the brush of your vacuum cleaner

or

floating in the dog's dish with the white tag chewed off

or

to find a whole little collection of them in the cushions of your chair upon Spring cleaning???

If so, don't feel bad...join the club!

Here are a few tricks that help locate these stinkin' little necessities of that needle art

called

punch needle...

Trick #1 -

Replace the white tag with a much larger, fluorescent yellow sticky tag...you know the kind you label garage sale items with. This little trick was passed onto me by my 80 something year old mother a few years ago. She sent me a sweet little note with the above little suggestion and a sheet of bright yellow stickers to boot...Thanks Mom! While she never did quite conquer punch needle she was darn sure she was going to be keepin' track of her threaders!! Her little suggestion, in her hand-written note, ended in a double explanation point. She always, always draws a smiling mouth under her explanation points...

something like this

!!

U

only in handwriting...Mom was ahead of times and didn't even know it.

Don't have any labels...

Trick #2 - Well, how about nail polish? Bright nail polish, the brighter the better! A few coats of bright nail polish also helps to locate these little suckers.

Don't paint your nails??

Do you own any buttons? Do you have boxes, jars & tin upon tins of old buttons as I? Are you feelin' a bit creative??? Well then trick #3 is just for you...

Trick #3 - Well then, how about stitching a couple of your favorite old buttons to the tag of your threader. Remember the brighter the button the better. Simply hand sew the two buttons together with the white label sandwiched between the two buttons.

And taadaaa...

I not only have a threader I can see, but a threader one can hear when the dog is crunching upon the button, or the little "tinking" (is that a word?) sound it makes when falling to the floor. Yeah I know...first its the sight that goes and then it's the hearing (*sighing*)...isn't growing old lovely???

Happy Punching,

Brenda

P.S. should your threader succumb to the beating brush of your vacuum or your dogs next doggy treat...we do sell these on our website in packages of 2 for $2.50!!

Are ya itchin' to stitch????

Our order of linens has finally arrived!

We now have the following back in stock

- 32 count Belfast (color -Platinum)

- 28 count Cashel (color - Flax)

Those of you that have these on backorder, keep an eye on your mail box...as they will be arriving soon! Also, Walnut Crystals are back in stock and b/o's will be filled and shipped this week for those as well.

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

I love this picture...

because

you see his potty chair was in this package. Yep, Santa brought him a potty chair and big boy pants with Sheriff Woody & Buzz Lightyear on them (from Toy Story)...his favorite movie I must add!

It was like he knew he needed to sit on this package. It was just the right height for sitting. Ahh yes, potty training days...remember those days???

This picture was snapped at Grandma's house. Notice the pretzel ring on the floor? If my memory serves me correctly he also had a whole one of these in his mouth and grandma b is tattling on him to his mommy as she was snapping this very photo. Is there just a teensy weensy bit of a mischievous-look on this sweet little, cubby-cheeked face?!! Something like, maybe he's thinking... I love seein' Grandma B get all flustered. Shoot, now that I think about it...he very well could have been flipping me the birdie for tattling, I'm not quite sure...I'm just sayin'...

Well the 12th day of Christmas is just a couple of days away...almost time to take the tree down. We purchased a Noble Fir tree this year and the salesman wasn't kidding when he said they are known for good needle retention. It is January 3rd and my tree is still lookin' good and smells wonderful. . I feel like we just put it up and here we are, almost time to take it down. Although after all the Christmas ditties are taken down, I really like that sort of fresh & bare feel the house has once again.

Today will be spent organizing & tidying up down at Country Stitches (believe me, it needs it) for the first half of the day, the second half of the day will be spent finishing up pattern instructions and then... coffee with a couple of friends.

Have a good Monday,

Brenda

Cupid's Arrow...

Love looks not with the eyes...

but

with the mind;

&

therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.

~William Shakespeare ~

(from A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1594)

With this verse in mind, I chose to keep cupid simple & without face. Love isn't really about what's on the outside, rather from within...

"Cupid's Arrow" pattern coming soon! Pattern will include the red cross stitch cloth. The 7" cherub is tied to a bundle of old books. It's wings and folded heart garland are made from pages from within the old books.

Have a good week,

Brenda

Just Imagine...

An embroidery floss palette in shades of

Tarnished Pewter...

Ironstone White...

Tree Lichen Green...

&
Cinnamon Imperial Red...

All stitched upon

raw flax linen...

Love-filled Heart...

coming soon!

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

Out with the old...

&

In with the new...

Wishing everyone a happy & healthy 2011!

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

P.S....

I love "Grandma Calendars"...thanks Beckham!

On the eve of New Years Eve Musings...

It's a mild & balmy 40-some degrees here in NW Iowa. Not too much activity at the bird feeders this morn. A quiet day at the feeders sometimes indicates there is a hawk near by...

The squirrels were busy... frolicking to and fro in the trees outside the window this morning as I sat and stitched on Ann Dickinson. Even the squirrels didn't seem to venture too far out of the trees to become fair game for any lurking hawk...I'm pretty sure there is a hawk visiting again. Just waiting for a not so intelligent squirrel or bird...

I took some time to snap a couple of pics of this one fat squirrel...look at it's tummy...too many Christmas Cookies???...that is how I feel!! Tomorrow will be a different story I'm afraid...we are in a winter weather advisory for tomorrow into Saturday...rain, ice and a snow mix is headed our way.


The Ann Dickinson sampler is progressing nicely. The last motif I completed was an oak leaf/acorn design. It is a motif I would have chosen too, as I love autumn time when the acorns have fallen with their crunchy sound underfoot. I like to reap a small harvest of acorns each autumn to enjoy indoors...the rest I leave for the little fat red squirrels that depend on these for their winter food supply. In my readings of the Red Squirrel, I have learned that they collect way more food than they can ever possibly eat. They are the "wasteful" saver...makes me feel better about bringing a few handfuls into the house!!

Back to Ann Dickinson...
I am now working on the center panel...I love the little meandering heart vine that surrounds the center verse.
Speaking of hearts...
Cupid is Coming

&

a sneak peek at what is in store...

It is once again that time of year...
time for conversation hearts and new patterns with a love-theme...
coming soon...

stay tuned!

With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda