Did you know?

We are just coming off of
National Get Organized Week?

What did you do
to get organized?

Didn't know
it was
National Get Organized Week?

Me neither,
until something
came across my desk...

I read it,
I laughed,
and
thought to myself,
where would
I begin???

I prefer to call my desk,
my fabric stash,
my floss stash,
my work room,
etc,
etc,
etc,
creative clutter
not
something of the result
of not being organized...


But in trying
to do my little part
with getting organized
I came up
with these...
FLOSS KEEPS
I'm using it
and
I'm loving it so much
that I think
we need to sell them...

Watch for
FLOSS RINGS,
coming soon!

They will feature the tiny frames
with a snippet of motifs
from antique samplers
in my collection,
on a ring,
with
a tiny scissor stork
or other fun little stitching-themed charm
&
tiny little bead to finish it off.
They keep your flosses that you
are using
in one safe
&
secure spot.
Or you could say,
organized!

I now
can declare
myself organized...
Wooohooo!!!!!

Have a good one,
Brenda

Perfect weekend weather...

for shorts
&
flip-flops
&
company!

Grandpa & I
received a surprise phone-call
saying Beckham & Momma
were coming home to our house
for a long-weekend visit.
Daddy's been out of country
on business for the 2nd week
in 3 weeks
and the evenings
are starting to get long
&
Momma needs a break...
Perfect,
if you're the
Grandma & Grandpa!

The weather was absolutely beautiful for company...

Perfect for being outside
&
doing side-walk art.

Beckham requested
that I draw him a duck,
so I did.
Then it needed "wadda",
"pink wadda",
so,
pink water it is!
Then he wanted fish,
"pink fish"!
So,
pink fish it is!
(i think my duck has scoliosis, what do u think?!!)

And then it was Momma's turn, she draws Thomas the Train,
of course...

While outside
Beckham spotted
one of the several neighborhood "kitties",
(only he pronounces it with a "t" instead of a "k")
sleeping in our bushes.
With some coercing,
the kitty
comes out to play.

Let's just say,
that Beckham
is more interested in the kitty,
then the kitty in he...
She would rather just roll in the leaves,
then be played with.

We then moved to the back yard and spotted this kitty...
you may remember this kitty
from this previous post.
If not,
well,
this is kitty that just showed up one day.
A stray,
that's not too sure of people,
but
thinks our yard
is his home...

Beckham finds this kitty,
the kitty runs away.
Momma explains to the little one
that
he's wild
&
"scared of us"...

So,
we put out food for the "kitty"
(shh....don't tell Grandpa),
some "kitty food" (once again the k is a t...so cute!)
Look who's back in the yard...

I'm just amazed that the stray allowed the little one to get this close...
tis a first!

The kitty decides
that people
might be okay.
Little people,
that is.
We just watched and listened,
(in total amazement
I must add)
as the little one gently stroked the kittie's fur
&
talked to the kitty.

Beckham tells the kitty,
"don't be scared, you're otay"...

And then tells his momma,
"he's a nice kitty"

CUTEST. GRANDMA. MOMENT. EVER...

It gave me goosebumps and a lump in my throat...
I've struggled with this cat-issue all summer long.
We have a house cat,
( a very loved one, I must add...a spoiled one)
and
I don't need another.

I've been battling that need/want issue...

He is an un-neutered male
that isn't used
to being a house cat.
He isn't even too sure of people...
He probably
wouldn't even want
to be
a house cat...

My concern
is the
cold/snowy Iowa winter
that is just around the corner...

If only I had a warm barn in my backyard,
with hay in it's haymow for this kitty
for the upcoming winter months...

But,
I don't.

X X X X X

While playing with the kitties,
Beckham noticed the "pretty waterfowl"
down the street
from Grandma & Grandpa's house.
Any body of water
is a pretty water fall!
So,
we went to the "waterfowl"
and walked the beach...

&
Grandpa and Beckham
looked for flat rocks to skip on the water...

And as you may have guessed,
this was a hit with the little one!

Little boys

&
throwing rocks,
they just seem to go together!
He would have been happy
to spend
the whole day
doing
just this...
throwing rocks!

Have a good day,
Brenda

You know, it just occurred to me...

early this morn,
as I was putting
some stitches into this piece...

that it's October
and
the only
Halloween decorations
I have out
is her...

(a pumpkin-head doll
that I designed this summer
and never quite got around
to putting her into a pattern)
&
these...

a few pumpkins on a table that I've used in recent photo shoots.
That's it!
And I think I'm okay with it...

I then couldn't help but wonder if life is getting busier
or
if I'm just getting slower.
I turned the half-century a couple of weeks ago,
maybe it's just the big "five o" thing...

The cross stitch piece above
is something I've wanted to do for sometime.
The piece is worked
on a coarse 22 count linen over 2 threads...
11 count!
It is reminding me
of those aprons our grandma's wore
that were made out of gingham check
that had big cross stitched designs across the bottom...
I'm liking
the "bigness"
of the piece.
I'm thinking of a finish,
in a big,
Christmas-time pillow,
perhaps stuffed with rags
for a heavy,
lumpy feel...
perfect for placing on a rocker
on the front porch
along with some fresh pine greenery.

Hoping to have a pattern for this piece sometime soon,
but then again
maybe it will be next year!

Have a good day
&
enjoy these beautiful autumn days,
Brenda

New Patterns & Books...

are here!

The 2nd in a series of 12 monthly charts, November Word Play.
Stitch count - 127 wide X 72 high
Worked on 35 count over 1 and 2 threads.

Stitch count - 134 wide X 155 high
Worked on 35 count over 2 threads

Stitch count 190 wide X 197 high
Worked on 30 count over 2 threads
Watch for the Spring Sampler of the Season
to release
on the first day
of Winter...
think airing the quilts!

X X X X X

And some new book arrivals...

Another great project book from Maggie Bonanomi
that is filled
with wool applique,
pinkeeps, embroidery,
quilting
&
more!

Good reading
and
good recipes
can be found between the covers of the
"Where Women Cook CELEBRATE!" book.
Hardcover -175 pages.

A book published
by the
Country Living Magazine
featuring 125 festive ideas
for celebrating Christmas.

Tis the Season - Christmas Eve with James Cramer.
A wonderful hard cover 75 page book
filled with
holiday decorating ideas,
recipe for wonderfully prim gingerbread men,
instructions for making a cotton batting make-do Christmas tree
and cotton batting angel
and more...
Book is in stock!

"Simple Cooking for a Simple Life"
is a hard-cover 127 page recipe book.
The recipes are a collection of
simple,
delicious recipes from antique dealers
and
collectors.
The photos in this recipe book
are stunning.
If you like antiques
and
early style decorating,
this book is a must have!
Limited supply on this book.

X X X X X

And there are more new goodies...
9 new quilt patterns from Cheri Payne,
NEW chart from Stacy Nash
&
the real acorns have arrived (limited supply) !

All the new goodies
are in stock,
and
are now posted
on our website
for viewing & purchasing.

Have a good day,
Brenda

Breath Taking...

Now I know why our son has wanted us to visit him this time of year...
Colorado is a beautiful place in early October. The aspen groves are the stars of this autumn show. I snapped over 800 pictures, finding it tough to pick some of my favorites to share with you all...

The aspen's were turning from a brilliant yellow, to orange and will end up nearly red, before they are done putting on their autumn-time show. While taking in this magnificent show, your head tends to look upward towards the blue sky,
however there is beauty in the ground as well.

Dainty fern-like plant pushing upward, towards the early autumn sky

&
carpets of red winter berries
line the bottom of these conifer & aspen forests.

And here is the Royal Gorge Bridge
photo taken from the bottom of the gorge and I was perfectly content to view the bridge from below. The view looking upward is pretty awesome too!

The Arkansas river runs through the gorge and is amazingly crystal clear.

Panning for gold...

Look at that sky, this is straight from the camera folks...
no photo editing done!
Not a cloud in the sky...

The gorge becomes quite narrow in places,
just enough room for the river and train...

And lastly,
and snap shot of our son Matthew and his sweet girl friend, Megan. They were great host and hostess.
They treated us to a wonderful time and even a wonderful home-cooked meal of brine/grilled pork chops, grilled veggies and rice dish! I've been craving that pork chop every since we got home.

Good times.
Relaxing & refreshing.

With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda