8.27.2013

Re-united with Elizabeth...

After several months tucked away in my stitching case,
 Elizabeth is back in hand!
With fall quickly approaching,
her autumn-colored threads are a perfect stitch
 for this time of year.
I hope to have the sampler finished
 and in pattern form
sometime in September.
 
 
Doing a little masonry work...

You see I jump around when I stitch.
I have SADD (stitching attention deficit disorder)...
Stitch a few rows of shingles,
stitch a few brick,
and,
now lets stitch some mortar.
Oh,
 and that door frame,
 we'll give it a door tomorrow!
 
See the windows?
 They aren't all uniform...
How many of you would have ripped out those three windows and started over?
I'm guessing most of you.
 
 
I also stay true to the original sampler,
charting and stitching just as I see it.
  Elizabeth's windows were askew,
and so will be mine.    
We could all take a little stitching lessons from these young girls,
don't sweat the small stuff...
In the whole scheme of life,
a couple of wonky windows are small stuff...
so why sweat it?

Have a good day everyone,
Brenda
 
 

8.25.2013

She's taken the plunge!

She said she wasn't...
But,
at last she's caved...
she's taken the plunge,
 folks!
 
 is now hip & cool...
visit us
 &
like us
on Facebook.
 
 
 
 
Have a good week,
Brenda
 
 

8.24.2013

Come & See!

NEW
 cross stitch
 &
 punch needle patterns
for your stitching pleasure...
A traditional sampler to enjoy for many years...stitch a family keepsake.

Fun & folky Halloween sampler...
black cauldron, bittersweet vine, crow, black-eyed susans, skeleton keys
 and a
 sweet little witch! 

With little scissors in hand,
 a prim & proper snow miss
busily cuts paper snowflakes to adorn her tree.
  Delicate berry vine
and
 red birds nicely frame this winter-time sampler.

A folksy-styled sampler featuring a bigger then life peacock. 
A berry border nicely frames the design,
 with a cute little couple
 tucked along the one side.
 Old keys and 8-pointed stars add extra detail and color.

Oh no...what's a witch to do?
  Button weeds and Bittersweet have taken up residence in her witches brew cauldron!
Old buttons are used for the pods of the button weeds for extra charm & detail.

An autumn-themed ditty pocket to filled with dried naturals!
A perfect little accent pocket to hang upon your door nob.


Antique angelic tombstones were the inspiration for this angel pin keep. 
The punch needle work is shaped like a tombstone
  and
stitched upon a piece of flax linen
 for a nice finish.
Tuck this pin keep in amongst some pumpkins this
Halloween for a lovely autumn-themed vignette
 
A punch needle companion piece to the Manor at Peacock Hill Sampler!
Design is mounted on dove linen
and an old key is attached to the piece
for an added touch.
It's been a pleasure designing these, hope you find the same enjoyment in stitching them!
 
With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda

8.21.2013

Why do I?

Save the worst for last...
anyone else?
 
I always save the over 1 for last when I stitch.
Or I start it, work on a few letters,
 and then move onto
something more fun to stitch...
such as pretty little flowers
or pretty little birds.
 
Then the day comes when all the pretty little things are stitched,
and the over 1's are all there is to stitch...
then they don't seem quite so bad.
 
 
 Well, I do the same thing when I'm charting a reproduction. 
 See that verse?  
I have 3 lines left to chart and then I'm done charting.
 
 Love the border on this A&E sampler...
 
This tree was also very challenging to chart. 
Upon closer inspection on the backside of the piece,
 I noted that the branches and leaves are not the same color of floss, just a shade difference...
are your eyes crossing yet?!! 
  The leaves are all differently shaped
and sort of bump into each other. 
 My eyes had a hard time,
 it just looked like a glob of green. 
 It was a challenge to say the least,,
 and I did the happy dance
 when that part of the chart was finished. 
Tiny little birds worked over 1,
 perched on either side of the tree, love their cute little pink bottoms!
 There are lots of birds on this sampler,
tis maybe why I was drawn to it...
or maybe its all the reds,
or maybe it's the big house.
Could be all of the above.
 
 
  The antique sampler is worked in wools.
  I should stitch it in wool,
 I know. 
 It's just me...
I don't like to wear wool or stitch with it...
it just makes me think "itchy"!! 
 
  I've decided to work the reproduction in Gloriana silks
as there was a silk in every color that I needed...this doesn't always happen!
   The color palette is absolutely gorgeous!
  This little bundle of silk flosses
 have been graciously calling me to stitch for several months now.
 
   I haven't picked up a needle for a couple of weeks.
  My eyes and hands needed the break...
 
 
After a little stitching rest, Agassi and I both feel refreshed and ready to go again.
 
I really DO need to put a stop to this...
 
or I'll be coughing up a fur ball one day,
but,
 he is so cute
and he shares the same passion as I...
{sigh}
 
With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda

8.19.2013

NEW Sewing Bird Clamp Kit!

No need to spend hundreds of dollars
 on an
 antique sewing bird clamp...
make your very own
with our
NEW Sewing Bird Kit!

SORRY, SOLD OUT! (more to come at a later date)
 
Kit includes one brass sewing bird clamp,
 small cut of indigo calico,
and step-by-step photo instructions
 for turning a bright shiny bird clamp
 into an
old and rusty
looking one! 
 All items come packaged and kitted
 in a cute little box. 
 This item is meant for decorative purposes only.
 
 
 

8.18.2013

What's NEW and What's COMING SOON!

Putting the finishing touches on NEW punch needle designs!
Instructions and photo shoot tomorrow
and then printing can begin...
won't be long now!
 
Here are a few peeks at what's coming...
 
and...
 
 
 I received a shipment
of floss keeps
and have the website updated.
 
 
 
There are several new floss keep designs.
  Some have already sold out,
 but more coming soon,
of those. 
Check them out here.
 
Have a good week,
Brenda
 

8.06.2013

Check that!

Stitching is done - check
Instructions are  typed & proofed - check
Framing is in process - check
 
Almost done! 
 
Here are a few peeks at NEW cross stitch patterns,
 coming soon
for your stitching pleasure...
 
 Birds, berries & vines, folksy couple, big house and letters & numbers...
may be my personal favorite of the group.
 
X X X X X X X

 Snip, snip, snip....the sound of scissors cutting construction paper snowflakes....loved that sound!  Best part of watching Captain Kangaroo was the sound of scissors cutting paper
during the arts & crafts segment of that show...
Anyone else remember that sound?  
Can you hear it?
  The inspiration for PAPER SNOWFLAKES design.
 
X X X X X X X
 
Remember THREE TULIPS chart?
  THREE BLACK-EYED SUSAN'S is the autumn version of that design.
 
X X X X X X X
 
These three models,
 along with the Noel Sampler (not pictured here, can be seen in previous post),
will be on display in Norden Crafts room
 at the upcoming TNNA show
for attendees to view in person.
Shoppers,
watch for these to be available
 for purchase,
in late August/early September.
 
With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda

8.03.2013

Buttonweeds?

Many weeks go by,
sometimes,
before I get out of town
and into the country for a ride.
   I hate to think that I'm turning into a "town kid"
...more on that later. 
 
Recently,
 we went home
 to help celebrate my parents 85th birthdays,
they were born just 3 days apart.
 
 The road trip home took us through
 rural Iowa and southern Minnesota,
beautiful rural countryside...
The fields look like big patchwork quilts of
soybean greens and corn silk yellows.
 
 The hometown 4-H county fair
was just coming to an end,
a county fair that I participated in
 in my youth.
Summertime leading up to the fair
 was consumed with getting projects finished.
  Cookies & breads recipes
to practice baking
 for Foods,
 coats of stain to be put on
the Home Improvement projects,
 and a pig
 out in that barn,
 that needed to be trained to walk beside me...
and bathed a time or two,
as well.
  I also participated in Sewing,
 these garments got judged at an earlier date,
 and then were worn/modeled
 in the Fashion Review at the fair,
 this is when they chose the state fair winners.
 
This is what "farm kids" did in the summer. 
We worked with our hands...
 
 
 
Pictured above is a fair project that earned my first purple ribbon,
and a trip to the state fair.
 It has spent all these years in my hope chest
and
I just got it out to snap this photo,
think I'll find a spot and hang it. 
I like it more now,
 then I did
 then...
 
  Nothing too special,
 however,
 the judge really loved the frame. 
 With the help of Dad, 
I cut down an old chair back for the frame,
leaving just two of the spindles
to nicely frame the photo.
 This was way before re-purposing was cool...
circa 1970!  
 I was cool,
 and
 didn't even know it!
 The picture of the ringlet-haired girl
was one that Mom had saved from a calendar
 from years past,
would be my best guess. 
 
We used what we had,
 I guess you could say,
 we made-do! 
 
Coats and coats of varnish
 and then many hours of sanding
 with sandpaper,
 and then steel wool
went into that picture.
  It had to meet my Mom's
 touch of approval.
  When it was as smooth as a baby's butt,
 it meet her approval. ;)
 My mom always taught us
 to strive for perfection...
I see that now,
 as I am an adult...
didn't much like it
in my youth.   
 
  But,
 first,
 before the fair,
came bean walking...
 
The goal was always to have this done before "fair time".
For those unfamiliar with this task,
you simply
 (no, it wasn't simply...it was hard work)
walk the rows of the bean fields
 and pull out the weeds.
  Dad would hire "town kids" to help us.
  He would go to town early in the morning
to pick up the "town kids",
load them all into the back of his pickup,
and then
 bring them to the farm,
to help us "farm kids".
  The task itself was not fun...
it meant getting up at
the crack of dawn
 to beat the Minnesota heat and humidity,
and walking through wet & dewy beans.   
The only fun in it was
being re-united with our "town friends",
 got to work on your suntan,
 and 
eat Mom's homemade caramel pecan cinnamon rolls
for lunch break...
they were the best! 
There were incidents of sick kids,
 lying in the end rows,
due to eating too many
of Mom's caramel rolls!
 
 The money earned from bean walking
 was then used to buy our school clothes.
  It meant a road trip
to the mall in Sioux Falls SD
 for shopping,
and this was a BIG deal.
 
What kind of weeds grow in a bean field,
 you are wondering?
There were sunflowers,
 pig weed (not sure if that is its scientific name, it's what dad called them...),
 cockle burr, black night shade, thistles (hated those),
 milkweed (those scared me because there were always these reddish beetles on them)
 and
 button weeds (pulling these made your hands stink for weeks)...
Hated.button.weeds.
 
They not only stunk,
button weeds were tricky to find.
 Their leaves,
 in their smaller state,
 were similar to those of the beans.
  If the button weeds had seed pods,
 we picked the pods
 and put them in our pockets. 
 If you got to the end of the row
 and Dad spotted a button weed
 in your row,
 it was back down the row you would run to pull it,
while all the other kids hung out in the end rows
and waited for you.
If you missed a buttonweed,
Dad would be in the row next to you,
in the next round, guaranteed.
It was never cool to have Dad walking the row beside  you,
it just wasn't a good sign...
 
So,
 it is with these good old youthful memories
 that I sat with paper and pencil,
upon my return to "city life",
 and sketched out
 a future Halloween punch needle release...
I still had button weeds on my mind
from my trip home,
or to the "farm",
as we call home...
(yes, my 85 year old parents still live on the farm
and plant a garden the size of a small field)
"Button Weeds & Bittersweet"
 
and
 I promise...
these button weeds don't have pods,
and
 they don't stink!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Leaving you with the 4-H pledge...

I pledge my head to clearer thinking,
my heart to greater loyalty,
my hands to larger service, and
my health to better living,
for my club, my community, my country
and
 my world.

It was during my time,
 as a 4-Her,
 that they added the last line,
~and to my world~
 to the pledge. 
The original pledge was worded by Otis Hall,
who hailed from Kansas,
 and re-written in 1973 to include the "and my world".  

The 4-H colors are green and white.
Green represents nature's most common color
(yes, even those green button weeds),
life & growth. 
The white symbolizes
purity & high ideals.
 
 
Enjoy your weekend,
Brenda