What a fun week...

We snuggled up on the couch

&

watched Thomas the Train,

Barney

&

Sesame Street...

colored

with

brand new

crayons...

played

peek

a

boo...

shared our

cheerios

with

Elmo...

acted silly

&

laughed

alot...

The only problem...

it went

too darn

fast!

Brenda

This & That...

It's done...

&

she now has a name...
Meet Miss Prim & Proper!

The above new patterns are now posted on our website for pre-ordering. I will begin shipping these on March 8th.

A friendly reminder...
I am out of the office through March 7th, so there will be a slight delay in shipping orders. All orders placed prior to the 25th have shipped. You are welcome to shop online during this time & I'll begin shipping on the 8th in the order the orders are received. Thanks for your patience during this week...I'm looking forward to this "Grandma time".

Have a good weekend,
Brenda

New Spring~time Jewelry...

just listed on our

website

for your

shopping

pleasure!

Have a good day,

Brenda

The Big Five O...

So your hopes & dreams of being a world class & olympic alpine skiier

didn't quite pan out...

(1961 - 1 year old)

but you are thee best husband, father & grandfather anyone could hope for!

Your are a gold medal winner in our hearts.

Happy 50th honey pie,

Brenda

Say what??

Watch the WIP

of BK&BT

with Jane & Melissa

in their

SAL...

Follow Jane in Australia

&

Melissa in Canada

and their work in progress

as they stitch a long

with our cross stitch

pattern design

"Be Kind & Be True"

Pairing up with a friend or group and forming a SAL is a fun way

to motivate oneself to get a piece finished in a reasonable amount of time...

Visit their blogs and watch as their progression of "Be Kind & Be True"

takes place.

Have a good week,

Brenda

Time away...

Taking a little break

away

from

work...

You will find me

enjoying the Tale of Peter Rabbit

&

perhaps even

the Tale of Mrs. Tittlemouse...

or

Maybe we'll blow bubbles...

or

Maybe we'll sing the ABC's...

or

Maybe we'll have a snack or two...
or

perhaps even a nap or two...

&

for sure a snuggle or two...

I will be helping Beckhams Mommy out while his Daddy is in the Netherlands on business. I'll be enjoying this wonderful "Grandma time" the week of March 1st. If you need some goodies from us, please order early this week so I can get them to you before I'm off! You are welcome to shop online with us during the 1st week of March, but the orders placed during this time will not ship until the following week...

Enjoy your week,

Brenda

Goodies

lots of new goodies...

arriving soon at Country Stitches!

~ Cross stitch adaptation of Spring Time Social by With thy Needle & Thread ~

~ Miss Prim & Proper bunny pattern by Country Stitches ~

~ Stacy Nash's "Love Letters" booklet ~

~ Wednesday's Best mini quilt patterns ~

all arriving this coming week at www.countrystitchesonline.com...

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

Patiently waiting???

Just a little note of big "thanks" to everyone who shopped with us for our Valentine's Sale. Country Stitches has been a busy little bee hive this week processing these orders. Unfortunately, due to the large volume of Valdani floss and floss kits ordered during this sale, we ran short on threads. To top things off, the supplier was on vacation so a slight delay in getting our floss order... I want a vacation!

The floss will hopefully arrive tomorrow and I will be working the weekend filling the remaining customers orders that include Valdani floss and/ or a floss kit.

The Valdani floss is a wonderfully beautiful product and we promise it will be worth the wait!

Thanks for you patience & enjoy your weekend,

Brenda

Hoppin right along...

except for one small glitch...

I cannot come up with a name for this poor little missy.

Tis my job for the evening as I watch American Idol and then the Olympics...

to give this little girl a name. And I promise I won't name her Mrs. Cowell!!!!

Paper clay & cloth are used for the construction of the body. Pattern will have easy to follow, illustrated with step by step photos of the construction of the clay head.

Sisal fibers make for life-like whiskers
&
strawberry necklace adds extra charm

Centuries ago the clothing didn't have pockets so women would wear "ditty bags" or pockets around their waists to hold their important belongings. This sweet little rabbit has seeds stored in her pocket. Pocket is constructed from 40 count linen with a sweet little floral motif stitched over 2 threads...so sweet!


And of course,
all pretty ladies wear pretty little shoes...

shoes that lace up to their knees!

Pattern coming soon...
watch for further details & release date!



With thy Needle & Thread,
Brenda

Goodbye snowmen...

hello Spring?

I usually keep my snowmen decorations out through February. After all, if you live in Iowa, you are very aware that there is lots of winter left...so the snowmen decorations are still appropriate.

BUT... since we are up to our eyeballs in snow outside this year, I've had enough of my snowmen...don't really care to look at another snowman for a very long time, so I packed them up a bit earlier this year...

I am yearning for trickling water, the first robin sighting, tulips poking through the earth, pussy willows in bloom, bunnies, baby chicks and just the smell of spring-time mud...

I have noticed

the goldfinches that frequent my feeders are beginning to show more yellow in their feathers...

I've heard chickadees fee-beeing,

woodpeckers drumming

&
cardinals singing their courting songs...

Springs earliest babies, the squirrel, will be born in just a few weeks.

&

the Great Horned owls are already on eggs.

The sun is growing stronger and our days are considerably longer.


Mother nature is beginning to "hint" that spring is coming, just look & listen closely.
Until then, I'll hold onto that thought
as I trudge through thigh deep snow to feed our feathered creatures...

Looking forward to Spring,
Brenda

Sweet Savings...

at

www.countrystitchesonline.com

in celebration

of

Valentine's Day!

Here's the deal...

For 14 hours on February 14

save

14%

on select items

when you shop online.

Some exclusions do apply. Sale items will be clearly marked with a sale price. This offer applies to retail orders placed via our website between the hours of 8:oo AM - 10 PM (CST) on February 14th.

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

Fifty five...

no,

not 55 mph (Iowa's speed limit)

we're talking 55 inches...

of

snow!

According to our local newspaper, we have received 55" of the white stuff in our town thus far this winter. Twenty-some over the normal amount...wow! Truly will be a winter to remember.

Looking forward to warmer weather...

even if it means mud,

Brenda

We have winners!

Thank you everyone for letting us know what needlework projects have been keeping your hands busy & heart's happy...

The winners of the 3 journals are...

Shirley

Wisteria Girl

&

Sharon

Congrats ladies! Please email me your address at order@countrystitchesonline.com and we'll get your winnings off to you.

Also....

Two new patterns arrived here at Country Stitches!
The wait is over! The 5th pattern in the Loose Feathers series is here. A sweet sampler with a wintery theme to it..love the Canada geese, so sweet!

and another great pattern from Pineberry Lane...
"Tokens of Love".

Looks lovely in redwork, but I can also vision this stitched in other colors for a more "everyday" look.

Both patterns are listed on our website for purchase under the NEW ITEMS category!

Once again, thanks everyone for your comments!

Another windy, drifty, snowy, blizzardy~type of day here...

Brenda

Treats, trikes & bubbles...

what a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon!

Blowing bubbles...

Riding tricycle...

&
treat time...
What shall it be?

Rice Chex, or Teddy Grahams...

Maybe we'll have both...

Let's try the Chex first

& put as many as I can in my mouth at once...

&

then listen to Grandma worry and fret that I might choke...
I knew she'd make me spit some out into her hand.

Grandma worries way too much...must be a "Grandma~Thing".

Hope your week is full of fun & treats,

Brenda

Here's Mary's Best & a Giveaway!

Termine'

Abgeschlossene

Finito

Ferdig

Finished

However you say it...

it is finished!

"Mary's Best Handework"

finished size 10 5/8" x 14"

worked on 30 count Parchment Weeks Dye Works linen over 2 threads

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Now moving onto the Giveaway part of this post! We are excited about 3 new little journals that just arrived today. They feature pictures of our designs on their covers. The covers have a nice heavy~coated protection on the cover so they won't get worn & tattered from use. Perfect size for jotting down messages, reminders, grocery lists or floss colors needed for your next project! Visit our website to view them all.

We will be giving 3 journals away, one of each!

To enter you must leave us a comment, letting us all know what needlework you are currently working on and your most recent finish....this throws your name into the hat one time. Sign up to become a follower of our blog (over to the right side of the blog)...this throws your name into the hat two times. Mention this giveaway on your blog & we'll throw your name into the hat three times! Please leave us a link to your blog letting us know when you comment. Drawing for the journal giveaway will be Monday February 8th at 9:00 pm CST. Good luck!

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

A pattern preview!

Since" Mary's Best Handework Sampler" is still at the framers, I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at the other 2 cross patterns that will be released along with the samplar design.

These are both "quick stitches" & can easily get them worked in a weekend...yooohooo!

Miss Lapin (Lapin is French for Rabbit) measures a sweet little 7 3/4" from tips of ears to tips of toes. She is worked on 28 count linen over 1 thread. Lace trim and vintage ivory buttons add nice texture & detail to the finished piece. Small enough to tuck in any little nook or cranny you have around your home.

I have always had a love for the old sewing birds and have begun collecting them....so goes the inspiration for this piece. You will find my interpretation of an early 1800's sewing bird clamp done in cross stitch along with a sweet little pair of scissors and other simple motifs. The linen is then sewn in a primitively shaped heart and stuffed. An antique sewing machine oil can serves as the base to this pinkeep. Strawberry emery, rusty safety pin and sewing pins add extra charm to this piece. The pinkeep measures a petite 7" and is worked on 28 count linen over 1.

Pictures of Mary's Best Handework Samplar to follow...stay tuned!

Patterns will be ready for purchase by weeks end.

Another snow storm is coming....ice starting later this morning & then turning over to a predicted 6" of fresh snow.

Have a good day,
Brenda

Close...but not quite!

Just 160 little stitches left and we are done folks!

The Grammy's needed to be about another hour longer

&

I would have had it done. I could have sat and watched them for another hour, very entertaining... and what about Pink's performance? WOW! At the beginning I wasn't too keen of her dress ( I thought it looked like a swimsuit cover-up...who would have guessed), but loved how her costuming became part of her whole act. The spinning and splashing of water droplets at the end of the performance gave me goosebumps...very creative! I must admit I was somewhat fearful of her falling...that white cloth didn't look all that strong!

Makes me want to go out and buy a new Pink CD today...

Back to stitchin'....

I do know now that the stitching on "Mary's Best Handework Samplar" will be finished this evening.

I've chosen a narrower cocoa brown frame that has an intricate floral relief and roping along the inner edge. Frame has an antique French flair to it in shades of cocoa, espresso and bronze...hope it looks good!

It is a snowy day again here in our parts...

Need to fill the bird feeders & then I'm off to Country Stitches to begin another week!

Have a good week,

Brenda

Now I know...

my A B C's!

You all know about the February 1st goal that I had...

wanted to finish "Mary's Best Handework Samplar" before then.

We all know what day it is today...

The question is, is it going to be finished today?

Guess what I have left? Remember, I said I wasn't going to leave the 16oo-some green pasture stitches until last.

Well,

first it was that cute little urn filled with flowers, then it was the old skeleton key, then it was the alphabet that was tempting me...

I couldn't resist

&

I caved,

leaving the green pasture for another day.

Here we are today...

and the only thing left to stitch is the green pasture....aauuggghhhh!! How could I let this happen??????

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Chicken noodle soup is cooking in the crock pot

&

the house smells yummy.

If my peripheral vision is serving me correctly, I do believe that was a laundry basket I just saw in my DH hands as he walked by.

Wonderful!

Now, if I could just get the cat to file my quarterly witholdings & figure the W-2's for me that would even be better!

After a meal of home-made soup & egg~salad on pumpernickel marble rye

it is going to be

me,

stitching lots of green stitches,

in front of the Grammy's.

How is that for an evening of entertainment & enjoyment?

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

And a little footnote...

Mary's Best Handework Samplar Details -

Worked on 30 count Parchment Linen by Weeks Dye Works over 2 threads.

Stitch count - 140 wide X 188 high

Finished size - approximately 9 1/4" wide x 12 1/2" high

Struck by the arrow...

of Cupid!

I feel better now...

I've had just a tiny bit of time to rummage through beads

&

play with jewelry findings.

Here is what I have come up with...

Necklaces are available for purchase on our

website

under NEW ITEMS category.

Now it's back to my chair...

got some major stitching to do if I'm going to meet my February 1st goal with the

"Mary's Best Handework Samplar"...

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

I'm trying...

my best

to finish "Mary's Best Handework Samplar"

before we turn the calendar page...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I awoke this morning at 5:30 and settled into my stitching chair that is now lined with snippets of threads of various shades of reds, greens, dusty blues & drabby browns. This seems to be my nesting place as of late...

I love to get up with the birds and stitch in the peace & quietness of the early morn. Just me, my needle & thread and our furry child that is running around the house enjoying little treasures he has found overnight ...

This morning as I was stitching, I heard the male cardinal in the crab apple tree outside my window singing his courting song...

an early February occurrence in our parts.

His song goes something like this...

ohhhhh birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie, birdie

&

then it starts all over again. Sorry, singing hasn't ever been one of my strengths!

Sweet notes to my ears...

a gentle reminder that spring will come!

With thy Needle & Thread,

Brenda

Simply Charming...

A shipment of new sterling silver charms arrived!

I hope to get these posted onto the website for purchase this evening. Remember these sweet little charms aren't just for jewelry making, they also make darling embellishments to needlework or to simply tie around a dollies neck!

~Victorian Cupid~

1 1/2" tall - double sided

(Is that a cute little b-hind, or what?)

~Owl~

1" tall

~Winged Cherub Link~

3/4" tall

~Little Flower Dangle~
a tiny 3/8" tall

These little charms are certainly begging me to get my beads and patera pieces out once again. I'm one that likes to continually dabble in various mediums,rotating between sewing, stitching, punching & jewelry making. I'm thinking it's time to make some fun Valentine pieces with these new charms...coming soon!

Have a good day,

Brenda

Sewing Green Pastures...

1685 little green cross stitches will make up the green pasture for 3 little grazing sheep on this spring~time sampler that still does not have a title. I told myself that I wasn't going to leave this for the last to stitch.

I always try very hard to not leave the "least fun" stitching for last...

Today we are snowed in again with blizzard conditions, so what better day to start stitching green grass!

Not sure when we'll see green grass again in our yards....April or May at the rate this winter is going!

Wishing you a warm and cozy evening with needle & thread,

brenda