Where's Rudolph?

There's Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, on Comet and Cupid....where's Donder, Blitzen & Rudolph??? Must be playing that reindeer game of hide and seek from old St. Nick!

This design titled WHERE'S RUDOLPH was worked on 28 count Cashel Flax linen using 1 strand of floss over 1 thread. The design frames nicely in a 5" x 7" picture frame. I purchased an inexpensive frame from my local discount retailer and gave it a coat of Rittenhouse Red (Old Village brand) paint and then gently sanded and stained it with Minwax. I love the red frame around this design. I then propped the picture on an old iron coat hook of sorts that was a find at a local antique shop...makes a unique easel. I am looking forward to enjoying this design this holiday season in my red & green living room.

We are now taking advance orders for this new pattern and will begin shipping early next week. Pattern is posted on the website under the NEW ITEMS category. We are offering this design as a pattern only or a kit (includes pattern, linen & floss).

The Parson Brown cross stitch design is progressing nicely & should have it ready to go by Thanksgiving. Will keep you posted on its progress!

Happy stitchin,
brenda

Stitching is done....now what??

Now it's time to decide how to finish this piece...small pillow, ditty bag filled with holiday goodies, put in a picture frame, or mount on a hornbook.... I will spend the evening making that decision and then completing the piece. Instructions & photo shoot to follow. I hope to have this new cross stitch pattern ready for shipping by weeks end!

Happy stitchin,

brenda

Warm & Cozy on the inside....

Winter seems to have made it's presence here in Iowa, temps have been cold & windy the past couple of days with a 1" dusting of snow... a good day for soup! Just finished preparing Chili for supper & plans for today are to curl up in my chair next to cracking logs in the fireplace and STITCH, STITCH, STITCH...

If all goes well, I think I will complete the new Santa cross stitch design today....yippee!!! Pictures of this to follow (hopefully in a day or so)...still have to come up with a pattern title for this guy! After 21 years of being in this business I find it harder and harder to come up with pattern titles...always afraid I'm going to repeat myself!

Sharing a couple of recipes today...enjoy!

Chili for Chili Weather

" A great chili with just the right amount of spices. Good served with a slice of Cheesy Olive Ciabatta bread or buttered Saltine crackers (my personal favorite)."
1 pound lean ground beef

2 - 11.5 oz. cans V-8 juice

2 - 8 oz. cans tomato sauce

3/4 cup chopped onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper

1 T. chili powder

1 tsp. ground cumin

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 tsp. sugar

1 - 15 oz. can dark red kidney beans (drained & rinsed)

1 - 16 oz. can red beans (drain & rinsed)

1 cup water

1 T. white vinegar

Place ground beef in large skillet; cook over medium heat until browned. Drain & set aside. Add all other ingredients and bring almost to a boil and then reduce heat. Simmer on low heat for 1 1/2 hours; stirring occasionally.

Cheesy Olive Ciabatta Bread

1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup sliced black olives

1/4 cup sliced pimento stuffed green olives

2 green onions, chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1 loaf of Ciabatta Bread

Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl. Slice bread in half width-wise & lengthwise. Place on a baking sheet. Spread cheese mixture over bread. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 - 20 minutes or until cheese is melted. Cut into serving pieces with an electric knife.

Enjoy your Sunday,

brenda

Please respect the artist....

Please remember all photos on this blog are property of With thy Needle & Thread. Copying these images/files for your use is a violation of copyright laws. Please know that we do monitor such activity from this blog.

Thank you,

Brenda

Sinfully Delicious!

Apple Dumplings

"A delicious & oh, so easy dessert!"

1 cup sugar

1 stick real butter (do not substitute)

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 green granny smith apples

1 can refrigerated Pillsbury crescent rolls

1/2 cup Mountain Dew soft drink

Melt sugar, butter, vanilla and cinnamon together in a saucepan and cook until sugar is dissolved. Peel and quarter 2 apples. Wrap 1 crescent roll dough around each apple piece; dough does not have to cover apple entirely. Place apples in a greased glass pie pan or small glass baking dish. Pour sugar mixture over all. Pour Mountain Dew over all. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until apples are soft and dumplings are a golden brown & crispy. Serve warm with ice cream & drizzle carmel from bottom of dish over the ice cream. Serves 4 people.

Yummy Pork Dish

Pork Chops with Raspberry Sauce

"Fork-tender herbed bonelss pork loin chops paired with a tangy raspberry sauce...heaven on a plate! This is a family favorite dish and is a perfect dish to serve to dinner guests. I always serve with mashed potatoes & julienned steamed carrots. Comfort food at its best!"

1 tsp. dried tyme, crushed

1 tsp. dried sage, crushed

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

4 (4 oz.) boneless pork loin chops

1 T. butter

1 T. olive oil

1/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

2 T. orange juice

2 T. white wine vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a small bowl, combine crushed thyme, sage, salt & pepper. Rub evenly over pork chops.

2. Melt butter and olive oil in skillet. Cook pork chops for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, turning once. Remove from skillet and place on oven-proof dish. Cover with a lid or tin foil & place into oven. Bake for 45 minutes or until done.

3. De-glaze the skillet with white wine vinegar; stirring to loosen brown drippings. Add orange juice & raspberry jam. Bring to a boil, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sauce is reduced to desired consistency (sauce will thicken as it cools). Place chop on plate and drizzle with sauce.

Look what the UPS man brought!!

The first shipment of the Maywood Studios Woolies Flannel arrived today. I felt like a kid on Christmas morning opening up this big, fat box of fabric. This flannel feels so soft & cuddly...reminds me of the new jammies that we got each year from Santa Claus. This flannel looks like wool and is suited better for doll clothing over the much heavier "real" wool.
The red hounds tooth piece is the fabric that is used on our 2008 Santa (North Woods St. Nick). You will also want to try using this flannel for applique on penny rugs & quilts. To view this collection of fabric, visit our CALICO section of our website.
Happy Stitchin',
Brenda

Christmas Count Down....

Christmas is just 65 days from today! It is time to start stitchin those holiday decorations and gifts. Country Stitches is brimming with new patterns for your holiday stitching. Shown above is our JUST RELEASED Santa pattern for 2008. North Woods St. Nick measures 22" from the tip of his hat to his pointy-toed boots. He is simply dressed in a plain wooly flannel robe, complete with a linen ditty pocket that has charming woodland motifs cross stitched on it. The pocket is then filled with great smelling Sweet Annie & vintage candy canes for added charm & detail.

Be sure to visit our PATTERNS BY OTHERS category on our website as we have some great new stitchery patterns from Kathy Schmitz! We will be adding more patterns to this category in the coming weeks so please do keep an eye on it!

til next time,

Brenda

Jack Frost is coming....

"Holly Jolly Frosty"

My toes were chilly all day in my sandals and I spent the day wishing I had socks & warmer shoes on. There is just something about putting the sandals away....means winter is not far away. Feels like a soup kind of day, so I mixed up a batch of home made chicken noodle soup when I got home from the office and curled up in my comfy chair and stitched, taking in the yummy smell of soup cooking in the kitchen.


I noticed the elderly neighbor lady covering up her flowering plants as I was busy making soup...frost must be in the forecast for tonight. Oh the dilemma...do I cover my flowering plants, bring them in the garage, or let Jack Frost get them???


I have been busy trying to wrap up the next group of pattern designs. Always seems like there is a re-work part of this process. Often times it isn't until a design is complete that I don't like something, then I start ripping out or starting over. My Santa doll is the hold up....he is waiting for a new outfit from a different fabric to be stitched. I am anticipating the new designs will be complete by late next week.

Soon to be released pattern titles:

Holly Jolly Frosty (pictured above)

Winter Berries (punch needle)

North Woods St Nick (cloth Santa doll with cross stitched bag)

Mr. Flurry (punch needle)

& last but not least....a snowman doll that doesn't have a name yet!

Also in the works are 2 wintery cross stitch patterns (St. Nick & Parson Brown) These will be ready in a couple of weeks.

Autumn blessings,

Brenda

Back in stock

For those of you patiently waiting for this fabric, we now have more in stock. Also check out our newly added CALICO category as the reproduction fabrics that we have ordered are now beginning to trickle in. Lots of good prints to back ditty bags, cross stitch pillow backs, pinkeeps etc.

brenda

Sometimes life gets in the way....

We have heavy hearts here at Country Stitches. Bev's (the gal that takes your phone calls) Uncle passed away last week due to complications following a stroke. My family received word from hospice today that my Mother-in-law has 48 hours...

Due to these life matters & being away from work, orders are slightly backed up. I'm not quite sure how my week will unfold. We will get pending order shipped as quickly as we can.

Thanks for understanding,

Brenda

A great pumpkin gadget!

The leaves are just starting to show hints of yellows and reds here in NW Iowa and the fields in the countryside have gone from their pretty shades of green to amber waves of grain. We are enjoying beautiful autumn weather for several weeks now....still no frost!

I stumbled upon these darling hangers that you attach a carved pumpkin onto and hang in your trees at Gardner's Supply....aren't they cute! Well you may know I have a pumpkin fetish and could not resist these...so I ordered 1 set for myself and another set to give away. They are on sale too! It has been a few years since I have actually carved a pumpkin and I'm looking forward to buying 2 basketball sized pumpkins to carve for these hangers. I also like the fact that you can run these hangers through a clay pot for spring/summer time use as well! Very nifty & versatile too!

I am currently working on finishing up the next group of new pattern designs for the Fall Quilt Market. I will be posting a sneak peak in a couple of weeks. There is a mix of punch needle & dolls in this group.

Happy Autumn,

Brenda

Fresh & Delicious....

My son Matthew has been telling me how delicious these marinated tomatoes are, so I thought I'd give them a try this evening. Delicious indeed & a nice change from A-1 sauce! This recipe will definately get a smiley face in my book!

GRILLED STEAK WITH MARINATED TOMATOES

2 garden fresh tomatoes (seeded & chopped)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 Tablespoons fresh basil

1 minced shallot (I used onion)

1/4 teaspoon salt

Mix together and let stand at room temperature for 20 minutes. Spoon over a grilled steak just before serving.

Enjoy,

Brenda

New M&M's...in electrifying colors

Aren't these cool? NEW electrifying colors of orange, lime green, purple & black! I will admit I am the biggest sucker for NEW items at the grocery story....gets me everytime!

We enjoyed another beautiful autumn day here in Iowa, a perfect day to have the windows open, decorate the house for Halloween, actually bake a meal in the oven (rather then grilling) and well of course bake Monster cookies!

MONSTER COOKIES

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

12 oz. chunky peanut butter

1/2 cup margerine, softened

3 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. baking soda

4 1/2 c. uncooked quick oatmeal

6 oz. milk chocolate & caramel swirled chocolate chips (Toll House)

1/4 pound M & M's

Cream together sugars, peanut butter and margarine. Add eggs, vanilla and baking soda. Mix well. Stir in oatmeal, chocolate chips and M&M's. Place on cookie sheet using an ice cream dipper. Flatten with a glass that has been dipped into sugar. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 to 15 minutes. The trick to making perfect Monster Cookies is to not overbake! Yes, you read the recipe correctly...no flour in these cookies!

Enjoy,

brenda gervais

A visit to the pumpkin farm!

Look at all these goodies in my car trunk! Once the frost takes my annual flowers I will replace them with hardy mums and place small vignettes of pumpkins & mums around the yard. My favorite one is the pale orange one with all of the bumps on it....wish I would have bought more of them....I can forsee another trip to the pumpkin farm!!!!

Freshly picked bittersweet....waiting to be placed on the mantle & any other little nook and cranny I can find in my house! One of my favorite items to decorate with!

Until next time,
Brenda

Putting on a show...

After a couple of nice rainy days & cooler temperatures the flowers seem to be putting on their last show, before Jack Frost arrives! I always like to take pictures of my flowers this time of year, reminds me what flowers did good and which didn't do so good.

Impatients & a new type of begonia that I tried this year (sorry, can't remember the name). The begonia has bloomed and bloomed all summer. Plan on planting more of these next year!




The hanging baskets are a miniature impatients and a little hummingbird that is migrating through visits these. He busily sucks the nectar for some time and when his little wings become tired he sits on the railing and keeps an eye on the baskets...very fun to watch! These are amazing little creatures.These hostas were recovered from an area in our yard that was being re-landscaped a couple of years ago. The landscaper felt that they were very old plants, yet good cultivers. He suggested that we should try saving them. They were dug up and moved to a new area in our yard and they have never looked better...they have been beautiful all summer long. They are a beautiful shade of green and our now putting forth their pretty white blossoms.

Red & blue salvia...this is the first year that I planted this in this garden and they did quite well. I am one who likes to try new flowers in new beds each year. Below these flowers, the tulip and daffodil bulbs are resting and hopefully will put on a pretty show next spring. Last spring was not a good growing season for the bulbs, too cold with a late springtime snow.

More begonias.....
Foxglove
Red & white impatients....we have a very shaded lawn and impatients are always a good flower of choice for our yard.
Viburnum Bush
A couple of days ago I was looking out my kitchen window to see one of these bushes just a moving away and then I spotted a robin jumping up and down, plucking the berries from the bush. This is a Verburnum bush and has pretty white flowers in the spring and provides bright red berries for the birds in the colder months when seed and bugs become sparse.

Already looking forward to when the new seed catalogs arrive....it gets me through the long Iowa winters!

Brenda

Sugar & Spice Sampler Cross Stitch Pattern

Coming soon! I've been working on this little guy for a few weeks now and ta-da he is finally done! When I stitch my mind tends to wander to other things....most often my next design, upcoming deadlines and well with this one....my Mother's gingerbread cookies! Mom's gingerbread cookies are a tradition at Christmas and Thanksgiving family gatherings. She makes turkey shaped cookies for Thanksgiving and Reindeer at Christmas.... simply decorated with just a tiny chocolate chip for the eyes. Thin & crispy and so yummy!!

Sugar & Spice Sampler is worked on 35 count hand-dyed linen with 1 strand over 1 thread. The little gingerbread boy measures just 6" tall. This little guy looks great in an old wooden dough bowl with fresh pine, rose hips, cinnamon sticks tucked around it.

Pattern will be ready for shipment late next week.

Happy stitching,

Brenda

Making Snow Angels in August!!

Often times as I sit down with my pad of paper & pencil to design, my mind turns towards childhood memories! This must mean I am still young at heart, right??!! How many of you made snow angels as a child? For those of you who aren't so privileged to live in the snowy parts of the country, let me explain! After a fresh snow fall you lie down in the snow and move your arms and legs (somewhat like doing a jumping jack, lying down) and the movement in the snow makes a beautiful silhouette of an angel. The trick was standing up very carefully, not to disturb the angel. So goes the inspiration for the "WINTER WONDERLAND" cross stitch pattern. This pattern includes the 2 pictured snow angels (just a mere 4" tall) and a Merry Christmas winter scene picture. The angels have cross stitched little tummies & clay shaped head and wings. Their wings are gently dusted with mica flakes to resemble the fresh, sparkly snow that made the best snow angels.

This pattern & another Christmas themed cross stitch pattern will be released soon. Watch here for more details.

Until next time,
brenda

A NEW pattern preview!!

Oh, how it is starting to feel like fall! The cicadas are making their last calls, the young cardinals are flitting around in the trees & the pumpkins are turning their bright autumn colors on the vines...time to turn our thoughts to Autumn decorating!

Here is a sneak peek at some NEW patterns from Country Stitches - With thy Needle & Thread....

A fun cat who is all ready for October 31st....don't you love his pumpkin costume!

A nice companion pattern to the "SPOOK" pattern. A spooky black cat all decked out in its pumpkin Halloween costume. The piece is worked in great Halloween colors using the Valdani hand over-dyed flosses. This is a larger punch needle design but is worked with 6 strands so it goes together pretty quickly! Makes a nice little candle mat!

The cornucopia is filled with the Thanksgiving turkey, pumpkins & bittersweet. Reminds us all to give thanks for thy bountiful harvest. Beautiful harvest colors are used in this piece...so rich in color! Piece is worked in 6 strands.

Look who is up on the roof top....Claus & Co! A whimsical Christmas punch needle pattern that is worked with the beautiful Valdani hand over-dyed flosses. This piece is worked with a medium needle tip using 6 strands of floss.

Happy fall y'all,

Brenda

Visit us online at www.countrystitchesonline.com

New Cross Stitch Patterns

Here is a sneak peek at the NEW soon to be released cross stitch patterns from With thy Needle & Thread!!

BLACK CAT SAMPLER pillow is worked on 30 count black hand dyed linen over 2 threads. A great little accent pillow to place on an old chair or even in amongst some fresh pumpkins for a great Autumn display.

A teensy tiny little pineapple that measures just 5" tall. Simple motifs are worked on 25 count flax linen over 1 thread. The piece is then simply sewn into a pineapple shape & stuffed. Wool felt leaves add great texture & detail to this piece. The pineapple has long been the symbol of hospitality...what a great little piece to welcome your family & friends. A quick & easy pattern!

TRICKS & TREATS is worked on 22 count Fine Ariosa over 1 thread. A whimsical pumpkin headed witch that would look great framed or sewn into a small cupboard hanger.

Looking forward to Autumn,

brenda

http://www.countrystitchesonline.com/