WHAT A FUN DAY AND RIDE!!!!

I had a great day yesterday! Terri - Dixie Samplar came up my way. She was going up to Patches & Stitches in Huntsville and asked if I wanted to come along. You bet!!! By the way, I love her convertible VW Bug!!! We left out with some rain falling, but soon the sun came out and it got warm. I was excited to be going to a cross stitch shop, I think I talked her ears off!  lol I got a few things at Patches and Stitches shop. They have cross stitch, needlepoint, and quilting things. These are some of the things I got:

 SamSarah - Acorn Sampler. They did not have the over dyed linen. I bought this piece and will dye it myself.

 Of course, I love Homespun Elegance. Had to have these two. Fall charts is what I was looking for. I had to throw the Flag one in! I was also looking for Christmas. They did not have much Christmas.

 Then I spotted this cute pattern! Love the redbird. I bought the gray soft wool. I'm going to try and make mine a winter cardinal with maybe a poinsettia for the flower.. I said, I will try this...

I seen this sampler stitched as a model on the wall. It was stitched with muted colors and in a old barn wood frame. I don't know why I didn't take a picture of the shop model... It caught my eyes!

 

I did found this picture out on the web.. You can tell with those grey and muted colors why it looked so good in the barn wood frame.  The linen was a unbleached light colored linen. Just beautiful! 

Then we found a great place to have soup and sandwiches. Clementines was the name and so good! Terri asked around to see if any Antique shops were around. Oh yes... they said! By that time it was not raining and Terri put the top down and away we flew!!! I loved it!  It was so much fun! I want a convertible now!!! We stopped in several shops and I came away with this haul:

 

 Ok Mom.. I know she is laughing and asking why I bought a grater? I have a idea to use needle punch and it will go in my kitchen. I fell in love with the ghost and pumpkin cutter. Then at one shop I found these molds. They are more tarnished then they look. I'm seeing pin cushions in the 4 bigger round ones. My eyes just see retro Christmas ornaments with the small ones. We finally made it back to Birmingham around 7 pm. It was a fun trip! Hope to do it again soon. Waving at Terri!!!

Hubby went to Lowe's this weekend.. I rode along. I always have to check out the Oops paint. Well they had nothing. I did turn around and see this! New Fall and Winter Paint Colors!

 Guess What? They had some of the samples sitting out. Not all.. But I got one of each of the colors they had out. They were still unpacking the sample bottles. Here are the colors I did get. I will head back this weekend to see what they have put on the shelves.

 Colors are left to right on bottom: Desert Travels, Merlin, Rich Chocolate. Top: Delightful Moon and March Ice.  This picture is not good, they are beautiful colors. What I'm I going to do with these you ask?  Check the below picture.

 I bought some wood items last week. I need to pick out patterns that fit and start stitching. Then I can decide what color these will be painted. Can't wait!

I found some old tacks and this already stained wood plaque. Looks like it fits. I will be nailing tomorrow. I wanted something that looked rustic. I finished this stitching just a little while back. Primitive Needle - Hornbook Angel.

I'm behind again on stitching my Mary's Mystery Sampler from Paulette. I need to print this Sunday's part and stitch tonight.

I hope everyone is having a great week so far, and thank you for the nice comments on my finishes. I will post a picture soon of Primitive Needle ( Lisa) A&E Sampler soon. The colors are so bright!!! That is the sampler with the silk threads.

Till Later.....

 



 

WICKED LITTLE WITCH !

I want to thank everyone for the kind comments. Yes, I have been busting my hump trying to get some things finished. I did have one big problem with a little bitty Witch. She is none to happy with me!

 See her mad face. She doesn't like me very much and I don't like her... Her hat looks like a bat attacked her in the attic! Then a mouse came along and finished her off...

 It looks like she is rubbing her hands together while muttering that she will get even with me. See look at her! I tell you, pure evil.. Little Witchy Poo is going in the garbage can! She can cast all kinds of spells on me. It was not my fault! I tried to sew her by hand turning as I stitched her.. Got to the hat, it was a DEAD stop. I got her over to the sewing machine.. Maybe, this will work better.  She was looking good. Until I tried to turn her.. I should have her turned into a Toad! That bill on the hat was not going to turn right side out to save her life! I tried a small dowel.. Oops! A hole... then another, and then another! I gave up! She has been looking at me from the desk for about 2 hours now...Let her stew and bubble awhile...

I did have one good finish yesterday:

Easter Frills by Brenda - (WTN&T). I have had this one stitched since last spring. It finally got sewn together. I'm getting these finishes knocked out one by one.. This one has been already packed in the Spring/Easter tub. It will be ready to display around March. 
I'm now sewing together my Will & Cate Wedding Date pillow. I have about three stitched pieces I want to make to hang from my metal stands. I have to drag that rotary cutter back out and try again. I now have a clear ruler to use. Yes, I was dumb last time.. Didn't know I needed a ruler to cut. I had a blonde senior moment. I naturally brown haired now. lol
I'm off to send Witchy Poo to her eternal home. She keeps looking at Me !!! I can't help that her hat didn't come out right. Do you think she may want to become a voodoo doll instead of a witch?
Till later...

WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING...

I want to thank everyone for the kind comments on the stitch gifts in the exchange. Terri - Dixie Samplar has posted on her blog a link to each person.. I have been like a kid on a sugar high this past weekend.  I delivered this gift to The Grands this morning...

That is the curio shelf I bought at the thrift store a while back. I kind of jazzed it up some for the kiddies. I left them some holes to put some of their things for Halloween.

 This is my stitching on Paulette's (PSS) Free 9 Pt. Mary's Sampler.
I had Joseph and Mary stitched. I had to catch up yesterday with the Sheep, Baby Jesus, the Angel and Star. I'm stitching on Antique White linen with DMC threads.

 I finally started the A & E - Primitive Needle. The silks are wonderful. No snagging on dry hands... lol The colors are so bright. The picture does not do them justice. I will be stitching on this during tonight's Sleepy Hollow episode.

I finished this morning Lori's (NFF) Bing Cat. I call him BOO. He had been laying around the craft room. I finally attached him to the box. That was a quick needle punch. I need to get me a bigger hoop to finish Fancy Blackett Bag that I'm needle punching. I don't want to mash the threads down with to small of a hoop. I love the wooden squares that Lori uses. The side thingies ( don't remember what they are called) that hold the fabric are so expensive. I thought about having hubby made the frame, then I seen how much the grabbers were. That blow that idea out of the water. I will just get a bigger Morgan Hoop.

 This is the first pumpkin I have done. It was easier than I thought. Instead of putting a pumpkin stalk, I put a button. This is another pattern that was in Brenda's (WTN&T) Autumn Splendor Booklet.

Boy, I think I spent all day Saturday at the sewing machine. I finished this older Prairie Schooler squirrel. I picked out my own colors for the project. The trim matches better in True Vision than in the picture..
That is what I did this past weekend.... I'm loving this new Fall TV lineup. That is how I stitched some many things... I watch Sleepy Hollow, Reign, The Millers, The Goldbergs, of course The Middle, Modern Family and The Walking Dead. I'm waiting on The Vikings, Downton Abbey, Grimm and Longmire to come back on. No Reality TV for me! So many better things to watch. Oh!! I forgot the new series Dracula starts next week!!!!
I see a lot more stitching while watching TV in my future!
Till Later.......

MY EXCHANGE GIFT TO WENDY

 Just a quick post of the Exchange that Terri got together.  I stitched up the Brenda/ With Thy Needle & Thread Autumn Splendor pinkeep and bird. The bird was a challenged, it was small. But I did it!.. yea me.. Wendy emailed me and said she loved all her goodies and the pinkeep.  I just found Wendy's blog. You can met her here:
http://savagethreads.blogspot.com/

These are the goodies I included in my box for her. I hope she has a great time eating the candy and stitching away! I enclosed the breast cancer tissues for Wendy because she is battling this terrible cancer. She is going through chemotherapy right now. Please add her to your prayers. I hope my package added a little brightness to her day. I so enjoy meeting stitchers out in blogland..
Till later.... my wonderful friends!
 

NAKED CROW AND RECYCLED PLANTS

 

I had a black crow that was running around half the day last weekend with no clothes on!  She just left them right on the walkway... I promised her a new dress and trimmings. These were her old things. My mom bought me Miss Crow about 20 years ago.
This is only her third outfit in 20 years. I kind of gave her a more modern look. Let me introduce you to Miss Crow 2013!

Miss Crow is modeling the latest in Fall wear. Beige muslin dress with recycled straw hat. She got a new nose job this year. It was bright school bus yellow, as you can see... It is now orange. She has shredded burlap hair. She is sporting a new Autumn Flag from her grandmother Mimi. She had a wooden sunflower at her bottom. It broke years ago.. I replaced it will orange netting and green burlap  leaves.  She has been Recycled and has got a new place on the porch. She is one happy crow!!
Here are some pictures of the recycled plants we have put in our yard. The landscaping guy told hubby to trim back the roses that were over 5 feet tall by 1/2 and water real good the first week then back off on watering. I hope that works...

 Those are the roses. Some were nearly 6 feet tall. I'm still working on the rock wall. As you can see, our trees are all still green here in central Alabama. No color change yet...

This is the rose bed that we did a couple of years ago.. I added 3 more Knock Out Roses to try and fill in some areas.  It got a fresh coat of bark this past weekend. Good thing Hubby had the dump truck, we bought 4 yards of bark.. My back is killing me.....

These are the bushes that we put in front of the porch. These were all free and came from a school. The school wanted all new landscaping. I love when this happens. I took these last night while the grand kids were running in and out the front door... I just now noticed my front door open. " Were y'all raised in a barn? Shut that door!"  Had to say that....

These are the bushes he brought in last night.. The only thing I hate about the bobcat.. It tears up my grass. You would think with rubber tracks it would not tear up the grass as much.
I still have to paint that wall. I have the paint.. Just need to paint it.
Maybe by this weekend we can get everything cleaned up back here in the back yard. I need to finish my little potting shed in the background. Spruce it up with a wreath and flowers in my flower box under the window. Pick up all kinds of limbs. Still so much to do! 
When will I have time to stitch? I'm already behind on Paulette's Mary Sampler. I still have baby Jesus to stitch and now the sheep.
I did start my A&E Sampler by The Primitive Needle. I am using the silks. I love them!!!  I just will not be able to afford them all the time. I'm using the shorter cuts as some advised. It is working out great. Thanks for all the advice.
The visit to see my aunt was something amazing. She has progress so much from just laying and maybe moving her feet, to doing rehab. We came in when she was doing her rehab. At the end they got her to stand up and she walked a little. The nurses were on both sides holding her, but she moved her feet to walk. It was amazing the progress she is doing. If you will please continue prayers and well wishes. They are much appreciated.
I can't wait to see her the next visit and see what she is doing!
I will close for now.  Till later..... I leave you with a picture of Miss Crow and the new table cloth of burlap on my front porch...

 

HARVEST EXCHANGE RECEIVED!!!!

Look what I received in the mail !!!  These beautiful goodies came all the way from South Africa. I was amazed at the envelope!  lol
It has all kinds of pretty stamps on it.. I kept it!
My package was from Cucki in South Africa. I love Homespun Elegance and I did not have this one!! She made a hand knitted cup and cupcake! I will always treasure them. She enclosed a letter telling about herself on beautiful stationery. Hand made the pumpkin. I will keep my threaded needle by my side with this pumpkin.  Lovely with note card. She enclosed the cutest little scissors, pumpkin buttons and pretty mint colored linen. The floss she put in was some I had looked at the other day, but I had put back and got some different colors.. She just knew I wanted them... lol  and I can always use needles. I always loose them....
I sent my box out Saturday  to my partner for Dixie Samplar's Exchange. I will post a picture of what I made and sent. 
I've had a busy week so far. Monday, I had to go pay our property tax. Today, I had a dentist appointment. Wednesday, me and mom are going to the nursing home to see my aunt. she is communicating some. Thursday, mom goes to her cancer doctor for a checkup.  Friday maybe... I will have a off day. No time for stitching.
Hubby has been bringing in rose and shrub bushes, they've been digging up around a job site (school). He has been bringing them in by the dump truck loads.. So every night he gets the bobcat out digs trenches, dumps the bushes, we cover them back up. We water and put mulch around them. I have been watering morning and at night to try and save (I call it recycling) these plants. I will try to get a picture tomorrow of my bushes.
Signing off for the night.... Thank you Cucki!!!

AT A LOSS FOR WORDS....

Sad to say that our friend Cathey lost her battle yesterday with cancer. I know that every time I see a pumpkin now I will think of her and say a little prayer for Junior. 
Please keep her family and friends in your prayers.
Her friend has shared a picture tribute with us. Thank you Katie.   http://kscott77.blogspot.co.uk/2013/10/look-at-that-photograph.html.
Just still at a loss for words..

LOOK! GREAT MAIL!!!

 This was in my mailbox today!! The Fabled Fusions Book by Michelle May. Michelle is a great artist!! She can take felt, fabric, thread, some beads and make something great! She has a great talent for putting colors and fabric together. See.... We kind of think alike too... I was stitching on the teapots and cups and was thinking about bees.. I sent an email off to her stating that Bees would be so cute!! She sent me back an email and said lol, I'm cutting out Bees!!!  So I stitched Bees, Flowers, Butterflies, Teapots, Teacups, and Stars! I loved every moment of it.

 Michelle knows I love Halloween. She sent me her designs for Halloween postcards. She also put in an ink pen with her logo.  Thank you so much Michelle!! I was flipping through the book and came to the last page!!

 Thank you Michelle, for giving me the opportunity to stitch for you! 

 I love the Halloween 2013 Post Felts!!!

 

 Look at all these cute patterns!!! I can make these!! I still have not tried quilting.. But I think I can make these!! They are cute little postcards. I have received one from Michelle that she designed. Such a clever idea!  

Here are the designs that are in Michelle's Book:

My picture taking is crappy today... Cute Designs!!! Her instructions are so easy to follow.

 The parts I stitched were the straight stitches on the designs. Real easy to do and they are so cute when finished..

Michelle does the putting together and quilting. To me that is the hardest part... Thank you so much again Michelle for letting me help you. I love to stitch!!! It is so much fun. If you would love one of more of Michelle's book. She has them for sale on her website. I have a icon on my sidebar. It is The Raspberry Rabbits. Just click and it will take you to Bunnyville!!  lol

By the way...Happy Birthday To Josh!!

Today he turned 6 years old!!

 



WHAT SHALL I DO TODAY?

It would seem I'm about to start stitching the Mary Sampler I by Paulette. I decided to stitch the smaller version. I love the colors. I'm using DMC. I had all the hand dyed floss but I just liked the DMC on the Antique White linen.
I'm so excited about the Harvest Halloween Exchange that Dixie Samplar is doing that I forgot to take a picture of my stitching and little gifts. So excited to have finished ahead of schedule that I packed everything in the box. I forgot to put the card in saying who it was from.. Had to open it back up slip in the card and tape it back closed.. Guess what? I now have to open it all up again!  I need to take a picture.. I have another new box, so I will just move it all to the new box.. Since this one is beyond using now!   
I think I seriously need help sometimes!! I think it is that Mentalpause thing.. It has come back to haunt me with the hot flashes again. I had a little break...
Both my tables in the craft room are full of stuff I'm working on. I seen Vonna's blog with her witch's hat yesterday. Guess what? Yep, I had to make a floss run for the two 3800 colors of DMC for Mary I. Of course... I picked up a witch hat at Michaels to paint!! Vonna is enabling again!!  lol  Got home and thought.. It would be so easy to spray paint this hat.. No black spray paint. I'm out! Darn! Well, I have to go out tomorrow. I also need that spray paint to paint that little wooden house shelf. I have all my scrap papers pulled out and skeletons and pumpkins to fix it all up for the grand kids.

My Sis-In-Law a while back gave me a bunch of these key rings. I decided to make a thread fob today.  Sorry for the dark picture. We have had clouds all day. TS Karen is brewing and I think it is affecting us with clouds. No rain till Saturday and Sunday, for our area. I hope it does not rain Sunday. We have a Family Reunion and also Joshua has a baseball game. Speaking of baseball, he loves playing Fall Ball.

 To be only 5 and in kindergarten, he can hit that ball. His dad has been working with him a lot. He is getting to play 3rd base this season. He did real good on 3rd base Sunday. Stopped those balls.

Here he is leaving 2nd base. We laugh at him running because he is not that fast.. We laugh and say if he had on his flip flops he could have home runs.. Boy can run in those Flops.. but, put shoes on him, he trips over his own feet.
I will sign off with pictures of BK, whom found some bubble wrap her daddy brought in from work. She had a ball with it. She first just stepped on it and popped bubbles, then she rolled herself up in it. I finally had to put her outside because she was popping all the bubbles and I need it for packing in boxes. She came back in last night looking for it. I had rolled it up and hid it. 

Her eyes get big and she goes crazy! 

Till Later.......