NEW SELLING BLOG OPEN TODAY.

Hello Blog Friends.        The new blog I have been talking about opened today. It will features things that I stitch and make with my hands. I also incorporate old found objects into the finishes.
The name is Homestead Needleworkes.

If you would love to see, what I have been stitching and working on, it can be found here, Just click this link below:
  http://homesteadneedleworker.blogspot.com/

I have listed a 3 items for sale. A Pillow, Pinkeep, Scissor Keeper, and Stick Pin Set, along with a Longaberger Needle Punched Paddle.

Thank you for being by my side as a launch this new blog.  If you have an suggestions, I would love to hear from any of my blog friends. Thank you, April



 

I"M BACK, SHOW AND TELL PART #1 !!

Hello my blogging friends!  It is Fall!!!  Can you believe it? Before you know, it will be Christmas... I will not get ahead of myself. A quick update on my aunt. She is in a rehab facility. She will be there for about 21 days.  She made good friends with Willie Loomis while she was staying with us. Thank you for all the well wishes while I was caring for her. I appreciate them so much... She seemed to be in a good mood when I visited with her yesterday.

As you can see, I have done some Fall decorating on the front porch. I have yet to get my Halloween decorations out. 
I have been doing some creating of Fall things. I seen these pretty yarns at Joann's Store and a light bulb went off, over my head! I can use them to crouch around my pinkeeps. 

 Threadwork Primitives by Nan freebie. I used the gray yarn to trim the pin keeps.

 This cute square pinkeep is from a book by Needle' Love Designs. I used some more yarn to finish the trim.

This is a design from Michelle - Raspberry Rabbit Designs. Michelle designed it to make Halloween postcards. I used the pattern to make a pinkeep. I used eyelash yard for the trim. 
So see I have been busy....
I had joined in on the fun in Dixie Samplers/ Terri's blog for the annual Harvest Exchange. Debra Cade sent me a box full of goodies!

 This is how it all come by the postman!!  I was so excited!

I spread it all out on my table!  The Raven is so prim and cute! I love it Debra!!!  I have named him Edgar Nevermore!  Debra made this beautiful quilt! Everything in the picture is handmade. Click on picture and take a closer look, at all the beautiful things! Debra put a little extra in everything in the package. The note told me about herself and how she also loves prim.

Those spools are so cute!  That quilt table topper is so pretty! I just love Halloween and Fall!  Thank you so make Debra and thank you Terri for having the exchange every year. 
I met up with Terri and Joyce this past weekend for a Stitching Weekend. First time to meet Joyce!  Enjoyed meeting you so much and stitching with you, Joyce! I didn't get to met them and go north to the cross stitch shops... But I made sure to make it, to sit, stitch and talk till late into the night!  I had a great time at Terri's! More talking than stitching on my part!  lol
I have been buying some stash too...

 This was my order for Deb at Stitches N Things Shop!  I need to get to stitching on these great charts and kits!!!
I found a great Etsy shop called Prim Folk Art Shop. Valerie has great things on her site. Here is a link if you like wool, and patterns. https://www.etsy.com/shop/PrimFolkArtShop?ref=listing-shop-header-item-count

 I ordered these great Buttermilk Basin cards and these wool packs. I was Valerie's 10,000 sale and she was so generous and sent these Valdani Threads and pattern cards as a gift!  If you get a chance check out her Etsy Shop.

I will be blogging in 2 different post I have so much to show and tell!  lol  So stay tuned for Part 2 this week. Thank you for hanging in here with me!  I still want to start the Sale Blog. I have some things to list this week too. Till Later....

CHECKING IN

Just a short note to let everyone know that I have taken a short break from blogging. My aunt has came to stay with me for a little while. At this time I don't know for how long. That is why I have not been blogging. I will be posting this week later on. I have a lot of stitching to show.  So please bare with me during this time. I love hearing from my blog friends and I hope you will continue to follow me.
Till later this week....
Thanks

I HAVE BEEN BUSY.

Sorry, I've been away so long, I've been busy as a bee. I can't show many pictures now, but my table is loaded with things that need finished.  Just a start, I have purchased more fabric...

 I got these at Hancock Fabrics and Hobby Lobby. This next picture is what I have on my table to be assembled:

 

This is a pattern from Hudson's Holiday Designs. It's a Springtime pattern, but I'm making it a Halloween mouse on a pin cushion. It mounts on a wooden candlestick. I still have the mouse to cut out.

These came in the mail this week. I love Brenda's patterns. These have 3 designs each. I do have one completed cross stitch finish:

Prairie Schooler - Witches, Bats and Cats. It is just a little ornament. I added some Vintage looking Halloween trim around it.
Next is a little bat I designed.

 It is only 1 inch. I wanted it to fit in this little square.  I have it hanging on my Lanyard that I use to put my clothes pins on to needle punch. That way they spin around and never the thread doesn't tangle. I got the idea from a fellow puncher. Thank you Ronda!  I also designed a cat and a witch's hat. The cat took me a while to get his head just right and for it to fit in a 1 inch square. The Bat metal pendant is a little smaller that an inch, that is why it's a close call with his wings..
I have been thinking for a while of starting another blog. I'm wanting to make different things and maybe try to sell them.  I love the primitive designs. I didn't want to do this on Ebay or Etsy.  Just wanted a blog to list a few things every once in a while.
If you would like to follow the new blog, please come by and check out what I'm making in the Old Homestead Needleworkes Shop.
It will be a blog of selling item. I mixture of needlework and old found objects. So. if you are interested or just want to see what one of a kind items I'm creating please click on this link:

http://homesteadneedleworker.blogspot.com/

Just a welcoming post now....
 

A CALL IT.... CREATIVE MESS.

This would be my drawer full of ribbons and trims! It is a mess! I have been cutting out and matching my stitching with fabric. I have an assembly line going.  
Step one. Measure the things to be stitched by machine, then trim them and their mates (backs). A lot of pin cushions...
Step two. Add iron on interfacing only on the pin cushions.
Step Three. Press all and find the trims and ribbons for each. NOW, that the problem. See that drawer? That is what I have been digging through today. OH ME!.. 
No to mention, the paddle I'm painting looks like Crap! I'm going to have to sand it for the 3rd time. The paint keeps cracking... I don't want a paddle with an 1980's crackle texture!! lol I think it's to humid and hot outside for paint.. 
On to more fun things.. Paint will wait to tomorrow.
I did a little fabric shopping these past 2 weeks. Hobby Lobby and Walmart. Walmart really surprised me with there fabrics. A lot of  Primitive gingham fabrics. I'll just let the pictures talk:

 These were Hancock and Hobby Lobby fabrics. 

 The prints in the middle were from Hancock Fabrics, along with the dot one. The 2 on each end were from Wal Mart. 

These were all Walmart. I love all the black and beige ticking, and gingham. So I have lots to work with. I started assembling all my stitching to start sewing tomorrow.. Guess What? I always have a Guess What!  I wanted Eyelash trim for a special pillow. I dug all through my drawer. I had, purple, green and orange, I know Halloween colors!  lol  No black. I did see a piece way in the back under some other trim! Yipee!! NOPE.. Look!

I see another visit in my Crystal Ball!  lol Go ahead and laugh. It was not in the Cards for me to start sewing tonight!  Get it!! Crystal Ball and Cards.. I'm ready for Fall and Halloween!
I have stitching on a new design from Tammy Black. Scattered Seed Samplers.

 Tammy has her patterns for sell on her Etsy. Please check them out. Beautiful! She just released a new one with Rabbits.  https://www.etsy.com/shop/scatteredseedsampler?ref=l2-shopheader-name

This is my progress so far. I love the linen I'm stitching with. It was hand dyed by Dixie Sampler. Now to just get back to stitching on this one... 
Thank you for all the kind comments on BK.. Still no sign of her. 
I'm also feeling better. New allergy meds. No grass cutting or yard work. My yard looks like Crap, but I'm not sick!! LOL
I just think my yard looks like this:

(Not my yard)

In my yard the grass is brown and crunches and the leaves are falling off the trees. Is Fall here early? No, it is called Drought.  No rain in about 2 months..  So, no need to cut the grass.  
Take care, and if you are getting any rain... send some my way.
Till Later...

RACCOON LOVE !

I would like to thank everyone for the kind comments on BK (Baby Kitty). It has been over a month. I have walked the area calling her and talking with neighbors to ask if anyone has seen her.. So unlike her. But, I have hope. Willie Loomis stayed gone for about 3 months, then just showed back up one day.. 
I have been leaving water and food outside on the porch for the little half grown kitten. It is wild and will not let me get near it. But I have been noticing that it comes up to eat twice a day. So, last night DH called me to the kitchen window.. I thought, he sees the little kitten. No, it is this:

Raccoon with NO TAIL !!  Have you ever seen one with no tail?  I posted it on facebook and my friends and family had a great time with this one.. Have you seen the Sear Optical commercial where the lady does not have her glasses on and calls her kitty to come inside. A raccoon walks right on in.. So funny. I have put the video at the end for your enjoyment!  lol
My family said that is a raccoon not a kitten. I know it isn't a kitten.. I don't have to have my glasses on to tell that.. It has NO TAIL!  lol   I just wanted to post and say thanks for the wishes for BK to come home soon.  If you need a little laugh. Just watch the video.  

SAD TODAY...

I have posted about BK missing on Facebook, if you are a friend with me. I have not mentioned it on my blog till today. 
We went on vacation and the cats were here being taken care of. We returned and we have yet to see BK.  Willie is now staying at home full time. We just don't know what happened to her. I miss her so bad. If you follow my blog, you know she was a stray that my mom brought to me. He mother had left her at City Hall Building and my mom called and well... the rest is she came to live with us. Willie Loomis was also a stray someone had dropped off. They have been raised together. I keep praying that she is just visiting around or got mad at us, and that she will come home. 

BK (Baby Kitty) was a great joy to me. She is greatly loved. Just wish I knew what has happened to her.  Her adopted big brother Willie has brought another stray half grown kitty up to lay around on the porch with him. I have been feeding the little stray. It runs off as soon as I go outside the door. I guess it is wild....
I just thought i would share about BK. My facebook is full of pictures of her. She was a very spoiled kitty. She is very missed. She never wondered far from the yard. When she had her surgery she had a chip implanted. I have been praying someone would take and see if she had a chip and call us.. Nothing yet.
Please say a little prayer for her.  Thanks.

HAPPY MONDAY MORNING!

I want to thank everyone for the Get Well wishes. I'm feeling a lot better. Still taking it easy this week. I don't want to relapse.
I have been stitching up a storm this past week. I joined a group on Facebook called Prim Stitcher Society. I spend must of the day reading the post and looking at beautiful stitching. It is a big enabler. My mailbox had a package today from 123 Stitch.

 I ordered these great Fall and Halloween Stitches. I also ordered some cream Ariosa fabric to stitch and make some designs by WTN&T - Brenda.  My stitching email friend Bonnie, sent me some magnets that she makes using photos of her cross stitching. They are just lovely. Great summer designs! I leave my patriotic stitching up all summer long.

 

 

 

 These are taken their place of honor on the Refrigerator, along with the other honor winners by Bonnie!  Sorry it is blurred. Hard to get a good picture on a black shiny surface.  Aren't they just great!

Bonnie also sent me a big surprise awhile back. That package came and I was so surprised. There were two bee's nest, or as we call them here in Alabama. Hornets. I went to Chelsea High School, Home Of The Hornets! So this was extra special for me. I have them in my craft room up high. Have you ever studied these nest. They are beautifully made. I sat and looked at them, trying to figure out how ,they know to make this complicated nest. It is a wonder of nature and looking at this, you know, God has a hand on all his creatures. I have also been seeing a lot on TV and Internet about what would happen to us, if all the bees died. Another balance in nature, that is some fascinating.

This is the model I stitched for Brenda, I loved this stitch! Of course, it has a bee hive and bees. Look at the little bunny and the cute birds. Beautiful colors and it was a quick stitch for me.  You can get this from Brenda's website or your local shop.
I have been working on some more stitching while recuperating.

 This cute Bats pinkeep and scissor fob is designed by Falling Star primitives. Instead of the green DMC for the words Bats, I used dark grey #3799 and used Sullivans black for the bat. The Sullivan thread covers better.  The pattern has the charts for both and then has the pattern to make a felt bat PIN.  So cute!!! I used 30 count linen called Witches Brew.  I love that orangey linen.  lol

 Next was Prairie Schooler - Cats, Bats and Witches. This is the design I'm going to mount on the Witch's Hat that I painted last week. 

 

 Dixie Sampler / Terri designed this freebie for our group.  I stitched mine on some Lugana she'd sent me and so far.. I have to just sew it into a little pillow for my basket. 
 

 A new designer Tammy Black has joined our group. Beautiful designs! Her designs are called Scattered Seed Samplers. I seen this new release and just had to stitch it.

This is my stitching so far!  I love these little squirrels. I still have two more squirrels to stitch and a set of keys.  Then... I will be putting together my first Pinkeep Drum.  Say a little pray for me. Sorry for such bad pictures, cloudy and rainy here on the Homestead. Sunroom is not sunny today.
I will also leave you with a picture of what today's work in process will be.

Little early for Valentines Day, but I hope it will be done before then... lol  Brown and pink, great colors for a cupid on a heart.

I hope everyone has a great Monday and till later........

 



 

 

 









SICK AND STITCHING!

First things first, get it out of the way. I have walking Pneumonia again. Doctor seems to think I need tubes in my ears. I last had tubes when I was 6. May have to do it again to stay well.. But the upside is more stitching for me, if DH will quit calling to check on me about every 2 to 3 hours.. lol
Terri / Dixie Samplar came up my way this weekend! We had a great visit Saturday. We went to Michael's, Hobby Lobby and hit a couple of Antique and Flea Market type places. Had a great Mexican lunch and that night talked DH to joining us for Dinner at Chili's. So I guess you can say we made a whole day of it!  I love it when Terri comes north, we have a great time.
She had me some of her great Butter Cream Linen. She hand dyes it yourself. She also put in some of fabrics she had dyed. I just love anything hand dyed.

 

The squares of linen had spooky names.  Thank you Terri! She also gifted me with other things, I forgot to get a picture off. Next Post for sure.  Brain has a fever..
This is just some of the things I got at the craft stores.

 The stamps to age my stitching. The hang tags to use on some things, and the wooden thingie, well... I seen where someone had stained it and stitched and made the bigger end a pin cushion.

 I could not pass up this deal of original price of 56.00 now on clearance for 20.00. I will use it for Needlepunch.

Of course, I got a pocket watch!  lol  and some fabric to finish some stitching. I also got some Evenweave Terri says she uses to dye. I will try my Black Walnut stain on it.  We will see how it turns out!
I did purchase some leaflets and a kit off a Facebook Stash page. They are below:

 Crossed Eyed Cricket

 

I love The Birth Of A nation chart. Sandra's (HSE) Pumpkin will be the next thing I stitch.
That is all for today... Till later....

I'M BACK !!!! Picture Heavy

All I'm saying is this is on my craft table!!

Time to start thinking of Fall and Halloween stitching! I'm stitching on a Prairie Schooler for this Witch's Hat. I'm borrowing Vonna's idea!  Thank You Vonna! She has such great finishes.

It's been a short but hot, no rain, kind of summer here in Bama.

We went on Vacation the last week of June to Panama City Beach Florida. It was great weather, but the water had a lot of seaweed and jelly fish.  Not complaining... but last year's Destin trip spoiled me to the ocean. Destin has beautiful white sand and so clear, you could see your painted toes in chest deep water. Here are some pictures of our trip. Fun time with The Grands!

 Zoe moved with the shade of the umbrella. lol

 Ankle deep, that is a far as she would go. She didn't like the seaweed. That green water is all weed. You had to wade through it to get out to a sandbar.

 After some girls were stung by jelly fish. Josh decided it was castle building time.

 The beach was real nice. Not crowded.

 

Those are my knees. When all my freckles grow together, I'll have one darn great tan!!  lol

I have to tell a tale on Zoe. She was not tall enough last year to ride in the bumper boats. It broke her heart so bad. She had never forgot that, so this year so kept asking was she tall enough to ride them this year. Gigi (me) told her if not, I would buy her some heels to make sure she got to ride.  She passed the height to ride. It also meant she could not only ride but drive these!

 Oh No!! Yep... She has never driven anything. But, she was going to drive because Josh was.. Her and Josh were in the first cars... I have to tell you, we laughed so much we were crying... Do y'all remember in Road House.. (Patrick Swayze) That bad guy that was driving his convertible all over the road from side to side while he was singing!  Yep...

 That is her singing and hitting the rail from side to side! The attendant had to just follow her around and get her back pointed in the right direction. It was so funny!

 

 Josh is a pro. He was so glad he passed someone! 

 

I got this great shot! She would press the gas and take off and her head would fly back and she would start singing till she hit the wall.  I thank the attendant for being so great and taking time to show her how the gas and brake worked. She got really good by the last 2 laps. She was so happy!!

I told y'all picture heavy!  lol

 Josh was tall enough to drive Bumper Boats! Another Oh No!!!

He was so excited, he was dancing!  Poppa was out there with them. Mom and Zoe shared a boat.

 

I rode something!  Hold your excitement!!! The Ferris Wheel!

Josh said he would ride with me..

I forgot we went through the Haunted House. G Version.. They radio and said we had kids so they went easy on us. Boy, was I glad. Josh doesn't like scary but Zoe does..

If you ever go to Panama City Beach. Look up this place!

Thomas Donut and Snack Shop. Little place near the Laguna Beach side of PCB. Handmade donuts . FRESH! Krispy Kreme doesn't even get close to these heavenly donuts!  

 Looking at that picture just makes me want some! All kinds of flavors. Key Lime, coconut, chocolate, red velvet and many more I can't remember.

I will know start part 2 of update.. If you are still with me.. lol

Cross Stitching Update.

 I have been organizing my linens and trims and floss. So far, I have the box with my linen. I rolled each piece and wrote what brand, size, count, and color.

 I bought these old peg style clothes pins at an estate sale. I rolled my antique trims on some and put them in this old mason jar. All is still a work in progress. I will show next post, a box of old patterns I got at the same estate sale.

 

 I stitched Prudence Blackstone by Chartmakers. I'm trying to stitch them all as bowl fillers.  I have two stitched. I'm about to start Hannah Skinner.

 This was a freebie by Praiseworthy Stitches. I kind of made it primitive. Has PCB 2014 for our Beach trip. Since I joined The Primitive Stitchers Society on Facebook, I have found so many designs I want to stitch. They are bad enablers!  lol But I love the group. Thank you Terri - Dixie Sampler for starting this group. A lot of the Prim Designers are members.

 This pillow has a story. I rescued it from a bad frame job at a flea market. Someone (HH) in 1990 stitched this train. I live about 3 hours from The Chattanooga Choo Choo.  It was framed in a wood and metal frame. Bad discolored. Maybe a smoker?  I took it out and guess what? They had mounted it on stuff (sponge type cushion) that was stuck to it.. Yuck! I couldn't even scrape it off. It tried sewing the pillow and all the presser foot did was stick to the sponge stuff. I had to finally put wide tape all over design to sew a square around it. Had to sew through the tape. Then I threw the needle in the machine away. Gummed up.. I did spray it with some black walnut to help hide the discoloration.

 

This is my new start. I wish they would release these again. They are so hard to find. I did found one on Ebay. I cooked the linen myself in the oven with coffee.

Just a hint of what is in the Q-snap!

I have updated y'all enough, I Think...

I will spare everyone till next week with the Reno Bathroom project pictures. 

I will leave a great picture of The Grands on the last day of Beachcation! Till Later....

My Loves.