I have Been Busy And A Retreat

I do have a finish, it is a Blue Ribbon Design, Brenda is a wonderful designer, I am not a big fan of purple but love the green with the lavenders and purples.

I did do mine a little different then the finishing instructions.

Https://blueribbondesigns.blogspot.com

I also constructed the Scattered Seed Sampler https://scatteredseedsampler.blogspot.com this is Out On A Limb, from the Little Wren Club kit.

I added the ric rak of my own.

I was away for a week at a stitching retreat, it was wonderful to not be cutting wood staining or hearing a drill or hammer going. I taught a beading class and Keli the moderator taught a soap making class, I made the Peony scented soaps which are the blue soaps, Liza made a Vanilla soap and Keli made a scented soap I cannot remember, we did share a soap from each other. I brought a mold, they will be gifts at Christmas. The soaps  need to cure for six weeks before use.

Keli was very generous with gifts, she made hand balm which smells so good and makes your hands so soft, she also gave us a new pair of scissors with sheath, a needle threader, handmade soap bar and a project bag.

Liza and Theresa gave us little cute project box carriers, with pens notebook and other needs for crafting.

 

A special thank-you to Pamela Allen https://hokkaidokudasei.blogspot.com, thank-you for emailing me and asking if everything is okay, since I have not posted since the middle of July, here in Minnesota it is a short season to get outdoor things done.

Plus having a few family members ill has kept us busy, thankfully it is not the virus, just surgeries and other ailments.

We have been very healthy here and hope to stay healthy, we are still volunteering at the Food Shelf, we work with the best people in the world, we are very Blest to work and call then friends.

Time to sign off.

Stay Healthy

Catherine

Check Out Priscilla's New Free Pattern

Priscilla's has a new free pattern:
https://priscillas2000.blogspot.com

Have a great Day
Catherine

Some Gifts And 45 Minutes Of Stitching

I am amazed at the generosity of the Blog world, I have seen in Blogland that many of us are gifted lovely items such as the gifts I received from two lovely Ladies.
One is from Sandra Carstairs who I found on Pinterest, she graciously sent me a pair of lovely scissors, some thread I am very anxious to use and a very sweet patter that I hope to stitch by Thursday. Thank you Sandra.

Then on Saturday I received a beautiful beading book from Gracie over at https://needlespinsanddragonflies.blogspot.com
This is an amazing pattern book, thank you Gracie.

I added just a couple of photos to show you how lovely the beading is.


I have stitched today for only 45 minutes, so much has to be done here, Mike had his eyes dilated, I had to drive him home, his glaucoma is holding steady, he has been taking Focus Select that the Doctor recommended.

I love Tammy’s design, she can be found at https://scatteredseedsamplers.blogspot.com

I want to show you my sister in law and great nephew 

feeding a giraffe it was amazing, I also fed the birds in a cage, they tried to eat the crystals off my sandals.

This was fun, I will show a photo of the birds eating my sandals on my next post, my sister in law has to send me the photo.

Be safe have a lovely week.

Catherine 

Very Busy Here With Some Stitching

Greetings my dear friends, thank-you for all your comments on my last couple of posts, I am so sorry I have not sent out thank-you's by email, it has been very busy with Mikes sister her illness, my sister in law on my side has been ill and all that is going on here at home, it has been very busy here with home improvements, this week we are redoing the railings and steps on the front porch and the side landing, hopefully the weather is good to us.
I am almost finished with my Sea To Shining Sea Sampler, I want to be finished by Monday so I can get it to Joann’s for framing.

The new auto shipment from Scattered Seeds Samplers is beautiful, I am not sure when I will start working on it, I love Tammy’s designs, please check her out.

https://scatteredseedsamplers.blogspot.com take a look at Tammy’s site she has many beautiful samplers also for sale.

I did win a lovely necklace from her, it came in an adorable box with a sweet card.

Thank you Tammy

I did finish a candle mat which was a pattern I won from Donna over at https://cardsbydruth.blogspot.com.

Please stop by and say hello.

I was surprised by my wonderful husband with a trip to a fantastic quilt shop that carries some cross stitch fabric and patterns, I did manage to find a few stash items.

I love buttons theses are going to be used for the top of some strawberry pin pillows like the ones in the Blackbird Designs book.

I managed to find a lovely plum Street Sampler new to me design, I am not sure when I will get to it.

I think I e
Will do it on a outer colored fabric

I love this fabric color, not sure what I will use it for just yet, hopefully something will come to mind.

Another Blackbird Design I love, I have done two so far in this series.

This is a lovely booklet with such sweet designs. Do you see a pattern here I guess I love the Blackbird Designs lots.

I hope you all who celebrate the Fourth are having a safe and fun weekend.

Happy Blessed Fourth

Catherine

Freebie At Long Dog Samplers

Have you visited Long Dog Samplers lately, there is a beautiful free PDF to download.
https://longdogsamplers.blogspot.com
after clicking on the above,   click on  the Long Dog Sampler icon in the upper left hand corner of the website, it will bring up the free design.

Catherine

What I am working on

greetings everyone, thank you from my heart for all you comments in my past posts.
We have been very busy working on the yard, volunteering at the food shelter, relaxing and enjoying the beautiful weather we have been having.
I am able to sit outdoors stitch and read along with just relaxing, we have only had one evening with bugs bothering us which here in Minnesota is very unusual.
I am working on a design I was able to get for free in the stash relocation pile last August, it was started but not wanted, the first panel was started along with the bottom words but not completed along with the upper leaves, I very rarely do a little house design but this one caught my eye due to the From Sea To Shining Sea words, I hope to have it finished by Monday.

   

The best place to take a photo was on the deck the best light today, it is really nice out about 70 just a little cool for me but perfect for Mike.
I hope you all are staying healthy, as many people as I have come in contact with I have not gotten sick, I feel very lucky.
I hope you all have a wonderful week.

Catherine. 🎀

Have You Seen The Sweet Free Designs From Plum Street Samplers

It has been very busy here on the old homestead, lots of outdoor things to do at home and the care of the Church Cemetery here in Annandael,  Mn. Mike is in charge of the care and making sure all is well all year long, watering the plants that the families display for they family members they buried.
Taking care of the trimming of the trees and lots of weeding and spraying.
Anyhoo that is not why I am posting today, have you seen or ever visited the Plum Street Samplers designs, oh my so many beautiful designs, the free ones are lovely, please stop by and visit her blog, Paulette is a very talented designer.
https://plumstreetsamplers.typepad.com
I will be posting what I have been up to in the stitching world tomorrow.

Catherine

I am Joining Jo For Peoples Choice

Jo over @ https://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com Peoples Choice Is Dragonflies for June. Please stop over and visit her Blog.
I have not stitched a dragonfly but did find some beautiful photos on Pinterest,

There were so many to choose from on Pinterest I just chose a few, I hope you like them.


Catherine

A Fully Finished Design & More Stitching

Happy Memorial Day:  It is a long weekend for some who are working, for some its just a normal weekend.

I have a fully finished design it is a Betsy Morgan design Helping Hands Designs  I took the class last year in Madison Wisc.
I love this finish

I am so happy this is finished, I do not do good at finishing but I have to bang my own drum, this turned out perfect for me,  do you see the wax roll by the mini ruler? that was made by rolling the wax and adding two flat buttons on each end

This is the inside of the needlebook, I did add the ribbon for the closer, it did not require one, I like the ribbon on the book

Drawn Thread 

This is a  design from Drawn Thread  I stitched this way back in 1/8/14, I sure am slow at finishing, I hope to get all my finished stitching constructed or framed soon

This is a Lizzie Kate which was a gift to me, I love this Verse, I am gifting this to the Priest at our Church, he is leaving us next month

I need to frame it, I want to have it professionally  framed as soon as Joann's can take me, soon I hope

This is the pin pillow which i will save for myself, I just need to add the beads on the strawberry's 

I am excited to show you what I won over at Donna's blog site, https://cardsbydruth.blogspot.com
Stop on over and see what Donna is up to, I hope to start stitching this one this week, i want to make two for the candle holders for Christmas on one of my tables

It is very gloomy today, cloudy and rainy, it is a good day to do some stitching and finishing., I plan on starting the fully finished on the Blue Ribbon Design with the beautiful Peacock set I stitched.
I hope you all are soon back to normal in your states.
Have a beautiful weekend

Catherine

Hello Dear Friends

I want to thank everyone for your comments on my last post, I have been busy and will get thank-you out to you soon.
I have been busy stitching and having problems posting photos, lets try again.
I get email updates from Sassy Jacks, I was so pleased to se the beautiful free sampler designs for instant download, please visit  her site.
This is the Sampler I downloaded, it is called Jesus Wept, it is beautiful, so give Sassy Jacks a visit.

I have also two finish's  to share, I just need to construct them, they are both Scattered Seed Samplers.

This is the Out On A Limb Little Wren Pinkeep, the fabric is so pretty, Edinburgh Vintage Country Mocha 36 count

 So sorry about the wrinkles, I will be constructing this one tomorrow hopefully.

This is Set Free Pinkeep, they are both a little larger then ones I would use for pinkeeps but will use as small pillows, I exchanged the initials  for the bird cage charm, many of my relatives want some of my stitched things after I leave this world.

 I totally love this designer, she has so many beautiful Samplers and other items to choose from.http://scatteredseedsamplers.blogspot.com

 I had received this Shepherd Bush fob pattern from a dear friend Susan, I have to buy some patriotic scissors to put it on.

This is hopefully my next project after I order the fabric, I had received this pattern from the stash relocation pile at Guild Retreat many years ago, I love the colors, and want one for my display case.

Today Our state has lifted most of the restrictions and stores will be opening by Monday, yahoo I need needles for my sewing machine and many other items.
Stay healthy

Catherine