Serious Serial Starting Stitching Saturday

I'm still cleaning/moving stash and trying to organize in some fashion: therefore, I find so many things I would like to stitch. Now. Exactly at this moment. So my time in cleaning stops in 5 minute increments to run around seeking to pull threads and linen and needles to work on them. Not much overall done but, it's another serial start. Then my day  is gone from the distraction of a new start.

The weather is day 6 of rain, several days of hard rain where driving was hard to do. Today, it seems the sun is struggling through the drizzling rain to come out to show us it's still there, but then the rain continues and I wonder if I should send a bird out for an olive branch. Perhaps a Bluebird?

To lift the rainy mood, I found a Blackbird Design sampler pattern gifted to me by Jennifer Holcombe a couple of years ago. She is the sweetest. She also made a button box for me that is always nearby and reminds me there are truly some special sweet stitchers in this world.

The design is  Bluebird--Reward of Merit pincushion. I'm stitching on 30 ct R & R linen in Gardner's (something, I can't read the rest of the label)? and using the CC SILK Belle Soie floss in Blue Lagoon she also sent with it. Bluebirds are cheerful to me and for such a rainy week----need one!

So starting with the border here.

 

I love the rich, blue colorway in silk. I can't afford silk threads regularly or even at all right now, so it's so refreshing to revisit this and stitch with it.

 

 

This hoop I've had for years, came from The Scarlett Letter. I think they still have those wooden ones and  have thoroughly enjoyed the oblong one for samplers. I looked up this name of R & R linen and couldn't find it anymore, so maybe it's retired, dunno.........

Speaking of Dunn, this linen I found in my stash from Karyn Dunn, Ma TeaKettle that she kindly gifted me a couple of years ago as well. She was so generous in giving me many, many linens that are neatly tucked away for my stash eye candy and for samplers!

 

And though my whole life turned upside down 2 years ago, there are sweet memories of the stitchers that are special to me still in my heart. I will say I learned many life lessons with my stitcher friends that year, but kept moving forward with the strength that I had.

 

 

Jennifer H. even put a mother-of-pearl thread keep heart, linen included with this sampler pattern all in the mail one day.

I hope to get some progress on this one. Even finish it!!!! soon. I want to thank all of you for the past 4 years of friendships. I appreciate those who chose to stay on my journey in life even through struggles and those who didn't for whatever reason so I could learn lessons from it.

So this weekend, I will be working on this little sampler in Blue Lagoon, hoping for blue skies to appear once again.

 Rain, Rain, go away,
 come back another day.
 If not, I'll stitch a bluebird to stay

I have vivid memories of my mama holding my hand at the back double doors looking out at the rain inside and singing this song when I was only 3 or 4 years old. Even now in long days of rain, I think about it and I'm almost a half a century old!!

The other news on the stitchy side is a side knitting project, I'm calling it The Walton.
The name is because I only mindlessly stitch 16 inch squares during the Waltons show every week night. It's when Mr Darcy, Abbie and me cuddle on the sofa and never tire of a new episode.

I had this rich, Caron Simply Soft in a jewel tone of teal and it is so soft!

I'm using Addie turbo circulars 8/ 24 in. I still haven't decided if I will do each block a different basic stitch pattern to piece together for a big blanket or garter all of it? I just don't know. I'm wingin' it.

 

I may mix this with Autumn Maize in Caron Simply Soft as it's a muted light gold color. These skeins hold over 300 yards, just can't be beat and Joanne's has them on sale this week for just 2 bucks.

 

I also haven't decided if I will stitch this as a throw or a coverlet for a bed. Now that would take a long time and many episodes of The Waltons!

 

There's always something brewing here with needles.

 Methinks it's time though for baking for the Mr.

His work group loved my Peach Cobbler muffins at a meeting and I think I started sumfin'. :0

 

Don't forget to visit the Etsy shop of Feathersinthenest. This is the last day for 25% off this week. Orders for this will be good until midnight. Mailed out on Monday.

 

I hope you all had a great Independence Day celebration. Happy Birthday America!

 

Jennifer

 

 

Bloom Where You Are Planted

Bloom. Blossom. Reveal your true beauty and potential.

The total opposite of Doom. You know that feeling that everything is out of control and chaotic?

Well, when inspired to design this sampler, a year or so back, I decided that amongst all chaos, we are to be the best we can be in whatever place or situation we are dealt with. I definitely learned that when we are in the right enviroment our best will shine and we will be happy.

So, hopefully, this will be an encouraging one for you. This one was formerly a freebie.
I am stitching unconventionally this model out of just ........ serendipity.

I'm using burlap. Yup, burlap stretched on a wood frame. I got this at Hobby Lobby and you can get th 10 inch one or 8 inch one. The inches is the space between the wood not the total piece.

This is the 8 inches of stitchable space. FYI Hobby Lobby frequently has a 40% off coupon and the 8 inch one is 5.99. So for 4 bucks you have a piece to stitch and the frame if you like primitive/ rustic, style decor.

I stitched it over 2 with 3 strands of floss.  I think 6 strands could also be used as well.

It's larger stitches than most would like to stitch probably but I would say it is  approximately like stitching on 16 count without the "aida" look to it. I've gotten spoiled to linen.

The sampler is called Bloom. Copyright 2011 by Feathers in the Nest

 

I'm using threads of Crescent Colors Barn Door, and Sullivan threads (2) I had on hand.

 

 

 

you can see how tight this is on the wood frame.

 

 

the underside

 

 

 

 

 

I just clip on my large clip Mighty Brite lite. I use it for reading and stitching. I really don't need it with my glasses on but just for comfort, it helps.

 

Burlap comes in several colors as well. I really am interested in the Oyster color.

But this is the natural. One of my dreams is to teach locally to school -age children how to cross stitch on something of this nature and providing it as a kit. One day.

 

You could also stitch this on 40 count on fine linen and make a small with it to make a nice smal pincushion, or tiny frame.

 

Different mediums, provide different results.

 

 

 

If you see where I have the top needle crossing, I counted my flower border and it stops here. One stitch short of the wood border. Whew!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

So off to stitching I go to finish this border. This will be awesome in my country kitchen or on the wall of the screened back porch. I chose the colors for my own decor and inspired by some flowers that literally took over in the woods one year.

 

 The situation was that I weeded out so many plants in the plant section of my yard, until I really didn't know what I was throwing over into the other side of the dirt drive in the woods. I just knew I wanted it clean. I wanted it back to the start so I could plant what I wanted to.

 

Well, the next year across the dirt road, Hydrangeas took root from this evidently and because in that spot, it had the sunlight (the right conditions), they have bloomed every year and the bush gets larger and larger. The root had been over in the flower section and I didn't realize what I was tossing as weeds but in the right sunlight, then it began to show it's beauty.

 

I learned a lesson from this that we, are not unlike flowers, and will bloom the best in the perfect conditions. Life is not perfect but we certainly can try to surround ourselves with love, honesty, kindness, and "the right sunlight" in order to bloom our best! We can weed out those that try to pull us down, prevent us from growing or threaten our very existance, almost like parasites. Those weeds have to go.

 

Each year, these blue blooms in the midle of nowhere, that took root totally on its own, provide our homestead with many blossoms for vases. I do nothing to them. They grow on their own this way now.

 

 

 

Purl of Wisdom~~~ Bloom Where You are Planted. Surround yourself with lots of good environmental elements and lots of sunshine (positive) and weed out the people, places, things, etc. that prevent or hold you back from shining the way you were intended.

 

Things that help me "bloom" are:

 

a cup of hot tea in a special tea pot

 

the aroma of dried tea in many tastes

 

books, old and new, especially old ones

 

stitching of all kind

 

knitting

 

attending church to understand the Word

 

my dear husband's Christian love and committment

 

writing

 

taking care of Abbie, my sweet girl

 

reading the Bible

 

helping people in my job to help themselves

 

resting in the chaise after a long day

 

surrounding myself with good frendships, the kind that love unconditionally

 

living in the mountains and enjoying nature

 

Simple Living

 

Weeding out Chaos and unloving folks

 

 

I am fortunate to have many. I hope you have a great day and if only one thing to do in your schedule of busy Mondays, do something that helps you grow.

 Reach for the Son.

 

Till later,

Jennifer

 

Fox Mountain Woodworking: new business

Sunday is the day of rest. I am blessed to get to rest on this day. This week has been busy, busy and I have more than a few projects going on.

Speaking of projects, my husband has started a business. You can find it on Facebook here.

Fox Mountain Woodworking. He is very gifted with woodworking and for years has dabbled into refinishing furniture. If you recall the Seller's vintage Hoosier cabinet that he restored last year.
He is very artful, meticulous, and thorough. The best I've ever seen.
He made Abbie's bed special for her. He has pictures of other styles of beds on the FB page. Take a look-see! Custom made beds are welcome at your desire of decor from cottage, primitive, modern, tradional, etc. He knows no limits to cater to your needs.

He has several pet beds. He makes all of them with SOLID wood that can be stained or painted with a matching pad you can change to wash.

Sundays, we observe the day of rest and church time; however, during the week, "like" his page and see what beautiful work he does, send him a note and if you have a furbaby, consider matching your home decor with a special pet bed.

 

 

 

For the pet beds, please go to the Facebook page and see the beauty! Your furbaby will love you for it.

We both love to make a house a  home and will certainly attend to your decor needs. Methinks it's time for church! I hope you have a beautiful day!

Philippians 4:8-9

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and ift there is anything praiseworthy---meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.

In peace and love,
Jennifer