Freedom Fall Giveaway Winner

The winner of the giveaway  is Meari!  She has been contacted for an address so these very cute scissors and beautiful sampler will be on its way to her!

Congrats, Meari and thank you to all who entered and who take time out of their day to read a little bit of mine.

I'm getting used to the new Google format. Unfortunately, I have to figure out now how to upload pictures correctly. It may be my computer; however, will be on my agenda today to figure out.

Hope your week is going great.

Jennifer

Freedom Fall Giveaway Ends tonight

Sunday morning, early before sunrise, I was making eggs and toast. Yup. Abbie was eagerly awaiting her treat and I hurried to make coffee and something to fill my growling stomach.

It's a cloudy-looking morning and some showers are coming, according to the weatherman. I love quiet days when reading and stitching, or watching a good movie are in store.

Yesterday I found the Season 2 Downton Abbey episodes on Amazon Video. I missed the entire Season 2, so episode one helped me get back on track and have quite a few to go. But that's one good thing about the Internet, is the ability to replay episodes missed.

 

On Sunday night, it's a tradition I usually cook up something sweet. It's a close tie between sugar cookies and apple cobbler tonight. I think Mr. Darcy will decide. He likes both :)

 

Remember the Freedom Fall Giveaway, which includes a beautiful sampler anf 2 pair of Kelmscott new Storklettes in blue and primitive, is ending at midnight tonight!!

Tomorrow night I will use the random number generator to pick a lucky someone.

If you missed it, put your comments here.

 

With whatever fills your Sunday, I hope it is blessed and peaceful.

 

Remember 14 weeks until Christmas!!!! Can you believe that?

I'm heading right now to get the Christmas cross stitch magazine that came out this month!

 

 

Let the holiday stitching begin!

 

Raising the Flag on Remembrance

I remember distinctly, as many Americans do, of what I was doing, where I was, and the circumstances as I heard the news on September 11, 2001. It will be a moment in history, a day, which was surreal as we stood watching the horrific events unfolding in all places hit by the terrorists who literally tried to fracture America.

It was a time and still is, especially each year on this anniversary to remember all the families and victims of this event and say a special prayer for them. This year, 9/11 fell on a day I have off, and I was able to watch the replays and the ceremonies in remembrance in New York, Washington, the Pentagon and the site where the heroic plane went down.

I still have chills to this day of how much a country with such terroristic beliefs, embeds their hatefulness to America.

As the names were read this morning on TV, it took 3 hours to announce them all and through that I picked up my Battle Hymn of the Republic sampler by Little House Needleworks and continue to stitch.

I stitched and stiched until I was determine to put at least one flag up. I have basted the Lakeside linen on my thrift store find/ frame of last week. I have to say, I really like it. Basic, simple.

This design is already designated to be framed and will have a special place on the wall in Mr. Darcy's home office as he dedicated 25 years of service to this country with several deployments due to 9/11.

I must leave this design right now to do some other chores today but hope to get back to finishing this flag and the other one by midnight tonight. I want to remember when I see this in his office that these flags were stitched on 9/11/2012.

Here are the new Storklette scissors by Kelmscott Designs still waiting for a new home, along with a beautiful sampler pattern. See side bar for the post to the giveaway which will end in 4 days.

Mr. Darcy is hard at work on the Hoosier cabinet and restoring it, it's looking beautiful. More pics to come.......totally sanded all the paint off the cabinet and will paint the inside white and the outside, stained to Special Walnut shade. We were both amazed at the quality of the wood underneath all the layers of old paint. We are then going to put black hinges and handles back on the doors.

Onward now to do some chores on my list of "things to do" that must get done today.

So glad you spent a few minutes with me today. I always look forward to your comments!

I think I've half-way straightened out the blog format for now.

Thank you so much for all the feedback. It helped me alot!

Jennifer

A Freedom Fall Giveaway-scissors and By Gone Stitches chart

 

To say thanks to all of you who have been the sweetest and have took time out of your day to read my blog, I wanted to share with you a  Freedom Fall Giveaway!

 

First is the chart here:

 

 

Each Day

By Gone Stitches--designer--one of the best!

 

with the verse that reads, "I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all the books I want to read, all the friends I want to see."

 

And

not one but Two of the new scissors:

 

one in blue

one in primitive

 

Storklettes by Kelmscott Designs

 

 

 

Starts now.

Ends Sept 15th at midnight

drawing will be on Sept 16th and a winner announced on the blog so check back please

Computerized random selector will be used.

no anonymous please

International accepted

Must be a follower of this blog to enter

For two chances, write a second entry telling me you shared this giveaway on your blog

For three chances, write your favorite kind and number on needle selections when stitching

 

It's been a long time since the last giveaway. I hope you enjoy and the lucky winner certainly enjoys those new scissors from Kelmscott!!!!

 

Please post only on this posting.

 

Thank you for being that friend!!!

 

 

 

Wednesdays.

 

Mid-week

 

the beginning of hope for a new Friday soon.

 

In fact, a long weekend to add to it with Labor Day off!!!

 

Reading

Stitching

Music

Yoga

 

My loves.

 My refreshment in the day.

Constants that ground me through anything.

Along with good friends, big laughs, and warm cafe mochas!

 

Hope your mid-week day went well today.

 

Remember that hope for something uplifting is all around us if we just take a few

to choose something we love and share it with those we love.

 

Life is short. Adventures are many.

Weave something special into your Thursday to carry on to Friday!

 

 

 

A Simple Christmas Giveaway

Friday. A week in review. Another fast week. Another week of life lessons.

December. The beginning of another season. A season of hope.

Sometimes all we need is hope. I'm looking forward to a new season on many levels and hope that you too will find hope in whatever you are going through whether good or bad, ups or downs.

In the middle of a turbulent season of my life this past 6 months especially, I have been reminded that there is hope. I want to thank each of you again as I did before for your prayers, your strength, your kindness, and just hanging in here with me as I wrote several months ago. I'm very hopeful that this season of struggle, to put it lightly, is closing and a new brighter chapter is in the near future.

At Christmas, I've always loved to give whether it be my time, my talents, or gifts.

A couple of months ago, I ordered from Pineberry Lane and also ordered a Blackbird Design book that would be the perfect Christmas giveaway this year for anyone who loves samplers, vintage scissors and 32 ct Belgian linen to make your samplers. It's been moved from one place to another through the chaotic past few months but now time has settled things and finally getting to posting it.

I've ordered from Pineberry Lane in the past and this is where I knew the quality of products and linen is awesome!

A book by Blackbird Designs, A Schoolgirl's Work is a beautiful 110 page book of old samplers, the history of the making of them, and several patterns from those samplers. I do not have one myself but hope one day to order one as I was so impressed with the quality and beautiful pictures and patterns in this book.

Of course with Blackbird Designs, you know that spells quality by itself.

The scissors are wrapped with sprigs of lavender, as well as the linen.

I am going to leave those unopened but here are a few pics:

32 ct fat quarter of linen from Pineberry Lane

and the vintage scissors from Pineberry Lane

The season started here in April with a prayer alone

and all since then was in God's hands. I had tried to fix things myself but as you most know there is a time to let go and that time had come.  I had no idea how or what events would take place but

just as I said in the post in the Springtime when I gave this pair of scissors, sampler and linen,

I will say again.

One thing is the same throughout all seasons in life:

Remember well and bear in mind,

A Faithful friend is hard to find

~~~~~~~~

Surround yourselves with loving friends and those that choose not to be, pray for.

That's the best gift you can give!

http://feathersinthenest.blogspot.com/2011/02/spring-fever-give-way-starts-now.html

I have to say this even again and I'm so glad there is at least that one constant in life we can count on through all seasons.

The Christmas Season shared with you.

Good luck!

Basic things as usual:

1) be or become a follower of this blog and post here

2) international accepted

3) all 3 in one gift to the winner

4) if anonymous, please also put a way to reach you if your name is drawn from the random selector

5) for 2 chances, post twice, once as a follower, and second as your favorite pair of scissors.

6) for a third chance, post a third time that you posted on your blog, if you have one.

Starting today and ending on December 24th at midnight.

Abbie and I appreciate your patience with hanging in with us through some horrific events. I cannot and won't share this on a public domain. Just know that it's in God's hands and for all that we did survive and go through, we will be ok. We thank those that chose to stand by us and not leave.

I have but one Christmas wish this year and I've learned to keep it inside between myself and God for He already knows what that wish is.

I'm glad I was able to keep the strength to keep blogging although my stitching came to a hault for awhile.

I hope this changes soon and I finish at least A Christmas Heart sampler which is really just a simple verse from a movie that means alot to me and even though simple it represents my Christmas this year.

  I will say that it's time for rest now. It's time to sleep, to rest, and to eat and never give up on our Christmas wish.

Till later,

Jennifer

The Winner of the Gingher Ella give-a-way for Caylee and other stuff

First, I want to thank each of you for participating in the give-a-way. I do this from time to time in order to pay if forward to the sweetest stitching friends all over the world.

 Way back, when the Caylee Anthony case was going to trial, I thought how ironic that her birthday was August 6th and she would have been 6. How ironic that her birthday is 10 days different from a child I lost, Aaron, who this year (can't believe it) would have been 26 years old. So much in the news about Casey and not many focusing on Caylee. Nothing will bring Caylee back but I hope that she will be remembered every year on her birthday by those who remember and loved her. In rememberence this year of her, I drew the winner of the 195 comments left on the July 6th posting!

The winner is Loraine from Utah!!!!  She also has a beautiful  blog to enjoy as well.

Yep, I had to look twice when I put in the numbers through the Random Computer Generator as it picked number 195, the last person. Most of the time hardly ever does it pick first or last numbers, so Loraine enjoy and send me your email so I can get your snail mail address. Congrads!

Tonight I finally cooked after a long time of eating whatever. I decided and thankfully had the ingredients perfect for a pumpkin pie. If anything, it made the place smell pretty good while it was cooking and there for a minute, I turned up the AC and pretended it was Fall :O

The crust may look weird. I usually use the frozen kind but instead I tried the rolled up Pillsbury ones and the only pie pan I had was perfect for it. I crimped the edges in any kind of way and poured in a mixture of:

Pumpkin , 15 oz can

2 eggs

1 tablespoon of Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tablespoon of cinnamon (optional, I love cinnamon)

1--14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk

and a slow handheld mixer from Walmart that has only one speed---High--spattered remains on the refrigerator afterward but doggone good.

Combine all from what was not spattered on the refrigerator during mixing at high speed into a pie crust and cook at 425 for, I don't know, I just watch it. Probably about 30 minutes.

I almost cooked it too long but still was really good. Just missed the cool whip or ice cream part!

Hope your weekend went well. Mine was full of reading and watching a couple of free movies.

 With the exception of a LDS prophet at the doorstep banging on it to convert me to this religion, it was pretty quiet. It didn't set well with me as I had just watched the news about Warren Jeff and pedophiles are one of my pet peeves. No, I didn't answer the door.

 Everybody has their own religion, but by age 48 I think I'm comfortable with mine and I hope the brave man does not come back or Annie Oakley will show her belief system at the door, pamphlet or no pamphlet this time. ;)

 Keep calm and carry on......

Jennifer

A Gingher scissor giveaway in honor of Caylee Anthony

After being drawn in the drama of the Casey Anthony trial for way too long now, my staycation is going to dedicate this pair of Ginghers in her memory. I've always loved "Ella" and this is the last pair, that is new and packaged for your opportunity to win and add to your collection. A leather sheath is accompaning this pair.

With the winner of this pair of Gingher's will be a designed sampler tucked in your package to stitch into a nice huswife, needlebook, or just for a pillowkeep sitting right besides your precious scissors.

You know the rules.......

1) must be a follower of this blog
2) international is welcome
3) one posting for one chance
4) a second posting for posting on your blog if you have one
5) and even a third chance for posting one blessing you can count in your life.

Simple.

Included will be my design for your new Ginghers. I will be stitching it soon for a model.

Good luck!!
All postings go here.

Such an emotional day, but something bright to add to your collection.

I love the Ella rotary as well.

The beginning starts now and ends in one month on Caylee's birthday, August 6th. at midnight.

Enjoy and good luck!!!

Jennifer

And the winner of the Blackbird Design giveaway is:

Deborah from MA, Cranberry Samplings, is the winner!!!!!

Congrads!  I know you'll love this sampler and threads. Hope it brings some joy to your week soon.

Just email me your addie and I will send it out this week.

The week has shot by way fast. I started Ann Hill and got the top border lines completed but oh my! to start counting to make sure this border is corrected. I will have to do that about 10 times. I may just start working in the left corner below and go with it in that direction.

This is upside down.  Almost looks like a zipper from a distance. ;)

A small start, but at least a start, for me last night. I haven't had much time this week to stitch like I would have liked. Got way too much going on in the background, but I can do it!

here's hoping your Friday goes well!

Jennifer

A Blackbird Design Americana Giveaway is here!

Memorial Day is coming up soon!

 And then not too much later we will celebrate America on July 4th, Independence Day.

This morning I tried to find something that you would love for a giveaway. This would be a great Americana piece as well. I've admired it many times but have not stitched it myself. Stitching away at at Americana samplers from now till July 4th would be fine by me!

Proud to be American, and in memory of those who served our country and those who gave their lives for our freedom, this is one of the samplers I really think you will like.

SO, without further rambling, post on this post only if you are interested in a 1,2 or 3 times chance for a beautiful Blackbird Design sampler AND ALL the threads including overdyeds to go with it.

America The Beautiful

by Blackbird Designs

Threads recommended by the pattern AND included with this give-a-way are:

Gentle Art Sampler Threads----Dark Chocolate

Gentle Art Sampler Threads---Maple Syrup

Gentle Art Sampler Threads---- Mulberry

Gentle Art Sampler Threads-----Tarnished Gold

Weeks Dye Works---Angelhair

Weeks Dye Works---Twilight

Weeks Dye Works----Kudzu

DMC 221

DMC 224

DMC 3045

DMC 3051

DMC 3722

DMC 869

DMC 924

DMC 926

The stitch count is 203w  x 163 h

International accepted

Post once if you are a follower or become one.

Post with a second posting if you put it on your blog (in you have one)

Post a third posting naming any special person you know and remember on Memorial Day (can be general or specific)

Starts today and ends midnight June 1st!!

Winner will be announced on or about June 2nd.

The winner will be chosen by the random number generator so make your postings three separate ones for more chances.

Please leave an email with one of your postings so if you are the winner I can email you.

If winner doesn't respond by 4 days after, another winner will be chosen.

The winner will also receive another sweet treat surprise with your goodies. Lips sealed on that one.....  ;0

Hope your week started out well yesterday and today. It's jetting by for me.

Miss Abbie is being her spoiled -self as usual and reminded me that bikini weather is coming up soon.

Our AC unit upstairs is broke.....again. This is the new one that was fixed already once this year (in fact 2 weeks ago) . So, waiting for the AC man to fix that one----again--- and then the entire unit downstairs has to be replaced as it's many years old and only the air works, temp fixed for right now.

One of the Labs we have, Raven, is still losing weight and the doc can't figure out why and $400.00 later.

She is just not herself right now. We are trying to get her to eat some high calorie puppy food now but she is got to go back to the vet ----way too much weight loss in a short time.

Good news is that my new computer will be loaded up this afternoon by a tech and hopefully a new printer installed as well.

Prayers are being answered and I want to thank each and every one of you who have written personal emails for encouragement and introducing yourselves. I hold them close to my heart and want to thank you again for your prayers.

Also thank you for writing me and letting me know that this blog is meaningful to you. I know some days I ramble on about things not stitchy related but I'm pretty much holistic in my life right now. Stitching is my love and it's intertwined and inspired byother areas of my life. It's the grounding force for me when all the other parts of my life change. I feel honored to share the passion with so many people around the world and I welcome newcomers here as well.

I also practice yoga and have a deep love for it. If someone had told me even 2 years ago I would love yoga, I would have laughed but it's really not hokey and it's great exercise for the body, mind, and spirit.

Stay cool,

Jennifer

I so enjoyed seeing the wedding photos tonight after work!

In spite of some burdens placed this week, I got really giddy this morning remembering as I shampooed my hair, that marriage vows were being exchanged over the pond!  It was so exciting I was catching pics on the phone during lunch and when I got home tonight, looked at the blushing bride and groom who to me looks like Diana. I just know in my heart her spirit, her sweet, sweet, spirit was there and William knew it too.
She would have been such a proud mum!

Thanks to all the emails and comments on the design in commemorative. I hope you enjoy it.
If the weather is good tomorrow, I think, I'm going to take my frame outside on the porch and use the natural sunlight and gentle cool breezes of Spring to encourage me to get a move with working on it.

The hold up on it was the colors. With so many colors and companys of colors to choose from, I finally chose the ones I liked the best but feel free to use what you have on hand too.

Yesterday, in other news, I saw the first BIG snake in our community at my Godmother's house, who is unfortunately moving away an hour but she is happy and as long as she is happy, I'm happy.

At first I thought the thing was a big limb across the entire drive. Nope, it started slithering and I started screaming and put the care in reverse in her drive so fast and blew the horn.....SNAKE. SNAKE, SNAKE!!!  Ok, I guess you can tell I don't like snakes....LOL

The heat is bringing them out and therefore I've already reached into my closet to find my leather high boots for the yard as they can't bit through that as well as.........Flip-flops.  Yep, my favorite summertime shoe is flipflops.

I'm going to bed praying for Kate and Will that they have a good marriage and stay the same as they are now, happy and full of friendship and love. I hope they live the ""happily ever after" that all us little girls dream about from years ago and few attain it, sadly.

Besides taking an adventure tomorrow, I will definitley put the rest of the used charts together for a drawing so stay-tuned. Followers only please and international welcome.

I'm going to call it........the Stashinator.  Yes, I will unclench from my hands some favorite patterns, but those I've stitched already so that someone else can enjoy!

It's time to put the hat off and get into bed. Tomorrow I will post with a list so you will know if you want to try for the Stashinator Givenator.

Till later,

Jennifer

P.s. I hope sunshine fills your weekend and all your dreams come true.

Fixing the Easter Basket Giveaway

Wednesday went by in a Flash, literally.....LOL. I digress on that.  And I'm so glad that is over. Fell in bed at 9pm, which is RARE for me and woke up at 9am. 12 beautiful hours of sleep. That is a true blessing for a chronic insomniac! Thank you, Lord!

I'm counting my blessings as when I came home, Body Guard announced that our downstairs furnace has expired. Blew up. Over. Deceased. Don't work. Whatever the words, that means a BIG expense coming our way and doesn't it pick the best times to do this? But I have trust that whatever it takes, God will provide.

I had hoped to fill an Easter basket full of new stitching things for someone special in a giveaway. And guess what?  I have decided to let go (please record this in history as letting go is hard) of some patterns that I have already stitched and need new homes. That's one of my chores today is to spend some time in the studio.
I had already bought a new pair of embroidery scissors and this will be included. In fact, I have 2 new pair!!!!  So this giveaway will be good anyways and life works in mysterious ways sometimes.

I miss making Easter baskets every Easter for my kids since they flew the nest. I think I will enjoy making this one for a lucky stitcher.

I will post later today with what's in it exactly and that's where you will be able to put your postings for a random draw.

So I must get busy in the studio and think of what this bunny is going to put in your Easter basket!

So if you would help me today, leave some names of your favorite designers on this posting to give me a guide. Thank you so much for your comments, they mean the world to me. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!


And for all you bunny lovers like me, here is a design for you to stitch up. The Velveteen Rabbit is my favorite childhood book, as many of you know already so I've been dabbling with some small designs to put in a collection. Remember the Old Skin Horse?  Remember his words of wisdom?  Well this one is dedicated to him.  Also would look cute in a baby's nursery. And when I saw the color Huckleberry.......it's the prettiest teal blue I have ever seen! The patchiness on the little ones is part of the story. If you haven't read the book you can actually read it free online. I don't have any websites handy to insert but google it and you will find it in free format. It's a great read to your children AND for adults. So much wisdom.

The Skin Horse---sampler

designed by Feathers in the Nest

copyright@ 2011

Color chart:

GA Cidarmill Brown (lightbrown)-borders

GA Dark Chocolate (darker brown) eyes, mouth

GA Huckleberry (teal)

CC Peanut Brittle ( the Skin Horse)

GA Adobe (patches on the rabbit)

CC Finley Gold (the cross and the crown)

Have fun and remember leave me your fave designers here for a guide while the bunny is working in the studio today!!!

Jennifer

New Winner of the Giveaway

Let's try this again!  :)

Yes, this morning over my cup of tea I combed through both boxes of emails many times and no Phyllis. I hope she is ok. That kinda worries me but I try not to be a worry wart.


But without further rambling, I did set a day to answer and if not would draw another name, and the winner this time is:

Jessica @Before the Dawn in Colorado!

Jessica, please email me at feathersinthenest@yahoo.com and let me know on this posting you got the message too! I will email you as well for your snail mail address to send your package!

The Spring fever giveaway, going once....going twice......

If anyone knows Phyllis from Fla personally please let her know she won a great giveaway. I hope she is ok. I try to give enough time in case of no internet access, out of town, etc but after 5 or 6 days, I will have to do the random thingamajig again.

 I've gone through my emails again tonight and on the blog with  no response from her so if I don't get a response by Sunday morning, I will be picking another winner as I will not know where to snail mail her prizes!

Today was a full day of work and then welcomed home with a roaring, warm fire in the fireplace, pizza in the oven, and a yoga mat waiting for a session! I'm so exciting to find something so relaxing and mind-soothing as yoga and it's stretching muscles and toning up as well too. My beautiful pool-blue mat came in the mail last week and with a jumbo yoga ball and lessons from online, books, etc. I'm trying to devote at least 30 minutes a day and 45 minutes on days off during the week. I used to think yoga was a bit hokey but it's GREAT and definitely not hokey! And it's always something new to learn about it. I didn't realize the complexity of the poses and reasoning until I started practicing.

Interestingly enough, I was reading tonight online about Walter Reed Hospital doing a study ongoing now with Yoga and PTSD with soldiers and they are finding very positive results. The article was interesting. The results were so impressive that they compare with medications, so this is a great learning experience for me and also I can share this with others in my career as well.

There is a 100% chance of rain here tomorrow and it has turned cold again so I plan to work on some sewing projects and organize my stash a bit before starting a new sampler. I really don't know what will pull at my heart next though but for sure an inside, cozy by the fire weekend. ;)

I'm working on designing a Dutch sampler, inspired by no other than the Dalenberg family!
More on that later. I actually started this design several months ago and tweaking it a bit. So if you like Dutch samplers, stay-tuned. I'm using overdyed threads on this one.

Peace.

The Winner of the Spring FEVER Giveaway and a FREEBIE

yep, got up early this morning to tally out this with the random number generator and with over 450 comments to go through. I LOVE to meet new people all over the world and the winner is

~~~~~~PHYLLIS from Florida!!!!!

I have sent her an email for her mail address so these items can grace her mailbox soon~

THANK YOU to ALL for participating and I wish I could give all 450+ scissors but.......there will be other give aways to try for in the future because I simply love, love, love to share joy with you.

For a thank you for participating and commenting, I will share another Irish design that I made a couple of weeks ago.

The Luck of the Irish 1823

designed by Feathers in the Nest

copyright 2011

Recommend stitching on any linen of your choice!

Your fave green and gold threads as well!

Just click on the above image and this should enlarge it for you to see.

Remember if you would like to share you finishes, email me at

feathersinthenest@yahoo.com

I always love to hear from you and hope you will have some fun stitching hours with this one.

It will be offered on the blog as a freebie for a couple of weeks so print now if you want a copy.

This pattern is not for sale. Please credit Feathers in the Nest, thank you.

I have so much to show you but I must get to some chores and then I'll be back later today with some more pics of cool things!  Stay-tuned!

With smiling Irish eyes I remain,

Jennifer

I'm Speechless today when the mail came

I opened the mail this morning and was

 shocked.

 Speechless.

 Overcome with Emotions.

All at one time!

This was inside a folder from Carol M from PA and she sent the most touching note with it, as well.

It's a work pouch!!!!!  I can't believe it!! I would never be able to get one this beautiful. I honestly was looking at one of the websites the other day at a new pouch and didn't order it and so glad because this is my most favorite and unique, awesome and gorgeous work pouch of all time now!!!!

I cannot thank Carol enough for the thoughtful work and words, time and love she put into this pouch.

Take a look-see

The fabric is quilted and thick, and look at the Adam and Eve sampler!

Then I looked up and saw Feathers in the Nest with the date and the verse and my heart was so touched.

I think it stopped for a beat or two.

It snaps at the top!

I LOVE THE COLORS!!!!

And it's the PERFECT size for my medium qsnaps or frames and all the materials, scissors, everything to take with me.

I so needed to read that verse at the top. I need to see it often because my earth father well..... a bit the opposite. I need to see this reminder because, honestly, through some hard times its, difficult to imagine the grace that our Heavenly Father has for us and how different he is from our own father.

She said that Anita at Everything Cross Stitch from Fredricksburg, VA did the finishing of the bag.

The pattern is from a Mar/April Just Cross stitch magazine 1985.

Did you know that the house we live in now was built in 1985?  I had no idea at the time of course as I was in  another marriage in another time and in a vacuum I won't go through again here. My son, Aaron, was born in that year too. In 1984 and 1985, I was saying prayers daily that were answered in His own time. The perfect time.

In her sweet note, she wrote that she is praying for me and I do so need that Carol, thank you, thank you, thank you! We all do and I will pray for you too.

This bag is so special and I will never forget all the love that was put into it either.

And Deb at The Threadgatherer's Blog......no, girl, you can't have it either!!!! LOL (Deb loves Adam and Eve samplers)  ;)

I opened this at the perfect time and place, Carol!  Thank you again and I promise to carry this with me (probably everywhere) as I try to sneak in some stitching in the car and on the go to.

Speaking of on the go~~~~~~

I just finished up Miss Frances here and where there's a will, there's a way.

Designer~~ The Scarlet Letter

reproduction sampler

Frances Bliss 1778

This was in my stash for at least 3 years. I bought it as a kit with the cotton floss and the linen. The copyright was 1983. It took a bit of ironing to get that wrinkle out!

 I started it, then got stumped on the herringbone stitch and then this week picked it back up and, I promise you, I got plenty of practice as all the blue lines are herringbone stitches!

Now, as you know, reproductive  reproduction samplers frequently have misspellings and odd letter shapes and skips the J, etc. so I did stitch this EXACTLY as the instructions directed with the DMC threads included and on 25 count unbleached linen (included with the kit at the time).

So for clarification, yes, the sex word is in the sampler for the age of six.

I'm not completely sure what the mother must of thought of the word sex instead of six when Frances showed her the completion. 

According to the history of this sampler, Frances's mother was named Abigail!!!! I like that name of course.

You can see the lighter color threads.

But all the herringbone was done in DMC 931.

 SKY BLUE.

As in our beautiful weather for today!

And finally, if you would like to win a brand new (reproductive reproduction) pair of these scissors from Pineberry Lane, remember deadline is Feb 28th at midnight for entry.

 See Feb 15th post for details.

Amazing grace,

Jennifer