Christmas Wrap Up, New Primitive Doll, Ornies, etc.

Well, fellow stitchers, crafters and humans - we are on the eve of a New Year, and I wish us all well!

I hope everyone had a fantastic Christmas. I had a better one than I deserve. My kids got me the sweetest and most thoughtful gifts, new Pandora charms, books. They got us a gorgeous book of photos from the wedding last year. So thoughtful and beautiful.

I was so thankful to get the embroidery/applique book by Maggie Bonanomi. It is filled with such gorgeous prim and homey designs. I also LOVE this needle felting book! Oh I really need to do the Corgi and the Jack Russel! Needle felting seems easy enough and I should tackle this one in 2023. 

Somehow, I buckled down and made myself another doll I'd been wanting to make. She turned out great! I can't say enough nice things about the designer of these cuties. Her gorgeous patterns can be found on Etsy at Liberty Creek Primitives. The patterns are adorable, and her instructions are fantastic. Very easy for a beginner too (if you have a basic understanding of sewing)! This little sweetie is called "Rejoice" in her store. I need to add a red stuffed heart or stocking for her to hold. Not sure which at this time!

I picked up my needle for a few minutes this week, but not even enough progress to show. However, I do want to show off my daughter in law's amazing skills here with some felt ornaments I was lucky enough to be gifted! She had a friend show her the basics, and she practiced and practiced and then downloaded some patterns and made these beautiful ornies for me. I could have cried! 

This is something else I've always wanted to learn to do. And now I have someone to show me everything about it! WOW. To say I was surprised is an understatement! I mean, she absolutely has amazing talent at so many things, but I never expected needlework! She is awesome. <3

I need to focus on my health and creativity this year again. I'm delving in next week and continuing the journey I started earlier this year. I have new challenges and things to overcome, but I'm looking forward to getting some of these things behind me and moving on. Lots to do.

Please don't put any undue burdens on yourself to do more, be more, etc. Just be. If you have a new goal, by all means, go for it. But I think a lot of times we set ourselves up for disappointment and feelings of inadequacy by trying to come up with too many goals, you know? 

We've had lots of things to deal with this year, including the loss of my mother in law. It's been a rough one in many ways. But also a good one in many ways. We carry all of this with us into 2023. My main goal is to handle whatever comes my way with patience, and as much grace as I can muster. Be calm, and carry on!

I hope you all have a creative and happy and healthy New Year! I will see you soon with more stitching stuff! Take care of one another and stay safe. 

Until next time,

Thanksgiving, Pineberry Lane, and a Witchy Primitive Pinkeep

I hope everyone is recovering nicely from turkey and carb overload! Nice to sit down and type for a bit after a couple days on my feet. Thanksgiving was really nice. Small gathering with my father in law and my son and daughter in law. They called in the morning to say how strange it was to wake up on Thanksgiving and not be in our home, hearing all the goings on in the morning, etc. It was equally weird for me not having them here. I miss them so much! But they are just a couple streets over and I'm very thankful for that! 

Got only a tiny bit of work done on Tansy, by Pineberry Lane. When I have another block of time, I should be able to nearly finish it. I absolutely love her designs. 

 I forgot to show some stash I acquired a month or so ago when me and my mom drove up to In Stitches on a spur of the moment one weekend.

I could have gone really overboard, but this was it. Not like I have a shortage of patterns, you know? LOL. 

Well, there's another primitive Halloween finish here! It's from Prims By Denise on Etsy. I saw it and thought maybe, just maybe I could do it. So I carefully followed the instructions and VOILA! I now have an adorable witchy pincushion of my very own!

She could maybe use a couple more pins, but I don't want to overload it. Pretty proud of this one! I'm not a stranger to a sewing machine and I love the one I have. It's an old Singer that my husband got for me at Woolworth's (believe it or not), back in about 1988-89. Knock on wood, it's a workhorse! And it's served me well for all my crafty needs this whole time.

There are so many wonderful Etsy designers out there with primitive patterns and cross stitch and all kinds of other things. Getting on my tablet in the evening before I go to sleep and just perusing....that's my habit and I don't wanna kick it. It relaxes me just dreaming about all the things and planning out what I want to do next.

Time to get Christmas planning. Another year coming to an end. The end of the year just goes so quickly! There's barely any time between Halloween and New Year's it seems. 

Take care and get lots of stitching and crafting time in between doing all that holiday shopping!

Until next time,

Post Halloween, Pineberry Lane, and Primitive Doll Making!!!!

I hope everyone out there had a fun and wonderful Samhain/Halloween! We were pretty low key here, with just sitting on the front porch handing out candy. Had a bit of rain, but it cleared up and it was a nice night overall. 

We did some of our regular holiday ritual things, like going to King's Dominion a few times. We decided there really isn't anything about Halloween we don't love and that Christmas could learn a lot from Halloween. 

I wanted to stop stitching on the patriotic BBD I had going. I'm not feeling very patriotic lately, and since Autumn began, I wasn't feeling it anyways. I wanted to start something with Autumn colors, but not necessarily Halloween, because I knew I would be stitching it after Halloween since I am so slow. So I began Pineberry Lane's Tansy Yarrow Rue. Perfect. 

 I hand dyed some 16 ct. aida and it turned out great. Great colors and simple design. Doesn't mean I'm still not a slow stitcher. In my defense, work has been horrific. I never used that word about work before. I've been there for 15 years and some recent changes have put me square in the "not afraid to use the word horrific" category. Ugh.

One of our very favorite places to eat has closed permanently. Joe's Crab Shack. I was going to meet my mom there last week for lunch. We'd just been recently too! Pulled up and got this in return. No name, empty parking lot, dark restaurant. BOO. I'm very sad about this. We spent so many great times in here with family. Lots of good memories.

As I said, we went to King's Dominion and had a lot of fun. They do such a great job on atmosphere and decorating. Magnificent!

I went out on a limb and tried primitive doll making!!!! This is something I have been wanting to do for a couple years now. And in fact, I bought this pattern online at Etsy two years ago and had all the supplies waiting for me in a bag on the back of a doorknob and I said "enough is enough"! So I got to work and had her done in a weekend! It probably could have been finished in one day, and I'm sure the next one will. You can find her pattern HERE. I cannot recommend this shop enough. Directions are clear and easy! I never thought I could do this!

I got a little glue gun happy so I made her a cowl. LOL. I think she's precious! I am hooked. So yet another craft under my belt and something else to take up my time and money. Makes me so very happy though and it's so fun to learn something new.

These mugs. I bought them at Marshall's and they kept me going this Halloween season. I fell in love with them! Super cute, and I'll be using them ALL YEAR. Adorable, am I right?

Now it's time to prep for Thanksgiving and Christmas I guess. The past couple of years have been a bit surreal. It seems time has gone so slow in one respect, but I look around and wonder where it all went. Story of my life!

I really hope everyone out there is doing well and taking care of yourselves. Please VOTE on Tuesday upcoming. I vote every election and take it deadly seriously. Just do it.

Keep stitching and doing what you love to do. Until next time,

Framed it myself! ...and a couple updates

I decided a while ago to try and frame something myself from start to finish. Well, almost to finish. I need some paper and double sided tape, so I had Hobby Lobby close up the back, but I did everything else and I'm pretty proud of myself! 

The design is Thistles and Spells by Stacy Nash. It is on my own hand dyed Aida using the called for flosses on 16ct.

I ordered the frame, spacers, foam core and glass from Hobby Lobby and got to work finally. This is one of the things that had been sitting around in a bag just waiting for me to do it for over a year. UGH! But I rolled up my sleeves and did it. I used pins to attach it to the foam core. I have to say, it came out pretty perfect. I took about an hour and a half and readjusted once. I'm hoping I can do it a bit quicker next time around.

Last week, I went in with another piece and ordered a frame and mat and all the rest. As much as I love sending out my stitching for professional finishing at In Stitches, I simply cannot afford to do it. The cost is outrageous (for me anyways). It's always gorgeous, don't get me wrong. But wow. I'm always in sticker shock when I drop something off there.

After I get comfortable enough with Aida, I would like to attempt one of my linen pieces, and I may even try lacing. We'll see!

Here's a teensy update on BBD Union Forever.

That other color on the leaf? It's WDW Bark. I don't have a lot of it, so I stopped after a few stitches and placed an order for more. I didn't want to run out and have it look different later on, which I know it would because this skein is years old. The colors don't stay the same over the years with hand dyed flosses, so I just want it to look consistent. Dang I am a slow one with stitching lately.

It's right about the UN-official start to Autumn, so I splurged on some magazines. I thought about getting the Halloween Ornament issue, but I (gasp!) didn't really see anything that blew my hair back in that issue. Cute stuff for sure, but nothing I just HAD to have this year.

My son and my wonderful daughter in law took us all out for my birthday this year. They are so thoughtful and I love them so much. I don't know what I'd do without either of those kids. I am so lucky and blessed to have them in my life. SO lucky.

Lately I have been really busy getting medical things taken care of. Between that and work, spare time has been slim lately. I am crocheting something up while I wait for my floss to arrive, but not much. As my father in law likes to say "getting mature sucks". LOL. In some respects yes. I just never thought I'd be at the doctor so much! Hey, whatever it takes to get back on track in my life, count me in---I'll do it!

I'm looking forward to the official start of Fall, and until then, I'm going to pretend it is here already. That means, fresh apples, ALL the Bath and Body Works stuff, pumpkin spice lattes (yes, I'm that basic), and continuing to add to my Autumn playlist. Yes, I have playlists for all the seasons. :)

Hopefully my floss order will be in soon and I may have ordered a few stash items too. Somehow that $2.50 skein of floss turned in to $58. Anyhoooo, next time I post it'll hopefully be with that leaf being finished!

Take care and until then,

BBD Union Forever Update and new Octopus!

The heat has subsided just a bit here, but it's a welcome relief. There's been lots going on, but I did manage to get the bird started! Rolling along slowly but surely! Again, this is Wichelt, 32 count that I dyed myself and using 1x2 here.

Also met another goal in the midst of all the heat this past week and finished Oliver the Octopus. I'm partial to this one. 

I think he is so cute! And yes, he might only have seven legs. There was a mishap tying one of them on, and I didn't feel like hooking up another one. Super cute nonetheless! You can pick up with sweet pattern HERE. He was pretty easy and I'm sure I'll do another one at some point.

Hopefully everyone is staying cool and drying out after the rains and getting lots of stitching done. I've been doing a pre-Autumn clean out of my office craft stuff and bookshelves. They needed a good dusting for sure. Feels good to take care of some of that kind of stuff. Also cleaned out the hall shoe/coat closet. 

I dont' know what it is about the Autumn season that makes me want to clean out and throw away things. I do look forward to it though. It's kind of a break from the everyday chores and other things happening. Kind of a palate cleanser I guess. It helps me focus on work and my health more too, being able to look around and see everything nice and clean and organized!

Take care of yourselves out there, and see you soon with more stitching!

Until then,

BBD Union Forever Update!

I really could have had this thing done by now. I've changed fabrics so much, and I'm sticking with this one! The aida seemed to be chewing up the floss too much. The overdyeds aren't as sturdy or thick as DMC, and I have found that I have a bit of trouble with them when working on aida. Maybe it's just me! 

Using a piece of my own dyed Wichelt 32 count linen, one strand of floss over two. The fabric is a mottled gray, and I really like it.

We've had so many changes here in the past month. My kiddos moved out at the end of June and I miss them like crazy. They are still in the neighborhood though, and I do love that!

They went and picked up their long awaited puppy just a couple days after that. His name is Franklin, and he's the smartest, most adorable Corgi pup on the planet. He's only about 10lbs in this pic, but in just two weeks, he's a little over 13lbs! Precious!

My own little Jenny turned SIXTEEN on June 29th! Still doing her thing and bossing us all around.

I've been so preoccupied with all kinds of stuff going on that I haven't gotten ANY new stash lately. So unlike me, lol. I hope that changes soon. There are some super cute things out there I'd love to have, but haven't properly shopped for cross stitch in a long time.

Wishing I could enjoy some of the more traditional aspects of the season, but MYGODTHEHEAT!!!!!!!!!!!! Judging from the maps they are showing on the news every night, I'm assuming whoever is reading this is dealing with some kind of high temps as well. It's so crazy to see roads buckling, fires spontaneously bursting forth and lives in danger by the hundreds of thousands with this heat. It doesn't look like there's any going back either. So we will just have to be dealing with this kind of stuff going forward. This is why I am an Autumn kind of person!

I hope everyone who comes across this blog is doing well, and getting lots of stitching in! I'm going to keep diligently working on Union Forever and try to make a real dent in it over this next week.

See you soon, and until then,

BBD Union Forever and Summer Solstice!

A new start! Will wonders never cease? It feels so good to start on a new project. This has been in my stash forever, so I'm glad I dragged it out now.  Union Forever by Maggie Bonanomi of Blackbird Designs.

I tried to start this on a really cool piece of fabric by Picture this Plus. But it was 32 ct linen and my eyes were NOT having it. Luckily, I had a piece of 14 ct I dyed myself last year. It's kind of a toasted marshmallow color, but it shows up all the called for floss just perfectly. I think it's going to be really pretty! I've set a goal to stitch a little every day and if I have more time to devote, I'll do it. Strike while the iron is hot. And after this past year, I really plan to do that.

The next two weeks are going to be so hectic at my house. My wonderful kids are moving into their first place and my father in law is moving in here with us. All these changes at the same time are going to probably be stressful for all involved, but exciting too. The kids have long been looking forward to getting out on their own and I am having fun living vicariously through them as they begin their journey on this road!

Today is the Summer Solstice! Litha, Midsummer, whatever you may like to call it, it is a time for real reflection. I'm feeling it for sure! However you choose to celebrate, or acknowledge, make it a good day! The one day of the year that the light will overtake the darkness is kind of a magical thing!

I hope everyone had a great Father's Day and you're getting lots of stitching in, whether it be outside or inside. I really need to take advantage and stitch outside when the lighting is good! I need to get out in nature more. I've been missing it so much!

See you soon with another stitching update, and until then,

It's a MIRACLE! Stitching project finished!

A miracle has happened! I finished Pineberry Lane's Shoo! It has been a long time coming, but in my defense, this has been a heck of a year. Some good, some bad. Health challenges, and just dealing with a huge lack of desire on my part to do much of anything since fall. This is such a small project, I almost hate making a big deal of it, but I'll get to that later. Here she is! 

As I have been looking around my office during the day while I worked, these unfinished projects of mine were feeling unloved and making me feel somewhat guilty! I like finishing projects. I really hate having things not done and just waiting around. Since I've been getting some medical things taken care of, it's spurred me on to get moving on a couple of them and Shoo! really needed to get done!

Another thing that was just waiting for me for about a year in a plastic ziploc bag was this sweetie!

That face kills me! I love him so much. If you wanted to do him, the pattern can be purchased from THIS SHOP on Etsy. She has the cutest things. I thought he turned out so adorable! I'm getting better and better at doing some of these things, and having too much fun with them!

As I mentioned above, finishing these couple of things that have been staring at me for nearly a year-well, it gives me a big sense of accomplishment right now. I dare say I'm proud of myself, lol. AND, I am caught up with Project Life as well, so, whew.

My son turned 26 yesterday and we took him to our favorite steak place and we all had a great time. I'm so proud of him. He and his wife are moving out at the end of the month, and though they'll still be in our neighborhood, I can't tell you how much I will miss having them here. But I'm really excited for them to start their proper married life and I know they are too. Having to see Mom and Dad when you come and go all the time sure gets old I know! I've just had such a great time having them here. And this is what you raise your kids to do-be independent and self sufficient. It's so hard (and expensive) anymore!

The wheel of the year is turning toward Summer in just about 9 days! I cannot believe it. I will be taking care of lots of things for myself over the next few months and beyond. Time to get back to me for a bit and get my mindset and my physical health back on track.

Well, I hope everyone is doing great and getting way more stitching done than I have. I will shop around in my stash and start another one soon. I'll have to pull a few this week and decide. I have no shortage of things to stitch, that's for sure. I'm excited to begin something new. 

Take care of yourselves, and until next time,

Family updates and a new crochet Unicorn

So. It's been a bit rough. My mother in law passed away on 3/1/22. She had been dealing with cancer and kept saying how ready she was to go. We will really miss her. I'd known her for 40+ years. I'm so happy she got to see her first grandson get married. She so enjoyed that day and felt relatively good and had a really nice time too. Something I'll always be grateful for.

My goodness. That last photo was taken in Oct of 1996, so my son was about 4 months old. He sure loved his Nana. And she ADORED him--before he was ever born. He was there for her throughout her illness and was so sweet about taking time to spend with her and talk and just be. I'm so proud of the young man he has become. Good kiddo for sure. There are no words to describe how much I love him and my daughter in law. She was right in there with us, and it was hard. But we came through it.

On the crafty front, I made my daughter in law another amigurumi to add to the now ever-growing collection! This was so fun to make!

Seriously. The face. I learned a lot of new skills working this one up. Sometime soon, I'm going to try one with a DK weight or lighter weight so it can be smaller. This one is about 10 inches from the horn to the feet. You can purchase this pattern HERE. The instructions are fantastic and it really is quite easy.

No progress on the stitching front, even though I promised. To be fair, I've had my own health challenges the past couple months and a couple surgeries to boot, lol. My husband and I joke about how I'm due for an ER visit--then whaddyaknow, there I go! All is pretty good now. I just need to get myself back to where I want to be, and I'll be feeling better.

My state was down to 3.2% positivity rate for the pandemic recently. I just checked today and it's back up to 8.3%. Sigh. I don't even know anymore. Between that and the aggression against Ukraine, my brain is spinning sometimes. I truly do need to get back to walking and stitching. It makes me SO happy. Crochet does as well, as you can see. 

Sometimes these crafts can present problems for me that I never had as a younger person. Ever get elbow or back problems from hunching over your projects? UGH! It can really put a damper on your crafting time. Project Life does not do that for me, and I am several months behind on that. Lots of things have taken a back seat to more important issues lately. I hope I can catch up soon.

I hope everyone reading this is doing well and enjoying all their time, crafting or otherwise. Take care of yourselves and one another. Until next time, 

Happy Stitching, Tammy