A Needle's Story....

Happy Weekend...
to all my dear friends out there in blogger land :) It's always a good time of the week isn't it....the weekend? I think so!

I've been stitching in every spare moment I've had over the past week or so since we last visited and I thought I'd show you what I'm working on. Without further ado may I present:

"Penny America"

Designed by: Tree of Life Samplings ~ Jan Alexander

Copyright 2011

Stitched on: 40 ct. Macadamia Nut ToL Linens

Stitched with WDW as charted

I know....

I'm one of many out there that has fallen in love with "Penny America", I've seen lots of stitchers in bloggerville working on this pretty. I've even seen Faye , she of the speeding needle, finish hers up. I was lucky enough to hold Jan's model in my hands in June and I can't wait until mine is all stitched and hanging on my walls. It is gorgeous! And if any of you out there are holding out...break open that purse and get it! It is stunning!

Now....

to my needle story:  I started cross-stitching when I was 15 years old. I was gifted with two small Dimension Kits by my stepmother while visiting my Dad all those years ago. I stitched those little kits up and was hooked. I went to college and my stitching time was over...but after I graduated 4 years later, back to stitching I went with a passion. By that time,  I was introduced to patterns (not kits) by co-workers, and my quest was to own every color of DMC....ahhhh....the good 'ol days!

Stitching....

is my one and true love. When I was 26 I married my husband and when we moved into our new home and he was carrying in box after box after box of crafts he told me that I needed to "...pick one craft because it is better to be a 'master of one' than a dabbler of many..." or something to that extent. So I donated all my extra craft stuff and chose stitching. I stitched away until babies came....then I stitched but typically only yearly Christmas ornaments for my children. With the birth of our last baby (sweet Ellie) out came all my cross stitching stuff and again began my obsession in earnest!

I've always....

loved my stitching, but I've had a secret desire to quilt. But alas that darn "one craft rule". So I never have tried it....and lately I've been thinking about Needlepoint...hey (!) that fits the "one craft rule" category! You know I look at Coni's Blog , also a fellow Hoosier...and I dreamt of needlepoint - even e-mailed her about it around a year ago. But dream no more because this week, I walked right into my LNS where I've seen these gorgeous needlepoint quilt tops and I kitted up a pattern. May I present my very first Needlepoint adventure:

"Amish Trip Around the World Quilt"

Designer: From Nancy's Needle ~ Nancy Buhl

Stitched on #18 Canvas

Stitched with: Caron Watercolors and DMC #5 Pearle Cottons

Now...

of course this isn't complete yet...but I tell you what, my LNS owner gave me a little instruction and off I went with my goodies in the bag racing home to assemble my stretcher bars and tack in my canvas with Japanese tacks...who knew?! how much fun it would be to learn something new! I read what I could on my very complete pattern and went to town. I think, my dear readers, that I am in love! What is so soothing about needlepoint is that its a different texture, different look than cross-stitch. It will be nice to intersperse these needle point adventures with my cross stitch adventures for a change. Plus there are tons of quilt tops designed by Nancy's Needle and I plan on picking some more projects out soon! I get to quilt with my needle and thread :) And probably finish a quilt top a whole heck of a lot faster than a real quilt top. I won't be keeping myself warm in bed, but I'll be keeping my walls warmed up and cozy in my home!!

But...

the best thing is, that my needle story always has a happy ending and I'm pretty proud of my hobby and my ability that I have with my needle. It brings me joy, soothes my soul and give me such a feeling of satisfaction!

So...

until next time I'll be stitching away keeping "my hands at work and heart to God", just like always! Join in with me!

Hugs and love,

Mama's chicks....

have now all flown the nest....
and I don't know if I'm happy about it or if I'm going to cry about it. So while I collect my thoughts on this topic, please let me share the first day of school pictures that were taken this morning with everyone all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed :)

The first chick to fly....
was Katie. She's a big 8th grader now in Junior High School. She was so ready to get outta here this morning at 7:03 a.m. She loaded the bus, found her boyfriend and the seat he was saving for her and didn't give me a second glance as I stood in our driveway and waved goodbye.....apparently to the bus fumes....

Then....
I ran in the house and roused my three little chickies still in elementary school. Ian and Jake are big 6th graders this year - their final year in elementary school. And my baby, little Miss Ellie is officially a "school girl" and is now a Kindergartener. So without further ado, here's my three other little chicks. (note: Ellie had to get eye glasses this year and she told me she looks like she's really smart because she has to wear glasses....)

In my opinion....

it never hurts to butter up the office staff at your child(ren)'s school. So I whipped up this DELISH and super easy dessert for the office staff at the elementary school....I find that a little kindness every so often to these hard working, often overlooked people, helps when there is a "situation" at school. Plus, it is just good practice to give back to people that care for your kids. I dropped it off during lunch time...and walked out of that building like a rock star -  to cheers of delight!

If you'd like the recipe for this Angel Food Cake Dessert just click on the provided link and it'll take you on over to my recipe blog. Be prepared to pass the recipe around because this one is so delcious that people weep and gnash their teeth for the ingredient list :)

Until next time...
I'm gonna be doing a whole lotta stitchin' round here...cause after 14 years of having little partners around to share my day.....this Mama bird is finding her nest a little roomy....

But never fear....
I'll be keeping my "hands to work and heart to God" just like always and will have something to share soon!
Hugs and love,

Three Crows....

Good Day...
to my dear friends! We've reached the dog days of summer and the temperature and humidity gauge in good 'ol Indiana (and many other places of the US of A) is showing snarling hot temperatures. But the good 'ol weather man says that some cooler air is headed to Indiana and all I can say is, "Bring it on weather man, bring. it. on."

I just...
slipped the last few stitches in a fallish project that had me snarling like a dog, rather than fondly thinking of gourds and pumpkins.  For the life of me, I couldn't stitch the top and bottom satin stitched bands correctly and I frogged them THREE TIMES. I very nearly wadded the whole project up and threw it in the corner ~ but thanks to the moon cycle, low hormone levels and a clear head ~ I prevailed in my efforts and here, without further ado, is my finish:

"Three Crows"

Designed by: The Goode Huswife ~ Anne Brown

Copyright 2000

Stitched on 40 ct. lambswool

Stitched with DMC



This cutie...

will go in my finish drawer for a future "great frame up". I've spent a lot of dough-re-mi on framing in the last two months and I don't want the mister to go stark raving mad over the credit card bills...so to the drawer it goes for a future date with a framer :)

Next up...

well, I'll let you contemplate that as I start my next project. I'll give you a hint it deals with two of my great loves ~ Penny Rugs and America!

Until next time...

I'll be keeping my 'hands to work and heart to God' just like always! How about joining me?

Hugs and love,