HALLOWEEN'S A HOOT

Do you recall a snippet of this piece I showed you a glimpse of earlier? Well, it's not a postage stamp, even though it does resemble one with the notched edges and all.
It is actually a Prairie Schooler pattern I stitched one over one on a piece of 28 ct. Witches Brew linen from my stash. It came from the Halloween Issue of Just Cross Stitch in 2008.

As you all may know, I love birds, especially birds of prey. Blackbirds, ravens, crows, owls, yes I know they are all dark and mysterious. But over the past few years, I realized that I really, really like owls and so this new love took on a whole new perspective for me. As most collections go, I started with just one, and one became two and two became five and now I don't have enough fingers or toes left to help keep count of them!!! Although I only display them for Halloween, I am always on the look out at second hand stores for these one of a kind finds that I just can't bear to leave behind. Sound familiar???? I know I'm not the only crazy collector out there!!

Anyway, I am sorry for keeping you in suspense for such a long time, but I had to!!! You see, when I first started my blog back a few months ago, this wonderful lady named Deb visited my blog and left sweet comments for my reading pleasure. So, I had to venture over to her blog and check out what she was working on. I found the neatest and most unusual item that caught my eye and so I contacted her about it. It was this really neat milky white, artichoke shaped, glass decoration she called a "Scissor Frog". It was so stunning to me as I had never seen anything like this before. I sent her an email telling her I just had to make her something special to put in it. Go here to see how awesome her blog, Thread Gatherer, is and also to view her beautiful display for her scissor collection! Now you've checked it out, aren't you just jealous? What I wouldn't give to own one of those.........

So this is what I came up with..... I found these really cool owl scissors and that's how I figured out what the theme was I was going to stitch. Little did I know about making and finishing a scissor fob, but I figured it couldn't be that hard and there was no time like the present. So this owl fob represents my first try.....I think it turned out pretty good. But don't look too closely maybe it's not as good as I think!!! (LOL) I stuffed it with fiberfill and added a nickel in it for weight, so I know it's worth at least 5 cents. I stitched beads around the edges and it gave it a picot or rick-rack look, which I really liked. I think it looks fitting, don't you? I also "rubbed and buffed" the scissors with some black to highlight the owl better and give it more definition. I received an email from Deb today and by the sounds of it, she loves her newest addition and who knows, maybe this will start a new collection of owls for her, too, you just never know.

Good Evening My Prettie's, Care For a Strawberry or Peach...

Good Evening my dearest ones, how have you been? Dreadful, I hear, that's wonderful!! (LOL) Me, too.....I took today and tomorrow off of work so I could work on my living room. Unfortunately the Big Bad Bug visited me and put a spell on me. I haven't felt well today so I took a long summers end nap with my three cats on my son's bed. Don't tell him though, I don't want to upset him. Hopefully the spell will be lifted by tomorrrow so I can continue as planned.

I'm sorry I haven't posted for a while, just too busy to blog lately, but I will try and catch up on everyone's updates. I made this Blackbird Designs Sampler, called Strawberry Garden, earlier this year so I thought I would share some glimpses of it with you now. This is one of my favorite parts of this design. A sweet, juicy, sun ripened, red strawberry.

This is my second favorite part. I just love birds, especially if they are black. Oops, looks like I forgot to stitch his bead on for his eye.

Random photo #1

Random Photo #2

Completed "Strawberry Garden"
By Blackbird Designs
Now off to the framer......

Okay, I finally got around to making my Mother-in-law a fresh peach pie. Here is a photo before it went into the oven. I used a Pillsbury Pie Crust and I sliced up about 9 fresh white peaches, added some white sugar, cinnamon and some tapiocca to thicken it. Poured the mixture into the unbaked pie crust and I topped it off with a crumb mixture of brown sugar, white sugar, flour and butter. Baked it at 375 degrees for 45 mintes.

And this is what it turned out like. The house smells of warm cinnamon, such a sweet, pleasant aroma. Reminds me of autumn and Halloween. Yikes, I can't wait I tell ya!!!

Until next time.....have a piece of pie and enjoy!

PUMPKIN HOLLOW

Pumpkin Hollow

by With Thy Needle & Thread

There once was a witch

Who paraded a stick

High up on Pumpkin Hill.

In her black shiny boots

and tall pointy hat,

A plump wild witch was she;

With her hair that was snarled,

And hands that were gnarled,

And a rickety, kickety knee.

NINE NINE OF OH NINE!!!

The Goode Huswife

Little Red R Sampler

stitched on 28 ct hand dyed linen

using DMC thread

What a date to remember, 09-09-09!! I couldn't resist pulling out a

WIP and adding the final touches so I could complete it on this very day.

As you can see in the photo above I strategically placed the 09-09-09 so it was very visible to the eye. I scattered my initials throughout the sampler just for fun.

I added a few of my own little designs here and there.

I'm still deciding if I really like the four "stars" around the initial "J", what do you think? Should I leave them or rip them out????


I stitched this on hand dyed linen and I wasn't truly in love with the colors of blue on it, so I coffee dyed it, dried it, didn't like it, so I coffee dyed it again!! LOL!! I find this hard to say because I am such a perfectionist, but I really like the uneven, uncentered and out of balance stitching showcased on this design. Definitely a school girl look. Gotta love the simplicity, right?

It has been such a crazy week for me, so it was a nice needed change of pace to be able to add some well deserved stitching time in tonight so I could finish this one up. My "Sail Away" project has kinda been anchored lately. Labor Day weekend was filled with working in the yard and packing up some things in the house. It's amazing how much stuff you have to pack up and put away so you can refinish the hardwood floors and add a fresh new coat of paint to the walls. I hope I can someday get back to stitching. I mentioned a few weeks ago I was giving up ice cream and going on a diet......it's working, and so far I have dropped 20 pounds!!! Wooo Whooo!!! The goal is insight now and hopefully I won't put any weight on during the holidays. I guess that's all for now, I have been perusing some of your blogs lately and have seen some fabulous projects in the works......lucky you....keep smiling and happy stitching!