Happy St. Patrick's Day!

"March Cottage"

by Country Cottage Needleworks

Wishing you a Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Here are a few vignettes from around my house

of  needlework from previous years...

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.

    He makes me lie down in green pastures,

he leads me beside quiet waters,

  he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

    for his name’s sake.

~Psalm 23:1-3

Blessings, Patti

A Few Fall Finishes

"A Bowl Full of Scaries - Scary Two"

by Plum Street Samplers

I had such a fun time stitching this piece and 

I think it looks great with my black squirrel by Lori Ann Corelis of The Spotted Hare.

My grandfather had black squirrels living in his neighborhood

 and we enjoyed watching them together.

This piece and Lori Ann's squirrel bring back those sweet memories...

"Harvest Chalk  Full"

by Hands On Design and Priscilla Blain

Another fun stitch! I loved Priscilla's finish, so decided to follow her lead...

So happy to have these two fully finished. I have a few more autumn pieces that I finished stitching and hope to fully finish before Thanksgiving.

Well, I am now caught up to the Bittersweet Sisters annual trip and will begin sharing that next week!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

    for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,

    for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,

    for they will see God.

~Matthew 5:6-8

Blessings, Patti

Little Lambs Eat Ivy

Last year at From Our Hands, Mom and I took the Lamb on the Hill Sewing Box class 

with Lori Ann Corelis of The Spotted Hare. 

We made our sheep and most of the box in class, and then somehow I let it sit for almost a year.

This is Lori's sweet model for the class and what we aspired to create.

Are you ready to see my finish?

Here it is!

I decided to place my lamb on a hilltop meadow of flowers. 

I am so thrilled with how it turned out!

Mom and I were apprehensive, but Lori walked us through each and every step.

I was excited when I realized that I have a Lehay's shaker carrier in the same color to match my sewing box! 

Another Stitch from My Stash Finish!

Can you tell that I am smitten with this little fellow?

I may have added too many flowers, I haven't quite decided yet.

This is something that I never would have attempted on my own.

Who knew that I could do it?!

Registration is open now for this year's From Our Hands ~ Creative retreat next month.

Thank you so much Rebekah and Lori Ann for expanding my creative horizons and bringing me out of my comfort zone!

“Do not be afraid, because I’ve redeemed you.

    I’ve called you by name;

        you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I’ll be with you;

    and through the rivers, they won’t sweep over you.

when you walk through fire you won’t be scorched,

    and the flame won’t set you ablaze.

~Isaiah 43:1-2

Blessings, Patti

Finally a winner! (and a finish or two)

Oh dear, I know that I am late in selecting a winner.

Time has a way of slipping away from me.

It was so fun to read all of your responses! And there were a lot of them!

85 entries in all!

So many things that you all are working on from crocheting and knitting, to cross stitch and punch needle to quilting and wool applique and even making bears. 

Using random.org, the winner is Mary Goode! 

Mary, I have sent you an email. Send me your mailing address and your prize will be on its way.

I wish that I had prizes for every one of the 85 ladies that entered.

I will be having another giveaway this month, so you still have a chance!

It's a special giveaway for a special anniversary. Stay tuned...

Mom and I spent time together over Memorial Day weekend and we did last year as well.

Last year we made sweet pinkeeps designed and kitted by Lori Ann Corelis. You can read about last year's project here.

This year Mom and I made "Strawberry Fields" 

from Maggie Bonanomi's new book "Pure & Simple".

We also worked on our special extra kits from From Our Hands ~ Creative.

Lori Ann Corelis was kind enough to gift them to all the participants.

"From the Heart"

~A Pin Cushion

designed and kitted by Lori Ann Corelis

We stuffed ours together and I stitched mine when I returned home.

I'll need to include Mom's with the next volume of Pennies from Heaven.

Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, 

for everything in heaven and earth is yours. 

Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

~1 Chronicles 29:11

Blessings, Patti 

From Our Hands ~ Creative 2018 ~ The Mercantile

This was my 4th year of attending From Our Hands ~ Creative

and it continues to be such a joy, anticipated all year long!

The Mercantile is usually the grand finale, but this year it was the beginning of the event.

Of course the night of the Mercantile I was way too busy shopping to take pictures. ;)

Luckily the teachers kept their booths set up all week.

But their tables are a little bare after all the shopping that was done on the night of the Mercantile!

Above is Rebekah L. Smith's booth after being decimated by our shopping lol.

This is Lori Ann Corelis' booth 

Doesn't she create such a lovely display?

Kelsey Anilee Smith (daughter of Rebekah) had a sweet booth 

demonstrating all of her artistic talents.

Donna Bennett of Crows on the Ledge had a booth filled with luscious wool.

and hooked rug and applique supplies as well.

And last, but not least the always inspiring booth of Stacy Nash.

Looking at these pictures, makes me want to go shop it again lol!

The Schomburgs, Debbie Hartwick and Kim Stout also had booths at the Mercantile, 

but alas no pictures of those.

Do you wonder what Mom and I bought?

You will have to wait for my next post to see :)

And don't forget, I'll be having a little giveaway at the end of my travelogue.

Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

~1 Thessalonians 5:12-13

Blessings, Patti

Pennies From Heaven ~ Volume 17 & a winner

Sorry that I haven't been around much. I've been spending time down at Mom's. 

So I do have some of her finishes to share!
Then I need to catch up and share another fun class that I took in May.

"May Basket Welcome Banner"

Design by Primitive Gatherings

"Sweet Spring"

by 1894 Cottonwood House

An original penny mat by Mom.

"Woolen Sunflower"

Design by Buttermilk Basin

kitted by Winterberry Cabin

I love the feather stitching and the buttons!

I had to share Mom's legal case filled with old buttons and pincushions - sew sweet!

And here is a little corner of Mom's sewing room / guest room.

Lucky me, this is what I wake up to when I stay with Mom.

I love all of her "Rebekah L. Smith" finishes - they look so nice together.

I stayed with Mom over Memorial Day weekend while she recuperated from surgery.

We made these wonderful velvet strawberry pinkeeps with tiny mohair mice.

Designed and kitted by Lori Ann Corelis of The Spotted Hare.

We had fun making them together and they are another wonderful souvenir of our Ohio trip.

This is Mom's with the wonderful feather stitching.

I never mastered the feather stitch, so I used the fly stitch.

Walks in Mom's neighborhood are so much different than my walks in downtown Chicago!

Much quieter ;)

Thank you so much to all that entered my giveaway!

There were a whopping 58 entries!

It was so much fun to hear what you all are working on ~ from EPP to hooked rugs to quilting.

Cross stitch with so many of my favorite designers - Stacy Nash, With Thy Needle and Thread, Blackbird Designs, La D Da, Notforgotten Farm, Heartstring Samplery and Little House Needleworks.

And, of course, wool applique with more favorites - Maggie Bonanomi, Missy Carpenter, Pineberry Lane, Quilts by Cheri and Rebekah L. Smith - with several working on the 2016 + 2017 Mystery Stitchalongs. (I have my patterns for both years printed, but never quite started either... just yet.)

I have to share the comment posted by Vicki Jo - it really touched me.

"Right now I am making a quilt from Sunbonnet Sue blocks that my Greatgrandmother made years before I was born. The blocks are made of feedsack fabric -- the girls are mounted on bleached muslin feedsacks -- you can see the words on some of the blocks!"

How special is that?!?! What a treasure!

Well, random.org selected #42 Carlie as our winner!

Congratulations Carlie! Your package is on its way...

I have another quick adventure coming up later this month,

so I am thinking there will be another giveaway after that.

So stay tuned!

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

~Ephesians 3:14-17

Blessings, Patti

Furry Fall Friends

 

"Bittersweet Gatherings"

design by Tammy Black of Scattered Seed Samplers

 

Designed as a drum pinkeep, I loved the entire design so much that I wanted to see it all at once. So it became a sawdust stuffed pillow backed with a great vintage calico that I picked up at an estate sale some time ago. 

 

I love the little orange triangles on the sides.

 

and the squirrels and bittersweet, of course :)

 

I love squirrels with their sweet faces and bushy tails. So busy this time of year working on their winter stores of provisions. We have so many in our neighborhood with all of its many mature trees.

They amuse me with their antics as long as it doesn't include eating my home grown produce :)

 

Here are a few of my favorite squirrels:

 

A vintage Steiff squirrel surrounded by chalkware acorns

in an old treen trencher with make do repair.

 

Another vintage Steiff squirrel with velvet acorns on an antique candle holder.

 

Sweet squirrel by folk artist Ginny Henson.

 

And my newest dear squirrel by Lori Ann Corelis of The Spotted Hare.

While growing up, I remember walking with my grandfather hunting for the few rare black squirrels that resided in his neighborhood. I was so thrilled a few years back to spy a few in my own neighborhood now - they brought back sweet memories.

 

Isn't that face so sweet :)

 

Who is wise and understanding among you?

 Let them show it by their good life,

by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.

~James 3:13

 

Blessings, Patti