Monday, April 13, 2015

Hello Sunshine!








When my Mom was up for the quilt show, I was digging around for something wooly and came across this unfinished Maggie Club kit from Country Sampler from 2014. Needless to say it had to be finished right away!


"Sunshine in an Old Zinc Pot"
Maggie Bonanomi Country Sampler Club Kit from 2014

I love how the petals of these yellow flowers look like rays of sunshine :)


The pot called for a linen tag with the year written on it, but I thought I would add a bit of embroidery in a coordinating overdyed perle cotton instead.


I cut the round flowers out with a scalloped pinking shear for interest.

Time to move on to the newest Maggie Club Kit that arrived last week!

We've been lucky enough to have some real sunshine as well. I filled my pots with pansies and pussy willows.


My favorite daffodils are blooming in front of our home.



And the silia are blooming on the side.


And the very first of the magnolia blooms have just started to open....


Hoping that you find a bit of sunshine in your corner of the world this week!

"I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly."
~John 10:10
 
I'm linking up with Super Mom - No Cape! For a Stitchery Link Party - take a peek here.
 
Blessings,Patti

Thursday, April 9, 2015

April finishes...


It's time to share my Buttermilk Basin April finishes!
First is April from the "Year in Stitches Collection"


This is April from The Live Simply BOM
bound in blush velvet


And my most recent finish - April from Basin Banners Thru the Year
bound in tea dyed blush velvet with black snaps for the chicks eyes.
I love those chicks!

And do you remember this wonderful mat?


My mom had made it for my sister for Christmas


Well, I decided to make my sister a little Easter present to go with it.
It's not very "Eastery", but


I made her a little wool box out of the same color family of wool.
It has an antique shoe button and old key closure.


And inside a star to match her mat.
I think she liked it :)

"The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
~Hebrew 1:3

Blessings, Patti

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

Springtime in Chicago


The weather in Chicago is always unpredictable, especially in the Spring!


On the first day of spring break, my oldest son woke up to six inches of snow.


Needless to say he was not happy and neither was I!


That same week, my sister had jury duty downtown in the Loop.
I ran over and met her for lunch.


Her timing was perfect as it coincided with the annual flower show at Macy's on State Street.
After lunch, we took a quick stroll through it.


It smelled so divine


And it warmed the soul to see so many beautiful flowers


I loved the Van Gogh inspired "Starry Night" wall in this room


Chihuly inspired glass sculptures always "shine" with a background of flowers.


I felt myself thawing out and warming up :)


On the way back to Daley Plaza, we took a short cut through the Pedway, where they had an exhibit of Victorian Era stained glass.
I loved the fish in the pond above.


The autumn colors of the leaves in these windows were stunning.

It felt like a mini vacation in that one hour - a true getaway!
Thanks for calling me Pam!
It was so much fun to share this with you and to escape for just a while!

And just to let you know, we have thawed out and on Easter Sunday I found this in my backyard


The tiniest miniature daffodils I ever did see ~ not even three inches tall!

"The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Galatians 2:20

Blessings, Patti

Saturday, April 4, 2015

A Blessed Easter!


Maggie Bonanomi design from Needl Love Springtime Threads

I thought that I would share some favorite Easter and Spring finishes from over the years...


Stacy Nash


Notforgotten Farm


Notforgotten Farm


The Wooden Needle




The Ginger Cookie Company



Wishing you a Blessed Easter filled with faith, family and friends.


"The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay."
~Matthew 28:5-6

Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!

Blessings, Patti

Friday, April 3, 2015

International Quilt Show ~ Purchases and Progress


I tried to be good at the quilt show this year ~ truly I did!
Craft Corner is bursting at the seams and I could never possibly stitch all that I have, 
but still all the lovely things I saw beckoned to me...

Who can possibly resist a few wool packs from Primitive Gatherings and Mary Flanagan Woolens?


And lovely mustard wool from Holly & Ivy
I have a specific project in mind for these, but don't think that I will get to it until June...


I loved these hand-dyed #5 perle cotton thread cards from House of Embroidery and these tweezers from Primitive Gatherings will be perfect for the next time I use Glad Press'n Seal !


Two new patterns followed me home...


And these two little pincushion kits were just too sweet!


I just knew that I had to purchase something from Carried Away Designs! Aren't these colors lovely?! 
And another kit is on order...

My Mom brought some show and tell with her on the train.
One project is in process and it is a stunner! She completely redid the color planning from when I was down last and she really knocked it out of the ball park! But I think I will wait to share until it is completely done...

In the meantime, Mom is all caught up on the Buttermilk Basin mystery block of the month.


Her stitching as always is lovely.


And the antique flour sack background is perfect.


I love that the she is keeping the color scheme consistent :)


I can't wait to see more!
But all in due time...

"fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
~Hebrews 12:2

Blessings, Patti

Wednesday, April 1, 2015

April Offerings



Greetings!
          Well, it’s a typical Spring in Chicago – sunny and spring~like one day and cold and snowy the next. I won’t complain too much, as the spring flowers are slowly inching up. Spring flowers and rabbits are the inspiration for this month’s offerings. Since Easter is early this year, I created offerings that you can display all through the season…




My first offering is a pillow based on a sweet design by Primitive Stitchin’ by Shelly Auen. “Among the Pussy Willows” is accented with handmade chenille pussy willows tied with a hand dyed ribbon. As with all of my creations, it is completely hand stitched. This pillow measures approximately 4.5 by 9 inches.
~*Sold. Thank you ever so much!*~ 



My other offering is “Spring Rabbit’s Cart”.  Featuring a design by Jenny Hoffman of Country Rustic Primitives, it measures approximately 3.5 by 11 inches. This pillow is accented with handmade wool violets to match those in the cart. It is completely hand stitched.
~*Sold. Thank you ever so much!*~

If you are interested in purchasing anything, just send me an email at:
I can send a PayPal invoice or I accept checks and money orders.
Blessings, Patti