bunny sighting

7pm. Bunny. Camera. Zoom. Focus. Cute!

I knew you were coming. . .

. . .so I made a cake. Lemon cake. Ben's favorite. Here's the recipe in case you too are in a lemon cake mood. It's really simple. Super moist. Super good!

Lemon Bundt Cake
1 package lemon cake mix
1 3.4-oz package instant lemon pudding mix
3/4 Cup vegetable oil
4 eggs
1 cup Sprite or other lemon-flavored carbonated beverage

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour bundt pan. Mix all ingredients in a large mixer and pour into pan. Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes. Cake is done when toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting. I use vanilla frosting and microwave it to smoothen and drizzle a small amount over cake. yummmm

tease

Coming up next is a little pattern called By the Ocean with Jane Austen. I'll release the chart on Sunday at the trunk show and then it will be available on my website next week. Busy here and methinks I need to stop for the night. Hope your week is a pleasant one!

exclusive kit - jane austen on the weather

I've added these exclusive kits to the website. My supply of the Jane Austen fabrics by Moda is dwindling so the kits are in limited quantity. The pattern, Jane Austen on the Weather, is also available as a single chart. I love Austen's words from 1796 ~ What dreadful Hot weather we have. It keeps one in a continual state of Inelegance. Stay cool!

here it is monday morning

Look what greeted me by email this morning? Sara in Italy already finished Summer Day 1776. The colors chosen are beautiful, terrific finish, Sara!

So did you watch the first Agatha Christie last night, Pocketfull of Rye? It was really good. The new Miss Marple is a gem. I watch so many British movies that it's always neat seeing the British actors pop up here and there in other period dramas. Afterwards I was yearning for tea and a scone.

Speaking of food, I'm reading the most enjoyable book. Sitting on the new books shelf at the library yesterday was A Homemade Life written by Molly Wizenberg. I'm so glad it was there and beckoned me to borrow. It's one I need to own actually. I could not put it down last night so I'm at the halfway mark already and sad because I want to have the chapters go on and on and on. Each ends with a dear recipe which you have already embraced as good as she tells the background behind it in the pages previous. It's delightful and yummy reading.

I had gotten up extra early to package some orders but my goodness, it's nearing 9AM already. Time escapes me when I sit at the computer! Ok, now off to work but before I go you have to see this darling summer free chart. It will make your Monday go so much better with a beach scene in your mind. It has helped me already!

America is beautiful

Yesterday we meandered awhile at the marina and admired the view into the city. I love looking at sailboats and the calm waters. The sky was gorgeous and it was a positively gorgeous weather day.

After our wanderings about, we ended up at Red, Hot and Blue for lunch and then went home for a spell. We recharged and headed over to my parents' house for some patriotic partying. My Mom had the table dressed all pretty in red, white and blue and the food was sooooooooo good. We enjoyed smores, a favorite of Ben's and mine. Dad had gotten sparklers which we thoroughly enjoyed waving around in the dark night at the end.

On the way home, we stopped off at one of the vantage points where you can see the national fireworks so that was fun. The evening air was so beautiful. From our view, we could actually see five different fireworks displays going on! What a fun weekend.

oh say can you see

Such a grand day. Fourth. Freedom. Fireworks. Enjoy every minute of it!

Agatha 1890 free chart

I love Agatha Christie mysteries. The books are quite addicting. The versions to film and tv are a treat especially on a rainy afternoon. Beginning Sunday night and for the next few Sunday evenings, PBS is airing four Agatha Christie episodes with a new Miss Marple. Looking forward to it!

Check out the schedule here: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/marple/series4.html

If you need stitching to keep you company whilst you watch, here is a free chart from me for you entitled, Agatha 1890. Agatha Christie was born in 1890 and given the title of Dame by Queen Elizabeth in 1971. Enjoy!

After getting hot Krispy Kreme donuts tonight we spotted fireworks beginning in the sky near the country club. We parked and stepped out into the evening air for a colorful display. It was beautiful.

summer day 1776 ~ free chart

Summer Day 1776 / Free Chart

Copyright 2009 The Sampler Girl

Happy 4th!

toddler + paint = flag

Somewhere online recently I saw the coolest idea to make a flag picture with your toddler's foot painted red and hand painted blue. I had to try it. I lost the link but lucky for me it was pretty simple to remember. Zack was most eager to get the paint out and after we had stamped his hand and paint and washed up, then he was able to get to some serious painting done on his own with brushes...outside. He was quite fascinated with the wash-up bowl sitting in the grass, quickly discovering how fun it was to paint a little and then wash up and then go back to painting and repeat this process again and again. Ben joined in the fun and now I have to get more frames for their pictures. I love how the flag turned out; it's framed in a 16X20 frame. I think Ben has to make a flag too ~ but we'll need a bigger piece of paper for that!

on the cover

Check out the July issue of The Gift of Stitching Magazine for my design, On the Moors with Emily Bronte Pillow Pattern. The pillow finishing was done by Vonna, finishing extraordinaire. Verse on design comes from Bronte's novel, Wuthering Heights, published in 1847:

'He said the pleasantest manner of spending a hot July day was lying from morning till evening on a bank of heath in the middle of the moors, with the bees humming dreamily about among the bloom, and the larks singing high up overhead, and the blue sky and bright sun shining steadily and cloudlessly.'

closeup pic of model by Vonna

time well spent

some shade

some runningsome digging

some climbing

some calling

some racing

breakfast and a bunny

There are two bunnies living near our shed. They venture out to entertain us at dusk and early morning. Isn't that sweet of them? Here was one this morning at breakfast. He was precious, hopping along.

and . . . they won!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ben's team won 5 games in a row in the tournament. Not easy to do. This afternoon they won the final game and what a game it was! The boys did an awesome job. Hard to imagine that baseball is over for them ... until the fall. I am so proud of my Ben ~ congrads for First Place in the district tournament! Great summer memories.

something NEW

Ok, so it isn't the 1st just yet. But I'm back anyway. This staycation has been swell but I can never just sit for too long. Just ask .. anyway who knows me! The summer seems to be in full swing now as July approaches this week. I have a new pattern hot off the tree, well ~ the tree was a nice backdrop for it's photo. Sweet Land 1831, a Patriotic Pocket is now available on my website as chart or epattern. Stop in and check all the details! It's inspired by that wonderful patriotic song, My Country tis of Thee.

just stopping by . . .

. . . to say check out the sneak peek of the GOS July cover ~ the design is by me and sure to entice Bronte fans!

Lots of fun going on. Back to breaking...see you on the 1st!