lookity look, bunnies!

Barbara sent me this picture of her French Bunnies finish from TSG Companion Booklet 3 ~ so sweet! She used Vikki's 35ct Bunny Brown linen with silks in colors: Fish Pepperika, Spinach Delight, Haystacks, Cocoa Bean, and Fagales Chocolate.

I have trouble keeping the days straight this week already. I haven't gotten much sleep the past several night because Zack has a stuffy nose and basically feeling just plain icky. I thought it was teething but looks like he has all his teeth to me so maybe it's allergies. I'm finishing up some orders and then we'll lunch. Hopefully he'll nap well for me ~ I started one of Pineberry Lane's patterns last night and I'm itchin' to get back to it !!!

samplermaking 101

This afternoon I taught 12 girl scouts to cross stitch as they earned a Try It Sewing badge. There were 2 girls who already knew how to stitch so that was great ~ the troop also did a crash course in finger knitting which looked fun. I wrote a little bit about my part here. Thank you, Jennifer, for asking me to do it!

Thank you for the comments on my first punchneedle piece. I love looking at the bunny ~ he makes me smile. My hand is doing better!!! I gather you do use different muscles for the punching so that makes sense. I'm not giving it up just yet.

Chicken Parm for dinner. Best get to it!

Punchneedle & Me

I'm worn out. I tried my first punchneedle project and I do love the finished look but getting there isn't as easy as I thought. Well, take that back ~ it's easy and quick but my punching hand gets so tense and hurts like all get out, that it takes away from the punching fun and craze that I've heard about. Hancock Fabrics had weavers cloth so I transferred a sweet free doodle by primitivebettys and very much love my little bunny. You can sense the movement in his legs as he hops through the flowers. Here's a photo, true to its colors, before I made a tiny pillow out of it which follows as you can see.

I used the punch needle that calls for all six strands and went through DMC like nobody's business. Zip, next skein! Zip, next skein! I had a rhythm going and the pain in my hand was so numb that it was beyond hurting. What didn't help was I had sprained my right thumb a week or so ago, still have no clue how!, so that was acting up during the punching technique. I just kept thinking thank goodness I didn't tackle a larger project! I'm already thinking of other darling designs (have you seen the PN ones at countrystitchesonline.com?) that I want to have a go at, but not tomorrow. Tomorrow, I stitch.

more

I added more Ohio Quilt Posey Pinkeep Exclusive Kits to my website. Thank you for the lovely response to my new designs.


THE SAMPLER GIRL

girls day out

Long day. Awesome day. My fun day. To celebrate our sweet stitching friend Nancy's birthday, my Mom, Grandmother, Betty (another punchneedlin-stitchin-groupie-kindred spirit, myself and Nancy first stopped at Victoria's Past Tyme shop (actually 3 little shops!) in Purceville and what a feast for the primitive country soul. Afterwards we lunched at Willow Farm at Clydes in Ashburn. The only bad part of the day, if any, was the long trek out there. I'm not the best person to travel with on a road trip, even if it's only an hour away(felt like 3!). I have to sit in the front seat because of car sickness and thank you kindly, Nancy, for letting me take the wheel on the journey back. LOL

Nancy's house is like a page out of Country Living magazine. I'm not kidding. You can see how inspired one can get from her needlework and see why I dedicated Ohio Quilt Posey Pinkeep to her! I love going there and seeing her sampler walls and unique holiday displays. Her Halloween display is beyond words. Today all her bunnies were out and she told me I could post the pictures here so have a look and drool away.

Nancy's strawberry display is my favorite to look at every time. Every berry-item is just so gorgeous and well, just look!

She loaned me a punchneedle DVD which I'm about to watch ~ yepperdoodle, I feel a new addiction coming on. We stopped by a needlework shop on the way back and I got a punchneedle tool set so I'm ready!

new offerings

There are three new releases by The Sampler Girl for April and each is available now!

*~*The Sampler Girl Companion, Booklet No. 3*~*
This next installment includes the following patterns:
*Little Bird 1803
*Faith's Easter Hanging Pillow
*On Any Shore with You Sampler
*French Bunnies
*Jonah's Hornbook

*~*Ohio Quilt Posey Pinkeep*~*
This is an EXCLUSIVE to website and not distributed to shops. Ohio Quilt Posey Pinkeep, say that 4 times fast!, is only available as a kit which includes chart, instructions, and 32ct linen which is tucked in a small muslin drawstring bag for safekeeping. Design was inspired by an Ohio quilt of flower blocks dating back to 1845.

*~*GW Ferry Farm 1738*~*
Especially dear to those in the Virginia area and lovers of history is this antique style design echoing George Washington’s boyhood home of Ferry Farm and the samplermaking of the era.

For all details on these designs, go to www.thesamplergirl.com

Happy Week-end!

*~*~ Giveaway Winner *~*

>>>lindar said...
lindaradwanski@sbcsglobal.net Please enter me. I love your charts. I hope I have a chance.
March 24, 2009 2:20 PM

Congrads! I've also emailed you, Linda, so be on the lookout for The Sampler Girl Companion, Booklet 3 coming your way! Enjoy and THANK YOU to all those that entered. Yama hama ~ there were a lot of entries. Thank you for the dear comments on my designs.

rain boots

On this a rainy Thursday, I took Zack to Olly for his first pair of rain boots. To say he was excited isn't enough. The child was beyond happy to wear these out of the store into the first puddle he spotted. There were so many rain boots to choose from ~ fire trucks, ladybugs, dinosaurs, even dolphins but the froggies he tried on first were the ones. Oh and by the way, he refuses to leave the house without his hat (used to be Ben's!) and insists on wearing it this way too.

Here's some idea on just how much he enjoys this new footwear.

Mama, at lunchtime: Zack, we had a fun morning, didn't we?

Zack: Yes, rain boots...

Mama: That's right ~ we got you some froggie rain boots.

Zack: boots...you funny, Mama

Mama: I love you, Zack.

Zack: I love boots

Giveaway winner picked tonight so you can enter BY 10pm EST and check back tomorrow to see who won the new The Sampler Girl Companion, Booklet 3. Good luck!

GIVEAWAY !!!

The Sampler Girl Companion, Booklet No. 3 will be available FRIDAY! Would you like to win one? Well, then ~ put your name and email address in the comment field to THIS post and I'll randomly pick a winner Thursday night to announce on Friday. Patterns in Booklet No. 3 include: Little Bird 1803, Faith's Easter Hanging Pillow, On Any Shore with You Sampler, French Bunnies, Jonah's Hornbook.

See you on Friday!

Edited to add...

You have to put your email address as well to be included - how else can I contact you to tell you that you won?! Thanks.

a day like others

Thank you sweetly, Marianne, for the Friends Award! That was very thoughtful. I so enjoy your friendship and designs.

It started out brisk today and warmed up some in the afternoon sun but the evening was back to chilly. It was a full Monday. Zack and I did our post office run in the morning followed by a good while spent in the library storyroom. Ben has piano on Mondays and now that baseball is in full swing, excuse the pun, he had that practice too. Zack got a playground visit in when I wasn't looking and now my hips that crammed down the toddler slide are aching! Funny how our kids can keep going and going and we feel like taking a rest after each pause. There weren't many pauses in today. The house needed dusting and vacuuming and glad that's done however long the clean look will last; with Miss Maddy Maine Coon and her latest shedding party, it won't be long! I've been printing charts and adding reams of paper when I can hear the printer click, whir and stop from another room as I do something else. This multitasking thing gets old, doesn't it? Now to put them all together. 10pm? You're kidding? How does the time go so fast? Off to assemble charts in bags and fingers crossed, there's something good on TV to keep me company.

housekeeping

I'm in the process of exporting names from my old mailing list to a new one with the new website and most names are going over fine but there were some that went into never never land SO if you are on my mailing list from the previous website and wish to be kept current with all happenings at The Sampler Girl, please go to my new website:

http://www.thesamplergirl.com/ and enter your name and email in the Mailing List field on the left column at bottom. Thanks and happy week-end.

now, spring

Welcome, First Day of Spring!

I have finished, as of 3 minutes ago!, The Sampler Girl Companion Booklet Three. Wow. I get really excited about these booklets but this has to be the best one yet! Maybe because spring is such a joyous time of year when all the earth is waking up and the patterns in this next installment are fresh and full of meaning, just as the season.

Booklet to be ready in the next week or so. This little bird closeup is from one of the designs within entitled, Little Bird 1803.

Until then...

1 bunny = a smile

During my knitting surfing last week, I came across a must have ~ a knit bunny egg cozy. So I asked the knitting master, my mom, if she would make it for me. She can knit anything. Well, she brought this little fella over this afternoon and I adore him. Apparently, I'm only getting one, she said. One lone bunny. I told her there were 12 eggs in a dozen. One lone bunny, she said. Apparently the pattern was ok but, I'm only getting one. I think the ears were a task. Sure turned out perfect to me! Anyhoo, he's precious. Don't you think so too? My mom is the knitting master. My bunny makes me smile.

The Sampler Girl goes dot com!!

I have finished my NEW website at the NEW domain ~ how cool is that?

Still pinching myself.

www.thesamplergirl.com

pride & prejudice

Virginia in France emailed these gorgeous pictures of her Pride and Prejudice finish. She made a photo album with it as the top. Amazing. I wish I could touch it ~ so unique and well, gorgeous! Thank you again, Virginia, for sharing your pics with me. I look forward to your creation with Mansfield Park now.

If that doesn't inspire you to stitch today, I don't know what will! I will be planted with my needle and thread for certain. Happy Monday.

Models went on a field trip!

This morning I packed up a few models, my patterns-for-show binder, some free charts and business cards and went down the road to Woodlawn Plantation to demonatrate with my Mom at the needlework show. During the historic house's annual event, held the entire month of March, designers, shopkeepers and needlework teachers take turns spending a day there to demonstrate their area of needlearts to those visiting the show.

It was a gray day but our room had abundant light pouring in from floor to ceiling windows and a door which led to a small porch overlooking the massive grounds. I met several online stitching friends which was a delight ~ always nice to put a face with a name. Donna ~ it was a true joy spending time chatting with you. I think you're awesome! Jan ~ nice to meet another native to Alexandria! Lisa, dear Lisa!, ~ thank you so much for bringing the library gals ~ what a sweet surprise it was and so glad you enjoyed the show. Nancy ~ thank you for making my lunch a fun one; you crack me up. The day ended at 4 and it was time to pack up the models for home. They seemed to enjoy their field trip; here they are on display at my table which I fashioned for them.

My grandmother joined us all day which was lovely; it's always extra special when our three generations are together. To Mom, from the beginning, who instilled in me the passion for needlework and who continues to spur my enthusiasm by sharing her own with others. It is a special gift to witness and one I aspire to emulate. Splendid day. Models are home now and each back in its tender place until the next adventure.

tuesday's post

Just came across this passage and found it delightful:

'Her needlework both plain and ornamental was excellent, and she might have put a sewing machine to shame.' ~James Edward Austen-Leigh, about Jane Austen

Tuesday is nearly gone here. We spent the morning at a storytime for Zack with a theme of shamrocks and pots of gold. There are 2 pictures now adorning the refrigerator of toddler coloring. Good time well spent.

listen to the wind

The March wind is here. No jackets today. Just the sun on our backs. Errands in the morning, lunch at Subway and then playtime. The best time of all.

this & that

Thank you sweetly for the many emails and comments on my recent finishes ~ I adore them! To answer a few questions from the comments...

Annemarie ~ you always crack me up!

Sheila ~ The sampler atop my blog is For Mrs. Jefferson: A Colonial Love Song ~ a design in my First Lady Sampler series even though Mrs. Jefferson never lived to be First Lady, I deemed her be included in the collection anyway. The sampler is quite large and very cheerful in color and the verse is one of my favorite colonial tunes, Over the Hills and Far Away, that goes as such:

And I would love you all the day
Every night would kiss and play
If with me you’d fondly stray
Over the hills and far away.

Thomas and Martha Jefferson shared a passion for music, (she played the pianoforte and he the violin) I thought this song’s words most appropriate for the sampler. Rindy Richards was the model stitcher on this piece in 2006.

Sherry ~ I haven't picked up With One Accord since last progress report ~ but I aim to this week at some point!

Julie ~ Yes, flowers do breathe life! I never can get enough of them. They do wonders for the soul. I have some purple hyacinth in the kitchen which perfumes the entire house and I love drinking the scent up!

Jennifer, about the dyeing process. I think these finishes were the best aging pieces I've done yet. I have experimented many linens with coffee & tea, coffee and vanilla, just tea and come to the conclusion that 30ct white linen is the best for coffee dyeing. I use lukewarm to cold coffee and pour just enough in a bowl so the stitching absorbs it all up. Then I wring the wetness out and spread it on a muslin cloth or non-patterned dishcloth. With the grinds still in the coffee filter, I dab dye (that's my term as it came to be!) the stitching with the filter. I hold it tightly at the top to make certain no grinds come out! (That did happen on one experiment - messy!) Ok, so once I dab dye in a few areas to darken spots here and there, then I put the stitching on a cookie sheet and place it in a 200 degree oven for a few minutes. I leave it in there until nearly dry and then take it out ~ air dry or press fully dry with the hot iron. It's fun and very addicting!

I so appreciate all the emails and comments on my designs and blog but just have patience, please, with me in answering your questions. Thanks oodles.

Ben played his final recital today at a music festival. It was a really fun experience and he did beautifully. I was very proud. He's glad to be over with it. I managed to convince him we would stop by a nearby Ross (to scout for those blasted fruit tins, Staci!!!) but to no avail, they didn't have them either. Oh well ~ I'm not meant to have any. There was a JoAnns fabrics next door (imagine!) so I was able to convince Ben further and I got my fabric fix for the day.

Busy week ahead ~ ah how Monday keeps turning up! Enjoy yours.

things like this make me happy

In the words of Zack, o by goth! Oh my gosh, I just finished the second of these springtime pretties and can't stand it. Please tell me you get that way. You know what I'm talking about, finish up a project and do the happy dance around the ironing board and then run around the living room with the camera snapping left and right. You do, right? Maybe there's a support group for me afterall. DH and Ben are playing a board game and didn't even look up at my oh my gosh, oh my gosh excitement because they have just come to learn that this is who I am. A creative soul who gets very excited with simple things.

The tulips freebie from Betty needed a companion so I found Jenny Hoffman's Spring Pinkeep chart on patternmart and it is a perfect companion piece. I used the same colors as the tulip one and added DMC 3750 for the birds and flower. Both were coffee dyed; first is a picture of them from the afternoon after they were aged with coffee and vanilla. Tonight I finished them off with osnaburg for backings. I even got some tulips today to accompany the theme.

I bought a few pansy plants and planted them this afternoon as well as spray painted three wrought iron plant stands. Last spring I painted these same tables green so this year they are a cheerful blue. I saw some planters on one of my jaunts around town this week which were deep aqua and a sunflower golden color. They reminded me of Tuscany ~ ok, like I've been there ~ but more like from the movie Under the Tuscan Sun of which I watch a lot. Now I think I need them afterall to go with my blue iron plant stands. Ah, how the (or my) mind works.

tulips from the oven

I stitched primitivebettys' tulip time freebie last night ~ oh it's darling. The bunnies just hop hop hop around the linen. So cute! I just coffee dyed it and took it out of the oven. I used DMC in colors 3787 for the lettering, 642 for the bunnies, 730 for the stem, 598 and 597 for the tulip and stitched it on 30ct white linen from Wichelt. Now I have to finish it up somehow and buy tulips today to display next to it!

Happy Week-end!

good books

I have loved to read ever since I can remember. In our first house where I spent most my childhood, there was a nook beneath the stairs which I fancied up as my reading room. I had blankets for the floor and books all over the place; my dolls sat nearby and I even had a lamp in there. In a blink of an eye my mind can wander there and I'm cozy with a childhood memory. Oh how I loved that tiny spot. My mother had fashioned a little curtain that draped over the space so I could be hidden from view. When I ventured out there was the washing machine and dryer and when they were running, the lull of the noise made the reading all the more exciting.

Some days I wish for that cozy space again but instead have a snuggly loveseat that I can devour pages and pages or in bed at night with my booklight that gets switched off at the last possible moment when my eyes can read no more.

Do you have a special place to read? I was reading Suzann's post the other day on reading and I think like needlework, it's inspiring to hear what others are reading and we too, can delight in something good. Something lasting. I'm nearing the end of The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller. Next up is Handle with Care, the new book by Jodi Picoult. We are a very booky family. I gave Ben a book the other day and he started it after dinner and had it read before bedtime. Zack tends to gravitate towards the abc books and seems to love pouring over words that match the letter and finding the familiar. DH finished Schulz's bio recently which he thoroughly enjoyed. Isn't it wonderful and satisfying to have a good book to share time with and get to know.

Thank you for the etsy orders ~ I'll make more boxes later in the month.

etsy shop updated!

moments like these

There are moments of being a mom that we remember very vividly. I'm not talking about those big moments when a child steals home plate or wins an award but instead, those itty bitty fragments of a crazy, insane day when our little one says or does something just so. Something that registers within our mama-heart and locks it away to bring out for a soft smile down the road.

This morning I had one of those moments. Silly. Simple. Locked forever away as a moment I'll never forget as there are so many tender minutes that slip on by. The ATM I normally frequent was down. Of course. Since I needed it. So we went to 'another bank, Zack, just one more' and luckily that one was functioning. Zack had insisted on wearing his boots this morning and was so ready to 'walk, mama?, now, walk?' and it was breaking my heart that we had to ferry around town for a working ATM when all the little lad wanted to do was walk in his boots!

Ok, so we finish at the bank. Then I had to get by the craft shop for the clear bag to insert my silent auction basket into and then we could pause awhile at the library. Zack was so patient. So we get to the craft store and finally, Zack gets to walk in his boots into the store. I get what I need and guide him through the aisle toward the checkout counter when he sees something shiny and has to touch it. Beads. Lots of beads. Strings of colored beads calling to his little hands. He instantly drops my hand and goes to the beads and says things like, 'nice, pretty, look, nice'. They were very pretty and if I made necklaces then I certainly would be in the market for a few strings but I told him it was time to go, so let's go, right?

Here comes the moment etched in me now to recall for you.

Mama: Zack, it's time to go. Come on.

Zack: No Mama

Mama: Zack, we're going to the library now. Come on with Mama.

Zack: I looking...

Mama: Zack.

Zack turns to me, as if I didn't hear him before and says: I looking. No Mama. I looking.

So we stayed in the bead aisle for a few more minutes until he took my hand and said, 'bybary?' Then we went to the library.

I was thinking about this later and perhaps it was Zack's way of slowing me down and also, he had been waiting patiently in the car for his turn to walk in his boots so I guess it was my turn to wait for him. Very cute. Cute like the time when Ben was very small and came running up to me in the aisle at the drugstore.

Mama: What's wrong, Ben?

Ben: The baby is after me! The baby is after me!

There was a little toddler running and smiling after Ben in the store. It was priceless. Ben was terrified. Yep, the little pieces of time forever within us that make us smile. I'm sure you have some too.

NEW for March!

Nelly's Button Flower Pocket

Nelly's Button Flower Pocket is named after Eleanor Parke Custis, known as Nelly, who was born March 31, 1779 and was the granddaughter of Martha Washington and step-granddaughter of George Washington. On February 22, 1799, Nelly wed George Washington's nephew, Lawrence Lewis, and the two were given as a wedding gift, 2,000 acres of land adjacent to Mount Vernon, on which the Lewis' built Woodlawn Plantation. A well-known Needlework Show is held during the entire month of March every year at Woodlawn Plantation.

The Sunday Peacock Sampler

Saying Grace is a part of our meals and I wanted to design a special souvenir to place near our dining table as a token of our grateful hearts. I have a collection of Colonial Williamsburg place settings with a peacock theme that is very dear to me so I thought a peacock on this design was only fitting.

The charts to these designs are now available and details for each are at The Sampler Girl website.

Congrads to Kellie who won both new charts in the Giveaway! Thank you to all who entered.

I went to Woodlawn Needlework Show on Sunday ~ Mary Lincoln didn't place any ribbon this time but my Mom won 1st and 2nd place ~ one for a sampler and one for a hardangersom piece. Woo hoo!!!