new booklet, French Folio

It's ready! FRENCH FOLIO, my newest booklet, is now available on the website as an EPattern or Mailed Pattern. 11-page booklet takes you to Paris with old French samplermaking style. All details can be found on the website.

Enjoy!

week-end highlights

::caught up on my reading

::enjoyed knitting group and fell back into my yarn bliss

::saw the new Jane Eyre movie

::made my display as the big day approaches

French Folio, sneak peek!!!

This is one of the designs in FRENCH FOLIO,
to be released next week.
Till then ...

A Royal Wedding Souvenir, new pattern!

This design was inspired by the upcoming wedding of Prince William & Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey in England, on April 29, 2011.

Being a royal watcher, I will certainly be up early that spring morning to watch all the festivities as I did when Princess Diana wed Prince Charles in 1981. I was eleven years old that July and away at music camp; our camp leader had woken us up very early to watch all the happenings. It remains a sweet memory of my childhood, all of us in our pajamas huddled around the television oohing and ahhing over that gorgeous dress and her Princess beauty.

So I'll be watching again; this time for the wedding of her son, Prince William and his lovely bride. To commemorate the event, I wanted something stitched as a keepsake. The result was this design. It is a joy to stitch. All details on design can be found on the website. Enjoy!

A Royal Wedding Souvenir

copyright 2011 The Sampler Girl

the squirrel saga continues

If you've been following the squirrel posts on my blog, then you are aware the squirrels around my yard are very, very clever. They have taken down a birdfeeder and then a new one (supposed to be squirrel proof) and now, NOW, knocked the Suet cage down and had at it during my lunchtime. I set down my sandwich to snap a few pictures. I give up. He wins.

"hmmm, this is good!"

"i see that crazy woman with the camera from the corner of my beady little eye"

"acorns! ... caught suet-handed"

"maybe i can shake this stuff off my paws"

"oh well, i did say my blessing before i ate"

"who cares ... i'm hungry"

pies for Pi Day!

For several years now, they've marked 3.14 at school with Pi Day fun. I made a Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie and an Oreo Pie for Ben to take and Zack was pleased that there was a chocolate chip one left at home so he could enjoy too. As we were on our way to school this morning with pies most carefully packed, I realized I didn't even get pictures of them!! Sorry. (Did snap a picture from a piece that stayed home!) Anyhoo, here are the recipes and trust me ... they are fabulous!! When you need pie, try these.

...

OREO PIE

Kraft recipe

39 OREO Cookies, divided

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

CRUSH 26 of the cookies; mix with butter until well blended. Press firmly onto bottom and up side of 9-inch pie plate. Refrigerate while preparing filling.

CHOP 9 of the remaining cookies; set aside. Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add chopped cookies and whipped topping; stir gently until well blended. Spoon into prepared crust.

REFRIGERATE at least 2 hours or until firm. Halve remaining 4 cookies; stand on cut edges around center of pie. Store leftover pie in refrigerator.

...

Chocolate Chip Pie

Food Network recipe - think it's one of Paula Deen's

Makes 2 pies

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup (2-sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease 2 pie plates.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Beat in the vanilla. Add flour mixture, a little at a time, and mix until fully combined. Fold in the 3 cups chocolate chips. Divide the dough between the prepared pie plates and smooth the tops with a spatula.

Bake about 30 minutes or until pies are golden and slightly firm to the touch but still soft. If the pies begin to darken too much before they are baked through, cover with foil and continue baking. Let pies cool completely on a wire rack.

sings of spring

Spring has returned.
The Earth is like a child that knows poems.
-Rainer Maria Rilke.

soon, spring ...

story behind the sampler

An older design of mine from 2005, The Beggar's Purse Sampler, is now available as an EPattern. This design is a very special one for me as it came to me in a dream, all of it! Click HERE to read about it.

Recipes.

If you follow my blog for any given time, then you know I love to cook & bake. And I love when I hear back from you with your comments & emails on the recipes you tried after my sharing them! For Sunday morning, I got my nifty 16-mini scone maker out, again, and made chocolate chip scones. Delicious and perfect with a cup of coffee. Find recipe HERE.

Tonight I fixed a flavorful recipe from Cooking Light. Oh WOW, this was amazing. The hot turkey sausage and fire-roasted diced tomatoes I used gave the dish such a good kick and well, it was fantastic. Find recipe HERE.

...

So it's pushing the evening hour and soon my youngest will get ready for bedtime. I think a cup of tea is just the ticket to wind down my evening ... and one of those scones as there are a few left. Oh happy day!

on sunday

This morning concluded our church study of Mudhouse Sabbath by Lauren Winner. It was an excellent read and very informative on the traditions of Judaism and how the author, who converted to Christianity, explains the Judaism beliefs and how we can include some of them into our Christian way of life.

Our special singing benediction has been beautiful every Sunday during this time and I will miss it. (Shalom is peace.)

Shalom to you now, shalom, my friends. May God's full mercies bless you, my friends. In all your living and through your loving, Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom.

Our closing hymn was one I hadn't heard before. I have always loved hymns as they are also a form of praying to God. This one is called Where Charity and Love Prevail.

Where charity and love prevail,
there God is ever found;
Brought here together by Christ’s love,
by love are we thus bound.

With grateful joy and holy fear
God’s charity we learn;
Let us with heart and mind and soul
now love God in return.

Forgive we now each other’s faults
as we our faults confess;
And let us love each other well
in Christian holiness.

Let strife among us be unknown,
let all contention cease;
Be God’s the glory that we seek,
be ours God’s holy peace.

Let us recall that in our midst
dwells God’s begotten Son;
As members of his body joined,
we are in Christ made one.

No race or creed can love exclude,
if honored be God’s name;
Our family embraces all
whose Father is the same.

I am blessed to have such a wonderful church home where books like this are studied, fostering communication about Judaism's core values in order to enlighten my own Christian beliefs. Having a Jewish grandfather and that heritage within me, made this study an extra special connection. My grandfather passed away 3 months before Ben was born in 1999 and not a day goes by that he isn't part of it. I am grateful for finding out about this book as it makes me more mindful and learned on how his family might have lived in their faith.

...

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith... - Romans 1:16

pink & blue

I bought a scone pan last year. Never used it. Until last night. Let's just say -- it will be used again, soon. Delicious!!! Find recipe here. (I didn't add the chocolate chips.) The pink and blue sugared cookies are Rosemary Butter Cookies. I found pink and blue sanding sugars at Williams-Sonoma which were perfect for the dusting edges. That recipe can be found here.

Mom hosted a Grandmother's Shower for our dear friend, Betty, whose daughter is due in May with the first grandchild. The theme of the shower was a British Tea since Betty's daughter is in England. It was a true delight and very special.

Meet Jane.

I had the biggest smile on my face this afternoon. Probably as big as Zack's smile when I told him at the store, "Yes!, we can get some colossal-sized donuts for the weekend." I received a Jane Austen action figure in the mail from a dear stitching friend. Oh wow. This Jane is so fun and now resides on my desk. You're right, Petra -- she will be my muse. Thank you so sweetly again, Petra. You are so thoughtful.

Miss Austen rocks!! She holds a feather pen and came with her Pride & Prejudice novel and writing desk. Love it.


Happy Friday!

Yay!

::Preschool 'Pajama Day' made this morning's rush out of the house so easy.
::American Idol is better this year than last. So far.
::Yoga is my new favorite thing. Ever.
::I was invited to design an ornament for the 2011 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue.
::Sidewalk chalk is fresh & new & has been added to the outdoor bucket.
::ALL laundry is put away.
::The French Folio is complete. Now to finish the models!
::I said stop whining! only twice today.
::I got new cushions for the outdoor chairs.
::I've been to Panera twice this week.
::There's something about an eyebrow wax that really makes my day.
::My Kindle is fully charged.
::The Girl Scout cookies are almost gone. (This is a good thing.)
::Fun in store for the week-end.
::Tomorrow is Friday.
::Friday = pizza night.

hello march

When I picked Z up from preschool today, he ran to me and happily said, it's march today, mama! Gotta love calendar time! Yes, it sure is March. Filled with pots of golden sunshine everywhere you look. It's still chilly but our rain from yesterday is gone, thank goodness. Like life, it can be gray and dark one minute and sunny and cheerful the next. Hold it all close.