One More...Framed

The last piece that I took in for framing during the sale was ready for pick-up today. Once again, JoAnn's did a really nice job. It's nice to finally have this finished; you might recall that I started it back in 2006 and it took me a long time to stay motivated to finish it. I'm really happy with how it turned out.

Sampler Game Board
The Drawn Thread
DMC Threads
35 ct linen

Since this is the first "official" weekend of summer, let me show you one of our yard projects that we worked on a few weeks ago. We decided to enlarge the size of our garden (it was about 4 feet by 6 feet). Rather than just making it bigger, my husband built two 4 feet by 8 feet boxes so that we could have raised beds. This method of gardening has helped to keep animals out of the garden (including our two dogs and the rabbits that like to feast on our plants!), it is easy to trim around the boxes and they are easy to weed (less bending and kneeling.)




What do you think? We are growing tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, pea pods, zucchini, and other squash (can't remember which variety!) These pictures were taken last weekend and the plants have grown considerably since then. Next to the shed we also planted some rhubarb. We hope to have beautiful rhubarb plants next spring.

Before I go, I will share a couple photos of blooming flowers around the yard. Have a great weekend!

Rain Rain Go Away...

The weather this year has been crazy. Our temperatures have dropped down into the 50's and it is raining for the third day in a row now. Things are supposed to clear up later today and the weatherman says we have a nice weekend ahead. I hope so!

I thought I'd share one more framing purchase with you; this one, however, is not needlework related. It is my grandmother's and grandfather's wedding certificate. My grandfather immigrated to the U.S. from Hungary in 1904. He came from a small village called Wallern; today it is located in Austria just across the border from Hungary. My grandmother immigrated to the U.S. in 1906. She crossed the ocean at the age of 16 all by herself! She came from another small village in Hungary called Tadten. This village is also now in Austria; just across the border from Hungary.

As best we can tell, the two of them met here in the U.S. Chances are though that the families might have known of each other in Hungary. They married in 1908 at St. Bernard's Church in St. Paul, MN. This elaborate marriage certificate is written in German (you should be able to click on it.)



My brothers and I grew up in the house that my grandparents built. Many years ago (I was still single and living at home) I found this certificate and a large portrait of my grandmother in the attic on the floor! Naturally I retrieved them and found a more suitable place for storage. I have kept them both and carefully stored them over the years.

I decided it was finally time to properly frame and preserve this marriage certificate. It still shows it's age and the heat/cold/water damage that it endured over time, but I like that about it. The framing manager helped me pick mats and a moulding that complemented the color and design of the certificate. Now it hangs in a place of honor in my home.

Here is a picture of the two of them on their wedding day, October 20, 1908. My grandmother was 18 years old and my grandfather was 26.



Well, that's enough family history for today. More to come though...

Progress Report and More Framing

It seems like it's either feast or famine with me and this blog. I have things to share with you, so for the time being it is a "feast" - I don't think you mind.

I shared with you that I am working on C Street Samplerworks Quaker Medallion; the pattern was a gift from my friend Diana and this is one of my crazy challenge pieces for the year. Within the last week I have made good progress on the alphabets; next up to stitch are some of the quaker motifs. This is such a relaxing stitch!


I picked up a few more framed pieces from JoAnn's too. Trust me, it was a really good sale, especially for smaller pieces. 50% plus $20 for the framing order. I couldn't pass it up!

This Blackbird design was stitched earlier this year (in January); I loved the red "cranberry bog" linen. Here it is now with my favorite frame.

Blackbird Designs
Blackbird's Winter Delivery
28ct R&R Cranberry Bog
DMC and Sampler Threads

This next piece has been in the waiting to be framed drawer for awhile. I stitched this in April 2009. Went with a simple frame for this quaker design.

La D Da
Quaker Alphabet
35ct WDW Straw
Belle Soie Creme De Menthe and Noir

Game Board Sampler from The Drawn Thread is still at JoAnn's being framed; I imagine it will be finished by the end of the week. I have come to like the ladies in the framing shop at JoAnn's very much; the woman that does the stretching and pinning does a fabulous job.

Rainy, stormy day here. I'm supposed to go on a boat cruise on Lake Minnetonka tonight with some customers from work. I don't think that the weather is going to cooperate. I wonder what Plan B is!

Quick shout out to my friend Judy in Alexandria, MN -- Welcome Home!

Pincushion Finish!

Just like I said in my last post, sometimes it is more fun to think about stitching...so yesterday, I spent an hour or so going through my bucket of kitted projects. I happened to come across a kit that I had purchased from Elegant Stitch a few years ago (2006 I think!) After looking at it closer I realized 1) that it wasn't nearly as big a project as I thought it was and 2) that I could finish it quite easily since I had already done this type of finish once before.

I decided there was no time like the present to stitch and finish this project. It only took me a couple of hours to stitch it up, and this morning while waiting for the internet/cable guy to arrive, I did the finishing.

Without further ado here is Two Friends and a Flower, designed by The Needle's Content for Elegant Stitch/Essy's Friends (Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser).




Cute, don't you think?

Bad Blogger

Hello dear friends. Sorry that I haven't posted more; life just gets in the way sometimes. I think that I sound like a broken record when I say that.

I was just reading a post by Laura of Maude and Mozart; she confessed that some days she spends more time daydreaming about stitching - what she is stitching now, what to stitch next, what friends are stitching, what is new from the designers, and what is the next chart that she wants to buy. Her post really hit home because I am often doing the same thing! So here's my confession:

1) What am I stitching on now? C Street Samplerworks, Quaker Medallion Sampler

2) What do I want to stitch next? Well, I should really stick with one of my 2011 crazy challenge pieces or work on one of the numerous WIPs I have, but truth be told, I'm itching to stitch something from Blackbird Designs, maybe Strawberry Garden or Summer House.

3) What are my friends stitching? It seems like a lot of you are working on the With Thy Needle and Thread Mystery Sampler. I have it started too!

4) What is new from the designers? I'm liking some of the new releases from Lizzie Kate and was excited to receive my Just Cross Stitch Preview Ornament issue in the mail yesterday. Looking forward to the next edition of Loose Feathers from Blackbird Designs too!

5) What is the next chart that I want to buy? Well, I think it is going to be the second installment of the Mystery Sampler!

Now it's your turn...I'll be waiting to see your answers on your blogs!

Enough chatter, I have a picture to share with you. Look what I had framed recently! Don't you love it? I took advantage of JoAnn's recent framing sale and got a great deal on it!

Birds of a Feather
Happy Hearts
unknown linen, 35 ct
WDW fibers

And here are some hardanger doilies that I've been busy stitching; I need these as gifts for a trip I will be taking soon.







That's all I've got for you tonight. Hope to talk with you again soon. Thanks for stopping by!