TURKEY TALK

Yesterday I was "talkin' turkey" and this is what it looks like so far as of last night. This is a pattern by Need'l Love called "Primitive Gobbler", that I bought a few years back and I found that turkey just a jabberin' and screaching for me to rescue him from my stash.....so I did! Now, if I am lucky enough I will have all the punching done this evening. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!

Also, I have been working on "Fancey Blackett" by Pineberry Lane. Oh, how..I..LOVE..her! This is where I left off on it a week ago.

Fancey Blackett

by PineBerry Lane

Vintage Light Exemplar, 35 ct 

DMC thread

And last I have been making hundreds, and really I mean 100's of yo-yo's for a quilt. I took a snap of what a few of them are looking like.

I am enjoying the beauty of the fall flowers, here is a pretty photo of some black-eyed Susan's I took just as some of them were starting to die off.

Today I let my son drive his car to school for his very first time.  I haven't received any phone calls yet for any mishaps, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.......soooo scary!

"I know the year is dying,

Soon the summer will be dead.

I can trace it in the flying

Of the black crows overhead;

I can hear it in the rustle

Of the dead leaves as I pass,

And the south wind's plaintive sighing

Through the dry and withered grass.

Ah, 'tis then I love to wander,

Wander idly and alone,

Listening to the solemn music

Of sweet nature's undertone;

Wrapped in thoughts I cannot utter,

Dreams my tongue cannot express,

Dreams that match the autumn's sadness

In their longing tenderness."

- Mortimer Crane Brown, Autumn Dreams

Baskets and Breadboards

Are you a little curious about the history on punch needle embroidery? Well, punch needle embroidery is an old needle art dating back to the early centuries and was used in its day to mark clothing. The technique was worked using hollow bones of birds' wings as needles in its early days. Punch needle pieces are generally quite small in size and are indeed works of art!

It is so fun and so easy, I tell ya, you just have to try it yourself. I started doing punch needle when I was about 19 or 20 years old. There was a co-worker at the credit union where I worked that was a distributor of "pretty punch". It was through Shauna that I tried this fun little art and enjoyed it thoroughly (along with my cross stitch). I purchased spools of wool thread which was used in pretty punch years ago, but there are so many beautiful hand dyed threads we use today which make it so much "funner". Not to mention some wonderful designers, like Brenda Gervais of Country Stitches - With Thy Needle & Thread, who make this art form more enjoyable with her beautiful designs.

"Heart and Hand"

by With Thy Needle & Thread

Next up is the adorable "Peter Cottontail" hopping down the bunny trail with his little basket and lovely robin egg. Such a sweet finish, this one made me so happy. I am wishing and hoping for the arrival of spring, I am sure it will be here before long. I am in need of some sunshine soon.

"Speckled Eggs"

by With Thy Needle & Thread

Last night I stayed up and made Mexican Lasagna so I could just pop it in the oven for dinner today. It's spicylicious!!!! Did you know mexican food is my favorite?

And for dessert we had birthday love cakes! Complete with hearts and cherry icing. Yum! You see today is my dad's birthday, he would have been a mere 75 years young. It's hard to believe he has been gone for over 11 years now. I sure miss him, he was such a special man. I loved him dearly and think of him every day.

What's next ya say? Well I guess it will be "Signs of Spring".......stay tuned to see how sweet this one will turn out.


Thanks for visiting, I love your comments, they are so uplifting and very much appreciated. I hope you had a wonderful weekend and here's to a fabulous new week and month!!

Heart & Hand

Good evening!!! A sneek peek before tomorrows post.

A TISKET, A TASKET

A tisket, a tasket, I've been working on my Easter basket. Tonight I want to share with you a fun punchneedle design by "With Thy Needle & Thread" called "Speckled Eggs". It is stitched with variegated Valdani thread and Weeks Dye Works.

I started this on Sunday evening and completed it on the following day, Monday. It was so fun!!! Silly as this may sound, but I enjoy looking at the back of the fabric as much as the front. I have some osnaburg which I will stitch to the back side of the Easter design to form a pocket. I am deciding whether or not I will distress it a bit, what do you think? Then I will attach a wire handle and fill the basket with some moss and a few speckled eggs. Some silk ribbon will adorn the handle for the finishing touch. I can't tell you enough how much I love the way this is turning out....so exciting for me.

I have posted a few pictures to show you some step by step progress on this design.

What can I say but LOVE it!!!! I want to hurry and finish it off but just had to take a minute and let you know what I have been up to. As always, thanks for visiting, I hope this inspires you to try punchneedle someday, it really is rewarding. When the basket is finished I will show you how beautiful it will become. Until then, the following is a picture of a scrumptious chocolate cupcake pincushion that my friend, Diane, made me for part of my birthday gift. She knows how much I love pincushions!!!! I will cherish it always...Doesn't it look sweet???

A SNOWMAN, TREASURES AND MEMORIES

Who loves snowmen? I do, I do!! I have been dabbling in punchneedle a little bit lately, a nice change of pace for a couple of days. Below are some photos of "Moonlight Skate" I just completed. I really enjoy punchneedle and the best thing about punchneedling is you can start and finish a project in no time at all. With Thy Needle & Thread has THE best punchneedle kits. Their designs are wonderful and so fun to do. If you have never tried it, you should, its habit forming (just like cross stitch) and I find it very rewarding!

Moonlight Skate

by With Thy Needle & Thread

Hope you are enjoying the beginning of a new weekend. It has been a long week! This morning I woke up to snow, yes snow, bbbrrrrrrr!!!!! I guess I need to start getting used to it because it is only going to get colder. My sweet cat, Jaspurr, is snuggled up against me and helping keep me a little bit warmer.

Yesterday I had a few extra hours of me time, so I went on a treasure hunt. I love to go shopping at second hand/thrift stores and antique stores. I found a few things I really liked so I thought I would share some of them with you.


First off I found this time worn book, I love the designs and scroll work on it. It was printed in 1904 and measures about 7" x 3". It is written in a different language so I am not sure exactly what it is, but some type of religion book. I love to display old books and one (meaning me, myself and I) can never have too many.


A fun darner with chippy yellow paint, which I will turn into a Christmas ornament to hang on the tree in my kitchen.



Ok, these spoons have not been cleaned yet, but I was so happy when I found these. They are the same pattern as my grandmothers silverware that she used when I was young. I squealed when I found them and the lady down the isle from me had to ask me why because she could tell I had found a "treasure".

And lastly, sorry for the blurry photo, I just couldn't get it right. I found this beautiful pair of silver scissors and look at that adorable postcard of "Adam & Eve", it is a real picture and it was printed in Germany. Very unique. I loved their bellies and that umbrella. I really had a fun day Friday.

PUMPKIN HOLLOW

Pumpkin Hollow

by With Thy Needle & Thread

There once was a witch

Who paraded a stick

High up on Pumpkin Hill.

In her black shiny boots

and tall pointy hat,

A plump wild witch was she;

With her hair that was snarled,

And hands that were gnarled,

And a rickety, kickety knee.