Friday, March 29, 2013

Stitch Me Up Embroidery Blog Hop - It's My Day!


Today is the last day of the Stitch me up embroidery blog hop. Thank you to Madame Samm and Jane for organizing this fun blog hop.  We were given several embroidery designs from three different designers and were to choose from them to make our projects.   Jane offered a thread kit with several colors of Presencia Finca Perle Cotton that we could use on our projects if we chose to.  Most of the stitching I did was done with this thread and it was great to work with.


My first project was designed by Debbie at Busy As Can Be.  I started by doing my embroidery in blue using backstitch, outline stitch, french knots.  Instead of redwork I made a bluework project.


I then added strips of fabric from my stash.


Added some lace.


Added some trim.


I then added a little more fabric to the edges to make a 16" inch pillow that is perfect for my favorite chair.


The back is made from strips of fabric stitched together.



My next project is made from one of Madame Samm's designs.


This is the embroidery stitched and ready to make the sweet little doll below.


This little doll will be a gift for one of my granddaughters, I have three more that I plan to stitch up but each will have a different hair and eye color.  

The last project I had time complete was made from one of  the designs Cyndi of  Bee Tree Designs provided for us.   I am a lover of pincushions so that is what I made with this fun design.  I used my new thread to make the cording for the edge of my pincushion.


The back is fabric scraps sewn together.


I had hoped to have time to use more of the embroidery designs provided by these talented ladies but I will have to save that for another day.  Be sure to visit the others on the list below on this last day of the 
Stitch Me Up Embroidery Blog Hop.

FRIDAY MARCH 29th
Patricia @That Other Blog
Blessings From Our Nest (you are here)

Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Stitch Me Up Embroidery Blog Hop - Monday-Thursday


Keep visiting the blogs on these lists to see all of the wonderful projects.  My day is Friday, I am looking forward to sharing my projects.

MONDAY MARCH 25th
Beverly @That Other Blog

TUESDAY MARCH 26th
Jeanette @That Other Blog

WEDNESDAY MARCH 27TH

THURSDAY MARCH 28th
Kristin @That Other Blog

Friday, March 22, 2013

Happy Birthday Micah - Stitch Me Up Blog Hop Day 3

Today is our "Middle" son's 31st Birthday.  How did he get that old so fast.  We call him our MC, middle child, even though there is no real middle when you have six children.  I think he enjoyed using the "middle child" line and I suppose he may have felt like the classic middle child at times in our busy family.

Happy Birthday to Micah, we are blessed to have such a wonderful son in the middle of our family.

Last years birthday with our traditional cheesecake.


FRIDAY March 22nd


Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Day 1 - Stich Me Up Embroidery Blog Hop

Today begins the Stitch Me Up blog hop.

You will get the chance to see some beautiful embroidery.  I will be posting my projects on the 29th. Colonial Needle is sponsoring this blog hop, we had three designers that contributed patterns for us to use in this hop Debbie, Cyndi and Madame Samm.  Visit each stitcher and say hello while your are there. 

WEDNESDAY March 20th



Susan @That Other Blog (scroll down for both these ladies)



Pig Tales and Quilts ( she will be on 22nd)












Saturday, March 9, 2013

Quiet Saturday Morning

What a blessing to start the day with the sun shinning through the window and no place to rush off to.
My favorite chair, a cup of hot coffee and a new magazine to browse, I am enjoying this.


I will look through my magazine and think about spring.


We will be off later to watch one of our grandsons play basketball, this is looking to be a special day.  
We should all remember to be thankful for our many blessings.

Just one of my many blessings - Caleb after his game


Friday, March 8, 2013

Beat the Winter Blues Blog Hop and my Give-Away

I chose a winner for this give-away, thanks so much for all of your comments.  I hope to visit as many of you as I can in the next few weeks if you have a blog.  I read each comment and enjoyed reading about your favorite creative activities. 
There were 242 comments.
Random Number Generator chose number 101
Sue said:
I love sewing but running a close second is reading. I have my Kindle and I couldn't do without it.
 
Congratulations Sue, I am sending you an email message so that I can send out your package.

I am joining in on the Beat the Winter Blues Blog Hop and Give-Away Party at Quilting Gallery

I have won many fun things through giveaways in blogland and I thought I would like to join in and have a giveaway here.

So leave a comment and tell me what is your favorite creative activity, sewing, crochet, cooking, playing with your kids or grandkids, the list is endless.  That is all you have to do and you will be entered to win.

A pincushion made by me using a pattern I found at Moda Bake Shop and mentioned in this post here.

Charm Squares and two 1 yard pieces of "Botany" by Lauren & Jessi Jung for moda.  Visit their blog here.


This giveaway will only last one week.  I will choose and announce the winner here on March 15th.
Visit Quilting Gallery to see the list of other giveaways.
Have fun hopping.

Thursday, March 7, 2013

Winter Birthdays

With a large family there are birthdays to celebrate every month.   Sammy, Kevin and Brad had January Birthdays and Matthew's is in February.   Some of our family lives in other states so we can all be together for every celebration.

 Kevin and Amy  are looking at a picture made by nephew Noah for Kevin's Birthday.

 
The grand kids all like to get in the pictures when it's time to blow out candles.



Noah and Kevin, Noah is pointing out details in his gift for his uncle.


Little Emalynn reading, I mean eating a board book.

She is so happy because she was showing me that she could clap her hands, it is so exciting to learn new things.  Maybe we should all learn from little ones and find joy in the simple things.


Little Matthew turned two

Patiently waiting to blow out his candles.


He did get a little too close to the flame.  I think he will be a little hesitant to get so close next time.
 
We don't have the chance to spend every birthday with all of our children and grandchildren as some live far away from us but it is always a blessing to spend time together whenever we can.

Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Saturday Stitching

On Friday I spent the day with my friend Robin at the Sewing & Stitchery Expo in Puyallup, Washington.  It was great fun and we learned so much from the different classes we took.  We had a wonderful time visiting all of the booths, so much inspiration.  Here is Robin making her first purchase, she looks pretty happy about it.  This was one of our first stops of the day. 


After so much inspiration I spent the first part of Saturday sewing in my comfy sweats and a t-shirt with not a touch of makeup.  I love days like that.

Pillow top for the Pretty in Patchwork Sew Along at Thread Bias.  This is January's project so you can see that I am a little behind in the sew along.

March block  for the Sugar Block Club at Stitchery Dickory Dock.
 
January block
 
February block
 
 
When I started joining Sinta at Pink Pincushion for BOM Rehab I had intended to finish up projects started last year and before.  Now here I am catching up on this years BOM projects.  I may have joined in on a few too many new projects this year.  Oh well, there is really no pressure unless I put it on myself so I will just continue on at my pace and have fun.
 

Saturday, March 2, 2013

Pin Keep Swap

I mailed my Pin Keep to my swap partner and she let me know that she has received it.   I guess I should say my hubby mailed it for me.  I had a great time with this 2nd Annual Pin Keep Swap sponsored by Wendy at Ravenwood Whimzies.

First I will share the pink keep made by my partner Ronda.  She enjoys working with wool and I love what she made for me.



She sent a box of pins that match the pin keep.


Below is a picture of the back of my new pin keep


The Pin Keep I chose to make for my swap partner Ronda was designed by Kaaren Johnston at The Painted Quilt.  It was one of her fabulous first-Friday Freebie patterns listed on her sidebar.  

I love embroidery so this was a perfect project for me.  I used a variegated DMC for the embroidery work on the front.

I used some pieces of French General fabric left  from a mini-quilt for the back. 

While I was working on my first project I came across the design below and thought it would be fun to give this little pin keep a try. 

This design I found on Moda Bake Shop and it was called Flirtatious Hearts Table Topper & Pincushion.  I used scraps from the same French General jelly roll to piece this together.


Thanks again to Wendy for this fun swap and thank you to Ronda for making my very special pin keep.