A New Start

Hello friends!

 32ct Vintage Lt Exampler - Lakeside Linens

Summer 2011 - BBD

Last weekend I started a new sampler that I have had kitted for almost 2 years now - BBD Loose Feathers Summer, Autumn and Winter 2011. I'm starting with Summer chart. And I had hand dyed my threads myself. But after I placed a few stitches I decided that I wanted to use a few of the recommended threads. Mostly because of the color tones - CC Wild Berries,  & GA Maple Syrup, Flax and Cindermill Brown. I love the coloring of the bird and inside of the flower according to the chart - thats why I made some changes. I had pulled all the DMC threads for all 3 charts and Hand dyed them all together.

April 2014 - JSC magazine pg 13

Yellow Fever &  Fraises du Bois threads - Watercolours by Caron

 Last week I received my issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine April 2014. When I saw these darling carrots I just had to stop what I was doing and go pull some supplies.  I used some left over fabric - I think its Luguna it sure feels like it. And I pulled some threads from long ago - talking like over 15 yrs ago. I had some Watercolours by Caron and thought they were pretty and looked like Easter colors. The skeins have 3 ply's and I used one thread over 2. It was fun and I felt so good using up some old stash.

 I have to laugh because last year I stitched "Save an egg decorate a carrot" and I did just that - lol.

 Ohhhhhh I was lucky to have gotten one of these kits. BBD - English Garden, A sewing bag kit! as soon as I get my orders in I will share what I bought. Hopefully this week I will get them:))))))

 You probably have already seen this on Lindas blog. I made this needlebook and sent it - a RAK to Linda! BBD - Small token. I made this in 2 days and sent it off right away to her.

The top ribbon is of animals and I chose this for Linda who loves her furbabies. Then I added the floral ribbon on the bottom. I have found that using a stretchable trim & a button works best to keep the needlebook closed. Especially for using it often. Linda was surprised and loves it.
Happy Stitching - With my love and Appreciation - Annette

Fairy Hill and a Gift!

Greetings friends! Have you been seeing some listings of the new releases from TNNA Nashville? I have seen a few charts that I really like. And possibly must have. One of the online stores that I;ve been looking at is Beach Cottage Stitchers HERE. They went to the show in Tennessee and have listed some new stash.

Update on Fairy Hill with Debbie and Linda Bothy Threads Cut Thru SAL Monday.

(before)

 (after) 

I stitched the sleeping fairy in her bed, covered with a leaf quilt. So cute. Started on the bed canopy and filling in all the pink background. 

I have a little story to share with you. Last Friday night I was talking to our son and telling him how they are angels all around us and that you just have to pay attention and recognize when miracles happen. And that miracles do happen every day. Okay that was Friday night. Come Saturday morning my son and I went and picked up a friend of our family. We went to the Rock & Gem show at our local fairgrounds. When DeeDee got in the car she handed Nicholas a box and tells him to open it. He received this:

 Yes she gave him a beautiful stone mans cross. Okay then we went to the show and had a great time. Then we did lunch and a bakery dropped DeeDee off at her home and then we came home.
The mail had arrived and I got a envelope addressed to me and inside was this:

 A beautiful card with my name on the envelope. THERE was no return address and the card was signed... "In his name - from a friend". HERE is what also I was gifted........

Isn't beautiful? I couldn't believe it. I too received this gorgeous cross. Whoever sent this to me Thank you from my heart! YOU ARE AN ANGEL!  I showed my son and he thought it was so kind whoever sent this to me. AND then I told him "Remember what I was telling you last night about miracles?" He said yes. Then I said "Do you realize that both you and I received crosses on the same day?????" He said "oh your right".
I said "Isn't that a true miracle?  First of all when was the last time I bought a cross or you did? AND then after what I said to you last night about angels, and then we both each receive a cross on the very next day?????" MY friends That is a true miracle and yes angels are around ALL OF US!
So Thank you to my Angel whoever you are. Your gift to me means more than you know.
Love to all of you and always my Appreciation - Annette

Happy Valentine's & Winner of my 200th follower Giveaway

Happy Valentine's to you! Thank you friends for participating in my giveaway and welcome to new friends. We have a WINNER for my 200th follower Giveaway! I will tell you who won at the end of my post. Gorgeous day here in the Bay Area - 70 degrees! Those of you who are deeeeep in snow & having all those cold storms I send you many SUNNY WELL WISHES!!! 

Nope I can't wait any longer to tell you who won my giveaway. And I didn't draw the winner, my son drew it and the winner is:

Congratulations to

Margaret 

of "Days of a Sampler Lover" blog! 

Please email me your address Margaret so I can mail you your gifts.

Started stitching  a new project today and finished one of the pieces from a beautiful chart that Lee had gifted me. And I had to show you the darling rose clip that Lee sent and it matches my Pink Rose Set she also had made for me. The clip works beautifully to hold my Pearl #12 DMC  thread. The chart came from Heirlooms in Napier, New Zealand - so I thought it appropriate to add the Heirlooms wooden floss keeper in the photo to.

"Grape Companions" by Barberry Row (chart from Heirlooms in New Zealand)

32ct white Belfast Linen - DMC threads

Thank you for your visit. Always with my Love and Appreciation - Annette

Hearts & 200th Follower Giveaway

Greetings to you! Hope your all safe and warm as I've heard and seen lots of snow for the Midwest and back East of US. We been having some much needed rain the last few days. And I still have my Christmas trees up -LOL. Not in any hurry to take them down. I love having the lights on the trees glow during the night when its cold outside and so does my family.
I have some pretties to share with you. And I have reached 200 followers on my blog - Thank you and Welcome to all of you. I am having a giveaway and more on that at the end of my post. Hope you stick with me -lol.
This week is Valentine's Day. So hearts has been my theme which I love......

 "Be My Valentine" by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread

36ct Vintage Navy Bean by Lakeside Linens

For the red thread I used Cardinal Wildflowers by Caron, all other threads were used as suggested.

 Yep about 2 years ago I was scrapbooking and decorated the heart box as Brenda instructed in her chart.

 Nope box won't close - LOL. Now I will know in the future to check the stuffing height before I proceed to slip-stitch close the opening of the pillow and add the trim. Oh well!!!

 My mom had given me this darling red mini hearts fabric and I used it. I added the yellow felt inside the needlebook myself. Brenda suggests to add a removeable piece paper to place your needles on but I didn't I like having felt pages to place my needles.

 These pieces were stitched 2 years ago (at the time the chart became available) and I had only put together the mini needlecase.  I only had the heart pillow left to make and now all is complete.

 From Lee of "Notes from Under the Mountain" blog sent me this beautiful stitched pick rose to add to my
tublerone rose set. It houses a clip for holding DMC Pearl threads. I love it and Thank you Lee.
Also Lee is having a giveaway on her other blog "The Other Side of the Mountain" Please visit her and don't forget to leave a comment. On both blogs Lee has listed some beautiful freebie charts that she designed. So be sure to check them out:)

                                      

 (before)

 (After) as of  Feb10th

Fairy Hill - Bothy Threads Cut Thru Monday SAL

I sure spent some time on Fairy Hill and managed to stitch the left side of the tree truck and started on the right side. Love this sampler. 

 Giveaway prizes!!!

And now for my giveaway. Super easy, just leave a comment on this post. That's it!!! I am giving away a brand new chart by Ellen Chester - "Mrs. Waddelow's Huswif". You know I LOVE Ellen and her charts. Ellen's charts provide the best instructions & charting. ALSO I'm including some Linen (32ct Belfast Natural size 20"x27" that's inches) and ......

 A zippered project pouch that I made and a needlebook. The heart design was stitched on 36ct linen mystery color and  silk thread  by The Thread Gatherer - Irish Cob and Simply Strawberry. The heart design is a freebie on a French blog that can be fond HERE. I had found one night while blog hopping. This blog's last post was on April 2012 but Zoe  has other freebie beautiful charts and its definitely worth visiting.

 There are 2 pages of felt to house your needles and a pocket on the right side.

Inside of the pouch - red and gold fabric. 

Please leave a comment here on this post and I will draw a winner on February 14th - Valentine's day.

I have not stitched on Ann Dale lately I'm working on a secret project and getting close to becoming done. 

Then I switched to stitch these hearts for the pouch and needlebook for my giveaway. 

I also have been watching the Olympics. I loved the first event that aired here in California it was the Men's downhill - Oh I couldn't believe how STEEP that mountain was and such a  loooong ways down. It was thrilling to watch. Did you see it? Are you watching the Olympics too? 

With Love and Appreciation - Annette