Some Finishes and Leo's Sampler

This is "Lone Star", a needlpoint based on the Texas Flag.  It was mounted in a rustic frame on a wool background with a twisted cord that hopefully looks a bit like a rope.  It was designed by Kathy Fielder of the Greater Dallas Chapter EGA.  I'll be teaching it at the Fort Worth Chapter EGA this month. It was a super fun stitch!

Here's another needlepoint, but a tiny one.  It's just under 2 inches.  The design is by Mary Polityka Bush and I finished it into a two sided pin keep.  It's mounted on large metal buttons with a flower trim around the edge.  This was also an EGA project.

I took a break from needlepoint and did this Elizabeth's Designs punchneedle.  I finishd it into a pin cushion and filled it with crushed walnut shells.  This is the first time I've used the walnut shells as a pin cushion stuffer - I love the feel and weight of it!

Leaving you with the progress on Leo's baby sampler.  Maybe I can have it finished by his first birthday :)

Happy stitching and stay warm!!

4 Generations of Grandmothers

Several years ago, I took a class at a TNNA market on making a multi-media memory book.  The class was by The Thread Gatherer and they gave us the most beautiful packets of cardstock, fabric, hand-dyed ribbons, overdyed floss, etc. and chart packs on how to make fabric books and memory books.  Now, I'm not a big scrapbooker, but I like to learn scrapping techniques; so since I had all these wonderful supplies, I decided to make a memory book.  Here's the cover:

 

I used one of my favorite old photos as the inspiration.  Here I am as a baby being held by my great-grandmother with my mother and grandmother looking on.  We always called it the "4 generations" picture. Now that I have grandchildren, I decided to use being a Grandmother as a theme.

I made a page for each person in the photo, gave each page a quote about Grandmothers, and tied them together by using a matching button on each page.

The first page highlights my great-grandmother "Grandma Daisy".  I am fortunate to have memories of her.  She died when I was small, but I can remember visiting her at her big house in the country.  She did a lot of redwork, so I added a small redwork butterfly salvaged from a pillowcase she made.  Here the button is the center of a flower I embellishe with silk ribbon.

Page 2 is for my Grandmother Richardson.  She was a school teacher and liked to read to us.  I love this picture of her reading to me when I was little.  I added a photo of her when she was young and used the button to hold the tag with the quote.  The little doily is one she crocheted as a Christmas ornament.

My mother's page is a little different.  She was never into needlework but appliques these amazing flags, paints birdhouses, and grows flowers.  She takes pride in her restored 19th century house and makes it a welcoming and comfortable home for her grandchildren (and children) to visit.  Her page has a bird house that uses the button as the hole.  I had some bird and cat buttons tucked away just waiting for the right project.  This was it!

And of course, the last page is for me.  I have pictures of me with my granddaughters.  In one of them, Aislyn looks on while I show off the Lizzie Kate stocking I made for her.  I added a little cross stitch piece I did years ago and put the button in a row with other buttons for embellishment.

I really enjoyed sewing, stitching, glueing, and planning my book.  I'm not sure if I'll do another one, but I'm glad to have this one completed  Started in 2009 and finished in 2012!

Happy New Year to all my readers!
Sherri

P.S.  Since I started this book we have a third grandchild and my brother and sister are both grandparents now!

Snow for Christmas in Texas

As the family gathered, the snow began to fall.  I think it's beautiful on the bottle tree. 

 

Merry Christmas!!

Hand Stitched Ornaments

Our tree is bedecked with mostly hand made ornaments and many of them stitched.  Techniques include cross stitch, needlepoint, beading, and punch needle.  A lifetme collection from friends and relatives along with many I stitched myself.  I enjoy them so much!  Here's a sample of some of my favorites.

I also finished the stockings for the mantle. They're made with fabric from a Moda French General layer cake.  I am absolutely in love with all these fabrics and I use them for all sorts of finishing work.

I guess I'm ready for Christmas now.  The packages are sent, presents wrapped, and stockings hung by the chimney with care.

Hope you all are ready for an enjoyable holiday!
Sherri

I Love Pinerest!

I am in LOVE with Pinterest. When I'm wake up in the middle of the night, I peruse Pinterest until I get sleepy again. There are so many wonderful ideas, I've found myself copying some of them for holiday decorating.

 

 

I saw a photo of a holiday table with a cake stand used as a candle stand.  Brilliant!  However, I don't have a cake stand and have never really felt the need for one.  So off to ebay I go to find the perfect vintage cake stand for my own table.  I found this wonderful heavy glass stand that's perfect.  I love ebay, too.  Now that I have a cake stand, I might find more uses for it during the rest of the year.  And it will work really well with some of the pieces I have that were my grandmother's!

 

 

I made my table runner out of 16 count Chili Pepper Heatherfield fabric and hand hemstitched it all around.  I think it works perfectly with the cake stand.

 

 

Speaking of getting ready for Christmas (as I was) .  Daisy says . . .

 

 

"I'm ready, bring it on!"