~*Working On My List*~

Warm smiles to ya... my dear prim friends! I've been working on my list ~ my Hands On List that is. A few days ago I posted a new freebie and was so excited it about it that I put my other projects on hold to stitch it up...



I stitched on a piece of scrap linen-like fabric... not exactly sure what it is... from my collection with DMC floss (3031 and 612)... 2 over 2. For finishing, the pinkeep has been backed with a yummy brown wool and filled with woolly bits left over from my rug hooking. I then stitched on the tiny pocket to hold the embroidery scissors & trimmed the edges with hand~spun yarn and vintage buttons.



I'm really pleased with the finish. Doing quick stitch pieces are a great way to fuel the fires of creativity!

Also this weekend...



I found this wonderful pattern by Cats in the Barn. These will be finished into Santa ornies.... great for adding a little handmade garnish to a gift! I hope to finish these up today.

On my Hands On List of things I need/want/must make this week... finish a hooked candle mat, do some painting for my dear MIL, finish stitching the model for my next pattern, and design up a rug to take to the monthly hook~in this coming Saturday. What is on your list this week?

Well, guess I should get back to working on my list.
Many smiles to ya....

Betty

~*Happy Thanksgiving*~

Hello Dear Friends... and a joyous, Happy Thanksgiving to each and every one of you. May you be close to family, friends, and have hearts filled with LOVE and THANKFULNESS tomorrow and always.

I've doodled up another cross stitch freebie to offer you. Maybe it will be a 'quick stitch' project for you this weekend... after the bellies are full, the last marching band has blown its tune, football games have been won, naps have been taken, and (if you dare) shopped 'til you dropped.

Hummm... what colors will you choose? What finish will you do? I'm thinking two shades of soft, warm brown stitched on a wholesome, natural linen. Maybe another scissor FOB? I think this would make a sweet gift for a friend of mine... or maybe two! I'll fill it with bits of wool from my scrap basket, or maybe some soft lambs wool & tuck in a few buds of dried lavender.

Enjoy....



54 by 54 stitches

Warm smiles to you...

Betty

PS.... I had some time to 'doodle' this too....

~*The ABCs of Thanksgiving*~

Hi Friends! I just have to share this picture of my lil' pilgrim. Today was the 1st Grade play. There were two performances... and I went to both. It is really fun to be a proud Momma! :) The whole class did a super job. Everyone remembered their lines and spoke loudly. I could tell Trinity was keeping an eye on me. Every time I aimed the camera at him, he would give me his huge, cheesy grin.



Cheesy smiles to you....

Betty

~*Healing Up & Still Catching Up*~

Hello Dear Friends! Didn't I just post that I was catching up? Didn't I get caught up? Yes, I did... and no, I didn't. T'is the story of my life now days. Well, part of it is to be blamed on illness. Nothing major really... last week started with me having a head cold & giving it to the kiddo. He missed school two days, but is feeling all better now. Then, I had some sort of relapse and was diagnosed with strep throat. We are both on antibiotics now and getting back to normal (if there is a normal!). I'm just hoping and praying that my hubby doesn't catch the crud. With Thanksgiving only a few days away... it would be just terrible for him to be sick. Well, it would be terrible for him to be sick at anytime, wouldn't it?

There is so much that I want to post about. This may turn out to be a really long post... or maybe I'll just write off and on over the next day or two.

First off, I should apologize. I forgot to take my camera to the craft show on Saturday. We all did have a wonderful time... and boy was it crowded! With the economy going the way it is, it was really nice to see people out and about... and buying too! Although I only made a purchase of my beloved kettle corn, I did see many packages being carried through the crowd. I also over heard one woman say she was going to need to take a second trip to the car to free up her arms. There were all kinds of yummy goodies to oodle over ~ jams, fudge, cookies & other baked goods; there were snowmen galore; Santa was there in all shapes and sizes; and then numerous other goodies almost as far as the eye could see. It was really a nice way to get into the holiday spirit.

Next on my catch up list... I received another award! Goodness gracious!



This one is from my buddy, Marte at Boggy Creek Primitives. Thank you Marte! You are a sweetie for thinking of me.

The rules are that I pass it along to 5 I believe are amazing blogs. Oh goodness... where do I start?

Well, here goes....

1. Kay of The Rustic Cottage
2. Barbara of Mainely Stitching
3. Tanya of At the Honeysuckle Tree
4. Beth of The Twist Family
5. Sherry of Blog In Sherry

And that reminds me! I still need to pass this award on...



This is one that my dear friend, Ginger, of Primitives By the Light of the Moon gave me last week. I'm sorry to take so long getting it forwarded Ginger. Please forgive me! Thank you again though for thinking of me.

The rules are:
1. Put the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who awarded you.
3. Nominate 10 other blogs for this award.
4. Add links to those blogs.
5. Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs.
6. Give a reason why you consider their blogs cool.

Ok... 10 blogs... some have probably already received this, but they probably deserve it a 2nd time too!


1. Debbie of Simple Country Blessings
2. Sandy of For the LOVE of Prims
3. Lottie of Sweetpeas Primitives
4. Patti of Winding Vine Wanderings
5. Terri of Thistle House Primitives
6. Bren of That Thing I Do
7. Tammy of Skip to My Ewe
8. Sher of Old Crow Farm
9. Cathy of Hooked on Primitives
10. Julie of Julie's Keepsakes

They are all a true inspiration with a wonderful creative spirit! I guess I should go let all these folks now I've forwarded the award on to them!

I've got a 1st grade Thanksgiving play to attend this afternoon (yes, there will probably be pictures posted ~ LOL) and I'm thinking of a Thanksgiving freebie... so please keep watching.

Until next time... many smiles to you!
~ Betty

~*So Far Behind*~

Yup... that is how I'm feeling! Hello dear friends! It has been a busy week... full of stitching, hooking, 'life', and illness. I was down & out for a full day & then Trinity caught it & missed two days of school. We are both doing much better now and (knock on wood) Tony hasn't gotten it.

I've been reading all the comments & would like to thank you all for the enthusiasm & praise! You are all so sweet!

One thing I desperately need to catch up with is a TAG I received from Julie!



OHHHHHH.... she GOT me! LOL

For the game ~ the rules are as follows:

Rule #1 ~ Link to the person that tagged you.
Rule #2 ~ Post the rules on your Blog.
Rule #3 ~ Write 6 random things about yourself.
Rule #4 ~ Tag 6 people at the end of your post.
Rule #5 ~ Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their Blog.
Rule #6 ~ Let the tagger know your entry is up.

So.... six random things about ME? Hummmmmmm, here goes....

#1 ~ I'm constantly busy, but never get anything done!
#2 ~ If organization were a 'graded' task... I would most likely get an 'F'.
#3 ~ My favorite meal is a cheeseburger & fries. (which I have way too often!)
#4 ~ I don't have a dishwasher, but probably wouldn't use it if I had it anyway.
#5 ~ I'm a blabber~mouth & LOVE to talk!
#6 ~ It would be amazing if I visited a shopping mall more than 2 times a year - I just NEVER go to them.

Ok... now it is time for me to TAG six of my dear friends. Here they are at random! LOL

#1 ~ Kim from Cabin Creek Farm
#2 ~ Cathy of Hooked on Primitives
#3 ~ Ginger of Primitives by the Light of the Moon
#4 ~ Cyndi of She Seeketh Wool
#5 ~ Rondell of Tomatoe Creek Prims
#6 ~ Tanya of At the Honeysuckle Tree

Oh goodness.... there are so many more girls I could tag! But I know the game will get around & gobs will be 'it' before it is over!

Also, I need to give my buddy, Ginger a big hug & thank you for this award....



There are rules for this award too... and I do plan to get to it... however, it will have to be on another post. I will try to get to it by the end of the weekend.

Tomorrow I'm going with my mother-in-law & sister-in-law to an annual craft show. It should be a fun day out! I'll take the camera along & see if I can get some good photos to share.

Thank you again for all your comments & praise. I'm trying to think of something sweet to offer for Christmas. So please keep coming back... it will be here soon.

Many warm smiles to you!
Betty

~*Symple Scissor FOB Freebie-S*~

Happy Sunday to you dear friends! The other day I promised a freebie would be on the way... and here it is. It is a simple ditty... but sometimes simple is good for stirring the creative juices & get you inspired to do more.



For this freebie, I thought it would be nice to give you a couple of different finishing ideas ~ cross stitch and needle punch. FOBs are about 2 1/2 by 3 inches.


© primitivebettys
Stitch count ~ 37 by 46.... I stitched 2 over 2 on 32 count Lambswool linen. (I have yet to figure out how to show the legend online... floss colors are listed below.)


© primitivebettys
You may need to reduce this image for your FOB. I stitched with my Cameo Ultra Punch ~ MD needle... with 6 strands of floss.

Floss colors used are DMC.... 3781 Mocha Brown DK, 356 Terra Cotta MD, 355 Terra Cotta DK, and 3051 Green Gray DK. For the needle punch finish, I also added hints of 3021 Brown Gray V DK with the background of 422 Hazelnut Brown LT. Both finishes were stained in my walnut & spice mix after assembly.

I assembled the FOBs into tiny pillows by backing them with a scrap piece from an old army blanket. They have been filled (lightly) with more scraps of wool. (A little hint, use light scraps for the cross stitch pillow so it won't show through.) I do use my machine to put the pillows together... but LOVE the hand~finished look. So, for the cross stitch finish, I used some linen thread & made tiny 'x' stitches around the boarder. For the needle punch finish, I put a strip of wool (1/4 inch) to 'hide' the seam & stitched it on with my linen thread. For the hangers, I used inexpensive satin ribbon on one and a 1/4 inch strip of wool on the other. These were about 16 inches long, folded in half, knotted on the loose ends, and then stitched to one back corner.



Because these are lil' pillows, they do dual duty as pinkeeps too!

Wouldn't these make quick finishes to add to your holiday gifting? I hope you enjoy the freebies. Please remember, I love to see freebie finishes & love more to brag about them on my blog. So please share with me!

Many smiles & happy stitching to you....

Betty

~*NEW*~ Pattern Release!

~*Friendship Book*~
An Olde~tyme, Prairie Style Autograph Book




Hello my Dear friends! Yes... I have a new pattern. Moving all my craft stuff last weekend must have worked! It freed up my mind & gave me a sense of clarity. YIPPEE!

I have often been fascinated by old autograph books. Doing some research into the history of them, I found that they were mostly used by college students. They would sign them almost like we do now on our yearbook pages. (From what I remember from signing yearbooks over 20 years ago!) But, I wondered.... what would it have been like for a lil' girl on the prairie. What if she had a book where she could have her friends sign? Or, what if she just carried a book to write her own thoughts & notations?

Well, this is what I came up with. The finish is sort of 'Fallish' with the squirrels standing proudly showing their fruits of labor ~ the glorious bloom, a cross, and the year '1848'. Why not stitch one up to set out at Thanksgiving when your family and friends come by. They could sign... when this you see ~ remember me...

The pattern, if you wish, can be purchased directly from me via email (my_tony1@yahoo.com), Ebay, or Etsy. Pattern cost is $10.00 with free shipping.

I was thinking yesterday... well for a few days actually... it is time for another freebie. I worked up a simple chart last night, but I want to stitch it first & offer you a free finish along with it. So, look for it in the next few days. I won't let ya down. :)

So... until next time... happy stitching with many warm smiles!

~ Betty

~*Update, Freebie Finish and an Oops*~

Hello Dear Friends! I hope you are all happy & warm... enjoying the pleasures of Fall as it is in full force now. I've been keeping VERY busy inside. Last week I decided to move my craft stuff (and there sure is a lot of stuff!) to the basement. Planning this huge move, I was thinking it would only take 1/2 of the main room ~ kind of a rec room. Well.... let's just say, I'm slightly off on my planning. LOL I have taken over 1/2 of that room.... but also the laundry room and my stepson, Jamie's, old bedroom. How it all fit in the spare bedroom (without a bed), I'll NEVER know. When the lil' red house does get finished, I know there will be no problem filling it up! The project started on Sunday, was worked on yesterday, and was still worked on some today. I'm almost finished though and really enjoying this new change.

Tony built me shelves to stack my wool upon, plus worked tirelessly helping me get the heavy things down the stairs. I'm so thankful & grateful to have such a wonderful hubby! Jamie, Craig (my other dear stepson), and Trinity helped a whole bunch too! Thank you to ALL my AWESOME boys!

Here is how the old room looked yesterday..... a lot of stuff, huh?



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Today I received notice of another freebie finish....



This darling ditty was made by Staci of Snippets and Stash. Red is my very FAVORITE color & I just LOVE this! Don't you? Staci stitched this on 32 count linen & filled it with crushed walnut shells. I do just love it! Thanks Staci for showing us!

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Now for our Oops!



This is the windshield of our car. The spiderweb crack was caused by the head of a 6 year old. Yup, Trinity. Don't worry, he wasn't hurt. The car wasn't even moving! He and I were waiting in the car to pick up Cub Scout popcorn. He does ride in the back, but sat in the front to wait & avoid the cold weather. For some reason, unknown to me, he decided to stand up and jump. As he did this, he head butted the windshield causing the crack. I was so shocked! He said he wasn't hurt... but there sure were tears of guilt, remorse, and 'uh oh'. He wasn't punished, but was given a sturn talking to about being too excited at times. When we arrived home, he bought his piggy bank to Dad & I offering to pay for the Oops. No, we didn't take it. There is someone coming tomorrow to install a new windshield... not something we needed to spend money on so soon to Christmas, but we will make it all work.

I'm sure this is something we will never let him live down though... he will forever be teased for having a hard head! LOL

Gotta go work on this move some more. Until next time, many warm smiles to you...

Betty

~*Waste Not Want Not*~

Hello Dear Friends! Well... with the encouragement & support of my family and friends, I tried it. Yup... I canned pears and pears and more pears! With my hubby liking them so, I just couldn't let them go to waste. My dear SIL, Robin, loaned me her canner & gave me some tips. (Plus, bunches of you did too - Thank You!) Robin offered to come over to show me, but I thought I would attempt it alone so I could get it done while Trinity was at school.



Yesterday morning, I began peeling, coring, and chopping pears. My first attempt gave me 14 pints. Plus, I was really wanting to try making Pear Honey using a recipe I found on the web. I ended up with 11 jelly jars full of that too! I was in the kitchen ALL DAY... but the bounty was well worth it. I'm proud that I was able to learn something new.

My only troubles were 'floating' fruit and one lid that didn't seal. From reading, the floating really isn't a problem... it just doesn't look as good. I think it was caused because I didn't put enough fruit in the jars. When the pears cooked during canning, the air in them escaped causing the fruit to rise.

This morning I canned another 10 pints. They are packed better & don't seem to be floating as much. One lid crimped.... but we will just eat those first.

The lid that didn't seal yesterday was one with Pear Honey... so it gave me a chance to try it right away. Boy is it sweet! I tried it on toast... but think it will be much tastier on a hot biscuit. Yummmmmmmm

My first attempt at canning ~ Yeild 24 pints of pears and 11 jelly jars of Pear Honey... WOW!

Oh... and the banana bread in the picture? Well, I couldn't throw away our ripe nanners either! One loaf will stay here with us... the other will be taken to my Mom & StepDad tomorrow. They don't bake & just LOVE it when I take them a lil' treat!

Now that my kitchen work is finished for a bit... I'm going to go craft! I'm still working on a cross stitch finish. If I could only find some room in my workspace... it would be done.

Many warm smiles to ya...

Betty

~*Fresh Harvest Pears*~

Hello dear friends! Yes... we have TONS of ripe pears! I'm gonna need a bigger basket!





Look at the ones on the ground! You can get 'drunk' walking under the tree! The scent is very VERY sweet!



The sad thing.... I don't know how to can. I've made some pear crisp, but we can only eat so much of that. We have shared some with family... but have way more than we will use this year.

Tony does what he calls a 'walk about' through our yard on a daily basis. The cats follow along behind him. When he passes the tree, he grabs 2 or 3 to enjoy while he walks.

It is amazing how many we have on this lone pear tree... we didn't fertilize or spray them. They are just Nature's yummy gifts!

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We have been enjoying our Halloween Weekend with loads of fun... and loads of candy. Trinity rode his horse for Trick or Treating...



For the annual costume party last night... we decided to go as Animal House toga goers... (Trinity added his own 'twist' to his costume)...



The party is given by my sister and brother in-law each year. They have it on their farm with a roaring fire, great food, and awesome FUN! We look forward to it each year & just love to see all the costumes everyone comes up with.

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Other weekend news... I've just listed this on Ebay...



Click HERE to view the offering.

My buddies of BLESTB are having an Olde Thyme Christmas launch for the month of November. There are sure to many treasured creations offered. You won't want to miss them.... just search Ebay with the group letters BLESTB.



Our banner was made by Julie of Plumruncreek. Isn't it a dandy? Thank you Julie!

Well... guess I better get some more things done. Until then... many smiles to ya...
Betty