Wednesday, August 31, 2011

~*Update Is Posted*~

Hello Dear Friends! I wasn't sure I was going to get things finished... but after playing in the studio all day today... I did!



Please hop on over to Early Work Mercantile to see all the Harvest goodies offered this month. Updates will be posted on the 1st and the 15th.

I'm sure we are all ready for Fall... and cooler weather!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

~*Back To It*~

After a SUPER~FUN~filled weekend... it is time to get back to it! Time to get back to school, to get the housework caught up, the gardens weeded, the clutter picked up, and my To~Do list under control. There just seems to be so much that needs to get done... I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Punching is moving along, but slowly...
Stitches? Well, I feel like I need to blow the dust off of them... but I do plan to take one along to work on during tae kwon do class tonight...
So... guess it is time to take a few deep breaths and get back to it!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Saturday, August 27, 2011

~*Birthday Celebration!*~

How does this sound for a birthday celebration?
I really am not sure who was more excited! I think that this will be a birthday he will never forget though...
Trinity shares his birthday with our other son's sweet girlfriend, Annie. We bought tickets for the 5 of us to go... drove the 2 hours... had a bite to eat... and ROCKED OUT for the AWESOME three hour concert! It was truly amazing!!!
PETER FRAMPTON!!! Frampton Comes Alive! 35 Tour... in Salina, Kansas last night at the Stiefel Theatre.

Trinity may be the only 9 year old in his class that knows who Peter Frampton is... but he was singing and rocking right along...


He plans to wear his new tee shirt to school on Monday... which will be his first day of 4th grade.

We didn't get back home until almost 2am... but he was asleep 5 minutes after getting in the car...


Next weekend is the family birthday party... with presents, potluck goodies, cake & ice cream, go karting, pool splashing, and even more fun!

Thank you to all who posted Happy Birthday wishes for Trinity. I shared each one with him. He is tickled to hear he has well wishers from around the world! Thank you!

Wishing you all warm smiles... and a wonderful weekend...

Betty

Friday, August 26, 2011

~*Friday Finishes*~

Happy Friday! I hope you have had a fabulous week and that your weekend will be just as grand! My thoughts and prayers for those of you facing a frightening weekend with the hurricane. I do hope you stay safe and unharmed.

I shared one of Ann's great finishes a few days ago, but saved this one for ~*Friday Finishes*~. Here is her finish of the freebie ~*Sunflowers N' Crows*~...


Such a perfectly, prim, pretty finish! I love it Ann! Thank you for stitching and sharing!

Today is a special day in our household... it is Trinity's 9th birthday! We have big plans... I kind of mentioned a hint about that the other day... well, I guess I'm not spilling the beans about it yet either. I will post about it tomorrow though... along with some pictures. I am so proud of my lil' guy! He is so sweet, fun, charming, and all~around GREAT!

Have a wonderful day with lots of warm smiles...

Betty

Thursday, August 25, 2011

~*Settler's Harvest Preparations*~


Hello Dear Friends! I picked up my punch needle last night and began a few ditties for the update at Early Work Mercantile for September 1st. That is just one week away... hopefully I'll be ready.



These will be finished into lil' pin pillows... maybe. I really never have a complete plan when I start. I just go with the flow.

The orange is some DMC that I over~dyed with RIT dye a few years ago. The browns may be the background.

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

~*End of Summer Vacation Adventure Walk... and a Prize*~

Hello Dear Friends! We are on our last week of Summer Vacation. School starts here on Friday... although the kiddo won't go until Monday because we have REALLY BIG PLANS for Friday! I'll share more about those plans later. Right now... our Adventure Walk...

We took off behind our home hand in hand...

... with our puppy too.

To enjoy some wide open spaces...


We walked down one road...

to another road...
and another, less traveled one...


We met new friends...



And saw some pretties...



We thought, maybe we found part of a UFO...

...turns out not.

It was wonderful time spent together...


... enjoying each other, this beautiful day, and getting some exercise...


And to cool off afterward...


I never want to forget this special time!

~*~*~*~*~*~

Another goody to share... my PRIZE!
I was a lucky winner of Patti's recent giveaway. She mailed out this treat quick too! Thank you Patti! I love the pinkeep, but the card is a treasure too! She handmade it as well... photographing her finish of my freebie ~*Sunflowers N' Crows*~! Too SWEET!!

Thank you again, Patti! I'm so proud to have another handmade goody from you!



I do feel truly BLESSED today! Well, maybe that is EXTRA BLESSED today. <3

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

~*Re~Cap, Re~Do, and an Olde Freebie*~

Hello Dear Friends! I hope you had a great weekend! We did... and it was so full! On Saturday, Tony & I went to Overland Park to pick up a boat motor for the minimax boat he has built. (pictures of that soon) While there, we visited the old downtown Santa Fe area for some shopping... antiques and the quilt shop. The day wasn't over yet! We then drove west about 2 1/2 hours to Alma for a car show... and more antique shopping. That alone was a full, fun day! But on Sunday... I did the re~do of our bedroom... painting the ceiling, walls, closet, and floor. (yes, it too had the 40+ year old carpet in it) Monday is still part of our 'weekend' because of Tony's work schedule... he works 4, 10 our days with Saturday, Sunday & Monday off. So...yesterday, I finished putting everything but the dust bunnies back into our room... and then we took the boat out in the evening so the kids could give knee boarding a go. Let me just say... that I dropped into bed at 10pm and woke up this morning feeling like I had a hang over. It was a full weekend!!

I didn't get pictures of the few lil' goodies I purchased from the antique shops or quilt store... and I didn't' get pictures of the car show... but here are some snaps taken from my phone yesterday of our bedroom. Please ignore the image of me in the mirror...smile...





We have a large area rug covering most of the floor... but this floor too is just the plywood sub-floor painted with porch paint. Someday we do hope to get new carpeting in all our bedrooms. But we need to save our pennies first to do it.

I mentioned an olde freebie in the title... where here it is...
~*Olde Hallow's Eve*~ freebie

© primitivebettys 2008

64 by 60 stitches

A few years ago, I belonged to an online group called Stacy Nash Groupies. This group has been closed and no longer exists. But during the time the group was active, I was asked to donate a freebie. This is it. Ann of A Hole In The Basket Primitives recently stitched it up, but couldn't locate the designer information. I searched my old files and found it... and thought I would share it with all of you too. Here is Ann's finish...
Thank you for sharing your finish, Ann! It is wonderful!

Ann has another beautiful finish that I will be sharing on Friday too. It too is lovely!

Well... I need to get busy with some house cleaning... and maybe pick up my needle... so time to run. I hope you all have a blessed day!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty


Friday, August 19, 2011

~*Friday Finishes*~


Happy Friday to ya... dear friends! I hope your week has been wonderful & that your weekend will be doubly good!

Let me right to the ~*Friday Finishes*~...

From Cathi... a true goodie of Halloween... this is her finish of my pattern ~*Hallows Eve*~.


I love how she added the extra fabric to the ends to make the pinkeep wider. How lovely! If you are interested in this pattern... you can find it at your local needlework shop or at my Etsy shoppe.

From Annie in France... her finish of the ~*Simplify Freebie*~...


She filled it with a bag of lavender flowers & hung it in her kitchen. She said it helps to remind her to simplify. Simply beautiful!

As always... thank you so very much for stitching & sharing. I do just love to see & share these fine finishes! Keep 'em coming!

We are nearing the end of summer vacation here. Today the kiddo & I have a full day planned. So... I better be getting ready to go. I wish you all a fantastic Friday!

Wishing you warm smiles too...

Betty

Thursday, August 18, 2011

~*After Searching... it is found...*~

Hello Friends! In the last post I mentioned one of my stitches in progress is a freebie offered by the ever~so~talented~and~cool~and~friendly... Lori of Notforgotten Farms, but I didn't give you the link directly to the freebie. Well... I couldn't find it this morning. BUT... I had a few extra minutes this evening & didn't want to let you down or leave you hanging... so here is the direct like to Lori's wonderful pattern... she has it titled ~*Remember Me*~.

Enjoy!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty


~*So Many Stitches...*~

so little time...

Hello Dear Friends! Do you ever feel that way? Goodness...



Why do I keep starting new stitches? After I took this photo, I realized I have another that didn't get included. I'm working on the next school girl sampler, the freebie from Lori of Notforgotten Farm, and the Autumn challenge piece for Samplermakers (that may be a pattern release too)... and the one not included is the Great~Grandmother sampler started oh so many months ago.

I tote a stitch project with me so I can work on it while I'm out & about... whenever I can get a spare minute... but I'm just not working fast enough. I stay up as late as I can... but my eyelids get to heavy too early.

Are you the same way?

Well... just wanted to pop on to give you an update... now I best be get back to stitching!

Have a great day!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

~*An After... and a Peek*~


Hello Dear Friends! I pray this post finds you all doing well after a fabulous weekend. We had a very nice weekend full of fun here... and when we weren't busy with family fun... I cleaned, sorted, and un~hoarded our spare bedroom. Did you catch that last thing? Goodness... our spare room had become the catch~all of everything. It was especially over~destroyed after the previous weekend when I used it to hold all of the kiddo's extra things from his bedroom make over.

So... I cleaned and re~arranged... to make it nice again. A few years ago, I painted the walls & floor (yes, another room that is without the 40 year old carpet... and still waiting to get new carpeting)... but look how it is now...



I didn't take the time to snap any pictures when it was a wreck... but maybe you didn't need to see the 'bad'. Here is how it looked right before the make~over... click here.


Many of the items in this room are family heirlooms... or gifts from family. The lamp on the table once belonged to my husband's Grandmother. The picture on the wall was a gift to me from my Dad not long before he passed. The old trunk was a gift to me from my Grandpa when I was in middle school. I hooked the rug that sets on it now. (It is a pattern from Star Rug Company.) The Lincoln rocker was a gift from my dear Aunt LaVon. The list goes on and on... but all are near and dear to my heart.



It is amazing how re~arranging the furniture can make a room look larger. The bed use to be straight on the wall where the make~up table is... it looks so much better to me set in the corner.

A close~up of many of my 'tiny' treasures... a lot of these were made and given to me by very dear friends and family...



I'm also thrilled to tell you... I stitched quite a bit this weekend. Here is a sneak peek of the next school girl sampler...



Thank you to all of you that have purchased the new releases. All have been mailed and should arrive soon. Happy stitching!

Also... it was brought to my attention that my blog may not have been loading very quickly. I'm not computer~wise and don't know for sure what the problem was (hopefully it is better now)... but I did remove several of the third party widgets with hopes to have corrected the issue. Thank you for being patient... with me and with the computer... please let me know if it seems better. If not... I will happily check into it more.

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Friday, August 12, 2011

~*New Pattern Releases!*~

Good Afternoon Dear Friends!

Here they are! I'm so thrilled to be offering these to you... with them I'm sharing a piece of my heart...

~*Victor Minor*~ Schoolhouse Sampler


~*Introduction*~
In the year 1863, the townsfolk of Edna, Kansas decided it was time to build a school for their children. Town resident, Ernest Victor, donated some land at the corner of Navarre and Marion Street. Lumber and other materials were also donated and all the townsfolk helped with the construction. With all the hard working, eager hands, it wasn't long before the simple one~room, one~story dwelling was complete. The Mayor and committee members hired the first school teacher from a neighboring community. Her name was Miss Sara Crumbaker. She would be paid a small wage, but would have room and board provided by town residents at no cost.
The school was named ~*Victor Minor*~ as a special 'thank you' to Mr. Victor for his generosity. Classes were to begin after the corn harvest was complete.
Miss Crumbaker was excited about her new position and her 30 new students... who ranged in age from 6 to 14. Growing up as a farmer's daughter, she knew the importance of hard work, patience, and good character. Miss Crumbaker worked this sampler to hang in her new classroom. It includes a quote she read and remembered from Scottish writer, Robert Louis Stevenson (1850~1894)...
"Judge each day, not by the harvest, but by the seeds you plant."
She thought it to be most fitting.
... this story is both true and fictional ... it is the beginning of a Series of schoolhouse samplers offered by ~*primitivebettys*~


This pattern will come complete with 3 color photographs showing 3 finished models. The pattern will include 2 detailed charts... one for the finished, full sampler and a second for the redwork finish. There are minor differences between the two charts as you can see from the photographs. The pattern will also include full details for finishing the three models.


The full chart is 121 x 158 stitches. It is charted with DMC, but the redwork model was stitched with Cherry Bark by The Gentle Art.


The patterns in the school girl sampler series are of my creation... they are not historical reproductions of antique samplers that I have found. I have just designed them to look that way. ~*Victor Minor*~ is an old school house that is now on the grounds of Ward~Meade Park in Topeka, Kansas. When I visited the school house, the docent told the story of the school originating in Rossville, Kansas. I was so very interested by the school and the story. You see, my parents both grew up in Rossville. They didn't go to the one~room school house... but the small town has always meant a lot to me because of the family connections. Plus, I started school in Rossville myself.

As I was reading to find more information on the school and history of the town... I read that is was named Edna before later having a name change to Rossville. Hence... the name on the sampler. For more personal connections to the story I was writing and the sampler I was creating... Miss Crumbaker was the name of my own kindergarten teacher. Her first name wasn't Sara... but a little fiction... or a lot fiction was alright for my imagination.

This sampler is only the first in the series. I have already been working on ones to follow. They will be released at a later time... and I'm not sure how many there will be. I hope you and I both work on stitching up walls of these charming works.

~*~*~*~*~*~

~*Olde Blue Blooms Biscornu*~


The pattern will include complete, clear finishing instructions for the biscornu.
The model was stitched on 28 ct Summer Khaki Cashel that I over~dyed with walnut stain before stitching. Threads used are Sampler Threads from The Gentle Art...colors are...

Brethren Blue
Dried Thyme
Summer Shower
Toffee
The back of the biscornu is a reproduction civil war calico. The edging on the pinkeep is cotton chenille.

The finished pinkeep is about 5 inches.

Sweet & Charming!

~*~*~*~*~*~

If you are interested in purchasing these or any of my patterns... they are available at your local needlework shop, from me via email (located to the left on the sidebar), or from my Etsy Shoppe.

Thank you again for supporting my pattern offerings... and thank you for the friendship and support you have all given me.

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty



~*Friday Finishes*~

Happy Friday Dear Friends!

Let me get right to it... some fabulous ~*Friday Finishes*~!

From my buddy, Sharon... is her finish of my pattern ~*Spring Pillow Tuck*~... worked with DMC 3866 ~ stitched 2 over 2 on 32ct natural linen. The fabric is part of the "Whitewash" line that Crabapple Hill just released.

BEAUTIFUL!



This pattern if available for purchase from your local needlework shop or via my Etsy Shoppe.

Karen has made a lovely stitch of the freebie ~*Sunflowers N' Crows*~... and his it listed for sale on Ebay too. (click on her name to visit the listing) She stitched on 28 ct evenweave with overdyed threads. I just LOVE the blue urn!!



And I spotted this lovely done up by my pal, Doris. She punched it up & gifted it to another friend. The doodle used it from a booklet I made up several years ago... ~*Willie The Perfect Sheep*~...



All are so sweet! Thank you ladies... for stitching and sharing! Please keep those finishes coming... I do LOVE to share them!

Okay... I have lots of pattern & computer work to do... but later this afternoon... the new patterns will be released for viewing and purchasing!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty

Thursday, August 11, 2011

~*Inquiring Minds Want To Know*~

So I will gladly share!

Hello Dear Friends! A few of you have asked about my walnut crystals & walnut stain. Let me fill ya in!
The way I understand it... walnut crystals/walnut powder comes from the dried husks of the black walnut. The green that is around them turns black & dries up. I have never tried to make my own. Several years ago I purchased a pound of the powdery, black stuff from a seller on Ebay... that particular seller no longer offers it or exists. A little goes a long way so I haven't had to purchase any more. I'm sure when I need more though... I could attempt to make my own or find another seller.

I put mine in an old jar for safe keeping...
I mix up small portions at a time & let it set on the counter until I need more made up. I haven't had troubles with it starting to stink & really don't feel it needs to be refrigerated.

To mix it up... I use a small mason jar. Fill it with HOT tap water. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of powder... more or less... honestly, I don't really measure it. Stir it well... and be careful. This stuff WILL stain! It would be horrible to drip it on your good carpets or splash it on your favorite outfit! To give it a little spice... I add a swiglet of vanilla (yes, I know 'swiglet' isn't a word or a measurement... but understand that I just simply add 'some'). Oh, and I don't buy the expensive vanilla for this either... if is just the store brand. It works fine.
I have many herbs on~hand that I purchased long ago for some potpourri making... cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and anise. Today, for the blog post, I just added a few of all of them to my jar of stain. You could use ANY herbs of your liking & they could be ground. It isn't necessary to have whole spices. Mine will just seep in the jar until this batch if done. The ground herbs will leave a little powdery dust on your fabric when it is dry... but, as I have said many times over, primitive is primitive... there are NO RULES FOR PRIMITIVE.

I pulled a piece of white linen to stain today...


I set it on an old baking sheet & used a sponge brush to blot the stain on the fabric...
When the fabric is fully stained... use paper towels to soak up the excess stain. With linen especially, it is important NOT to twist the fibers to wring out excess moisture.
Hang the fabric out to dry. Before I walk away... I use the same sponge brush & dab a few more spots of stain to the fabric to make sure it isn't evenly stained ~ I like a few darker spots. To me, it makes it look more naturally stained...
Also, watch out for big, brown dogs that like to pull pretty things off the clothes line!
(Silly puppy... I think he wants to be a primitive artist too!)

A close~up of the linen after staining...
I did start stitching on the second school girl sampler yesterday... but didn't get as far as I had hoped. My time got caught up with kids... bicycle riding, dirt biking, grasshopper hunting, trampoline jumping, swimming, basketball, dog running... and whatever else they felt I needed to be a part of. Yes, I enjoyed it and I know I will miss it when school starts... but goodness, they really know how to wear an ol' mom out!

Another reminder... the new patterns will be released on my blog tomorrow afternoon!

Wishing you warm smiles...

Betty