~*Friday Finishes*~

Happy Smiles to you Dear Friends!  It is late on Thursday night as I type this post... but I wanted to make sure ~*Friday Finishes*~ was shared bright and early... and since I am not a morning person, here ya go...

 

~*Sunflowers N' Crows*~ freebie pattern... stitched and finished BEAUTIFULLY by Patti...

 Oh my gosh!  Right?  Patti has such amazing talent!  She has stitched this freebie pattern in the past (see the photo below)... and decided to do it again as a sewing box.  Patti shares her offerings on TDIPT Mercantile and in her Etsy shoppe... plus, she has been highlighted in both Folk and Prims magazines.  I am so happy to share her work... and be a part of her finished beauties!

Thank you, Patti!

 

I'm thinking I may just have to try to make one of those sewing boxes... *smile*... it is so beautiful!

 

Wishing you warm smiles...

 

Betty

~*What's Stitchin'?*~

Hello Dear Friends!  Since I have continued to be terribly quiet... I thought it would be a good idea to share a sneak peek with you...

 

Pearl Raeann Price... another fictional student from Victor Minor... the schoolhouse in Edna, Kansas 1863.

 Yes, I'm working on pattern three in the series... and it is coming along nicely.

In other news... Summer is quickly coming to an end at our home.  School will resume on August 23rd.  We have continued to play each day and have lots of fun.  But also... Trinity has his 10th birthday on the 26th.  He knew what he wanted for his birthday and he couldn't wait any longer... so we caved and went to pick it up this past Monday... a new Cockatiel that he named Midas.

Doesn't he look happy?

 Midas is already very entertaining.  His breeder must have told him how pretty he is.  His favorite thing to do... stand in front of the mirror and whistle at himself!

 

I have one very nice ~*Friday Finish*~ that has been shared with me.  I'm excited to share it with you on Friday.  Please, if you have one too... send it to me & I will share it!

 

Wishing you all warm smiles...

 

Betty

~*New Pattern!*~ Halloween!!!!

Hello Dear Friends!  I've done it!  I've finished a pattern... and feel like I'm back in the saddle again!  Let me tell ya... it does good for the mind, body, and soul to work with what you love... and to meet a GOAL!  *SMILE*  The summer heat & drought has really been doing a number on my mood... but this makes me feel all good again!  And... I'm not stopping here either.  I was up until midnight last night, sitting comfy in my chair stitching away on the next schoolhouse sampler!  All I can say.... "Aaaahhhhhh" with a big, ol' grin on my face!

~*Helga Watts*~ Halloween Sampler

 This is my latest pattern... and is now available.  I've listed it in my Etsy shoppe... but it is also available directly from me via email (link on the sidebar) or from your local needlework shop.

The pattern is $10.00... and when purchased from me, that includes your mailing fee (no extra is needed).

For the model, I used R&R Reproductions 35 count linen... Liberty Gathering Gray.  I stitched one over two... using a single strand of the beautiful, Garden Gate thread... by The Gentle Art.

I had imagined a little bit of a different sort of finish for it... and in the end, went with this...

A dear friend (thank you Sher!) gave me this old piece of a chair back some time ago.  I decided it would be perfect for a finish!  After stitching, I lightly pressed the stitches to remove any wrinkles, then trimmed and frayed the edges.  Then (using basic carpet tacks) tacked it to the chair back in the corners.  Pretty cool, I think!

(The fabulous penny rug that I have it sitting is was made and given to me by another dear friend, Debbie. :-)  Thank you!)

Halloween will be here quickly... but there is time for stitching now!

Wishing you all warm smiles...

Betty

~*Early Work Mercantile Update*~

Hello Dear Friends!  Tomorrow is August 1st... and that means Early Work Mercantile Update Time!

 

MY PAGE has been updated with these new offerings...

 

Yes, all Jack~O~Lanterns!  I am in the mood for cool, crisp Autumn weather!  It is showing in my work!  Besides these cheery guys... I have finished stitching my Halloween Sampler... and have many more Jacks in the works!

 

My Halloween Sampler is my next goal.  I hope to offer it to you all by Friday.  That is my goal!!!  BUT... I still have an almost 10 year old at home from school for summer vacation... and something could come up to delay the release... but I am working hard to have it ready for you!  ~*SMILE*~

Also, works from the last update on Primitive Handmades Mercantile are still available... here is the link to MY PAGE.

Wishing you all warm smiles...

 

Betty

~*Several Hours of Stitches*~

Hello Dear Friends!  Oh, I'm so happy to share with you... that I have been able to put in several hours of stitches... and I don't see it stopping anytime soon!

 

After showing you all my unfinished works... there was no getting around it!  Works need to be finished!

 

No, I still don't have them finished... but I am working on them.  I do I plan to keep focused on them!

 

The Halloween Sampler seems to be the most important... and I spent the entire day yesterday working stitches on it... while the kiddo and a friend played Guitar Hero on the Wii (You gotta know how much of a huge help that was to me!)...

 You can't see it all too well here... I know.  It is still to early to share the whole design with you, but it is about 2/3rds stitched.  I have some interesting ideas for the finish too... but will have to see how it all works out.  Hopefully by next week... the pattern will be available to offer.  That is my goal anyway!

I know Halloween will be here before we know it.  I just read from someone on Facebook this morning... that Christmas is only 5 months away... YIKES!  That is too soon!

I also worked on punching up these faces... and have them stained... with ideas for finishes too... but they will have to wait until the Halloween Sampler is done.  Although... Early Work Mercantile updates next week on the 1st... so I better hop to it!

 Wishing you all warm smiles...

 

Betty

~*FOCUS!*~

"FOCUS ON FINISHING THINGS, MISS BETTY!"

Hello Dear Friends!  Yes, that is what I am trying to tell myself.  Do you ever do that?  I just feel so cluttered... cluttered with starts and piles of things that need to be finished.  See...

 

A locker hooked rug waiting for a backing and several punches needing to be sewn into pinkeeps/pillow tucks or mounted on boxes... some of these are even designated as gifts!  Sadly too, some of them were even punched so long ago!  Why are they piling up?

 And you see... I have even more started...

 This is a buffet that Tony and I carried to the garage last week so I could get it sanded and painted for my booth at Ellie Lou's.  I'm thinking it will be a pretty Robin's Egg Blue... but so far, I haven't touched it.

 A Halloween Sampler that I designed in FEBRUARY!  It gets a few stitches here and there... but geeshhhh!  Betty Girl!  Get it DONE!

 And the next schoolhouse sampler... with only part of the border stitched!  ugghhhh...

 My goal this week is to find my FOCUS and get off my duff... and get to work... and get these things finished!

Oh... and then look what came in my mail!  What is a girl to do?

 Well, I am going to TRY!  At least I'll do it with a smile!

 

Wishing you warm smiles too...

 

Betty