~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Friends & Happy Friday! I have a full day ahead of me today... and sadly, I don't think I'm going to make my update tonight on Early Work Mercantile... but please swing by late tonight or tomorrow morning to check out all those amazing offerings the other artists have to share.  Who knows?  I just might be able to get things done... time will tell.

Today is Friday... and I'm happy to share some beautiful ~*Friday Finishes*~ with you...

From sweet Patti...

A darling sewing box she created using the freebie ~*Best Friends*~... oh, I am just so in love with this!  I adore Patti's work and this box is amazing...

 She told me the fabric used on the inside is an older fabric that she too loves... and is low on.  Don't you just hate it when you start running short on your favorite materials?  Patti, it is lovely.  Thank you for stitching and sharing!

Patti is offering this for sale on TDIPT... CLICK HERE to visit her offering page. She will update with her new items late tonight or tomorrow  morning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This next finish is a little different.  You see, I re~did this rocker... but my buddy Bonnie in Massachusetts did the complete finish.  She didn't tell me who the stitch pattern came from, but she stitched up the most darling rocker cushion back to complete this piece...

 This is a little vintage rocker pincushion I found at an auction.  I re~did the finish on it & posted that it was going to my booth as inventory.  Bonnie loved it and asked to purchase it.  Thank you, Bonnie!  Then, once she received it... she quickly stitched up the beautiful backing on 48 count linen (over 2)... and backed it with wool.  This truly adds to the piece!  Beautiful work, Bonnie!

 Thank you for sending me a finished picture to share with everyone.  You do great work!

 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I need to head up to the booth to meet with my dear MIL.  We are re~arranging a few things today... and getting ready for the flea market that is scheduled for next Saturday ~ September 8th.  Once I return home... back to crafting... and maybe, just maybe I can meet my deadline tonight.

Wishing you all a beautiful day with warm smiles...

Betty

~*Hiccup!*~

Hello Dear Friends!  My thoughts and prayers are with all of you in the path of Hurricane Isaac...  I pray you all stay safe and out of harms way.

 

The weather has continued to be warm here... and dry.  We did get some rain last week that we thought might help our old well out, but it didn't make any difference in the water level.  So, we will continue to hope for more soon here.  And one of these days, it will have to cool down!

 

I've been working, but am suffering a crafty HICCUP!  You see, tomorrow night is the update for Early Work Mercantile.  Normally I have 2-3 offerings... usually needle punch.  Well, I had this doll in my head and really wanted to get her done as one of my offerings.  She, however, has taken longer than expected... well, her dressings have anyway.  If I don't get her dress figured out before tomorrow, it looks I won't have even one offering for my update.  Bummer!

 

Her body is sewn & filled... but she is naked!

 

And then... well Mizz Lori had to post up her ~*Top Hat Jack*~ challenge... and stir the fire too!  I've been trying to get the stitches in so I can get a finish for her challenge by the deadline... which is Saturday!  There are a bunch of stitches in this pattern, and I'm on a mission to get it finished!  I know how I want to finish if off too... and hope there will be enough time to get it accomplished.  If not by the deadline, then later is fine too... but I really want to make the deadline.

 

The linen is pulled for my next Prim Sister pattern... but the details aren't worked up yet.  That is something else that is in dire need of finishing!

 

You know, I read advise posted by a talented craftswomen once.  She said, "Do one thing and do it well."  I sure wish she would have been more specific on how to avoid the desire to WANT TO MAKE EVERYTHING!  I get too many ideas and want to work with too many different mediums... I could never stick to just ONE!  How about you?

 

Wishing you all a day filled with smiles... now I'm back to work...

 

Betty

 

~*Re~Purposed for Halloween*~

Hello Dear Friends!  I've been keeping busy... and have my chair finished.  It is just too SPOOKY~CUTE to wait until later to show you...

 Of course, it wouldn't be so cute without the garland made from the wonderful pattern offered up by Maureen of Sweet Meadow Farm... (I hope I did the pattern justice.)

 

Here is the chair before... just simple and common...

The chair will be priced, the additional garland too... and offered for sale at out lil' booth downtown.  I think it would make an awesome front porch decoration.  Hmmmm... what about dressing up as a not~so~spooky witch on Halloween and sitting in it when you great your trick~or~treatstersers?  *wink*  Just an idea...

Wishing you all a blessed evening with many warm smiles...

Betty

~*To Do Today...*`

Hello Dear Friends!  Today we are enjoying some much needed rain.  It doesn't look like we are going to get the predicted 4 inches that was estimated... but we are getting rain that we desperately need.  We are greatly thankful for that!

 

We just returned home from running a few errands and grabbing a quick bite to eat... now we are going to enjoy the cooler, damp weather... open the windows and just enjoy being home.

 

These are things on my 'To Do List' for the rest of the day...

 

Continue stitching on the third school house sampler... that I hope to release very soon...

 Do some designing!  I know what I want to work up for the next Prim Sisters Club... It has been keeping me awake at night thinking about it.  I'm not stressed... I'm excited!  *smile*

 Lori's (Notforgotten Farm) 'Top Hat Jack' Challenge has me wanting to stitch too...

 Of course, I have booth items to work on.  I painted this chair the other day.  Orange with black trim...

 This great pattern from Maureen of Sweet Meadows Farm arrived in the mail this week.  I just know that my chair needs a garland made from it!  I'm thinking I have all the supplies stocked in the studio to whip one or two up...

 Some baking will be done today too.  My little guy will officially be 10 tomorrow!  He isn't a huge cake fan... but does love a good brownie!  He has requested I bake him a Birthday Brownie for dessert with supper of his favorite Taco Salad.  We celebrated his birthday last weekend at our local Golden Corral with family... but we have to have a birthday supper at home too!

I just can't believe he is going to be 10.  It seems like just yesterday when I was in the delivery room, exhausted but falling instantly in love with this sweet, 6 pound 4 ounce, 19" long baby boy!

 Wishing you a wonderful Saturday... full of fun and warm smiles...

Betty

~*Friday Finishes*~

Hello Sweet Friends!  T'is late on Thursday evening... tomorrow is going to be a full day... but I have some ~*Friday Finishes*~ to share & I thought it would be a good idea to go ahead and post them up tonight.  That way you can see them bright and early Friday morning!

 

These darling ditties were punched up by Cindy... she always does great work...

 

 (These are both made from earlier, freebie doodles.)

 Thank you, Cindy, for working with my patterns... and for sharing!  You are a doll!

 

Pumpkins have been on my mind lately too!  For the past couple of days... I've been working on these...

 Woolly pumpkins... of all different shades and textures... with hand stitches and a bit of rust ol' bailing wire.  These will be some offerings in the booth I share with my Mother~in~Law and Sister~in~Law... and added to my table at an upcoming Flea Market.

 

Oh, I didn't tell you about that!  I added yet another deadline to my already busy schedule... Saturday, September 8th... downtown Emporia for the Great American Flea Market!  I'm going to set up a small booth (just a table or two)... to offer my wares... and meet some new friends!  I'm nervous as all get out... as this is a totally new venture for me!  Hopefully I can keep my chin up & have a good day!

 

School started here today... and the kiddo and I need to get adjusted to school hours again.  He has finally fallen asleep for the night... and I better go try.

 

Wishing you all warm smiles and a cheery Friday...

 

Betty

~*Making Junk New Again*~

Hello Dear Friends!  I've been having fun going to more auctions and playing with more new junk!  

 

I literally just finished this one... less than 30 minutes ago.  The finish just tickles me something silly... and I had to share it with you...

 

This is how it looks NOW... chippy and old!

 It started off looking close to this...

 I began sanding the loose paint off before snapping the pictures.  The paint color is so beautiful... a light, turquise sorta blue.  This is a child's size chair and just cute as a button!  

I sanded and washed it good.  Then applied a Polycrylic clear satin to keep the paint from falling off anymore.  The chair is sturdy, but it is missing part of the wood on the top chair-back slat.  (see in the picture above?)  I gave it a dose of glue to make sure it would stay strong.  Then... I cut a bit of old cutter quilt, added a little more stuffing, and sewed it to the slat.  A sweet, primitive CUTE fix!

 Close up of the back...

 This chair was purchased at the auction we attended Saturday morning.  No one else wanted it... so I got it for a really GOOD (translates to cheap!) price.  It was covered with cobwebs, spider eggs, dust, and dirt... plus the paint was literally falling off of it.  Most would have just put it in the trash... or a corner in the old shed... but not me!  I made it new again!  I just love playing with JUNK!

 

I'll be taking this to our lil' booth tomorrow to add to our inventory.  Well... that is if I can dare to part with it!

 

Okay... it is dark out... and I need to get some stitches done before finding my pillow for the night.  So... gotta go...

 

Wishing you all warm smiles...

 

Betty