What? Two posts in one day?

I apologize for not being able to update my blog more often; things around here have been non-stop go go go go go, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down one bit! For starters, Big Papa fell down outside and broke his leg in two places, requiring twelve screws and a metal plate in his driving leg, no less.

Guess what that means. Just guess. Yep, I'm now his chauffer! For three whole months! He's to put no weight on his foot for the entire summer, which is pretty hard for a very active fellow like him. (As I type this, he's playing a new video game to keep himself busy, so I'm typing to the sounds of dragons bellowing and swords clanging and his fingers deftly pressing controller buttons as quickly as he can. I never could understand that sort of hand-eye coordination, but he's definitely got it… until it comes to his crutches. Oh my, is that a sad, hobbly sight!)

I'm headed to Chicago tomorrow to Inspired Needle's workshop, the Inspired Summer Seminar, and I'm very excited! But it's a quick trip, and Mike will be in good hands with sweet Sophie. (Of course, he may want to get used to being served macaroni and cheese for three meals per day…)

My goodness, I'm quite chatty this evening! Okay, here's the real reason I'm posting again: I've got two releases headed out to my autos next week, and to the distributors the following week. Here's all the info you need for them, and if you'd like one or both, just contact your local or online shop owner!

Since my last release set was a pink theme, this one is red. 🙂 No, I don't usually have themes, but it's fun when I do!

First up is an antique reproduction/adaptation. I don't actually have a full photograph of the original antique, because I completely forgot to take one, but you can see part of it behind the model. The antique was stitched in 1837 by Ann Barson Loughbro, and it's done in spruce green and ivory and tan. However, I really wanted to change the color palette to something much different, and I truly hope Ann would have approved! Her verse is an outstanding one, and one that should be remembered:

Hark from the tomb a doleful sound,
my hear attend the cry.
Ye living men come view the ground
where you must shortly lie.
Princes, this clay must be your bed,
in spite of all your tow[e]rs:
The tall, the wise, the reverend head
must lie as low as ours.

Isn't that fabulous? And I love the ivory border all around the sampler itself.

Ann Barson Loughbro 1837

Stitch count: 203w x 236h

The model was stitched on: 40 ct. Vintage Examplar by Lakeside Linens

All cross stitch, except for a few backstitches in the lettering.

Threads used for the MODEL VERSION:

Classic Colorworks in Manor Red, Barn Door, Zach Black, Ye Olde Gold, 12 Grain (2 skeins suggested), Old Oak Tree, Hickory Sticks, and Stepping Stones.

The Gentle Art in Piney Woods.

Threads used for the ANTIQUE VERSION:

Classic Colorworks in Brandied Pears, Old Blue Jeans, Onion Skin, 12 Grain (2 skeins suggested), Whatley Woodlands, Hickory Sticks, and River Rocks.

The Gentle Art in Blue Spruce (this color is used for 2 different symbols in the chart.)

The model was stitched by Rindy Richards, and the frame was done by Sherri Berkman of Total Framing, in Fairfax, Virginia!

Next up: A class piece for the Tudor Rose Sampler Guild in Dallas, Texas. This was originally released in the spring of 2013. What a fun time that was with all the Tudor Rose ladies (and gentleman!) ..

Crowned Bird Sampler

Stitch count: 273w x 270h

The model was stitched on: 36 ct. Vintage Meadow Rue by Lakeside Linens

All cross stitch throughout.

Threads used:

Classic Colorworks Silk in Angel Blush, Icing, Tumbleweed, Scarecrow, Sister Scarlet, and Weathered Vine.

Needlepoint Inc. silk in 967, 124, 588, 928, and 256.

The model stitcher for this sampler was Sharon Schutjer.

And that's it! I hope you like the new/newish patterns, and that your summer is going beautifully! When I'm not driving Mike to doctor appointments and board game tournaments, I've been out in my yard trying to get back in touch with the gardening I used to love. It's been a long time since I've planted flowers, and I'm thoroughly enjoying their return to my porch.

I'll talk to you soon!

Hello again!

We celebrated my Sophie-Joon's fourteenth birthday yesterday! I can't believe my little baby is fourteen! Do those of you who have been reading my blog a while remember when she was just a little thing, constantly annoying Bre and Cody? Or when she got dressed up to play her guitar and sing a Taylor Swift song? Or when she tied up her Barbie doll and pretended "the others" from the Lost tv series had done it?

She's not as bouncy and giggly as she used to be.. she's very much grown-up and much quieter these days.

Sniff.

Anyway, more on Sophie's birthday in another post. I haven't looked through the pictures yet, but once I do, hopefully you'll stop back and take a look! 🙂

Next week I've got two releases coming out, and I hope you like them! You've seen Esther Syer's reproduction sampler, but this next one is an original, and since its main color is pink also, I thought it would make a good release companion for Esther.

If any of you are like me, you like to read the back of a chart before you start to work on it. If you're familiar with the backs of my charts, you'll know I have a Bible verse on each one. I always try to choose one that reflects either the content of the sampler, or perhaps one that I simply like. In this case, I chose Psalm 42:1, which reads, "As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after Thee, O God." You may know that a hart is a deer, and since this sampler has a deer on it (and I love that verse!), it's the one I chose.

Mary Jane Carver was my great-grandmother, and her birth year is under her name. I've included a personalization chart for you to stitch either your own name, or the name of a loved one in place of my great-grandmother's name.

The verse on the top left of the sampler is one that you can find on many old samplers. It's always been a favorite of mine.

Pink House Sampler

Stitch count: 247w x 215h

Fabric used: 40 ct. Olde Towne Blend by R&R Reproductions
(Some suggested alternatives: Weeks Dye Works' Parchment or Lakeside Linens' Lentil)

Threads used:
Weeks Dye Works, Gentle Art, and Classic Colorworks…

Weeks' colors are: Brick and Cranberry Ice.
Gentle Art's colors are: Faded Rose (2 skeins suggested), Cameo Pink, Old Hickory, Piney Woods (3 skeins suggested), Roasted Marshmallow, and Garden Gate (2 skeins suggested).
Classic Colorworks' colors are: Cinnamon Toast, Old Money, Blue Beadboard, Jakey Brown, and Toasted Marshmallow.

All stitches in this sampler are cross stitch over 2 threads.

Can you just stand how gorgeous that moulding is? I love love love what Sherri has done with the model! If you'd like more information on it, give her a call at Total Framing! The number is 703-426-0660, or you can find them on Facebook.

The model was stitched by Kathy Krause… Kathy! Are you recovering from my demands on your stitching time? You are positively wonderful, and I can't thank you enough for stitching this model for me!

These charts will be heading out the door tomorrow to the shops on my automatic, and then a week or so after that, they'll make their way to the distributors.

Thank you so much for stopping by to see my new "pink house," and I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

I've been dreaming of the day the birds would finally return to my area, filling the mornings with their lovely melodies. However, I did not expect that when they did return, they'd begin their birdsong at precisely 3:25 a.m. every single day, beckoning me to join them for the sunrise.

Nevermind that they're 3 hours early, and at that hour, birdsong sounds a bit more like birdracket.

Regardless, I've thoroughly enjoyed listening to them, and this next release is dedicated to spring's bright and cheerful return…

Trellis Blackbirds

Stitch Count: 130w x 121h

Fabric Used: 35 ct. Lucky Penny by R&R Reproductions

(This color is a soft aqua color, very much like what weathered copper
looks like when it turns that lovely shade of green… but this
design would also look lovely on a nice neutral color, such as
Light Examplar by Lakeside Linens. Use whatever color you love!)

Threads Used:
WEEKS DYE WORKS in Onyx, Baked Apple, Guacamole,
Charlotte's Pink, Havana, and Seagull.
GENTLE ART SAMPLER THREADS in Baby Spinach and Pomegranate.
DMC in 3864.*

I do not have a DMC conversion available at the moment, but I'll
do my best to get working on that and post it when I have it.

*If you are substituting your fabric, you may wish to adjust this particular color to
something a bit darker in the DMC line.

ABOUT THE FRAME:
You can order this gorgeous frame from the lovely Sherri Berkman at
Total Framing in Virginia. Find Total Framing on Facebook, or visit
www.totalframing.biz. Thank you, Sherri, for the amazing job you
always do on my frames!

The model was stitched by Prudence Goodspeed. Thank you so much, dear friend.

******************************************************************************************************

I hope to have this chart printed up very soon, and off to the shops on my auto by next week! I hope you all are enjoying your spring wherever you are, and may you hear only birdsong in your mornings. 🙂

I got the model for On Prudence back from Sherri at Total Framing, and immediately sent it off to the printer for a Monday release! I hope you all like it.. I had a lot of fun working with these colors – especially the odd spot of Weeks Dye Works' Sea Foam in the leaves here and there, and The Gentle Art's beautiful Loganberry and Raspberry Frost. As I said in an earlier post, with these gloomy days we've been having, it was a fun color palette to work with!

I love sending things off to Sherri to be framed.. it's always a surprise to see what comes back to me. (Once, she tortured me with a texted photo of my model in-framing-progress, but she cropped out the moulding. Bah, Sherri!!)

The verse was a fun one, and one that can sometimes be found on very old samplers. It reads:

What's in thy mind let no one know
Nor to thy friends thy secrets show
For if thy friends should prove thy foe
Then all the world thy secrets know.

(I had to laugh when Katrina said to me, "That's not directed at me, is it?")

The shops on my auto will have this either by Monday or very early next week, while the distributors will have it shortly thereafter.

In case you'd like to stitch this sampler, here is the information you'll need to kit it:

On Prudence

STITCH COUNT: 303w x 263h

FABRIC:
36 ct. Vintage Navy Bean by Lakeside Linens.
Suggested alternatives: Olde Towne Blend by R&R, or
any neutral fabric; both cool and warm colors will work
well with this sampler.

THREADS:
Weeks Dye Works in Artichoke (2 skeins suggested), Merlot,
Sea Foam, Mulberry, Tatanka, Dirt Road, Stepping Stone,
Sea Gull, and Havana.
The Gentle Art in Dried Thyme (2 skeins suggested), Linen,
Wood Trail, Oatmeal, Raspberry Frost, Cinders, and Loganberry.

IF CONVERTING TO DMC: 154, 3363, 523, 902, 819, 3813,
3740, 838, 3787, 611, 3861, 3041, 646, 3781, 315, and Ecru.

STITCHES USED: All cross stitch over 2 threads.

FRAME INFORMATION:
Total Framing
(Sherri Berkman)
www.totalframing.biz
703-426-0660

I hope you all are enjoying the first days of spring, although outside my window, it certainly looks like winter! I suppose I'll have to go find a new color palette to work with . 🙂

Enjoy your weekend!