A Trio Of Glittery Trees

I finally finished up the little project I was working on!

A trio of glittery trees!

I saw these sampler trees at Amy Powers- Inspired Ideas Christmas 2010, 

and wanted to give her pattern a try.

So I gathered up all sorts of colorful beads, shiny sequins, ric-rac trim

 and embroidery floss and got to work.

When I posted the sneak peek photo a couple of weeks ago, 

a few of you thought I was making a tree skirt.

That would be a great idea too! 

Just for fun, I laid all three of the flat panels together

to see what a tree skirt might look like.

Anyway, I just love how these little trees turned out.

And can't wait to start decorating for Christmas next Friday!

Be sure to take a look at all the wonderfully creative

ideas in all of Amy's magazines here.

Hope you have a fun and creative weekend!

I'm joining Terri's "Deck the Halls", Christmas Project Blog Hop at  Artful Affirmations.


* * * *

I've noticed that this has become a popular post.
Thank you for visiting!
I hope you will leave a comment and/or follow my blog.

Sneak Peek

Here is a quick peek at a little project I'm working on.

I hope to have more to show you in a few days. 

Chicken Scratch

I went "treasure hunting" today 

and here is one of the things I found and brought home.

A green Chicken Scratch apron.

Sometimes called  Gingham Lace or Snowflake Embroidery, 

Chicken Scratch is done on gingham fabric to create a lace-like design.

I think it's so pretty.   And it uses very easy stitches.

Google chicken scratch to find all sorts of images and free patterns.

And this site teaches some of the basic stitches used.

Since I'm showing aprons, I should also share this little cutie.

The tiny apron my Mommy made for me when I was a wee girl.

* * * * *

PS- I see that this has become a popular post.

Please leave me a message so I'll know you were here.

And I'd love to have you follow my blog.

Finished!

I have finished the embroidered sampler!  Here are the final 4 squares:

Blue glass nesting hen

(Do you collect these hens too?)

Salmon  

(One of my favorite foods.)

Button jar.

Rose- The Fairy  

(Do you have one of these in your yard?)

And here is the whole thing.

Over the past couple of weeks I added to the blocks and borders that I thought were lacking a bit of umph,  and learned 2 more new stitches in the process.   So some of the squares look different than the original pictures I posted.   I may still tweak a thing or two.

Amy, this was so much fun!  Thanks for letting me join the group late!

Yay!  It's Friday!!   We are going out for Mexican food tonight.   And tomorrow my daughter and I are going to a bridal shower.   This is going to be a fun weekend!   Hope y'all have a happy weekend too!

Storms Rumbling and Frogs Singing

We had another storm rumble through here tonight.   We knew it was coming because the sky started to turn dark and the frogs started to sing.   Yesterday morning we had some small hail.   All normal spring weather here.

Our Bradford Pear tree is in bloom.  Pee-ew!  (It looks beautiful, but does not smell good.)   The Eastern Red Bud is covered in purpley-pink blooms and the Lilac buds are about ready to burst!   I LOVE this time of year!

Four more blocks completed for  the embroidery challenge  , and only four more to go.  What am I going to do when this project is finished?  I need a new craft project to work on!!  Something portable, that I can take with me to craft club.  Quilting doesn't travel.

Black-Eyed Susans

Quilt block-  Bear Paws

Green vaseline depression glass plate

(Anybody besides me collect this?)

Jacaranda tree

Happy Easter!

Forsythia in bloom means that spring is finally here!   Just in time for Easter!

Three more blocks completed for the embroidered 39 squares challenge.   I only have 8 more to go.

Forget Me Nots

Pineapple

Lemon Meringue Pie

Happy Easter!  May God bless you all as you gather with family and friends in worship and celebration.

Peter Rabbit, More Squares

I love the tales told by Beatrix Potter.  The books are tiny enough for little ones to hold, the illustrations amazingly gorgeous, and the stories unforgettable.  And every child can relate to the curious and naughty Peter Rabbit, who gets himself into a great deal of trouble when he does not heed his mother's warning and goes into Mr. MacGregor's garden.  He eventually makes his way back home and his mother tenderly takes care of him and tucks him into bed.

These plates hang on my kitchen wall year round but I thought it very appropriate to share them with you at Easter.   They remind me of many lovely afternoons when my children would sit at the kitchen table to have tea and cookies with mommy.    And they also remind me what our Easter celebration is really about:  Forgiveness from someone who loves us very much and a chance to start anew.

*  *  *  

Here are 5 more of my blocks for the stitch-along 39 squares challenge.

A basket of flowers.

Lavender

Wheat

Maple leaf in the fall.

Pink piglet.

Chicks and Bunnies and Eggs

Things are beginning to look like Easter around here!   The sun is shining and the little chicks and bunnies and eggs have started to make an appearance.

(Mona, this picture is especially for you!  I have faux greenery too!)

Three more embroidered squares have been completed for  my 39 squares stitch-along-sampler.   That brings my total  up to 19.  

My sweet old yellow boy kitty, Willie, who died a few months ago.  (I think I will go back and add a neck. this looks strange with just a face.)

A gingerbread boy cookie.

I love zinnias!

My sister-in-law (Mr. Garden's twin sister) and I were on the phone today to plan Easter dinner.  We always have such a good time when we get the whole family together!  All the kids will be coming home... it's just going to be a great celebration weekend!   Looks like I will be making cheesecake. (among other things)   I should post that recipe.  Look for it later this week. 

    

Picked these up for a song!

I picked up these two embroidered pieces for just a song at a thrift store.  It was my lucky day!

A sweet daisy pillowcase.  And this darling tablecloth with a teapot in one corner and cream and sugar in another.

I have completed two more squares for my little sampler. A teapot and a bluebird.

And yes, you were all correct with your guesses for my last post.   It was a house in a tornado.  Can't be from Kansas without including that in my sampler can I? 

Be sure to stop in and see what the other 50+ participants are doing with their samplers at 39 Squares.  Everyone is so creative!

By yesterday afternoon almost all of our snow had melted.  Only a few patches like this remained:

And today's rain made even those disappear.   Once again snow free!   I love rainy days.  I may be the only person on the planet who does, but they make me relax.  I want to curl up on the couch with my kitties and a good book.    

Speaking of books, I am supposed to choose the next read for our book club that meets next week.  I'm open for suggestions.   What good books have you read lately?

14 squares complete and some movies.

We received several more inches of snow on the first day of spring.   So I decided it was a good time to stay cozy and warm and watch some movies.  We just started Netflix and enjoy the convenience of movies arriving in the mail.   Just finished viewing The Constant Gardener.  Have you all seen it?  Does this kind of terrible thing really happen?

I also watched The Young Victoria with my best friend.   We see just about every Queen movie that is made.   Very fitting for two gals who grew up singing "God Save The Queen".

I finished up a few more blocks for my 39 squares.  Well, for me it is only going to be "35 squares",   because: #1- I got a really late start.  An  #2- I want it to be a specific size.   This sampler is a fun way to brush up on my stitches and learn a couple of new ones.  I had never made bullion knots before last week.  Here are pics of the 14 I have made so far.

Thistle

Mushroom

Cup of tea.

Purple coneflowers.

Can you tell what this is supposed to be?  

Shamrock

Sunflower

Blue daisy

Heart

I think I may add something more to this one. 

And the last four are the initial squares.

Hope you all had a nice weekend, with real spring weather!!

PS-  Gail over at Faithfulness Farm is having a  lovely little chicken themed giveaway to celebrate her 100th post!  Stop by her place and tell her I sent you.