Memorial Day...

Thank you~

"When my country's flag I see,
It always seems to say to me,
'Be brave and kind as you can be.' "

Old linens bring a new treasure...

Good morning, sweet friends!
Yes... that is another picture of my
growing whisker collection!
(giggle)
Sweet 16 didn't have school yesterday because
they didn't use all of their allotted snowdays
this past winter. Grumpy that they had to go to school
with winter winds whipping... but thrilled to have a
warm sunny day away from the classroom!

The two of us set off to find more sugar/flour sacks.
I'm never let down...
We were not able to find the cotton treasures~
But this little sweetie was a find!
It is the same style as my strawberry piece.
I soaked it... rolled it in a cotton towel... pressed it!
Please click on the photo for an even closer peek~
I don't know anything about this style of stitching...
The thread is fine and shimmery.
I LOVE looking at the beautiful stitch work
so many of you do...
Amazing!

We found oodles and oodles of old linens for
new pen and ink illustrations!
I soaked them for a few hours...
I don't mind that 90% of the stains are set.
Each linen piece is a treasure in its own.
I finished pressing them at midnight...
When I put my head on my pillow~
So many beautiful patterns get
SO MANY fun ideas floating around my brain!

There is something about being surrounded by
old things. Walking through booth after booth of
worn surfaces...
Who used these treasures?
I'm thrilled that they're available to us...
But wouldn't it be sweet to give a young child
an old handkerchief that her great-great grandma
stitched forget-me-nots on?
The perfect summer blanket for her little doll...

I'm excited to have time to catch up on special orders
over the next few days...
Excited that I will have new treasures to list, too!

Each piece so very different~
I see many of my favorite subjects on them...
...I see loads of new themes, too!
Nautical... sea shore... shore birds...
Flowers...
Garden tools...

Hope your weekend is off to a great start!

New Baby Birds... New Tags...

We have had the most beautiful weather!
Sunny and hot with a nice breeze...
I know the baby birds are warm!

We have been enjoying our teens spring concerts!
They're excited once the concerts are completed
because they know they are only a few weeks
away from summer vacation!

Six new baby birds will be in my Etsy store today.
I drew these on cotton muslin...
Can't resist their little faces!

You know I love to add a little something in my
etsy packages...
These are the latest tags!

Green, brown and black.
The dark muted colors were kind of neat...

Red ripe strawberries always seem more fun!

Hope your day is going great~

New Pieces and What's Next...

I hope your Tuesday is off to a great start!
As you can see below my blog banner...
I've been working on santa pieces!
We're enjoying a few of the warmest days so far
this season... and I have Christmas music playing~
(giggle)

I made these little round pieces at the same time
I made my latest giveaway...
(Be sure to comment in my previous post for a chance to win today!)

They will be in my Etsy shop today...
They started as little pillows.
Each of the fabric patches have a small opening
in the side where you can add filling.
They are so sweet flat!
Nothing is permanently stitched on!
They'll be a work-in-progress for you~
The vintage linen circles are pinned in place...
The little shabby chic words are
held with my famed primitive stitch work!

I have a mound of Americana themed pieces
waiting...
ready for my ink and pen...
after the Christmas deadlines are completed...

I added a touch of color with Prismacolor pencils...

I can't stop picking up acorns...
Can't stop drawing them!

Pieces just waiting...

Just itching to play...

Must return to the studio!
Thank you for stopping by!
I'm glad you left a
comment for the giveaway!
Sweet 16 will pull the winner today around 3pm!

Best wishes and smiles...

Strawberry Fields Forever... Giveaway!

Hello Sweet Friends!
Hope you have been having a wonderful weekend~
A new giveaway!
To celebrate 400 sales AND 400 followers!

Six little round strawberries on vintage linen!
I thought they would be fun in a collage piece,
Made into pins...
Placed around a vintage box...
Page keepers...
Stitched to a wee little pillow...
Puppy play toys! ha! ha! Kidding!

If you would like a chance to win this set of 6
please leave a comment on this post!
I will have Sweet 16 select a name from the bucket
May 25th
They each measure approx. 3" in diameter.
Such a fun size to draw!
Such a fun size to eat!

I have five other strawberry pieces to list in my
Etsy Store!
I love to walk along field edges and find these
little treats... pink fingers and red lips!


Hope you have a wonderful evening~

(Tues. 4:11pm) WE HAVE A WINNER!!!
Valerie from Acorn Moon!!
Thank you for all of your wonderful comments!
Another giveaway coming soon~

Teresa Kogut's New Blog & Giveaway!

Teresa Kogut is an AMAZING artist...
She has a new blog...
She has an ADORABLE giveaway!

Please stop by and say hi... let her know I sent you~
I know you will enjoy her Etsy store, too!

Cock-A-Doodle-I-DO! Roosters...

Birds of a different feather!
Rooster time!

Finished the last piece last night while watching
American Idol with our teens...
Tissue box, please!
Love that the "last 3's" hometown's welcome them~
Ordinary guys and gals... that never stood out...
Knocking some socks off when they do what
they love and have opportunity to share!

I drew these eleven feathered friends on antique
dessert napkins (that's what the tag read...)
I thought there were 12...
Years from now I will find the 12th napkin...

What fun these were to draw!
I don't decorate with any themes... but I did
want to keep a few of these to frame and hang
in our wheat colored kitchen!
Instead they're all available from my Etsy store...
~please click here to go visit~

Thankfully... this black and white variety does
not shout "Cock-A-Doodle-Do!!!" at the crack of dawn...
But isn't that a marvelous sound?

Hope your day is sunny and very sweet!

Lights! Camera! Listing...

I have my camera back!
I've taking enough photos to send for copyrights
now they're ready for my Etsy store!

Five little dresses that I found at antique stores.
I wish I could find more of these... at a lower cost.
A sweet blog friend has offered some to me at
a wonderfully good price... I can't wait to see them!
So if you do not see one you like listed today...
I hope to have more soon!

... birds of a feather...

... feathers, fur and strawberries!

It has been so cold!
The wrens have arrived...
Now we are watching for the hummingbirds!

Sweet Chamomile and a tea cup...

Typical bear with a snack of honey!

This little bee buddy has been visiting
my honeysuckle...

Thank you for such WONDERFUL comments...
and for being so patient!

Hope you have a wonderful evening!

Sneak Peek Three...

I had the most fun adding sweet little
"design kisses" here and there.

These were a lot of fun...
Thank you for all of your sweet comments...
Even through our odd-pinkish-orangish-blurry photos!

I will have these five dresses and loads more
to photograph tomorrow afternoon...
I will tie a bright piece of string around Sweet 16's
pointer finger in the morning! ha! ha!

This teddy, skep and bee dress is fun!

There is a large honeysuckle bush just outside
my studio window.
Fluffy yellow and black bumble bees are
enjoying it... so am I! Very fragrant!
I love to hear the hummmmm... as they gather.

Good night, sweet friends!
Thank you for your patience~

Another Sneak Peek...

Quiet Chamomile

You guessed it...
Sweet 16 forgot to bring the camera home...
(She feels horrible because she knows jobs
are waiting for pictures before uploading)

These little peeks are taken with our old camera.
Digital... but old! ha! ha!

Waiting for Momma

Next two in a few minutes...
The camera only holds six photos on the memory card!
hee hee...