Watercolor paintings~

How I love to bring some of my little sketches to full color!

Watercolor over pencil sketches~

It was fun to dress some of them up in ornate frames~

Bee skep & daisies bordered by a beautiful rose motif~

 Bluebirds of happiness!

You just know they love Valentine's Day~

These busy little springtime chicks...

Their momma tucked them in the tulip row while she cleaned their nest!

All of these loves are punch needle patterns~ I just need to get them written!

I've been so happy this winter... no sign of field mice making their way indoors!

We patched their secret entry and they get to live on~

A colder than normal winter so I toss cracked corn around

the bottom of the feeders and near the hedgerows for them.

 Valentine perch~

Sweet friends sharing some love!

Hope you're having a great week, Friends~

Pen & Ink Pincushions

 

Bees, feathered friends, harvest perches and patriotic themes~

Pinkeeps!

Pincushions!

If you remove the pins they are fun to hang on a cupboard pull~

Teddy bears love to hold hearts in their laps, too!

Chickadee and bee are discussing their sewing project~

This bee stopped by the firework daisy!

How I love bee skeps~

Hives of all shapes & sizes!

I love to draw bees in straight lines, too~

They are flying off to work together!

I bet these little friends sing, "Whistle while you work!"

They each have their yellow-topped pin...

They're off to help in the studio~

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Friends!

Lilacs & Bee

I would love to send my friend in Nevada a bouquet of lilacs

from our trees for her birthday~

I included all of our lilac colors into one punch needle sprig.

Not as fragrant...

Still from the heart~

We both love to garden and treasure our bee friends.

Saw a few fluffy bumble bees while we enjoyed warmer days!

I think they had a picnic basket & tiny jar of honey...

Our white spirea (bridal veil) is in full bloom.

I bet they patted down the grass underneath  a low hanging

branch and had a nice lunch together~

Hope you have a relaxing weekend, Friends!

Earth Day~ Bees

Earth Day!

We have a cool & damp day but we are planning the vegetable garden!

The bees will have more blossoms soon~

"Earth laughs in flowers" Ralph Waldo Emerson

The bees DANCE in the flowers~

Wishing you a wonderful weekend, Friends!

Hooked rug progress~

Started my second hooked rug while waiting for Loves to arrive

home from college for Easter weekend~

Progress!

Little by little when I can find an hour or two in the evenings~

Strong storms rolled in last night~

While the lightning was on display and the thunder was rocking,

I distracted my self with some flow blue loops!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend, Friends!

Twins are expected!

My dad had twins as siblings~

My mom had twins as siblings~

I was so very grateful to have one baby at a time!

(Dress is Carter's baby & the little boys onesie is by Oshkosh)

I added the little illustrations to match their nursery themes~

One of my sweetest cousins is expecting fraternal twins!

Girl and a boy!

They were showered with treasures and so very deserving!

The sweetest of families~

These little outfits will only fit them for a short time~

They will forever fit their favorite teddy bears!

When I saw that they had white Onesies on their gift registry

I knew could have some fun with them!

There is an owl tucked in her collection &

I kept most of his illustrations nautical themed.

They can wear them...

Have them made into their first T-Shirt quilt...

Keep them for always~

I cut some of my Finch & Friends flannel fabric in pink for her!

(Red Rooster Fabrics) 

Blue in the same two patterns for the little fella~

The twins have a large & beautiful family & the most amazing friends.

Oodles of loving arms just waiting to hold them!

Precious little hearts~

Hope your week is off to a great start, Friends!

Punch needle bee hive~

'All-American Skep' Copyright  2017 Michelle L. Palmer

Happy Spring, Friends!

Our last storm left us with nearly three feet of snow~

A beautiful white blanket.

It is slowly melting... we are glad it is taking its time.

Quick melts cause dangerous flooding~

I think we are down to 12" over most of the lawn.

The drifts are still mighty!

We will soon enjoy a wispy blanket of white... Daisies!

Put down the shovel and pull up some weeds~

All-American Skep completes my bee hive collection!

For now.

I might add to them next Spring~

There are several more designs tucked away in my sketchbooks.

I will finish writing some smaller patterns this week.

A new botanical to add to that collection!

Hope your week is off to a great start, Friends!

The birds are chatting at the feeders,

"More suet, please! The Starlings have arrived!"

All the best to you~

Punch Needle Garden Skeps~

No. 5 in my garden skep collection!

Only one more to go~

'Shabby Rose Garden Skep' No. 5 of 6

Copyright 2017 Michelle L. Palmer

The entire time I was punching this skep I was humming

'Who Will Buy' from Oliver!

They were 'sweet red roses' & these are salmon/pale pink.

The song is so pretty... Oliver's little face looking over the courtyard.

Inspired by the most beautiful salmon rosebush that my dad

had given my mom the summer before he lost his battle with cancer.

It always stayed petite...

Never went wild.

The most fragrant and perfectly shaped blossoms.

I often wonder if it is still in the hedgerow where she planted it.

One more pattern to write!

I already have the next collection started...

They will be smaller designs.

But fun!

Hope you have a wonderful week, Friends!

Praying all stay safe as the East is expecting a nor'easter...

March does know how to stir up storms!

Bee Skep Collection

'Lavender Blossom Skep' Copyright 2017 Michelle L. Palmer

No. 4 in my punch needle skep collection!

The bees look as if they are taking shelter from the sun or rain

'neath the lavender blossom!

Two more skep patterns to write~

Then I write more of the botanical patterns.

Some of the storms rolling in are severe~

Praying all stay safe.

Thank you for stopping by, Friends!

Bee Loved Skep

"Bee Loved Skep" "Bee Skep in Blue & Yellow" and "Flow Blue Bee Skep"

Copyright 2017 Michelle L. Palmer

Then there were three!

I enjoy punch needle... it's the pattern writing that takes me some time!

No matter how many notes I take I always forget to write down

one or two DMC numbers. Then the search is on.

Some deeper, richer, colors for this hive.

Their floss palette has so many gorgeous jewel tones!

I finally brought a few home~ they had been wiggling in the

display case for years, "Pick me! Choose me!"

I'm so glad I did...

The next pattern is more muted... shabby chic colors!

Hope you have a wonderful week, Sweet Friends!

Flow blue and yellow bee skep~

'Bee Skep in Blue and Yellow' copyright 2017 Michelle L. Palmer

These two colors are never far from my palette.

Regardless of what medium I am working in~

they are the perfect color pair to my heart!

The days are getting a bit brighter and longer~

The gardens are starting to call.

Researching seeds and designing a large fenced area for our pup!

I would love a wall filled with cavities for bee skeps~

That one might have to stay on my wish list!

Hope your Saturday is off to a great start, Friends!

Stand up for yourself~

There are times when we have to stand up for ourselves.

Take legal steps to protect what we have worked so hard for.

It isn't easy.

This little guy and his message were written on my heart today~

Let your faith be bigger than your fear.

Hebrews 13:6

Wishing your heart peace, Friends~

Teddy and Honey Bee~

From time to time I open one of my sketchbooks that has

sat untouched for too long.

I glance through the pages and find something new~

As though it wasn't my hand, my heart, that put it there!

Other times a small design sketch will remind me of a collection 

that was manufactured into a gift program!

My most favorite pages are those with notes & drawings

tucked into corners or margins by one of our children.

Their childhood was filled with art festivals, 

Christmas open houses, art shows and sales.

There was always a sketchbook open...

Always a mound of them stacked within their reach and

they were free to look through them.

Their little masterpieces are my most treasured entries!

Hope your day is off to a great start, Sweet Friends~

Thank you for stopping by!

Punch Needle Bee Skep Valentine

"Bee Loved" Copyright 2017 Michelle L. Palmer

I think this will be the summer that I finally build a bee bole to house 

my two favorite bee skeps. They have been part of our home decor

for 12+ years because they are made of natural materials.

They would rot when exposed to our weather.

I couldn't bring myself to put the hives/skeps in the garden because

I felt the bees would make it their home and then as it wore down

they would be without shelter. 

I will find the perfect stones, study up on the weather side, air space needed etc.

These two bee Valentines are headed home for a nice bowl

of honey stew with a dash of daisy petals~

Home is where the heart his~

Bee Loved~

Hope you're having a great day, Friends!

Bee on linen~

I love to make gifts.

Alaina and I stopped in a few nearby gift shops looking for a gift.

There are treasures everywhere~ but not that exact something.

I know when I see the perfect thing...

I have a bin of pretty linen colors~

Years back, Alaina & I found several pieces of FLAX by Jeanne Engelhart

at a thrift. We have used bits and pieces... this is part of a sleeve.

I sketched my bee with a pastel pencil...

Gorgeous DMC linen floss~

I like that it is not shiny.

A little bit of stitching & little bit of punch needle.

Stretched, pinned, mounted onto a piece of acid free foam board~

I added framing spacers so the punch needle area doesn't

press against the glass.

A little something to wrap and share.

Hope your Sunday is off to a great start!

Wishing you a wonderful week~

Punch needle Bees in the Clover

"Bees in the Clover" copyright 2016 Michelle L. Palmer

'Heart of Gold'

February is for hearts and my heart is longing for the garden!

We are just weeks away from the humming of busy bees~

Lawns with clover patches...

Mmmmm... I can smell the sweet blossoms now!

Hope your week is off to a great start, Sweet Friends!

Mouse & Bee

A little smile to warm your heart!

Hope you're having a great day, Friends~

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Friends!

Sweet little Clover is busy as a bee~

Stitching up something sweet in her favorite shade of green!

Hope your day is filled with wonderful~