Appleseed Prim

Free Tulip Pattern

2012-03-08T13:01:00.008-05:00

This is just a little tulip I stitched during my daughter's nap yesterday. I adore tulips but am not really a fan of Spring patterns. I find it particularly difficult to design or stitch for Spring given I don't enjoy the pastel colors so commonly associated with the season. I do like pale green and struggling to find a color for the tulip itself I finally happened upon orange. I usually consider this color reserved for Autumn but just a shade or two lighter than a pumpkin tipping slightly towards yellow and I think it makes a lovely Spring color.

If you would like to download the free pattern simply visit my Free Patterns page and click on the link below the photo of the stitched piece. As always, if you have any difficulty downloading the pattern please e-mail me at appleseedprim.blogspot.com and I will send the pattern to you as a file attachment.

Things have quieted down here (at least for a little while) and I am patiently waiting for the new Gentle Arts threads I ordered to arrive. I am considering using one of them in a new design and I will be sure to share pictures of them as soon as the postman gifts them to me. I adore new threads and feel a bit silly being driven by anticipation to check the mailbox a few (dozen) times a day. But you understand, don't you?

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Miss Littlebury's Beau

2012-03-06T10:52:00.020-05:00

I've finally finished this little sampler. It took forever! It's a small, simple stitch. I was just so uncomfortable stitching in such bright colors I would often forgo stitching on this little piece for another of my projects. If you remember, the inspiration came from some 1930's reproduction fabrics I had in my stash. I adore the fabrics but I am much more accustomed to stitching in duller shades. As I said, I wanted to challenge myself by going outside my comfort zone. I still contend it's a good idea, I just now have a desire to stitch a sampler all in shades of brown :)

I just kept telling myself that all those antique samplers I love were originally stitched in colors just as bright. I do think I will stick to stitching reproduction samplers that look as though they've already been aged through time, but I do like the way this sampler turned out.

If there are any other adventurous souls out there who, perhaps with Spring approaching, would like to try a brighter sampler I am offering Miss Littlebury's Beau as an e-pattern for $6.50. I will have the sampler posted on My Designs page soon but in the meantime if you would like to order a pattern for this sampler please e-mail me at appleseedprim@yahoo.com.

Next I have planned a little sewing and perhaps even some punch needle. While continuing to sort through my things I happened upon a huge stash of weaver's cloth and can't bear to see it sit in a box any longer. In the meantime I have a few free patterns to finish up to help everyone welcome Spring so check back soon.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Antique Textured Picture Frame Tutorial

2012-03-02T12:21:00.009-05:00

I'm sorry it's been so long since I posted. It's been busy around here. This time of year has a birthday seemingly one right after the other. January 10th, February 12th, March 1st, April 5th and April 6th. It seems that before we've even finished the last batch of cupcakes I'm off baking the next batch. I really should be baking a few more batches now for Jeremy's birthday party tomorrow but . . . I just couldn't keep away from my projects another day.

I wanted to share a quick tutorial with you . . . a finishing technique for an textured antique frame.

Supplies:
frame, any size
latex paint, any color
plaster of paris powder
steel wool or sand paper, fine or medium grade
gel stain or brown shoe polish

I started with an inexpensive frame I picked up someplace awhile back. I didn't paint a base color since the frame had already been stained a light brown. If your frame is unfinished or if you dislike the color of the frame you can paint a base color. Then paint a few coats of your main color, mine was a basic white.

Nice, but too bright and shiny for my taste. I used steel wool to sand away some of the white so the undercoat of brown showed through. Once you've applied the topcoat it will be difficult to sand though to the base color so it's best to do it now.

The topcoat is made of 1 cup of latex paint the same as your main color and 1 tsp of plaster of paris. I used a plastic spoon to measure and mix; nothing too precise. You can add more or less depending on how much texture you want. Now this is obviously more than you would need for an picture frame. I make up a batch and then store it in a small mason jar to be used for other projects. Closed tightly the plaster of paris will not harden but if it does get a little thick you can simply add water until it's the right consistency.

I simply painted the topcoat onto my frame. The texture will adhere to certain parts of the frame and you can always dab more on where you want it. If you added less plaster of paris, it will go on like regular paint with only a slight texture to it. If you added more it will be more like smearing icing on a cake. Either way look greats, it just depends on your own preference. Now I let it dry and then gave it one last sanding focusing on the areas I sanded the first time to bring that base color out. I then rubbed some shoe polish onto it for aging; it gathers in the texture quite nicely. Now, here's the tough part. Plaster of paris does take awhile to set. If you do not allow it to set fully the topcoat will peel right off when you sand. I'm an impatient person so I put mine in the oven on a low heat which certainly sped up the setting process.

Here's a closeup of the frame:

For now it's hanging in our living room with a few old family photos displayed inside. I love the look of frames without backing. I am contemplating another project to accompany this one so this frame may serve another purpose soon and I'll be sure to share.

I am feverishly trying to finish a sampler I've been working on for weeks now. It's so small I can't imagine what's taking so long. Perhaps it's all the cupcakes :) I just have a few more stitches and then the finishing. Hopefully, I'll be sharing that with you next week. Until then, I hope everyone is enjoying these last few weeks of Winter.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Inspired . . .

2012-02-22T09:27:00.000-05:00

I had a plan. I knew the only way I was going to get anything done this past Summer with the children home was to be very organized. I knew I wouldn't have much time to create; I also knew I couldn't spend any of that time looking for things to create with. So last Spring I spent two days sorting, folding, labeling, cataloging, putting like with like, and bundling projects together . . . and it stayed that way most all Summer long (yeah me!). Then came the start of the school year, dance lessons, the rush of the holidays . . . you know what it's like.

Just the other day my husband was running around the house looking for some paperwork. I had it tucked away in a folder for him. I know where my daughter's glasses are and my sons' homework. I can recite everyone's schedules and can rattle off an inventory of our entire kitchen pantry. I know the amounts and due dates of all of our bills and can tell you what we're having for dinner a week in advance. Of course I spent three hours this past weekend looking for my prairie cloth. I did find it (eventually) but had managed to make an even bigger mess in the process. Mina, my two year old, helped a good deal in that department. I find burlap rather itchy; she couldn't stop rubbing it on her feet :)

I'd long since given up the idea I was going to sew up the doll that afternoon and instead gathered everything I had found before I found my prairie cloth and organized it in this little tote. I think it's time for another sorting. Hopefully, I'll be much more productive afterwards and even if I'm not is there a downside to spending a few days admiring all my goodies? I find things I forgot I had and I get a fresh perspective on things I see every day. I will most certainly be inspired to create and with a little bit of luck be able to find the things I want to create with!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

My husband is sneaky . . .

2012-02-15T12:26:00.005-05:00

My husband is quite sneaky. My Valentine's present along with these lovely flowers and some chocolates (most of which were eaten long before I could take a photo of them) was the BBC Series The Hour on DVD. Though my husband and I watch BBC America quite a bit I had never intended to watch this particular show. It was complete happenstance I turned on that first episode one evening this past Summer but within the first fifteen minutes I had already decided I was staying up late that night to watch the remaining episodes through our cable company's "on demand" service. I enjoy the show very much and of course had to start watching it that very evening. Now for the sneaky part . . .

Most evenings my husband and I watch television together I'm stitching, so he's relegated to his side of the sofa, opposite me. Now he knows that The Hour is a show I enjoy so much I will not stitch during it, leaving my lap free of linens and threads and available for him to rest his head in. The series is six episodes affording him at least three nights of my running my fingers through his hair instead of stitching. Sneaky. This isn't the first time he's done it either. We seem to have a growing collection of movies and television shows that I will not stitch while watching. Sneaky, sneaky. My husband rarely comes right out and says what he's feeling (he says it's a by-product of being British) but I think this is his way of saying he's jealous of my stitching. His most recent attempt to rid himself of his rival will most likely affect my productivity over the next week but to be honest I would much rather snuggle with my husband than stitch most any night. Just don't tell him that . . . there's a few more DVD's I'd like to add to our collection first ;)

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T08:33:00.003-05:00

Young love . . .

2012-02-13T08:35:00.016-05:00

I'm sorry I've been so quiet lately but it was chaos last week and this week is shaping up along those same lines. Unfortunately, I have nothing in the way of stitching to share, but thought this was appropriate for Valentine's Day.

Between my two sons I never would have imagined Benjamin to be the first to experience "puppy love". He's always been a bit of a loner, happy in his solitude, showing the most affection to his lovey, a stuffed puppy he's had since he was a baby. We were all a bit surprised when he started talking about a little girl in his class named Lily. Given the smile on his face whenever he spoke of her it was obvious to all of us she was special. Their friendship has grown over the last several months, on the school play ground, across the school lunch table and during play dates and birthday parties. Last month Lily helped his choose the guests for his birthday party and just last week Benjamin came home from school with "I [heart] Lily" scrawled on his arm. She wrote it for him, apparently. Whoever gets to school first will wait for the other at the door so they can walk in together, usually holding hands, but only after they hug. At the end of the day Benjamin holds the door open for her as they leave the school. I asked him awhile back if Lily was pretty. He giggled and said he didn't know how to tell if she was pretty. I told him that someone is pretty if looking at them makes you smile. He said, then yes, Lily was very pretty.

The picture above is of a Christmas card from Lily to Ben. On the inside she has written:

Dear, Ben

Mary Christmas you'r my B-frend. I love you. xoxoxoxo Lily

Benjamin made a point of showing me that there were four xo's at the bottom of the page and telling me that those meant hugs and kisses.

This photo is of one of Ben's writing project from right before Christmas. For those of you who find it difficult to decipher the handwriting of an 8 year old I will translate:

I love to make Lilian smile. I make her smile when we play together, when I tikle her and when we have fun together. I love to make people smile.

I know he's only 8 years old but I think he has the right idea. Who knew so much could be learned from the love letters of children? Is there really any greater joy than making someone you love smile? My son already knows that joy and I hope he carries that with him always. If there's anything I have learned about marriage it's that there are so many things that can get in the way of that feeling, that obscures the purity of just making someone you love smile. I have to thank Benjamin for reminding me of it . . . .

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

A free pattern and extreme aging technique

2012-02-04T10:57:00.002-05:00

I've had an idea for awhile now . . . I wanted to stitch a sampler that looked old . . . really old. I began fussing with some scrap linen and a block of sandpaper. Yes, sandpaper, 180 grit. I use the same block when sanding my make-dos and dolls and what have you. I figured it would work on cross stitch linen just as well. After some trial and error I finally happened upon a technique that gave me the look I wanted. I lightly sanded the entire piece of linen in a single direction. I didn't want to put any holes in it (yet) I just wanted to thin the linen so it looked more worn. I then focused my attention on a few spots. I sanded in a single direction (either up or down or side to side, but not both) until I began to wear through the linen. Fair warning, my table looked as though a large dog had shedded its' entire coat onto it :)

Here is a closeup of the tears in the linen.

I continued sanding until I was happy with the amount of wear on the linen. I found that the side I sanded looked "fuzzy" no matter how many times I took my lint roller to it so I chose to use the backside. I sat down and began stitching, keeping the design simple. I intentionally avoided stitching too near to the holes in the linen but couldn't avoid it when I began stitching the border. I simply kept stitching until I reached the hole and then left the thread hanging. Of course I could have stitched a design first and then sanded but I like to look of "missing" stitches. When the sampler was finished I gave it a light wash in my black walnut dye and then brushed on more dye focusing around the worn areas. I thought ahead and stitched using DMC thread, fearing that the hand dyed threads might bleed. Now that I think on it, that might have given it an even more aged appearance. Hmmmm, perhaps next time.

Now, I wouldn't do this to a sampler that I had spent a great deal of time working on, but personally I adore the look of this piece. It looks lovely displayed. Throughout the day it's followed me from my bedroom, into the living room, and is now resting in the family room. It looks so sweet no matter where I toss it. I wouldn't drape a genuine antique sampler over a box on my mantel or lay it across a few books on an end table but this piece just belongs nestled amongst other prims.

I charted the little sampler and am offering it as a free pattern. Of course you are welcome to stitch it however you like, but I would suggest trying this technique if you enjoy the look, and be sure to let me know how it turns out.

If you would like to download the free pattern you can find it on my Free Pattern page, simply scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the link below the photo of the finished piece. As always, if you have any trouble downloading the PDF file simply e-mail me and I can send it to you.

Our youngest is turning two next weekend so it will most certainly be a busy week, but hopefully I'll have a finish to show you soon. Until then, happy stitching.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Do you see what I see?

2012-01-25T12:32:00.015-05:00

I'm not a photographer by any means. I love achieving a beautiful photograph but rarely ever do so. It's a talent, one I do not possess, but one I do covet. In an effort to acquire that talent (if that's even possible) I began a few months ago carrying my camera with me whenever I could. It was always within arms reach in the house, I took it into the yard when I went with Mina outside to play, I took it when I walked the boys to school . . . needless to say I had quite a few photographs on my memory card. I finally got around to downloading them onto my computer the other day. As I scrolled through the photos I noticed something about a few of them, each taken months apart. I put the photos side by side, transfered them into grayscale, played with contrast and exposure (I love photo editing software) and so I ask, do you see what I see?

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

My Tattered Suitor

2012-01-19T15:08:00.015-05:00

He's a scraggly little man, dingy and worn.
His heart (along with some of his stuffing) is bare for his love to see.
Perhaps not the most striking suitor to be seen, but adorable nonetheless.
We can only hope the object of his affection agrees.

This is a very simple pattern. My original idea was much more . . . elaborate. On days I feel particularly creative all my ideas get jumbled up with one another and I have a tendency to focus them all on a single project. Once I get to working, though, I am always drawn to the simplest expressions. The single appliqued heart said exactly what I wanted to say in the plainest way possible and when it comes to prim isn't that always best?

I'm offering the doll pattern to you as a free pattern. It's a design that lends itself well to virtually any embellishment for any occasion. If you're interested in the free pattern you can download it from my Free Pattern page. If you have any trouble downloading the pattern in the newer format let me know and I'll be happy to e-mail you the pattern as a PDF attachment.

Feel free to use the pattern any way you like and be sure to share with me your finishes. I hope you enjoy him and I can't wait to see what you come up with.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Sewing machines and cocktail dresses . . .

2012-01-19T10:46:00.003-05:00

There's some sewing going on in my home today, which means I have completely taken over our dining room table. As I took out my sewing machine my husband hastily removed his coffee from the table and sought refuge in the living room.

There's osnaburg, some scraps of wool, a few rusted safety pins, bits of twine, even a twig or two (I love crafting supplies I can find in my own yard). At the risk of sounding arrogant, I have faith in my stitching ability. When I sit down to work on a piece I'm relatively sure I'll be happy with the end result. I have no such faith when it comes to sewing. I always have butterflies in my stomach as I run the fabric through the machine. There's always a moment of panic as I turn right side out and begin to stuff whatever I've sewn. I wonder if it will turn out at all as I had intended it to.

For me, stitching is a comfy pair of pajamas whereas sewing is more akin to the cocktail dress that while I do like wearing am always checking to see how big my backside looks in it.

I'm never quite sure what the finished product will be when I sew, but whatever it ends up being, I'll be sharing it with you soon.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Valentine's Heart Garland

2012-01-18T11:09:00.015-05:00

I've been promising a tutorial and I've finally finished it up this afternoon so here goes . . .

Supplies:
sheet music, book pages, or make your own
watercolor paper (if you're making your own pages)
coffee stain (if you're making your own pages)
heart punch or template for cutting
hole punch or a large eye needle
twine, ribbon, string for hanging

Here are the instructions for my Heart Garland made of "faux" antique music paper. I did try real antique music paper but the sheets I had were too thin and didn't take well to being sewn together so I had to come up with an alternative. I decided to use watercolor paper which worked quite well. It was thick enough to withstand having the twine pulled through it but not quite as thick as cardstock would have been. It also has a lovely texture to it, especially when aged. I simply sprayed both sides with a coffee mixture using a spray bottle and then "baked" each sheet in the oven for a minute or two. I then printed "The Wedding March" onto each sheet, front and back. You can download the sheet music I used here. I used a heart punch to cut out each individual heart but I've also included a template you can use to cut out your own.

I then layered three hearts together, making little "sandwiches) held with a paperclip. I used a small hole punch about every quarter of an inch down the center of the heart and then "sewed" the three hearts together using twine. I left about three inches between each heart as I strung them together and a tail on either end for hanging. You can also sew without pre-punched holes using a large eye needle though I would suggest using something thinner like ribbon to string the hearts. Fold the two hearts on the outside of the "sandwiches" away from the center to open the hearts and then hang.

Suggestions:

You can string as long a garland as you would like but if you'd like to make a garland more then five feet long I would suggest working in segments no longer than five feet. Any longer and the whole thing becomes unwieldy.

Cut the tip of your string or twine on the diagonal to create a nice point for threading through your hearts and then dip the edge into some white glue and let it dry. It will stop your twine from fraying.

You can also create a page of romantic poetry or verse to print out and cut into hearts. You can make every few words red and then print in color so each of your hearts have a little red in them. You can also use images of antique Valentine's Cards or intersperse a few hearts of images on a strand with sheet music or poetry. I think that will be my next garland.

Here's a closeup of my heart garland hanging under one of the shelves in the living room.

This is my first tutorial so I hope everyone enjoys it and that it was easy enough to understand. It's hard to believe Valentine's Day is already less than a month away. I still have so many things I want to finish to display around the house. I better get busy. Hopefully, I'll have more to share with all of you soon.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Retro Brights

2012-01-14T09:14:00.006-05:00

This is a little peak at what I've been working at this past week. It's a small alphabet sampler I designed quite awhile ago. It was designed using a single shade of brown, which is what I tend to do when I haven't yet decided on a color scheme. I can spend hours fussing with color selection. I've found it's better at times to simply allow inspiration to operate on its own schedule and trust that whatever is missing will present itself in time.

The color inspiration for this piece came from these wonderful retro fabrics. I was rummaging through my craft room looking for my quilting scissors when I came across them. I'd purchased them years ago to make a sewing basket for my daughter. Though not entirely my taste I have always been drawn to these 30's and 40's reproduction prints. The resulting colors in the sampler are much brighter than I'm used to working with but every once and while it's good to take a less traveled path.

My computer is slowly getting back to her old self again. Just one or two more programs to install and several hundred files to move over from the backup drive . . . but at least she's working. I know I'll have to replace her sooner or later as she's getting on in years (in computer years, anyway) but the longer I can postpone that day the better. I've become rather attached to her.

I'd every intention of starting in on some Valentine's crafts to share with you but fixing up this old girl has taken most all of my free time. Hopefully in the coming weeks I'll have some finishes to share, projects to post, and hopefully a few tutorials as well.

Until then I hope everyone enjoys the chilly Winter weekend.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

A fresh start . . .

2012-01-11T09:57:00.006-05:00

So this is how it was explained to me. The hardrive on a computer is like rows and rows of filing cabinets filled with files, each and every one of them necessary for the computer to operate. Now a couple of the files from my hardrive were "misplaced". As a matter of fact they were gone all together. They had been checked out and never returned and it was impossible to tell which two files were missing. As a result my computer refused to boot up and the only way to repair it was to reinstall the operating sytem.

My husband, my hero, my champion (do I ever owe him one) spent all day yesterday bringing my computer back to life. In a way my computer has been reborn, and is naked as a jay bird. There isn't a single thing on here. Not Microsoft Office Suite, not my photo editing software, not my design program, none of my files or photos . . . I need to stop now before I depress myself. Thankfully, all of my files are backed up regularly (again thanks to my husband). I just have to put everything back together again. I have chosen to look at it as a fresh start. Hopefully, it will result in a less cluttered computer. It will most certainly require several days worth of Mina's naps and perhaps a few late nights but my husband has promised to keep me in cups of tea.

Sooner begun, sooner done, so I better get to it. Wish me luck!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Mercy Sampler

2012-01-06T14:27:00.015-05:00

Teach me to feel anothers woe
To hide the faults I see
That mercy I too others show

That mercy show to me

I think this is a lovely sentiment to begin the New Year. I enjoyed stitching this sampler immensely and not only because the verse is so appealing to me personally. It's just such a simple sampler. It's small, measuring only 8 1/2 inches square and was so easy to stitch in hand. It also uses only two thread colors which meant much fewer tangled threads in me sewing box.

The colors came so easily, as well. The moment I saw Gentle Arts Portabella I instantly fell in love with the color. It was such an elegant blue-grey and so beautifully variegated. I stitched this sampler during the holiday season, and with so much frenzy around me and such an udemanding sampler as this was a blessing.

As soon as the sampler is framed it will hang with "Mercy" doll. When I chose the fabric for her dress I wanted a pattern that was simple but the colors of this particular fabric were too bright, black and what looked to aqua. I bleached it in an attempt to lighten the colors some and to my surprise the little flowers became brown and blue, almost identical to the colors in the sampler. Obviously these two pieces were meant to be . . .

I'm putting needle and thread away this weekend and working on a little paper project. As all the holiday decorations begin to come down my house is feeling empty and I'm already looking forward to St. Valentine's Day. Hopefully I'll be able to share that with you next week. Perhaps it will be my first tutorial to share with all of you.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Edit: Mercy Sampler and "Mercy" Doll are now both available as e-patterns for purchase on My Designs page or feel free to e-mail me.

"Mercy" Doll

2012-01-05T15:23:00.010-05:00

For someone (me) who says that she does not like sewing I have spent the last few days doing just that. Thanks to my wonderful husband who (while still on his vacation) has stepped up and taken over so many of my household responsibilities I have had the time to finally sew up this little doll that's been inhabiting my imagination for weeks now.

Meet "Mercy"

I just put the finishing touches on her and was so anxious to share her that I braved taking photos on a cloudy day. The idea for her came just before I began stitching on my latest sampler. Oh how I was torn. The comfort and ease of stitching on my sofa under a fluffy blanket or the anxiety of digging around in my chilly basement for my sewing machine, relearning how to thread the darn bobbin and then wrestling with seam allowances, pleats, and pattern measurements. Did I mention I don't really like sewing? It just doesn't come as easily to me as stitching and causes me so much anxiety. This little doll would just not stop nagging me, though, until I made her real.

I've seen dolls such as her before but I had to make one of my own with my own unique touches. She measures about 18 inches to the bottom of her skirt. She's a stump doll; there are no legs hiding under that dress. Neither the top of the bodice nor the bottom of the skirt are hemmed, just the frayed fabric ends. The skirt is attached to the bodice with pleating, so the skirt flares a bit from her body. She hangs from a sting attached to a rusty safety pin at her back and has the sweetest twigs for arms. I have to say that's my favorite feature; it's so perfectly prim.

Mercy had to wait so very long to be made because I was busy working on a sampler, also called "Mercy". The entire time I was stitching the sampler this little doll kept distracting me and I couldn't resist naming her after the sampler. With any luck you'll see photos of that finish tomorrow.

Until then I wish you all a peaceful winter's evening.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T18:30:00.010-05:00

On this night . . .

2011-12-24T17:59:00.001-05:00

I wish you peace and joy.

Merry Christmas

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Caramel Popcorn

2011-12-21T17:46:00.003-05:00

For this I used my oven but I'm still not sure if it qualifies as baking. I am not myself a fan of caramel popcorn but my husband and sons adore it and I think it's even easier to make then the fudge.

A few words of advice. I usually separate the popcorn into two batches and coat separately. It's easier to stir that way. I also place them in two baking dishes so that there's only one thin layer of caramel popcorn in each. Also, unless you enjoy soaking and scrubbing for hours, line the glass baking dishes with parchment paper.

Now the reason these two recipes tend to be made on the same day is in making the caramel topping for the popcorn you have also essentially made toffee. Now go ahead and add a little of that caramel to one of your batches of fudge!

Edit: Ooops! I forgot to mention that the measurement is for unpopped popcorn but it does have to be popped before it's coated in the caramel and baked in the oven. Thank you Teri for pointing that out to me :)

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Holiday Fudge

2011-12-21T10:51:00.002-05:00

I took the day off from stitching today to do a little holiday baking. Can it be called baking if you don't actually use your oven? I believe it can be called baking when the end result is delicious and adds a few inches to your waistline. I make fudge every year for the holidays but other than the basic fudge in the photo I never make the same kind twice.

That's the basic fudge recipe I have used for years but who can really stop at just one batch? This year I made white chocolate almond fudge. I used 2 cups of white chocolate chips with 1 cup condensed milk and 1 tsp almond extract. I poured that into the square pan and then added on top of that 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips that had been melted with the butter, vanilla extract and remaining condensed milk. I topped it with sliced almonds. I also made peanut butter fudge using 2 cups peanut butter chips in place of the 2 cups white chocolate chips. I added mini Reese's candies to the top of that one. I also made mint fudge by using mint chocolate chips and orange chocolate fudge by adding a little orange zest.

I hope a few of you try the recipe. It's embarrassingly simple. Trying to convince my sons to eat dinner instead of the fudge will be much harder!

Happy Holidays!

Jennie Lynn

On the 12th Day of Christmas

2011-12-14T08:38:00.007-05:00

We went searching for our tree.

We visited one of our local tree farms. It was a beautiful day, in the sixties, sunny, windy but it always is here. The farm is a bit of a maze, no straight path between any two points. We occasionally got separated from one another as each of us went off in search of the perfect tree. The only way to find one another was to play "Marco Polo" which I have to admit was my favorite part of the day. I think towards the end the boys were running off and hiding just to be able to holler at one another.

After much debate we did all end up agreeing on a tree. That shadow there to the side of my daughter, Emma, texting. Ahh, family time. I don't know much about types of evergreen trees and the farm grows several different breeds. All I know is that this particular tree had soft needles that didn't poke at you when you touched the branches. The children wanted to continue to search but it was getting late and as soon as I informed them there were candy canes waiting at home to be put on the tree suddenly it mattered less to them exactly which tree came home with us.

Here's David and Benjamin taking the first cut. Both boys had a turn but tired quickly of using the little hand saw so Daddy did most of the work. Of course we picked one of the trees farthest from where we parked. I did mention there was no straight path through the trees. Navigating our way through the fields back to the farmhouse was a feat, especially given that most of the trees in that field were taller than both I and my husband. With our boys acting as guides we managed to make it out to the road. With the amount of jostling that tree sustained I'm surprised there was a needle left on it by the time we got it home. We managed to get the lights hung and I decorated around the house with a few of the trimmings from the tree. Leftovers were on the kitchen counter for the kids but dinner consisted mostly of candy canes and hot cocoa.

With the tree up it truly feels like Christmas. Last night, my husband said the tree was perfect. We spent over an hour searching for that perfect tree but I think that any tree we picked, once we got it home, saw it all lit up and the children gathered around it carefully selecting what flavor of candy cane to eat, would look perfect. It's not the tree after all, but what it represents. The moment the tree becomes a part of our family's holiday celebration, a part of our memories, it becomes perfect to our eyes :)

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

A little holiday decorating . . .

2011-12-07T16:30:00.002-05:00

Anniversary Woes

2011-12-06T13:54:00.005-05:00

Hanging on the wall of my living room above the stairs is a canoe oar. It belongs to my husband and might seem an odd bit of home decor . . . but there's a story behind it. I first noticed it while my husband and I were still dating, tucked in a corner of his apartment. The handle is inscribed "D. Lopez, 1980". I asked after it and this is what he said:

"I made that [said very proudly]. I carved it at boy scout camp. We all did one. It was June of 1980, the month you were born. I was 15. That summer I was chased into a lake by a moose [apparently moose can be quite aggressive] and had my tent washed out in the rain [for your sake I edited out the bit about correct placement of a tent at a campsite]. Still, that whole trip is one of my favorite memories. The best part was one night we all laid out and watched a meteor shower. It was beautiful, even then, but more beautiful in my memory now. It took twenty years for me to realize it, but that night I watched the soul of my true love fall to earth. It was there for a second and then it was gone. It took awhile, but I finally found her again."

Not bad, huh? It worked on me :)

It's moments like those that I try and remember on days like today . . . when he forgets our anniversary. He said he knew that December 6th is our anniversary but forgot that today was December 6th. I understood the distinction but it mattered little to me. I stomped around the house in a huff most of the day. Still, he stayed home with me and followed me about the house . . . at a safe distance, of course, since I have been known to snap at him for hovering. Eventually, I was won over and the early afternoon found us snuggling on the sofa with Mina trying to wedge her way between us.

"What God as put together, let no man put asunder." I believe that, truly. Not even my husband, with his absent-minded ways, can make me forsake the wondrous gift I was blessed with through him . . . a gift that is made precious by days like today as much as by any other.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Giveaway Winner!

2011-11-30T13:13:00.010-05:00

Though my little partridge has been quite happy sitting on my mantle, it is time he goes home for the holidays. I am so happy to be sending him along to Eve of Lee Hill Primitives. She sounded in her e-mail so thrilled to have won. It truly made my day to know that I had brightened someone else's. Take a minute and visit her blog. Her work is so lovely I know this little guy will feel perfectly at home with her. Her work is so beautiful I'm actually afraid he may feel a bit like the poor cousin. Earlier this month Eve had a giveaway herself (I'm so sorry I missed it) and her Santa is breathtaking!

The partridge and pear are all packed and awaiting tomorrow's post and however happy I am he's to grace Eve's home this holiday season his parting has left a bare spot on my mantle. I'm considering filling it with this prim tree. Can you believe it's just a styrofoam cone and some torn muslin? I'm wondering if I should spray some tea stain on it and perhaps sprinkle some cinnamon. It'll stay on the mantle for now, at least until I'm done fussing with it. Though, to be honest, no holiday decoration in my home stays in the same place for more than a few days. I'm creating and arranging (and rearranging) right up until Christmas Eve. It's just too much fun!

In case you must have a partridge of your own the pattern I used can be found at Our Pioneer Homestead. The original design was intended as a dove, but once I added the top feather it made a perfect partridge. The top feather was fashioned out of rusty wire looped with a small bell attached at the end. The base is an unfinished table leg (maybe a leg for a footstool or ottoman given it's height). It's just what they sell at any home improvement store. You can finish it however you like. Mine, of course, is painted and stained and all grunged up. The pear was something I've used to decorate my home in the past but Pamela has a tutorial for that as well. The only difference is I tend to paint mine white rather than black and I use spray paint instead. I've also spiced apples without painting them at all. The little bit of red showing through is very festive. If you're not a follower of Pamela's blog you should be! She sells lovely finished goodes as well as shares patterns and tutuorials. I'm sure you'll get more than a few ideas for holiday decorating.

The rest of the week is full of holiday concerts and hopefully some holiday shopping (hooray!) but I'm sure they'll be time for stitching (even if there isn't I'll make time) and more patterns to share. I'm also looking forward to seeing finishes of the Winterberries free pattern. It certainly has been my most popular free pattern to date and I hope all of you enjoy stitching it. Again, thank you, everyone, for entering my giveaway, following my blog, and being such wonderful friends!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Winterberries Free Pattern

2011-11-26T12:02:00.007-05:00

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving!

I thought that if any of you could find time between shopping and finishing off the left over pumpkin pie you might enjoy stitching my Winterberries free pattern. It's the start of the holiday season and though I don't feel festive just yet I intend on starting some holiday decorating today to hopefully foster the holiday spirit.

This pattern was stitched on a scrap of 30ct R & R linen using all Gentle Arts threads and it measures about 4 inches square. I plan to sew it into an ornament and have the fabric and ribbon all picked out but am waiting until the kids go back to school on Monday. I was anxious to share it, though, and try out my new idea. I would like to try something a little different with my free patterns. Winterberries will be my test run and hopefully some of you are willing to be my lab mice :)

On the Free Patterns page, below the photo of Winterberries, there is a link (a little bird to be precise). Click on the link and a PDF of the pattern should open in a separate window. From there you can either print the pattern or download the file onto your computer. I've tried this on all three computers in the house and it's worked each time. Of course, that's no indication it will work for everyone else. If you have any difficulties downloading the pattern e-mail me and I will send you the PDF file as an attachment. Provided everything works out as planned, though, I think this will be a much better way to share my patterns with all of you. The PDF file is just a simpler version of my PDF patterns for purchase and should give everyone a much clearer chart to stitch from. If there are too many issues or if all of you just prefer it I'll go back to the way I did it before. I do hope it works, though. I have plans to convert all of my older free patterns to this format as well, so fingers crossed.

Be sure to let me know what you think!

Also, don't forget to enter my giveaway. My little partridge still needs a home for the holidays.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy Thanksgiving!

2011-11-24T10:18:00.002-05:00

Wishing everyone many things to be thankful for this day.

Euphemia Myles Finishes

2011-11-14T10:11:00.002-05:00

Dora was kind enough to send me a photo of her finish of Euphemia Myles Sampler. She stitched it on 36ct R & R Creme Brulee using all of the suggested threads. Instead of the embroidery on the bottom she added some motifs from my June Blooms free pattern using Gentle Arts Woodrose. Isn't her finish exquisite? I adore the hand stitched quilt binding and am now anxious to try it for myself.

Her timing was impeccable since I have just finished framing my Euphemia Myles Sampler. The frame has been sitting for weeks in my craft room; I just couldn't seem to find the time. I'm not sure where to hang it, which might explain my procrastination. For now it is sitting on our entertainment cabinet, right behind the X-Box console. With four children and a husband who loves all the latest technology my house is an interesting blend of both old and new. I would love a truly prim house but between the building blocks, sippy cups and endless electrical cables my home is more of a hodge podge. I can't complain though. I have a wonderful family and I can't help but smile when I see my son's latest Lego creation perched proudly on the mantle right next to my antique iron stone.

I haven't picked up needle and thread since finishing Cora Lipton's Marking Sampler. My hands have been happily busy but they are aching to stitch again. Josephyn Sayer has been sitting for over a month now almost completed. I had hoped to have her finished and released by Thanksgiving. I suppose I still can but I hate working under a deadline. So much of my life is scheduled, right down to the minute, or at least it seems. I even wait to use the bathroom until it seems my daughter is least likely to get into trouble while I do (any mother of small children will know of what I speak). For me stitching has to remain the one thing I do when my heart tells me to, not the clock or calendar. I realize I have yet to post a photo of my stitching on Josephyn Sayer. When I take it out to stitch next (very soon) I will snap a photo of it first.

Until then I wish you all the best.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

A Patridge & A Pear Giveaway

2011-11-11T14:46:00.008-05:00

In honor of my one year blog anniversary I am hosting a giveaway for a sweet little partridge make-do and one of my prim pears. This is my creation from the other day and just so you know there is still cinnamon stuck under my fingernails :)

The partridge is heavily painted and stained with wool wings stitched to his body and a rusty top feather made of wire and a little bell. He is firmly stuffed with cotton and tied with string to a painted and aged wooden base. The pear is painted and then dusted with cinnamon and coffee grinds and smells wonderful! The make-do measures about 9 inches tall including the base and the partridge measures about 7 inches from tail to beak.

The rules to enter are simple. You must be a follower of my blog (new followers welcome) and leave a comment on this post. That's it! (My apologies but I can only ship within the US). Though it's not a requirement to enter feel free to post about my giveaway on your blog or post my link on your sidebar. I will draw the winner on November 30th, the anniversary of my first post.

Everyone says it but I can't believe it's been a year since I started my blog. It started entirely on a whim, bored sitting at my computer one evening. It's grown a bit since then; I'm nearing my 100th posting and have over 150 followers. I would never have guessed I would have had that much to share or that so many people would be interested in it. I am so thankful for all of my followers and for all the friends I have made in the past year. I can't say how much I appreciate all of you. Reading your comments and seeing your finishes of my patterns always brightens my day. This blog has become such a part of my life I can't imagine ever stopping but it wouldn't be any fun at all without all of you.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart <3

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Getting dirty . . .

2011-11-08T15:46:00.007-05:00

I'll keep what I'm working on a secret for now but here are just a few of my supplies. Please tell me I'm not the only one with a collection of rusty treasures? I would rather work with them than I would the shiniest gold.

How about a steaming jar of coffee stain? I personally prefer that to actual coffee. I'm a tea drinker myself.

Today the stitching stayed in its' basket. There was still handwork to be done,though. The best thing about today? I got good and dirty! My fingers are stained with rust and there's cinnamon stuck under my fingernails. I'll have to take a scrub brush to my hands tonight but boy was it fun :)

Fall Back

2011-11-06T09:00:00.007-05:00

I've heard people complain about it getting darker out sooner, protest the long nights, the lack of sunshine. Personally, I love it :) Maybe we run fewer errands and do a little less cleaning. No more yard work and less light to clean the trash out of the van. Instead there are long dinners that last well beyond the food. Lengthy conversations over empty plates as the sun goes down instead of running out the door to the grocery store. No more evening walks and playing at the park. Instead there are dance parties in the living room, my husband playing the guitar and making up silly songs with the boys. For every season there is a purpose . . . but this one is my favorite!

Even if you don't agree, really, who couldn't use a little more time? What do you plan on doing with your "extra" hour?

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T19:30:00.000-04:00

Cora Lipton's Marking Sampler

2011-10-31T11:24:00.009-04:00

I have finally finished my little marking sampler. It was an absolute joy to stitch. Though I doubt I could do it often, it was wonderful to sit down and just stitch without worrying about counting stitches or constantly having to look back to a chart. I must confess that I did cheat, or at least try to. When I began stitching the cursive alphabet up top of the sampler it became obvious I was going to have trouble fitting a full alphabet. I did pull up my pattern maker software and try to configure it in such a way that I could include the entire alphabet. I couldn't figure out how to do it without frogging stitches so I left it as is. I have seen many antique samplers with incomplete alphabets so I imagine I am in good company in just simply running out of room.

In this sampler I also experimented with intentionally pulling stitches so that the piece would look as if it were worn through time. I left out a couple of letters and a few of the borders are incomplete and I purposefully left blank most of the lower part of the sampler. In a few places I pulled the thread under in the back to secure it and then pulled it back out through the front in the last place I had stitched leaving a little of the thread hanging to make it look as though the stitching had come undone. Again, I doubt I could do this regularly but it does give the sampler a very old feel to it.

The threads are lovely. I used Gentle Arts Picnic Basket, Gentle Arts Toasted Barley and Gentle Arts Wood Trail as well as Crescent Colours Green Onion and Crescent Colours Onion Skin. They are beautifully faded colors of brown and green with Crescent Colours Green Onion being the most subtle. It mostly appears as white but there are slight hints of a very pale green. I adored working with the thread. I didn't intend to stitch the entire cursive alphabet in that particular color but once I started stitching with it I didn't want to stop. The linen is a scrap of 30ct R & R Reproductions Flax. It's a smaller pattern and not much linen is needed.

When the sampler was finished I signed the bottom Cora Lipton. For a week's worth of evening stitching my husband and I were watching Band of Brothers on DVD. I have an affinity for war films and it is a wonderful mini-series. Lipton is the last name of one of mine and my husband's favorite characters. I can't explain it but the name got stuck in my head and it just seemed . . . right. Cora was simply a first name that I liked. It is odd how we come up with these things isn't it? Wrapped up in this little sampler is a memory of my life that will now always come to mind when I look at in years to come. I imagine each and every one of you can say the same thing about things you have stitched. It doesn't always occur to me as I'm stitching but it is true that every stitch carries with it a little piece of the women (or man) stitching it of that moment in her life.

I finished the piece by folding over the edges and binding it with a blanket stitch. I've considered stitching a ribbon to the back and hanging it on the dresser in my bedroom. For the time being it looks lovely sitting on the table in the living room. I just have to remember to move it every time Mina climbs onto the sofa :)

If you would like to stitch this little sampler it is available as an e-pattern only and the cost is $7.50. The pattern is complete, showing all the "missing" stitches and a second chart included contains the rest of the cursive alphabet. Perhaps you could find a way to incorporate the remaining letters into the pattern? The sections where I chose to have "missing" stitches are marked. As always the pattern will include a color photo of the finished piece, both black and white and color charts to print and finishing instructions.

If you would like to purchase the pattern for Cora Lipton's Marking Sampler you can e-mail me or use the Paypal button on My Design page.

Now onto finishing the sampler I put aside when I started working on this one. There seems to be a never ending stash of designs to stitch but unlike with say, laundry, I love always having something waiting to be worked on :)

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Pumpkin Patch

2011-10-21T12:03:00.005-04:00

No stitching, but something even better. This is a picture from our outing yesterday. We took the children out of school early and went to not one but two pumpkin patches. The first has the most spectactular corn maze. It has large towers to climb up, rope bridges, and tunnels to climb through. I lost track of the boys more than once as the ran through the maze. This was Mina's second trip and her first since she's learned to walk. This is the only photo I have of her that isn't of her backside as she's running off. The second pumpkin patch is where we selected our pumpkins. I didn't take many pictures there since I was the one tasked with pulling the wagon that carried both Mina and the pumpkins.

It was a wonderful day and for our family the official start of the Autumn season. How are you celebrating the season?

A gift from a friend and a giveaway prize

2011-10-12T12:34:00.008-04:00

My sweet, sweet friend Lynn sent me this little care package of flosses. Two are Crescent Colours which I don't normally stitch with and don't really have a stash of. Of course now I need to start one. She also sent a skein of Gentle Arts Brandy. I already have a skein (or two) of that thread but the one she sent me is a completely different shade. That's one of the things I adore about hand dyed threads: no two dye lots are identical. It was such a sweet and unexpected little surprise. Thank you, Lynn!

My second surprise this week was winning Sandy's giveaway on her blog The Humble Stitcher. This sweet little pinkeep arrived in the mail just yesterday. The stitching on the piece is beautiful and the fall colors are so rich. My youngest daughter, Mina, went to it as soon as I opened the package. Apparently, she's a lover of prim as well. She especially loved the buttons hanging for its' beak. I haven't decided yet where I'm going to keep this little lovely but it will have to be out of her reach.

Last week Mina was evaluated for a speech delay. Despite being 20 months old she has the speech production of a 9-12 month old. Both of her older brothers had moderate speech delays and are still receiving therapy for some articulation issues. They're seven and nine years old, so issues like these aren't resolved quickly. It's a struggle for both Mina and I, but having been through it twice already I feel as though I am in more of a position to help her than I was with either of my sons. I am just thankful that this is so far the biggest challenge any of my children have had to face.

Other than that it's been quiet here. Later this week my husband is going out of town. It's both a blessing and a curse. I enjoy having time with just the children and I and yet it's also very challenging having so much time with just the children and I. I don't realize how much I rely on my husband for back up until he's not there to help. The weather is warming up again; Summer is having one last hoorah. By next week the Autumn season will be in full swing. The Halloween costumes will be arriving, we've planned a trip to the local pumpkin patch and corn maze, and soon after will follow pumpkin carving and decorating. By far my favorite time of the year it always goes so fast. I've often complained to my husband to move to a part of the country where the weather is more often like it is now. I swear, Summers here last nine months of the year. But then again if we did move to such a place then Autumn wouldn't be nearly as precious, so I'll simply enjoy the days I have, and wish all of you the same.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Progress . . .

2011-10-07T14:06:00.008-04:00

My little project appears to be turning to a small marking sampler. I stitched row after row of borders then decided to add in the alphabet. Since I took this photo I've added an uppercase alphabet as well. Another alphabet? Some motifs? I have no idea where I'm going to go next and I'm perfectly fine with that!

My laptop is currently out of commission. I know nothing about computers; that's my husband's department. I do know that I love my laptop. I also know that it's the only laptop we own that hasn't (in four years) ever had to be taken in to be repaired. It's the only laptop of that particular brand that we own and has turned out to be a real trooper taking quite a bit of abuse and never once failing. It's funny, though, because the only reason I purchased that brand was because it was the only laptop available at the time that came in pink. A silly reason, I know, but it worked out well for me. The only issue I have ever had is having to replace the power cord. This will be the fourth time I've had to do that. It's a small expense compared to other computer repairs we've had but I do have to wait for it to arrive in the mail. For the time being I'm "borrowing" the children's laptop which doesn't have any of my photos, files, or programs. I actually think the kids are having a harder time of it than I am having to share with Mommy who can be a bit of a computer hog.

Well, there is always a bright side, and less time putzing on the computer means more time to stitch!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Flea Market Find

2011-10-05T08:49:00.010-04:00

This past Saturday was the perfect fall day. It was in the mid 60's (a little chilly) but sunny with a nice breeze. I should have been cleaning out our mudroom but couldn't bear to stay indoors. After rummaging through bins to find cool weather clothes from last year that still fit the boys and after they gathered together their allowance monies we went to the local flea market. I feel it's my responsibility as a parent to pass on the joy of flea markets and antique stores to my children and each boy did indeed find his own "must have". It makes me so proud to see :)

Helping them look through the booths and count out their money left little time for me to browse but I did find this wonderful antique photo album. I love collecting old photos though my husband finds them a bit creepy. Despite that, I decorate throughout the house with them, dotted here and there amongst other displays, changing them out every so often. The ones that aren't displayed I would keep in an envelope in a drawer. This photo album is soooo much nicer and I couldn't pass it up.

Here are a few of my photos tucked neatly into the pages. The book is old and worn which to my eyes makes it all the more beautiful. The spine is damaged but the album still looks great tucked into the bookshelves in the dining room. The picture below is one of my favorites. The baby has the cutest expression on his/her face.

When we got home my youngest son began inspecting his wares. He had chose a tray with some small wine glasses. He draped a dish towel over his arm and served us all water at the dinner table. He practiced carrying the glasses on his tray without spilling. He did this throughout the day. Everyone had to carefully navigate around him while he was practicing and I always had water on hand to drink, whether or not I was thirsty :)

I still haven't gotten the mudroom tidied up but as far as I'm concerned it's more than a fair trade. Cleaning can wait; memories can't. I hope everyone enjoyed the first October weekend and hopefully soon I'll have some pictures to share of my stitching.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Taking a different path today . . .

2011-09-29T14:44:00.006-04:00

For the past week or so I've been working on another sampler. It's lovely and I am enjoying stitching it but . . . maybe it's because it's a large sampler? perhaps it's because I had so much difficulty choosing the right threads? could it be because I'm stitching from a printed chart? Whatever the reason, I decided today I needed a little change of direction. This morning I took a scrap piece of linen from the basket, a few colors of thread that I liked, and just sat down and started stitching. It's so relaxing to just stitch without having to constantly reference a chart, worry about what thread color I'm going to stitch with next, or count to make sure my stitches line up

I have to admit I'm enjoying traveling without a map. I'll post photos tomorrow of what I've come up with so far.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Apple Tree Free Pattern

2011-09-20T14:03:00.003-04:00

I adore apples and not just apples but apple orchards as well. Growing up in Upstate New York I have the utmost appreciation for the beauty of apple trees year round. Even in Winter the bare branches are beautiful covered in snow. The bark is almost black and the trees have such a striking shape contrasted against the snow. When I was younger they would bring to mind the writhing limbs of a tortured soul, but I was a morose teenager. Now they look to me as if they are dancing.

In Spring the blossoms can boast the most lovely shade of pink I have ever seen. I have such fond memories of the Apple Blossom Festival every year in the town I grew up in. And of course in Autumn they bear such a wonderful fruit even as the leaves on the branches begin to change.

Where we live in Maryland there are no apple orchards and though cherry trees can be quite beautiful they do not (to my mind) hold a candle to apple trees. I do miss my hometown, apple trees being just one of many reasons. In their honor and in honor of the town I grew up in, here is this month's free pattern. It was originally meant to be part of a larger sampler but in the end I opted for a tree with a slightly different shape. The two apples depicted here are Macintosh and Red Delicious, two of my favorites stitched using Gentle Arts Mulberry and Gentle Arts Limited Edition Plum Pudding. The tree is stitched with Weeks Dye Works Bark and the leaves are Gentle Arts Endive. If you would like to stitch this pattern for yourself you can find it on my Free Patterns page. I hope you enjoy this pattern and just in time for the start of apple picking season.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Hooray! New Threads . . .

2011-09-19T14:13:00.006-04:00

I thought I would share with you some new thread releases that I recently received. They just arrived in the mail today. What a wonderful treat on a Monday!

The first is from Crescent Colours. It's not a thread line I use often but these new colors are wonderful. When I ordered them I was told they were "plain". You know what I love about over-dyed threads? They're never plain. There's always so much subtle variegation and depth in even such a "simple" color as brown or grey. I specifically like Eggshell and Polliwog. Brown Hen is a very complicated color with light and dark brown with hints of grey/green and yellow. Honestly, I don't know how to describe it.

The next is Gentle Arts. You've already seen Antique Lace; it's used in Blest Art. Wheat Fields is my favorite of the new threads. It's a wonderful combination of dark and light gold and green. It's perfect for Autumn and I'm trying desperately to fit it into a design but that rarely ever works for me. I'm sure that if I let it sit long enough on my table it will eventually inspire its' own design. I'm still waiting on the new Weeks Dye Works colors but I'll share a picture when I receive them.

On another note, a friend of mine purchased the e-pattern for Marked Anne and commented that she had difficulty printing the pattern so that the chart lines were dark enough for her to see. Has anyone else had this problem? If so, please let me know. I always print out a test of all my e-patterns and assume that if it prints well for me that it will for everyone else. If you've had any problems please e-mail me. I would hate to think that anyone purchased a chart they couldn't use.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have this month's free pattern stitched and ready to post. It's in honor of my favorite time of year, apple picking season. Until then I hope everyones week got off to as good a start as mine did.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Marked Anne

2011-09-12T10:22:00.000-04:00

Marked Anne is my another recent finish, a smaller piece done in Gentle Arts Nutmeg and Dark Chocolate. My intention was to finish it into a pincushion but it seems just a little too large. Stitched on 30ct R & R Reproductions Dye Pot Blend it measures approximately 5 inches by 9 inches. Perhaps I will still stitch it into a little pincushion or pillow or maybe framed along with all my other pieces patiently waiting. I adore the rusty pumpkin orange and the linen has a hint or orange to it as well. It's a very simply primitive piece and a quick stitch taking me only a few evenings to finish.

Between this and Blest Art I am certainly gravitating towards those wonderful "Halloween" colors of black, orange, and green. The weather here the past few days has been wretched, 85 degrees and humid, as far from Autumn as I could imagine. Here in Maryland the season won't begin to turn until the end of October. But as the calendar says Autumn is approaching I will choose to make it so in my mind regardless of the weather outside.

Marked Anne is available for purchase as either a printed or e-pattern. You can visit My Design page or e-mail me directly for more information, pricing, and to order. Thank you to everyone who ordered the Blest Art pattern and I know some of you are already begun stitching on Euphemia Myles Sampler. I can't wait to see finishes!

After my mad dash to finish Blest Art I will most likely take a night or two off from stitching. I believe my husband is starting to feel neglected. These past few nights I've done little more than shush him while I was preoccupied counting stitches. A little rest is in order but I do promise September's free pattern soon along with a sneak peak of my next pattern. I can't keep from needle and thread for too long!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

On this day, remember . . .

2011-09-11T08:46:00.000-04:00

Blest Art Sampler

2011-09-08T14:15:00.011-04:00

Blest Art is finally finished! I've been busily (and happily) stitching away at it every free minute this past week, hence my lack of blogging. It is finished, though still unframed. I just couldn't wait to share it.

I have been working on this piece for awhile now, stopping from time to time to work on another piece, but then dutifully returning. The design is somewhat whimsical (for me anyway) which I've come to like in it. As I said before, the border was a bit of challenge to design and I had to go back and tweak it a few times after I had started stitching. I do like it, even though it is a bit wonky. I had difficulty choosing how to design the vine border between the first to lines of the alphabet. I'd considered stitching a simpler version of the outer border but in the end decided on a stem stitched vine with a few little leaves added in cross stitch. Finding the perfect color white was challenging as well. Thank goodness for Gentle Arts latest thread releases. The color looked perfect online and I ordered it right away but still I had my doubts. When my package from Gentle Arts finally arrived the color was even better than I had originally thought. Of course I opened the package minutes before the children were due home from school with hours left before I could stitch with it. I think I showed a great deal of patience that day though I do admit to rushing through the evening cleaning. GA Cornhusk is a wonderful color as well. It's a little bright and I was skeptical at first but as I began stitching it won me over quite quickly

The colors are Gentle Arts Cornhusk, Weeks Dye Works Onyx and a new color from Gentle Arts Antique Lace. It was stitched on 30ct R and R Reproductions American Chestnut and finished measures approximately 12 inches square.

The verse is one of my favorites. Be my ambition to excel in the blest art of doing well. I adore the sentiment and hope I in my own life take care to do well in all that I choose to do.

The pattern is available for purchase as either a printed or e-pattern. You can visit My Design page or e-mail me directly for more information, pricing, and to order. I have one more finish to show you (what I worked on while waiting for my thread to be delivered). Hopefully I will find the time to post it tomorrow; for now the time has come to start preparing dinner. I hope you enjoy the pattern and please let me know what you think of it.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Progress on at least something . . .

2011-08-22T17:04:00.010-04:00

The drama of the air conditioning unit continues . . .

The gentleman who came out last week looked at the unit for all of five minutes and decided it couldn't be repaired but rather needed to be replaced. I was a little skeptical. He spent more time writing up the bill than he did actually inspecting our air conditioner. I asked that someone come out today to do a full appraisal. The gentleman who came out today came to the same conclusion but he spent almost an hour examining the unit and talking to my husband. So it looks like we are getting a new central air conditioner. I'm both a little excited and nervous. Any major home repair puts me on pins and needles and not the kind I like :)

Now begins the negotiating between the heating and cooling company and our home warranty company. So far both have been very accommodating so I have high hopes. We're still waiting on the actual bid to do the work then we need approval before any work can be done. Right now we're just . . . waiting. By our estimate the whole process will take about two to three weeks. Then of course we have to put the attic back together and start repairing all the water damage. For having gotten so much done in the past week it feels as though so little was actually accomplished.

I did manage to make progress on Blest Art. Virtually all of the alphabet is finished as well as some of the verse. I'm still not entirely happy with the white thread I've chosen. I'm in the middle of a pretty heated argument with myself about the color when I get an e-mail from Gentle Arts about their new thread releases. Have you seen them yet? If you haven't you can see them here. Antique Lace looks perfect! It's hard to be sure with nothing but an image on a computer monitor but I went ahead and ordered it. I'll just hold off on stitching those parts of the sampler. Even if I don't end up using it for this particular piece I'm always thrilled to order new threads. They are like candy to me and there can never be too many colors to choose from :)

In the future I promise to talk a little more about stitching and a little less about my air conditioner. It has dominated my life this past week and I fear that will not end anytime soon but nothing can keep me from needle and thread for too long :)

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Sneak Peek of Blest Art

2011-08-18T08:39:00.005-04:00

It took me longer than I had thought it would but finally I have finished the border for Blest Art. Forgive my hasty ironing. I had only twenty minutes to snap these photos before my husband left for the day. I'm still on the fence regarding the white thread but I thought I would stitch a little more of the sampler and then decide. I can always frog those few stitches if I need to.

We've had a minor crisis in the house. Remember I said our air conditioner leaked back during the heat wave? Well it's still leaking. The unit is older than I am and was bound to go at some point. Fingers crossed it's nothing that severe but I'm preparing for the worst. We had to shut it off last night and it was a bit of a shock to my system but the temperature isn't supposed to go above 85 degrees today so it shouldn't be too bad. The worst of it is the wall in our son's room directly below the air conditioner has significant water damage. All of the paint peeled off and most of the plaster is going to have to be replaced. All of the walls in the original part of the house are plaster, which I think is much easier to fix than drywall. My husband and I think we can fix it on our own. Of course thinking and doing are two different things so we'll see how successful we actually are. Is it bad I'm actually looking forward to getting to repaint the boys' room? I've been wanting to for awhile now and this is the perfect excuse. Of course, first we have to fix the actual air conditioner and stop the leak. Thankfully, we have someone coming out later this morning.

Last night, when we realized the full extent of the damage, my husband was beside himself. After we cleaned up the mess and showered I simply sat on the sofa to finish the border for Blest Art. I felt a little like Nero, fiddling while Rome was burning. My husband just couldn't understand that once I got focused on my stitching I didn't care that the house was falling apart around me. Unfortunately, no stitching today. It's time to emerge from my little cocoon of needle and thread and focus on cleaning, cooking, laundry and a leaky air conditioner.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Hollow Wreath Free Pattern

2011-08-14T15:07:00.007-04:00

I do know that in fact the wreath is not hollow :)

But it was when I designed it. I only added the year after I had finished stitching the wreath. I had a little of the linen left over from Blest Art and designed this in order to practice my stem stitch. I wanted to know if I could stitch a circle. Perhaps a little more practice . . . but I'm happy with it. I could not have managed to place that one leaf over the stain in the linen if I had tried and to have had it been stitched with that little bit of brown in the thread. It looks just as if the thread has bled over time.

It was stitched over two on 30ct R & R Reproductions American Chestnut using Gentle Arts Espresso Bean. When choosing a black for Blest Art I considered almost every black colored thread I owned. There are more than one might have thought. Dark Chocolate, Tin Bucket, Blackbird, Onyx, Kohl, Mascara . . . and Espresso Bean which was my second choice for Blest Art. I decided to use it here intead and it had the perfect amount of brown for this particular cut of the linen. The free pattern shows a backstitch where I put a stem stitch. A backstitch would look lovely too as would initials in place of a date. You can find the free pattern here or use the link on my sidebar.

Only two days until Emma and Jem return from New York and only two weeks now until school starts again. I think I have enough #2 pencils, lined paper, composition notebooks, binders and school glue to start my own stationary store. Of course I'll have completely run out by December. There is something equally sad and exciting about the end of Summer . . . but I have to admit I am eagerly anticipating the arrival of Autumn.

I hope all of you enjoy this month's free pattern and remember I love to see everyone's finishes. Before the children return I am hoping to have finished stitching the border on Blest Art and I'll post a picture as soon as I do.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Shades of Halloween

2011-08-08T09:40:00.000-04:00

Apparently, I have All Hallows Eve on my mind. I chose these colors for my Blest Art Sampler and don't they just make you think of Halloween? That shade of green is wonderful. I'm not sure about the white, though. I might replace it with an acorn brown or perhaps a sunflower yellow? Sometimes I just have to stitch a little with a thread before I can make a final decision.

The linen is lovely too with all of these little black specks on it. The ladies at my LNS show think me odd because I'm the one asking for the most aged and mottled pieces of linen they have. Every time, the lady who cuts the linen for me sighs and shakes her head and wonders why I would want the "dirty" piece. It's a "prim" thing, isn't it? Please tell me I'm not alone :)

Recently I've been working on quite a few samplers. There's something soothing about stitching an alphabet. Borders drive me batty though. They don't have to actually meet in the corners do they? I had difficulty in this sampler getting the border to do just that. It's quite an unruley vine so rather than fight it I just let it grow it's own way. I like the way it turned out though and even though it's not a Halloween design I think the colors are just perfect. In a day or so I should have some progress to show you. Hopefully that wild vine will be easier to stitch than it was to design.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Sharing some finishes . . .

2011-08-06T10:08:00.007-04:00

These finishes were kindly sent to me by Connie (no blog). First is my French Letters Bluebird pattern which can be found here. She resized the pattern for 36 count linen and stitched the letters using Crescent Colours Old Blue Jeans. I meant to ask if she had a photo of the backing fabric but it completely slipped my mind. I love the little bow she added around his neck.

Connie also used several of my free patterns to create a lovely little needle book.

Connie's stitching and sewing is gorgeous but I have to admit I can't take my eyes of that little strawberry scissor's fob. I'm going to have to ask her about that . . . isn't it so sweet?

I love the way she stitched the Peahen's Valentine Freebie. The colors are so different than what I envisioned and looks completely different than what I stitched. I love that! Most of the time when I design something I see it one way only. I adore seeing my designs interpreted by other people and most times I think you guys do a better job of stitching it than I did!

Thank you so much Connie for sending me pictures of your finishes. They're beautiful and seeing them truly did make my day.

I'm redesigning my page for purchasing patterns, or at least trying to. I have a very clear idea in my mind of how I want it to look and function and it's getting there . . . slowly. There have been several times this past week I've just had to walk away from my laptop in order to maintain my sanity! So thank you for your patience as I wrestle with blogger. As always if you are interested in any of my patterns you can always e-mail me at applseedprim@yahoo.com.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Euphemia Myles Sampler Charted Pattern

2011-08-03T11:21:00.003-04:00

Printed Pattern: $10.50 which includes travel faire

E-Pattern: $8.50 sent within 24 hours as a PDF Attachment

Thank you so much for all of your kind words about Euphemia Myles Sampler. It was due to all of your requests that I finished charting the design last night and put the pattern together this morning. If you would like to purchase either the printed or e-pattern you can send me a message at appleseedprim@yahoo.com.

Thanks again for all of your comments. I couldn't ask for better friends to share my work with :)

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Euphemia Myles Sampler

2011-08-01T11:53:00.035-04:00

Fair warning, this post has quite a few photos in it. Even with today's "point and shoot" cameras I am a wretched photographer. Stitched on 30 ct this sampler is also larger than I'm used to stitching and photographing. It certainly wasn't easy to "stitch in hand" which is my preferred way to stitch. It's also very sunny today which surprisingly isn't the best condition for taking photos. Some colors in the sampler are also very light shades which blend into the linen.

This is basically my way of saying these photos aren't particularly good and trust me the sampler looks better in person. I've included a lot of photos in hopes that at least one ends up looking like the sampler I stitched.

The sampler isn't terribly large, only 160 stitches square, but I chose to stitch it on 30 ct so it's almost 12 inches square finished. The linen is R & R Reproductions French Vanilla, a beautiful color and perfectly aged as is. All of the threads are Gentle Arts and most of the colors are very subtle. The Gentle Arts Garden Gate stands out nicely. The Gentle Arts Roasted Marshmallow blends beautifully with the linen. It's hard to make out in the photos. I told you I was no good at taking pictures :)

I've always loved the aged look of antique samplers and part of that (I think) comes from the fading in the threads. I think over time the colors just all begin to blend into one another which is hard to replicate. I've been wanting to try for awhile and I'm happy with the results.

There are three alphabets, some numbers as well as a signature and date. The name is fictional. I've always felt a little odd just making up a name but on this sampler it felt right.

I had originally designed the sampler intending to leave an unstitched area at the bottom. I think leaving the sampler "incomplete" also lends to a more aged look. At the last minute (this morning) I decided to add some feather stitching. There wasn't a lot of planning with this sampler. It came together on its own. What was particularly fun was "choosing" where to use what colors. I knew the border would be black/grey and I knew I wanted most of the stitching to be blue. I used very little of the lighter shade of gold because it is very subtle. Other than that I just began stitching with one color and when I finished a letter and didn't have enough thread to finish the next I went onto another color.

It was a lot of fun to stitch. Very relaxing. But of course whenever I get close to finishing one design I begin putting together the next. I'm going to show a sneak peak of the colors for that one soon.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

I won!

2011-07-31T08:25:00.010-04:00

I was lucky enough to win Cheri's July Primitive Quilt Giveaway and what a blessing. The quilt is gorgeous! Breathtaking! A photo just doesn't do it justice. She has such an amazing talent and one I am quite jealous of. I have always wanted to learn how to quilt. There are no quilting stores in my area so no classes to take. I've tried to teach myself and my works are quite . . . primitive. By that I mean they look as though they were stitched by a five year old. I try very hard to take pride in whatever I make with my own hands but that's not always so easy :)

I know I promised a progress post on Euphemia Myles Sampler but I should have it finished today. Why is it those last few stitches always take the longest of all the stitches? I would also like to put a little embroidery on the sampler which means reminding myself how to do a feather stitch. I'm very anxious to start my next sampler. I love the colors in it. I'll post a picture of that as well.

My two oldest children left the other day to visit family in Upstate New York. My daughter Emma has been going since she was eight years old and Jeremy has gone with her the past two years. They're staying for almost three weeks this year; the longest they've been away. Every year I cry as they drive off. I miss them so much. It gets better though. I get the first few phone calls from them and they always sound as if they're having so much fun. That makes it easier. I can barely keep Jem on the phone with me. The other night it was "Mommy, can I call you later I'm busy petting the sheep . . . " and before I could even answer he'd handed the phone back to his sister. After a day or so I start to realize how much more time I can spend with Benjamin and now Mina. Even my husband and I find a little more time to spend with one another. Of course there is also the backlog of stitching that I manage to accumulate every Summer. There's still plenty to keep me busy and before I know it Emma and Jeremy will be home and I'll be wishing for peace and quiet again :)

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Samplermakers Autumn Stitcher's Challenge

2011-07-24T10:43:00.015-04:00

I am hosting a Stitcher's Challenge through Samplermakers, a wonderful group created by Lori Brechlin from Notforgotten Farm. If you're not a member yet but are interested in joining contact Lori at not4got@aol.com. It's a remarkable community of stitchers.

The Autumn Stitcher's Challenge starts on August 1st, when I'll be sending a message out to all members and ends October 1st. So if you'd like to join hurry up so you don't miss it. Those participating will recieve patterns for several motifs. You can create any size design, alter the designs, use all or some of the motifs, add your own designs, change the colors . . . the options are limitless. For those you who don't have access to a pay design program there's this wonderful program called KG Stitch you can download for free. I've had it on my laptop for years and never had any problems so no worries about viruses and the like. Of course you can also stitch without a pattern. Just start stitching and see where it takes you.

The only requirement of the challenge is that you share your work on Samplermakers. Discuss your design choices, ask for input from the other members, share inspiration, post pictures of your work . . .

If you're already a member or plan on becoming one just check your e-mail on August 1st for the pattern. I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

We're having a heat wave . . .

2011-07-23T17:30:00.017-04:00

A tropical heat wave

The temperatures rising

It isn't surprising

She certainly can can-can

The high today: 98 degrees

Heat Index: 122 degrees

I keep having visions of this old science fiction movie where the Earth gets knocked out of orbit and slowly moves closer to the sun. I keep hearing "We're Having a Heat Wave" as sung by Marilyn Monroe in There's No Business Like Show Business. The song is actually quite chipper but I just can't seem to muster that level of enthusiasm. One of our movie marathon days was of Christmas Movies. We thought that perhaps simply seeing snow and people all bundled up in the cold might help. It's really toughtest on the kids. I refuse to let them out of the house to play. We've had movie marathons, done crafts, played with toys, listened to music, built forts . . . I'm running out of indoor activities.
Yesterday our van broke down. We always joked that she was a "northern gal" because she never did take well to the heat. It was towed this morning and we just got the estimate from the repair shop. All I'll say is AAGGHH!!! It will take at least a week to repair. We haven't figured out the cost of a rental yet or even if we'll get one for the entire week. It's too hot to go anywhere anyway.

I feel for everyone who either doesn't have air conditioning or can't afford to turn it on. Our air conditioner is pratically an antique but is quite the trooper. I have it set to 70 degrees and it's cooling the rooms to about 75 degrees. Given the temperature outside I think that's pretty good. The drip pan is filling faster than normal, though, and despite my husband checking it yesterday morning it still overflowed last night and caused a (little) flood in our attic.

It's been a rough week and I can't help thinking that as soon as this heat breaks everything will just get . . . better. The weather forecast says tomorrow is the last day of triple digit temperatures but it said that yesterday too. Needless to say I haven't gotten much accomplished in the way of stitching. Every night I have the best of intentions but the heat makes me so lethargic I want to do nothing but lay on the sofa with a fan blowing on me. There sits my sewing kit, though, patiently waiting for a night I won't sweat all over my stitching.

Sorry this post has been kind of . . . whiney. I'll have progress to show on Euphemia Myles Sampler in my next post, which will also be much more cheerful. Promise.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Budding Wreath Free Pattern

2011-07-17T09:53:00.009-04:00

I have to say this one took a lot longer than I had expected to finish. It's not even finished yet. I still haven't decided what to put in the center of the wreath. A date? Initials? A verse? It took so long to stitch the wreath I have to put it aside for awhile. Normally with the smaller patterns I stitch without a chart. With borders, however, I am never able to get them to match up without charting first. Silly me to think that would make it easier. This one was charted first and I still had to frog my stitches three times before I could get the wreath to match up. To look at it you wouldn't think it was that challenging a stitch. But a word of advice for those of you (like me) who are stitching in the middle of the night with less than ideal lighting and perhaps are a little tired . . . stitch the ring first then go back and add in all the little stems.

The colors are WDW Molasses and GA Summer Shower and was stitched on a piece of 30ct scap linen. Once I've gotten it completed I'm thinking of using it to cover the lid of a paper mache box. That's a finish I have yet to try. If you'd like the free pattern you can find it here. Feel free to put whatever you would like inside the wreath and share with me. Perhaps what you choose to stitch will inspire me. I'm desperate to get back to the sampler I was working on. It's been calling to me in the evenings, I just couldn't pick it up again until I had finished this darn wreath. Now that it's finished I have to admit that I am happy with how it came out (so far) and proud of myself for sticking with it until it was done! There was a time that after pulling out stitches for the second time I would have simply given up. This time I just couldn't let that pattern get the best of me :)

I hope you enjoy the pattern and remember I love to see your finishes!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Saltwater and Stitching

2011-07-15T17:13:00.004-04:00

The view standing at the door of my LNS. Not bad, huh?

My LNS is Salty Yarns in Ocean City, Maryland on the Boardwalk at 8th Street. It's about a half hour drive from home and well worth it. It feels wonderful to browse through your favorite linens and threads while covered in sand and dripping in salt water.

Beach umbrellas, sandcastles, ocean waves, boogie boards, Thrasher's Boardwalk fries, lemonade, dessert from Candy Kitchen . . . and some stitching goodies. I call that a perfect day. The only thing that could make it any better is a good night's sleep to recuperate.

I hope all of you are enjoying the blessing of Summer.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy Birthday America!!!

2011-07-03T08:38:00.005-04:00

O beautiful for patriot dream, that sees beyond the years . . .

Happy 4th of July

Spending the day in bed

2011-06-26T11:14:00.006-04:00

Which is probably what I should be doing since I hurt my back yesterday. Last night I could not seperate myself from the heating pad. I even went to bed wearing it which I know is dangerous but I set it to shut off after an hour. I would not have been able to fall asleep without it. The very idea of spending all day in bed just sounds so . . . boring. After Mina was born I was in bed for 24 hours straight in the hospital. With IV medications, a catheter and being waited on hand and foot I literally did not get out of bed once. Of course I did have that new little angel to keep me company :)

Even if I'm not spending the day in bed, my stitching is. I suppose my bed isn't the most pratical place to choose threads and linens but during the morning my bedroom has the best natural light in the house. I'm currently working on three projects right now but of course since I'm close to finishing one of them I need to have another ready to start stitching.

I really want to host another giveaway but I cannot choose what to giveaway. I suppose that's the most imporant part, isn't it? I am horrible at choosing presents for other people . . . I'm contemplating taking the easy way out and giving a gift certificate to this nice little online shop. Though gift certificates seem like such a thoughtless present. Since you ladies will be the ones entering the giveaway what do you think?

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Whistle while you work

2011-06-21T08:29:00.010-04:00

Yesterday I celebrated my 31st Birthday. Emma made dinner; she made her specialty, spiced potato wedges. My husband made strawberry shortcake for dessert (my favorite) and did all the evening cleaning for me so I could have some stitching time. A wonderful birthday indeed.

I'd had every intention of hosting a birthday giveaway but just haven't found the time to pull one together. I will still have one (cross my heart) and I'll give it some thought today.

For the next couple of days the whole family is pitching in to help me tidy up the house and yard. Not exactly a vacation but it's nice doing it together. Even Mina takes a rag and scrubs everything within her reach. The house takes such a beating with the kids home it could really use a thorough cleaning. I figure that if I can get the house sorted it may help to streamline my daily schedule. I just finished organizing the cabinet in the dining room (where Ben keeps all his art supplies). Now how long it stays that way is another question. I even found some time while Mina was napping to organize my fabric stash. Again, no guarantees how long it will stay organized. But by their very definition fun and creativity aren't neat and tidy.

Last week was so overwhelming I really feel the need to . . . take it easier on myself. It's Summer. Dinner will not be on the table every night at 5pm. My boys' hands will be permanently stained brown with dirt. My floor will be carpeted with toys. My mudroom will be filled with precious rocks and sticks. There will be a great pit dug in my backyard. I will sigh and roll my eyes, but I'll be smiling the whole time, because life is good.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy Father's Day

2011-06-19T11:29:00.003-04:00

Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father . . .

To Every Season

2011-06-18T19:24:00.008-04:00

Hectic? Chaotic? Disordered? There isn't a word to describe my house this past week. I've made it through the first week of Summer Recess and all I can say is "When does school start?" I always think I'm prepared but alas never am. I have a selective amnesia and somehow throughout the rest of year forget exactly how . . . tiring Summer can be. Oh how I long for Autumn. As you can see I've started some tiny samplers in the spirit of that season. I haven't picked up needle and thread in days. Every morning I tell myself I'll stitch that evening but once the kids are asleep for the night I'm never far behind. I'm hoping that eventually my body will adjust to the new schedule . . . .

In the meantime there's the pleasures of Summer to enjoy. There are many things about Summer Recess I forget, but the things I remember are the things I cherish. Picnics, trips to the beach, fireworks, carnivals, lazy mornings, strawberries, watermelon . . . . and dreams of my stitching spot.

I have been mucking about with blogger quite a bit. So much in fact I think I will have to "unplug" the next few days. I did manage to design my own blog background. That's quite an accomplishment for me given that I've been trying to figure it out for awhile now. What do you think?

I promise to get more stitching done, though. I've been blessed with a great deal of inspiration lately just not the time to accompany it. I have several new free patterns in the works along with a larger sampler and I promise I'll have something to share before the month is out so just be patient with me while I adjust to the madhouse I call home.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

June Blooms Free Pattern

2011-06-07T09:15:00.010-04:00

I do enjoy designing and stitching these truly primitive designs. It's not a conscious choice but I always tend towards them this time of year. While my life takes a decided shift towards complete and utter insanity during Summer Vacation the simplicity of these designs are a welcome respite. I'm still waiting on the fabric to sew this into a little pinkeep. Click here to see it. Isn't it lovely?

I can't keep a garden for anything. A few years ago I stopped at a garden center and asked for the most resilient, hardest to kill plants they had. I bought a few and only one lasted longer than a month. I joke the only think I can grow is children. The closest I'll ever get to a garden of my own is a stitched one, which is fine by me.

The flower stems are done in a stem stitch that I freehanded; a simple backstitch would work well too. The colors are GA Garden Gate, GA Copper and CC Khaki Mocha and the linen was a R & R 30ct from my stash. If you would like to stitch it for yourself the pattern can be found here. Let me know what you think . . .

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

My Little Dancer

2011-06-05T10:28:00.012-04:00

No stitching yesterday. I did something even better. I went to my daughter's dance recital. This was Emma's fifth recital. She started lessons when we first moved here at eight years old. Of course this was after trying violin lessons, martial arts classes, voice lessons and soccer. She started dance lessons only because a friend was. After a year her friend quit the lessons but Emma has kept it up. It's such a joy as a parent to watch your children discover one of their true passions in life and share in that with them. My sons and I are still searching for their passions and well Mina's greatest passion in life right now is knocking down block towers.

Emma danced two recitals that day. This is a picture of here taking her lunch break in between shows. That's her jazz costume. She also does tap (her least favorite) and ballet (oh, how she loves her toe shoes). My favorite was the ballet costume. She promised me that today she would dress up in it again and allow me to take a picture of her. She refused a picture in her tap costume because it's "frumpy" (her words not mine). She always looks so grown done up in her costumes and makeup. The recital includes all classes at the Dancenter from preschool (how cute those little girls look in their tutus) up through high school. I watched the girls perform that are now the same age Emma way when she started then I saw her perform and it showed me in such a clear was how much she has grown. It literally took my breath away and she's only thirteen. I imagine when it comes time for her to do her senior solo performance I should bring a box of tissues with me.

I'm almost done charting the next freebie so look for that next week and I plan on getting as much stitching done as possible in the last week of school and will hopefully have a border finished to share with you.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

It's been awhile . . .

2011-05-31T07:00:00.001-04:00

It feels as if I've been away from my computer for months! Of course it's only been two weeks, but what a busy two weeks. There are only a handful of days now before Summer Break. Between recitals, field days, award ceremonies, carnivals, field trips . . . I've barely had time to breathe. I have, however, found a little time to stitch.

During the Summer I switch from my usual 4oct linen to an easier-on-the-eyes 30ct. It takes a little getting used to but I think I got the hang of it again. I love how "prim" the larger counts look and my designs end up reflecting that. I've been working on two larger samplers with wonderful borders. Hopefully I'll be able to show them sometime next week. With the hectic schedule I've really only found time to stitch at night and I've never been much of a night owl. Usually I'm asleep with my head on my husband's lap by 10pm (he's the night owl). That doesn't leave much time for stitching but if I don't get a good night's sleep I'm impossible to live with.

I did find the time to finish this little piece; a little summer garden of sorts. I love the salmon pink, don't you? As soon as I get it charted I'll offer the pattern. I'm thinking . . . another pincushion? I love this fabric for the backing. What do you think?

It's already hovering around 90 degrees here even though Summer is still a few weeks away. We don't get much of a Spring around here. Our air conditioner is quietly humming outside the window (I could not live without central air) and we're planning our first trip to the beach with the kids. I always stitch less during the Summer and apparently blog less often as well but I've set some goals for myself this year and hopefully that will increase my productivity. I hope everyone had some warm weather and sunshine to enjoy this weekend.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

In Memoriam

2011-05-30T19:00:00.000-04:00

Gratitude to all those who have served and died to defend our country and a prayer that all those serving now can return home to their families soon.

xoxo
Jennie Lynn

Eyelet Sampler Finished . . . I think?

2011-05-18T11:35:00.019-04:00

Here is the completed eyelet sampler. Or perhaps partially completed? I can't decide whether or not to add a name on the bottom, under the last row of letters. It would have to be a relatively short name given the amount of room I left myself. I think it looks complete even without a name or date. What do you think?

Would you stitch it as is or would you prefer a name and date? The smaller alphabet up top is complete (minus the letter J) so you could always include your own name choice. With the addition of a name the sampler becomes almost a perfect square, though visually it registers as one now. I simply can't decide. Why is this decision so difficult for me? I think I obsess too much over details and I'm pretty sure my husband would agree.

I did choose to make a few letters in the light shade of cream. It blends really nicely and adds a nice contrast to the darker letters. I promise it shows up better in person and would probably in the photo as well if it wasn't overcast today. The eyelet stitches turned out beautifully and I'm already adding a few other speciality stitches to some of my designs. Though I think the next pattern I stitch will be more "prim" than my last few. I feel the need to return to simpler things and given the chaos about to descend upon me when school ends in three weeks "simple" will be a wonderful addition to my days.

I am anxious to hear what you ladies thing about the sampler. Finished? Name? No name? Date? No date? As soon as I decide (with some help from you) the pattern will be available for purchase. So don't be shy, ladies, opinions are always welcome, since if left to my own devices I'd never decide.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Mother's Day

2011-05-07T19:46:00.004-04:00

I just love this picture. To me it completely captures motherhood. How I view the picture depends largely on the day I've had. Some days I imagine the older child making a gift of the fruit in the basket to her mother and the two younger children hugging her about the neck. Other days I imagine the older child complaining about having to do her chores and the two younger children fighting with one another while the mother attempts to keep them apart. I think what draws me to the picture is the mother's expression. It is simply the perfect combination of love and exhaustion. But then again isn't that what motherhood is?

So with that I wish a Happy Mother's Day to all women. As women we have all nurtured a soul (whether it be a child, husband, sibling or a friend) in a way that only a woman can and for that we have already received our reward but a day of applause doesn't hurt.

xoxo

Eyelet Alphabet Sampler

2011-05-06T09:05:00.016-04:00

So many antique samplers I have seen have an alphabet comprised of eyelet stitches. I've always loved the way they looked. The stitches are so delicate and add a wonderful texture. I don't have much experience with working eyelet stitches. The last sampler I designed I added a few here and there just to get some experience and I adored the way they came out. I decided then to simply throw myself into the deep end and start working on a sampler I'd designed inspired by several antique ones I'd seen pictures of. I don't actually own any antique samplers of my own but they're on the "wish list" my husband keeps for anniversaries and birthdays and the like. There's a full alphabet of cross stitches and a partial alphabet of eyelet stitches as well as three borders of eyelet stitches. By the time I've completed this sampler I will certainly have plenty of practice!

I struggled with choosing the blue thread for the design. I tend towards blues that actually appear more grey. This is truly a blue and I was a little cautious as first; I wasn't sure if it was just too bright. The more I stitch with it the happier I am with my choice. It's very unusual for me not to change thread colors several times once I've begun stitching. How the tread looks stitched can be so different than how the skein itself looks. I am flirting with the idea of stitching a few letters with a lighter shade of white, only slightly darker than the background color actually. The thread barely shows up on the linen, but the texture of the eyelet stitches makes them slightly more noticeable. I've always loved the tone on tone effect and with some older samplers the threads have blended through age beautifully into the background. I'm not sure if I can achieve that effect or how it will look if I do but once I've stitched up the letters I'll post a photo and get some opinions.

The linen is new to me as well. It's a color from R&R that I've never worked with before. For another sampler I designed I wanted an aged white linen so I simply ordered a bunch of colors from several different lines. It's amazing how they all appear white when viewed alone, but when put together you can see subtle differences. One is yellow-white, one is blue-white . . . also different thread colors bring out different tones in the white. This particular linen is a grey-white and while it didn't work for the other sampler it looked wonderful with these colors.

I have no idea when this sampler will be completed. Eyelet stitches are a little more time consuming than I had anticipated so it's slow going. I promise more pictures as I make more progress. Until then, best wishes and happy stitching!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Basket of Flowers Free Pattern

2011-05-04T07:39:00.009-04:00

Another free pattern I won't get the time to stitch. At least not while flowers are still blooming. They'll be snow on the ground again by the time I get around to it.

Most of my free patterns were designed to be a component of a larger pattern, but ended up not fitting into the final design. Perhaps at some point they'll find a home in another design, but in the meantime it seems too much of a waste to let them sit in a folder on my desktop. Hopefully you ladies can find a use for this little guy. You can find the pattern on my Free Patterns page. Let me know what you come up with!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

I won a giveaway!!!

2011-04-27T15:00:00.002-04:00

I was lucky enough to win Ronda's giveaway at Simple Thyme Prims. The package arrived on Saturday just moments before we were starting coloring eggs. I didn't even get a chance to open the box until Sunday evening, but oh what a treat it was!!! I received one of what I refer to as her "signature rabbit pillows". I have been admiring them since I first happened upon Ronda's blog months ago. Trust me, it's even lovelier in person. The stained tea towel smells delicious; it's hanging on my drying rack right behind me and I can still smell it. She also gifted me some Weeks Dye Works threads and some gorgeous wool. I realized after I took the picture that the textured wool is on the bottom of the pile. I'm so excited; I've never worked with textured wool before.

I also received a cute little basket that is currently holding the treads for my latest project (pictures to come soon). There was also a bag of flavored jelly beans. I put them out on the table Monday afternoon and my children had a blast looking at the pictures and flavor descriptions on the back of the bag and then rooting around in the bowl for the flavor jelly bean they had chosen to taste. My husband picked out all the licorice ones. There was also a little bag of chocolate eggs; those I'm saving for myself.

Finally, my favorite item, the heart in hand wool pinkeep. Isn't it just breathtaking? The stitches are so tiny and perfect, the colors are so rich, the design is so perfectly prim . . . I could go on and on. It's been sitting on my bedside table for the last day and I keep finding myself stopping and staring at it, picking it up, admiring it. I adore it, I can't thank you enough Ronda. Thank you, thank you, thank you . . .

Dave and I managed to have "date night" last Friday. We had originally planned once a week but every other week seems more manageable right now. We're enjoying the time together so I'm sure as we get the hang of it we'll be doing it even more often than once a week. It's surprising how hard it is to schedule time together . . . but it is wonderful when it happens. This past week we played (believe it or not) Lord of the Rings Trivial Pursuit. Okay, so it's not exactly dinner and dancing but do you have any idea how expensive it is to hire a babysitter for four children? For now our "date nights" are at home with the two youngest put to bed and the oldest told in no uncertain terms that mommy and daddy are getting some time alone. Perhaps in the future we can arrange babysitting, or even something more romantic at home, but for now we both had a great time Friday night. I even beat him, which is surprising given I'd never even heard of Lord of the Rings before I met him. He did get his nose slightly bent out of joint (he has an ever so slight competitive streak) so maybe next time I'll let him win.

Ronda, thanks so much for hosting the giveaway. It was a lot of fun and really you give the best prizes. You can play the Easter Bunny at my house any year.

I tried linking this post to Ronda's blog but it seems to be disabled. I linked to her facebook page instead and she last posted on her wall yesterday so I hope all is well. Of course my just doing it wrong isn't out of the realm of possibility :)

xoxo

Another Butterfly Free Pattern

2011-04-25T07:38:00.000-04:00

I had promised this buttefly months ago. I stitched her brother back in February and shared pictures and the pattern. If I don't stitch things the moment I'm finished designing them they tend to get lost in the shuffle. That's what happened to this little lady. I had planned on stitching her with GA Picnic Basket and GA Roasted Marshmallow (like her brother) but use a peach thread rather than the teal. I never even got so far as to pick the thread color :)

In the way of an apology for having made you wait so long I've also included the border that was meant to go with the butterflies with perhaps a name or the date inside. All three patterns can be used together or seperate but at least someone will get to stitch them since I can't seem to find the time. All three patterns can be found on my Free Patterns page. Enjoy!!!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy Easter

2011-04-24T12:13:00.007-04:00

It's cloudy and raining here but still a joyful Easter Sunday. We moved our Easter Egg hunt indoors this year. I even hid an Easter Egg in with the real eggs in the fridge, but my children are too clever. Mina enjoyed rolling her plastic eggs around the floor but oh the joy when one popped open and she discovered what was hiding inside. Those little pastel M&M's disappeared quite quickly.

Despite it being rainy it was up to 85 degrees here come the early afternoon. Suddenly that roast with potatoes and steamed vegetables didn't sound as good as it did earlier in the week. Instead Emma took over cooking and we had a picnic on the living room floor. We sliced the roast to make sandwiches, had pickles and potato chips with sliced strawberries and blueberries for dessert. Perhaps not a traditional holiday feast but it was wonderful.

I hope the Easter Bunny brought you something nice as nice as the memories I got!!!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

I've never been good with names and dates . . .

2011-04-22T09:10:00.024-04:00

I know it's been awhile since I posted; it's just such a busy time of year. My stitching has suffered as well. I find I have less and less time to stitch as Spring approaches and once Summer comes I practically stop all together.

I have been neglectful of my Free Patterns as well. I have every intention of stitching some up to post here but . . . I've decided that after Easter I'm just going to start posting them and let you ladies do the stitching for me :)

I have been stitching on the sampler I showed in my last post and it's coming along well. Forgive the condition. I stitch in hand so the whole peice is rolled and wrinkled and refused to lay flat for the picture. I promise, I will iron it. There is one part of the design I've been avoiding. I could use some help if you ladies wouldn't mind. Please please please please . . .

When stitching antique inspired samplers do you prefer to stitch your own name and the actual date or do you prefer a fictitous name with a date more appropriate for the style of the sampler? I just can't decide. I like the idea of a sampler I stitch being passed down through the years, in which case having my own name and the date it was stitched is important. However, I do love samplers that evoke a time gone by and a piece stitched to look aged and worn with a modern date and a more contemporary name (say for example Jennifer) can sometimes ruin that effect. I suppose I can always attach my own information to the back of the frame. I just can't seem to decide which to choose for this sampler.

There is a version of the design that simply has an alphabet which is lovely and a good way to avoid the issue all together. I've intentionally slowed my pace stitching the sampler because I'm almost done with the motifs and am still undecided on this. I figured if I could get some opinions on other people's preferences it might help me clarify mine better. It's highly unlikely I'll put my own name on the sampler (did I mention I've never felt my name suited me and rather dislike it?) The choice is really between a fictitious name or the alphabet. I've been considering Honour or Felicity for the first name and Bloom for the last.

This poor sampler is going to sit unfinished until I can make up my mind, so any help making it up for me?

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Cupcakes, Samplers, and Date Nights

2011-04-11T12:38:00.003-04:00

So Birthday Season is finally over in our house (until mine in June, anyway). I counted and since January I have made a gross of cupcakes. A gross!!! I think I'm off baking for a little while but all the better since it's getting warmer here every day. It's time to replace those baked sweets with some fresh fruit.

There's a little quiet before Easter and I'm taking advantage of it by starting a new sampler. I haven't picked up a needle in weeks and my fingers were aching to. It's a little larger than I usually do but just a collection of simple spot motifs with an alphabet. The box to the side there is my attempt at organizing my floss. Several of the threads are very similar in color and having them all jumbled at the bottom of my sewing box caused quite a headache when trying to distinguish between them.

My hubbie and I have decided to institute a "date night". Since he works from home we are rarely apart but we have realized that's not actually the same thing as spending time together. We haven't worked out all the kinks yet but there are two rules each of us proposed to the other. From me he's not allowed to watch TIVO and from him I'm not allowed to stitch. I think each of us is a little jealous of the time the other spends on our respective vices. We've picked Saturday this week since he'll be out of town on Friday. We haven't decided how we'll spend our time but I have to admit I am looking forward to it.

I'll post more pictures of the sampler as I make more progress on it. Until then, best wishes.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy April Fool's Day!!!

2011-04-01T16:20:00.004-04:00

I'm not a big fan of practical jokes but I do love a good laugh. So go be silly and make someone you love smile.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

1852 Peacock

2011-03-30T10:39:00.021-04:00

Here is my latest peacock. He will eventually be sewn into a pinkeep but I know I won't get the chance to take out my sewing machine for at least a week and I couldn't wait to show him off :) I used one of the new colors from Gentle Arts. If you haven't tried them yet, they're beautiful!!! It didn't show up so well in the picture but this particular thread is a beautiful shade of pale green The linen is Newcastle Antique White that I stained. The whole piece is very delicate, the colors subtle and aged. I can't wait to get him finished into the pinkeep but . . .

It's going to be busy around here. My oldest daugther is turning 13 in a week. 13!!! I can't believe it. She's been reminding us for over a month now (as if we needed reminding). My husband's birthday is the day before hers; though he's not quite as thrilled as she is. I have one person absolutely ecstatic and another (not so quietly) miserable. Needless to say there will be a lot of cupcakes and balloons in our house in the coming week and if I'm absent from blogging for awhile know that I am buried in wrapping paper and cake batter!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

In like a lion, out like a lamb . . . and a peacock

2011-03-26T17:58:00.013-04:00

I've just checked the weather forecast and it's official. We are expecting 1-2 inches of snow. Hooray!!! I know I know the rest of the country is yearning for Spring, meanwhile I applaud Winter's last breath. Where we live in Maryland it is absolutely unheard of to have snowfall this time of year. It's virtually unheard of to have much snow at all, any time of the year. I believe someone up there is looking out for me, giving me one last glimpse of snow before Spring and I will enjoy every last flake.

I've started work on yet another peacock. I meant to take a picture before I started stitching; it always looks so much neater. Now all of you get to see the mess I make of things while I'm stitching. I take such poor care of them it's amazing my threads survive from one project to the next. I'm still fiddling around with the colors. I had a specific color in mind when I designed this but now I'm not entirely sure it shows up on the linen . . . we'll see what we shall see. I'll be sharing the finished piece (fingers crossed) next week. Until then I hope all of you enjoy your weekend no matter what the weatherman brings your way.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Prim Alphabet Pincushion Free Pattern

2011-03-23T12:58:00.004-04:00

I've seen patterns such as this at prim shows and antique marts and just had to make one of my own. It's the lowercase version of an alphabet I designed years ago to put into samplers or use as initials. The whole project was so blessedly simple; just what I needed while waiting for my wool to arrive in the mail. I even stitched it on 28ct linen which is unusual for me. I'm surprised I even had any in my stash. This one I aged with much better success than my last attempt (at least to my eyes) and it makes the perfect little prim pincushion. I finished it days ago but finally got it sewn together today. The pattern is oh so simple but I put it up as a free pattern anyway. The alphabet can be used for so many things; I'd love to see what you ladies come up with. I hope you enjoy!!!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

A quiet morning . . .

2011-03-22T13:23:00.006-04:00

As a matter of happenstance I found myself with free time this morning. Hubbie and I had planned to do some quick shopping and run a few errands but Mina woke early this morning and as a result took her morning nap as soon as we dropped the boys off at school. We decided to wait until she woke up before heading out. Having gotten cleaning and laundry done the day before in preparation for shopping there was nothing left for me to do but play with wool. I have to say it was quite a pleasant and relaxing couple of hours.

There is typically a TV on most hours of the day at our house; Hubbie likes listening to the news. I find that depressing so instead I put on Pandora and listened to some Jazz/Swing. I have no idea what station it was; I just typed "In the Mood" into the search box and picked the first station on the list. Dave sat on one end of our dining room table doing taxes. Maybe it wasn't as relaxing a morning for him as it was me? He is a statistical analysis by trade though and he does love mucking about with his numbers. I sat opposite him and hooked wool. This is a little of what I've come up with so far . . . it's very primitive. None of my loops are the same height, my wool is fraying a bit, the design is simple as I had none in mind . . . but I'm liking it so far. I read somewhere that you're supposed to keep your tails and cut them later. When later? They're beginning to get in the way. Perhaps I'll trim them up just a bit so they're not hanging over where I have to hook next. It looks a bit messy now, but I suppose it neatens up as I go.

So that was our morning. Occasionally Dave would look up from his laptop and ask me a question. Doing the day to day books for the household is my job so he would want to know about this bill or that expense. For the most part we sat in silence just enjoying the peace and quiet. These moments are few and far between in our house :) Before too long Mina woke up and the day truly began. Only an hour now before it's time to go pick up the kids. But this morning was a wonderful (if unexpected) respite that will hopefully carry me through the rest of the day. I'm hoping you ladies can find a quiet moment as well tucked somewhere into your day.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Giveaway Winner and Wooly Worms . . .

2011-03-21T10:25:00.006-04:00

The winner of the giveaway is Teri from Dixie Sampler Designs. I have to say I am very luck to have met this woman (albeit through the internet only) and I would like to think I have come to be able to call her a friend. She recently finished my French Letters Bluebird and I love the way it came out. She stitched it on a larger count, 28 count I believe she said, which made it harder to finish into the little bluebird. I think he's precious and well worth a trip to her blog to see.

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway, left me a comment or posted about it in their blog. I had a lot of fun with it and can't wait to do it again. I'm thinking Easter isn't too soon, is it?

Last week I ordered some wool strips. I saw them listed on Etsy and simply had to have them. Aren't the colors just perfect for Spring? I purchased several months ago some monk's cloth and an inexpensive hook; I just never got around to actually working on anything. I think these wooly worms are just what I need to finally get started. I have no design in mind but the colors look so lovely together I think any arrangement would look great. Any suggestions for someone who has never put wool to hook before?

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy St. Patrick's Day

2011-03-17T12:49:00.004-04:00

May this day bring you good luck, good friends, and good spirits.

Spring Peacock Needle Book and Pincushion

2011-03-10T20:00:00.019-05:00

I finally finished my Spring Peacock Needle Book and Pincushion. I aged these pieces a little more than I usually do. To be honest I'm not entirely sure I like it but you never know, it could grow on me after a few days. I just love the look of extreme prims but when I try it I'm never happy with the results. I suppose I'll eventually get the hang of it.

My attempts at aging aside the design is very sweet and I love it. The colors really were a joy to stitch with; they're such lovely colors. The set is a little touch of Spring . . . A pretty little peacock, a single bloom, and a basket of eggs. A sweet little flower tree . . . The wool tulips on the inside are just perfect (at least in my opinion) and they were so much fun to applique. I've told myself that there are two to of them to help organize my needles. Say two different sized cross stitch needles, or cross stitch needles and applique needles. Really I just couldn't decide which color wool to use. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed doing it and just those two little tulips weren't nearly enough for me. Time to take out the wool stash and start planning another project. Can someone have too many projects going at once?

The fabrics were just a perfect compliment as well. I purchase them from Nauvoo Quilt Shop on Etsy. Julie is so sweet and she has the most lovely reproduction fabrics. Her listings are all for half yards but since I never need that much fabric for any one project she's so sweet and puts together listings for me of fat quarters of the materials I want. She has certainly helped to grow my fabric stash!!! If you like the design and want the same fabrics she still has them listed. If you'd like the purchase the pattern just e-mail me at appleseedprim@yahoo.com.

An e-pattern is $6.00 and a printed pattern is $7.50 which includes the shipping costs. The pattern includes the finishing instructions for the needle book including the template for the wool tulips. I actually think when I wrote out the finishing instructions I said I did a light tea stain. Hmmm . . . well whenever you create something you have to trust your instincts and definitely experiment.

I think I'm going to take a little break from cross stitch. I do want to do some applique or maybe rug hooking (working with wool is so gratifying) or maybe even back to the punch needle (again). At any rate, I'll be sure to share with you ladies.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Busy, busy, busy . . .

2011-03-08T13:35:00.001-05:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted in awhile. This really is such a busy time of year for me. Spring is the time of birth for so many things including most members of my family :) Birthday season in our house starts on January 10th and continues on from that date. February 12th, March 1st, April 5th and 6th . . . For that time my house is never without a bouquet of helium balloons in every color of the rainbow, I make upwards of twelve dozen (that's a gross) of cupcakes, I am forever finding pieces of wrapping paper stuck with tape to my clothing, and there is an almost constant stream of family, friends, and well wishers through our door. On top of that is Spring cleaning, Easter, the start of the Spring soccer session and rehearsels for the Summer ballet recital. Thank goodness my two youngest are too young for after school activities; short of cloning myself I have no idea what I will do when they're no longer too young.

During my "off" days I am working on my punch needle, wool applique and the Spring Peacock. I'm also hoping to start work on a rag quilt and some make-do's. I don't think I have enough "off" days. Most days it's nice to have a project you can pick up for a moment or two and then leave for hours at a time. This past weekend, in between three soccer matches on a single day (10am, 1pm and 5pm) I covered my first paper mache box. Believe it or not this is one craft I have never attempted before. I have purchased painted and fabric covered boxes in the past but I thought I could give it a try. One can never have too many boxes . . .

I assure you the Spring Peacock pin cushion and needlebook will be finished this week along with my mud room and boiler room being cleaned of Winter clutter. Sring can be a wonderful time of year, but I can do with a little less hustle and bustle, and a little more sitting and stitching.

Don't forget about my giveaway!!!

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Spring Peacock Sneak Peak

2011-03-01T09:45:00.008-05:00

I'm still working on my punchneedle. For something that sounds so easy I can't figure out why I have such difficulty with it. *sigh* At any rate I've decided to distract myself with something I find a little less challenging. I've begun work on my Spring Peacock. So many people enjoyed my Wynter Peacock I'm looking forward to releasing this pattern. I was originally looking for a 1950's reproduction fabric to coordinate. The design is in pink and blue-ish green which so much reminds me of that time period. Instead I found this Civil War era fabric and it's perfect. I've been wanting to work with GA Lexington Green for awhile now; I adore the color. I used GA Roasted Marshmallow in my butterfly and it's now my new favorite color. And who doesn't like pink? I think I'll really enjoy stitching with these shades. I've already decided to finish the patterns into a sewing book and pincushion. Hopefully stitching this will make me comfortable with saying goodbye to Winter and more welcoming of the arrival of Spring.

Don't forget about my giveaway; antique linens that are also a wonderful way to welcome Spring.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

My First Giveaway

2011-02-26T13:33:00.016-05:00

I've been wanting to have a giveaway for awhile now. It appears to be customary to have a giveaway when one reaches one hundred followers. I got a few things together for the giveaway last week but apparently I overestimated how quickly I would reach one hundred followers :) No matter, I have little patience and simply don't want to wait any longer. Perhaps the giveaway will help me reach one hundred followers. At any rate, having a giveaway has just always sounded like so much fun. So here are the rules:

1. You must be a follower and leave a comment in this post, that's one entry.

2. You get a second entry if you post about this giveaway in your blog. If you don't have a blog don't worry just tell a friend. You have to let me know either way so I know to give you two entries.

3. You get a third entry if you've purchased one of my patterns. It can either be directly through me or through Etsy and it doesn't matter if it's a printed pattern or an e-pattern. If you haven't had a chance to purchase one yet just let me know which one you like best.

4. Finally, you get yet another entry if you've stitched any of my patterns (including free patterns) and have sent me a picture of your finish. You can also simply send me a link to your blog if you've posted a picture there.

Enough chances to enter? I have to admit that last one I threw in for perfectly selfish reasons. I love seeing finishes!!! I'll post the winner on March 20th; hopefully that gives everyone enough time. I'll ship to anywhere in the continential US and for my international followers we can each pay half of the shipping to your home.

Now onto the prizes. These are a few antique linens I've had in my collection for awhile now. For years they came out in the spring and graced my hanging rack but haven't made it out of their box in quite some time. Two of them look to be table linens with the most beautiful hand embroidery on them. One has pink flowers with green leaves which seem to be done in feather stitch and french knots. The other has tiny pink flowers of french knots, green lazy daisy stitches for the leaves and an undulating border or pink and blue french knots. Both have delicate crocheted borders. The final is a hand crocheted piece. I know nothing about crochet; to my eyes they are simply tiny rings sewn together in a diamond shape. They all have the most wonderful age to them, the embroidery is perfect for Spring, and they smell of honey and orange (the scent of the sachet I had them stored with).

It's a shame to have them sitting in a box in my craft room. Hopefully they can grace someone else's home and I hope everyone has some fun with the giveaway.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Punch Needles?

2011-02-23T15:40:00.006-05:00

I have decided to try punch needle . . . again. Instead of using the expensive hand dyed threads I went and bought myself some DMC threads. I thought I might feel more free to experiment if I didn't feel as though I was wasting money. I bought two of each skein just to make sure I wouldn't run out which has happened to me in the past. I have no idea how to gauge how much thread I'd need for a design; I just don't have enough experience yet. I think it's best to start with small, simple designs. I'm too easily intimidated by anything else. Since the designs are small in the past I've used only one thread. I've never been happy with the way that turned out so I've decided to step it up and use two. It's looking so much better to me so fingers crossed.

I did have a couple of questions for you ladies who do punch needle. Is there a way to gauge if one or two or three or six strands is best for a particular design or is it just a judgment call based on experience? I fear it may be the latter but I was hoping for some loose guidelines. Also the needle I have (don't ask me the brand, I have no idea, I bought it years ago, it's not labeled in any way and I'll be darned if I could find the packaging) only takes up to two threads. Any more than that and it doesn't slide through the needle. Also the needle is slender which makes it difficult to hold. What's your favorite brand of punch needle? Do they come in different sizes? How will I know how many strands of thread the needle will accept? Is there a good website to order from since my LNS does not sell punch needles? Okay that's more than a couple of questions but any help would be appreciated. Punch needle is so beautiful and I would love to learn. I'll be sure to post my progress. So far I'm still working on the leaves.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Butterfly Free Pattern

2011-02-18T07:35:00.016-05:00

Here's the butterfly again. I was going to wait to put out the pattern until I had stitched both. Alas that will not be for awhile and I see no reason to make you wait.

Finished into a little pincushion? Combined with some pretty stitched flowers? I haven't decided what I'll do with it yet but I'm sure I'll think of something. Let me know what you do with this little flutterby and don't worry his sister will be along soon enough.

Click here for the free pattern.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Keeping Joy Sewing Book

2011-02-16T14:13:00.015-05:00

Let a joy keep you . . .

Even the simplest of joys can carry you through the most difficult of times. Sometimes that tiny pleasure is all you have to see you through a hardship, so keep that joy and let it keep you.

That sentiment has helped me through more than few tough times in my own life. There are times things are so dark there seems to be no path to the light. This little sewing book is a reminder to myself to find and keep that joy.

It is a tiny little pattern that on and off took me the better part of a month to stitch; it spent most of that month untouched. For such a short month February has an awful lot packed into it in our house. I finally finished it yesterday morning; I was just waiting for some sunlight to take the pictures. I have to say I think it was worth the wait. I finished it into a little sewing book using some civil war reproduction fabric. I just adore that shade of pink; it has a wonderful age to it. I lightly tea stained it as well. The book when open measures 6 inches by 12 inches and has four pockets inside each of which is 3 inches square.

The pattern itself is stitched over two on 40 ct R & R Reproductions Park City Blend and measures approximately 3 inches square. It was stitched using Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts threads. The black thread in the design made me a little nervous so I chose not to tea stain the finished stitching, but of course you could. I chose the pink thread to coordinate with the fabric, but it is a lovely color. The skein I had of it was highly vareigated pink and cream. I wanted only the pink so I had to "fussy cut" the thread to get just the bits I wanted. There are times I've done that and ended up with only a couple of inches to stitch with; that can be quite a hassle. This skein worked much better though since half of every 18 inch length was pink.

The pattern includes finishing instructions to make the sewing book (it's really quite easy). A printed pattern is $7.50 which includes shipping and an e-pattern is $6.00. If you'd like to purchase the pattern simply e-mail me at appleseedprim@yahoo.com or use the link on my sidebar. The pattern will also be available in my Etsy Shoppe.

I do hope you like the pattern. Tomorrow I'll be posting another free pattern for the little butterfly I showed last week so be sure to check back.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

2011-02-14T07:45:00.004-05:00

Happy St. Valentine's Day!!!

Wishing you all a sweet valentine and someone to cuddle with.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Happy 1st Birthday, Mina!!!

2011-02-12T15:27:00.015-05:00

Our youngest, Mina, celebrated her first birthday today. Isn't she adorable in her little tutu? It's been a while since I've had a little girl to dress up. She shares a birthday with Abraham Lincoln; just one of many indications she is destined for great things. She was born during the biggest blizzard our county had seen in twenty years. She is adored by her two big brothers who call her Queen Mina and occassionally bow to her (which always makes her giggle). She is spoiled by her big sister who often whisks her off to her room upstairs for "girl time" and refers to her baby sister as her best friend. There isn't a minute of the day she isn't being loved on by someone around here and she deserves every bit of it.

Happy Birthday, Miss Mina, we love you.

Decorative Sewing Pins

2011-02-11T15:44:00.008-05:00

I had some unexpected quiet time this afternoon and felt like playing so I took out some of my little treasures. I've been wanting to make decorative sewing pins for awhile now. Basic sewing pins, silver jewelry findings, cream colored fabric flowers . . . if I had known it would be this easy I would have done it ages ago. Of course now I have to find the perfect pincushion for them to grace. I'm considering putting some sets up on etsy since I think I may have gone a little overboard and made too many. How do you ladies think they turned out?

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Butterfly

2011-02-09T10:57:00.057-05:00

Present sorrows wings are taking . . .

Pleasant memories are waking . . .

The first of two butterflies . . . a recent interest of mine and a small nod to the aniticpated arrival of Spring.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

St. Valentine's Day Finish

2011-02-08T07:30:00.008-05:00

Thanks to Terri at Dixie Sampler Designs there's a finish of my St. Valentine's Day Freebie to share. The one on the left is something she designed herself. Isn't the variegation in the thread beautiful? I believe she said she used CC Old Brick. The finish is lovely too; it makes the tiny design so much grander. What a sweet little Valentine's treat.

I still haven't gotten around to stitching mine. Inspired by the new butterfly theme of my blog I'm stitching a little butterfly design (or two). As soon as I'm done I'll post pictures.

I hope everyone is making plans for St. Valentine's Day. My husband considers it a "Hallmark Holiday" and therefore doesn't give it as much credence as I think he should. It may very well be a "made up", highly commercialized holiday, but to me that doesn't matter. You don't have to support the commercialism and for me the opportunity to celebrate anything (especially something as worthy as love) is to be embraced. Sometimes there aren't enough reasons in life to celebrate and if you have "make some up" from time to time, so be it. Finding something (no matter how small) to celebrate every day is certainly a worthwhile endeavor and an excuse to get a box of chocolates is always welcome.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

My Lost Weekend

2011-02-06T10:43:00.006-05:00

I have spent way too much time this weekend mucking about with digital collages and working on my blog and little time doing anything else. But it was a lot of fun . . . . For those of you who have been checking the blog it probably hasn't looked the same way twice. I think I finally have it looking the way I want it to, although that is liable to change.

I think I'm finally sorted, feeling more like myself this past weekend. The house has kind of fallen to the wayside the past few days so I'm spending today putting it back to order. I'm anxious to get back to stitching, though I may have to revise my schedule a little. I still hope to get something out next week but I'd forgotten my husband's parents are coming to visit. I have no idea how I managed to misplace that little tidbit of information. My husband reminded me yesterday, hence my fervor of cleaning today.

I have decided, after the last few days, that sometimes doing nothing is exactly what I need to do. But thankfully that never lasts very long.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Not Myself

2011-02-03T19:50:00.018-05:00

Do you ever have a day (or several days all in a row) where you don't quite feel like yourself? I've been out of sorts for two days now. I'm not sure how to describe it. I just feel . . . uncomfortable in my own skin. Just plain wonky. Of course my monthly visit (tmi?) is due any day now so I suppose its to be expected. I did nothing today but muck around with my blog. BTW, what do you think? The picture in the header is of a work in progress, a Quaker Motif I'll offer as a freebie as soon as I finish stitching it. Of course instead of actually working on it today I took pictures of it in it's sad unfinished state. Keeping Joy is also waiting to be finished. Usually when I'm so close to finishing a design I stitch like mad to get it done. Again, I just don't feel like "me" right now.

*Sigh*

On a good note, however, I've decided I have the best husband in the world. For two days now he's helped with the kids and done virtually all the cleaning in the house. Yesterday he even came home from the store with cheesecake for me. The day before that he came home with more tulips. I love my husband. Really what more could I ask for than a man who loves me even when I'm bonkers.

I haven't decided if tonight I'll stitch or simply curl up on the sofa with the rest of my cheesecake. I promise to have Keeping Joy finished sometime next week and the next free pattern should be up by then too. Hopefully I'll be feeling more like myself by then.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

The Country House

2011-02-02T21:30:00.011-05:00

I'm not sure if any of you are familiar with The Country House. They have an online store as well as a physical location that I happen to be fortunate enough to live within fifteen minutes of. They boast being the largest country store in the east and there are two seperate buildings each the size of a small warehouse. One building is comprised of a bunch of smaller rooms each decorated in a different primitive or country style. There are bedrooms, keeping rooms, dining rooms, etc and everything on display is for sale. It's wonderful to walk through: you feel as though you're taking a tour of a colonial home.

Their stuff can be a little pricey, but beautiful. Even if I have no intention of buying anything the store is absolutely lovely and simply spending an hour of so there can be such a source of inspiration. I can literally do several "laps" through both buildings and still not have explored every nook and cranny. Of course whatever my intention I rarely make it out of the store without buying something.

Today, however, I had a specific purpose in mind. Most all of my needlework, finished or in progress, lays about the house. It's either hung here, or draped there . . . I enjoy looking at it and if it's unfinished keeping it in sight increases the likelihood I'll get around to finishing it. In an attempt to curb our heating bill we've had quite a few fires this winter. I adore them, personally, but I've noticed most of my needlework is starting to smell slightly of woodsmoke. It's the one downside of having a fire going virtually every day and I can't abide it. Of course the moment I realized it I had to do something about it. I took a quick trip to The Country House (meaning I stayed less than two hours) and picked up some prim fixins, spiced cake scented. I tossed it in a mesh bag and now have it "steeping" in a small box with some of my needlework. Winter isn't over yet and I don't want to forego those cozy fires in the evenings so I'm hoping this helps.

Anyone else have any suggestions? I'm open to any and all ideas and of course if it requires another trip to The Country House I wouldn't mind.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

https://www.thecountryhouse.com/Default.asp

St. Valentine's Day Free Pattern

2011-01-31T19:36:00.010-05:00

I promise you I had every intention of stitching this by now . . .

What's that expression? Man plans and God laughs . . . after this past week I have no problem believing that.

It's a tiny pattern, only 1.5 inches by 2 inches when done over two on 40 count. With any luck I'll have it done by St. Valentine's Day but I wouldn't be at all surprised if some of you had it done before me.

If you'd like to download the pattern simply click on the Free Patterns link on my sidebar. Maybe pictures of some of your finishes will compel me to get started on it.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Journey's End

2011-01-29T08:56:00.010-05:00

Let thy love my spirit cheer as my guard, my guide, my friend, lead me to my journey's end.

Now I have to admit this one gave me some trouble. (See earlier post regarding the trials and tribulations of hand dyed threads). Now with my husband being so busy the framing is going to take longer than I anticipated. So I decided to put up a picture of it unframed. I was just waiting for a nice sunny day since I was having a lot of trouble getting the white to show up. It shows up quite nicely against the dark linen but my photography skills are somewhat lacking. Then again I'm a stitcher, not a photographer, so maybe I shouldn't be so hard on myself.

Let me know what you think of the finished piece; feedback is always welcome. I was going to wait until it had been framed to put the pattern up for sale, but if you're interested simply click on the Patterns to Purchase link on my sidebar or e-mail me.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Fabric and Framing

2011-01-26T15:23:00.007-05:00

Journey's End is finished . . . well almost. The stitching is complete, I'm simply waiting on my husband to make me a frame for it. In the meantime I'm picking a fabric to go around it. I like using fabric as a mat inside the frame. Really I try to use something from my fabric stash anytime I can; what's the point of having it sit in a box? I also have to decide how to finish the frame. Currently I have no ideas about that whatsoever. Whenever in doubt, though, white is always a safe bet.

Next up is Keeping Joy. It's very similar to Journey's End. As a matter of fact it uses a lot of components of Journey's End that just didn't end up working in the final design. That happens to me quite often. I think I'm going in a particular direction with a design and then suddenly it takes a sharp turn. Some pieces stay, and some go, and some I hate to see go. But if I'm particularly enamored with a certain piece of the design that just doesn't work I simply work it into another design. This time however I think I'm going to use pink rather than blue and gold. I adore pink; at this moment I'm typing on a pink laptop. I find myself gravitating towards pink quite often in my designing so I make a conscious effort to use other colors. I've been so successful that I don't have any designs in pink. I think it's time so stay tuned for that. I've already picked out the colors. I love having a finished piece but the idea of not having anything ready to stitch panics me, so I got together the supplies for Keeping Joy days ago. It's a quick stitch so I should have it up in a week or so provided the children don't get anymore snow days.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Sneak Peak of Journey's End

2011-01-23T10:06:00.000-05:00

Here is just a little peak at my next pattern and I haven't got much more than this stitched. I don't know if I'm the only one with this problem, but hand dyed threads present me with unique challenges. They are beautiful and I love stitching with them. I had a skein (well some of a skein) of WDW Gold Leaf left over from another project. Now I must have bought that skein a year ago if not longer. I was using it in this design, ran out of it and needed to buy another skein. The new skein had so much more brown in it than yellow it looked like a completely different color. It was still a lovely color but it looked so different than the one I was already stitching with I had to take out all the old stitches and redo them with the new thread. This was the only part of the design I've had time to restitch. I despise taking out stitches but I suppose lesson learned. Always check my threads and when necessary stitch with a new skein, preferably before I start any stitching at all.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

Bluebird

2011-01-22T10:43:00.010-05:00

I got a comment and a couple of e-mails asking about my Bluebird. It hadn't actually occurred to me but it is one of my patterns. It's from years ago and I designed it for that beautiful blue toile which is the backing of the bird. It's funny where inspiration can come from.

The pattern is a somewhat randomly arranged alphabet of both upper and lower case letters. It's stitched over two on 40ct R & R Park City Blend using GA Barn Grey because it matched the blue in the fabric. It was finished into the bird and hung with tea stained silk ribbon. It spends most of its' time in my craftroom but recently moved to my diningroom because the blues so nicely reflected the icy winter weather we've been having.

Thank you for your kind words about it and if you're interested in the pattern let me know. The pattern would include the alphabet and a sewing pattern for the bird itself when stitched over two on 40ct. If stitched on another size linen the pattern would have to be resized which I typically do using the copier function on my printer. A printed pattern is $6.50 including shipping charges and an e-pattern is $5.00. If you're interested simply e-mail me at appleseedprim@yahoo.com or use the link on my sidebar.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn

The First Tulips of the Season

2011-01-21T17:57:00.030-05:00

My husband and I had a little spat yesterday and in way of an apology he came home from picking up the children from school with these beautiful tulips from the local flower shop. I wasn't terribly angry at him this morning; I was letting go of it, honest. The tulips helped though. They're a hint of spring and on such a sunny day I could almost convince myself that it wasn't thirty degrees outside. Though I have to admit I'm in no rush for winter to end. It's odd how such a little thing can make such a big difference. I had to include a picture of the little card that came with the flowers. My husband's message made me smile but the card itself made me laugh. The flower shop has preprinted cards for anniversaries, birthdays AND for when you're in the doghouse.

I'm working on a new design and hopefully if I'm not too tired tonight I can get the last little stitching done in one area so I can give you a sneak peak tomorrow, so stay tuned.

xoxo

Jennie Lynn