Stashing... It's Hard Work...

...but someone has to do it.

I'm innocent... really, I am!  I was minding my own business, putting my Dad's John Deere for sale on Craigslist.  I think something possessed my fingers.  Yes, that's it!  For the heck of it, I did a search for "cross stitch".  In the past when I've done this, I've had no luck.

This time was different.  There was an ad for a beautiful oak American Dream lap stand with 20" no-baste scroll rods (retail $48-79.95) plus an unfinished Autumn Sampler by Janlynn (retail $24.99) which I think is an OOP kit.  The ad also stated, "Floss, pattern and carrying case for floss, scissors, and sundry included."  I wasn't sure what that meant so I asked for explanation and photos.  Turned out to be a nice stitching project bag, scissors, hoop, floss on bobbins, and the chart. All for $35!  It appears the project just needs the backstitching finished.  I can't believe she didn't finish it.

Turns out the lady used to be an avid stitcher before her hands gave out on her and retirement took into other activities.  She decided this project was never going to be finished so she put it up for sale.  I've read some positive reviews about the frame so I was really excited! 

Then Stash Unload on Facebook got to me.  I couldn't resist...

I have a very old antique clock of my Dad's that's missing the guts and I'm thinking about doing the clock design for it.  I also have a wood tray that I could do a design for.

Pinn Stitch designs are so easy to stitch.  And well, ya'll know how I like Asian designs.

This is a very old vintage "Something Special" kit by Candamar Designs called Floral Garden.  I thought it was very pretty.  I may swap out the threads seeing as it's a bundled un-sorted thread pack. If memory serves me right, I wasn't too fond of the thread when I stitched Mime a few years ago.  You can read Mime's story HERE and HERE.

Side note.... I remember when I was a little girl, the craft stores had LOTS of Candamar designs and finished projects on display high upon the shelves.  I used to love going and looking at them.  Little did I know at that time stitching would become a full blown hobby of mine.

I have the Spring one so when I get the other two, I thought it be nice to stitch them in a row.

Want to know what's annoying?  When you contact the seller on Facebook to thank them and let them know the package arrived safely... No response.  Two out of three sellers did not acknowledge my text to them.  Personally, I think it's a bit rude.

Since I didn't buy anything for myself for my birthday, I'm considering these my present. ::big grin::  My birthday was back in January so I'm a bit late in treating myself.

Speaking of birthday presents, my SM Sue sent me the cutest bracelet for my birthday.  I just LOVE it!

 
 

Have You Seen My Craft Room?

What's been on my mind lately?  The fact that it seems a tornado has made it's way through my craft room.  Some of you *know* what I mean... barely being able to walk through it, or having a path to the areas you access most.  Don't try denying it... you know, I know.  ::sigh::  The struggle is real!

When I first moved to The Homestead, it was a junk storage room for all the things I couldn't figure out what to do with.  In looking back at THIS post, it's interesting to see what things I've gotten rid of and what things are still in the room.  One would've thought I'd have blogged about it after I cleaned it and showed photos of a clean room, but nooooo.  So, you'll have to take my word for it.  I did have an organized craft room with a remodeled closet where I added removable shelves on one side.  The closet needs destashing.  Shhhh!   Don't tell anyone.  I'm saving that for another time.

I think gremlins go into my craft room when I'm not looking and wreak havoc which is why it ends up looking like this:

See that white box in the lower right corner?  I've been looking for the contents in the box for a very long time.  I thought the box was in the attic!

 

As you can see, the closet is still relatively clean and organized.

 

 Seriously, there's a desk back there... somewhere!

My poor treadle machine...

 

I pushed, pulled, and dragged (Do I sound like a used car commercial?) everything into my dining room with the exception of the filing cabinets, armoire, and desk.

 

I have framed stitching hung on walls throughout my house, but I still had quite a few sitting in a bin.  So, first things first... I made a stitching wall.

 

If you've been a long time reader, you probably recognize all of them.

I put a bulletin board above the desk to display smalls. With the exception of the hummingbird bookmark, the rest were exchanges from other stitchers. I'm debating whether to paint the frame to match the filing cabinets.  What do you think?

 

 

I told you there was a desk!  My Dad made that shelf for me when I was a teenager in the mid 1980's.  It's hung in every place I lived since I left home.

 

 

I've had the desk for about 25 years.  Originally, it was a golden rod yellow.  I repainted it, added new pulls, and a glass top around 2002-2003.  Now that it's clean, I can use it to sew on instead of dragging my machine to the dining room.  The sewing machine is in the closet behind the curtain.  If you scroll back up, you can see it peeking around the curtain.

 

 

The filing cabinet area needs a bit more organization, but looks better than it did.  Now that the floor is clean, I can open the drawers without shoving things out of the way, lol.  My filing cabinet makeover HERE is the most visited post I've ever written with over 17,000 views!

 

 

How many remember when I found the armoire at a thrift store?  After replacing a couple broken pulls, I filled it with most of my stash.  You can see more photos HERE.  I need to destash this area a bit more, too.

 

 

And, here's the treadle sewing machine!  I still need to put the curtains up, and want to put a peg board on the wall above the treadle.  The plan is to hang the thread/ribbon rack on it along with all my crafty gadgets.

 

 

 I still have several boxes in the dining room that I need to figure out what to do with, and 3 boxes that will be donated to the thrift store.

 

It took me all day, but progress was made!  Now, it's your turn... what's your craft room/area look like?

 

Until next time...

 

So Much Stitchy Goodness... and More

THEATRE

Who's old enough to know the original "cougar" Mrs. Robinson?  For those not familiar.... Benjamin   Braddock has just finished college and, back at his parents' house he's trying to avoid answering the question everyone asks: "What does he want to do with his life?"  An unexpected diversion comes about when he is seduced by Mrs. Robinson who is a friend of his parents.  What begins as a fun tryst turns complicated when Ben falls for Mrs. Robinson's daughter, Elaine.

My local community theatre put on The Graduate.  As always, the actors and actresses put on a good show. Before the play started, I overheard the young woman next to me (in her early 20's) say, "I have no idea what this play is about."  Even though the movie came out a year before I was born, it still made me feel old, lol.  In between the acts, music from the 60's played.  I had my very own chorus line behind me... The older women sang every single song!  I guess they're old enough to know what the play is about!

SURPRISE
I couldn't even tell you when the last time was that I saw one of these things.  Probably at least 15 years.  Imagine my surprise when I pulled up to a gas station in my area and saw it.  How about you... when was the last time you saw a PAY PHONE?

STITCHY STUFF
One of my favorite exchanges is called Stitchers Day Exchange coordinated on the Friendly Stitchers Yahoo group.  My partner, Viv in Canada, likes fall colors.  I dug through my stash and found a rogue piece of linen and limited edition skein of GAST.

Super Mom Stitchery Link Party #100
Stitching Lotus Smalls SAL


Stitchers Sampler*

Designer:  Neustras Miniaturas

Fabric: 28ct linen

Fibers: GAST Burlap Nap Sack

Embellishments: Lace weaved with DMC

To finish this little pillow, I joined a piece of coordinating floral fabric.  When I saw the fabric fat quarter in JoAnn Fabrics, I thought, "This is it!"  I had a piece of cream flat lace in my stash and thought I needed to add a little something extra so I weaved a piece of DMC 618 through it.  It turned out exactly as I pictured it in my head.  Love when that happens!

I've stitched this freebie two other times as scissor fobs.  If you're interested, you can see them HERE and HERE.

I posted this on Facebook as a finish, and my post was the subject of misinformation as to where the design came from.  You see, when I posted I said I couldn't remember which blog the design came from since I had saved the freebie back in 2012 and didn't notate it.  At first, a viewer on my facebook post commented it was a Homespun Elegance chart, which I quickly looked up and confirmed it WAS NOT.  Then the same viewer posted my blog telling everyone it was a certain post which again WAS NOT.  To circumvent further misinformation, I spent over two hours finding the blog and exact post where this freebie came from.  All I can say is WOW -- it's true what they say... Do not believe everything you read on Facebook!.

*Note:  The design doesn't have a name on the originator's blog so I named it "Stitchers Sampler".

I received my exchange package from Viv and just love, love, LOVE it.  Did I say I love it?!  She used such pretty colors and even personalized it with my initial.

Hmmm... What could it be?

Isn't the handmade card adorable?  Everything from the card to the tissue paper to the stitched exchange piece was coordinated.  Wish I would've thought of that!

Oh my goodness!  Look at that little "M"...

Scissor Case, Fob, and Matching Scissors!

I've always wanted to make a scissor case like this.  Viv did such a wonderful job of finishing.  Thank you, Viv!

 

Now, I'm on to my next exchange: A spring mailart.  Here's my floss toss...

 

 

FREEBIE

Since I received a scissor fob, I thought it was appropriate to share a scissor fob freebie!  This cute scissor fob is by Merry Cox.  The chart can be found HERE.



Until next time...