I cannot count my day complete
'Til needle, thread and fabric meet.
~Author Unknown

Sharing a common thread with those who love the art of hand embroidery

Sunday, May 25, 2014

I have given 4 very old chairs a new life.............

I have had these chairs for around 30 years. They were given to my husband and I when we were first starting to make our home. There is also an octagon table in storage that goes with them.
I did not want to use the table, but I love the chairs. They were black with gold velvet seating and backing, which I removed, and then added paint..........
When we moved to our country home, we had a dining room set...........so these chairs have been put aside.
I decided to put some life back into them...............

I got very brave and painted each one in a vibrant color..........
what do you think??............
There is a reason I painted each a different color............

I also had cross stitched these 4 pieces a  little while back. They depict the different seasons with items on a clothesline. I have always loved this design set.

So I fixed each cross stitched piece to the back of each chair..........with coordinating fabric.... 

fall...........



winter............

spring...........

summer.........

And I am going to sell them in my vintage shop. 
Don't they look cute around the table?
I am hoping someone out there loves them and will want to take them home.
How about you?
Would you dare paint something bright and wild , when it really should be neutral for what it is made for?
Have you painted a room..........or even a chair this way??
I would love to hear!

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Something old..........something new...........something added...........

(right click on photos for a better view)
I found this pretty little vintage dresser scarf in a pile of linens at a thrift store...............

waiting for me to embroider it. It has a beautiful hand crocheted edging around it. 
My flower garden is full of the wild purple Prairie Aster and yellow daisy........




So I embroidered the flowers in those colors and embroidered the little bird in blue.

So here is an old piece with new embroidery and it looks pretty...........
but you all know me...........
I have to add something................





like a little bee..............

and a cute little inch worm............

I did this on one end of the scarf and had intended to embroider the same thing on the other end..........

but I want it to be different, so on the other end I embroidered a small ladybug .........

and a spider web,..............
just the kinds of things one would find in a garden. 
I also signed embroidered my name underneath the web.
and now this end looks like this.............


just a few changes to the whole scarf..........maybe some won't care to have a piece like this......
but these are the kinds of linens I am always looking for in flea markets............
those little personal touches left behind by the artist of stitches.............

Now it has been added to my vintage shop. I wonder if anyone will notice these added designs?
How about you?
Do you ever see a quilt.........an embroidered item........or even a painting........
and think about something that could have been added?
Wishing all of you a very happy Mother's Day!



Thursday, May 1, 2014

In all of the years that I have attempted to grow roses,

this is the first year that all bushes have bloomed abundantly.
last year I planted 4 different rose bushes in this larger metal container.

I covered the whole thing in plastic sheeting to wait the winter through and now the roses are blooming in brilliant colors. 

There is a climbing Joseph's coat

that blooms an array of beautiful colors of orange coral, pink, 

and rust.

There is also old fashioned looking blooms........

as well as this delicate and  petally tea rose

This looks like the roses in the story of Alice in Wonderland.....don't you think?

I also have miniature roses like this peach dwarf. There is also a miniature red rose, but it is shy and just now starting to bud. 

The container has worked out much better than planting the bushes in the ground.
How about you?
 Do you grow roses? If so, do you use containers or flower beds?
What is your favorite rose??


Stop by my county blog to see the latest furry and feathery visitors to the grounds!
just click onto this link