Exchanges and some stitching ...

Happy First Day of Summer! Although around here you'd never know it ... we had a very unseasonably wet and cold Spring. We've only had a couple of days that were over 70 degrees ... wonder what July and August will be like?

Summer might no really be here yet, but Summer exchanges are ... first up is my exchange from Karen from the Stitching Friends Through the Seasons blog. Karen stitched the lovely SB design for me ... it's going to look great on my mantle!

Karen also included some ribbon, fabric, beads, charms and some of her wonderful handmade cards! I just love everything Karen *smile*

My exchange partner is Joan. I stitched for her BBD's Pins and Needles. Vonna finished it into a lovely pincushion, filled with walnuts. I wanted to make a little something for the 4th of July for Joan too, so I stitched up this cute Quaker freebie design and finished it into a little pillow. Funny thing about this Quaker design, Joan had just finished stitching it for herself the night before my package arrived lol ... wonder how she'll finish her's?? Along my stitched pieces, I sent Joan some other goodies too ...

After stitching for a couple of exchanges I stitched a couple of things for myself ... This is Bent Creek's Liberty from their Zipper kits. I stitched it on a left over piece of 32 ct fabric instead of the big count fabric that came with the kit. I think it turned out really cute ...

And this is a design by Tanya of The Sampler Girl. I love this design ... not sure how I'm going to finish it yet. I just realized that the word Sweet is supposed to be in red, opps!

I "stole" this story about the design from her blog because I love the story and don't want to forget it...

Design draws inspiration from one of my favorite hymns, My Country tis of Thee, written by Samuel Francis Smith while he was a Seminary student in Andover, Massachusetts. Smith wrote the lyrics in thirty minutes! The song was performed in public on July 4, 1831 at a children’s Independence day celebration in Boston.

My Country tis of Thee

Sweet Land of Liberty

Of thee I sing

Land where my fathers died

Land of the pilgrims' pride

From every mountainside

Let freedom ring!

Last week I was looking online at all the 4th of Juoly designs and found one that I've never seen but knew I wanted to stitch it. Terry and I were married on June 14th, which is Flag Day so I'm going to stitch this in honor of our 35th wedding anniversary. I'm going to make a few changes to personalize it for us. I think I'll put the year we were married on the flag (instead of word Liberty) and then stitch the M T 3 5 in blue. I think it'll be a fun stitch.

Thanks for visiting and for leaving your comments ... I do enjoy reading them!

I hope you find your Joy in your stitches ...

I'm grateful for my husband ...