Exchanges arrived ...

I had a few exchanges arrive at their new homes last week and I'd like to share them with you.

First is my year long exchange with Joan through the Friends Stitching Through the Seasons blog. For the Autumn exchange I stitched her a Blackbird Designs stocking. I love how it turned out. Karen finished it for me ... love the bat trim ... pictures stolen by me from Joan's blog ... I forgot to take pictures before I mailed everything ...

Blackbird Design stocking from

Tis Hallowe'en design called Deadly Nightshade

stitched with WDW Pumpkin and CC Blackbird

Here's a picture of other goodies that I sent ... I really had fun putting this together for Joan.

The next exchange was for Kathryn through the Fair and Square Exchange Blog. This was a fun stitch ...

Bent Creek Snapper - Happy Halloween

stitched with suggested WDW and GAST threads

on misc 32 count fabric

I stitched and finished this pillow for Lisa through the Season Exchange Blog. I just love how this pillow turned out ... I usually have a tough time finding fabric that goes well with the piece I stitched ... I really lucked out this time ...

Lizzie*Kate Autumn Greetings

stitched with suggested GAST thread

on a misc. piece of fabric

Have you seen this wonderful collection of pinkeeps? The purchase of Pinkeep Story benefits Unicef. I purchased it a couple of weeks ago. It's a wonderful collection of pinkeeps. For approximately $22 you can get either a hardcopy of the charts of a PDF version.

Hope you all had a great weekend ... mine went way too quick, as they all seem to do. I'm busy getting ready for my trip to Myrtle Beach, SC ... stitching stitching stitching and some finishing too ... I love participating in all the exchanges that happen at the PALS Fall Fling.

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

I'm grateful for sleep ...

Happy Sunday ...

I had another lovely mail day yesterday ... I feel so spoiled! It's a great feeling! First up is an adorable pillow from Karen. Karen has been my exchange partner through Friends Stitching Through The Seasons blog. The design is from Heart in Hand's Autumn Trio. I just love this pillow! The black ribbon is perfect with the fabric ...

She also made me some Halloween pins ... I think I have the perfect finish to use these with ... and she included note that there's a gift certificate waiting for me at Down Sunshine Lane. I think there's a floss order happening *smile* Karen, thank you so much for spoiling me! I just love everything.
My other package was quite a surprise. Jill said she wanted thank me for helping out with the Fair and Square Exchange Blog. In the package she included a lovely piece of fabric, some needles, Halloween cording and a very nice needleminder. Thanks Jill!

Yesterday I started and finished Boo Tyme freebie by Homespun Elegance. What a fun little stitch. I think I'll finish it as a little pin pillow and decorate it with some of the pins that Karen made for me ...

Boo Tyme Freebie by

Homespun Elegance

Stitched on a piece of coffee dyed fabric

with Weeks Bark

And yes, that is a new coffee cup ... Two weeks ago I saw this cup at Starbucks when they put out their Fall decor ... every morning I would go into get my coffee and that cup would talk to me, flirt with me and ask to go home with me ... well, on payday I broke down and brought it home ... yep, I am a coffee cup slut! lol

I'm off to stitch another Fall/Autumn design ... there's sooo many to choose from. What are you stitching for Fall/Autumn?

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

I'm grateful for new coffee cup ...

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 ...