Needlework Smalls, Farewell to a Tree, A Giveaway and Charts for Sale

      It all started as a suggestion by a friend to devote Sundays to stitching needlework smalls. I had a growing collection of charts that I wanted to stitch, yet when it came time to pick a new project I was always going for the large reproduction samplers and once again the 'smalls' where pushed to the bottom of the pile. 
      All it took was one Sunday Smalls day and I was hooked. In fact I was so hooked that Sunday Smalls turned into a few weeks of stitching from my 'smalls' stash of charts.
      Here's the results:

 Pineberry Lane

Fancey Blackett - The Harvest Dance

 Pineberry Lane

Fancey's Sunflowers - Hanging Pocket

 The Primitive Hare

Town of Halloween

JCS Special Halloween Collector's Issue

40 ct. Lakeside Vintage Examplar

Crescent Colours Blackbird & GAST Dried Thyme

 Plum Street Samplers

Halloweenies

40 ct. Lakeside Sand Dune

GAST and Crescent Colours

Pineberry Lane

Wool Pinkeeps

 

 The stitching, which is the easy part, has been completed... but when these designs will be truly finish finished is anyone's guess.

I've been spending some time reorganizing my stash and came across a project that was purchased several years ago, tucked away and forgotton. I'm not sure this would qualify as a 'needlework small' but I went ahead and finished  a portion of the project.

 Primitive Traditions

PA German Sewing Box

40 ct. Elegant Bean

Belle Soie and NPI silks

Box Lid

 This design is for the top of the box. The inside walls and bottom of the box will also be covered with stitched designs. 
      I had to bid farewell to my beautiful 150+ year old white pine tree that shaded the west side of Corgi Cottage. The tree was developing a large crack and the town arborist noted decay and advised the tree had to be removed. My white pine is sorely missed.

I was the lucky winner of Barbara's 1thread giveaway' Look at all the wonderful things she sent me. Thank you Barbara!

 
      I have way too much stash. I created a second page to my blog. Look up under the header. It's the second tab, Charts for Sale, and you just have to click on the tab and it will take you to the listing of gently used and brand new charts. I hope I've listed something that you've been wanting to add to your stash.

Until next time.... 

Laurie

Welcome Autumn

     I hope you all had a wonderful Summer. We had a very hot and dry Summer and we are welcoming the cooler temperatures of Autumn and the rain it has brought along with those cooler temperatures.

     I wasn't idle and made good use of my time indoors, with the air conditioner on and a cold beverage near at hand. I brought out an old friend, Emma Miles, and worked on her until the start of the Olympics. Emma was my Christmas Eve Day 2011 start and this is as far as I got on her when she was put aside.

 Emma Miles 1848

The Scarlet Letter

40 ct. Lakeside Light Examplar

AVAS silk

 

Here's Emma now:

 

 It was the holly band that drew me to this sampler. I have to fill in all the flowers in the border with satin stitch, stitch the over one verse and stitch another over one Adam and Eve. I've put Emma away for now and will get her out again closer to the Christmas holiday.

 

     I enjoyed watching almost every moment of the Summer Olympics in London. I wanted to start a new sampler during the Opening Ceremonies, but knew I wouldn't have the sampler completed by the Closing Ceremonies. I did get it completed during the US Open Tennis tournament though. I chose K&V's Jacob's Ladder. The birds are what drew me to this beautiful sampler. My photography skills don't do the sampler justice.

 Kunst & Vliegwerk

Jacob's Ladder

Lakeside 36 ct. Vintage Buttercream

NPI and AVAS silks

 

 

 

     I splurged on a couple of needlework accessories this Summer. The oval divided carrier is from the Suffolk Shaker Shop,

 

 

        I've been a fan of Lori Ann Corelis, The Spotted Hare, for a long time. I was finally able to purchase one of her pincushions. This little bunny on her super sized carrot is just adorable. Don't you agree?

 

 

     Due to the heat and humidity this past Summer, Emma and Owen spent most of their time doing this:

 

 It's the best position for cooling a hot belly.

 

Thanks for stopping by for a visit. 

 

 

Wordless Wednesday

Grace Bridges Sampler

Stacy Nash Primitives

Silkweaver 36 ct Days Gone By linen

Variety of Silks

Victorine Delacroix 1835

The Essamplaire

R&R 40 ct Sheeps Straw linen

Variety of Silks

Summer Vacation

      The weeks have flown by so quickly. We've had lovely warm weather and I've been keeping myself busy attending to all those outdoor chores. I've had time to sit in my stitching nook on the rainy days. I put the final stitches into Elizabeth Smith. Here she is in all her glory.

 Elizabeth Smith 1811

The Scarlet Letter

40 ct. Lakeside Vintage Light Examplar

DMC

Elizabeth is now at the framers and I'll be sure to share a photo of her in her frame in the next blog post.

      I wasn't sure which sampler or project to work on next... but Rebecca was calling to me the loudest, so my decision was made. Here's where I left off with Rebecca in January.

 Rebecca Cullin 1801

The Scarlet Letter

40 ct. Lakeside Examplar

AVAS

And here she is now:

 The satin stitched outline of the cartouche gave me fits. The third time was the charm and I finally got the top of the cartouche stitched properly.

       Last weekend my Guild had their Spring Retreat at Sinsinowa Mounds in Wisconsin. It's always a  treat for me to attend the Guild's retreats because it means I also get to go to The Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI before heading to the retreat center.  A few of the ladies in the Guild also made a stop at Country Sampler too. It was fun seeing what appealed to us and what made it into our shopping bags. It's always a pleasure spending an entire weekend stitching, chatting and catching up on what's been happening.
      I decided that Jane Pattison was the perfect project to work on at the retreat. 

 Jane Pattison 1806

Shakespeare's Peddler

32 ct. Lakeside Vintage Navy Bean

Simply Wool

      
      And last... but not least. Helen Vertue has returned home from the framer.

         Now to the meaning of my post title. Summer is a busy time of the year at Corgi Cottage. There are so many more options and obligations that are pulling at my time. I've decided to take a vacation from blogging for the Summer. Emma and Owen are eager to spend more time taking long walks in the prairie. My garden is calling to me loudly... it needs weeding, plants need to be divided and some beds need to be rearranged. I'd also enjoy spending more time on the sunporch with a good book and a big tall glass of iced tea.
      I'll be back in September with lots of stitching photos of what I worked on over the Summer and photos of what has come home from the framer.
      Emma, Owen and I want to wish you all a fun filled Summer.... and we'll see you in September.