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A little blog about my big loves; family, friends, stitching and yep, chocolate!

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Sunday, September 27, 2015

Love Never Fails

Dear friends,

      Another post?  Yep, maybe the last one was not a fluke! 

     Rob and I will be celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in November.  Every once in a while it falls on Thanksgiving which is always kind of fun, except that I have to get up at the crack of dawn so I can cook all day, never get to sit down, the guys watch the Lions play football and hmmm... yeah, not so fun, I guess.   Anyway, this year is our 25th so I thought I'd stitch something to commemorate this special year.  I saw Barbara Anna's design called "Love Never Fails" when Carol Sims posted her beautiful finish and I thought it'd be perfect to turn into a wedding/anniversary sampler.  My interpretation incorporates both the year we got married and this year, our wedding date and our names.  I had to eliminate the cats (sorry, Cari) and one of the flower urns by our dapper fellow to make the changes fit.  I also added some over one elements, too.  I can't wait to get it framed!  I really enjoyed stitching this piece and have no doubt that Rob will be thrilled.  LOL~


   

"Love Never Fails"
designed by Barbara Anna
stitched on 35 count WDW Tin Roof linen
DMC threads, 1 over 2.


Don't you love the polka dotted birds?

I hope Rob doesn't see this post - I'm pretty sure he doesn't know I've decided to start blogging again, so I think we're safe.  This isn't a present for him, per se, but I do want it to be a kind of surprise.  At least he'll know I was thinking about our anniversary prior to the night before when I go find the lamest anniversary card, ever!




 I added a few extra, colorful diamonds to the dress:

25 years deserves to be over one:
This pic is a better representation of the fabric color, though still not exactly right.  It's truly gorgeous in person.  Try it - you won't be disappointed.

   I had to add some extra hearts under the names so they didn't look like they were floating:

The very last part to be finished was the gentleman's pants.  He just flat out refused to put them on.  Nasty boy!

I also changed the diamond border, ever so slightly.  I couldn't use brown for the border because I had stitched our names in brown.  That also meant I had to change the diamond colors a bit.  I just used whatever was handy and then, like Barbara, stitched the mirror image on the other side.  An easy adjustment to make.  

This is what Barbara's pattern looks like without all my changes.  Beautiful, isn't it?

I hope I can get an equally beautiful frame.  

Next time I'll show you my American Sampler by Paulette Stewart of Plum Street Samplers all framed and in it's glory.  It is FABULOUS!!!

These were my estate sale finds this weekend:
This old, carved, concrete pot was a steal at $15 - don't you love the patina on it?  And those daffodils!!!  Love….

This one was even less $ - not as much patina but heavy concrete and I can't wait to put some mums in them.


Finally, a couple of old graters, being used as candle hurricanes.  I think they were fifty cents each.
Cheap and easy, outdoor goodies!

Have a great week my friends and thank you so much for the warm welcome back to blogging.

Peace!
Terri

32 comments:

CathieJ said...

What a beautiful sampler. Happy 25th Anniversary! I know it is early but it deserves to be celebrated for a good long time. Hubby and I just reached 30 years. I really like those old graters as lanterns. What a neat idea. Happy to be reading your posts again.

maggie said...

What a lovely sampler to celebrate your Silver wedding.

Love the estate finds :-)

maggie said...

What a lovely sampler to celebrate your Silver wedding.

Love the estate finds :-)

Jackie's Stitches said...

Terri, this is stunning! I LOVE it! You must be thrilled. Happy Anniversary to you both - and many more!

Melody said...

What a beautiful anniversary sampler! Also your thrift finds are great! I especially love the urn with the daffodils on it. Happy anniversary to you both!

Sherry :o) said...

Great post. Can't wait to see your wedding sample if you bring (or when) it to guild!

Sherry :o)

Ann said...

Congratulations on both the finish and the 25th anniversary! Hope you enjoy many more years together.

Annie said...

A truly beautiful finish! I love how sure you are that your DH will appreciate it. Sounds like you have just the right mate and just the right relationship!

Kathy said...

Terri, so glad to see you blogging again. I really missed seeing all of your stitching and fabulous antique finds. And, I can't believe you just stitched this cute Barbara Ana design for your 25th anniversay! It's the same one I'm thinking about doing for our 40th anniversay which is next year. I have had the chart for quite a while now and still haven't started it. Yours is so cute and seeing it makes me want to start on mine right now, lol. Needless to say, I absolutely love it and love all of your changes!! I can't wait to see it framed. And, even tho it's early, wishing you and DH a very happy anniversay with many more to follow!!! BTW, I know your hubby will love it, how could he not???? Great job!!!

Robin in Virginia said...

What a beautiful sampler you have created and I really like your changes! Happy early anniversary wishes to you.

Robin in Virginia

KAREN said...

You did a great job and made it your own. Cari won't mind about the cats. Happy Anniversary from Colorado

Sally said...

Oh wow I love your finish. So beautiful and perfect for a 25th wedding anniversary. Happy Anniversary and here's to many more.

Bertie said...

A gorgeous sampler, congratulations on your anniversary! Our 25th was this month and I will now have to find this patten, even tough it is late lol. The estate finds are fabulous!

Rita said...

Beautiful sampler! I love how you made little changes to make it your own.

Happy anniversary!!

Vickie said...

Yes! That is an awesome sampler for the 25th. Brian and I celebrate our 23rd this Saturday.
The concrete pieces you got are fantastic!

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

If I end up doing something for us (someday) This pattern would be a top contender however your changes are perfect and wonderful and make it yours! I love it Terri and have since I saw the very first stitches put in on FB. It is fabulously wonderful!
And the URNS...my word...less than $15 for those fabulous finds...my goodness! I have about 7 urns here....but they aren't old and I paid over $75 for each one of them. You got a deal my dear!

Hilda said...

Oh Terri, your "Love Never Fails" Anniversary sampler is stunning. I love the colors and how it turns out on this linen. Its the perfect wedding anniversary stitching!
Such a fabulous work!
Hugs
Hilda

Melissa said...

Gosh, I love that piece! I remember when I first saw that design, I'd thought it was so pretty. I am glad you got to use it for your wedding/anniversary sampler! Congrats on getting this stitched with time to spare for framing!

I love that daffodil planter (and the rest) too! I just wondered how heavy it must've been to carry it to your car! ;-)

Margaret said...

What a beautiful finish for your anniversary! I do love this piece. Love the changes you made too -- Rob will love it! Love your estate finds too. Very pretty!

Halland House Gifts said...

Terri, the sampler is just stunning. After several years of searching I have found a replacement sampler (this one) for a 90s wedding sampler I just don't love. I just ordered the pattern and linen. :-) I love that my husband and I are both of German decent, and this is in the Penn. Dutch Fraktur style.

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Oh Terri, I always enjoy seeing what you've been up to. You always find the neatest things! Congrats on a wonderful milestone.

valerie said...

What a gorgeous way to commemorate your 25th anniversary! The sampler is gorgeous and quirky and full of personalizations. I can't wait to read what Rob's reaction is. Using the graters as candle holders is a clever idea!

valerie said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Cari said...

Oh Terri, you're so sweet to mention me and my love of cats in your post. Love you to pieces !! I love this design by Barbara Ana and would love to stitch it…but alas no partner nor anniversary…just my cats. I do love your stitching and sister Cathy was so impressed you can see she purchased the piece to stitch !! Hugs dear friend

Angela said...

Congrats on a lovely finish!

llknbillburg said...

Gorgeous finish! I have been looking for a sampler for our anniversary too. I missed the 25th and we're now coming up on our 35th and this might just be the ticket! Your adaptations are lovely and I hope to do as well with mine. Can't wait to see your Plum Street framed. Another one I am lusting after and can't wait for the general release. It will be next summers patriotic stitch for sure!! Laura

Von said...

Such a super design to stitch in honor of your anniversary!

Carol said...

Such a special way to remember your 25th, Terri! I love the little changes you made and the personalization. This will be something to treasure and smile about year after year. I made my husband a scrapbook for our 25th--made two pages for each year and added photos from the highlights of the year along with captions. It was really a labor of love. I wish I had kept adding to it as we are now at 38 years!! Just can't go back and do the last 13 (my fading brain doesn't even allow me to remember what happened last year, let alone the last 13 :)

Sharon said...

As I have said before, you make the most wonderful changes to your stitching! Such a gorgeous finish...I can't wait to hear what your husband thinks of it!

Brigitte said...

Absolutely gorgeous, this sampler, and perfect for a silver wedding anniversary. And the changes you made are so creative and they make that sampler so you.

Cathy Lloyd said...

It's all your fault Ms Terri! I spent nearly 150.00 at the Bush last week...all because of you! That sampler is to die for and I'll be stitching it in the very near future...or thereabouts. Must finish Jane Atkinson first. Thanks for all the pictures...Love love love what you did with it! Thanks for sharing!

Loraine said...

Hi Terri! So happy to see you blogging again. Your recent finishes are just beautiful! they are so inspiring! I love Paulette's piece. Wow! So darling.
I haven't looked at blogs in months and months. We moved to Southern Utah in June. It's been so fun, but not much sewing happening.
I will keep checking in. I love to see what you are up to.
Lots of hugs!