Susan Rambo Sampler progress

Dear friends!

   Well, here we are getting ready to start another week.  It has been a glorious day here and I've enjoyed the wonderful weather we've had all weekend.  

I've also enjoyed these:  

Tomatoes right from the garden.  It's not really a garden - it's 3 tomato plants and some basil planted along the side of the house but hey, it produces these delicious delights so I'm a happy "gardener"! 

The crop has been so good this year and I've enjoyed sharing them with my neighbors.  I have eaten more than my fair share this summer!

Unfortunately, summer is coming to an end as evidenced by the fading colors:

 and the golden hues of fall.

Even the hibiscus is starting to look a little tired around the edges.

Kind of like me.

Luckily, there will be lots of projects to keep me busy 

over the Fall and Winter months.

This one:

Miss Susan Rambo.  

She's coming along slowly but surely.

Can you tell I re-stitched the squirrel's tail?  He's a little more grey than before. 

I like him - but then, who doesn't like a fella with a bit of gray?

I will be starting my other two projects in the next week, I think.  I'd like to make some more progress on Susan before moving to those two (see previous post about the two I'm referring to).  The idea of three, rather large projects going at once is foreign to me, and makes me feel kind of anxious - like I'll never get any of them done.   So, I'd kind of like to finish this one (or at least make some significant headway) prior to really getting going on the other two.

The problem is... those flowers in the border are taking me a long time to stitch.

I've stitched, frogged and re-stitched several of them and that is really slowing my progress.  Not to mention all the other mistakes I've made which have caused more frogging and more time lost.   I may take her to work and try to put some stitches in during lunch - maybe that would help.

Oh well...

In the meantime, I have another little finished project to show you.

Count Your Blessings

by Shakespeare's Peddler

It is sitting on the backing fabric and trim I used.

When I finished it, I thought it needed a little extra umph

so I added buttons all the way around.  I have to admit,

I'm kind of tickled with how it turned out.

This was stitched from a traveling pattern which I stitched right away but didn't finish until recently.

Of course I have a couple of vintage finds to show you:

This sweet, little pillow I found at an antique market:

 I love it!  It had a couple of stains on it but a good soaking and it is as good as new.

 I found these mending samplers at an estate sale a couple of weeks ago.

The folks holding the sale said the woman that lived there was in her 90's and was from Germany.  I recognized them as German mending samplers when I first spotted them but nice to have some verification.

I think I'll make a small pillow out of the smaller piece and I'm not sure what, if anything, I'll do with the larger.  

I got both of them for $6.  I wonder how old she was when she did them?

Finally, I have to show you this great project bag that my friend Carolyn sent me.

As you can see by the magazine laying under it, it is a great size and it's so 

expertly made.  Isn't that fabric on top cute!?  The mesh is vinyl, I think.

I love project bags and if you'd like one of your very own, contact Carolyn.

She's such a sweet gal and does really beautiful work.

Thank you so very much, sweet friend!

 Finally, camera shy Sophie and Gracie and I 

would like to wish you all a great week ahead. 

Thank you for stopping by and leaving me a little note, when you have time.

I appreciate them all a great deal.

Be well,

Peace,

Terri

A Winner, Some Progress and some Finds

Dear friends,

I'm sorry I'm late in posting the winner - it's been all kinds of crazy 'round here. I haven't had time to really read or comment too much but I hope to remedy that soon. This was an easy draw - only 34 comments and not everyone was interested so I just asked Rob to pick a number between 1 and 34. My random number generator, Rob picked lucky number 13! Guess what, lucky number 13, SIOBHAN passed so I had to ask him to pick again..... Lucky number 20! That's you, MICHELE!! If you will please email me your address, I'll get this out as soon as I can. I guess Miss Kitty is not overly popular but I hope you'll like her, Michelle. I enjoyed making her!

Here's my progress on Be Kind & Be True. I was going great guns and then kind of hit a wall - did a bit of beading and a few other things but will get back to it soon (maybe tonight)! I've got to re-do their eyes - they're kind of lopsided (like mine) one is bigger than the other (like mine) and they're just plain wonky (like mine). Heck, maybe I'll just leave 'em be.


Here are a few of the goodies I've found at estate sales and antique markets of late. Love the little suitcases and the red one with the label inside is my favorite.

This one is black, faux croc with a great lucite handle.


This is the red one - the red in the 2nd picture is a more true reflection of the color.



Love these glass shakers full of bells, beads and pearls:


I found this pretty sewing basket at an estate sale with my friend, Sheila. Isn't it pretty? I always feel kind of bad going into an estate sale and plowing thru peoples things. The things at the sale are those items nobody wanted. I always feel good when I find something like this that is obvious the owner loved and took care of. I will give it a good home!



This is what I'm totally jonesing for right now - the Desert Rose dishes by Franciscan. These were at the same estate sale as the basket - I love that woman's taste but these were a bit cost prohibitive. These were the really pretty, older ones that were made in the USA. Anyone have these that they don't want? I'd love to give them a good home!
These are the dishes that Jackie Kennedy chose for Air Force 1 which is what helped make them so popular in the 60's. I am so crazy about these that I'll start collecting one at a time if I have to. One of these days, I'll have a full set. I don't want the newer ones though. I want the vintage ones. You gotta start somewhere, right? So far, I have the salt and pepper shakers. Not much of a start but a start.

I found this sewing box at the Salvation Army for next to nothing. I couldn't pass it up and it makes a perfect side table and keeps all my sewing needs close at hand. I am going to have to do some room rearranging but I couldn't let this go.


Still has the made in Norway label.

These goodies were all bargains (wish the dishes had been) but oh well.... I just love finding a bargain!!! One persons junk is most definitely someone else's treasure. I am not a hoarder. I am not a hoarder. Do you hear me, Julie? I am not a hoarder.

Finally, I'd like to leave you with a picture of Sophie and Gracie enjoying our fabulous Michigan weather:
Here's Gracie sprawled out on the patio. No hip problems here!


And here's Miss Sophie surveying her kingdom (such as it is):


I hope you're all having a lovely summer - we're enjoying PERFECT Michigan weather right now - high 70's, breezy and fabulous. Speaking of which, it's getting time for our evening walk so I'm going to have to wrap this up. Sophie is very demanding!

Thanks for stopping by and for your sweet notes, too! I hope you have a great rest of the week and a wonderful 4th of July weekend if you're in the US!

Peace,
Terri