Beyond Blessed

A couple weeks ago (right before our vacation), I celebrated a birthday...and while I am still adjusting to life in Kansas and feeling a bit out of the loop, my close friends and family certainly made my day extra special - they made what was an ordinary day (a doctor's appointment, a trip to the pharmacy for a vaccine, a WiFi outage at home, and my husband working long hours) a joyous occasion. I received the sweetest messages, notes and cards...and several packages from my loved ones. Although "my people" are all far away in distance, I felt loved and special. I wanted to share a few of the gifts I received - especially the creative ones...my friends and family showered me with the perfect gifts and cards...they spanned my loves of cross stitch, sewing, quilting and gardening...and they were all wrapped beautifully (in fact, some were almost too pretty to open)!

One of my friends wrapped my gift in owl fabric
and tied it with vintage sewing tape...
How cute is that?!

Inside the owl package was a gorgeous hand crocheted
market bag and a kitchen towel...now I am SUPER excited for
farmer's market season!

Another dear friend sent the most amazing pile of
pretty wrapped packages...

Including all this gorgeous fabric!
A fat quarter stack - Home by Kathy Schmitz for Moda...
and three colorways of adorable squirrel fabric:
Bramble by Gingiber for Moda

Plus, three wonderful needle minders!

...AND this gorgeous cross stitch piece...seriously - it is incredible!
It is on display in my studio where it brings me joy daily!!
Design: Oktober Feast by Brenda Gervais

Another special friend - send my gifts in this fun project bag...
that included fun sewing bandages (plus a plethora of presents not shown)...

...and this fabulous camp mug!! Isn't it perfect?! I have received a TON
of questions on this - it is from Stitched Modern...

My momma sent me two gardening books from my Amazon wish list...
they are two of her favorites that she had recommended to me - she
is a prolific gardener with a remarkable green thumb! She also sent me a
VERY generous gift certificate to our favorite online plant nursery:
Bluestone Perennials

...and Travis's parents sent me a lovely botanical box with a special
bath and body gift set inside...which will definitely be put to good
use after my stressful days!

Yes, I am blessed with an extremely thoughtful circle...and while they aren't located in Kansas, they are all close in my heart.

For now, I am headed to my studio - I will spend my afternoon working on needlework finishing - the piles are growing - five packages arrived yesterday and three more today...my clients are keeping me busy and I couldn't be more grateful...what a joy to be creative every single day!

Side bar - I spoke a little too soon yesterday - I am still feeling the effects of the stomach flu and not at my best today (last night was rough!)...the nausea continues...I truly appreciate all the well wishes...💓

A Colorful Catch-Up

It is a cold, windy, rainy night and I am just about ready to head to my cozy stitching nest for the rest of the "evening". I am still working away on a huge pattern writing freelance design project - it is monopolizing most of each day, but I continue to make time to do a little model stitching each night (for my sanity!). Here is a sneak peek at what I am working on at the moment (right). I also have a couple other colorful/creative things to share tonight...

A couple new books that are full of sewing inspiration arrived a few days ago - I managed to take a break this past weekend and give them a quick once over with a hot cup of tea...oh how I wish there were more hours in the day! These books are full of cheerful ideas to keep me busy...you know, in my "free time"...

 Also, if you ever wondered what 200 colorful 14-inch zippers look like, here is a photo to quench your curiosity - I go through quite a few making my zippered pouches and bags and it was time to stock up...I'm obsessed...and these make me happy!

Etsy has launched a new website program called "Pattern by Etsy"...it gives Etsy shop owners the ability to have a stand-a-lone eCommerce website that directly links to their Etsy shop. I already have my own eCommerce website that took me moths to build and perfect, but thought I would give the 30-day trial a chance (it's always good to try new things!). It is a nice, simplified twist on the standard Etsy shop - you can find my new "pattern" shop here:
http://blueribbondesigns.patternbyetsy.com/

 Etsy has also been "remodeling" and ALL shops will have a new look - they started updating today and although it may take up to a week for all shops to have the new format, I think you will like the changes. Sometimes you need to freshen things up...so while you might still be seeing my original shop, here is a just a peek at the new layout...
http://etsy.com/shop/BlueRibbonDesigns

Finally, here is a small sign of spring...and I can't wait for more! This was taken a few days ago...we actually had a few nice days...but then the winds and cold returned and now it is feeling like winter yet again. These daffodils are giving me hope...

I hope you are starting to see signs of spring in your corner of the world...

Saturday Snippets

It is starting to feel a lot more like winter here in Iowa...and the chilly weather is a great excuse to spend more time creating! Over the last couple days, I managed to finish up ten more pincushions with fun fabric stamps...I really enjoyed making these, because the main fabric collection makes me happy (Hoo's In The Forest by Doohikey Designs for Riley Blake) and the fabric stamps give me a chance to fussy cute some adorable prints in my collection...plus the cheerful colors bring a smile to my face. These square pillows measure 5" x 5" finished, which is the perfect size...the base is a patchwork log cabin block...and I added heart and leaf pins as an embellishment. I also managed to get several stitching new wallets cut and ready for assembly. You can find these delicate pincushions in my Etsy shop, as well as a few new historic needlework book listings (and I will be adding more daily)...

In other exciting news - I received my copies of Quiltmaker's 100 Blocks Volume 10, which will be be on newsstands on November 18th. I am super excited to have an original quilt block in this favorite publication...and even more thrilled that my block made the cover (which almost makes up for the misspelling of my last name). This is the tenth edition of this special magazine (if you are doing the math, that is 1,000 blocks!) and Quiltmaker Magazine has all sorts of fun things planned, including a blog tour November 17 - 21st - so stay tuned for more information - I will share more when I know more. I am such a GIGANTIC fan of this magazine and have collected the 100 Block issues throughout the years, so for me, this is a HUGE honor.

...and another fun thing I have to share...Miss Schatzi and I did a 5+ mile training walk around the lake again yesterday...and for the first time, she did the entire walk with me off leash! I had her e-collar on, just in case she spotted some wildlife to chase after, but I didn't need it - she did perfectly and enjoyed every second. Here she is smiling after our journey around the lake - my little girl is growing up!

For the next few days, I will be focused on Etsy sewing during the day and model stitching and needlework finishing in the evenings...and I am getting everything prepared/packed for my Komen 3-Day walk next weekend - I can't believe I leave for Dallas on Thursday...

More Needlework Book Offerings...

As I mentioned in my previous post - my studio bookshelves are overflowing and I have been needing to simplify and narrow them down for months...and although I adore my book collection, it is time to start letting a few of them move on to new homes where they will continue to be loved and cherished. If you collect books about needlework or antique samplers or have a love for historical needlework, then you just may find a treasure you have been searching for...

Over the coming weeks, I will be posting photos (scans of front and back cover) and details of the actual books in my collection, along with pricing information in US dollars. If you are interested in any of the listings, simply send me an e-mail. E-mail messages will be honored in the order received. I will provide you with shipping options (please tell me where you are located or your mailing address in your e-mail message, so I can give you an exact quote), then I will send a PayPal invoice. I ship world-wide, package items very promptly and carefully, and I will combine shipping if you are interested in multiple books. Once a book is spoken for, I will remove it or mark it as sold as quickly as possible. I have treasured these books and taken extremely good care of them - they come from a smoke-free home - and I will try to provide you with as many details as possible. My hope is to find new, loving homes where these special books will continue to be enjoyed...

Many of the books listed are rare and/or out of print (OOP) - they are priced in-line with the current market value. Serious inquiries/e-mails/comments only - thank you! Please click on photos for larger images.

A Winterthur Quide to American Needlework by Susan Burrows Swan
Good - $5.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1976 - 5.5" x 8" - 144 pages - black and white images
ISBN: 0-517-521776  Publisher: Crown Publishers, Inc.
Cover wear and sticker residue - all pages intact - no markings inside.

"Behold the Labour of My Tender Age" Children and Their Samplers, 1780-1850
by Gayle A. Rettew, William H. Siener, and Janice Tauer Wass
Very Good - extremely rare/hard to find - $200.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1983 - 8.5" x 11" - 60 pages - black and white images
ISBN: None  Publisher: Rochester Museum and Science Center
Great condition - very light cover wear.

British Samplers: A Concise History by Jane Toller
Very Good (like new) - $24.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 1980 - 5.5" x 8.5" - 63 pages - color and black/white images
ISBN: 0-85033-383-0  Publisher: Phillimore & Co., Ltd.
New condition - small original price sticker inside front cover.

British Samplers by Mary Eirwen Jones
Good - $8.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 1988 - 7.5" x 9.75" - 96 pages - color and black/white images
ISBN: 0-7134-5634-5  Publisher: B. T. Batsford Ltd.
Slight cover wear, sticker residue on front cover, and minimal
writing inside front cover.

The Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin Volume 24, Number 2 April 1959
Includes: New England Crewel Embroideries
AND
The Connecticut Historical Society Bulletin - Volume 52 - Summer/Fall 1987
(Includes:  A Middletown Cameo: Mary Wirght Alsop and her Needlework by Glee Krueger)
Both Very Good (like new) - $25.00 plus shipping for 2 book set
Softcover - 6" x 9" (both) - 1st listing 64 pages, 2nd listing 230 pages,
black/white images
Both in great condition.

Discovering Embroidery of the 19th Century by Santina M. Levey
Very Good - $5.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1983 - 4.5" x 7" (pocket size) - 64 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 085263398X  Publisher: Shire Publications Ltd.
Very light cover wear - original owner wrote name in pencil
inside front cover, then erased.

Embroidery Motifs from Old Dutch Samplers by Albarta Meulenbelt-Nieuwburg
Good - $40.00 plus shipping
Hardcover - 1974 - 6.5" x 9.75" - 192 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 0 684 13678 3  Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons
Dust jacket is worn, but cloth book is in excellent condition - original
owner's name written inside front cover.

English Embroideries of the Sixteenth and Seventeenth Centuries
in the Collection of the Ashmolean Museum by Mary M. Brooks
Very Good (like new) - $16.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2004 - 5.85" x 8.25" - 96 pages - color images
ISBN: 1-85444-192-2  Publisher: Jonathan Horne Publications London

Guide to English Embroidery (Victoria and Albert Museum) by Patricia Wardle
Good - $22.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 1970 - 9.5" x 7.25" - 93 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 11 290030 5  Publisher: Victoria and Albert Museum
Slight cover/corner wear - original price in pencil inside front cover.

The Fourth of Joan Edwards' Small Books on the History of Embroidery
Gertrude Jekyll - Embroiderer, Gardener and Craftsman (1981)
Good - Rough spot on cover, slight bend lower right corner cover,
sticker residue on back.
AND
The Fifth of Joan Edwards' Small Books on the History of Embroidery
Sampler Making 1540-1940 (1983)
Very Good - light cover wear, pricing marks on cover
$25.00 (two book set) plus shipping
Softcover (both) - 5.85" x 8.25" - 1st listing is 24 pages, 2nd listing is 20 pages, black/white images
ISBN: 0-907287-03-4 and 0-907287-04-2 Publisher: Bayford Books

Old-Time Tools & Toys of Needlework by Gertrude Whiting
Very Good (like new) - $14.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 1971 - 6.5" x 9.25" - 357 pages - black/white images
ISBN: 0-486-22517-8  Publisher: Dover Publications, Inc.

Patterns of Childhood: Samplers from Glasgow Museums by Rebecca Quinton
Very Good (like new) - $20.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2005 - 5.85" x 8.25" - 96 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-7136-7476-8  Publisher: Herbert Press

Pioneer Memorial Museum Samplers - Daughters of Utah Pioneers
Very good (like new) - $16.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2004 - 9" x 7.5" - 67 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-9749100-0-7  Publisher: Wasatch Marketing

Samplers by Pamela Clabburn
Very Good (like new) - $9.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2002 - 5.85" x 8.25" - 40 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-7478-0365-X  Publisher: Shire Books

Samplers from A to Z by Pamela A. Parmal
Very Good (like new) - $16.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2000 - 8.75" x 9.5" - 64 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-87846-481-6  Publisher: MFA Publications

The Theodore H. Kapnek Collection of American Samplers (Sotheby's Exhibition/Auction Guide)
Good/Very Good - $63.95 plus shipping
Softcover - 1981 - 8.75" x 9.25" -172 pages color and black/white images
ISBN: None  Publisher: Sotheby Parke Bernet Inc.
Slight cover/corner wear.
This is a sale catalog for an auction held at Sotheby's York Avenue
showroom on January 31, 1981. Sale # 4531Y. The sale consisted of the remarkable
 collection of American samplers assembled by Theodore Kapnek. 

This Have I Done: Samplers and Embroideries from Charleston and The Lowcountry
by Jan Hiester and Kathleen Staples
Very Good (like new) - $35.00 plus shipping
Softcover - 2001 - 8.25" x 8.25" - 46 pages - color images
ISBN: 1-928584-03-9  Publisher: Curious Works Press and The Charleston Museum

For additional available titles, please see yesterday's post...

If you are looking to add to your needlework book collection, please check back over the coming weeks, I still have a large list to add. If you are looking for a specific title, please e-mail me and I will let you know if I have it available....and you are welcome to send me a message with any questions you may have...

Thank you so much for all the inquiries and purchases - I am so glad my collectible books are finding good homes!

Handwork and Historical Samplers

My studio bookshelves are overflowing and I have been needing to simplify and narrow them down for months. For some reason, my collection keeps growing - could it be my obsession for all things done with a needle/thread and my endless quest for knowledge?? - I'm guessing so - in all honesty, I just love curling up with a beautiful and inspiring book...but when the book collection is starting to get stacked on the nearby table and on the floor, it is time to do a little house cleaning. Years ago, I began a large collection of books about handwork and historical samplers - quite a few of these books are out of print (OOP) or very rare....but it is time to start letting a few of them move on to new homes where they will continue to be loved and cherished. If you collect books about needlework or antique samplers or have a love for historical needlework, then you just may find a treasure you have been searching for...

Over the coming weeks, I will be posting photos (scans of front and back cover) and details of the actual books in my collection, along with pricing information in US dollars. If you are interested in any of the listings, simply send me an e-mail. E-mail messages will be honored in the order received. I will provide you with shipping options (please tell me where you are located or your mailing address in your e-mail message, so I can give you an exact quote), then I will send a PayPal invoice. I ship world-wide, package items very promptly and carefully, and will combine shipping if you are interested in multiple books. Once a book is spoken for, I will remove it or mark it as sold as quickly as possible. I have treasured these books and taken extremely good care of them - they come from a smoke-free home - and I will try to provide you with as many details as possible. My hope is to find new, loving homes where these special books will continue to be enjoyed...

Please click on photos for larger images.

Blue Ribbon Sampler: A Prize Winning Cross Stitch and Counted
Thread Sampler by Olwyn Horwood
SOLD Very Good (like new) - $190.00 plus shipping SOLD
Softcover - 2000 - 8.5" x 11" - 88 pages - color images
ISBN: 09-582105-3-5 Publisher: Georgeson Publishing Limited

Olwyn's Treasured Samplers by Olwyn Horwood
SOLD  Very Good (like new) - $47.50 plus shipping SOLD
Softcover - 2002 - 8.25" x 10.75" - 88 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-958-21058-6 Publisher: Georgeson Publishing Limited

Samplers by Rebecca Scott
Very Good (like new) - $22.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 2009 - 7.5" x 10" - 128 pages - color images
ISBN: 978-0-74780-706-3 Publisher: Shire Books

Emblems for a Queen: The Needlework of Mary Queen of Scots by Michael Bath
Very Good (like new) - $65.50 plus shipping
Softcover - 2008 - 8" x 10.5" - 172 pages - color images
ISBN: 978-1-904982-36-4 Publisher: Archetype Publications

Youth is the Time For Progress: The Importance of American
 Schoolgirl Art 1780-1860 by Olive Blair Graffam
SOLD - Very Good (like new) - $50.00 plus shipping - SOLD
Softcover - 1998 - 8.5" x 11" - 76 pages - color images
Publisher: National Society Daughters of the American Revolution - DAR Museum
 Catalog of the exhibit of samplers Dec 5, 1997 - May 4, 1998 at the
National Society of the DAR, Washington DC

A Gallery of American Samplers: The Theodore H. Kapnek Collection
by Glee Krueger
SOLD Good - $13.50 plus shipping SOLD
Softcover  - First Edition (1978) - 8.5" x 11" - 96 pages - color images
ISBN: 0-525-47515-X  Publisher: E. P. Dutton
Originally purchased used - cover corners/edge wear.

New England Samplers to 1840 by Glee Krueger
SOLD - Good - $62.50 plus shipping - SOLD
Softcover - 1978 - 7" x 8.5" - 227 pages
Illustrated with black and white photographs.
Publisher: Old Sturbridge Village - Sturbridge, Massachusetts
Originally purchased used - cover wear, edge wear
- all pages present - see scanned images.

Needlework: An Historical Survey by Betty Ring
 (Antiques Magazine Library)
SOLD - Good - $55.00 plus shipping - SOLD
First Edition (1975) - Softcover - 8.5" x 11" - 17 pages
Illustrated with black and white photographs.
ISBN: 0-87663-922-8 Publisher: Main Street/Universe Books
Originally purchased used - small tear in lower left front cover,
original price blacked out on back cover - all pages present
 - see scanned images.

Samplers by Carol Humphrey (Fitzwilliam Museum Handbooks)
Very Good (like new) - $20.95 plus shipping
Softcover - 1997 - 7" x 9.5 "- 140 pages - 64 color plates.
ISBN: 0-521-57592-3 Publisher: Cambridge University Press

This is just my very first offering - if you are looking to add to your needlework book collection, please check back over the coming weeks, I have a large list to add. If you are looking for a specific title, please e-mail me and I will let you know if I have it available. You are welcome to send me a message with any questions...

For now, I am back to stitching on my 2014 Komen 3-Day special design - it is nearing completion and I can't wait to share it with you...