Studio Snippets

Greetings friends! My studio has been a buzz since we returned from the Dominican Republic and my sewing machine has been humming along. I am back today to show some of my latest needlework finishing projects (the ones I can/have permission to show). I am headed up to northern Illinois to visit my mom and second dad next week and when I return, I am on jury duty...so, I am doing my best to get all the customer orders I have on hand completed. I have some special projects that need my attention upon my return and patterns to write - I'm just trying to find a balance and fill my time with happy, creative work. I'll keep the chatting to a minimum today and let the photos do the talking. These are not my stitching or my designs, just my finishing work - I will post the designer details I have with each image. These projects are from two different stitchers/clients.

Mountain Cabin by Lucy Beam Love in Stitches
Quilted Wall Hanging

Love 2 Stitch (Love Bits) by Hinzeit (Needlebook Outside)

Love 2 Stitch (Love Bits) by Hinzeit (Needlebook Inside)

Serial Bowl Collection - Sampler Lessons - Lesson One
by Plum Street Samplers
Bowl Filler/Pin Pillow

Merry Olde Christmas by Notforgotten Farm
Quilted Finish for an Ackworth Mini Quilt Stand

Autumn Quaker by Primrose Cottage Stitches
Quilted Finish for an Ackworth Mini Quilt Stand

Friendship Quilt by Told in a Garden (Needlebook Outside)

Friendship Quilt by Told in a Garden (Needlebook Inside)

A Christmas Pin Pillow by Kathy Barrick
Bowl Filler/Pin Pillow

Thanks for visiting today - I hope you are inspired to create something special. I am signing off to finish a few more tasks (we are still on the dreaded night schedule, so I am writing this at 1:10 AM) - I still have a pile of Christmas ornaments to finish that are calling my name. I will be working on my June projects for Poppie Cotton and Therm O Web this weekend, before taking time off to visit my family next week. So many projects, not enough time! I look forward to visiting with you again soon...

Wool Felted Acorns

Greetings friends - I'm stopping by today to share a little bit about my latest creative project for my Etsy shop - wool felted acorns! If you keep up with my blog, then you know I recently returned from northern Illinois, where I visited my momma and second dad - they have a lovely lakeside property with quite a few oak trees. While I was visiting, I helped clean up piles and piles of acorns...and I had the idea to collect and bring home some of the caps. I brought home three large Ziploc bags full. I had a master plan to make wool felted acorns for my Etsy shop. I explained the idea to my parents, who I am pretty sure thought I was a bit crazy...but after seeing the final product, I think they were impressed. I washed and roasted all the caps, to clean and preserve them...then added 100% New Zealand wool for the "nuts". Aren't they just the cutest?! You can find them here: https://blueribbondesigns.etsy.com

I have started listing them in my Etsy shop in sets of ten. Colors and sizes vary per listing – see listing images for more specific details. Most acorns have an average size of ⅝” – 1” in diameter and/or height, but as you can see in the images, some may be a bit smaller or larger. Due to the handmade nature and the natural acorn caps, there will be some minor variation in size.

Packages may contain single acorns, double acorns, or triple acorns – again, see images for the exact acorns in each listing. Created by Mother Nature, each cap is unique.

These are great for tiered trays, bowl fillers, nature/fall table decor, fall weddings or gifts. Can be used as a special pin or needle keep (my favorite use!). Perfect for seasonal decor through fall and winter… even year round. Use these wool felted acorns throughout your home to welcome the season, decorate for a wedding or special occasion, or give as a gift. Use them from year to year.

Each set of these delicate acorns is packaged carefully and boxed for shipping. Ready for gift giving.

I will continue to add more sets, as my schedule allows...visit my Etsy shop to see what is currently available...

Songbird Wisdom - New Cross Stitch

Greetings friends - I'm so happy you stopped by for a visit today!

First of all, thank you so much for the super sweet comments and messages regarding my ThermOWeb designs - I am so thrilled you like my project tutorials! I look forward to sharing more pattern tutorials with you in the coming months...

My new overnight schedule means less interruptions, so I have been working on all sorts of creative projects...and today, I am here to tell you all about one of those projects....yes, it's a new cross stitch design alert! I just released a brand new cross stitch design called "Songbird Wisdom" and it is available in both paper pattern and digital format in my Etsy shop. This design contains charting for both the Green Tree and the Singing Bird designs – each with TWO lettering options (one lettering option is Back Stitch with Cross Stitch Over-Two and the other lettering option is Cross Stitch Over-One), stitching instructions, stitch diagrams, and comprehensive finishing instructions. 

Long time fans may recall a similar design I did for The World of Cross Stitching Magazine ten years ago. I gave the design a facelift, made some charting changes and additions, and finished it in my personal style (years ago, the magazine finished the pieces to fit their particular look and gave it a generic name). I have always loved this Chinese Proverb that offers joyful words of encouragement and hope - I wanted to release this design in my catalog with my own personal vision.

Here are a few more details...

Songbird Wisdom (BRD-132)

This pattern includes two designs that fit together. I opted to stitch each on a different color of linen, but it would look great with both on the same color of fabric. I chose two different finishing options (instructions for both are included in the pattern). 

The first finishing option is a quilted wall hanging (would look great in a frame, as well). For this option, I stitched the "green tree" on Zweigart 28-count Cashel Summer Khaki (3281-323) and the "singing bird" on Zweigart 28-count Cashel Antique Ivory (3281- 233). This options shows the Back Stitch lettering for the verse. I used two fat quarters of cotton quilting fabric for the finishing, along with Hand-Dyed ½” Rick Rack from Lady Dot Creates (Chianti). 

The second finishing option is a set of bowl fillers/small pillows (would work great as ornaments or knob hangers, as well). For this option, I stitched the "green tree" on Lakeside Linens 40-count Wood Smoke and the "singing bird" on Lakeside Linens 40-count Pearled Barley. This option shows the Cross Stitch Over-One lettering for the verse. I used a cotton quilting fabric for the backs, along with Hand-Dyed Pom Poms from Lady Dot Creates (Chianti and Ballerina).

All models were stitched with Weeks Dye Works Cotton Floss and DMC conversions are included.

Paper pattern: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1447587816/songbird-wisdom-brd-132-counted-cross

Digital pattern: https://www.etsy.com/listing/1447591256/songbird-wisdom-brd-132-counted-cross

I really hope you like this cheerful, inspirational design - I truly enjoyed creating it!

Now, if you made it this far, you get a very funny TRUE story. We all know our household is on the night shift, so I find myself working into the wee hours...and let's be honest, this schedule has me a hot mess. Last night, I sent my dear friend Terri a text and asked her to proof this design before I listed it (she kindly proofs all my designs). I went to bed at 5:00 AM (and woke up at noon) to a text with just a few things I had to fix - five total typos for fourteen pages, which I was pleased with...until I saw the first correction. It was for the cover page - arguably the most important page...and it was for the title. Somehow, I had typed "Songbird Wisdoom" and didn't catch it (and I was working in Adobe Illustrator, so it does not spell check). I laughed so hard at this - wisDOOM kind of sums up my life perfectly right now. I hope sharing this makes you chuckle...it made me laugh out loud!

Next up, I will be adding a new sewing/quilting pattern to my catalog, so stay tuned for that...

...and, I have needlework finishing and custom work to complete for clients...piles of sewing to complete for my Etsy shop...another project tutorial for the ThermOWeb Blog that will be available in May...plus my blog will be a stop on the Hollyhock Lane Fabric Tour for Poppie Cotton in a little over a week, so I will be back to visit with you again before you know it! 

Thanks for stopping by today and for always being so supportive of my creativity...💗

An Autumn Adventure

Greetings friends! I am dropping in quickly this evening to touch base. We had a lovely trip to Chicago for the wedding...but unfortunately, I have been under the weather since our return. Don't worry, I think I am finally on the mend, but I am definitely a bit behind! I managed to get a little finishing completed and some design work done, but that is about it. Now, I'm popping in to let you know I will be out of my office through October 17th, with very limited communication. During this time, my website shop is on vacation...and only digital patterns are available in my Etsy Shop. My correspondence will be very limited, so I will respond to all messages, comments, etc. on Monday, October 18th. We are headed to Colorado and Utah for our annual Jeep trip and since we are in the mountains and off the grid most of the time, I get to go radio silent for most of the trip (and that is fine by me)...a little time to reset and unplug...a little fresh mountain air...and I'm sure I'll feel good as new upon my return. I'll leave you today with a few resent client finishing photos - all of these were stitched by the same talented stitcher - just my finishing work (and two are my designs!)...

Bluebirds and Daisies by Blue Ribbon Designs

Rejoicing Reindeer - Blue Ribbon Designs

Blossom Home by All Through The Night

Give More Strawberry by Erica Michaels

I'll be back with an update when we return with news about all things Blue Ribbon Designs! Thanks for visiting with me today...

Heart Happy

Happy Monday friends! I thought I would stop by for quick visit while I am at my desk this morning (now afternoon - where has my day gone?). I just finished up some correspondence, after spending several hours reporting almost two hundred copyright violations to Pinterest. Yes, I said two hundred. 😔 I could spend time writing about how much it hurts artists and designers when copyrighted charts, patterns, images, videos, etc. are photographed, scanned, shared, and posted illegally - how damaging it is on multiple levels - and how every few weeks when I have to do this I am a heartbroken mess...but instead, I will try to lighten my mood, be as upbeat as I can muster, and share some recent finishes. Like I mentioned in a previous post - I am trying to organize and remove the thousands upon thousands of photos from my iPhone. Today's post includes needlework finishing (not my stitching or designs...just my finishing work and finishing ideas), a couple gifts I created, recent project bag finishes, and some of my quilting. It is a hodgepodge of creative projects that I completed over the last month or so...some happy eye candy to start the week...

Posting these photos has already made my heart happier and I am ready to get started on my next project this afternoon. After a quick lunch, I have several design ideas to chart out and fabric to cut for my next project. 

Take a little time to work on something that makes your heart happy! 💗