With a Cherry on Top!

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Finished!

I want to have it framed, I think. 


So I finished up my sampler and went right into embroidery. 

It was fun!  Such a cute little chocolate cupcake with a cherry on top.  The pattern is from the book, Sublime Stitching. (I like the book better than I though!)  I just have no idea what to do with this darling little cupcake now.  I think I will just use this piece of fabric, which is quite large, to just practice.  My stitches need to be more uniform, but that will come with time I suppose.  I tried the split stitch and backstitch on this little cupcake with some "seed" stitches thrown in as sprinkles.  Hmm, what to try next.  Maybe a pretty little birdy.

I found some textiles for sale at the Sublime Stitching embroidery site I might like to try, once I get a few practice projects under my belt, a half apron and kitchen towels.  
  

Cross Stitch

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I guess I feel most connected to the FarmGirl within and the past through my crafting.  I picture farm ladies of old sitting by the fire with their needle and thread in hand darning socks, or working up a homespun crochet or knit piece to keep their farmer husband warm as he works in the winter cold.  I dream of what it would have been like to live on the prairie like Laura Ingalls.  My husband assures me I'd never make it.  Still, I continue to dream.

Here is my latest "FarmGirl" crafty endeavor:

I thought I would start out with a stamped cross stitch pattern, or rather re-start, to get back into needlework.  I did counted cross stitch as a teenager.  I plan to try out embroidery next.  I've only made one or two attempts at embroidery with poor results.  I found a book to help me out, Sublime Stitching.  Not crazy about it, but the price was right and I had a coupon.  It should be enough at least to get me started.  It has all the basics.   And a few cute patterns, too.        

She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands.  Proverbs 31:13

Birdy Cakes

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I don't have a barnyard to tend to but do have a few featered friends fluttering around the yard from time to time.  I decided I would leave them a little treat during our icy cold weather.  It gave me a little something to do as I was going a little stir crazy.  Yes, I suppose I could have cleaned out the closets, reorganized the bookshelves, or some other long-time neglected household chore, but what's fun about that?! hehe

Of course I filled the feeder in the back yard Red Oak.

I also made some little birdy cakes and decorated the backyard tree and a few front yard bushed.

I mixed a half cup of boiling water with 2 packets of Knox brand Gelatine and then added birdseed until it was more dry than liquid.  Not precise, I know.  But it worked.  I lined a cake pan with wax paper and put a few heart shaped cookie cutters in it and filled the shapes with the mixture and patted it down.  I stuffed the yarn into it and mashed a little more mixture on top to secure it.  I let them set up in the garage.  (I get a daily email from TipNut.com with all kinds of crafty links and this was one of them.  Sorry I don't have the actual link.  Their instructions were about as precise as mine though ;-) ) 

The next day I trudged outside and hung them.  I forgot gloves and my fingers 'bout froze off the first time I went out.  I remembered gloves the second time! :-)  I keep looking out to see if my birdy friends are up for a treat, but I think they are staying cozy in their nests.  I don't blame them.  

(This one I just used a shallow berry bowl - ran out of cookie cutters to fill.) 

I also made treats for the people too!  Homemade Chocoate Chip, mmm-mmm



Recent and Hopeful Craftiness

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I just thought I'd take a few minutes to show a few things I've finished up in my little crochet corner. 

I had so much fun with my new little niece the other day.  Here is a little cocoon set I made her:

I also finished that wrap I mentioned last week:

You will notice that the top edge is a bit more ruffled than the bottom.  It's supposed to be a more subtle edging like the bottom.  Oops!  Oh, well I made it my own and it adds a little extra something, I guess.

I'm hoping to get my sewing machine out, maybe tomorrow, or hopefuly somtime next week.  I'm needing new chair pads for the kitchen table.  I have what I need, I just need to do it!  I also want to make a pillowcase dress and leggings for my oldest niece.  She's three, soon to be four, and I thought those would make a nice birthday present. 

Here's to happy crafting! :-)

Oatmeal Cookies, Chicken 'n Dumplings and Crochet

Sounds pretty farm-girly to me! 

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You know I have never made an oatmeal cookie.  At least not the kind you bake.  I've made the kind on the stovetop with oatmeal, peanut butter and cocoa, etc. - you mix it all together and then drop them on a cookie sheet to cool.  But a baked oatmeal cookie - this is a first for me.

I had no raisins, which is fine with me, I much prefer chocolate chips anyway, so I subsitituted the chocolate chips for raisins.  They were a big hit here at home and at my sister's and mom's.  I took a plate over this afternoon when the boys and I went to visit.  My sister just had a baby a couple of weeks ago, so I thought they might like a homebaked treat for an afternoon snack.  Yum!

I need to get going.  I have chicken and dumplings on the menu for tonight and it's about time to de-bone the chicken.  It's been rather cold here, for us anyway. 24 degrees this morning.  I thought it would warm us up as we settle in for a cold winter's evening.

Here's what I have on my hook - it's going to be a small half-circle wrap.  I'm trying to use what I have on hand.  So I'm specifically looking for patterns that go with the yarn and specific amount I have.