HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Another year come and gone. With this day came sadness and joy...all within a few hours of each other. My dear daughter-in-law's grandmother passed away this morning which was expected but not expected if you get my drift. Such a sweet lady. Then, within a few hours, we were informed that my third son and his wife are expecting another baby! That WAS unexpected to them and to us. But we couldn't be happier. I think they are still in a state of shock! They are the parents of the little gal you see with the party hat...Karsyn! She's only to happy to have a reason to dance. We had the gang over this evening for dinner and I can honestly say that I am exhausted!! My dishwasher isn't working so I have about an hour's worth of dirty dishes to do! I guess that's how I will bring in the New Year!

I hope everyone has a wonderful evening, whether or not you stay up to watch the ball drop. I'll probably still be washing dishes!

OLDE SEWING HOOPS

Yes..I love the olde wooden sewing hoops. I just can't seem to have enough of them! Everytime I see one or a dozen at an antique shop...I just have to have them! I love the look of them, I love the feel of the worn and weathered wood and I love the way they hold your fabric snug as a bug while stitching. I especially take a liking to the hoops that have fabric wound about them to keep it nice and tight..those are the hoops that were used dearly and often. As they say..."they just don't make them like they used to"....how true! One modern convenience that I am ever so grateful, is the light bulb! Oh heavens...how did young girls and women stitch in the candlelight? We had been without power since early Sunday morning and I can't even imagine trying to stitch by candlelight much less trying to stay warm while sewing! The sampler shown in the photo was stitched in 1857. I purchased it a couple of years ago at an antique shop in Williamston MI.
I will take a better picture of it at a later day....it is truly a time-worn treasure.

Have a wonderful evening! I am off to prepare dinner and then I am going to enjoy my evening stitching up my new sampler pattern from Beehive Needleworks!!

QUIET, QUIET, AND NOTHING TO DO

AHHHHH.....what a nice feeling. I am sitting here catching up on my emails, checking out everyone's blogs and picturetrails. Christmas is but one day gone and I can breathe a sigh of relief and relaxation. This year, I didn't over do, over buy, or even over decorate (well, maybe a little) but for some reason, I felt more stressed and disorganized than ever! We had a nice Christmas. All the grandchildren were over and they were noisy and excited. Going from one present to the next..it was a blur of wrapping paper & cellophane for about 5 brief minutes. Then, they were all tired, some were crying and some were screaming. By the end of the night I think all the adults were ready to take naps...me...I was ready for a big glass of wine! Maybe a bottle..LOL!! They are such good little grandkids...6 of them, all 3 1/2 years and younger. Next year there will be a 7th..fun, fun!!

I am excited, because I am off of work next week, but everyone else will be back at work...I won't know what to do with myself...the whole house to myself!! I ordered a sampler pattern from Bee Hive Needleworks from ebay. I had never seen this seller, but she has beautiful original patterns and she is sooo sweet! Her website is: www.BeehiveNeedleworks.com. For those who love early style stitching, please check her out..she has some really nice sewing accessories, linens, and of course, her patterns.

Everyone have a great evening...I am off to see "The Polar Express" in 3D at the IMAX theatre here in Dearborn MI.

SO MUCH TO DO...SO LITTLE TIME

Where in the heck did this week go??? I have been off since last Friday and can't say I've done one productive thing. I haven't even finished my shopping, so I'll be out early, early on Christmas eve trying to snatch up whatever I can find. Luckily, I don't have but three more gifts to buy...just enough to make me a little crazy! I baked this afternoon and burned two cookie trays of Toll house cookies...I have never done that before..they usually turn out really, really good, but I was caught up in watching reruns of the "Gilmore Girls" and tried to bake in between commercials...now I have to start all over again. I also had big plans to make jars and jars of salsa and a platter of hummus. I even went out and bought myself a new food processor..good grief....what was I thinking??

Oh well. At least my house is decorated! Here are just a few pictures...sorry they are small. I can't seem to get the size to enlarge on this blog! I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas!

SECOND CHANCES.......

Have you ever seen something at an antique mall, wanted it so badly...but for whatever reason passed on it? Well, about two months ago, I went to one of my favorite malls in Livonia, Michigan and spotted an antique child's wooden rocking horse. I passed on it not once but twice...I just couldn't stop thinking about it. Today, I had a little extra time so I decided to visit that antique mall just to see if it was still there. I held my breath, my heart was pounding..I didn't see it at first, so I figured it wasn't' meant to be mine, but then out of the corner of my eye, I saw a little red wooden seat tucked in amongst many, many other items..when I looked down...there it was...the little rocking horse! I pulled it out and couldn't believe it was still there....waiting to be taken into a home where it would be loved and appreciated...again, many many years later! It is the most beautful, worn white and red paint. The seat has a large crack in it, which had been repaired and one of the horses has a crack with a make-do repair as well. It is the perfect seat for my antique teddy bears and will find rest under my Christmas tree or on top of my sawbuck table...I'll have to wait and see...where ever it ends up, it will be treasured for a long, long time!

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR!!

I love the way this little sampler turned out. It is a design by Lori Brechlin, of Notforgotten Farm. I love the little, vintage frame so in order for the stitchery to fit, I had to cut out a few reindeer that Lori had on her pattern, but the Santa and his sleigh are so darn cute! I also made a little sewing pocket from reproduction Civil War fabric in a nice cranberry color. And don't you just love coffee stained, pipe cleaner candy canes? I just can't seem to have enough of them! I have them through out my house and on all the trees. This little set of Christmas was made for a friend and I shipped it off to her this afternoon...hope she likes it!

It's so hard to believe that Thanksgiving has come and gone! My husband & I carried out our 37 year tradition and went shopping today. We didn't get up at 5 am, in fact we weren't even out of the door by 10 am....We just take our time and enjoy the day. There were so many people out, it's' hard to believe that there is an economic crisis. I never seem so find the really "great" deals that are worth standing in lines for hours and hours. We shopped on Wednesday evening and bought just about everything for the grandchildren...today was just a fun day.

A VERY SPECIAL BLESSING

This morning, we headed down to Cleveland Ohio, for an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic. It was a wonderful office visit! My daughter received such a blessing and a gift on July 10th of this summer. You see, my daughter has been a diabetic for 30 years. Renee was only 2 years old when she was diagnosed. Although, she had done well with her diabetes, the disease was starting to take it's toll on her body. After all, like they say, insulin is a "treatment" not a "cure". Well...to make a long story short...she had been reading that hospitals were doing more and more pancreas transplants. Renee had never seriously looked into the possibility of having one until her cousin, Doreen, had a transplant at the Cleveland Clinic three years ago. Doreen had such success with hers, that my daughter decided to make an appointment in June of 2007 to see if she would be a candidate. The transplant team at Cleveland are the most wonderful group of doctors and nurses one could hope for. After being on the waiting list for a year, she got the call on the evening of July 9th and on the 10th at 1 pm, Renee had a new pancreas! Her blood sugars have been absolutely wonderful since! No insulin, no poking herself 6-9 times a day to check her sugar. Although she is on anti-rejection medication and she did have a bit of a struggle with nausea on and off for the first three months, I am so happy to report that she went back to work on November 11th. It's amazing how wonderful she looks and feels...like a new gal! I don't think I have ever seen her look more beautiful and radiant! I thank God everyday for this true blessing and gift He has given her. I will always keep the family who so graciously gave this gift of life, to help my daughter and others, in my prayers. Maybe someday Renee will be able to meet this family and thank them personally. Have a beautiful weekend!

THREADS OF THE PAST

About a year or so ago on our BLESTB postings, one of the members had brought to our attention about an out-of-print issue of Country Homes, October 1988 that featured an article on reproduction samplers. The samplers were designed and stitched by a very talented young woman in the most primitive fashion. She stitches on homespun, linen, and what looks to be osnaburg. Her colors are the early blues, golds, and browns. In the article it states that she really didn't have a pattern, she just stitched. Well, after a year of hunting for this magazine on ebay, in antique shops, and "google-ing", I finally found this most treasured issue on ebay last week. I was so excited when I received it in the mail this afternoon!!!!!

It is a wonderful issue....although...all the issues were wonderful way back then...so primitive and early were the homes they featured. The young woman who made these samplers has a six page spread of her wonderful, primitive home! It was so worth the wait. If any of you, who love early style stitching as much as I do, have this magazine, KEEP IT!! for those who don't...FIND IT!!!
It is a very inspiring article that will keep your creative fingers stitching!! Twenty years later.... I wonder if this woman is still making these incredible samplers and if she still lives in her beautiful home.

CHANGING MY BLOG NAME

Hope this Sunday evening finds you well. I've been busy doing my usual Sunday routine...catching up on laundry, cleaning, and cooking. I decided to change my blog name from Union Star Primitives to The Evening Stitcher, since that's basically what I do...stitch in the evening!

BLESTB'S OLDE TYME CHRISTMAS

Yesterday marked the beginning of BLESTB'S Olde Tyme Christmas launch on Ebay. This is a very talented group of women,which I am so proud to be a part of, that take joy in creating and stitching the most beautiful early-style stitcheries. Everything from samplers to needlepunch items are being offered. Just go to Ebay's homepage and type in BLESTB in the search bar and you will be amazed at the creations my stitching sisters have to offer.

Also...you must check out the TDIPT Mercantile. This website is from another Ebay group, TDIPT (To Dwell in Primitive Times). They offer new items on the 1st and 15th of every month. These folk artists create the very best items for your primitive pleasure. They too, are a group formed from Ebay. To find them on Ebay type in TDIPT in the search bar.

The Primitive Rug Hookers are another Ebay formed group, that offer the most beautiful, primitive hand hooked rugs ever!!! If hooked rugs are your thing, please check them out. Type in PRHG in the ebay search bar. These ladies not only sell finished rugs, but also wool, cutting and hooking tools and patterns. They will have their annual "Snowman Ball" launch later this month.

I hope everyone has a great day especially since we get an extra "hour".. I am still fine tuning my "bloggin" skills...so please bear with me!

NOVEMBER ALREADY!!!!!!!

Stop...close your eyes....take a deep breath and exhale slowly...no this isn't a blog for meditation or yoga, but it is a mere and simple reminder for all of us to slow down and relax in our everyday life. Oh sure...it's easy to say but very difficult to do. Do you know that if you take approximately three minutes a few times a day to actually "breathe", it will reduce your stress and anxiety level dramatically. I have had to force myself to do this several times these past few months and it does help!



Well...last evening was Halloween. It seems like the amount of trick or treaters have decreased dramatically. Our new neighbors have four children ranging in age from 8 years to 2 years and this was the first time they have ever gone out on Halloween. They had a blast!! Their father couldn't believe how much fun they had. He came over around 9 pm and was amazed how nice it was for his children. We live on a cul-de-sac, so everyone knows everyone on the street. Two of our grandchildren came over and joined in the fun...Jacob who is 2 1/2 and Olivia who is only 14 months. Then of course, my children, the two who live at home, had to dress up to go to a Halloween party. Honestly...you would think they were in grade school themselves!