A Little Christmas

I woke up early this morning with an idea for my advent rabbit.

I made him years ago, but he is large and I have a hard time finding a place for him, but today inspiration hit.

and I think that my one and only Christmas decoration so far turned out OK.

When I got home on Friday I had a wonderful surprise in the mail from Ginger over at Primitives by the Light of the Moon she does great punch needle and this is a little booklet of her designs.  So I need to break out the needle and get going! 

Now I know you have seen my rug in progress, complete and now put on my foot stool.

The cats love to snooze here as it is soft and warm, plus it has some little cat friends.

One last picture of my blanket crane, I have had it for some time and I finally put it up.

It hangs over my workspace and I can put fabrics that I'm working with so they are right at arms length.

As you can see by the mess on the table I'm in the middle of some projects.

I hope that you have had a productive weekend and may your coming week contain lots of stitching. 

Winners

Winners Winners Cats are hoping for the Chicken dinners!

We employed the cats to pick the winners of the Primitive Quilts Magazine giveaway.

The winners are!

Set of 5 -  Chris

Set of 2 - Barb

 Set of 1 - Catherine

Chicken Dinners - Baby and Newbe

Congratulations

I finished my hooked rug and am very pleased with how it turned out, now onto the task of covering the footstool with it!

I have been doing some more forced cleaning and am looking for more items for giveaways so stay tuned.

Hope everyone is getting in the holiday mood, it is coming up fast!

Have a wonderful week!

Hooking with Bobcats!

Look who showed up to our rug hooking class!

You just never know to what levels hooking in Tennessee can take you.

This young bobcat was really visiting the friends of TN state parks program that was taking place next door, but we all stopped hooking/talking and ran out for a visit.

So on to why I was even close to that bobcat.

 I participated in a 3 day rug hooking workshop called Three Bags Full

This fun filled workshop was put on by Lisanne Miller owner/teacher of P is For Primitive.
Betty from Sampling from Spring Creek and I thought this would be a good way to get some more projects underway, because you can never have to many.
We were to bring 3 bags of wool each bag containing one color but any and all shades of that color.
from that we were going to learn how to color plan a rug of our choosing.
So the desperate rush to pick a pattern started two week ago.
I had found this neat little foot stool at a hook in that I went to this summer.
It needs a new covering so it will be a rug!


 I love antiques and the look of all the old primitive rugs so the search on pinterest began.
I picked a handful, OK an armful of pictures and each night I would run them by Danny.
After about the third night of this he commented it was just a rug decide all ready,those are modified words.
So here is my choice!

Should be fairly easy right?
Well I learned lots of things, this is easy as I don't know much about rug hooking.  I have collected lots of the tools of the trade and don't really even know how to use them all, but I am getting there.
So here is where my rug is at after 2 days.

So what has been happening with the rest of my time.
I have finished a few cross stitch pieces
A nice one from Notforgotten Farm's new book.

Three of the four Santa's from Birds of a feather.

Have made good progress on Dear Hart from Kathy Barricks new design house!

Since my last post I have been forced to do some clearing out.  Our bathroom redo is now reaching into other rooms and catch all cupboard had to be emptied so... today I'm finally living up to my promise to have a give away.  Well lets make that 3

1st name will get 5 Primitive Quilts  Magazines
2nd name will get 2 Primitive Quilts Magazines

3rd name will get 1 Primitive Quilts Magazine

I would like to limit the draw to US shipping addresses only due to increased shipping costs.

If you would like a chance to win just post a comment below I will draw a name on 

 Nov 30,2013 small business Saturday.

Speaking about small business.  I will be closing the Cardan Antiques and Needlework website on December 31st.  Every thing is 10% off plus free shipping until that time.

I will just be selling from time to time off the blog as time permits.

I hope you all have a wonderful week with lots of stitching time thrown in!

See you on Nov 30th with 3 lucky winners!

Where does the time go

Gifts!

Who doesn't love them...

Giving gives one great satisfaction

and 

Receiving them out of them blue gives great pleasure.

My son is visiting for the weekend and I talked him into taking photos for me, this way I had no excuse not to blog as his feelings would be hurt if I didn't use his pictures.  

You see I have to play mind games with myself to get me motivated, don't get me wrong I love to blog, see comments and read others blogs, but how easy is it just to pick up needle and thread and just stitch.

Thank goodness everyone is not the same or I would have nothing to read in the evenings.

So What are the gifts????

I received a nice size box from Irene and Anne who are stitching pals in England.

This was what was inside

 Ironstone pudding mold, marmalade jar and potted meat pot.  Some lovely linens

 A tiny thimble purse with a beautiful thimble and tiny buttons in it, and Gypsy Pegs!

I had to ask what Gypsy Pegs were, not their function cloths pins but if you live here in the US we don't have them.  They are most intriguing really a small work of art now I want to collect them...

 Then two weeks ago we went to Knoxville for a quick visit and to shop at an antique show.

I stayed with Candi for the night,  it is never enough time to get in all the trouble we would like to, but...

She gave me my birthday gift

Fabric, thread for the sampler bag in SANQ and thread keep, well you know I had to start that night.

I have put in a few letters since, it is a very fun stitch and I'm looking forward to putting together in the bag form.

 So what have I been up to for the last three months???

A little finishing

 A little stitching

 Notice Gypsy Pegs in use.

 

 A little antiquing do you see pin cushions????

A Little Cat Watching

So I'm going to post this quick I don't want to test fate, three months really!

I will be posting very soon as I have items that need to make it into your hands, so please don't give up on me and check back soon.

Have a great weekend with lots of stitching.

Not sure what is causing the big gap at the beginning of this post, phantom sampler that was completed this summer?

Spring Blooms, New Starts a Few finishes and Gifts

I am always trying to get some good photos and they usually escape me, but I think I managed to capture a few good spring blooms that I will have through out the post.

 A few weeks back I received a wonderful gift from Nicola -Stitcher Extraordinaire
It was Ann Medd a sampler that I have wanted to stitch for years, but always talked myself out of so now I have no excuse and I am very glad of it.  I'm gathering together supplies so it will soon be a new start!

Thank you Nicola

While I'm sure that I do not get done as much as many of you, I did manage a few finishes this last month.

At the Nashville Needlework Market in March La D Da had this wonderful needle/floss keep as a kit.

Even though I was in La D Da's booth 3 or 4 times I did not even see it, I don't know what I was doing, any way Jean saved the day by seeing and buying it.

Now you ask why do I have three????

Well you see Jean stitched hers and then asked if I would do the finishing she would stitch me one, so of course.... The third one I stitched for Candi just because.

Just a note the stitching goes faster then the finishing, but one without the other is just not the same.

Love in the Mist

 We have a sweet new addition to the house, Cissy.  I think I might have a problem with collecting cute kitties what do you think?

Baby and Cissy learning to play together.

 Lavender

Stacy Nash's

Cat and Mouse Pinkeeps and Slipper

beside some fabrics that looked good for finishing, now just to decide

Love in a Mist among Ice flower 

Mansion House at Fox Hollow 

by

 With My Needle and Thread

I saw this antique for sale on ebay and I wanted it so bad, but I was paying some bills off so I just quit watching the bidding as it hurt to much. 

Then a month or so later the pattern was charted so I think that I got the best end of that deal, now to find the right frame.

Mothers day gift

A bookmark by Nickys Creations

 along with coconut toffee from Divine Art Toffee

I had to hurry and deliver this gift get it out of my house so I would not eat it, it is so good I was tempted to deprive my mother, what kind of daughter am I.

I added the link so you can order it up and try it for yourself.

Last but not least two new Scarlet Letter starts

Jane Parish

 and

Manifesto on 40 count silk gauze

So I think I will be able to keep myself busy this summer.

How about you what is in your workbasket?

Scarlet Letter Logo Chart

I think that I have figured out how to share this file with you all.
Right click on picture and save to your computer and then print from your computer.
ENJOY

Time keeps on Slipping

I just don't know where time goes....

First off have you ordered Stacy's new book???

Well what are you waiting for Stacy has signed copies for sale, or ask you local needlework shop if they will order one up!

On the stitching front I have finished The Huntsman!

Lots and lots of stitches, but all worth it.

 So while I was trying to decide what project to stitch next, I picked up a quick stitch by La D Da, some great funky birds just perfect for the spring when your stitching by the open window and can hear all the real birds chirruping away.

The new spring edition of 

Primitive Quilts and Projects 

is here

 I have 2 copies if you need one $9.00 no shipping in US

 

I also finished a birthday present (a tad late) for Nicola of the Scarlet Letter Year Stitch along.

So with the permission of Marsha owner of The Scarlet Letter I graphed her logo and made it into a project bag!  This graph will be available to all if I can figure out how to put a PDF file on blogger.

If anyone knows how to post PDF files please let me know.

 I will leave you with a lovely flower from my garden,

May you have a very productive week and get lots of stitching done!