May Day Give Away

First off, look what came in the mail!  I won all these wonderful things on Liz Mathews blog, I'm still trying to decide which item is my favorite.  Liz has a great blog with lots of awesome pictures and great ideas for things you can create with items like my prizes, so go check her out.

My goal was to post more often, so what do I do but wait a whole month...., but while I may not be posting I have been doing a few things.  So I will show you some finishes.  I was looking through a box and I found some stitching all done but not framed or finished, so I got right to it.

Notforgotten Farm with a tiny white tomato pinkeep and an antique red pinkeep.

Notforgotten Farm "Garden School"

Jean stitched this Spring Tweets, which I think is Primitive Betty.

While I was digging in that box of half finished pieces I also pulled out this.

It was one of my great ideas that I will share with you.  As you can see the pinwheel box in the picture, this is going to be my sewing box with my pinwheel pinkeep (stitched over one on 40ct) still waiting to be put together.  All this was inspired by Carriage House's Pennsylvania Pinwheel pattern.  I have all kinds of other ideas for needle books and thread winders that will some day come to rest in the box, but until then I'm going to share my craziness with you!  Are you ready....

I'm going to give away one painted pinwheel box and the Pennsylvania Pinwheel pattern, so I have some company in my insanity.  In order to win, just leave a comment below give me some ideas what you would do with this.  If your not a follower of the blog I would love to invite you to join (don't worry there won't be tons of reading) and those of you that don't have accounts to join I finally figured out how you can post a comment anonymously thanks Darlene for bringing this to my attention.  Please put your name if commenting anonymously so I know which anonymous I am drawing.  If you still have trouble just drop me an email and I will add you to the drawing.  Good luck to all.  I will draw next Sunday evening.  So enjoy the rest of April, I will see you on May Day with a winner! 

Out and About in Franklin

 I am sure that school is still the same as school  long ago, but I think that I wouldn't mind learning as much in this one!

Every time I pass this little school house I ask Danny don't you want a house just like that???  It is located in Franklin and was in bad need of repair. It sits beside four Indian Mounds see sign below for more information.  A subdivision was being built near it on the condition that they give this little school house some well deserved love.  I think they did a great job, but I don't understand why I can't move in now.

 Can you see all those little feet running in from lunch, ready for their grammar lesson!

 On to another part of Franklin and another house that I would love to live in.  This one is located in Crockett Park such workmanship.

 A nice little barn to house the horses and cows and a few chicken.

 A little more formal farm house also located in Crockett Park, it was moved to this location in 1993 to prevent its demolition. 

This little guy was just waiting for his picture to be taken, and then he was off to the races... I did not see the tortorise.

My next post I will be having a give away so check back so you can enter to win.

Past Due

Where in the World is Carmen Sutton?  Sorry for the lack of blogging.  At first I was recouping from market.  The weekend after market we went to St Meinrad Indiana to celebrate my uncles 70th birthday.  My uncle Pat is a monk at St. Meinrad Monastery. 

He is also the tailor for the Monastery, so the needle runs in the family. 

The construction of the chruch was began in 1899 and completed in 1907.  All of the work was done by the monks and local towns people.  The stone was quarried by the monks at a quary that was one mile from the building site, and then hauled to the work site by mule wagons. 

 Back then the Monastery was self supporting.  Above is the woodworking shop.  There used to be a barn for the wood where the cars are parked and of course there was a barn cat that I would sneak food to when I would visit.

The cemetery on the grounds.

Here is an example of some of the woodwork that was done.  This room houses the vestments for the chruch.   Brother Kim is in charge here, but he is also a well know weaver.

I was thinking of all those cabinets and drawers for sewing supplies!!!

One of the painted glass windows that was designed by the Royal Bavarian Art Institure of F.X. Zettler of Munich, Germany.

So that was one weekend, what else have I been up to? 

I have tested 6,500 soil samples in 6 weeks.  Have you had your soil tested?

A cheep investment to see if your getting the most out of your soil.

I will be posting more, till then enjoy the weather and have a Great Week.



Remembrance

We have been so sadden by the tragic loss of Lisa Roswell our hearts go out to her family and friends who are left behind.

We were lucky enough to have meet Lisa and to have known that we were in the presence of a truly kind and loving person.  It was in her smile, the way she spoke of her family and the time and care she would take with people.  She will be sorely missed by all.

What a Weekend!

Well what a great weekend we had!  It started off early on Thursday when Kathy Barrick, Carol Sims and Ginny Westover came to market early.  What do you do in Nashville two days before the Needlework market...why go antiquing of course!  There were three big show going on last weekend and we went to two of them and found lots of treasures.  Then more friends showed up on friday Jean Hohulin and Candi Smith more antiquing and then setting up for the show.  I don't think that I slept a wink all weekend, which I'm paying for now, but I would not have traded it for anything.

 Thanks to Kathy for all of the encouragment and knowledge that got me to market.

 Here are some pictures of our room at market.  Kathy's awesome jewlery.

 Here is Cardan's display, sorry about my poor photography.

 Jean waiting to help the first customer!

 Marty with all of her new items carring on the Carriage House Samplings tradition.



The Grand Finale

Are you ready!!!!!!

The last two patterns are reproduction samplers.  They are from the private collection of Kathy Barrick, and she has graciously allowed me to share them with you.

 Philadelphia Botting

I can't tell you how fun it was to stitch, because Jean Hohulin the master stitcher completed this piece in record time.  Jean loves samplers with houses in them, so she loved this one with both the house and what I would guess is a church?  What do you think it is???

  Jane Thomas

The famed Adam and Eve, quite the funky little people.

Actually they are kind of large and since Jane was only 11 when stitching this piece her proportions are a little off and what you see are ARMS.

There are two Models, the top one is on 40ct parchment linen. Its size is closest to the original.  The second model is stitched on 35 ct gold streak linen overdyed with crushed walnut hull dye. This linen color most resembles the original. It is pretty dark but oh the blue just jumps out at you.

Jean and I each stitched a model.  I was racing (I did not tell Jean this), however she beat me anyway.  I often wonder it Jean does anything else but stitch and once I found out the long long list of things she does I have to assume that she does not sleep.

I have to thank both Kathy and Jean for helping me bring these treasures for you to stitch.

Only 10 more days to market but who is counting!

One More

Boy time flies and at this moment I'm can't say its because I'm having fun.  Had to retake photos for 3 of the covers so they can get printed.  I guess I didn't have high enough resolutions, but thank goodness they caught that before printing them.  So enough about that and on to what is really important:

 LYDIA METCALF

I wanted you to see the whole frame because Kevin from The Barn Door did such an awesome job.  I told him to be sure it was one he could duplicate in case one of you could not live with out it.

Just two more to go see you tomorrow.