Ta-Da!

The LHN blog topped half a million hits!

Thank you all for stopping by to visit.

Our new patterns have reached our distributors.  The info on each of them is up on our web site.

Faith

Hometown Holiday Sweet Shop

Simplicity

Happy Stitching,

Diane

A Scenic Drive . . . . . .

Once in a while I just like to get out and "see" Tucson through the lens.  I am always amazed at the details I miss when I look with my own eyes.  The saguaro are in bloom and are beautiful.  But it wasn't until I saw the photos that I could see the bees!

Beautiful saguaro starting to bloom 

A One Armed Bandit!  (A cactus with one arm)

Ron and Gracie in the look-out post

This area is on the property at Old Tucson

Who says the desert isn't beautiful?  I love this. . . . . . .  :)

So close!  My favorite place in Tucson!  But we had Gracie today so it was off limits.  Maybe next time. . . . .

There she is!  NOT really wanting to get back in the truck.  

Looking toward the back lot at Old Tucson

Saguaro National Park on the drive home

Lots of saguaros!

Thanks for stopping by!  Enjoy YOUR weekend!
Diane

Mystery Sampler

Have you seen the preview of our Mystery Sampler?  Call your shop to sign up!  The first shipment is being sent to Norden Crafts the first week of June.   The clock is ticking. . . . . . . !!

Something so rare. . . . . .

A very good friend of mine, Michael, has come across something so rare I just had to ask him if it could be shared on my blog.  Let me start by saying that this is the same man whose ownership of the Nantucket box inspired my design, Old Nantucket.  He is an antiques dealer and comes across wonderful samplers and really good old stuff!  This find is amazing.

Have you ever heard of a "watch sampler?"  It's a tiny piece of needlework stitched with the woman's hair (yes, hair) which was then tucked into the case of the pocket watch of husbands and fathers.

The linen appears American and from what I can tell and the stitching is "over one".  How did such a fragile piece of early 1800's history survive so well??

It reads: 

"Part not with a MOMENT but for its worth."

In a letter attached to the item was a note that this little gem was made by Mary Bowden.

Anyone with any knowledge of watch samplers, please leave your comments here.  Or if you just want to ooh and aah over it, leave those comments too!

Thanks for sharing this Michael!

Diane

April Releases!

Years ago I was introduced to "Peepers". . . . . . those wonderful little half glasses that can be worn alone or over your regular glasses.  Jean Lea at The Attic fitted me with my first pair.  Since then I have moved to a better pair of progressive lenses that allow me to see detail work while stitching.  "Miss Peepers" is just a fun little whimsical design that should put a smile on your face while stitching.

Miss Peepers

The other designs are from the two ongoing series, Little Sheep Virtues and Hometown Holiday.

Little Sheep Virtue, Courage

Hometown Holiday - Caroling Quartet

Next month we will publish the fourth Hometown Holiday design which is a sweet shop, then we take a break for a bit.  This gives us all time to get caught up with buildings, cubes, stitching etc. I will let you know when the fifth design in the series is coming.  I can tell you this though. . . . . . it's a General Store.  

Remember you can join me on Facebook here: FACEBOOK

Happy Stitching, Diane

Needleworker

I just realized I never put the photo of the Nashville project on my blog.  This is obviously quite late.  Sorry!  Anyway. . . a fun project that Vonna has already completed!  Goodness gracious she's a fast stitcher!  The "kit" comes with pattern and thread, you supply the fabric.

We'll be updating the web site, blog and FB next week with the new designs!

Happy Stitching,

Diane

Hometown Holiday - a Duo!

I am so excited to share a photo of cube #2 with you. . . . "Main Street Station."  I placed it with "My House", the first design that will be getting into shops soon.  This is not the photo of the pattern cover, just a peek at what they look like together.

"Caroling Quartet" is the third design and will be followed by a Sweet Shop.  I'm stitching that one now!  I'm thinking some ceramic trees places around the cubes  would look really nice.  :)

We will ship "Main Street Station" in the middle of March.

Diane

New Designs for February

This is such a fun month of releases!  The second Little Sheep Virtue pattern is called "Love" and features two sheep.  I think you can see how the designs change, the sheep change, the heart(s) in the design change and so on as we move along.  "Love" was the last model mom stitched so it is a really special to me.

Next is the new series, Hometown Holiday featuring the design called "My House."  We've included an alphabet for personalizing and a tutorial on our web site for making the cubes. I will be showing an advance photo some time soon of building #2, "Main Street Station" so that you can see more than one piece in the series at a time in a photo.     

Next is a really big design called "Orchard Valley Quilting Bee" which was stitched by Vonna whom you all know!  I think it was a labor of love.  At least I hope so.  It's one of those feel-good designs that remind us of simple times and days gone by.

As I was designing I saw the possibility of stitching the "smalls" within the design or combining a few to create a completely different horizontal chart.  I'm sure many of you are thinking the same thing!

Happy Stitching,

Diane