Remember the Cactus?

 The summer monsoons make the desert come alive with color.  We've been watching the barrel cactus and it just started blooming this last week.  The first photos I showed you were the buds.  You can still see some in the top of the cactus that haven't opened yet.

 The flowers are gorgeous!  After the very cold winter we had there was no way to know what would live and what would die.  I'm so glad the cactus made it!

I'll be anxious to get a photo of the entire thing in bloom as this is by far, the most number of flowers I've seen on it in the 18 years we've lived here.

Summer Splendor Winner

Oh how I loved reading the snacking comments to the last post.  So did my mom.  The winner (using the random number generator) was Lynda who posted the following:

I do snack while stitching...usually Dove chocolates or pretzels. I'm always getting up and washing my hands though...so that my slow stitching even slower! 

Please email at littlehouseneedleworks@msn.com.


Happy Stitching (and snacking),
Diane

Snacking and Stitching. A no-no??

How many of you snack and stitch?  I do.  I try to choose fabric-friendly snacks because more often than not I'm stitching a model.  I've been working on my Beatrix Potter Quaker this weekend and today I had a craving for potato chips.  NOT the type of food you eat while stitching. . . . . not unless you want a greasy needle and thread.  So I stopped, took a picture of the chips in the bag, and wondered what do you snack on while stitching. . . . . . .or is it completely off-limits to you?

I did pick up a great tip from Jean Lea at The Attic Needlework in Mesa, AZ.  If you want to eat chocolate like M&M's, put them in a cup and use the cup, not your hands to get them into your mouth. 

Reply to this blog post with your favorite stitching snack food or snacking-while-stitching tip and I'll enter you in random number drawing for the new "Summer Splendor" chart.  Let's say the cut-off is Tuesday at 7:00 a.m. Arizona time.

Happy Stitching,
Diane

Are you a Mayflower Descendant?

There are thousands upon thousands upon thousands of Mayflower descendants living in the US today.  Unless the family history was handed down to you or you made the discovery yourself, you might not know about this fun fact in your family line.

Let's see how many of the readers to this blog know their family history. . . . . . are you a Mayflower descendant??  Just this year I found that one of my family lines could be traced to Jonathan Brewster. . . . . . just like Ashley Judd. 

Let me know if any of you can trace your roots back to the Mayflower.  Leave a comment and let's connect!  And I would especially be interested in hearing from any Hopkins or Snow descendants!  I can tell you why a little later. . . . .

Happy stitching,
Diane

Gracie and the Frisbee

Gracie caught her first Frisbee this week!!  The orange one you see here is her third one.  Up until now they have simply been chew toys.  This one is pretty rough around the edges but still sails along pretty well.  It's now her favorite "go to" toy as she knows she is getting the hang of what it's all about (and likes it!). 

Monsoons have started in Arizona but already have tapered off.  I have lived in this state thirty years and for the first time I can remember, we woke up to temperatures below 70 degrees today.  It was cool and gorgeous!  Of course it will be 100 by 2:00 but we certainly do enjoy surprises like that!

We are shipping patterns to distributors today so they will arrive there the end of next week for those wanting to know our release schedule this month.

Stay cool. . . . have a nice weekend!
Diane

Lear Willson - 1785 Samplings

Things on the internet are NOT always as they seem.  I learned this lesson when I bought the Lear Willson sampler after not asking enough questions.  The most pertinent one should have been. . . . . .was the design stitched over one thread???  I should have known better just by looking.  So instead of creating a monster sized design full of mis-matched carnations, I opted for something a little more unique.  I consolidated the carnations and made a smaller "state" sampler. You could change out the lettering to anything you wanted as long as it fit on two lines. 

I used a few of Lear's carnations to create the design with some being larger than others.  The birds are hers as is the blueberry motif in the center.  In addition to that I reproduced the floral in the design which I thought was just gorgeous.  Can you see the bird???

And the last design in the pack is an original LHN chart.  Using the colors from the other two pieces, I designed a home for Lear and placed her beside it.  All three pieces could be stitched and grouped on a wall making a beautiful arrangement of 1785 samplings!

I'll be posting my newsletter on the LHN site later today so keep an eye out for it.  I'll have more info on the Lear Willson sampler as well as news on other upcoming patterns.

Happy Stitching,

Diane

Summer Splendor

Summer Splendor

If you like spot samplers, this one should make you smile.  Reds, greens,and a bit of white and gold make this a perfect summer project that you can finish on the go.  While stitching it I was thinking  I might want to do this scene in three more seasonal designs.  But we'll see. . . . . I first have to get you the spring and summer band samplers next year after I release the autumn one this year.  No promises!  Hopefully tomorrow I'll get the newsletter out and the rest of the photos. 

Happy Stitching,
Diane

Baked Goods

We're back to work after taking a week off to get ready for mom's party.  What better way to start the week than by featuring a new design?  "Baked Goods" is the seventh ornament in the 2011 series and ships mid-month to our distributors.  This is one of my favorites this year!!!!

Vonna did the stitching and finishing on this little goodie and she did a beautiful job.  Don't you love that red bow on the top????  It really pops the color in the design.  I'll have a supply list on my web site soon.

We will have a newsletter this month but I am not planning to do them around the first of the month but rather closer to the 10th.  This date is closer to our ship-dates which means you have less time to wait between the news and actually getting the designs. 

Happy Stitching,
Diane

July 4th

 Mom had a wonderful party on Saturday.  Her sister and niece came down from Phoenix and my step-sister flew in from Indiana to help celebrate.  It was wonderful making her "queen for a day"!

Thank you all for helping my mom to feel so special last week with the messages you left.  

It meant so much to us both!!!

Ron and I are laying a bit low this 4th of July.  We feel like we've celebrated enough recently but we both carry in our hearts what this day means!

Happy 80th Birthday Mom!

Mom I know you've loved this little tribute this week and I'm so glad!!!  You are a great mom, grandmother and so much more.  We are blessed as a family to have you in it!!!  You make the world a better place.

We are celebrating mom's birthday tomorrow and I'll share more pictures after the gathering.

(Mom. . . . . no model stitching today.  You have the day off!!!)