New Thread Packs

I have been waiting and waiting to show you these new silk thread pack designs from Crescent Colours and LHN.  I designed them a while ago but we waited until now to release them.  Each pack comes with a skein of Belle Soie (stitches like butter) and the chart.  You provide the fabric and needle.  The packs will be released every other month.  If you have never stitched with silk before this is the time to try it! 

Be sure to scroll down to the next post to see the "Fresh From the Garden" that was just released yesterday at the Nashville Needlework Market!

Happy Stitching,
Diane

2011 Nashville Release! Fresh From the Garden!

FRESH FROM THE GARDEN!

We've gone country and planted a garden in rich, 

dark colors that I know so many of you love!!! 

Little House Needleworks, Impie, Hattie & Bea, Crescent Colours and Hoffman Distributing are happy to bring you our newest release, Fresh From the Garden!  The pattern includes both charts, one for the framed design and one for the inside of the needlebook cover.  The pack also includes the Crescent Colours thread you need to stitch both designs.  The fabric, which is 30 count Straw linen from Weeks Dye Works is purchased separately as is the needlebook/tomato set made by Impie, Hattie, & Bea.  The outside of the needlebook is a deep hunter green.  The black fleamarket styled frame is from Crescent Colours and can be ordered through your local shop.  The flower you see at the bottom of the frame is at the top too!

Happy Stitching,

Diane

Second ornament of the year!

Hooray!  I finally have this photo of the second ornament in the 2011 series to show you.  It's called "Bringing Home the Tree" and was stitched and finished by Vonna.  You'll see when you get your chart that the puppy is wearing tiny boots.  :)  The supply list will be up by the end of the week on the LHN web site.

Happy Stitching,
Diane

An awesome gift!

You all know Vonna don't you?  Well one day she and I were discussing penny rugs and I was wishing I had one but didn't think I had the know-how or time to get one finished.  She offered to make it for me!!  Yes she did!  Anyway, it arrived yesterday and all I can say is "WOW!"  It is simply gorgeous.  Thank you Vonna for being such a great friend AND business pal!

Happy Stitching,
Diane

It HAS been a long time!

Sorry about not posting since "forever ago"!  At first I didn't have anything to share, then I came down with the flu, then I was busy, and, and, and. . . . . .well. . . . that's how it was.  LOT'S of excuses!

Yesterday my oldest grandchild, Juliet, celebrated her 9th birthday.  Nikki always throws great parties.  :)

I'll be previewing the next ornament this week so stay tuned!!

Happy Stitching,
Diane

New from LHN - Rosey!!!

Here she is. . . . . . . .Rosey!!!!   She is about the same size as the other two taller girl samplers, The Sampler Lady and My Needle's Work.  I wrote the verse first and designed around it though I had a good idea of what I wanted it to look like before I began.  With all of the red used it could easily be a display piece for Valentine's Day if you stitch quick enough!

My goal is to update our main web site today or tomorrow with supply lists for all of the designs we ship tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Stitching,

Diane

NEW! Hillside Travelers

Houses, horses, swans, rabbits, squirrels . . . . . . . they're all here!

I am so excited to share this design with you.  It is the soon-to-be released "Hillside Travelers". It's funny how the design process sometimes works.  In this case I wrote the verse first then designed around it.  Mom claimed it immediately and asked to stitch it (which she did).

Now and then I have trouble getting animal proportions right and the horses were a bit harder in this design because they didn't have riders on them as in past designs.  So mom came over one day to lend a hand.  She has a good eye for this sort of thing but was finding designing horses with "X's" instead of a pencil a bit difficult too! 

Hillside Travelers

This chart releases closer to the end of the month when it gets into shop.  It ships mid-month along with the ornament I previewed earlier.  I'll post the supply list on the LHN web site next week.  I have one more photo to show you. . . . . . stay tuned!  It's full of flowers and pretty darker scarlets and greens.
Diane

The first of the 2011 ornaments!

As promised, I am letting you see the first of the 2011 ornaments after Christmas.  We are still quite away from shipping it out in mid-January.  The supply list isn't available just yet but when it does show up it will be on a link of the LHN web site.

Cardinal Winter



Vonna (The Twisted Stitcher) is in charge of the stitching and finishing of all twelve designs.  She continually out-does herself with the finishes.  Isn't this twig frame perfect for the design????  Even the little corners are wrapped neatly making this one look very rustic. 

There are two more designs I'll show here in the days ahead leading up to our mid-month ship date.  Stay tuned!

Thank you for stopping by my blog all year long and supporting us with your stitching and comments.  2011 will be a wonderful year full of new styles in our regular line and also a few surprises. 

I love surprises, don't you?

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Diane

Traditions

Our family has a food tradition that dates back to when I lived at home with my parents many years ago.  Every Christmas Eve we serve the same meal: meatballs, hash brown potato casserole, green beans, garlic bread and cranberry. 

Nikki's cookies are served as dessert.

The meatballs are made with a multitude of ingredients.  We use fresh parsley, onions, garlic, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, thyme, basil, diced tomatoes, tomato paste and a few other items besides the meat. 

The sauce is made first and then the meatballs.

Once the meatballs are formed they go into the oven to brown.  Afterwards they join the sauce and cook all day in the crock pot.  Our house will start smelling really good in just a few hours.  The family will walk in this evening and head to the kitchen, following the wonderful aromas this meal provides!

From our house to yours, we wish you a very happy holiday.

Ron and Diane

Baking Day - Part Two

Just a few more photos from baking day.  The finished cookies displayed beautifully have been delivered to our house today to share with all of our guests tomorrow night.  You do a great job of baking as always Nikki!



The bar cookie being made on the right is layered with graham crackers, coconut, raspberry filling and drizzled with white and milk chocolate.

These delicious little sweets are made with a peanut butter Ritz Bits dipped in melted white chocolate.  Before it cools, top with a Hershey semi-sweet morsel.  Is there anything better than chocolate and peanut butter all in one bite?

Someone just got caught with their hand in the sugar jar!

Happy baking everyone!

Diane