~ Dana's Pinkeep - True Joy ~

Hi there! Some people we meet are meant to be with us a lifetime. For me, Dana is one of those people. Although we live on opposite ends of town, we keep a strong sistership which has survived many years, even though we *see* one another very infrequently. She is my sister in every sense, I love her and her family in every sense. I stitched this little hanging ornie/pinkeep for Dana, to symbolize the length and beauty of our enduring sistership. Sorry pic is poor, taken some time ago with old camera. Chart is called Antique Flower (designer unk), DMC floss on fiddlers cloth, hanger is jute, aida back same as front. It's a bit fraktur, a bit Elizabethan, and of course was great fun to stitch. After all, true joy is in the giving, weeeeell~and the stitching:)

Tootles, Sue

~ "Sentiment in Samplers" via NY Times ~

Hi there! Does the magical history of splendid old Samplers live in your heart, as in mine? Maybe this delightful 1900 archived article on Samplers from the NY Times has already *been around*, but I hadn't seen it 'til recently and wanted to share. Please have a good read and enjoy!

Thank you so much to all the dedicated people at the Times for their toils and troubles making these great articles available! Link is * here *, taking you to the article in pdf format.

Tootles, Sue

~ The Irritating Stitcher ~

Hi there! I do declare, the *most* irritating thing about some stitchers is they just can't control themselves, it's so degrading and well, I'm really really sorry to say this, they're just pitiful. You know the ones, floss lickers, you stitch side by side with them, always crying and whining, scrimping and squirreling away grocery money for a new chart, sneaking back from the mailbox like Inspector Clouseau and then boasting about stimulating their stash behind their husband's back, snivelling about nasty 'lil frogs invading their house, fabricating any excuse to take the long way home so they can stop/shop at their LNS, panting and foaming uncontrollably every February when they hear the words *Nashville Market*, feverishly making list after list, cunningly swapping this one for that one, ultimately wanting more, and more, and more. They are much worse than xxx addicts, they are stitchaholics, and yet addicts in every sense of the word, beyond any glimmer of hope whatsoever, whew~ and... I am one of them~LOL!!!

Pic is pre-blog January '09 (b-day stash), but I figured it would be fun to share anyway.

The Beauties: BBD~Thank You Sarah Tobias and Autumn Song; Stacy Nash~A Simply Early Christmas; Ewe & I & Friends~Always A Goodly Heart; Kelmscott heart thread keeper; Felted wee pineapple pinkeep; Overdyed silk and cotton threads; Sassy's Fabbys 18 ct. aida in Golden Promise, Toffee and Tan Marble.

If you're an irritating stitcher too, please feel free to leave a comment. It was especially great fun composing this post, hope you enjoyed it! Come back again anytime, even if you are one of them:)

Tootles, Sue

~ Primitive Bless This Home ~

Hi There! This verse is one I stitched freehand probably 20 years ago and then set aside on *the pile*. You know, you have one too, that pile of unfinished finishes that beckons you to lavish love upon it:) When I discovered it again, I felt something was lacking, so I added a motif, finished and stuffed it. This old piece turned itself into a prim and simple make-do and just the sweetest little pillow which now rests on a chair in the foyer. DMC 221 on 14 ct. Zweigart aida, color natural (discontinued), very soft aida, measures 3 inches by 11 inches. As it turns out, the 14 ct. aida that I thought was less than worthy of finishing actually did my stitchy heart good, very glad to get this out of the pile and into our home:) My brother Jeff and I had great fun on the checkerboard project as we crudely cobbled and painted it from a very old plank lovingly salvaged from my in-law's beautiful 1847 home. We of course then proceeded to crack it quite nicely in half~LOL, old planks will do that, but Jeff's biscuit handiwork patched it perfectly. Kind thanks for stopping by, always nice to see you here!

Tootles, Sue

~ Penniwig's Blog - Free Graphics ~

Hi there! Popping in to share a really nice blog I stumbled across recently. Holly a/k/a *Olde Dame Penniwig* @ Penniwig's Blog here offers us FREE lovely vintage style *copyright free* graphics with a simple right click/save. My hope is to drive a little *traffic* her way. Holly also designs lovely earrings which she offers for sale on her blog. And, if it's FRIDAY (which it is today) she will have a simple contest Friday night to gift away a pair. My dear friend Erynne of Be-Stitched Blog here won a pair, and the very next week so did I, which really surprised me, as I did not realize leaving a comment for Olde Dame Penniwig would enter me in contest! Earrings have arrived and are just beautiful, thank you kindly Holly!

If you too would like to try for a pair, head on over to Penniwig's Blog today!

Tootles, Sue