Blog Archive

Thursday, July 30, 2026

Miss Homestead Blessings

 "Finish me! Finish me! Finish me! " screamed "Homestead Blessings. "You have had the frame for nigh 8 months . What is holding you up it ?" it asked. 

        "Homestead Blessings was a free stitch that I shared in August of 2025. 

I just rolled my eyes and walked away each time it made it's case. 

Then one day , I moved "Homestead Blessings" to the table beside my stitching chair. It began to squeal in delight for it thought that it was going to be fully finished. 
But lazily , I sat it down on the table and saunteered away. 

"Boo Hoo," cried the little stitch as the solid black frame sat smuggly knowing it was not going to be used anytime soon. 

Then a few weeks later a strip of brown fabric was gingerly placed beside "Homestead Blessings" . It did not say a thing, but smiled meekly as it sat wondering was today the day. 

Fast track 2 months later, as I sat in my stitching chair, I eyed "Homestead Blessings" . Quietly I heard a whisper- "Finish me... Finish me..."

I popped up and said, "Today is the day!"

"Homestead Blessings squealed in delight. "Really? " it asked. 

As I picked up the little stitch . I swear I saw   Mr. Thrifted Black Frame give a faint smile as well.
 
 I found this frame for a dollar over a year ago at the thrift store. 

As usual, I did not give myself a lot of finishing allowance, but I would make do. I always do. 
"Now, little Miss Homestead,  this is not going to be anything fancy. Do you understand?  " I asked. " Just a lick and a promise." 

"Yes, yes, I understand, " she said as she nodded in gratitude.  

I smiled for I knew all she wanted was to be finished. 

I did not give myself a lot of finishing room so I added 1 1/2" strips of calico. 


I cut a few strips of fabric and sewed them to each side of "Homestead Blessings

And then -like I said, with a lick and a promise I popped her into Mr. Thrifted Black Frame. That old grump even twinkled when Miss Homestead joined him. 

Not a perfect finish , but it now can be put on display. 

Now the 2 will live happily ever after. 😀

So that is my tale of the finish of Miss Homestead Blessings. 

Do you have a stitch or a craft that is calling your name, but you just keep putting it off?  I certainly have many more begging to be finished. 



As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"It's not where you start- It's where you finish that counts.  "- Zig Ziglar

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy . 
 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷🌷


 Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes 2026- Early 2026 parade of home freebies.

🌞2026 Love Parade- A Parade of Previous Valentine Freebies- Valentine themed stitches up to Feb. 4, 2026.  

🌞 Root A Toot Toot Patriotic Parade Early 2024 patriotic freebies. 
🌞A Buzzy Bee Parade An early 2025 bee freebie parade.
🌞A Sunny Sunflower Parade for 2025 A parade of sunflower freebies up to July 24, 2025
🌞Pumpkin, Leaves and Autumn Please- A Fall Parade 2025 A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 8, 2025.
🌞 A Parade of Stamps 2025  A parade of stamp cross stitch design freebies up to August 14, 2025

🌞Time to Dye-  2024 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric. 
🌞Pin Pillow Tutorial - 2023 post on how I finish my pin pillows with chenille trim. 
🌞A Spooky Parade - Halloween freebies up to October  4, 2025. More Halloween pieces followed this date.
🌞Turkey Struttin' Thanksgiving Parade 2025- Thanksgiving freebies up to the date of November 3, 2025. More Thanksgiving freebies followed  this date. 
🌞Ho! Ho! Ho! Christmas Parade Of Previous Freebies- 2025- A Parade of Christmas Freebies up to the date of November 15, 2025. More Christmas Freebies followed this date. 
🌞A Chilly Parade of Winter Stitches 2025- A parade of Winter themed freebies up to the date of Dec. 21, 2025

Wednesday, July 29, 2026

The Colors of the Garden- Wordless Wednesday

It has been awhile since we have had a Wordless Wednesday post. Well to be honest- mine is a "Not So Wordless Wednesday" post because there are a few words. 😏😀

Today, I thought I would show you the many colors of the garden.❤💚💛💜

 Though I did not have a bounty of zinnias to come up despite planting oodles of seeds, I do have some beautiful blooms.  You may spy some insects enjoying the blooms as well. I hope you enjoy. 







This Coleus has a bright lipstick pink center. The photo does not do it justice. 

I have pots of plants scattered everywhere. 

The flowers are drooping as the rain comes down. 


Twin coneflowers. 




Fox glove in bloom among the marigolds 

Teeny Tansy blooms. 



This zinnia is a very pale peach. So unusual. 

I plant Peppermint Zinnias every year. 



I hope these simple photos brought a moment of joy to your day. 

Thank you for joining me today. 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Always take time to smell the flowers.  "- Unknown

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy.
 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻


 Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes 2026- Early 2026 parade of home freebies.
🌞2026 Love Parade- A Parade of Previous Valentine Freebies- Valentine themed stitches up to Feb. 4, 2026.  
🌞 Root A Toot Toot Patriotic Parade Early 2024 patriotic freebies. 
🌞A Buzzy Bee Parade An early 2025 bee freebie parade.
🌞A Sunny Sunflower Parade for 2025 A parade of sunflower freebies up to July 24, 2025
🌞Pumpkin, Leaves and Autumn Please- A Fall Parade 2025 A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 8, 2025.
🌞 A Stomping Stamp Parade 2026  A parade of stamp cross stitch design freebies up to June 2, 2026

🌞Time to Dye-  2024 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric. 
🌞Pin Pillow Tutorial - 2023 post on how I finish my pin pillows with chenille trim. 
🌞A Spooky Parade - Halloween freebies up to October  4, 2025. More Halloween pieces followed this date.
🌞Turkey Struttin' Thanksgiving Parade 2025- Thanksgiving freebies up to the date of November 3, 2025. More Thanksgiving freebies followed  this date. 
🌞A Christmas in July Parade of Past Freebies- 2026 A Parade of Christmas Freebies up to the date of July 6, 2026. More Christmas Freebies followed this date. 
🌞A Chilly Parade of Winter Stitches 2025- A parade of Winter themed freebies up to the date of Dec. 21, 2025
🌞Let's Dye Some Fabric- A tutorial on my process of dyeing Aida 


Tuesday, July 28, 2026

Tuesday Rambles

 

Do you remember a couple of months ago when I told you that Mr. Pinker found a hutch at a thrift shop for 25 smackeroos?!  It wasn't perfect. It was unstained and  missing the front doors, but it was homemade, well built,  and big .❤

 Well, Mr. Pinker stained it  with my favorite stain ,Early American, and moved it right on  into the house into the small laundry room. 


It was not long before I began filling it to the brim with what most people call "good old fashion junk!" 😀😁 I call the junk thrifty treasures though.


The hutch is tucked into a small laundry room and will be used for storage - mostly storing my blue enamelware and pottery.  The enamelware pots on the top shelf store more enamelware and  floral picks


I am happy as a clam with this new storage piece. 





The baby finches will soon be leaving their nest. It has been a joy for the grandsons to watch the little ones grow. 


 Over the weekend, Mr. Pinker and I took a road trip to Alabama where we enjoyed the beautiful farmland scenery which included vast cornfields.



The huge American flag waving in the cornfield was glorious! 

Old Glory waving in the breeze at the Walker Ranch. 

My travel stitch was Little House Needleworks, "Sheep Virtues". My sweet friend, Donna gifted me the darling charts. 
I finished  "Joyfulness" .  ( The precious felt sheep needle holder was a gift from my dear friend Patricia. Isn't it as cute as a button with the googly eyes? 🐑💗)


I then began "Gratitude". Mr. Ripper did have to come out once when I miscounted and moved the border over a row, but thankfully it was a quick and easy fix.  

Look at the splotchy  grungy Aida. I love it! 


I am stitching the Sheep Virtues  as one large pieced on 14 count coffee/ tea dyed Aida .  Five spaces separate each design.  Today I will continue working on the "Gratitude's" border. Thank you , dear Donna . I am enjoying each and every stitch. ❤😘

Well Sweeties, I guess I have rambled long enough. I do have more to share, but that will have to wait until another day. Meanwhile, I look forward to catching up and seeing what has been going on with all my stitchy friends. 

Have a Sun Shiny Day! 


As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Do all the good you can , and make as little fuss about it as possible.  "- Charles Dickens

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy .
 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉


 Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes 2026- Early 2026 parade of home freebies.

🌞2026 Love Parade- A Parade of Previous Valentine Freebies- Valentine themed stitches up to Feb. 4, 2026.  

🌞 Root A Toot Toot Patriotic Parade Early 2024 patriotic freebies. 
🌞A Buzzy Bee Parade An early 2025 bee freebie parade.
🌞A Sunny Sunflower Parade for 2025 A parade of sunflower freebies up to July 24, 2025
🌞Pumpkin, Leaves and Autumn Please- A Fall Parade 2025 A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 8, 2025.
🌞 A Stomping Stamp Parade 2026  A parade of stamp cross stitch design freebies up to June 2, 2026

🌞Time to Dye-  2024 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric. 
🌞Pin Pillow Tutorial - 2023 post on how I finish my pin pillows with chenille trim. 
🌞A Spooky Parade - Halloween freebies up to October  4, 2025. More Halloween pieces followed this date.
🌞Turkey Struttin' Thanksgiving Parade 2025- Thanksgiving freebies up to the date of November 3, 2025. More Thanksgiving freebies followed  this date. 
🌞A Christmas in July Parade of Past Freebies- 2026 A Parade of Christmas Freebies up to the date of July 6, 2026. More Christmas Freebies followed this date. 
🌞A Chilly Parade of Winter Stitches 2025- A parade of Winter themed freebies up to the date of Dec. 21, 2025
🌞Let's Dye Some Fabric- A tutorial on my process of dyeing Aida 


Thursday, July 23, 2026

A Stroll and A Christmas Freebie- Silent Night

Good morning, Sweet Peas. It is a beautiful, sunny day on this fine Thursday morning. Would you like to take a stroll with me through the gardens before we look at stitchy stuff? Come on! We won't be out too awfully long. 

Little paths are here and there. 

     

 The marigolds are quite happy tucked among the lirope and roses. In fact, they are taking over. Bloom, Babies ! Bloom!

The tansy is reaching high to  the sky! It is well over 6 feet tall! 

Tansy, fox gloves and marigolds in the wild and woolly garden. 


Soon the little  yellow blooms will turn to seeds which 

 will sprinkle among the garden creating new plants next year. 

In the ivy garden , Coleus is planted in  an array of colors.  These are some of my larger plants. 


This is my 1st year planting coneflowers and two plants are blooming. Eeeh! I am tickled pink or should I say fuchsia!



The  house is up on a hill so the wild and woolly garden is great for preventing soil erosion. 


You may find some garden art scattered throughout the property like ....

The wise old owl who is crusty and rusty. 


Or the smiling sun with morning glories winding in and out of its rays. 

Even a little metal cat who usually remains hidden among the lirope under the burning bush.  And there is more rusty metal art tucked here and there . All of it made by the same artist. 

There is much more to see, but I will save that for another day. Let's sit back on the swing in the yard and enjoy the view.  It is nice and secluded here in the holler. All you will hear is the birds chirping and the leaves whistling in the breeze. 


Since we are here, how about we look at some cross stitching. Shall we? 

Here is my latest Christmas finish called Silent Night from the Speaking of Christmas Series


It looks all cozy snuggled in among all of the other stitches that I have worked on. Don't ya' think? 



Silent Night was stitched on 14 count coffee/ tea dyed Aida and made into a pin pillow trimmed with twisted chenille yarn.


Six  DMC floss colors were used in the making of Silent Night which include DMC 221, 310, 520, 842, 898, and Blanc.


🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵

If you are interested in stitching this piece,  just grab , the images. For printing tips, refer to the post Tips for Printing which has loads of tips from my sweet friends. 

🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵




If you missed any of the other Speaking of Christmas stitches, just click on the colored links and you will be magically transported back to the post and chart. 



Now my question to you. 
Do you have any suggestions for a Speaking of Christmas stitch? 

Alright , Sweeties. Let me get you a glass of iced tea, and then we will sit back and enjoy this nice summer breeze.   
We deserve a nice relaxing day . Don't you think?

Have a beautiful day! 

Whoa there, Nelly! 😁😀 Let me show you one more stitch I am working on. I am stitching up some marigolds. 


JUST A REMINDER!  You are Amazing! Love ya!

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Time in the garden brings peace and happiness.  "

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who loved  rusty crusty treasures and spending her days outdoors. 
 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉🍉


 Other Posts That Might Strike Your Fancy!

🌞Parade of Homes 2026- Early 2026 parade of home freebies.
🌞2026 Love Parade- A Parade of Previous Valentine Freebies- Valentine themed stitches up to Feb. 4, 2026.  
🌞 Root A Toot Toot Patriotic Parade Early 2024 patriotic freebies. 
🌞A Buzzy Bee Parade An early 2025 bee freebie parade.
🌞A Sunny Sunflower Parade for 2025 A parade of sunflower freebies up to July 24, 2025
🌞Pumpkin, Leaves and Autumn Please- A Fall Parade 2025 A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 8, 2025.
🌞 A Stomping Stamp Parade 2026  A parade of stamp cross stitch design freebies up to June 2, 2026

🌞Time to Dye-  2024 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric. 
🌞Pin Pillow Tutorial - 2023 post on how I finish my pin pillows with chenille trim. 
🌞A Spooky Parade - Halloween freebies up to October  4, 2025. More Halloween pieces followed this date.
🌞Turkey Struttin' Thanksgiving Parade 2025- Thanksgiving freebies up to the date of November 3, 2025. More Thanksgiving freebies followed  this date. 
🌞A Christmas in July Parade of Past Freebies- 2026 A Parade of Christmas Freebies up to the date of July 6, 2026. More Christmas Freebies followed this date. 
🌞A Chilly Parade of Winter Stitches 2025- A parade of Winter themed freebies up to the date of Dec. 21, 2025
🌞Let's Dye Some Fabric- A tutorial on my process of dyeing Aida 

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Miss Homestead Blessings