Friday Finishes and Fabulous Friends

 Happy Happy Friday!  What a beautiful day it is. Warm and muggy but lovely nonetheless. It is Memorial Day weekend. Hubby and I drove through the campgrounds last night. Most of them are filled, and campers  are setting up for a long weekend of fishing , boating fun ,as well as a bit of relaxation. I will be at home this weekend, no fun on the water for me because Mr. Pinker has to work. But on Monday we will have a big family cookout at the farm.  I will bring a few sides and maybe a dessert or two.

 Just in time for Memorial Day, I have my Flag Quilt completed. I completed the quilting Sunday night and finished the binding earlier this week. I am so excited to hang it above the buffet soon. 

I have so enjoyed pulling out red fabrics, in this month's RSC challenge from Angela at So Scrappy.

  I pieced this small flag quilt . Of course , you can probably tell that I swing by the seat of my pants and paid no mind to placement of fabrics because some of the same fabrics are near each other. 

                    

This pattern is from Little Quilts Patriotic Quilting. Such a fun book with all kinds of inspiration. I made my flag quilt a little bigger. 

                      

I am dying to share my happy mail with you from my sweet friend, Sue on IG. She sent me a chicken download  called "Rooster Sampler" from Tracy Campbell Designs and a box filled with all kinds of goodies including the floss and fabric to begin the project. Isn't that the sweetest?  Look at the gorgeous fabrics Sue sent  me, and the sweetest little milk can which is going on my hutch immediately! And more buttons for my button collection. Eeeh ! 😃 Sue knows me well. Lol. Thank you so much , Sue.  You are the sweetest!!!   I am going to be stitching "Rooster Sampler " today, and I hope to share my progress soon. 

I fully finished my Lizzie Kate Strawberry freebie. 

My finish was inspired by two wonderful stitchers on Instagram- Nancy @nygren.nancy  and Karen @farmhouse.stitcher.  Nancy and Karen are both so creative in their finishes, and I always learn something new from their posts. I wrapped jute twine around my little pillow making several loops around like I have seen Nancy do on some her finishes and added a sweet strawberry bloom - Karen uses floral picks in such fun ways in her finishes.   Karen also has a flosstube  channel called Farmhouse Stitcher .    Speaking of flosstube have you seen Rachel of RachelQ Stitches  ? She just posted her 20th episode.  She is always so kind and supportive of me and is a joy to watch. She is a quilter and likes to go thrifting in search of treasures just like I do. lol  Her Instagram is @rachelqstitches as well. 

There are so many wonderful stitchers on Instagram and Youtube that bring me daily joy and inspiration. I wish I could shout  everybody out and tell them how much they enrich my life . 

Well there is stitching and quilting to be done so I am off to enjoy some stitch time on the porch. If I am lucky I might catch sight of Finley and Flo again. 

Thank you for the sweet visit and as always...

Happy Quilting and Stitching, ya'll,

Melisa

I am joining these lovely ladies' link parties. I hope you check them out; they always have so many wonderful projects going on and provide the opportunity for other needleworkers to meet. 

Angela of So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

Alycia of Alycia's Quilts   For Finished or Not Friday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop

Michelle  at From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant 131

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party 

Good friends are like stars. You don't always see them but you know they are there. 

The Bee Keepers - A Sweet Freebie

 Good morning, sweet friends and welcome.  I  was hoping to announce that hubby and I were officially bee keepers by now. But alas we are not. Mr. Pinker and his friend, Mr. M. both put out honeybee swarm traps in hopes of catching a swarm. 

Mr. M. got a call and was able to gather a swarm of honey bees that had swarmed in a local neighborhood . Oh lucky him. He will be enjoying sweet honey soon. 🐝🍯😃

 One evening I went with Mr. Pinker out to the farm and studied where the honey bees were. Lots of clover and the trees were in bloom. 

We found a Bradford pear tree along the fence line, and it was a buzz with activity with busy bees visiting each fragrant bloom. It  looked pretty promising. So after some contemplation; it was decided to place it  across from the pear tree along the fence line near the old shed. 

                       

 After a couple of weeks, IT happened !!! A swarm had moved into the box!!! We are going to be beekeepers I thought.  Oh,  how exciting!!!! But as quickly as they moved in - the moved right on out before we could get them transfered to their new homes. Oh bummer!!! Well at least our beehive  boxes are all cleaned out and ready for when we do get bees again. 

Last year, I had stitched a little piece called The Bee Keepers and only had it on display for a short time.

 I pulled it out again this spring and had it on my hutch and showed it in my Spring Hutch tour. 

                    

I had many lovely comments and compliments about this piece and thought that would be the piece to share this week.  Now mind you , I did stitch this when I had very little floss choices so I  definitely made do. 

In this piece, two whimsical chickens, Myrtle and Pauline are moving their bee skep in a little red wagon. They have made it to the top of the hill.  I guess they will relocate the bee skep near their coop. Hope Myrtle keeps that wagon under control.

If you are interested in stitching this piece, please check out the pdf's below. 

Many of you know , but I always like to leave this little disclaimer.  

I stitch my little designs for fun and to decorate my home. I feel very blessed by this community and love sharing my little charts, but I am not a professional designer. And I do not have professional software. Thank you for understanding that I  have to put each page on separate pdf downloads because of the devices I use. I apologize for that.  And I am always grateful for your kind encouragement , your visits, and stitching my little designs.

Click here for the instruction page. 

                               

Click here for the colored chart.  NOTE: I am still running low on ink .I am so sorry the  colors are off in the chart but I think you can make the distinctions.

                                   

Click here for the black and white chart. 

                                

Yesterday, hubby and I went to take down the swarm box. Maybe next time we can get the help of Pauline and Myrtle. 😀  Thank you so much for visiting me today and hope that your day is filled with many blessings. As always...

Happy stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Kind words are like honey . Sweet to the soul and healthy for the body- Proverbs 16:24.

Hugs and Stitches

My Patriotic Tree and a Little Rambling

 Good evening, ya'll! It is a beautiful spring day.  Earlier I peeked out the window to see what might be on the bird feeder hoping to see the whole crew feeding happily together- The crew is 2 squirrels- Sandy and Squirrelly  , 2 very bossy Doves ( Dennis and Debra), a Indigo Bunting ( Lindy) , and Alvin my beloved Chipmunk that lives on my front porch. Well, Sandy was there as well as the bossy doves . So I quietly went to the door and eased it open trying to get a good photo. Sandy quickly dashed to the Sweet Gum tree .

 After scampering up the trunk and making a jump from one limb to the next, she soon  perched herself in the nook of the limbs watching warily hoping I would leave soon.

 "Sorry, Sandy. I just wanted a photo". Of course the bossy doves left in a  hateful flutter annoyed that I had bothered their morning meal.

 Well, I was about to go in when these 2 feathered friends  approached and began to have a hissy fit fluttering all about the porch  and landing in the tree limb above me. They were carrying on something awful. 

 It was clear that they were intent on staying put and for me to leave.  "Oh boy, ya'll are beauties. Can I get a few photos?" They politely obliged and then I went in the house so all would be content.  

Later I found out that they are building a nest in my fern. Well this is a dilemma because it is time for the fern's weekly watering. Hmmm I am going to have to figure out what to do. But in the meantime, I wanted to share these beauties. Love the male's coloring.Of course I love anything red and yes even birds!  I think these are House Finches.

 Now what can I name these sweeties ? Maybe Flo and Finley. 

I have been working feverishly on my 2020 Flag Quilt. 

This is the quilt that I pieced last year during the beginning of the pandemic. I was also making masks at the time and my sewing machine tore up during the big mask assembly line production. Oh no! I could not do without a sewing machine - not because I had a great desire to make masks, but I had a quilt going on. So I found a sewing machine online like the one that bit the dust and hustled to the neighboring county to snatch it up at Walmart. That got the quilt blocks back into production, but I was done making masks.  After the 4th of July last year,  I had put this quilt away.  I pulled it back out this month and completed the quilting on Sunday.  Time for the binding and it will be all ready by Memorial Day. 

The little raggedy white tree is all adorned in her patriotic decor. So I thought I would share that today.

             

 It is crammed full of all kinds of stitched pieces as well as red, blue, white and silver balls and stars. 

                  

Many of ya'll know already I am not a minimalist. Lol and I like my tree crammed full.

Say did you spot the kitchen sink in that tree? 😆😃 

 I added a Dollar Tree America sign and Dollar Tree patriotic metal flowers and bows to the top as well.  

                  

One of my favorite stitched pieces on the tree is Little House Needleworks "Stars and Stripes." It is always lovingly placed center stage. 

 There are  number of Lizzie Kate pieces  as well.

 I even pulled out my patriotic Santas .

             

 I stitch one every year . I stitched this Santa last year; it was a design sent to me from my dear friend, Joan . I just love this little guy. 

                       

 I also placed my Red, White and Blue ornament on the tree.  It was an earlier freebie. 

At the bottom of the tree is a vintage  plastic Raggedy Ann and Andy that was my mom's . I have no idea where she got them nor do I remember them as a child but they are always out for display in my home. 

            

I thought  I would leave you with an itty bitty stitch. This is Old Glory, and it is teeny.

 I was going to make mine into a pillow but at the last minute decided to try to make a drum. This was my 1st attempt at drum making. It was fun, and I will try it again

  This will either land in my tiered tray or it may just stay right on the foyer shelf. 

Click here for the chart. 

Boy was I long winded today, but that is ok.  Well thank you so much my sweet  friends for visiting me today.  As always...

Happy stitching, ya'll

Melisa

                                

I love Old Glory long may she wave over America the homeland of the brave. 

 Hugs and Stitches

Sunday Happenings

 Sunday Blessings, ya'll. Can you believe the last week of May is coming upon us? This year is buzzing on by -at least for me it is. This week was a very busy week. The beginning of the week started off with ballgames.  We went to Alabama to watch my youngest daughter play on Monday. I took along my 2020 flag quilt and quilted as I rode. It was great to see her play again and woo hoo she hit 2 homeruns! Of course, I had to stop at the Goodwill and the Walmart in the area. We did not get in till late at night so little stitching was completed. 

On Tuesday I shared my Red, White and Blue ornament . I officially added this little ornament to the patriotic raggedy tree.

  Since it was Tomato Tuesday,  I also completed Needle Bling Designs "Stitching Makes Me Happy" . 

This chart was a gift from my friend , Joan. I used my own floss colors - what I had in my stash.  What a fun stitch. This  was also my Tiny Tuesday Stitch as well. My friend, Christina has started #tinytuesdaycrossstitching  on Instagram to focus on stitching smalls. Tuesdays are always a fun day. 

A new start followed on Wednesday with a summer saltbox,  and yes I did complete it. I stayed up into the wee hours of the morning stitching away, but I will share the finish later. I still need to FFO it which sometimes takes me awhile. 

              

More ballgames on Thursday with a little rest time, and then Friday was the perfect day to do a little FFOing on Little Liberty Manor.  

I had good intentions this week to sneak into the Quilt Nest and do some piecing. I do have 3 quilts brewing in my mind. But alas it was a "no go"  . 

So today my plan is to finish the border on my patriotic flag quilt and have it ready for binding on Monday. 

A new quilt will go into the hoop which will probably be my Chicken Quilt. 

It is way overdue to be in the hoop.  I would like to get at least a row of quilting completed this week.  Can I do it? I don't know ; it just depends how many squirrels I start chasing.

Well I am off to do my Sunday family visits and quilt as I chat. I am so happy you stopped by for a  sweet Sunday visit as well.  As always...

Happy quilting and stitching ya'll

Melisa

I am joining these lovely ladies' link parties. I hope you check them out; they always have so many wonderful projects going on and provide the opportunity for other needle workers to meet.  

      Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap

Beth at Love Laugh Quilt  for Monday Making

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Lynette at What a Hoot! for BOMs Away Monday

Tish at The Madd Hatter Tish's Adventure in Wonderland  for UFO Busting #145

Frederique at Applique Patchwork Quilting for Patchwork & Quilts #53

Wherever you go , no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine!

   Hugs and Stitches

Little Liberty Manor - A Patriotic Freebie

Happy Saturday, ya'll. Is your weekend off to a great start?  I hope you are getting to spend time doing something that you love. I have been enjoying a little quiet time at home finishing up a little stitch. Later, I do have some quilting to complete in hopes of finishing a border, but we will see. 

Last night, I completed Little Liberty Manor which I thought I would share with you today.  I stitched this way back in January but never got around to FFOing until now. A week before Memorial Day was the perfect time for me to pull it out and finish it. 

               

Little Liberty Manor started out with a random border that I was working on. I then began filling in the middle with a little house  and 3 sweet ewes.  I love willow trees, but hubby does not want one in the yard ( a bit superstitious) so I planted one by my liberty house. When I was growing up, we had one by the creek below the farmhouse. It was the biggest willow tree I have ever seen, but because crops were going to be planted dad cut it down. 

             

This stitch  is a small measuring 63 x 60. I stitched mine on 14 count coffee/ tea dyed aida.  I finished mine on an unfinished Dollar Tree box found in the craft section.

 I painted it a chocolate brown and added a little piece of calico fabric and a a bit of jute twine.

 If you are interested in stitching Little Liberty Manor, please check out the pdfs below .Many of you know , but I always like to leave this little disclaimer.  

I stitch my little designs for fun and to decorate my home. I feel very blessed by this community and love sharing my little charts, but I am not a professional designer. And I do not have professional software. Thank you for understanding that I  have to put each page on separate pdf downloads because of the devices I use. I apologize for that.  And I am always grateful for your kind encouragement , your visits, and stitching my little designs.

Click here for the instruction page. 

Click here for the colored chart.  NOTE: Some of the colors on the colored chart are not showing up well because the ink was low.  I apologize for that. 

Click here for the black and white chart. 

I think Little Liberty Manor pairs up nicely with Betsy Ewe. If you missed that little stitch click here. 

I will provide links to some of my previous posts with patriotic stitches. 

Red White and Blue 

Stars, Stripes and Chickens 

Sarah Jane's Saltbox    and  Liberty 

I am so happy you stopped by for a visit today. It is always a delight and deep honor that you spend a few minutes out of your day with me. Have a very blessed weekend and as always...

Happy stitching, ya'll. 

Nothing is more precious than Independence and Liberty. 

Hugs and Stitches,