Hoppin' to the Bunny Tree

Happy Monday, hunny bunnies!!! 

 Hoppy Spring

Bunnies are hopping everywhere.     You guessed it ! It is another Country Clutter episode. 😀

                                 

 Ya'll know I am no minimalist . I love collecting and enjoy a bit of clutter. It keeps my juices flowing and makes my heart sing. Yep! It's just my style. ❤😌😀

 Today I wanted to share with you my little raggedy white Easter tree. It is plumb full of all things spring, Easter and loads of stitching and I did not buy nairy a thing for it this year. 

                     

 The other day little Mrs Pinker,  aka my oldest daughter, came over for a visit. Immediately she started laughing. 

2023 Easter Tree

"What?" , I asked with a puzzled look on my face.  

She began to study the loaded down tree intently , snickering as she studied. 

"What?" I asked again. 

"Oh my goodness, Mama. Who saves these things? " Is that bunny from my basket when I was 5 years old?"

One of the bunnies from Prairie Schooler Bunnies book # 178

 "Yep" I said  beaming brightly that I had saved it.

  Soon little Mrs. Pinker was hip hopping down memory lane looking at all of the pieces of her past. She about rolled when she saw a plastic candy container that still housed candy- vintage candy  I say. 

 A thrifted framed bunny stitch and a bunny sampler . Do you know who it is by? My memory escapes me. 

 After looking at all of the Easter goodies, I then said, "Lookie , I included loads of stitching too !!!" 

"Spring Has Sprung" by Country Cottage Needleworks and my  Love Trifle 

"Hmmm, fascinating - Where's the tree?", she asked. 

Another stitch I can not remember the designer of. Oh, bother. Lol. 

"Oh, it's in there, " I reassured her. "You know me- I don't want to see the raggedy branches. " 

And with that she  laughed and with  a wink of her eye she walked away hollering "Daddy, can you believe Mama saves all these things?" Lol

My little tree sits in a bushel basket . The topper is a wooden Easter stake that was bought years ago. Lots of loose flowers are tucked in here and there. All of my extra stitching was tucked among the branches. 

Stitches from Stitchy friends adorn my tree as well as vintage eggs. 

 This year I added teeny trading card size quilts in the tree using the tiny clothes pins that I thrifted last week.

Prairie Schooler Bunnies, Heart in Hand Needleart's "Grow Whirligig and my mini Hoppy Dazes quilt

 All around the tree is my children's Easter treasures. I always keep the cedar doll high chair by the tree; it is holding my daughter's Easter rabbits now.  

     

Near it is an Easter basket filled with little quilts and a large ceramic rooster. 

 The Easter wagon is from the 90's and hold a small stack of Spring mini quilts, a chocolate bunny and resin rabbit.  

But wait!!! That's not all, I have another mini Easter tree in my foyer. It is a carrot tree. 

                

 It sits in an olive bucket which in turn sits in an old enamel bucket . Below the tree is a thrifted bunny sitting a chair , a crock of homemade carrots and a resin bunny sitting on a spice box. 

Well how is that for Easter Country Clutter?😁😂😀 

🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰🐰

At least you got to see some stitching and  mini quilt stacks as well.

 I will share the rest of my foyer and Easter hutch here soon.

  I truly appreciate you taking the time to join me.  

A little vintage cake topper, and loads of bunny stitches including Lizzie Kate's Spring stitch

Thank you to my sweet visitor who asked to see my Easter tree; you brought a smile to my day. 😊❤🤗

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, ya'll

Melisa

Dear Easter bunny , can you fill my basket with more fabric and threads. 

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who loved to decorate for all the holidays, Love and miss you, Amo

 

Frosty McChill Block 12 Winter Time!

Good frosty morning, to you my sweet friends. 

                

Are you staying all warm and cozy. Yesterday was a whopping 60 degrees here in the holler, oh but not this morning. Rain moved through during the night and we dropped to the low 30's with  a bit of wintery mix. Oh, dear mother nature is taking us on a winter roller coaster ride. 🌞🎢❄

Can you believe it ? This is the last of the Frosty McChill blocks.

 I tell ya', I  have loved every bit of stitching and sharing this little guy. He was pretty busy too wasn't he? From sledding to skiing all the way to holding a march for more snow. 😀☃

            

I just love seeing them all together. Lol

The last block is called "Winter Time". 

Sweet ole' Frosty in his top hat. I bet some of ya'll will have him stitched up by dinner time. 

  INSTRUCTION TIME !   Now remember , I am no expert, but am just sharing how I embroider mine. Please prepare your fabric, embroider in whatever manner that  makes you happy. The number one rule is to always have FUN FUN FUN!!!  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut your fabric to 8 1/2 "x 11 1/2" . This will  be trimmed later.  

2.  Place the pattern between a light box or a window and center the design as best as possible. Trace the design onto your fabric using your favorite transfer fabric pen or pencil . 

3. Embroider the design .  I used a back stitch using 2 strands of DMC 498  on most of the design. A stem stitch would look  quite lovely if you prefer.  I used 1 strand of 498 for the details in the snowman's face.   

4. On the snowflakes , I used a French Knot at the end of 4 of the points . You do not have to include the French Knot or you may want to add a teeny bead at each point . How cute would that be!!!

5. Press and trim to block size 7 1/2 x 10 1/2".

Click here for Block 12

If you have missed any of the previous blocks , just click on the names and you will be transported back to the posts. 

They include: " Let it Snow"  and " Sled Time , The Tree March  and "Just a Sweeping!!!" , " Chasing Snowflakes" , " Learning to Ski " , Mittens for Sale ,   Blown Away ,   Snowball Hunt , The March  , and  Playtime.  

Next Thursday , I will share how I finish mine. I started working on the  piecing last night. 

Laying Frosty out. 

             

It is going to be a simple finish. Fabrics are cut, but I still need to cut out the outer borders. Then the sewing machine will be a humming. 

              

I want to thank all of you from the bottom of my heart for joining me on this Frosty journey. You certainly kept me motivated, and I have adored seeing some of ya'lls blocks. As always, thank you for the sweet visit , my sweetie pies and ...

Happy stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Winter is magic!

Warm Wishes and Snowman Kisses!!!

Hugs and Stitches!!!

Who Let the Crows Out? - A Peek at my Autumn Foyer

 Welcome, dear friends. Please come on in and visit . My foyer is all decked out in country clutter and feathered friends. 

As you enter, you will be greeted by my fall chalkboard. This is a 16 x 20 fifty cent frame that I painted with chalkboard paint years ago. It is a joy to draw something new on it each month. And for fall, there is always a crow in the mix. 

 For the last 8 years or so, crows have been the foyer's theme. The chalkboard hangs just to the side of a little white thrifted shelf that is jam packed with country items. 

 I always begin by putting down a little quilt runner. This runner was made in a quilting class and was never completed and is still in top form, but it is still good to add a little color. 

The Crow Mt. Orchard box is from a small farm in a neighboring state . Peaches were packaged in the box. I made some little crows from scrap black fabric and nestled them among corn husks, gourds and pumpkins.

Most of the items have been handmade or collected over the years. If bought, they have came from the Dollar General, Dollar Tree or Goodwill. 

On the white shelf is a little drawer that is missing its bottom. I turned it on its side and use it as a little riser shelf. On the top of it is a scarecrow with acorns that I picked out of the yard. The crow in the burlap bag was bought at a neighboring farm.

This little cross stitch is my newest Save the Stitches piece that I found at the Goodwill for $.99. I was thrilled , and it even has  little crows on it. It is a good late summer / early fall piece and is perfectly framed.  I have it propped among the quilts for right now. As we get further in the season, I will put this piece away until next year. 

A second cross stitch piece is a Primitive Betty's freebie and can be found on her blog in the July 18, 2011 post. She has a lot of cute freebies there. Click here if you would like to see this freebie.   The framed wool applique pumpkin piece is one of my designs. I love it. 

The fall quilts have crows on them . They are all displayed on 3  various size shutters . I change them out for the season.

On the other side of the shutter is a year round tree. It is now decorated with sunflowers, little pumpkins, honeysuckle vine, gold bead garland and some black and white gingham ribbon. A large wooden crow sits on the top of it. 

The tree is nestled in an old rusty enamelware pot. Handmade pumpkins made out of clothing and a little crow sitting in a chair hang out below the tree. 

This little area is one of my favorite areas to decorate each season and makes me so happy when I see it as I come and go.  Lol on the outside door you can see the grandson's toy that he likes to play with. It is decor - right? 

Now all my doors whether inside or outside are decorated on both sides. Lol This door has a big old wreath with a hand crafted mason jar sign on it. I love this sign which was a gift from my daughter. 

This is the newest wreath to my collection . It is simply a burlap wreath. I got the truck mason jar sign at the Dollar Tree this year. 

This little door pocket is my favorite fall piece. I bought the tin pocket years ago at the Dollar General . I made 3 crows from scrap felt and created  a honeysuckle wreath to wrap around one's neck. Fall  floral picks, muscadine vine sticks, and metal picks fill out the back of the pocket.  A little raffia completes the piece. 

Thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy day to see my little foyer,  and I hope you are ready for a great Autumn season! Hugs to you all! 

Blessings, 

Melisa