Bee Buffet and a Little Bee Freebie

 Great Grandma Annie's buffet is filled to the brim with late summer goodness. 

There are chickens.

And trays with doileys and stitches galore. Lots of bees are buzzing about! 

Aunt Bea's Summer Home, Mary's Basket  Strawberry Pinkeep,  Bee Berry , Itty Bitty Bee Pinkeep, and a darling bee stitch gifted to me from dear Barbara ❤

Little skeps - stitched and woven. 

Hive Sweet Hive and Mini Bee Sampler  

Buzz Buzz . More Bees! 

Buzz Buzz  and  Little Bees

Baskets and bowls are perfect to wrangle those stitches in. 

Yep! the buffet is filled to the brim! 

There is Dot Dot's old brass scales that has been on the buffet nigh 50+ years, and her old red kerosene lamp. Such sweet memories. 

 

And the backdrop- A $2. 00 quilt. Can't beat that with a stick!😁 

A little stitch just for you. 

Little Bees!

🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵

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. 

🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵

OOOPS/ CORRECTION: In the directions on the floss list, I listed DMC 646 with the symbol U. There is NO Symbol U in the chart, but 646 IS USED FOR THE LONG STITCHES along the bees' in flight path. 

FLOSS  : SYMBOL  MOTIF:

DMC 420 (Y) Bee     

DMC 543 ( W) Bee Wings     

DMC 646 ( ) Long stitches for bees' flying path

DMC 829 (O) Wording

DMC 838 (X) Border

DMC 3371 ( • )  Bees

Country Cottage Needleworks " Bumblebee" 

Thank you for dropping by for the sweet Saturday visit. The bees will be buzzing into their bins as pumpkins, squirrels and all things fall take their place. 

Enjoy your day.

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"The bee is more honored than other animals, not because she labors, but because she labors for others.  "- Saint John Chyrsostom

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy 

 I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

 

Bee Haven Cottage

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 Berry Nice Parade- A Look at Past Berry Freebies 2025- Early 2025 berry Freebies. 

🌞A Buzzy Bee Parade An early 2025 bee freebie parade.

🌞A Sunny Sunflower Parade- 2026 A parade of sunflower freebies up to September 3, 2026

🌞Autumn Parade March- 2026 Fall Parade A parade of Fall themed stitches and doodles up to September 10, 2026.

🌞 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

🌞Color Tinting Embroidery Designs - Explanation on how I use crayons to color my designs for hand embroidery. - July 9, 2026

💙💙💙 BLOGGER BLUES 💙💙💙

Oh dear, Blogger is  "acting up" again. I am not receiving updates on my Reading List. So I do apologize if I miss any of my sweet blogging friends posts. I am trying to pop in to see if you post each day.  

A Bee Buffet Tour - A Parade of Bee Stitches

Good morning, honey! Oh, please come on in and have a seat.

 As you know, I have been on a kick lately even more so after hubby was able to catch a swarm of bees. So  I thought I would give a tour of my  bee buffet.  Now I must warn you- it is crammed full of stitching and good ole' country clutter.  That's just my style.   

My buffet and dining room set were actually my great grandmother's. She sold eggs until she had enough money to buy the set. Many of you have met my great grandmother in my stitches. She is Annie with her brood of chickens including  Edna, Dorothy Mae and Alma in a little series that I have stitched which includes Bees, Bloom and Chickens .  

 Behind the buffet, I did leave up my flag quilt because I had just finished it before the 4th of July and wanted to enjoy it a little longer.

  As long as I can remember ,the large scales has always been on this buffet - even when I was a child.  So when I inherited both the scales and the buffet , the scales remained in place on the buffet. It  holds some  thrifted chicken plates .

In an old thrifted frame is With Thy Needle and Thread's August Word Play. I change it out each season using the same frame.  Below it is a rough piece of wood from the handle factory that I painted white and added a bee.  

Home, Bees , and the Buzz Buzz and the Bee Sampler  are my designs that I have shared in the past. You can click on any of the names and go back to the post to read about them or get the pdfs.

  I just recently purchased these 3 bees wax candles at a yard sale. Perfect to add to the bee buffet. 

The great big wooden bee skep was a Big Lots find about 20 years ago. I still love it.  

The beautiful bee skep on my white thrifted tray was a gift from sweet, Pat.  Her sister  made it . Isn't it beautiful ? I will certainly will treasure it. 

Bees and Blooms , Aunt Bea's Summer Home and Summer House are all freebies that I have shared on my blog.

Bee Skep 1869 Crock  is one of my stitches mounted on a Dollar Tree box. On top of it is a Big Lots  wooden bee . 

Queen Bee is a Little House Needleworks design and  The Bee Happy, Bee Kind stitch on black aida is an old Prairie Grove Peddler freebie. 

  In my milk glass compote, I have filled it with little ceramic containers and stuck sunflowers throughout.

 In one milk glass container is another bee painted on rough cut wood and the other is Country Cottage Needlework's Bumblebee.

Throughout the display I have scattered Dollar Tree sunflowers. This bee buffet has certainly brought me a lot of happiness this summer. I can not tell you how many times I have rearranged it though. Lol. 

I sure do  appreciate you stopping by for a visit today and allowing me to share  a bit of my growing bee collection. Hmmm, I wonder what kick I will get on next? There is not telling. Have a beeautiful day and as always...

Happy stitching, ya'll

Melisa 

When you can be anything, bee kind. 

Hugs and Stitches!

 

Long Winded

 Happy Sunday. Can you believe it is already the 7th of the month? January seemed to inch by , but already February is off to a running start. 

  I started out the week with making a change in my  decor and monthly stitches which included Country Cottage Needleworks, February Cottage. I stitched this a couple of years ago.  I have it displayed on a wreath that stays up year round on my china cabinet door. In the center of the wreath is a Dollar Tree sign. I added a little burlap ribbon to the sign and each month I pin the cottage to the sign with a simple straight pin through the ruffle along with a little bow. It is a quick changeover which always makes me happy. 

Country Cottage Needleworks February Cottage

Our local groundhog, Chuck saw his shadow on Groundhog's Day. So that means 6 more weeks of winter and judging by our weather this week I would believe him. Schools were out for two days for Snow Days though we did not see any snow in the valley.  I did spend the day watching the movie Groundhog Day with Bill Murray; it is a favorite and sometimes I feel like I am living it right now. Lol Do you feel that way?

I had to pull out this little stitch which  was designed by Erica Michaels and is a freebie available on Rainbow Gallery's website. Click here  to see this series. I still have to finish the series. 

I am making a little progress on "April- An Easter Garden" in the series.  This is my car stitch.

I am going to put a little more love into my Easter quilt tonight which is below "April". 

I have received the sweetest happy mail  lately which includes this darling Annie and Andy pillow from my  dear friend Joan. We both love our Raggedy Anns and Andys. I paired it with an Annie and Andy that my Nanny made me. I love it! Of course it will stay out year round . 

I also received several charts from sweet Stacy. I immediately started With Thy Needle and Thread's Holiday Hoopla- Valentine's Day. I used most of the called for colors. 

                      

Carol of Stitching Dreams posted her finish this week on Instagram  which I loved.She had a round finish placed in a square frame with cording around the stitched piece. So cute.  

 

Last night I braved the cold and went out to the she shed to see if I had a frame in order to copycat Carol. Lol. No frame, but I found something else.   I hope to FFO this piece today.

I hope to begin another chart Stacy sent me this week.  I am thinking "Home for the Holidays" would be a great "Santa Sunday" start though it doesn't have a Santa in it. 

At the beginning of the week I posted Annie and the gals in Roses, Hearts and Chickens I enjoyed stitching this so much. I also posted my Cupid Stamp which was on my hutch. 

 With Thy Needle and Thread's May Day Basket got a little love too. I put in a few stitches into the border. I am stitching it on 14 count aida that I dyed with Pearl Gray Rit dye.  This is a freebie on Brenda's blog , With Thy Needle and Thread , in the April  26, 2009 post. 

My sweet friend, Sharon, dropped me a line on a Niky's Creation freebie called "Valentine which can be found here  in her Jan. 12, 2013 post. I just had to start it. I rummaged through my  flosses, and after some contemplation, I  chose DMC 841, 221, 782, 315, ,938 and 520. I am debating on how to finish it. Maybe a bag or a round finish. I don't know yet. It will come to me. 

I did not make much progress on the quilting front this week. 

Two yellow chickens were appliqued . Angela of So Scrappy has chosen yellow as the February monthly color.  I am linking up to her Scrap Happy Saturday link party. I hope you check her out. She always has a lot of fun things going on there.  

I also pieced some 3 1/2"  rail fence blocks and 3 1/2" nine patches. Gotta a little quilt in mind which I plan to work on more this coming week. 

For Sunday Slow Stitching, I plan to work on binding on a couple of little heart quilts and work on a little stitching. I got a slow start on the red/white heart quilt yesterday. 

I am going to link up to these wonderful ladies as their link parties come available. They always have beautiful quilts and projects going on and are great places to visit for inspiration. 

             Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Can I get a Whoop Whoop?

                                Kathy  at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday

Beth at

Love Laugh Quilt  for Monday Making

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework  for Oh Scrap

Judy at  Small Quilts and Doll Quilts  for Design Wall Monday

Why I sure was long winded  today. Lol. You have a fantastic week and go create something beautiful and thank you sweet friends for visiting and making my day. As always...

Happy Stitching and Quilting...

Melisa

Valentine Decorating and Stitching

Happy happy Friday. Are you ready for a fantastic weekend? I always am though I do not have anything planned other than visiting my parents and seeing the grandkids and nephews. Of course, I am going to squeeze in a little quilting and stitching. 

 My hutch is all decorated for the month in red,  jadeite green, and chickens with a bit of cross stitch.  I thought I would share that and my tiered tray with you, but be forewarned there is lots of country clutter. 

I ended up keeping the lace valances that I used for my winter hutch table runners. I added Dollar Tree red plates in the background as well as Goodwill plates and little green jadeite saucers. 

This little stitch is called " Love you More" from Heart in Hand. I stitched this in 2020 because it reminded me of my oldest grandson. I finished it on a little tin pocket .Since I used a magnet on the back of the stitching, I can change it out. 

On the top shelf is my big jadeite bowl. On top of it is a truck taken from a larger design from Hands on Design in collaboration with Priscilla Blain. 

I finished this on a piece of barnwood from my grandparents' barn and added a little homespun. Next to it is my Cupid Stamp that I finished on my Dollar General stand that I got last year. I finished it on fabric from my daughter's dress and added a little Dollar Tree country ribbon. 

The second shelf holds some chickens in red and one jadeite hen candy dish. It is my newest addition. The little red salt and pepper shakers were Dollar Tree finds. "Love Makes a House a Home" is by Country Cottage Needleworks and is finished on a piece of foam board with red gingham as a finishing fabric. I used my own floss colors in this piece. 

"Always" was a 2020 Heart in Hand Needleart freebie.  I do not know if it is still available or not. I finished mine on a metal butter dish that I painted white. The finishing fabric was from a pair of black and white gingham pants and the ruffle was from a pair of pjs. Love being thrifty in my finishing. Lol. The ribbon was from the Dollar Tree.

My sister found the little glass basket and salt and pepper shakers while thrifting.

The little white drawer was from Dollar General. 

A little Fresh Eggs sign from the Dollar Tree sits on a little thrifted dish on top of the scales.

My vintage juicer stays out year round. I just change out the bowl in it. It always sits on the corner of the hutch. I put a little milk glass nesting hen candy dish in an enamel pot. Behind it is " Farm Sweet Farm " one of my freebies which is mounted on a Dollar Tree chalkboard. I will change out the greenery once that winter time is over with . 

" Be My Valentine " was a freebie from Lizzie Kate that I completed last year. Finished into a little pillow it looks perfect in the little jadeite bowl. 

Lots of country clutter but it makes me so happy. 

 A look at my whole hutch. Some Christmas dishes are stored in the bottom and the top shelves hold Coca Cola crates and tins that always are displayed there. 

Now on to one of my tiered trays. I love to decorate a galvanized tray that is located by my corner kitchen sink. 

My tray is pretty simple for me. Mostly filled with thrifted chickens, Dollar Tree picks, some wooden hearts and salt and pepper shakers. 

The little barn salt and pepper shaker is a Pioneer Woman piece.

A tiny chalkboard from the Dollar Tree sits in the top tier . I folded up bits of wired ribbon and tucked in here and there in the tray. 

The gorgeous pink knitted dish cloth was a Christmas gift from my friend Patience. It stays by my sink ( not to use yet , it is too cute. Lol) . I wrapped some black and white ribbon around a Christmas wax warmer to cover the graphics.  A big ole' rooster rests on top of the warmer. 

 Farm stitches are starting to make their way into my little country dough bowl.  Bent Creek's "Chicken Zippies" , a thrifted "God Bless this Home" stitch and  "Everything will Be Fine" freebie from The Primitive Hare  fill the basket along with a gifted old rooster.  I changed the floss colors in Everything will Be Fine and added the hen to the design. It is a favorite. 

That is a little bit of my Valentine's decor and country clutter for now. I may post more later. I always enjoy seeing all of the lovely posts on Instagram and on different blogs; they provide me so much inspiration in decorating with my pieces. 

Have a lovely weekend and thank you so much for visiting. And as always...

Happy stitching, ya'll

Melisa