Home of Faith , Family and Freedom- A House Freebie

Good morning, lovely sweet friends and Happy Saturday. Is your weekend off to a bright and delightful start? I sure hope so.

Let me introduce to you the newest addition to the farm. 

Bowzer!

Isn't he a cutie patootie? He just appeared one day which means someone dropped him off. 

Some of you may remember Petunia the pot belly pig who  was dropped off at the bottom of the driveway a couple of years ago. 

Petunia the Pig now lives at another farm. 

Anywhooo... I was not sure about Bowzer when I first met him. But he is very gentle, and his goofy smile soon won me over.  He is a porch dog which means he likes to lounge on the porch most of the day and does not venture far .   We officially put on a collar the other day so he has a home. 🐶

Bowzer has a long tongue . He always has his mouth open smiling. 😀

Now on to stitchy stuff. 

I am making progress on Sunflower Haven which I started earlier this week. Today I will be adding the windows, foundation stones and roof. 

Sunflower Haven is being stitched on 14 count coffee/ tea dyed Aida. 

Home of Faith, Family and Freedom is my newest addition to my neighborhood. I have to admit- it is also a new favorite "house finish".

 This patriotic house is surrounded by a vine of red, white and blue flowers. 

Small crosses and hearts are scattered throughout. 

This home truly speaks to me. What do you think about it? I do hope you like it. 

It was stitched on 14 count coffee/ tea dyed Aida. 

If you are interested in how I dye my fabric check out my post called Time to Dye which I posted in 2024. 

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I use only 7 DMC floss colors which include: DMC 221, 610, 730, 732, 746, 844,  and 924.

I enjoy stitching houses so much. I feel like I am stitching my dream homes. 

 🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵

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. 

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QUESTION : Do you have suggestions for  "theme" related homes that you would like to see?  I always get excited when you give me  ideas. 😀❤🤗

Well, Sweeties. I  better put on my construction hat and get to roofing my Sunflower Haven house. Soon it will be time to pull out the sunflower  and bee decor. 

Have a beautiful day. 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"There is nothing like staying home for real comfort.  "- Jane Austin

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy .

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

🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠🏠

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Tractors, Butterflies and New Starts

 This weekend, Mr. Pinker and I roamed where the tractors roared and the trucks rumbled. 

There were even fireworks!  Pop! Pop! Pop! 

   

KABOOM!   

By late evening , we had made our way back home. We only veered off course twice when my eagle eye spotted a couple of thrift stores, but we will talk about that on another day. 

 

I purchased a commemorative" America 250" iron skillet from Walmart. 

In celebration of America's Big 250 🎂 , I started 2 new stitches. 

America Pin Keep was my first start by Asbery's Echoes. This chart was a sweet gift from my dear Joan. She loves all things patriotic and country like I do.  Thank you , sweet friend. 😘 Soon I will be stitching the tree.

I also got a wee start on my simple stitch called "America the Beautiful!" 

Oh bummer! I fell short on my quilting goal of hand quilting 5 blocks in the Pretty in Peach Butterfly quilt for the week. 

This is my 15 a minute or more project for each day. 

 

But I will give myself a pat on the back for finishing 1 1/2 blocks. 

I will keep it short and sweet. There is unpacking to do and then a grocery list to make. Tomorrow is an errand day. 😏

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"Good days take time. Fold the days gently.  "-  the Colorful Cottage

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy 

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

🧨🎆🧨🎆🧨🎇🧨🎆🧨🎇🧨🎆🧨🎆🧨

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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. 

Frederique at   Quilting Patchwork Applique for Patchwork & Quilts - Saturday

Kathy at Kathy's Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday

Kate at Life in Pieces for  Stitching Stuff ( Sunday) 

Cynthia at Quilting is More Fun Than Housework for Oh Scrap - Sunday 

Melva at Melva Loves Scraps for Sew & Tell- Sunday

Brenda at Songbird Designs for Monday Musings

Judy at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Carol at Quilt Schmilt  for To Do List Tuesday 

Happy Independence Day!

 Hip Hip Hooray! It is our nation's 250th birthday!  Happy Independence Day to all of those who celebrate! 🧨🧨🧨🎇

250 Years- A Patriot's Log Cabin and Summer House 

Dear Annelies at Quilts and Siggies Blogspot posted her "250 Year - A Patrioit's Log Cabin" on her blog yesterday. I do hope you will visit  Annelies and see her beautiful stitching. She shares the most beautiful needlework, hers and antique pieces as well. Thank you, Annelies. ❤😘

And may I give a big thank you with lots of love to all of the veterans and active military  members who have served and protected our great country. One of those Veterans is my daughter . I am one Proud Mama of both my girls! ❤♡💙

The Marcher of the Flag

I plan to spend most of the day relaxing with needle and thread  in hand, though I am not sure what I will begin first. 

Beelieve in Freedom

By evening, I hope to see a grand fireworks display.  

❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤

It is a beautiful day to celebrate. 

A little patriotic quilt stack in teeny red wagon. 

Have a grand day and...

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa 

"America is too great for small dreams.  "- Ronald Reagan

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who loved  the family gatherings. I imagine Amy would have prepared lots of fancy patriotic treats and sweets  on this day. 

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

❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙  ❤🤍💙❤🤍💙  ❤

Buzzing Bees and "1776" - A Patriotic Freebie

"Well that stitched up in 2 shakes of a lamb's tail," I said to Frat as I was sat on the porch.     

Frat just chirped an unhappy chirp. She was a little peeved and was in no mood to chirp sweetly. And... Yep, she had already built a nest in the 2nd fern before I could deter her.

Look at those delicate finch eggs. I was careful not to disturb them. She has already been back on her nest. 

A short while earlier , I brought my basket of stitching supplies and sat on the porch. 

The rain had gave way to sunny skies. I listened to Frit and Frat, the House Finches, and from a distance I could hear Mr. Pinker rumble and grumble. 

"What's going on I asked, Frit? " I then laid down my stitching and walked to the garage. 

As I approached, I could smell a sweet aroma drifting with the breeze.  Mr. Pinker had been to the bee yard at the farm and brought back some supers to extract the honey. Bees were buzzing all around . 

And the honey smelled delightful. 

The super with frames of honey. 

"Whatch' doing, Hon?"  I asked as Mr. Pinker picked up the hive tool to separate the frames. 

The J Hook Hive tool is used to open up the super, pry apart hive bodies and lift heavy frames. 

Mr. Pinker looked up as bees darted around his head. 

"Some of these supers are full. It is time to extract some honey , Honey,  "he replied with a smile.  

The  bees continued buzzing all about; they were none too happy on this muggy day. 🐝🐝🐝🐝

"It smells divine," I said as I touched the frame with my finger to gather a drip of honey for the tasting. "Tasty too. "

A frame of capped honey

 Mr. Pinker stood by his work table with the hooded veil covering his head  while I meandered from the frames to the extractor with not a care in the world that the bees were buzzing all about. 

"Buzz, Buzz, Buzz" went the bees. 🐝🐝🐝

Mr. Pinker soon went to work - uncapping the honey. 

 Cutting the caps off the combs to expose the honey. 

I watched curiously. " It smells so sweet! I think I could eat the whole bucket. " I said with a smile knowing good and well I could never do that. 

Glistening uncapped honey.

Mr. Pinker continued working . He was hot and the bees were still buzzing mad. "Will these bees find their way back to the barn?" I asked. 

"Yep, they will be fine." he replied.  He was doing the extracting at the house and not at the beeyard. So I was a bit worried that so many bees had rode along in the truck to the house . 

Once the a frame was uncapped , it went into the honey extractor. This is an old extractor given to us by my uncle many years ago. It is hand cranked and made in the good ole' US of A. 

Antique honey extractor

Soon Mr. Pinker had two frames in the extractor , and he began to hand crank and spin the honey out of the combs. 

Two frames are put in the extractor and then the honey is spun from the combs. 

CRANK ! CRANK! CRANK! RATTLE AND ROLL!

Once Mr. Pinker had extracted the honey from the frames, he would open up the valve and the honey would drain into the strainer and into the food grade bucket, but I did not stay to watch that process. 

The extracted honey will drain into the strainer and then into the food grade bucket until bottled. 

As Mr. Pinker cranked and cranked and cranked, the bees began to buzz by me. I turned and headed back up the hill intent on not getting stung. 

"Hey , where are you going? " asked Mr. Pinker. 

"It looks like you and the bees have  got it all under control , Hon. I have got stitching to tend to. " And with that I sprinted up the hill , up the steps, pass Frat the House Finch and into the sanctuary of a cool living room. 

It was not long before I had popped "1776" into a thrifted frame that my sweet baby sis gave me years ago. Because I gave myself little finishing room, I had to add a little bit of patriotic fabric to fill the frame. Hey at least it is a finish. Hee! Hee! 

This is a "Choose Your Own Color" chart. If you are interested , I used DMC floss colors-  Blanc, 815, 3750, and 3852. 

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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. 

    🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵🧵 

Well Sweeties, that's what has been going on in the holler- Bees, birds and a little bit of stitching.  Hmmm, now what can I get into today? Hee! Hee! 

Have a bee-autiful day and thank you so much for dropping by for my Thursday tale. 

I am going to continue patriotic stitching all through the year.

 Are you ? 

My buffet is filled to the brim with patriotic goodies. In the background in the frame is Waxing Moon' Design's Patriotic Trio Houses- a favorite stitched years ago. 

As always,

Happy Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa

"A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey. " - Winnie the Pooh

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. I miss and love you so much.   ❤👼

🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯

 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 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

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🌞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

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