It's a Beautiful Day and Freedom Saltbox- A Patriotic Freebie

                

           📻📻"See the sun shining in the window, 

          Time to start a new day. 

          Can't you hear the song bird singing?

          They're gonna sing out loud and say:

         It's a beautiful day for running in the sun, 

          A beautiful day has just begun. 

         A beautiful day to do what I want to do-o-o-o"

                

Good morning, ya'll. It is so joyous to begin the day with a song, and it is a beeautiful day! I hope your day is starting off with a sunshiny start!  

Please grab you a cup of whatever strikes your fancy. Well here, I have tea and yes I sip my ice tea in mugs. That's my excuse to buy cute mugs Lol . Don't tell Mr. Pinker. 

Be Blessed is a  freebie from my dear friend, Vicki at Stitchy McFloss blogspot

This is my newest mug that I got at the Dollar General while camping.  I haven't found them at my DG, but I am always keeping my eyes peeled for mug cuteness! 

Yesterday, I woke up bright eyed and bushy tailed thanks to a sweet birdie serenading to me on my window sill. I decided to take a drive to Lowes to see if there were any plants on sale. Oh , bummer ; no sales .  So I then went to Wally World where I found a couple of pepper and tomato plants to replace some that are looking pretty poorly.

 Being in the vicinity, I had to stop at the Goodwill. Let me show you my haul!! Loads of milk glass, and I even left some behind. Hmmm! I wonder if I should take another  trip to the Goodwill.  I am certainly in milk glass heaven right now.

  

In my previous post, I showed a photo of my newest stitch and finish - Hinzeit's Love Bees. 

My dear friend, PJ who knows I love bees sent me this chart. I finished it on a little clipboard that I had in my stash.

 I am pretty sure it had to have came from Wally World or Dollar Tree (the only 2 places I shop)  The clipboard does have an easel back and a small bow on it. 

                    

I decided to embellish mine so I pulled back the bow and added some old floral picks and jute. I just tacked the embellishments down with a tad of hot glue that way I can easily take it off if I want and then pull down the original bow .  

                   

Thank you again, PJ; I am so excited to add this to my bee collection.  

 Today I also wanted to share with you a new saltbox called Freedom Saltbox. 

  I am really loving the colors in this piece so much that I am going to use them in a little  sampler pinkeep that I hope to stitch and share soon.  

Click here for instruction page. 

Click here for Colored Chart.

Click here for Black/White Chart. 

I absolutely love seeing your saltbox stitches and each one is finished so beautifully. It just warms my heart.💗🥰🤗 Thank you, all. 

 The other day I was looking at which is the most popular saltbox.

 The most popular is ..... Drum Roll, please. Crow Creek!  

Crow Creek  was the very  1st saltbox. 

The 2nd most popular saltbox is .... Spring Green Saltbox. 

 It is always hard for me to choose my most favorite. They all have a special place in my heart especially the one's named after family members.

 If you have missed any of the other saltboxes, just click on the names below and you will be whisked back to a previous posts for your reading pleasure, and you will also find links to the charts there as well. 

 Candy Cane Cottage , Thanksgiving House,  Autumn's Saltbox , Susan's Summer Saltbox ,    Crow Creek Saltbox, Ophelia Manor on Punkin Holler Lane ,  Willowisp Manor of Holler Lane  ,  Turkey Creek Manor ,  Winter Saltbox  , and Dorothy Mae's Spring House   ,  Spring Green Saltbox  ,  Katie Anne's Saltbox , Sarah Jane's 1776 Saltbox , Aunt Bea's Summer Home  ,  Christmas Eve Saltbox  , Edna Viola's Saltbox ,  Winter Manor  ,  Elizabeth Hartline's Saltbox  , The Tulip House  and Strawberry Saltbox . 

      

Oh, my gosh! I have gabbed your head off. I am so sorry for the long post. Before you leave let me leave you , your weekly reminder "YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!" Thank you so much , sweeties for the lovely visit and have a very blessed and joyous day. As always... 

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Bee the best you can bee! 

Begin each day with a joyful heart. 

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗❤🧵

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy .I miss you , Amo . Love ya. 

Getting er' Done and a Patriotic Itty Bitty Freebie

Well, a great big HOWDY, ya'll!!!! Welcome, sweetie pies. Please come on in and and sit a spell.

How was your weekend? I am sure very busy. Mr. Pinker and I had a very relaxing camping trip. On Saturday night, we even got to hear a bit of karoke at the pavillion. Quite entertaining, and kuddos to all who participated!👏👏 How fun! But no not this gal, I did not dream of joining in.

No quilt tops were found on this camping trip, but I did get this Amercian Patchwork and Quilting book for just fifty cents. It was published in 1985.

Look at this gorgeous Churn Dash quilt.

And love this big hexi quilt.

I also purchased Need' L Love's "Meadow Threads" and Art to Heart's "Acorn Hollow" . Lots of cutie patootie projects in these books too.

So what is on the design wall today? Well, I finished stitching another one of my blocks that I am working on for my sister. This one is called "Run Like the Wind" . Amy was always on the move that is for sure.

I hope to design a new one today. I will probably share these later on down the line when I have more of them made.

Still more hour glass blocks need to be constructed for Lisa Bongean's Oh Say Can You Sew QAL.

Clue 2 is available for a few more weeks for free and then Clue 3 will be given. Don't forget to check out her Youtube as well.

I am thinking it is time for another Patriotic Wordie Bowl Filler . What do ya' think? I have loads of scrap aida that just needs to whittled down into a pretty projects.

Today's Patriotic Wordie is "America" .

Click here for the jpg chart. ( Sorry the chart is so wonky! I was off when scanning)

I haven't stitched this one yet . So another project to put on the agenda.

If you missed the last one . It was called Freedom A Patriotic Wordie Bowl Filler.

Freedom paired with one of Blackbird Design's Emily Strawberry. 

Wednesday I plan to do a patriotic parade of some of my previous freebies that is if the good  Lord is willing and the creek don't rise. 

Have you written out your goals for the week?  I bet you are going to be as busy as a bee.  

Did I Get er' Done?   Well.... Last week's goals were: 

✅1. Work on my Summer Days quilt blocks. 

✅ 2. Continue working on Oh, Say Can You Sew Quilt Along. 

✅ 3. Fully finish Hinzeit's Love Bees.  Eeh ! My dear friend, PJ gifted me this chart.  Thank you so much PJ.  I loved every stitch. ❤🤗

✅ 4. Ball games. This is the last week at the ball park for awhile.

✅ 5. I plan on being a Happy Camper . We are going camping later in the week. 

💃💃💃💃 OH, yes I did Get ' er done! Now will I be as productive this week . Fingers crossed. 

What's the Plans for the Week?  Well....

🌞1. Work on my Summer Days quilt blocks. 

🌞 2. Continue working on Oh, Say Can You Sew Quilt Along. 

🌞 3. Truckin' Along Tuesday- New start. 

🌞 4. Work on a new Bee cross stitch. 

🌞 5. Work on Butterfly quilt

Well this is my ramblings for the day. Thank you, my friends for stopping by. I hope you have a wonderful and blessed week and as always...

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa

A smile is the shortest distance between two people!

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗❤🧵

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. Love and miss you. 

  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.  

Kate at Life in Pieces for  Stitching Stuff ( Sunday) 

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

Beth at Love Laugh Quilt  for Monday Making

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Linda at Texas Quilt Gal for To Do List Tuesday - Tuesday

On the Road Again

Good morning , dear friends.  

I am starting Slow Stitching Sunday on the road. The camper is hitched up, and we are headed back home.   So this is just quick post. 

I do not believe I have ever showed you this darling  patriotic freebie  called Stars and Stripes by Helen D. which can be found on her Flosstube #81  . 

I finished it with items that I had in my stash. I think eventually it will end up in my tiered tray. Isn't it so cute? She has another one with summer words called Picnics and Parades.  I will have to stitch it too. 

 Pam Buda  of Heartspun Quilts is genreously gifting another Quilt Archaelogy pattern, but you better hurry! Today is the last day to download it for free. Click here to visit her blog and read all about it. The quilt is called Remebering Betsy and the quilt along begins, Friday May 27th. 

Churn Dash blocks and Flying Geese- it is sure to be a fun one .

Thank you so much for the sweet short visit . Have a blessed day and as always...

 Happy quilting and stitching ya'll

Melisa

Begin the day with friendliness . And only friends you will find. Yes, greet the dawn with happiness. Keep happy thoughts in mind. - Frank B. Whitney

Hugs and Stitches!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy . Love and miss you. 

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

Kate at Life in Pieces for  Stitching Stuff ( Sunday) 

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

Beth at Love Laugh Quilt  for Monday Making

Judy at Small Quilts Doll Quilts for Design Wall Monday

Tish at The Madd Hatter Tish's Adventure in Wonderland  

Lazy Days and Freedom - A Small Patriotic Free

Happy Saturday, ya'll . Mr. Pinker and I decided to hitch up the camper and head on down the road for a day  or so; we will spend lazy days on the river . 

 We arrived at our camping spot Thursday evening. We were just 1 site down from where we camped a few months ago.

 There are more campers here than there were in March , but it is still fairly quiet.  Friday we drove into town.  You know I had to hit the thrift stores; I found a few treasures ,but  did not make a grand haul. I was merrily walking down the aisle in one of the thift stores and I thought oooh! I bet I can find something for Amy for her birthday . And then reality hit me and a small tear formed. But I composed myself and continued looking . I still feel like my sweet sis is still here; it is such a strange feeling.❤ 

 Later in the evening , we lounged by the river , and I  stitched the evening away. 

                     

A sneak peek at a new design . 

The wild and wooly vine is all stitched. Have any ideas what will go in next? Oh, you will have to wait. 😀

 Now tell me .Do you save those teeny scraps of cross stitching fabric?  Being the hoarder , I mean,  thrifty person that I am, I save ever inch. So I decided to start a new series called Patriotic Wordies Bowl Fillers.  If you are interested in joining me,  grab some scraps, a needle,  your favorite red, whites and blue flosses, and  don't forget the bowl .

 These are teeny  simple quick to stitch pieces that will not take more than a few minutes to stitch and can be made into teensy bowl fillers.   

Freedom paired with one of Blackbird Design's Emily Strawberry. 

           

 The first one is called Freedom. I stitched this while sitting in the school pick up line. 

Click here for the jpg chart. 

This is how I finished my pin pillow. I trimmed my cross stitch to 4 1/2" W x  2 1/2" H . 

I rummaged through my red  , whites and blues and chose 4 strips. I cut them to 1 1/2" x 3 1/2" . 

 I sewed the strips together and then added the cross stitch.

 After finding some backing fabric, I whipped it into a little pillow, but..... as an after thought, I decided to add a bit of lace to the seam.  Sweet Pat, to the rescue. Some of you may remember that Pat sent me a bit of lace last year, and I can not tell you how many times I have added a tad here and a tad there  to my projects. Thank you so much, Pat. I am still enjoying every bit of the vintage lace. So I tacked the lace in place, and then I did a little happy dance to seal the deal that I had a finish! 🧵💃💃🎇Whoo Hoo!

Last year I shared a couple of small word stitches.  

Here is Liberty along with Sarah Jane's 1776 Saltbox that I shared last year. 

Click here for Old Glory.

Red , White and Blue was a little bigger piece. 

That's my ramblings for the weekend. I truly appreciate the sweet visit. Have a beautiful day and a fantabulous weekend. 

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it on to our children in the  bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected and handed on  for  them to do the same. - Ronald Reagan

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗❤🧵

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy . 

Piecing Away on Summer Days

Happy , happy Thursday, ya'll and welcome.  Please, grab a cup of ice tea and let's chat.

 

All 12 blocks are embroidered on my Summer Days quilt . Any spare minute that I could sneak into the quilt nest and piece, I certainly took that opportunity.  I gave a sneak peek of one of the blocks  on Monday.  

I decided to set my embroidered pieces into the Churn Dash block. I originally thought about using Depression era fabrics, but in the end,  summery reds and blues won out. You know me and the color red! 

 My plan is to have 6 red blocks and 6 blue. I have not decided if I am going to add sashing or a different type of block between the embroidered blocks.  I am a fly by the seat kinda of girl if you haven't already figured that out. 

So let me show you how I pieced my block.  

The unfinished size of the Churn Dash Block is  12 1/2" . Finished size : 12". 

The embroidered blocks measured 6 1 /2" unfinished and 6 " finished. 

I decided to use the Magic 8 Method to create 8 half square triangle blocks at once. Coral + Co.  has a great tutorial on how to use this method.  Please check them out . They do a lot better job at explaining than I do though I will attempt it. Lol.  

The FORMULA is finished square size + 7/8" ( or  .875) and then multiply by 2. 

✴Since I know that my finished HST blocks need to measure 3". I cut out a 7 3/4" square of blue and  a 7 3/4" square of white.  This is going to give me 8 HST in the end. 

✴ I placed them right sides together, and I drew diagonal dotted lines from corner to corner. A quarter of an inch from each side of the diagonal lines, I drew a solid line to indicate the sewing lines. I then drew a  dotted line halving the whole 7 3/4" block in each direction. 

✴The dotted lines will be the cutting lines after the sewing has taken place. Sew a scant 1/4" down the solid lines. 

✴Cut on the dotted lines creating 8 HST.  You will need 4 to piece one Churn Dash.  Trim the blocks to 3 1/2" 

✴From blue fabric #2  , I cut a strip measuring 2" x WOF. I did the same for a  white fabric #2. 

✴I placed right sides together and pieced  the strips using a 1/4" seam allowance . Press . I then subcut this unit into 6 1/2" strips.  You need 4 for one Churn Dash. 

✴Using the 4 HST , the Blue/ White strips and embroidered block, I laid out my pieces. 

             

✴Sew them in rows and then sew the rows together. Press and  Wah Lah!

 EEHH! I did not buy any new fabric for this project . I just rummaged through the quilt nest to find what I needed.   I guesstimate that I had about a 1 yard of each of the red, blue and white fabrics.  Of course,  I did not use  all of that amount of fabric  to piece the blocks, but I am just giving you an idea of where I started at .( REMEMBER FLY BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS! Lol)  

As far as all of the Churn Dash Blocks,  I have figured out the  fabric and cutting requirements: 

                                FOR 12 CHURN DASH BLOCKS

 BLUE FLORAL  FABRIC #1 : Cut 1 strip of fabric 7 3/4" x WOF. Subcut into 7 3/4" squares . (You will only  need 3 squares to piece 6 blocks if you are using the Magic Eight Method). 

WHITE  PRINT FABRIC #1 : Cut 2 strips of fabric 7 3/4" x WOF. Subcut into 7 3/4" squares. (You will need 6 - 3 for the red blocks and 3 for the blue blocks)

RED FLORAL  FABRIC #1:  Cut 1 strip of fabric 7 3/4" x WOF. Subcut into 7 3/4" squares . (You will only  need 3 squares to piece 6 blocks if you are using the Magic Eight Method).

BLUE PRINT FABRIC # 2- Cut 4 strips of fabric 2" x WOF 

RED PRINT  FABRIC # 2- Cut 4 strips of fabric 2" x WOF

WHITE PRINT FABRIC #2- Cut 8 strips of fabric 2" x WOF 

And of course you need your 6 1/2" embroidered blocks. 

I hope you stay tuned to see what I decide to do once the blocks are completed. Will it be sashing or another block? Hmmmm ! Inquiring minds want to know. lol. 

I truly appreciate ya'll visiting me on Embroidery Thursdays and  for all of the kind words of encouragement. I hope some of ya'll have joined in whether on this embroidery project or one of your own. It is sometimes nice to reserve a day for something a little different in crafting. 

                        

Well, the grandbabies will be here soon, but in the meantime. I have more blocks to piece. I wish you were here in person so we could chat the day away while playing with fabric and thread. Have a beautiful day, my friends . And as always...

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa

 If you have missed any of the previous blocks, check out the links below to go back to the previous posts for the jpgs. 

Previous blocks include:  Little Blue Birdie  ,Time to Plant  ,   A Bowl of Berries ,  A Basket of Blooms , Buzz Buzz  ,  Red , White, and Ewe , Summertime Treat  , Lemonade  , Sunflower Basket ,A Jar of Coneflowers  , Home Tweet Home  , Bowl of Tomatoes.

A Little bit of Summer is what the whole year is all about! 

Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗❤🧵 

Dedicated to my sweet sister, Amy. I will forever miss our Summer time fun - cookouts , gatherings , swimming and whatever else we could get into. 

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. 

Pat at  Life in  the Scrapatch for Stitch , Sew and Show- Wednesday

Jennifer at Inquiring Quilter for Wednesday  Wait Loss- Wednesday

Denise at For the Love of Geese for Put Your Foot Down- Thursday

Kelly at My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday- Thursday