The Ole' Cheapskate

 Hip Hip Hooray! It's Sunday!! It is going to be a beautiful special day because it is my oldest grandson's birthday! We will celebrate with cake and a small party . 🎂 I can not believe he is 7 years old today. 

So how are you doing? I hope well. It has been a very busy week. I have not got to comment on the blogs that I visit like I would like too,  but I have been visiting.  When springtime hits, my hours are taken away with gardening and the grandchildren's ballgames. I bet you have been a very busy bee yourself. 

I have been planting lots of marigolds and zinnias. That is about all that I can grow here. Lol. Our ground is very rocky and there is little soil.  I have found over the years that I have better success out of the cheap seeds-the good ole' twenty cent Walmart packs. I did pick up a few more expensive packs of peppermint zinnias (a whopping $ 1.44 ) ,  but they never produce like the cheapos. Lol. Are you shaking your head thinking I am a cheapskate. Ok I will admit it I am 😆. Last year was the 1st time I bought the boxes of marigolds from the Dollar Tree ,and let me tell you. They were huge. The marigolds were not the French Dwarfs though; I believe they were the Incas but so lovely. This year I thought I would try the DT zinnias as well.  I will keep you updated on their progress. 

Ok on to stitching. 

I have got a few things done this week. Let's see. 

Fabrics are cut for a new small quilt. . Now I need to piece them. 

Pulled out my good ole' blue fabrics 

and finished piecing this little cross stitch quilt. My plan is to quilt it this week. 

Lots of patriotic stuff is being pulled out to be displayed. I know its early but I am itching for red, white, and blue. 

 Oh yes! You saw this quilt last week,  and I hang my head in shame. 

So small of a quilt and nope I did not get it completed. Oh bummer!  Why I tell you that is on the  agenda for today!  Hold my feet to the fire to get this one completed. Lol. 

I hope to get more done on the quilt front this week . Fingers crossed. 

I did complete this free cross stitch from From the Heart Needleart by Wendy and finished it into a thrift store frame. Below it is Strawberry Picker  Trifle  one of my earlier freebies.  

I also completed Mini Celebration Sampler another free chart by From the Heart Needleart by Wendy. Click here to get these 2 charts and sign up for her newsletter.

 Wendy is very generous with freebies.  I stitched this one in pastel colors and then tea dyed the whole piece. I don't think  I see too much difference; maybe I needed to keep it in the tea bath longer.  I finished it on a Dollar Tree tray that I painted white and grunged up .

 

This will be my new scissor tray. I am trying to train myself on keeping up with my scissors. Lol.

Last night, I stitched up a little strawberry called "Emily's Strawberry " a design by Blackbird Designs in the book In Friendship's Way. This book was shared with me by a sweet friend. Thank you again. dear.  I hope to finish it this week as well. 

Thank you so much for visiting me on  this sunny spring Sunday. Let me leave with a little quilt stack I shared on IG this morning. 

Vintage teddy bears and a stack of quilts fixing to be put away. I think I am  about ready to put the quilt top behind the chair into a hoop and work on quilting it. 

Have a super Sunday 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 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

Angela of So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

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

Michelle  at  From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant 126

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party

May your Sunday be blessed with love , joy, peace, and happiness. 

Hugs and stitches! 

Lizzy's Prim Pin Keep - A Prim Freebie

 Happy Tuesday, ya'll! Hope your day has been a good one. I have been piddling around working on a little prim pin keep- a super quick stitch and finish . So I thought I would pop in with a quick little freebie.  

If you are interested ,just choose your favorite floss , a scrap of fabric  and this little chart and stitch away! I bet you will have it done in a blink of eye since it is so simple. 😉😀

It is a small only measuring 40 x 35. I stitched mine on 14 tea dyed aida.  I  added a little heart from hubby's old shirt before making it into a little pin pillow. 

Click here for the pdf. 

Thank you so much for stopping in for a quick visit and have a fantabulous day!!! And as always... 

Happy Stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Any day spent with a needle in hand is a good day. 

Hugs and Stitches, 

Magnificent Monday

It is a magnificent Monday! Hello, dear friends . How are ya'll doing? It has been a busy ,busy day - just like I like it.  I am usually here piddling around the house by myself on Mondays- my hubby calls it "Me Time Monday " .  So what have I been up to today?  Cleaning, sewing and a bit of puttering, but today hubby was off from work. Did that stop "Me Time Monday"? Oh , no!  So he has been pressure washing the house. I have been moving things around and working on gardening and sewing projects throughout the day . 

I thought I would share some recent projects that I have worked on in the last couple of weeks. I have been doing really good on staying on my rotation. I think I need 3 star stickers.⭐⭐⭐. Lol  I usually try to spend 15 to 30 minutes on a themed project for the day.  

Here is my rotation

Merry Monday- A Christmas project

Tomato Tuesday - a tomato themed project 

Tiny Tuesday- a tiny stitch.  ( My friend Christina from IG started this Tuesday theme)

Witchy Wednesday- A Halloween stitch

Thankful  Thursday- a Thanksgiving stitch or a free stitch

Fall Friday-  An Autumn Stitch

Stars and Stripes Saturday- A patriotic stitch

Sampler Saturday-  A sampler

Santa Sunday-  A Christmas stitch. 

Do you have a rotation ? I would love to hear about it. 

A couple of weeks ago on Tomato Tuesday, I completed Heart in Hand's "Tomato Tart" . This chart was gift from my dear friend, Joan. We have been stitching tomato themed projects on Tuesday. I know I have a little tart pan that it might fit in but have not located it yet. 

Tomato Tart by Heart in Hand Needlearts

I also began a new Annie stitch. Dorothy and Alma are all stitched now Annie and Edna need to make their appearance. This is going to be a patriotic piece.
 

Last Wednesday was another warm day. So I took the opportunity to dye a little fabric gray and let it dry outside. Within about an hour it was already to be stitched on soooo for my Witchy Wednesday piece. I started a new Halloween chart.  I eventually got this pumpkin coach all filled in. 

Saturday started off with a bang! A new start and a finish -all in the wee morning hours as I watched Jessica Fletcher solve crimes in Cabot Cove in the TV show Murder She Wrote.  In two episodes, "Floral" Pinkeep" by From the Heart Needleart by Wendy was completed. This was  a freebie in Wendy's last newsletter.  Click here to visit Wendy's website and sign up for her newsletter. 

I hope to share my finish on this soon. 

Well today, I popped into the Quilt Nest to begin piecing this little stitch called Love 2 Quilt by HInzeit another gift from a sweet stitchy friend. 

 I am going to make a little mini quilt. The fabrics are cut. So I will finish piecing it today. 

Later in the evening, I will be heading to the  grandbaby's baseball game ; I will be taking my basket quilt along to work on while watching the kiddos. 

These little  baskets are just darling. 

Later tonight at 10 pm, you will find my on the couch watching Hart to Hart and stitching on Abby Rose Designs " A Joyful Heart"  ( My Hart to Hart - stitch) . 

Here is the last photo I shared . 

And now for my progress photo. 

- Doing pretty good- Right? 

Well I hope you are having a magnificent Monday and a "Me time Monday " as well. Everybody needs a day to dedicate a day to themselves.  Have a very lovely evening, my sweet peeps and as always...

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa 

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

When life gives you Monday, dip it  in glitter and sparkle all day!!!!

Hugs and Stitches!!! 

Basket Case Friday

Woo Hoo ! It is Friday. Where did the week go?  It sure did pass by  like a whirlwind . I can honestly say I got very little done. Lol. I blame it on the warm weather, playing in dirt,  and of course I had to go watch the  grandbabies' ballgames. 

Some days it is hard to go into the Quilt Nest especially when it is bursting at the seams just begging for a good cleaning. It will happen someday, I promise. I did pull out some scraps to complete a wee bit on the quilt front though. 

                                

My sweet friend, Joan sent my a little basket template for applique. I love needleturn applique' . I worked on a small blue basket quilt. Oh, it is so cute!! I am going to quilt on it tonight. I have the backing cut and the batting is ready to go. Now just to put it in the hoop.  I think I will cut out some more baskets for another basket quilt too.

                

As long as I am talking about baskets, I thought I would show you some of my baskets throughout the house. 

A vintage picnic basket with WIPS inside and quilts on top. 

A basket of saltboxes. 

                                                              

A big basket of WIPS . I think this chair from my Great Grandma might become my new stitchy spot. Perfect spot to gaze out the window at the squirrels and birdies as they  fight for the feeders. 

                                       

A basket of little quilts on a stack of quilting and stitching books. 

                           

And finally a basket stack with vintage Annies. The red basket holds a Christmas Annie that stays out year round and the small baskets hold floss. 

                 

 

Ok, enough with the baskets. So what else did I work on?  Well today I  worked on a few more blocks for my strawberry quilt.

 I added some stacking mixing bowls and some strawberry cupcakes. 

Not my favorite blocks , but they are ok. I do love that blue bowl though. 

Well that's my unproductive quilt week in a itty bitty nutshell or should I say basket. Hope you have accomplished more than I have. Have a fabulous weekend and as always...

Happy quilting, 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 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 125

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party

Today is the day! Make it happen!

 hugs and stitches, 

Spring Farm Pasture- A Spring Freebie

Happy Wednesday ya'll! Would you like to join me on the farm and see the pasture? Well put on your rubber boats and let's go! We will hop, skip,  jump and see the sights on the farm.  How about we start off with the cross stitched pasture.  

For the last couple of weeks , I have shared a  Spring on the Farm series. The first one was Spring on the Farm with the red barn and tractor.  

Click  here  if you missed Spring on the Farm and you will be directed to the post and pdfs . 

After I stitched it, I decided to continue on with the farm with the Spring Farmhouse which was based on my grandparents' home. It included a dad's red truck and Great Grandma Annie's quilt hanging on the line.. 

Click here to visit the Spring Farmhouse post.  

The third in this spring series is the pasture. 

This little stitch is based on our family farm. As a kid, I had so much fun playing in the fields; so I have included bits and pieces of my farm life in this stitch.  In one corner is an apple tree with a tree house in it. 

When I was a child, we had a two level rickety tree house in an apple tree. A perfect place to play and eat a healthy snack. 

Out in the field are 3 cows. Blackie was our milk cow when we were young'uns, and oh, yes I did help milk her.  The red cow is Number 4 or affectionately known as Molly. She currently lives on the farm and is the smartest cow of the herd. The small white Charolais calf is Bangs; she also currently lives on the family farm but is grown now. The real Bangs has a shaggy bangs that frame her forehead- so cute. 

What's in the garden? Carrots, radishes, strawberries and lettuce. There is also a watering trough, shovel and galvanized bucket near the fence. Of course, we have a few hens running around the farm as well as 2 ducks on the pond. All sweet memories. I did include 3 sheep. We never had any sheep, but I always wanted some. 

I finished my stitch just as I did the other 2 which were mounted on foam board and on a Dollar Tree tray. 

The lace is also from the Dollar Tree.  I did not glue the finished piece into the tray; that way I can interchange it with other seasons. 

If I knew I was going to stitch 3 pieces, I would have stitched them together. I bought a little tray from Walmart in the garden section that would be perfect to put all 3 designs  stitched as 1 . I think I paid about $4.94 for it. 

Many of you know that I always leave this disclaimer: I am not a professional designer, and I do not have professional software.  I do have to put each page on separate pdf downloads because of the devices I use. I apologize for that.  Thank you for understanding. 

Click here for the instruction page. 

                         

Click here for the colored chart. 

                         

Click here for the black and white chart. 

                          

I started playing around with a little grouping of these stitches on the hutch today.  This is where they will stay until mid May when patriotic comes out. 

 They look  pretty cute paired with the 1869 Spring Chick Crock. I think I will leave that our for a few more weeks. 

My hutch is headed toward a farm theme in reds and yellows. Oh, I am so excited. This will be my project for the evening. 

Thank you so much for visiting me in the pasture today! Hope ya'll come back soon. Have a very lovely day and as always... 

Happy stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Live like someone left the gate open! 

Adventure is Calling

 Big HELLOS, ya'll! It is a warm beautiful day here in my neck of the woods, and I am enjoying some time out on the patio.  There is a slight breeze, and I am in the shade so come on and join me. 

Last Thursday, after the grandbabies left Mr. Pinker and I headed off on a delightful camping trip to Guntersville Lake in Alabama. 

Mr. Pinker likes to fish there, and I just like to camp.  I couldn't catch a fish in a fish tank. Lol

                 

We were right on the lake and what a treat when we saw three eagles  flying above us.

             

 It was even a bigger treat when they landed in a nest two campers down from us. The nest was massive in a large pine tree.

                 

 Underneath sat a little camper. I wonder if any of the limbs which make up the nest ever fall on the camper. The camper across from it has a great view of the eagles. 

                              

 I was able to get a few photos. One eagle had a white head but the other two bald eagles had not turned yet. 

                  

 On Friday, I went kayaking and paddled around a little island . A  young goose put her head down low in hopes that I did not spot her as I paddled by. Oh, but I did! 

 Later, I had a visitor come to my campground ; I wonder if she is the same goose from the island.   I think she wanted a little din din.  "No treats here , sweetie". 

Saturday was a rainy day so we hit thrift shops in neighboring towns. I hope to post photos of my small haul later this week.  

Well let's get to what I am up to today . I do have laundry going on. Do I have any takers on folding clothes? Lol.😂😃  Ok let's talk about something more fun than laundry.  Earlier this morning, I pulled out my Days of Our Lives project which is Little House Needlworks "Old Red Barn". I always work on this at noon when Days comes on. I have the farmers in and hopefully will get a start on the words tomorrow. 

 I then went into the Quilt Nest and began cutting fabrics.

                             

 Lots of squares and binding for my Spring Chick Quilt. Lickety split, I sewed the binding on the chick quilt which I finished quilting last night.

                            

 This evening I will sit on the patio and do a little binding. 

Since my Dogwood trees are in bloom , I have also pulled out my Dogwood Quilt to work on.

 I spread it out on the hill so I could give you a better look at this "scrap happy beauty". 

I got this quilt top at the Goodwill for only $3.99 . It is a fun scrappy quilt that I am quilting dogwood blooms in. I love the green sashing in the quilt. I am quilting leaves in it. If I really worked on this quilt it would be done in no time. 

 I have a lot of catching up to do on reading IG and blog posts. It may take a few days , but I look forward what others have been up to these last few days. I am so happy and grateful that you stopped by to see me today. I hope to catch up with you more later this week so please stop by. I always love visitors. Have a beautiful day 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 needle workers to meet.  

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

Wander often and wonder always!

Hugs and Stitches.