New Goodies for Sale

You all were so enthusiastic on Instagram about the fun things I was making for the retreat last month, that I decided to make up another batch to offer for sale. Just in case everyone else that didn't get to attend was feeling left out.

Now available in my etsy shop are:

Frog Stitch-Ripper Pins

We've all been there. Stitching away when suddenly we realize that we've done it all wrong; mis-counted, used the wrong stitch, the wrong color, you-name-it.

We call these mistakes "frogs". We call the process of taking the stitches out "frogging". Why? Because with every stitch the mantra repeats in our heads, "Rip-it, Rip-it".

I had the brilliant idea to make some pins with the specific purpose of helping such ripping to happen in a more entertaining way. So what did I do? Adorned them with frogs of course!

I start with pin blanks, to which I've added various shades of green for the bellies of the frogs along with metal alloy heads and legs. They are secured with the strongest jewelry glue I can find, so they should be able to live long lives and withstand much use and abuse. And they include a little cap to go on the sharp end to protect wayward fingers from being pricked during storage.

I currently have 3 different shades of green made up, which I refer to as: Light, Marbled, and Dark.

You will be able to select your desired shade from the drop-down menu before you check out.

These fun and very giftable pretties will arrive in a resealable cello bag on a card printed with the most perfect vintage image ever. It is titled, "As ye sew, sew shall ye rip" with the name "Alice" underneath.

And...


Cross Stitch Sampler Pendant or Thread Rings

With images from some of my all time most popular designs, the pendants can be worn as a necklace or used as a thread ring. Each pendant comes with a 24 inch nickel plated ball chain as well as a 2 inch book ring, making it easy for you to either wear around your neck or use to kit up new design threads for stitching.

The images in the pendants vary, but are all taken from my own designs or from antique samplers that I've reproduced. They are housed in a silver metal backing (not sterling; these are a costume-jewelry grade pendant made from a metal alloy) with a glass dome to protect the image. I currently have 16 images made up, but I am open to the idea of making a custom pendant for you, so please put in a request if you don't see one of your favorite Heartstring Samplery designs represented.

You will be able to select your design name from the drop-down menu before you check out.

These fun and very giftable pretties will arrive in a resealable cello bag.

Holiday Hand-dids

Now that the family Christmas celebrations are over, I can finally share with you a glimpse of what has been keeping me really, really busy the last few months...

There were 5 different pincushions made for the sewing women in my family. Each quite different from the other, and I only took pictures of one... I think I had intentions of photographing them all together when they were finished, but well...

I made 36 mini bags of Peppermint-scented rice and flax for the nieces, nephews and classmates, and 12 adult-sized bags of the same. My kids love to keep theirs in the refrigerator, so that they are cool at all times and ready to soothe bumps and bruises. I heat mine up most evenings to help my chilly bones get warm.

There were 7 tents made for little ones to play in, and 1 crocheted blanket for the Grandma whose own hands have crocheted many, many blankets for Kids and Grandkids over the years. My sister made sleeping bags for each of the kids to go with their tents.

I hand-quilted 2 play mats for baby boys to roll around on,

and bottled 5 containers of my home-brew.

Along with several jars of my Green Tomato Chutney.

And last, but certainly not least, 1 personalized My-First-Sampler kit for an almost-9-year-old niece. Complete with a design made just for her, hoops, needles, a pincushion, fabric, thread, and enclosed in a vintage sewing basket. Here's hoping she likes this new stitching experience!

New Pretties in my Etsy Shop!

I have been busy this week, finishing up a Blessing Box, which is now listed in my etsy shop.

What is a Blessing Box, you ask? It is a special place to visit on days when you are having a hard time thinking of anything positive. Days when everything seems to be going wrong. For the Blessing Box, when used properly, is filled with scraps of paper, some elegant, others scribbled upon, no matter the method, each inscription tells of a Blessing that has taken place in your life. A stranger giving you fifty cents so that you don't have to put something back at the grocery store... an unexpected card from a dear friend... a favorite Scripture verse that gives you strength... your teenager cleaning his/her room with no prompting... A simple few minutes reading through the rememberances should be enough to set one's perspective back in a more peaceful place.

A Blessing Box might look like a shabby old shoe box, or a pretty antique hat box. Or maybe, just maybe, it might look like this:



A little thrift-store bentwood box, which I have coated with layers of paint, pretty papers, and one of my papercuttings decoupaged to the top.

Also added to my shop is this whimsical little gathering:

New Pretties in my Etsy Shop!

Yesterday I got busy and listed several new items in my etsy shop... some jewelry pieces and two brand new papercuttings. I will continue to add more besides just patterns over the next month in preparation for the Christmas holiday, so check back often to see what's new...

A Bountful Harvest

Miss Emily Jean couldn't help but be infected by the happiness of her parents, grandparents, and bachelor Uncle Edward as they daily worked to bring in a bumper crop of wheat and corn. They would eat well during the coming winter months, and that made everyone rejoice. Farming wasn't an easy life, and many years the pantry was empty long before the Springtime thaw.

While the adults were busy working in the fields, and she cared for her baby brother, she resourcefully used a scrap of fabric, some leftover crochet string, and crushed walnut shells from the tree in their yard to make a commemorative pumpkin pinkeep, a secret gift for her Grandmother. Everyone would remember the bounty of 1828 for years to come, and she wanted to be a part of the celebration.

Three quarters of a century later, that pinkeep has been found, tucked away in the bottom of a trunk. It is darkened with age, but still retains its fir branch "stem" and a few rusty pins and needles.

And it will be offered for sale on ebay to the highest bidder, starting tomorrow afternoon. :)

July's Theme

My ebay group's theme for July is Summertyme Blues. Since everyone else was too busy, I took it uponst myself to make the banner, using my limited ability and software. I think it turned out good, considering all I did was add some text to a photo from my clipart files.


And here are two of my offerings that will be listed this month:

With My Needle

Here is my latest design, "With My Needle" presented 2 ways. As a framed sampler (this is how it will appear on the pattern booklet):

And as a hanging pinkeep (this is how it will be sold on ebay):