aCross(stitch) the Years

The other day, while doing some updating in my etsy shop, I decided to do a little browsing... and what can be more fun than browsing that fabulous site? I tried a new search term, typing "cross stitch" in the vintage category.

Lo and behold, there were 48 pages to look at! Not being one to actually sit and browse for THAT long, I only made it through about 20 pages, but I thought I would share my favorite findings (click the pictures to be taken directly to the listing):

Feathered Friends

I have been collecting photos of some of our favorite visitors to our winter bird feeder. This is a pretty new hobby for us... not feeding the birds, we have been doing that for several years now... but actually having a feeder close enough to the windows that we get to watch and identify them. Even the kids are pretty good at naming some of the varieties now... it has turned out to be a great family activity. Often, the youngest will run to me, saying, "Mama, I wook froo your binocyoors? Deres a bird on the feeder!"

In no particular order, here are our most frequent guests:




Being pretty far out in the woods, and being used to only seeing them in the city, this one surprised us...

Did You Watch?

We aren't really sports fans, but we usually watch the Super Bowl with family or friends each year. This is the first in as long as I can remember that we stayed home, and only turned the TV on once in awhile to see what the score was. Why I felt the need to check, I don't really know, since I didn't really care. Habit, I guess. We did catch the final few minutes, while eating our dinner.

I spent the day, sitting at my kitchen bar, folding umpteen-bazillion charts to send to Nashville, while watching a few episodes of Cranford on my portable DVD player. Have I ever told you that there is conjecture amongst historians that some of the characters in Elizabeth Gaskell's Cranford books were inspired by a few of my ancestral Aunties? Interesting story... interesting thought... and of course, makes the viewing of this historically-set mini-series quite meaningful to me.

Speaking of folding umpteen-bazillion charts... want to see one of the designs that I'll be releasing at Market? It is a reproduction of this antique sampler that I bought last Summer at the same show where I found Unna von Bergen (but not nearly so cheap!)...

Since there is no name or date (I guess I'm drawn to the orphans!), I am calling this one "Matchless Grace". I'll be releasing it at the TNNA show and in my etsy shop simultaneously on February 18th, along with my Adam & Eve design (which I'll be showing you early next week).

And while I was busy in the house avoiding the Super Bowl, my Smoking-Hot-Husband was working on the kennel. He got the play yard fence finished on Saturday,

and put in a back window and the base of the sleeping boxes Sunday.

Aren't we the industrious pair?

If...

If I was a teensy, tiny, fairy, looking for a home, I would be strongly drawn to living Here. Here, with its mounds of plush, vibrant moss to line my bed.

A forest of tympani for my midnight playing pleasure.

A smooth plain for stargazing.

A rugged spire to climb, stand upon triumphant, and proclaim as my own.

And my very own Twin Guardians to stand watch, answer my summons, and carry me away to fairy trysts in the Forest.

Window Shopping

While browsing this site yesterday, I took the liberty of digitally assembling my own dream stack of pantry boxes (Sulpher! Red Chalk! Currants!)...

And while I was at it, I put a few other things into my imaginary shopping cart.











Now if only I could come up with about a kajillion dollars so I could actually check out. Donations, anyone?

When I Replace My 15-Year-Old Vehicle

I hope I can find one at my local dealership just like this:

It can fly. It protects plants. It has a ladder to climb on.

It bends in the middle. It has a water hose and a tool holder.

There is a fence to keep the driver safe. It has a bucket to carry things in. It has awnings for shade when it gets hot.

And it is solar powered. Yep. Everything a girl could ever want in a vehicle.

Besides, it looks super cool too.

The Other Something in the Works

You might recall this post awhile back, when I teased a little about a building project that was being started?

Well, I finally have more to show you (much more- lots of photos coming), and am about to give you an explanation...



My Mother and Father in-law have been raising and breeding Labradors for several years. They have created a community of families that is pretty special- families all linked by the puppies they have bought from Alderwood Labradors. They really love their 6 adult dogs (4 Mamas and 2 Daddies), but due to a long and serious illness, came to the realization that they just couldn't keep the business any longer.



We spent a few months talking about what it might look like if we were to take over the business, even before there was serious talk about letting it go, because we anticipated that it would most likely come to this end. I am a total novice when it comes to animals, having been raised in a mostly pet-free home, but I am also not afraid to try new things, and look forward to our kids learning to be with and love animals from a young age.


Yep. You guessed it. We said yes! We really wanted to keep the dogs in the family, and also knew that we would be silly to say no to the opportunity of replacing a good portion of my old corporate-world income from before the kids were born.



My hard-working husband, with help here and there from a few dedicated friends, is getting closer to the end of the building process, and we will soon be able to move the dogs to our property. And shortly after, starting in March, we expect four litters of puppies to be born within two months of each other.



Never fear, my passion will always be my needlework business... Heartstring Samplery is not going away! We are simply "enriching" our lives by adding a canine family. This blog will remain much the same, with the addition of all things doggie, and I expect that once the Labrador business and website have been fully transitioned, that we will begin to see some of the dog families reading this blog alongside all of my stitching friends. And I am truly looking forward to seeing what that will be like!

And now I have caught you up to speed. This is how it looks on this dry and cold morning...

A world of flat colors, frozen grass and dirt. At 25 degrees with little humidity, the ground feels like tundra, but OH! the stars last night were incredible! February is a month of dull colors in Oregon, the vegetation at the very deepest of sleep, gathering strength for that burst of life that is just around the corner. The Chick Chalet has been moving about the garden patch all winter, giving our girls a chance to peck and scratch and enrich our soil. A few tough herbs are still struggling to stay green in the herb patch, and the greenhouse stands ready.

There you have it. Now I have to go fold and stuff a bajillion charts for the big TNNA show in a few weeks. See you tomorrow!

Something New in the Works

I know... I'm always working on something new. But at least I don't tease you endlessly and never have anything to show for it, right?

This is what my Monday morning looked like...