With Best Christmas Wishes

Good afternoon Everyone,

Well pumpkins and turkeys are out of my mind

 and all things Christmas have

taken their place. 

Before I get started, I have a few 

 things to share with you today.  

One is a very special thank you for all of the

orders for the Angel Collection.  They are

all sold and have gone to great homes to

be stitched and enjoyed.  

Thanks also to everyone for their kind

words about my "Freebie" graph.  I'm

so happy that you are enjoying it.

~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm always looking for cute ways to add

a "little" Christmas cheer in a unique way.

Here are my Candle Clips for your tree

with a tiny little design that you can stitch

in no time.

  

This Christmas Candle Clip Collection includes

the rusty tin star-shaped clip, the linen banding,

and the candle.  The cost is $15.00 which

includes the shipping.

Wouldn't this look sweet nestled in a 

Christmas tree, but I wouldn't advise lighting

the candle.  Can you believe they used

to do that very thing.

~~~~~~~~~~~

 I wanted to get a gallery of all of my Christmas

designs on the Blog, but it never happened,

(hope to work on that later)

 so I think I'll show you some designs 

occasionally that are a quick stitch.  

Today's "Quick Stitch" is Santa Sampler.

He comes with the gold tinsel pipe cleaner

for the trim.  The directions for finishing

with the felt backing are included.

If you would like Santa, he is $10.50 which

includes the shipping.

~~~~~~~~~~

Please check back often over the next few

weeks.  I'm going to share some of my decorations,

 traditions,  and tasty recipes around  the 

Sullivan house. 

~~~~~~~~~~

I'm going to be putting items on my Etsy cite

soon.  I'll let you know when to look.

Wishing you "Merry Stitches",

Sandra

Happy Turkey Day!

Good Evening Everyone!

I had finally recovered from stuffing myself,

and now we are thinking about doing it 

again.  Left overs are always my undoing.

I have about three weeks to lose a bunch

of weight and I am definitely not on

the right track.  I love Thanksgiving,

but the scales do not.

Thought I would share a few scenes of

Thanksgiving at the Sullivan house.

It was a wonderful time.

Blessing to all of you on this 

Thanksgiving night.  

Sandra

I Must Be Tired!

Good Afternoon Again!

I must be tired from all of this cooking.

I forgot to add that you my purchase

all of the stuff to go with the Freebie.

You get the frame, the "Putty"

linen, and the Olde Brass button

for $29.00.  That includes the

shipping.  If you would like one

just email me with your address

and payment information.

Now back to Thanksgiving.

Merry Stitches,

Sandra

I'm Thankful For. . .

Good Afternoon Everyone!

As Thanksgiving draws near I think about what

I am thankful for and there are so many things that I could

never list them all.  At this time though I would like to

 mention a few.  I am thankful that my husband, Lehmer,  

recovered from a serious illness, Hollis and I 

avoided serious injuries in an automobile accident,

 new members were added to our family and the

families of our friends, and Faye, Lehmer, Cameron,

 Hollis, Ethel, Doris and all those that help with

 Homespun Elegance.  Also, that all of my friends and

 other family members are doing well.  Last but not least 

I am thankful for all of the friends I have made through

 this Blog.

Since I closed my shoppe I have missed being

with people who love needlework, so in a way, 

you have helped fill that void and I am so

grateful to you.

This little "freebie" graph is a little thank you

 for becoming my friends.  Bless you and

"Blessings To All"

(Just click on the graph and text
and then print.)
I want to take this time to thank all
of you who have sent me comments and
emails about my Blog. It means a great deal 
to me. I wish you and yours a blessed 
Thanksgiving. Hope you will find time 
for some
"Merry Stitches during the holiday.
Sandra 

Last Designs for 2010

Good Morning Everyone!

I know everyone is getting excited about

the holidays coming up, but I have to

let you know that the next two designs

in "A Halloween Year" have been sent

to my Autos and Distributors.

That leaves eight more to go in the

coming months.

"H" Is For Halloween

Owls' Night Out

I posted my 

Santas 'A Plenty II

last night and the picture was very 

blurry.  I worked on it but could not

make it any better.  So here is a 

new and improved picture.

I wish all of you a happy and productive weekend.

I am finally going to get to do a little more

decorating and planning for Thanksgiving. 

 I will share a few pictures in the coming days.

Also, I plan to have a little "treat" for all of

you soon.  Be on watch.

Merry Stitches,

Sandra

Last Christmas Design

Good Evening Everyone!

I think I am finally finished with the designing

for this year.  What a year it has been.  I 

have many more Christmas ideas on the

drawing board but they will have to wait

until next year.  As much as I hate to

admit it, I am just running out of time

and I guess you are too.

This last Christmas design is a must

for those last minute gifts though - six tiny 

Santas finished into adorable ornaments

or little bags.  Each is adorned with one

of our brass charms for a little extra glitz. 

I made the little hanger on the bag with some

"Vintage-Inspired" tinsel.

"Santas 'A Plenty II"

will be shipped to my Automatics and

distributors tomorrow.

Merry Stitches,

Sandra

Back From Williamsburg

Good Evening Everyone!

I hope everyone had as nice a weekend as I 

had.  Hollis and I took off to Williamsburg,

Virginia, for what has become our annual

Christmas shopping/delivering to Haus

Tirol - The Stitching Well.  For many years

Just Cross Stitch has held a seminar in

Williamsburg the first weekend in December.

Haus Tirol, the local shoppe, hosts a 

reception each year.  Many designers

send their trunk shows for this 

wonderful event.  Since I live so close,

I usually deliver my designs and combine

it with a great visit to Williamsburg.  I

am very familiar with this wonderful

town.  Cameron, my son, graduated

from William and Mary, so our family

visited very often.  Such great memories

we have of that time.  

Anyway, Hollis and I had a nice visit

with Lydia and Paula, the lovely owners 

of Haus Tirol, and then we took off for

our adventure.  We shopped and

shopped and shopped.  I was exhausted,

but very satisfied with the results.  I was

getting a little stressed that I had not

given Christmas gifts much of a thought,

but now I am feeling much better.

XXXXXXXXXX

I am offering you another little

Christmas goodie tonight.  I did a publication

a few years ago called "Merry Heart

Ornaments I", which contains four

great heart-shaped ornaments.  

Note the heart second from the right.  Well, here
is an ornament that I have made from wooden

plaques with a similar saying decoupaged on the

plaque.  It measures approximately 6" by 1 1/2", not 

counting the hanger and is aged for that "primitive"

 look that we all love.  Just the perfect little gift for a 

friend if you do not have the time to stitch  the heart 

ornament.  Or even better, give them both!!

"Merry Heart Ornaments I" retails for $7.50 

and the wooden plaque is $6.00.

Let me know if you would like either or

 both and I will determine the shipping.

XXX PROCLAMATION XXX

New designs will be appearing on ETSY

soon, along with stitched models, and other

great Christmas and gift items.

"MERRY STITCHES",

Sandra

Another Goodie

Good Evening Everyone!

Thank you for all of your orders for my

"Be At Peace" Angel project.  I still have

a few left.   Also, there have been some

inquiries about the "Merry Stitches" design

in last night's blog.

It is definitely available for purchase.

The package includes the gold tinsel

stems for the trim and hanger.  The cost

is $8.00 which includes shipping.

XXXXXXXXXXX

This is my offering for tonight ~

"Flower Protectors"

This is a great little sack for all of your 

stitching necessities, glasses, etc.  I only

have a few of these left and am not going

to make any more of them.  Originally it

sold for $14.00, but now it is $8.50 which

includes the shipping.  It is a zippered,

lined sack, measuring 6" X 4" with a cream 

linen stitching band.  The butterfly brass 

charm is also included.  What a great little 

gift for a stitching friend, especially one that

 likes sheep. 

Keep watching for more goodies.

Merry Stitches,

Sandra 

Something Special

WISHING YOU

xxxxxxxxxxx

I'm really thinking about the holidays.  

So to get everyone in the spirit 

(as if you need any help), I want to

start offering my Blog friends a few

"goodies".  I have an angel design

called "Peace To All".  Along with it

I will send you this adorable 

tin angel mold. 
XXXXXXXXXX

You cannot use it for cookies,

but it can be used to make great

beeswax ornaments or simply hang

it on your "Primitive" tree.  This

collection includes a "Star" brass charm,
the design, and the tin mold. 
 All for $10.00.  This

includes the shipping.  If you would

like some of the "vintage-inspired"

tinsel trim, the total will be $11.50.
I have a limited number of molds.
If you would like this collection,
just email or call me.  I take Paypal,
VISA, MasterCard, and checks.
Please give me all of your payment
information and your shipping address.
Wishing you many 
"Merry Stitches",
Sandra

Coming Really Soon

Good Afternoon Everyone!

Can you believe it is Friday.  We have been so 
busy getting some of our new things ready.

It is so much fun coming up with new ideas

and then designing them, but getting them

ready to sell is not my favorite part.

I just want to design and stitch.
Hope to ship these to my AUTO shoppes
and my Distributors this week.  Hopefully 
you will be able to find them at your favorite
shoppe, but if not, I will have them
 posted on my ETSY site soon.
"A Hospitable Ewe"

This design was done several years ago for the 
Just Cross Stitch Seminar in Colonial Williamsburg.
 They host  this event every year at Christmas Tyme. 
Hence the traditional apple cone with a
pineapple on top.  On the back of the blanket
it says "Merry Christmas" and the date.  Plenty of 
room is there to personalize for a gift. Wouldn't he be 
cute nestled in a bed of greenery with some holly berries 
and pine cones or hanging on your tree or cupboard.
You can have him design and pattern only, but
we are also doing a Project Pack that will include
everything but the floss and polyfil.
He is the beginning of a new series.  There will
be a Ewe for each of seasons.  
So cute and so easy to do!  
All hand sewing - no machines needed.
xxxxxxxxxx
"Delivering A Few Of My 
Favorite Things" 

is ready to be made into a pillow, but I
thought I would let you see him completely
stitched.  Hope you see something you like.
Have a great weekend with
"Many Happy Stitches",
Sandra

HAPPY HALLOWEEN

<<<<>>>>

Have a great day!

 Don't eat too much candy!

Stay away from those Witches!

Do some stitches!

Still time to do these cute "Littles" for some

Harvest Tyme ornaments.

Many Happy Stitches,

Sandra

SNEAK PEAKS

Hi Everyone!

It has been a while since my last Blog.  Faye and I

have been so busy getting new designs ready and taking

care of the orders from the Online Show.  Boy what a

week we had.  I was so exhausted I actually left the

house early Friday and didn't come back until

late afternoon.  Working from home is not a good

thing for me.  There are a lot of conveniences, but

I never get away from it.  It is there so I just keep

going.  This is not adding to my quality of life.

Anyway, I got a little Christmas shopping done.

Can you believe that.  I need to write the things

I got on my list before I forget what I got.

Isn't that pitiful.

I will be announcing the WINNERS of the daily

prizes from the Online Show soon.  Thank you

so much for all of your kind words.  I was

thrilled that so many of you found the Blog by

 way of the Online Show.  Hope you all continue

 to visit often.

I have a little SNEAK PEAK for you!!

This is one of the designs from

 "SANTAS 'A PLENTY".  

There will be six adorable tiny Santas.  Such

quickies that you could actually tie them on

a needle worker friend's Christmas gift.  

I will finish them in several cute ways, but

after seeing all of your finishes, I don't think

any of you need any of my suggestions.

Here he is!

Here are some SNEAK PEAKS of the next two

designs in THE HALLOWEEN YEAR series.

They will be ready the same time as  the new 

design in the Delivering series that I showed you 

a few Blogs back and the Santas 'A Plenty above.

Hope you see something you like!

Many Happy Stitches and Happy Halloween!

Sandra

Delivering Sneak Peak

Evening Greetings!

I told you I would have a little sneak peak

of the second in my newest Delivering Series.

This is "Delivering Goodies".

Hope you like what you can see!

xxxxxxx

A FEW ANNOUNCEMENTS

I will be participating in the

Online Needlework Show 

which starts October 21st.  You

should check it out.  I'm sure 

there will be lots of wonderful

things to look at.  There are

many, many designers so I'm

sure you will find things you like.

http://www.needleworkshow.com/

xxxxxxx

Also, my last two publications,

"Be Joyous" and 

"Four-Square Christmas" have

been added to my Etsy site.

I will be putting all new publications

there from now on. 
"Many Happy Stitches",
Sandra

Halloween Decorating

Greetings Everyone!

Hope all is going well on this Monday.

I feel like I have spent days getting ready

for the Online Needlework Show which

will start October 21st.  I think I have

finally finished loading everything, so

I am going to take a break and send you

some Halloween decorating in my home.

This is in the kitchen.  We didn't put 

cabinets all around the room.  Opting instead

for this really olde Virginia pie safe.  I keep

a lot of kitchen stuff in it.

Fireplace in the keeping room.

In the breakfast room.

This is in the breakfast room again.  I got

this wonderful cornucopia several years

ago at the fantastic Waterford, VA

craft show -- a three day juried show

of the most amazing things.  It is always the

first weekend in October.

The mantle in the living room, which is 

the more formal part of the house.  It really isn't

formal in the strickest sense, but just not

primitive.  I love both looks so I try to 

combine the two.

Corner cupboard in keeping room with

my collection of old iron stone.  I

need to stop collecting all of this stuff.

Tomorrow I hope to give you a sneak peak

of my new Delivering design for Christmas.

Have a great night with 

"Many Happy Stitches",

Sandra

One Year Ago Today

Greetings Everyone,

I am reminiscing about one year ago today.

Today it is beautiful here.  The kind of day

Hollis wanted for her wedding day.

Instead it was a gray, rainy, cold day but one 

filled with glorious moments that we will never

forget.

Just thought I would share with you a few

pictures of 

Hollis and Paul's wedding.

Don't you love the white pumpkins.  It is a good

thing that the wedding isn't this year because I

haven't seen any pretty ones around here.  I bought

the ferns early in the summer and nursed them

in the shade behind our house.

One of our beautiful fall arrangements.

We did sugared fruit on antique cake

pedestals.  Hypericum berries, nandina

leaves, and babies breath added a little

more texture.   I strung pearl beads on

wire for the table numbers.

Isn't this arrangement gorgeous.  Our

florist was outstanding.

I made the "W" for Wielt (Paul's last name) for

a large crouton for the salads.  I adapted a

recipe for shortbread, adding walnuts and 

parmesan cheese.  They were pretty yummy.

The happy couple.

This is true joy!

Hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane.

Many Happy Stitches,

Sandra

Friday Night Coma

Greetings Everyone!

Until now I had successfully avoided candy corn.  My will 

power escaped me today and as I sit here in front of the

computer I am munching away.  So before I lapse into

a sugar induced coma, I need to get started on this

blog entry.  

It has been a long week.  We have worked so hard

to finish the models for the two new publications and

get them photographed.  We hope to ship to our

distributors and shoppes the latter part of next week.

"Four-Square Christmas" 

is an olde-fashioned design with some of my favorite 

things.  The hangers for the ornaments are made from 

vintage-inspired glass beads.  I love the way they turned 

out.  We will have a limited amount of the beads 

available.  Let us know if you would like some of them.

"Be Joyous"

is part of my Majestic Christmas series.  I love 

traditional designs just as much as my country/

folk art designs.  I use both of these wonderful

styles in my home and hope to share some pictures

of how I decorate with needlework for the

holidays in the coming months.  This design is

reminiscent of typical Dutch themes using birds

and hearts.  Though not necessarily thought of

as Christmas themes,  I thought it came together

nicely.  The Cupboard Hanger will look really

great in my dining room hanging from the

key in the linen press.  

Hope you are ready to start your Christmas 

stitching.

Many Happy Stitches,

Sandra