Ornies and Moki

This weekend I relaxed a bit and worked on some small projects along with a swap gift.
I wanted to try two of my designs in mini versions to see how they would look.
Not too bad, but not the way I would like them to look. Will have to try some more ideas, it is fun to experiment and I can always use more unbreakables for my mini trees and a lot, I give away. I still need to do up the design for the horse and lady, so hopefully I will get it done this week. I may redo it a bit from the original punch, to make it more hooking friendly too.
I did realize, when I saw the photos, that I forgot to take the blue pen off, ugh. I hope it still comes off since I heat set them.



Moki is still in the house and still trying to get out, but he calms down and goes back to sleep.
The girls are still harassing him, but not as much, so he has been exploring a bit more.
He really seems healthy, his fur is clean and shiny and I made a separate litter for him and he has no visible worms.
I am wondering if his owners waited too long to have him fixed and he got out. Otherwise, he seems to be too healthy and friendly to be a wild kitty.

Guess who's coming to dinner?

Today I watched for Moki and no sign of him.
Then I saw him in the back and called, and he kept going, he looked like he was chasing something.
An hour later, I look out and there he is, looking around for me.
I got some food and tried to entice him in, but he wasn't having any of it.
I finally got him close to the cellar door and picked him up and bought him in.
At first he was crying and the girls were hissing and growling at him, so I bought him into my office.

He was a bit unsure and kept going to the window and looking out.
Then he calmed down and decided food was better, so he had a good meal.



After crying and looking out the window, I got him to go on my chaise and sit with me. Once he was there, he decided to stay.
He wasn't too sure about this, but he gave it a try.



Then he realized how comfy, warm and safe it was and fell asleep. He has been sleeping most of the night.
He is a thin guy, but has a big head. I think with a few weeks of good food and rest, he might hit the 20 lb mark.



When I come into the room he wakes up and proceeds to clean himself. For a male, he really keeps himself clean. You can see how big his paws are, he was meant to be a big guy. Check those paws out, very neat feet. So, for tonight, Moki has a nice warm place that he can sleep in without worrying about coyotes. Tomorrow I will check with some neighbors to make sure he isn't theirs and then call the shelters. I know how much I miss my Black, and if he does belong to someone, I would love to reunite them.

Santa Punch Needle!

I finished my santa piece. I wanted to use real wool on this one, so I split the yarn into two smaller strands, so it would fit the large punch needle. I raised the heights on the outfit and beard area, to give it more depth, as well. For the border on this one, I used a boucle green yarn with a vintage over dyed wool and twisted them into a cording, then I sewed it on.
This piece is for sale and will be listed on ebay saturday night, unless I get an offer before hand.

Today I played with my cross stitch program and made some silly designs. As soon as I come up with something decent, I will post a freebie pattern.

No sign of Moki today, I sure hope he is ok.

Hexagon Borders

Today I got the borders done on my hexagons.
I decided to just trim off the edges and even it out.
Then I took the scraps from the flowers and pieced them together to form the first border.
Then I took black and put that around for the edging.
After I get the ties done, I will take about an inch of the black and fold it around to the backing, for my binding.

On the Moki front, he came for breakfast today and then wandered off. I think he had a rough night, he looked thinner and was really skittish.

MOKI's Visit!

Guess who came to visit today. He had a little dry and ate a whole can of food.
Once he had his fill, he enjoyed rolling and relaxing, where he knew he was safe.
As you can see, his new name is MOKI. I have been calling him My Outdoor Kitty, so I added an i since MOK was not quite right, lol.



As long as I sit on the step, he is content to lounge around and relax, but he still is jumpy with noises.



He even relaxed enough to show me is tuxedo stare;)



Of course a certain lady was not too thrilled to see me outside without her, never mind playing with someone else.





And Moki was very interested in her. A few times he went to the cellar steps and stared at the door, so I think he wants to stick around, but then as always, he trots off into the woods. This week will be warmer, so that is good and hopefully he will come back more and get used to staying. I sent a photo to our shelter to see if someone is missing him and will call the others.

Peace and Joy!

Since I was a miserable wretch this weekend, I sat and stitched most of the time.
I love making these mini pillows, they work up quickly and great for gifts.
The designs are from Tiffany of Primitive Blessings.
Hit by recession and can't afford to buy patterns? Tiffany has a lot of wonderful free patterns that you can use and for just the cost of some fabric and floss, you have wonderful gifts you can make for family and friends.

For those of you who are interested in the saga of Black Kitty, he came to visit yesterday.
I gave him wet and dry food and he ate both. He was much more relaxed around me and let me pet him a little.
He also came when I called and followed me into the cellar. Then I closed the door and all heck broke loose. He started jumping at the door and banging into the window, so I had to let him out. I sat outside with him and he started playing and rolling around.
Today, no sign of him, so he may have other houses he visits;)

Wonky Christmas Trees!

Yesterday I woke up with the return of my flu or a new one, I seem to be a flu magnet;)
So, I had no energy or ambition to finish my punch needle. When it comes to redo's and fixes, I need a clear head or I will just make it worse.

I decided I wanted to applique something, since that was simple and something I can do in my chair.
I had an idea for a Christmas quilt and couldn't find any patterns that fit my needs, so decided to go for it and make my own.
I used trees from a pattern by Lori Smith, it has lots of fun and different trees, so great for this project.
I used my brushed cotton homespun for the backing and going with green and red trees. Then I decided it would look good with sashing, so this is a red and green fabric, I thought would look nice with it, what do you think? Either that or a darker brown sashing, was trying to use what I have. I am planning on doing every other block with a tree, so not sure if I should use a solid block, wonky stripes or a design, another thing to think about.

PS: The tree appliques are not wonky on the pattern, that is just the way they come out, by the time I get through sewing them;)

The Girls!

No sign of black kitty today. I walked the perimeter of my yard with food and no kitty hiding in the bushes. I left some food on the step in front, sometimes he comes to the basement window to stare at the girls, so hopefully he will find it and not a skunk;)
Speaking of the girls, they surprised me today. They do not sit or sleep on the same beds or couches, they usually sleep in separate rooms. Today I walked into my office and found them all snuggled on my chaise. Dora was there first, so Izzy must have taken the end and for the first time, Dora didn't complain.

I am working on a new punch needle, so hopefully I will finish it tomorrow. This one has wool yarns in it, so it has a sculpted look.

Who's Kitty?

The last month we have had a kitty wondering around in our back yard.
The other night he was at the basement window, looking in and Izzy was having a hissy fit.

Today he was out there again, so i took some dry food and let him eat that and he demolished it.
Then I gave him a little canned and he ate all that up too.
He is a large tuxedo, but underweight and today he looked a bit more scrappy and his eyes were watering, so worried about him being out in this cold weather.

I took some pictures of him with my zoom, so not as clear, but at least I can email them to our shelter and they might know if someone is looking for him. If he belongs to someone, they are not taking very good care of him and he is a sweet cat, just getting more wild from defending himself.

For those who do not know, I lost my beloved Black, 3 years ago. My daughter left the back cellar open and he went out and disappeared. When I saw this kitty, he looks so much like him, but the markings are different. Hopefully I can find his owner or get him to trust me, so I can get him out of the cold.

Fall in New England

Today was a little cool, but with the sun, I decided it was a perfect day for a walk.
Right down the road, we have a beautiful pond for fishing and paddling.
Sometimes we need to explore the little wonders, in our own backyards.

We took the main path and as you go through the woods, you get glimpses of the coves. This is all swamp area where the birds hide and nest.



The main path goes along side the pond and comes out at the end. Here is where a lot of people go to fish.
The views and the color from this point, are breath taking.



It is just too peaceful and beautiful to walk off, you need to sit a spell and enjoy the day.



To get to the other side, we cross a little wooden bridge, which crosses the spillway.



We walk along part of the dirt road to get back to a path that takes you to the perfect spot to stop and enjoy the views.




It is a great place to take in some more views, this is looking back to the first stop we made.



And on the other side, a wonderful view of the wildlife. The swans were out and in the spring it is teaming with birds and turtles. Sadly just as I put my camera away, the swans took flight, what a perfect way to end the day.

Fabric Find!

Today I went shopping. I went to Jo anns and got the book I wanted and some skeins of floss, then I saw the lines and left without getting them, lol. I should have waited till tomorrow, weekends are not good days to shop in craft stores.

Since I was near Savers, I went there next and had fun looking at all the junk, lol.
Sometimes I get lucky and today I found a fabric panel and decided it was worth the 3 bucks.
It is from Daisy kingdom and their are four panels going down and on the long sides if the wording.
It is the perfect size for my dining table and thought it would be fun to use as a tablecloth. All I have to do if finish off the ends.
It is not real prim, but just too fun to pass up.



I didn't get much else done today. Walking was out, it is hunting season and I have no desire to be shot with an arrow or gun;)
I made a tiny pillow and added a cord, thought it would be fun as an ornament. I am thinking of making more smaller ones that I can hang on my little feather trees.

Hooking and Punching

This week I made two pieces, the first, a hooked mat.
I wanted to make something for Christmas that could be used as a trivet to hold a holiday dish.
It can also be hung, but I think it would look wonderful on the buffet table with your favorite dish.
Both pieces are done with designs by Primitive Blessings. They will be up for sale tomorrow.
Hopefully I can get some better photos. I took quick photos for tonight, so it came out a bit bright, especially the nose.



The second piece is a punched primitive snowman. I used 3 strands for the majority of the design and 6 strands for the pants and background. I love the scrappy look, it gives the piece. I like the idea of having some taller pieces to mix in with the basic square pillows.

Young at Heart!

This week I have been busy making a couple of christmas pieces, hopefully I can finish them tomorrow.
Since the week has been fairly nice, I have been taking Casey out to play, so we can both enjoy a little exercise and sun, while we can. He is 10 now, but still acts like a puppy when it comes to play time. He does wear out easier, so he lets me know he has had enough by laying down and chewing on his sticks. We started out with two sticks for throwing, but when we went walking in the back yard, he found a much bigger one and he had to have it;)

Christmas Ornaments!

I can finally show you what I made for the Holiday issue of Mercantile Gatherings.
Using Tiffany's patterns, I made two ornaments that you can make for Christmas.
For Santa, I used wool yarn on his beard and wool yarn was used on the reindeer.
I used rick rack to hang them with. If you would like to make your own, you can order the winter issue now, or you can find the patterns at Primitive Blessings.

A walk through the woods!

Today was another beautiful day, so we went for another walk.
This one was a good hike, through Arcadia State Forest, The trail we took was really beautiful, rolling hills, giant rocks and stone walls, in an area that was once inhabited by the early settlers.

We took a trail that led us to a fishing pond. The pond was so beautiful with the fall colors coming in.



We took the trail around the pond, which was a nice easy trail and then we crossed a little bridge where the river runs in.



On the way back we took the trail that ran along the river coming out of the pond. It was wet and rocky and hilly, so I got my workout on that path.



On the way to the pond, we passed an old graveyard. I didn't think to take a picture, so I got one on the way back. It was late afternoon and the woods were a bit darker, perfect time to catch visitors;)

Sunday's Stroll

Sunday is my day of rest, well sort of, lol.
I try to keep Sundays for Bill and I and the kids when they are not too busy, with their lives.
The weather has been so beautiful, I want to get out every day, while I can.

Thank you for the compliments on my newest piece. Momma Pumpkin found a new home, so she is no longer for sale.

Today we went to Black Point. You can walk along a short path and come out to the bay and the rocks.
You can continue on the path or walk along the rocks, which I always do.

The rocks are just so beautiful, lots of large ones to keep my footing and as you can see, the birds are enjoying the day too.



A little walk ahead and I can get a better view of the coves behind me.



The area ahead actually gets rougher and if you keep going, you are in the ocean. I love watching the waves come in.



The day is ending for this trawler, he is on his way back and the seagulls are hoping he throws some of his catch over board.
Beautiful scenery, fresh ocean air and a nice walk, a great way to beat a cold;)

Halloween Pumpkin Mom Punch Needle

I finished my new piece today.
This is another wonderful design by Tiffany, of Primitive Blessings.
Animals have their babies in the spring, but pumpkins are born in October;)
This was a fun piece to do and one of those pieces you just like looking at.
I decided not to add any sayings or cats, so it can be used throughout the fall season.
It will be on ebay, later tonight.

Next is the Christmas season, I tend to skip over Thanksgiving, lol.
I will be busy making more punch needle pieces and some small rugs and lots of gifts for my friends, so it will be a busy season.
This weekend, I will be trying to get out while the weather is so nice and work on finishing my hexagons.

Halloween Wall Hanging!

I finished my new hanging tonight.
With this one, I wanted something simple and fast to make up.
I used wool for the applique and DMC pearl cotton for the stitchery.
I buy the small balls and use a coupon, so it is cheaper than using floss by the skein.

The autumn fabric was from my friend Kelley. I love that material as a border, fits in perfect with the theme. I do have more of it and in two shades, tempted to try a thanksgiving table cloth with it.

The pattern is by Tiffany of Primitive Blessings. I wanted the pattern larger than the paper, so I made it the size I wanted, then cropped the picture in half and printed, went back and cropped the other half and printed that out, so I had the exact size that I need for transferring. It is a nice way to get larger versions without paying a print shop. If you do not have a program that you can enlarge with, you can use the basic one in the same way. Set to print full size on the paper, then crop half of the picture and print that out, then go back and crop the other half and print.

The backing on this piece was some old material that I had grunged up, so it had an antique look to begin with. I sprayed a bit of walnut on it to darken it more, in some spots. I am happy with how this one came out, antiqued, without being too dark.

Surprises in the Mail!

I have truly made some wonderful friends on the internet. Not only do we email each other, but sometimes they surprise us with the most wonderful packages. One of those friends is Midge, who lives in England, in an old cottage. She has a wonderful blog with photos of the most beautiful place in the world, I want to live there, lol. She also makes the most beautiful teddy bears and restores them for others. She knows I love kitties, and she made me a little kitty and I just love him!




And he even has a hump like the antique teddy bears. So much detail and jointed too, I feel very special to receive this beautiful kitty:)



And not only did she send that, but I received a beautiful pair of mohair mittens, a british tote and a happy magnet. This was for a pay it forward she was doing, and I was the lucky recipient.



I also received a package from my friend Kelly. Kelly and I met on an online rug hooking group and we have been friends since. She is the one who got me back into quilting and she is always sending me wonderful packages filled with quilting goodies and fabric. This fabric is from a quilt her mom is making. Her mom is also a wonderful quilter and quilts by hand. She sent me three of the blocks and the rest of the precuts, so I can make more log cabins. I think they would make a beautiful table cloth or runner. It was nice to receive such wonderful things this week. Being sick is no fun, but packages sure can brighten up my day:)

Winners, Freebie and Specials!

This was a long night, my computer decided it didn't want to run my photoshop today and kept crashing, so it took me forever to get the new pattern done for a pdf. I hope I didn't make any mistakes, since I had to rush a bit, to get it done in time.

First, I hate when people don't win contests, it makes me sad. So, for everyone who likes to cross stitch as well, I made the Holly Bird into a cross stitch. It can be done in colors or in a single prim color. I am still trying to get the hang of how to make my patterns look and print better, but getting there. So for everyone who visits, here is a freebie.



And as an added bonus, for those of you who wanted the rooster pattern....
If you buy the rooster pattern, you can pick any other pattern, no matter the cost, for free!
So, when you pay for the pattern, just add what you would like for your freebie in the comment section.
There is a link to my ecrater site in the left hand column.

Now onto the winners. I couldn't just pick one, so there are two winners of the contest.
I actually tried the random number generator, it was a lot easier than typing and cutting out paper pieces;)

Winner number one is..... Deb

Winner number two is..... Sheila

I really enjoyed the contest and meeting new friends. Thank you all for visiting and becoming a follower, that alone is the best prize I could win. Deb and Sheila, please email me and I will send your free pattern, to you.

New Punch Needle and Contest pattern

I finished the second rooster, or maybe it is a chicken, I can never get those right, lol.
I used more variegated threads in this piece, but not thrilled with the way the shades went together.
I definitely need to try more dying with floss, so I can make my own shades.

This is the second for the new pattern set, so now I have to get the drawings scanned and the patterns made up.
It would be easier if I used one computer, but my pdf program is on the old computer, so I have to mail things back and forth to the computers and run up and down stairs;) Hopefully they will be ready by monday.

I am so pleased with all the new followers, even if I never win a go, I love having new blogging friends.
I also like the follower list, because I can click on your name and visit your sites too.
I got to see the new baby Go, today. It is a smaller version, and a lot cheaper. That will go onto my wish list now and Kelly of I Have A Notion is doing a preorder sale for only 99.00, good deal!

This piece will be up for sale tomorrow night, if you are interested.
You can leave a comment in any post this weekend, just say you want to be entered into the contest.
Also, if you are not into chickens and you want to enter, you can pick another pattern if you prefer, or for those who do cross stitch, you can have one of those, when I get around to making them;) I do have some finished pieces, just need to figure out how to use the program and make them into pdf files.