Someone asked me What is your Favorite thing to stitch!!

Well, my answer was 'Reproduction Sampers" --- Then I stopped and said no lately I have been doing lots of 'smalls'! Below is 3 classes that I took at a NeedleArts Retreat in Pine Mountain, GA. You will notice that all three classes are 'smalls'.

The three pictures below are of a HummingBird box, taught by Marsha Papay-Gomola.
The stitching on the front cover is mostly surface embroidery and the humming bird is done in 'long and short' stitch over padding to make it 3 dimensional. The ground fabric is linen.
In the class we learn to actually make the box and the little ladybug and the woven needlepad.
On the back cover Marsha put an absolutely beautiful initial - this is for her Mom - Helen and also perhaps for the hummingbird. My hummingbirds is just about done, but is packed away for now - but is in my 2010 work basket.
Below is the Bunny Notebook, which has three padded 3 dimensional animals - the bunny and the three birds. My bunny is just about 1/2 way done and the little Chickadee on the bottom is finished!
On the inside of the notebook is of course, a notebook and under it is the designers name and the date (this is where my name and the date will go) on the other inside page is a listing of stitches and how they look. Marsha gave us all the ones she used and some others, but suggested that we put in the stitches we really like to work with.
Again, a beautiful initial on the back cover - this could be for bunny or perhaps for her husband whose name is Bob.
Now this next class was taught by Barbara Jackson and it is her Succulent Strawberry. It is surface work again done on linen.
This is a darling piece and has lots of speciality stitches. This project should be finished hopefully quickly as it isn't very big about the size of a pear.
I want to thank you for dropping by for a visit. ----------Roberta

Happy New Year

Well it has been a month since I have posted to my blog - What can I say - December was quite the busy month at our house - lots of company - several luncheons, shopping, visiting and of course stitching and cooking!!

It was a wonderful holiday here at the Smith household - below is a picture of our family - bottom of the staircase is husband Terry, me, sister Jean, niece Jenna, daughter Lindsay and then son Jeremy.
Here is Jenna with her fingerless mittens that I made for her.
Jean with her fingerless mittens
Lindsay with her fingerless mittensJeremy received fingerless mittens last year, but would like to have another pair!! So what do you give a young man for Christmas!!?? How about a made by Mom pillowcase! ;o)))
Can you believe he just loved it - I am so glad.
Actually everyone received a handmade pillowcase - one also went to my sister's son, Justin who is working in Quatar.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and Holiday season --- Happy New Year to you all.

Roberta

Guardian Angel watching out for us

On Wednesday, December 2nd, Macon had yet another terrible storm - it seems that 2009 was the year of the rain!!! - We are no longer in a drought situation.

On this day, I went to work in the LNS to help out the owner, DH, Terry was at school teaching and DD, Lindsay was at work. Now this was probably a good thing for when we got home from work we found our neighborhood filled with broken branches along the streets and in everyones yards. However, upon looking out of our back window and subsequently going out onto the back deck - we found one of our trees had uprooted and fallen --- Thankfully it was away from our house!!!
Here is the hole that was where the tree stood.
This tree was huge in length!!.Here is the end just before it dropped into the stream.
The stream with branches from the fallen tree.

View of the back of our house about 1/2 the length of the tree.
View of back of the house with roots just outside of the garden bed.
On the other side of the garden bed at the foot of the stairs to the deck.
A view of the roots.

Needless to say, I am glad that I was not at home, for I am sure that I would have had a 'heart attack' hearing this huge tree fall.

Thank goodness it fell away from the house - we would have been living in a hotel and this computer and sewing room would no longer be!!!

Well off to get some stitching done - Have a great weekend and thank you for stopping by.

Roberta

It's raining leaves!!

Sorry for not being around for so long - life just seems to get in the way!! but in a good way!! for the most part. Thought I would put up some pictures of what my yard looks like at this point in time - it rains leaves everyday and my yard is just covered. On this day it actually was raining!! you can see the rain drops on the picture below.
My Azalea bushes are in full bloom also.
Even the Camellia bushes are blooming. I just love this yard it blooms something all year long. The previous owner did an incredible job planting this yard, it is forever beautiful.Here is a close up of a Camilla bud.Yes, these Camillas are pink, the white ones will pop out in February/March! The bees are happy can you tell!!Will hopefully post some stitching soon - have to wait until some of the stitching is received by its new owners.

Hope you all are having a wonderful Holiday Season - We are in the throes of Christmas Decorating now. We had a nice quiet Thanksgiving, but Christmas will make up for it when our son comes in for a few weeks from San Francisco and my sister and niece from Ohio.

Thanks for dropping by --- I am hoping to be a better blogger and blog reader sometime soon, I hope!!!

Roberta

Christmas Ornament Exchanges

Well the holidays are just around the corner and I have already started decorating for Christmas. At least upstairs!!! Fall is still the main attraction on the first floor, but upstairs I put up my little Christmas tree that holds my handmade ornaments.

Below is from Julianne from our Christmas Ornament Exchange group. Isn't this mitten just darling. I so love the overdyed threads and this color red/mix is just beautiful -- thank you Julianne.
Here is the fabric backing, just so perfect!Below is my exchange piece that went to Rosalie.
Hope everyone is enjoying the cooler weather and the stitching for the holidays.

Thanks for dropping by to visit. ---- Roberta

Ghouls Nite Out

A darling freebie from Tanya Anderson of The Sampler Girl. I thought a little pocket would be a perfect finish for this.One pocket is for my sister and the other is for my friend Jackie. Now I need to get one stitched for me!!
Happy Halloween everyone - be safe. ============ Roberta

Fall is here!

Cooler air feels so good and wearing slacks and sweaters is such a nice change from wearing summer clothing.

Below is the landing on the staircase that I decorated for Fall and Halloween. Everything there is hand made except for the Black Squirrel. The wishing well is from a gourd that I found in a craft show in Ohio. The pillows I made and the pumpkins where made by a friends son.
This is my front entry hall. Found this really neat pumpkin holder that looks like a spider web. If you click on the picture you can see it in better detail - it is on the left side.
Here is my little witch pendant - she is stitched over one. She is resting on another of the needle felted pumpkins done by my friend MaryAnn's son Brian.
Many years ago, I had taken up Tole painting, this other little witch was done in a class 15 years ago. I just think she is so cute, wish I could still paint like that!! Hope to get out into the yard and take some pictures, my Azaleas are blooming like mad and so are my Camilla's. It has been a very rainy week but it looks like the sun may be out and shining today!!!

Hope everyone is enjoying the Fall Season and thank you for stopping by to visit.

Roberta