TAST: Knotted Buttonhole & Reversed Buttonhole Bar

Just messing around with this little (ATC-sized) sampler consisting of two knotted buttonhole bands stitched over strips of felt and two half bands finished with beads. I also added this week’s reversed buttonhole bars (with beads). The stitching was done on a base of upholstery fabric overlaid with netting (from a bag of onions).

TAST: Boss Stitch & Rice Stitch

Just trying to play catch-up, here. I finished a 4x6 inch sampler I had started earlier this year with a band of boss stitches at the top and a band of rice stitches at the bottom.

The Last Roses of Summer...

This photo was taken the other day of a spray of roses from a miniature bush in my perennial garden. I love this particular shade of pink – and am beginning to miss summer already – even though it’s still quite warm outside. Been singing Joni Mitchell's "Urge for Going..."

“I'd like to call back summertime
Have her stay for just another month or so
But she's got the urge for going
So I guess she'll have to go…”

Nursery Web Spider?

I think this is a nursery web spider keeping guard over her eggs, although it seems a little late for her to be having babies. Babies usually hatch in June and July. This shot was made yesterday right outside the door. They do like to come indoors when the weather gets cold. We have a "bug" jar (although spiders aren't technically bugs) to catch them and place them back outside.

Kittens in Playhouse

We named the creamsicle kitten Banning, which is Gaelic for “little blonde one.” The black and white one is Binky (named after a neighborhood cat we used to know and love) and the tortoiseshell is Beatrix. They sure put the “scoop” (the litter scoop!) in The Scoop, Score and Deal – hehe! Taking care of eleven cats is like having a part time job…

Not wanting to be left out is Blake. It’s hard to believe he is still a kitten, he’s getting so big and handsome…

Introducing Asaph...

Here’s a sneak preview of my first Santa of the season, Asaph. His name is Hebrew for “collector.” An avid button collector, he is shown here with his little card of antique buttons.

He needs more photographs taken, and then he will be uploaded to the Shanty Clauses web site.

A New Life for a Damaged Vintage Postcard…

I had purchased a small auction lot of antique holiday postcards last year – and this was amongst them. It was blank (except for the greeting) and must have had a photo glued on at one time that was later removed - there is a little damage where the paper lifted up. I wasn’t quite sure how I could use it, but I loved the greeting design and the embossed border. I decided to sew some pretty antique mother of pearl buttons to the blank area. This will be an accessory for one of my Shanty Claus dolls.

TAST: Cable Chain Stitch

This is an ATC - sized sampler with cable chain stitches and one of the Shisha mirror variations I wanted to try from Quilting Arts magazine.

Buddies...

Here are three of the boys goofing off while deciding what they want to wear. Those cool paisley pants were cut from a fringed 1950s tablecloth. I have three more Santas ready to dress plus some extra arms and legs (not quite sure how that happened!).

TAST: Shisha Embroidery

This was another fun stitch I had never tried before. When Sharon announced this stitch last week, I looked it up in a back issue (Spring 2002) of Quilting Arts magazine, thinking I would like to try the wonderful variations provided. And, almost immediately, I misplaced the magazine. I looked high and low for it all week and then decided I’d better just produce something. And, naturally, as soon as I finished this simple little ATC, the magazine turned up. Sheesh-a!