We have summer floss winners today!

I have been super busy helping my son move and getting 3 properties ready to list.....I almost forgot about the summer floss give-away! Today is the lucky day for 5 stitchers. They get to pick 5 skeins of floss from the new 1840 Sampler Line I believe there are now 52 colors....here are a few of them:

 All new colors. 1840Line: Faded Red, Bright Candy Pink, Cranberry Wine, Cranberry Delight, Carnation Pink, Heirloom Rose Pink, Rose Pink, Calico Pink, Heirloom Rose Petals, Red Violet, Plum Pudding, Mulberry Wine, Variegated Purple, Shades of Violet, Lavender Haze, Pale Violet Blue, Calico Blue, Olde World Blue, Midnight Blue, Primitive Aqua, Delphinium Blue, Cranberry Rainbow, Apple Green, Dark Forest Moss, Spring Grass, Meadow Green, Tarnished Aqua Green, Shades of Celery, Antique Sage Golden Sage, Golden Tan, Golden Sunflower, Peach/Flesh, Peach Cobbler, Cobblestone Brown, Spiced Cocoa, Gingerbread, Golden Acorn, Pink Perfection and Olde Buttermilk.

The winners are:
gramona
Marie(P)
Lois Moore
Julie(Castle)
fullnovembermoon

Congratulations! Pick 5 colors and email me at nbelgian@aol.com with your selections and your address.
Browse here:    http://stores.ebay.com/Victorian-Motto-Sampler-Shoppe/HAND-DYED-EMBROIDERY-FLOSS-/_i.html?_fsub=13596290&_sid=182293904&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

Be sure to enter my Birthday give-away for the drawing on August 14th.

Thanks again for everyone who entered the give-away and sharing in the fun.

Have a great day!
Nancy

Join me in my birthday celebration give-away! Enter now! 10 Winners!

     Roses are red
Violets are blue
     It's almost time for my birthday
And time to share with you!

I can't believe how quickly another year has passed.....and I am another year older! I guess I shouldn't complain considering the alternative!!!

You know I LOVE to share my birthday with you each year.....so lets give away some floss from the new 1840 Line.......lets have 5 winners for a few skeins......

Lets give away your choice of any one of my sampler patterns....lets have 3 winners.....

And lets give 2 winners their choice of some trims. Choose from vintage seam ribbon, chenille trim, hand dyed ric rac or cluny ric rac.

Rules: You must be a follower at the right. Click on it now if you aren't.
You must put a comment on this post.
Post on your blog, facebook or pinterest and get 25 more entries. Yes I do check!

Come celebrate with me! Drawing to be on August 14th, my birthday.

I have been extremely busy with past two months but will return to my sampler patterns in a week. Life got a little too hectic around here to suit me.....I need to sit and unwind and enjoy designing samplers for a while.

Good luck in the drawing......thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

Beautiful gifts from friends

I have been blessed in many ways....the best way is all of the wonderful friends I have made through this business. Friends all over the world and I treasure each and every one of them.

I received a beautiful stitched sewing pocket from Maggee. She said this is the first one she has made and it is beautiful! Thank you so much Maggee!!

The next day I received a package from France from Christine. Lots of little treasures! A post card from Toulouse, also known as the pink city because of all of the houses built with pink bricks. Also included were some  floss samples, a wood button, a ceramic dress form, hand made tags, a violet flower wooden button, some antique trim, a monogram of my initial and a gorgeous antique thread card winder! Thank you so much Christine!

I really needed the pick-me-up as I haven't been feeling very well and these gifts from treasured friends did the trick. As I said....I am blessed......

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by!
Be sure you have entered the floss give-away. Deadline to enter is the 30th.
Nancy

Summer floss give-away, enter now!!

Yes it's time to give away some floss....don't we always give away floss around here?? It seems to be the favorite give-away!
I have 40 colors in the new 1840 Sampler line.
All new colors. 1840Line: Faded Red, Bright Candy Pink, Cranberry Wine, Cranberry Delight, Carnation Pink, Heirloom Rose Pink, Rose Pink, Calico Pink, Heirloom Rose Petals, Red Violet, Plum Pudding, Mulberry Wine, Variegated Purple, Shades of Violet, Lavender Haze, Pale Violet Blue, Calico Blue, Olde World Blue, Midnight Blue, Primitive Aqua, Delphinium Blue, Cranberry Rainbow, Apple Green, Dark Forest Moss, Spring Grass, Meadow Green, Tarnished Aqua Green, Shades of Celery, Antique Sage Golden Sage, Golden Tan, Golden Sunflower, Peach/Flesh, Peach Cobbler, Cobblestone Brown, Spiced Cocoa, Gingerbread, Golden Acorn, Pink Perfection and Olde Buttermilk.
Pick your favorite 5 colors! 20 yard skeins, 100 yards of stitching fun.
Drawing to be July 30th.....lots of time for everyone to enter. Tell your friends too.
Rules: You must be a follower AT THE RIGHT. Click to follow my blog. You don't have to have a blog but you must follow at the right.
YOU MUST PUT A COMMENT ON THIS POST TO ENTER.
Post on your blog, facebook or pinterest and get 25 more entries. Send a friend to follow and get 25 more entries.
Lets give 5 stitchers their choice of 5 skeins from the list above. I will be dyeing more colors but this drawing is for those listed above.
I have a sale right now in my ebay store, 10% off. Floss skeins are $1.80 for 20 yards....doesn't get any better than that!
http://stores.ebay.com/Victorian-Motto-Sampler-Shoppe/HAND-DYED-EMBROIDERY-FLOSS-/_i.html?rt=nc&_fsub=13596290&_sid=182293904&_sticky=1&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14&_sop=10&_sc=1

Good luck everyone....let the comments begin!
Nancy

We have floss winners today!!!!

Once again I have been super busy and absent from blogging. I had a sale in my ebay shop...the first I have ever had in 9 years......and I got so swamped with custom motto patterns, custom kits, frames, etc. that I can hardly keep up these past few weeks. I do hope life return to normal soon...I forgot what normal is!

Lets have some floss winners today! I have 41 colors in the new 1840 Sampler Line. Some have lots of variegation in them and some have tone on tone for a great antique sampler look. You will get to pick which 5 colors you would like me to send! 5 skeins is 100 yards of stitching fun!

The winners are: (I picked an extra one!)
Judy B
stitchyDon
Lija Broka
zenuwpees
Christine guignard
laceystitcher

Congratulations! Choose your favorite colors here:
http://stores.ebay.com/Victorian-Motto-Sampler-Shoppe/HAND-DYED-EMBROIDERY-FLOSS-/_i.html?_fsub=13596290&_sid=182293904&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

Please mail me your address.

Thank you for entering the give-away.....I will have another one VERY soon.
Nancy

Mary Campbell of Scotland, a tribute sampler

All of my Grandparents passed through Ellis Island and came to this great land of freedom and opportunity. My Grandmother came from Glasgow Scotland a long, long time ago.  She was very proud of her Scots heritage as I am. My mother told me that she often spoke of William Wallace and how proud the Scots were of that brave and determined man. She also loved music.....lots of different kinds of music. I remember when I was 5 and would go spend a week with my Grandparents....she would play opera music.....which I wasn't too fond of at 5 years of age.....and then she would put on the records of the bagpipes......now THAT kind of music I learn to love. I still get a shiver up my spine when I hear a bagpipe.......and it takes me right back to my childhood and spending time with my Grandmother. The first song I remember was Scotland the Brave......and still my favorite to hear on the bagpipes.
      I want to design a series of samplers as a tribute to Mary Campbell. This first sampler is "My Teacher". In future samplers I will incorporate a stone house as so many of the Scots samplers have.....and I think I will do that sampler in reds, green and gold as a Tartan cloth might be. I have a lot of ideas for motifs and border elements......and I am lucky that we have such a vast supply of materials to design with.....elements that were in short supply many years ago when our ancestors were designing samplers.
   I will be sending this sampler design off to the model stitcher in Alaska today and then I will start on another tribute sampler. I have a lot of plans for this year....a lot of designs I hope to put to paper and have them stitched. I hope to find some time to do some of the stitching.....by the time I am done with a pattern I am starting on another one and they get very time consuming to say the least. Add dyeing a few hundred thousand yards of floss, counting and putting it on the cards.........and you can imagine how busy I am.

I hope all of you have a wonderful Memorial Day. We have so many brave people that have fought for this country, my husband included. He served 31 years in the Army as a Colonel and received several medals in Vietnam when he was injured while saving his men. My grandsons are the first to thank him for serving his country. Those young men make me proud!

Have a wonderful weekend. Thank you for stopping by.
Nancy

Enter the Floss give-away for some of the 1840 Sampler Floss new line

I already have several requests to do a give-away for some of the new 1840 Sampler Floss line. I have 26 colors to choose from (I will be adding colors as I get them dyed).

I had to laugh....I was sorting floss this week and putting bundles on the dining room table. The  "husband" walks in and says what's for dinner.....floss?
Men.........

So lets give away some floss! Lets give 5 stitchers their choice of 5 colors, 5 of my 20 yards skeins...that's 100 yards each to do lots of stitching.
Rules: You must be a follower. You must post a comment here.
Post on your blog or facebook, etc, and get 25 more entries. Yes I do check to see where you post it.

Drawing to be June 15th. Lots of time to enter and I will have more colors to choose from by then. I list colors separately in my ebay store as I finish them and I will also be selling them in sets.
Good luck stitchers!
Nancy

The Charm of Friendship in reds is finished

The Charm of Friendship (in reds) is finished. I just received it in the mail and I am very pleased with Teresa's work. Beautiful stitching. I still have several models out there being stitched and a couple that had to be started over when stitchers quit on their projects.

The finished size on this is 14 x 16" on 32 ct linen.
My dark champagne linen doesn't show the shade as well as I would like in this photo. I always have trouble with linen as it doesn't photograph like the true shade it is. I have seen other stitchers comment that they have the same problem. Any suggestions? Flash and outdoor pictures are too bright and show it lighter...this is photographed just inside the door with bright light coming in. Under lamps shows too dark......

Anyways......back to a new pattern and I will start dyeing more floss tomorrow as the rain has finally stopped and it will be a good day to dry the floss outside.
Thanks for stopping by. Have a great day!
Nancy

26 New Colors for the 1840 Sampler Floss Line

Busy once again.....that's nothing new....I have 26 colors put on cards for the 1840 Sampler Floss line. Lots of subtle variegation in most of them. A couple friends asked me to keep some of the soft antique colors without a lot of variegation. I didn't do drastic variegation in these new colors. Nice antique-looking color changes are what I strived for.
I did reds with light to dark and brownish tones added on some, same to the plum colors. Greens run from dark with darker green, celery with several shades, sage(some with golden highlights), aqua, midnight dark blues....nutmeg, buttercream, etc. These will be available in my ebay store tomorrow. I have to finish putting the names on the tags.

I hope you can see the nice color changes in these photos. I do plan on getting a new camera soon. I just can't capture the true colors in my photos. Especially on linen....those colors are always hard to capture.
It is raining today so I am taking a break from dyeing floss. When it clears later this week I will be back to the dye pot as I want to add quite a few more colors to the line.
Thanks for stopping by...have a great day!
Nancy

The Gift of Wisdom Sampler

I had a very busy and productive week around here....lot of floss dyed and a new sampler pattern finished. The Gift of Wisdom.
It reads:
One thing I ask and wilt thou hear
And grant my soul a gift so dear
Wisdom descending from above
The choicest token of thy love

Another small sampler; when finished it measures 11x11" on 32ct linen. I will be sending this out to a model stitcher tomorrow and then finish another similar size pattern I am working on.

I hope all of you are having a wonderful Mother's day. I have all my guys here for the weekend and it doesn't get any better than being spoiled! Of course I do tend to spoil them all year long.......

Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope all of you have a Happy Mother's Day. For some it may be fond memories......cherished moments that stay with us.
I am blessed in so many ways. My Mother is a very special woman and I love her dearly. At 91 she still takes care of my sister who is 51 and has Downs Syndrome. This woman is a saint and will get a special place in heaven.
My son is the other joy in my life.....he is always buying me the newest supplements with the hope that it will help this Lupus and horrible arthritis I have. For this Mother's Day he said he had heard of a new treatment center.....he wants me to try it....and if my insurance doesn't cover it he will cash in his retirement account to pay for it. Of course I would never let him do that.....but this loving and caring son has always been there for me. Constantly buying me gadgets that help me open things easily so my sore hands don't hurt so much. I just couldn't ask for more. I am blessed!
So tomorrow I have many things to be thankful for and I will spend some quality time with my guys....my son and my two grandsons.

I hope all of you have a wonderful day!
Nancy

New 1840 Sampler Floss colors coming soon!

I have been busy with the dye pot today.....45,000 yards of floss dyed for the new 1840 Sampler Collection. That's 20 new colors that I will start showing next week. I hope to dye more floss tomorrow as the warm weather has arrived and perfect for drying floss outside.
I am adding this new collection because most of the colors will have a lot more variegation than the 1795 Sampler Floss Collection. I have had a few requests and I think these colors will work perfect. Still the nice antique looking colors but with added variegation with tone on tone darker coloration and the addition of another color. Hard to describe so I guess you will just have to wait and see some of these. And after I get 50 colors dyed I will have a give-away to share some with you!
I am hoping to do 100 colors to this limited edition set....we will see. They will be sold separately and in a large set.

Meanwhile....I am still whittling away at sampler patterns. Time is going to get tight around here when I start doing the floss on cards but I just don't have anyone that lives close to me to hire. My grandsons aren't thrilled with doing floss but do help me at times. They run the winder to unwind the large cones of floss for me and wind chenille on cards and that is a big help.
The vegetable garden is also planted so I am ready to go put my feet up for a bit!

I hope all of you are enjoying nice spring weather after the long cold winter we had.

Have a great day and thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

Another mini sampler is finished; Be Strong and of Good Courage

Another mini sampler is finished. This one measures 6-1/2 x 9" on 32ct linen.

I will be sending another pattern to Rita as she is game to stitch another! Which pleases me to no end.....she did a beautiful job and I appreciate it very much.

I am working on another sampler pattern but am also doing the necessary yard work that comes with spring......and I want to start dyeing floss later this week. Nice antique colors, soft and muted....with splashes of a second color in them for variegation. I will show you some samples when they are finished. For now.....it's back to the garden!

Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

Custom Family Name Sampler Chart Winners today!!!!

We have a couple lucky winners today for a custom Family Name Sampler chart.......

You will get to choose from red or brick colors......your family name custom printed on your chart with the date!
The winners are:
Kim M    and Babs in Alabama. Congratulations! Please email me with your name and date you would like printed on your chart. nbelgian@aol.com

Thank you all for entering the give-away.

If the weather ever gets warm here I will start dyeing new summer floss colors and have a new give-away for some of those. We are having the coldest spring(which I love) we have ever had in the 19 years I have lived here and we just had the coldest winter in 30 years. I can't take heat so I have enjoyed every minute of it. I know that the extreme heat and humidity will settle in soon so I will enjoy every cool day I can.

Thanks for stopping by....have a great day!
Nancy

The Beauty of Spring Sampler Finished

A model stitcher has finished the Beauty of Spring for me. This is the insert.....the smaller part of Welcome Spring Sampler. Of course the title at the top and name of the shop are just printed on this picture....one gal asked me if it was stitched on there....no.......I wanted to do this with two versions and this was the smaller part.

You can see there is quite a difference in the size of these samplers. The smaller one is 10.9" x 14.4". The larger sampler is 14.4 x 19.0".

It will be a while before I have the other model finished as the stitcher has had several delays.
I have two new model stitchers......and always looking for fast stitchers who want to trade for merchandise.


Have a great day!
Nancy

New Sampler.....Thy Hearthstone's Steady Glow

Another busy week and another sampler pattern is finished. This will be off to a model stitcher in a few days. I am still looking for model stitchers with lots of time to stitch....I know summer is quickly approaching but if you stitch year round I would love to have you stitch for me. Several of my model stitchers are taking a break from samplers so I am always looking for new stitchers. Right now I am trading my over dyed floss....mostly the 80 skein(1600 yards) 1795 Sampler Floss Collection for stitching. I also have 32ct linen in several hand dyed shades, charts, kits, buttons, charms, trims.....lots of goodies to trade.

Thy Hearthstone's Steady Glow......

At thy hearthstone's steady glow
Precious memories ebb and flow
All thy days this home has blest
Thy busy hands with tenderness

Charted for DMC floss. Pattern size is 175 x 175 stitches. Finished size on 16ct (32ct linen) is 10.9 x 10.9. Fits a 12 x 12 frame and they have some beautiful frames in that size at Hobby Lobby at a very affordable price.

Pattern is $14.99 and will be available in my ebay store later today.

Thanks for stopping by. On to the next sampler pattern.....
Nancy

Happy Easter!

Happy Easter! I hope each and every one of you has a wonderful holiday surrounded by loved ones. I know I will be spending time with my family....the best gift of all.
Nancy

 

 

 

Another model sampler is finished and I am thrilled with it

Preserve My Heart Secure sampler is finished. I just received it today from a model stitcher and I am thrilled with it. This is stitched with DMC on my sage linen. She did a beautiful job stitching for me...I am so lucky to have so many model stitchers with time to spare.
I need to select a frame...maybe one of my antique frames I have (I have a closet full). Now I need to find some time just to frame some of these pieces.
I have been swamped with stitching mottoes for ebay customers...I think I see the light at the end of the tunnel. One more to go after I finish this current one...and there are days I wonder if my hands are going to hold out. I truly have to quit stitching mottoes for customers. I haven't stitched for myself in ages.
Thanks for stopping by....be sure to enter the custom family name sample chart give-away in a previous post.
Nancy

Custom Family Name Sampler Chart Give-away. Enter Now!

I have completed the Custom Family Name Sampler Chart. An adorable vintage couple stand in the doorway of their little house. It is a nice sized sampler, on 16ct (32ct linen) it is 7x9" and fits any 8x10" frame. Stitch count is 115 x 144.  Shown on cream linen. Lots of colors in this sampler and charted for DMC to make it easy for everyone.
This sampler chart will have your name and date (marriage or other). The font shown with my name (Turner) will fit names with 10 letters. If you have a longer name I will use a slightly smaller font to make it fit. Email me first if you have a very long last name.
A RED variation:

Available in either color combination.
I wanted to make this chart easy . Instead of sending you an alphabet and you have to chart your own name and date in there, I am charting it for you. Your actual chart will be printed with your name and date on it. Does it get any easier than that??
The Custom Family Name chart is $24.99 plus postage. Email nbelgian@aol.com if you would like one.
Lets give one away!!
Rules: You must be a follower and post a comment here. Post on your blog, facebook or your stitching group and get 25 more entries. Send a friend and get another 25 entries.
Drawing to be April 30th to give lots of people time to enter.
Nancy

How much do you like to finish on items? I would love to hear from you

I have always like to do finishing on items. I have given away almost everything I have ever made over the years....so finishing is not new to me. I see a lot of people post that they don't like to do their own finishing....so my question is....how much finishing do you like to do on an item? How simple do you like/need it to be?

I have done simple envelope cushions recently for a customer.....all you need to do is place the pieces right sides together and stitch all around and then you just turn the piece right side out and sew on a button. I tried to get her to attempt this simple sewing project.....but I just couldn't convince her to give it a try. It doesn't get any easier than this. I even attached the linen to the border pieces before she stitched her pieces. Do you think that would be a great idea for some kits? Then all the stitcher would have to do is stitch the insert and sew the pieces together. Maybe sew on a charm or two....hanging ribbons....I love the ruffled bias tape ribbons I use. I will show that in a post later this week. I have dyed several colors that I use and maybe I will dye more colors. The ruffled ribbon bow could be tied in the kit too...then you would just have to tack it on. Or I could even tack that on the back too!

What are your finishing skills?  I will be putting kits together this summer and I would like to know how simple I need to make these. Is it the edge trim you find the most difficult part? I am trying to see how much I can do in a kit to make the finishing easy for you. I have always enjoyed hand sewing and find it easy to attach trims to pieces. Then I hear that others don't enjoy this process.....so I am trying to help as much as I can.
How many of you like the wool applique pieces? I see they are popular on some sites. What if the applique was already done on the back of a piece....just thinking out loud here....and that would be incorporated into the price of the kit for a little more. I guess the kit could be offered both ways, for you to finish or the finishing almost done for you and you just sew the two pieces together and turn. No seam to sew closed. Just tack on a button or charm on the overlap seam.
I would love to hear from you.
Nancy

Working on new samplers and lots of spring sales going on

I am working on a couple new samplers at the same time. I work on one.......then get an idea for another so I jot that down.....then go back and forth as new elements for the design come to me. I truly love to put a design on paper and watch it unfold.

A had a couple requests for my next weekend sales.....and I thought I would extend it all through April to help everyone.
Buy 5 packs of chenille trim and you get one free. I have that sale all the time on ebay.
Buy 5 packs of hand dyed ric rac you get one free. Buy 5 packs of hand dyed buttons and get one free.
Buy 5 yards of cluny ric rac trim and get one free.
Free shipping on the 1795 Sampler floss collection. Worldwide! Saves up to $20. Buy through me as the sale is only in America on ebay for this floss collection.
I am clearing out my eyelet trim and listing lots of new colors. I have a couple more rolls I could dye but maybe I will just sell the natural by the yard.
I need to list a lot of small trims that I want to drop from my inventory. I sold the bulk of each set and need to list the extras. I still have a huge inventory of trim I would like to sell before we move in 18 months. I don't want to have to move all those boxes of trims. I am listing some great bargains in my store this week.
Thanks for stopping by.....
Nancy

This week's sampler....a re-design

This weeks sampler pattern is a re-design of a sampler I did in 2012. I wanted to change the colors and the flowers....well I changed the basket design, motifs, etc. Once I got started I just kept making a lot of changes. It's amazing how different colors can change a pattern. I have dropped the older pattern from my inventory and will be selling the new one. Alphabet and numbers are included to personalize your sampler. Design size is 218 x 139, finished size on 16ct (32ct linen) is 13.6 x 8.7. Now I have to decide if I want to have this one stitched. I love the red and gold together. Fits perfect in my house.
Charts will be printed tomorrow if you are interested.
Teach me to feel another's woe.....how important that is.

Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

Free floss this weekend with floss purchase

Another weekend special.....this weekend, Fri-Sunday the 30th......for every 7 skeins of floss you buy (20 yards each), you get one free (20 yards) of your choice. Choose from any in the 1795 Sampler Collection or any of the other colors I have in my shop.

To say you have lots of colors to choose from is an understatement!
You can browse my store http://stores.ebay.com/Victorian-Motto-Sampler-Shoppe
See the category at the left "hand dyed floss".
You can purchase on ebay or email me direct with your order. nbelgian@aol.com
*****If you order through ebay, you must send me a message to tell me you saw this sale to get the free floss. The sale is not on ebay.
Thank you for the nice response I have been having to these weekend sales. I do all I can to help and I love to share.
Have a great weekend!
Nancy
P.S.            If anyone missed the free shipping on the 1795 Sampler Floss collection, 80 skeins, 1600 yards....I will extend it this weekend. Free shipping world wide! Saves up to $20. This will not be combined with the free floss sale.

A different sampler by changing colors

A friend asked me to sell her The charm of Friendship sampler chart but asked me to change the colors for her. No problem! She loves reds and dramatic colors....

I even made the border on the flowers a wider red for her. I love the ease of changing patterns with a stitching program and a few minutes time. I like it so well that I will sell the pattern with this color combination too. I may even send it out to another model stitcher. Charted for DMC.
Back to the drawing board..............
Nancy

The Charm of Friendship Sampler

I just received another model in the mail today....she did a beautiful job on this sampler. I am so lucky to know so many talented people...and generous with their time.
This is shown stitched with my own over dyed floss. It is charted for DMC....but I like the softness of these over dyed colors I chose.
The Charm of Friendship. I am printing charts this afternoon if you would like one. The chart alone is $14.99 for 10 pages. Enlarged color blocks and symbols pages are included to make it easier for you. Chart with my over dyed floss is $19.99. Stitched on natural 32ct linen, finished size is 14 x 16-1/2".
******THIS WEEKS SPECIAL*******
The first 10 charts sold($14.99) will receive free floss! I do all I can to help in this tough economy. Email nbelgian@aol.com if you would like a chart.
      I have just selected a verse for my next small sampler....be sure to stay tuned next week to see the pattern.
     I have quite a few model stitchers but if you are in the states, like stitching on linen and have some time, I would love to trade stitching for floss (and anything else in my store).
                                             Nancy

New Spring Floss Colors

Now that the floss give-away is over I thought I would show the rest of you the new spring set of floss I have added to my store inventory. It is available on ebay or direct from me.
Olde Marigold, Spring Green, Primrose Pink, Sweet Lilac and Forget Me Not Blue.

I will be adding a lot of new colors in the next couple months. I want to get a few more sampler patterns finished before I get back to the dye pot. It has been a nice break, let me tell you. But once more I will put on the rubber gloves and be dipping and dunking thousands of yards of floss as I do every spring.
I wish I could find someone who lives close to me to help put this on the cards. The other gal I had did not work out and it was too expensive shipping her boxes of floss and then returning them. If the postal rates keep going up we won't be able to ship anything to anyone. It is ridiculous these days. A small envelope with a few skeins of floss overseas is $9 to mail! Don't get me started.....
So it is Monday....the start of another new week.....and I guess I better get started! So much to do around here.

Thanks for stopping by....have a great week.
Nancy

The Charm of Friendship sampler is finished

I got an email from Dede who stitched this model for me and sent me this picture...and it is on it's way! I can hardly wait to get the mail this week as you can imagine. This pattern is The Charm of Friendship and I love the verse. The sampler is 230 x 279, finished size on 16ct (32ct linen) is 14.4" x 17.4" . Charts will be available on Wednesday.

She did a great job and I can hardly wait to get it framed. Thanks once again to all of you great model stitchers. I could not do all of these samplers without you! I am spending 25 hours per week on patterns alone......and I am stitching mottoes for customers and that takes up my evenings. If I could just add another 40 hours to each week I would have it made!
Nancy

Changing colors in a sampler makes a big difference

I love to play with color....and I love how it changes the whole look of a design with a few color changes. The new mini sampler I just finished is a good example. I am selling the chart in two color combinations. Some people have a hard time trying to imagine a design with different colors....so here are two pictures for you.

Now I need to decide which color combination I will have a model stitcher do for me.......I love the darker red.....the actual colors I have selected are a little softer than these photos....the stitching program leaves a lot to be desired. Too bad it can't stitch each block as I fill it in with color...now THAT would be a stitching program!!!
Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

New Smaller size sampler! Be Strong and of Good Courage

After completing several large samplers I am now starting on the smaller sizes. A lot smaller. This one is 7 x 9 inches and will fit in any 8 x 10 inch frame! There are so many beautiful reproduction frames out there....lets start saving some money. You can get a $10 frame at Hobby Lobby.....and if you use the Stitchery Tape (no glue, pins, lacing, etc) to mount your sampler on foam board...you can have it framed in one afternoon. I LIKE that!
This sampler is Be Strong and of Good Courage. Shown with my stitching program on linen (charted for 16ct, 32ct linen)...this one will go out to a model stitcher next week. Speaking of that....I just got an email today that another one is finished and I will have it back next week. I better get to the framing part myself.

I have incorporated some pine trees, birds, violets, strawberries, floral motifs, dogs, a nice border.....your initials and the date. Lots of goodies in this petite sampler.

Back to the drawing board....and another small sampler pattern.
Nancy

We have sampler chart winners today!!

We have sampler chart winners today! As promised.....I picked a couple names. Well....lets pick three! Pick from any of my new sampler charts.
The winners are:
Ellen (With my Needle)
Annette Calif
and Stitch mcFloss

Congratulations!
Please email me and give me your address.

I want to thank everyone who entered. I love to share with all of you...hopefully everyone will get something if we  have enough give-aways!

Now to think of what to give away next!!!!

Have a great day!
Nancy

Another Spring Sampler

After I completed the last sampler, Welcome Spring, I told you how I was going to have it stitched two ways. One as the whole sampler and the other with just the insert and no border or house below it. I thought I would do the chart now so I could show you how different they look.
This is the whole chart:

And this is the second chart I did with just the insert. Both have your initials and the year. But that can be added to any of my charts as there is always room or you could remove any motif to insert your name or initials.

The first sampler is 14.4" x 19",    16ct or (32ct linen).
The smaller sampler is 10.9" x 14.4",   16ct or (32ct linen).
Now I can hardly wait to see them stitched! The colors shown above are pretty close to the actual DMC colors I selected. I am charting for DMC to make it easy for any one to buy their floss to stitch one of my charts. Charts are $14.99. 10 pages, 4 pages of enlarged color blocks, 4 pages of enlarged symbols blocks, pattern info and key.

Thanks for stopping by....have a great day!
Nancy

Weekend discounts for loyal followers

I am always trying to help in this tough economy. I thought I might have some weekend sales and change them up all the time. This weekend...lets see....3-14 through 3-15....lets do FREE shipping on the 1795 Sampler Floss collection. That save you $8 in the states and $20 if you are International. The 80 skeins, 20 yards each, 1600 yards! of over dyed floss will do plenty of projects for you. Set is $156.00.  I have previously done free floss equal to your postage...so lets throw that in. CHOOSE between free floss equal to your postage  OR  free shipping. Such a deal.....think of all that floss! This would run over $600 from the other over dyed floss companies. I am always trying to bring you a great product at an affordable price. Get this while it lasts! 2 days only.............

Thanks for stopping by. Have a great weekend!!
Nancy

Welcome Spring new sampler!

Everyone seems ready for spring.....so a Welcome Spring sampler sounded appropriate to me. I wanted to do this one a little different....I am going to have one model stitcher do the whole sampler. I am going to have another stitcher do just the insert without the border or the house, trees and lawn below it....so you have two options. I am also going to over dye the whole sampler after I get it back from the stitcher! I will share that with you when the time comes. For now...here is the new sampler:

The pattern size for the whole thing is 231 x 304 stitches. Finished size on 32ct linen will be 14.4 x 19 inches. Year and your initials go on this pattern but you can add that to any of my sampler patterns as there is always room to add it if you so desire. Charted for DMC. Shown on cream linen with my stitching program. Charts are available now. $14.99 for 10 pages. 4 pages of color blocks chart, 4 pages symbols chart, color key and pattern information.

Thanks for stopping by......time to start on another pattern!
Nancy

Spring floss winners today!!!!

We have some spring floss winners today!!! Special floss will be going out to these stitchers...some Forget-Me-Not Blue, Primrose Pink, Spring Green, Sweet Lilac and a surprise color.
The winners are:
Connie (Primitive country cabin)
Carol (stitching dreams)
Peggy (keep me in stitches)
Penny I
Rachel
 Nancy P
Denise
Patti in MI
Julie
Kathy L
Cal

Congratulations! Please email me and give me your address. nbelgian@aol.com

I love to share with all of you....and we will have another floss give away soon.

Nancy

Rejoice in The Lord Sampler chart with floss

I failed to mention that the Rejoice in The Lord (Mary Long reproduction sampler, my adaptation) chart with floss is now printed and available. Add that to the list of charts that you can choose from in the give-away listed below.

Charted for DMC but I have this listed with my own over dyed floss. I love the berry color....and the soft rose on the motifs and flowers. Shown on my dark antique champagne linen. The pathway is a taupe brown and so is the fence. Pattern size is 177 x 164 and finished size is 11.1" x 10.2". Chart with floss is $19.99. 10 pages in the pack. Color blocks and symbols charts are included. Enlarged for you to make it easier.

I have been swamped with ebay orders again but have started on another sampler pattern that I hope will be finished next week. I am having fun with these...I love looking for beautiful sayings to go on the samplers that I design. Trying to decide when one to use next is the hard part!
Thanks for stopping by. Be sure you have entered the give-away for a sampler chart.
Nancy