New Friendship Sampler, new color floss and a new give-away!

This design started as a find of the adorable little tea pot(and little tea cup)  charms. I wanted to do a friendship sampler...so I wrote:
I'll put the kettle on
come sit and chat with me.
We'll laugh and share a while
and sip a cup of tea.

Pattern size is 152x80.
Then I wanted a variegated antique blue with some tan in it...like the other flo blue I had overdyed...and overdyed...and overdyed....
So I came up with this fantastic blue (if I may say so) and it fades to a nice tan and it goes real well with the Country French Cafe Mocha linen this is stiched on. I will sew on the charm and make a little pillow with the backing fabric shown. I had been saving that blue floral fabric for the perfect floss to compliment it.
I am also having my model stitcher do this pattern in red for me as I also found this little tea pot  charm  with a brass finish. You could also finish it without the charm and use buttons or add your initials. Lots of possibilities. Use the charm and add your initial and a friend's for a gift.
The floss and pattern(includes charm) are also listed in my ebay store. Pattern also available pdf.

*****So lets give a few things away! Lets give 5 stitchers a couple skeins of this beautiful floss.
Lets give 5 stitchers a copy of my new friendship sampler pattern which will include the tea pot charm and floss. You will have your choice of red or blue at the time of the drawing.
And lets give one stitcher a complete package of fabric, pattern, charm and floss in the color of your choice.
So...be a follower. Post a comment here. Post on your blog and get another entry. Get an entry for each friend you send.******
Drawing to be April 30th so you have lots of time to enter.
Good luck and happy stitching!
Nancy

Lots of sales in my ebay store

My spring sale is going on right now in my ebay store. By request I always email my friends so I thought I would tell all of you about the great sale. Many items are buy 5 and get one free, charms, seam ribbon packs, chenille packs, cluny ric rac trim, motto kits, etc.

stores.ebay.com/Victorian-Motto-Sampler-Shoppe

It's a great way to stock up and I am always happy to give free merchandise with sales. I try to help as much as I can in this tough economy.
Those are my thoughts for sharing today.

Have a great day!
Nancy

An Easter present

I wanted to share a picture with you of a present my dear friend Patricia made me for Easter. She named her...what else...Miss Flossie! She is an adorable bunny made from scraps of an old chenille bedspread that belonged to her grandmother. How very kind of you Patricia...she will be cherished!
The best part of life is sharing with others.

Have a wonderful day!
Nancy

Letter L for Ornament Collection

The letter L for the Ornament Collection includes Love and you shall be loved...one of my favorite sayings.

I took a break from stitching a motto for a customer and did these three patterns this evening. I wonder if I will see the light at the end of the tunnel soon...........

Another productive week is drawing to a close.....hurry weekend!

Nancy

Alphabet Ornament Collection Letter K

I completed the Alphabet set for the letter K and it includes Kindness makes friends. I have been busy with custom orders for more stitched mottoes so I haven't been able to devote as much time to the alphabet series as I wanted to. It seems like somethings always comes up but I will keep whittling away at it as time permits. I could use TWO of me around here and maybe I would get everything done.

I think I like the letters with the birds the best...just my opinion. I have sent them to a model stitcher so she will be one busy gal for a while. Then I will need to do the finishing on the ornaments...oh my goodness will I be busy. I like to do finishing and maybe some day I will have less to do around here and more time for fun projects. I have some things I stitched last year that I want to incorporate into a project keeper...but where is the time to do these things?? I need to quit adding new patterns all the time but as I have said before, doing patterns is my favorite part of all of this business. So I guess I better get on with these letter patterns and be done so I can start on another project.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great day....hopefully stitching!
Nancy

Winners of the Alphabet and Easter Ornament charts

It's time once again (I LOVE this part!) to announce the winners of the charts....so here we go....
Aplhabet winners....you can choose any letter I have from A-J
Annette-California
Sue T
Diane M
basketsnprims
Fem

Easter Ornament winners:
pj
Sadie
Beth Pearce
Sara Beth
Mindi

Email me at nbelgian@aol.com  and I will send your charts pdf.

Thanks once again for playing along.....I love to share!
Nancy

Always busy with motto samplers

I am always busy with motto samplers. I stitched 3 new designs a week for the first year when I started this business 7 years ago...that's a lot of stitching...I have stitched over 450 mottoes now...as I have a stitching service in my store for those who do not stitch. Some people are intimidated by the perforated paper but as many of you well know, it is very durable to stitch on. I love the antique mottoes in my collection but I also like some of my patterns as well. I try to keep with a classic antique look and not too modern. This motto I stitched for a customer over the weekend. Eat drink and be merry. It took 11 hours to stitch which is not too bad for an 8-1/2 x  21 inch motto sampler. If these sore arthritic hands would cooperate it would go much faster but that is beside the point. It is my adaptation of an antique motto because  I usually change them a bit. About 10% of my motto patterns are from antiques and the rest are my own. I thought I would share this motto picture with you...so you can see how I spend my time when not designing patterns(which I would rather be doing).
It is shown in one of our frames. My husband makes the criss cross frame and then I carve the sides of the frame and carve the corner leaves (no wonder these hands hurt). I do the staining also (which I hate). I just thought I would share a bit of what I do with all of you.

Happy stitching and have a great week. I need to get back to the alphabet patterns...but I also thought of a cute friendship pattern I want to do...I told you I get side tracked all the time!

Nancy

Aplhabet Ornamets H, I and J completed

I was burning the midnight oil again last night....running out of oil around here .......but I finished the Letters H,  I and J for the Alphabet Ornament Series. Three charts for each of the letters. H includes Home sweet home; the I letter has I will always kiss you goodnight...another adorable saying and so good to apply! The J has with Joy we greet you.

I am having so much fun creating this alphabet series that I think I will start on the Halloween alphabet when I am done. Of course there will be a dozen other patterns squeezed in between.

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

A new sampler chart give-away

I had read this verse many years ago and was drawn to it. I should have charted it long ago but I am guilty of having too many irons in the fire...for the past 20 years! I liked the verse but I did make a couple changes (I hope the author isn't offended). The original verse was by the poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744). I made minor changes by adding an "s" to the words woe and fault. It now reads:

Teach me to feel another's woes
To hide the faults I see
That mercy I to others show
That mercy show to me.

I used DMC floss...as I have said, I like to make it easy for my customers to use an inexpensive floss that is readily available and they can make any substitutions if they so desire.

Shall we give a few charts away?? Of course we will! Enter now and I will announce the winners on April 1st. Lets give 5 charts away. Be a follower and post a comment here. Post on your blog and get another entry. Get another entry for each friend you send.
Good luck.
I hope you all have a great weekend.
Nancy

Winners of the Alphabet Ornament Collection charts....and lets do it again!!

And the winners for the charts for Alphabet Ornament Collections  are.................
Fem, Dolores, Sunnybec, strandkorbtraum and Sue T. Email nbelgian@aol.com

You can choose from letters A through H. I am working on the next ones....hope to have them done soon but I have been swamped with things. I also squeezed in the new sampler shown at the right,
Teach me to feel another's woes. We will give some of those charts away soon.....but for now......back to Alphabet Ornaments.
Lets give away 5 more charts on April 1st.
Same old rules stitchers....be a follower, post a comment here, send a friend and get another entry for each friend you send and post on your blog and get another entry.

Good luck! That's letters G... o... o... d... L... u... c... k!

Hope you are all having a great day....I am....I love to give things away!
Nancy

New Hand Dyed Floss Give-away!

It seems like floss is the most popular give away around here...so lets give away some more floss....lets give 5 stitchers 5 skeins of my hand dyed floss. Twenty yards per skein will stitch a lot of goodies for you and I have some lovely  new colors for spring.

Rules once again: Be a follower. Post a comment here....post on your blog and get another entry. Send a friend and get an entry for each friend you refer.

Drawing to be April 15th. Good luck stitchers...let the comments begin!

Nancy

Winners of the Grand give-away and charts

It's time to  announce LOTS of winners...so have a seat and check the names to see if you are one of the lucky ones.
Two Long-eared rabbits pdf charts: elma, Sue N., D y a,  Fem,  pj,  mab3500,  Melody, Sadie, Lucie, and Wendy.
The Grand give-away:
10 skeins floss: denise(primdee), Vicky L, Debbie(debbie's corner), SoCal Debbie, and raised by cross stitching wolves.

Coffee bag: Mary (all my scattering moments)
Spice bag: Rita
Cluny lace trim: stitchinrose and Renee G
Buttons: Kay and Cheri
Hand dyed lace: Tracey and xstitchmama
Chenille: Myra

Please email me  nbelgian@aol.com

Thank you for participating....let do this again real soon!
Nancy

Winners of the motto sampler charts

It's that day...time to announce the 10 winners of the motto charts. You get to pick which chart you would like from Merry Christmas, Happy Halloween, I will always Kiss you good night, and  My soul is fed by needle and thread. Email me with your choice. These will be sent pdf.
Free indeed,  ariadne, Kathy A.,  Sadie,  McKenna C, Terri(rosy stitches), Beth Pierce, Michele(stitches blog), Connie, and judy starkey.
Thank you once again for participating.
Email me at   nbelgian@aol.com.   I will be out for a few hours this morning but will answer when I return.

Have a great weekend!
Nancy

2 Quakers ready to be framed

I don't know about you...but I love Quaker patterns. I could sit and do patterns all day long...especially Quakers. I just love watching the puzzle pieces all come together...and then to see them stitched is the icing on the cake.

I had my new model stitcher tackle Be True in Heart and she did a wonderful job. Thank you Sara!
I chose my own coffee dyed linen and plum floss...I think it turned out plum perfect!

Next I decided to dye the fabric I had my other Quaker  (Harmony) stitched on. I just wasn't happy with it...so I decided to go dark and it was exactly what I was wanting. Could I duplicate it? Probably not...it was layer upon layer of light dye untilI got just the right amount to suit me. This is my own flo blue floss and although I am not a blue person...I could decorate the whole room in dark blue and this variegated blue for accents. The floss changed color as I applied the dye for the fabric to give me this interesting effect. I love it! And I am sure I could not duplicate this either but that is ok. These are for me to look at. Now I need to get busy and frame these beauties and hang them on the wall.

Makes me think I want to do another Quaker pattern..................

Have a great day. Thanks for stopping by.
Nancy

Alphabet Ornament patterns for E, F, and G completed

I have had another extremely busy day with patterns and I have added the letter E, F and G, three patterns each. I would like to continue at this pace but I have to stop for now and stitch 5 of the large motto patterns for a customer. Finding time to stitch for 6 hours each evening is difficult but necessary as this is my busy time of the year. I do hope to whittle away at the small patterns a bit each day as time permits. So here are the patterns for E, F, and G which include Eat, drink and be merry , Forget me not, and God bless our home.

These are available through me directly or in my ebay store.

Thank you for stopping by.
Nancy

Easter Ornament Patterns and a give-away!

Yes stitchers....I was busy again last evening (I warned you that I get side tracked with an idea) and have added an Easter Ornament Collection. Three ornaments in this series for 2012. The patterns are ranging in size from 2.9" square (40x40), 53x46 and 44x44. A very nice small size for an ornament  and easy to stitch in time to display for Easter.

Lets give away 5 charts once again. So....be a follower and put a post here to enter. Post on your blog and get another entry. Send a friend and get another entry. You ought to know the rules by now!!
Drawing to be March 20th.
It is always nice to share with so many of you stitchers...I truly enjoy that the most.

Have a great day!
Nancy

New Bird Ornament Collection for 2012

I was busy yesterday doing some new bird ornament designs and thought a collection of three Doves for 2012 would be nice. I plan to add other bird ornaments in different styles...all in good time.

I also added three designs to the Alphabet collection for the letter D. Little by little I will get the alphabet done. I need to quit getting side tracked...but when an idea hits me I take pen to paper and jot it down. You ought to see the collection of notes around here!!!

Hope you enjoy these new designs.
Have a great day!
Nancy

New Alphabet Ornament Collection and a give-away!

I have completed the first three letters of the alphabet for charts. The first one, A, has 4 ornaments to get you started. The others have 3 ornaments. To give you an idea of size, the oval with the letter runs 45x51 pattern size. The letters with birds are running 59x60. Others are 46x49 etc. Each pattern gives you 3 fabric counts and sizes and floss requirements. These are shown in dark red but would be great in any color; dark blue, browns, etc. I am putting together the pdf files and they will be available later today. Purchases can be through me direct or through ebay. Each set of ornaments is $9.99. With most small patterns running $6-8 each,  I thought this was a pretty good deal.

Lets give a few charts away! Lets give 5 stitchers their choice of the chart they would like. Rules: Be a follower. Post a comment here. Send a friend and get another entry. Post on your blog and get another entry. Enter now! Drawing to be March 15th.

I will try to add a bird for most letters since they are so popular. I will have different sets for some letters too. I will also be adding Quakers in the mix...maybe do a whole alphabet for Quakers at a later date. Possibilities are endless...maybe a Halloween alphabet!
I am off to do the pdf files. Thank you for stopping by and thank you for being a follower. I appreciate all the nice compliments you stitchers have for my designs and all my efforts.
Lets give some charts away!
Nancy 

A small preview of my new ornament patterns

I have been very busy this week, not only with regular orders, custom motto patterns and frames...but I started on the ornament collection. I thought I would do the alphabet...a few ornaments for each letter. This will get REAL interesting for some of the difficult letters...and take me quite a while as you can imagine. I need to take a break for a day or two and dye some linen and new floss colors but I thought I would give you a sneak peek at what I have been doing. I will need to stitch all these little critters...already have a model stitcher lined up to help me. I can do one here and there but with all the hours I put into patterns and things, well it just doesn't leave me much time for stitching. I have mottoes to stitch for several customers and need to squeeze those in too! If I only had 6 hands I could do it all...and be rich just from the circus freak show I would be in. But I bet I could stitch all day long!
So here is a preview...I have several more patterns done but have to decide on final colors. I love all one color...but it won't work for all of these. I have a few with birds on branches and they look terrific in one color. These will be available in a few days. Through my ebay store or buying direct from me. I will do 3-4 per leaflet for each letter.

I know the pictures are small :))))) I said a little peek!

Have a great day!

Nancy