June birds and bees
Week four

Something New

It's week four and time for two new bee stitches.   Hope you like them.  

RJ - This week I stitched a chart by Fanci That called Honeybee.   She is a sweet, whimsical angel that was really fun to stitch. This is one of the patterns received from Cathy, the lady Mary met on facebook that sent us so many of her Fanci That patterns.  We hope to stitch many of them.  We have since found out that Fanci That is not making patterns anymore which makes them that more special. 

Honeybee will be our first one but we have lots more we will be sharing in the future. I would like to stitch one for each season and special holidays.  So I have decided to put them in a frame and just change them out according to the time of the year.   Besides the ones Cathy sent us, we have purchased others from Etsy and Ebay.  We would like to pass these on to others as soon as we both get them stitched up.

I added a bee button to the frame at the top

It's another Kohl's frame and the bee button fit just fine under glass.

Closeup of the cute little ballerina slippers she wears that criss - cross up her legs and then tie in bows.   How cute!!!

Closeup of her cute halo with stitched bee and the little bee button on her wing

Honeybee
by Fanci That
40 ct. vintage country mocha linen
a mix of overdyed threads
bee buttons from Joann's
frame from Kohl's

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Mary - My new stitch is a very sweet pattern from the very talented designer Eszter from the Subrosa blog.  The free pattern can be found here.

I added the words "We're Meant to Bee" because it is an anniversary gift for my niece.  I stitched with variegated threads but have no recollection which ones I used.  But I now keep track of all of my substitutions.  It was a pleasure to stitch on 40 count linen for the very first time.  

This was one of the few finishes that came together easily for me.  I coffee dyed the rosebud fabric to blend better with the country mocha linen.  I found the trim in a Michael's dollar bin.  RJ sent me the bee charm and the cute little pink buttons in a goodie bag awhile ago.  She wanted to know where I found such sweet little buttons.  I had to remind her that she sent them to me and she was not getting them back!!!  

I added the words We're Meant To Bee.

Closeup of the trim, buttons and charm.

Free chart from Sub Rosa blog
40 ct. country mocha linen
unknown over dyed threads

Happy stitching!   We hope to see you next week with our new styling with stitches project. Thank you for stopping by.   Your visits are much appreciated.
                                                           Mary and RJ

   As wings are to a bird, and sails are to a ship, so is prayer to the soul.

                                                author unknown

June Birds and Bees
Week three 

Before we get started with our stitches, we want to say thank you for the tremendous response to our give away.  We are happy you like it and want to be included.  If you have not signed up yet, there is still time ... the sign up will continue until July 13 th! Requirements are simple: just be a sidebar follower and leave a comment where you are from so we can put you in the correct drawing.  If you forgot to let us know which drawing you need to be in there is still plenty of time to let us know.  Details of the give away can be found in the June 16th Grab Bag post.

Something Old Made New

We have some old stitches that we have been working on this week to add a little something extra to their original finish.   For June we picked two of our favorite oldies.

RJ - I picked Sleigh bird by Little by Little.   I saw this stitch on Twisted Stitcher one afternoon and had to find the pattern.   I totally fell in love with it.   I searched the title on google but did not have a lot of luck until one day I found it on an online source called Stitching Bits and Pieces.  It was a tricky one to stitch but it really caught my attention and so I made two of them.  The first one I stitched on 30 ct linen and it was nice but bigger than I like so I stitched the second one on 35 ct. cocoa linen and liked it much better.  I decided to stitch the word Noel instead of the called for year because it would be going on my little French tree.   

Before:

I love this stitch but it needed a little more!

After: When I think of those old sleighs, bells come to mind.  So that is what I did.  I added some bells to the sleigh rim. At the top, I put a bow and a few larger bells.  Luckily, Mary had the perfect sized bells for the sleigh bird ornament. It was a simple addition but just enough to make a difference. 

Closeup of Sleigh bird

Sitting under some lights in the bookcase and next to a vintage birdcage

Mary sent me this adorable little stand which worked perfectly for this ornament

Sleigh Bird
 Little by Little Designs
35 ct. Weeks Cocoa Linen one over two
Called for over dyed threads

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Mary - Little House Needleworks "Seven Pines" is my old ornament that I have updated with a new look.  This was a fast and easy update since all I had to do was add a bell charm, a small heart button and a cording bow.  You can find the bell charm at A.C. Moore.

This was a complimentary chart from LHN that can be found here.

I used the called for threads with the exception of Crescent Colors English Ivy for the trees.

Before:

I added a red border around the stitch.

After:

You can see I added a red heart, a twine bow and a bell charm.

Here's a closeup of the bell charm.

Seven Pines
Little House Needlworks
30 ct. linen
called for threads
charm is from AC Moore

                                                              June Freebie 
Here is our June freebie from With Thy Needle and Thread.   Love the birds on top of the basket and the alphabet that is surrounding it.   You can find this chart here.

Next week we will be back with our new stitches for June.   Hope to see you then.
                                                                   RJ and Mary

                             Bee yourself because everyone else is taken.

                                                     author unknown

June birds and bees
Week two grab bag

 Give Away details

We are having two give aways for our followers.  One is a basket of patriotic items in honor of "Independence Day" for our US mainland followers.  The other give away will be for our followers outside the US mainland who will win a PDF pattern of their choice from our talented friend Ezster of Sub Rosa. 

Here is our basket filled with goodies that will be mailed to our US mainland followers

Here is a beautiful example of a Sub Rosa design but there are so many more PDF patterns to pick from for our followers outside the US mainland.  There are many to choose from at her Etsy shop.

In our short time of blogging, we have met so many kind and helpful fellow stitchers and we wanted to show our appreciation to all of you.

To enter our give away all that is required is to be a side bar follower and to leave a comment that you want to be entered.  If you are a follower from outside the US mainland, please let us know so we put you in the correct drawing.  We do not want to announce email addresses so if you follow by email only please add your name to the sidebar so you will be included in all of our drawings.  

We have put together a pretty basket with a charming pouch pattern called "Liberty House"  from Homespun Elegance.  We've included a nice assortment of Moda fabrics,  patriotic charms and antique buttons.  We think you will love the paperweight to use with any stitch you wish.  We have also included an adorable ceramic bird because of our love for birds. They look great in cross stitch displays too!

An American flag completes our patriotic give away.  Red, white and blue were chosen as the colors to represent valor, liberty and  justice.

We have included photos of the basket give away and just a few of Sub Rosa's lovely PDF patterns below.  Now how can you resist signing up to win one of these?

The cute basket of goodies for our US mainland give away

Included in this pretty basket are Moda fabrics, a brand new Homespun Elegance pattern, a pretty glass paperweight,the linen which is needed for the bag, a flag, a ceramic bird, antique buttons and charms.

                                     
Below you will see just a few of the many Sub Rosa PDF patterns to choose from for our followers outside the US mainland.  If you are from somewhere outside the US mainland please let us know so we can put you in the correct drawing.   You can see all of the patterns at Ezster's Etsy shop which you can find here

A lovely bird that would look wonderful in your home anytime of the year

Here's a great selection for the fall season.

This is a gorgeous choice for the winter (a personal favorite!)

 Our bee stitch lovers will enjoy this pattern

All needleworkers will enjoy this one!

You will have a whole month to sign up as a sidebar follower on the right. We will be picking the two lucky winners on Grab Bag week in July which is our second post of the month. Good luck!
                                               
We hope you have a fun week and lots of time for stitching. Next week we will be showing our old stitches made new.
                                                                       Mary and RJ

                                                  Don’t just fly, soar.   

                                                         Walt Disney

June Birds and Bees
Week one

While working in the garden, it was easy to hear the birds singing and a bee buzzing around a flower.   There is only one thing that can draw either of us away from such a perfect day outside and that is cross stitching.  If you are like us not a day goes by without stitching.

Styling with Stitches

This month's project is pin cushions.  We chose two very pretty bird patterns from Brenda Gervis of With Thy Needle and Thread.

When I was a child I was fascinated by my Mom's sewing items.  I loved how pretty her pin cushion was and all her spools of thread.   I can remember playing with her sewing box and I would set it up like a classroom.  Boys were spools of thread in colors like navy, brown and tan.   And the girls were in pretty shades of pink, red and green.  I would teach them all a lesson from school that day.  It did not surprise my Mom when years later I majored in elementary ed. and became a teacher. 

Today we don't have those pretty wood spools with engraved writing on top of them for our thread. Now we only have plastic spools with paper labels.  We have to rely on searching for vintage spools make of wood.  But, we still can buy pretty pin cushions thanks to people who cross stitch, quilt and do needlework.   I have a large pinterest board just on pin cushions that you can find here.

We hope you like our pin cushions with bird stitches for our monthly June theme.  We selected two different styles for their finishes.  One is in a tart tin and the other is on a pretty wood stand.  


RJ's pin cushion: I used the pattern "A Tisket A Tasket" by Brenda Gervis.  The little bird with her bonnet in this pattern is just too cute not to stitch.  I didn't follow the directions for finishing, however. Instead, I found the center of my stitch and drew a five inch circle using a protractor.  Cut the same sized circle out of some pretty fabric and stitched them together leaving a small opening to turn. After it was turned, I filled it with crushed walnuts and sewed the opening shut.  Then I tacked on some pretty cotton lace that Mary had sent me. I added some ribbon and a scissor charm before I placed it in a tart tin.  I bought the tins here on Amazon.  I found the cute bird stick pin at Etsy from the sweetest lady from Victoria, Canada.  Her site is called Pincushion Crazy and can be found here.

I gave my new 50 lens that my blog buddy sent me a try today.   It blurs out some of the surrounding items while you get a good view of your target.  It is a fun accessory thanks to Mary.

Closeup of the stitch still using the 50 lens

This is the tart pan laying flat like it will be used. I had to stitch the ribbon and lace to the pin cushion.

A Tisket A Tasket
by With Thy Needle and Thread
40 ct. country mocha linen
called for over dyed threads were used

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Mary's pin cushion: The story behind this stitch exemplifies the generous spirit and kindness of stitchers.   RJ found a photo of a pattern that she wanted badly and her search for it came up empty handed.  I went on a cross stitching facebook page and asked for help in identifying the pattern.  A lovely lady named Cathy offered to send it to me.   She not only sent that one but several more Fanci That patterns and even some of the coordinating buttons. 

She was very happy that they were going to be used and asked us to pass them on after they have been stitched.   As soon as we are done stitching them, we will be sharing the patterns with our followers as part of our give-a-ways in future posts.

This pin cushion was just a small thank you to Cathy.  I used the pattern Pin Feathers by Brenda Gervis and the talented Faye of Carolina Stitcher finished it using some of my antique buttons and a wood stand I painted with Annie Sloan "Duck Egg Blue" paint.  The wooden stand can be found here.  I was thrilled when I received the finished pin cushion and was tempted to keep it myself!  Cathy loved it too! 

I love how the antique buttons hang from the pin cushion

Pin Feathers
by With Thy Needle and Thread
40 ct. Newcastle flax linen
called for over dyed threads

Next week we will have a special "grab bag" you don't want to miss.   We have a really nice give - a - way to tell you all about.   We also will have photos of our challenges.   See you then.
                                                         RJ and Mary

                               When life gives you crumbs…feed the birds.

                                                        author unknown