A Farmhouse Addition...

Brynwood Needleworks - Living Room

 

I went back to the estate sale at our friends' home to pick up a new addition for the farmhouse. I fell in love with the shape and color of the loveseat, and knew I had to bring it back here.

 

Thanks to my helpers who met me at the estate sale site, helped me load up the loveseat (into their van), and follow me home. Well before noon, it was installed in the house and we were drinking a celebratory cuppa tea.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Loveseat

Isn't it lovely? Bella keeps wanting to sit on it, and I keep dissuading her. I've already moved the four-patch quilt from the leather sofa to the loveseat just in case she prevails when I'm not looking.

 

Handsome drove up our driveway before noon yesterday. We were so glad to see him! I had my Covid test, and am just waiting for the results so I know surgery will be "on" tomorrow. I'll know today for sure. I really want to get it over with! I'll just sit here on my new "tuffet" while I wait. 

 

Tag's in charge of tomorrow's post. He's going to tell you all about his Wednesday last week. You won't believe it! sigh

 

Sunday Scripture...

Brynwood Needleworks via A Facebook Friend

"Doxie" In The Mail...

Brynwood Needleworks - Custom Bryn Wallet Order

I finished this cute Day of the Dead - Dachshund wallet for a friend who wants it for her daughter. I have one of these DoD wallets finished, but it didn't feature the little dachshund, so I made a new one with the doxie front and center. I got to use my new, branded hardware, too!

It's already packaged and will be on its way to her today. I've already shared pictures with her, and got an enthusiastic thumbs up. Now, I'll be concentrating on making bread so the house smells welcoming when Handsome walks in the door! squeeeeeee!

My Thanksgiving Turkey...

Brynwood Needleworks - Thanksgiving Tag

We all hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving. I can't say ours was uneventful. Tag gave me a bit of a scare, but he reminded me it's his story to tell. I'll just let you know that he's okay, and he's making all of you wait until Tuesday to tell you - in his own inimitable way - what happened. 

I can say that our celebration was subdued. I shared a midday meal with Andy and Shelly, and took a homemade turtle cheesecake to them for dessert. We ate and visited for an hour or so, and then I came back to the farmhouse and took a nap. 

Sorry I can't tell you more, but Tag would be a real pain if I don't let him tell you all about it. Handsome will be home Sunday, so that's where my attention is right now. He left Florida early this morning, so I'll be keeping in touch with him as he makes his solo trip home. Bella will be beside herself to see him...and so will Tag and I.

You know I don't do Black Friday, so I'll likely spend most of my day in the studio. I'll be back tomorrow to show you what I've been working on. If you're going out, please be safe. 

Happy Thanksgiving...

Brynwood Needleworks - Count Your Blessings (via FaceBook)

 Today, I count all of you among my blessings.Happy Thanksgiving!

Another Project Completed...

Brynwood Needleworks - Alice's Teacup Pincushions - Silk Flower Detail

 

I finished the order for five of my BW exclusive Alice's Teacup Pincushions. I so enjoy sitting down with needle, thread and silk ribbon to create something lovely.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Alice's Teacup Pincushions - Dormouse and Teaspoon Detail

 

I did manage to find one Schleik mouse (now discontinued, and expensive in secondary collector's market) that didn't cost an arm and a leg, so I'll be able to make one more of these for myself. The mouse was actually white, but I painted all of them in dormouse colors for each of the pincushions I've made like these in the past couple of years. I think they turned out really cute.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Five Finished Alice's Teacup Pincushions

 

So they're all finished now. I'll wrap them carefully in tissue and bubble wrap, pack them each into their own box, and then all of them into a larger box to be sure they arrive in Florida safely. They'll be mailing out today, and then I'll start on another special order. 

 

I want to complete all my outstanding orders before I go in for surgery next Tuesday. Then, I can just concentrate on healing, and shipping out any ready-made orders that come into my shop during the sale I'm running. (Check THIS post if you don't know about the sale yet.)

 

I'll be staying home for Thanksgiving, so I'll have an extra day to sew. Tag, Bella and I will have a productive, quiet day together watching a Hallmark movie or two while I play in the studio. What do you have planned?

Tuesdays With Tag - This Is The Week...

Brynwood Needleworks - Taggart 2020

  Hi, Everybody!

I hope you're all lookin' forward to a turkey dinner, all the trimmin's - and let's not forget the great leftovers -  this Thanksgivin'. Mom will be spendin' the day with us in seclusion, so she's not goin' all hog wild cookin' this year. I think she said somethin' about doin' some stitchin'. Of course, there'll be a fetchin' segment in the day for Boo and me, too. 

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Melancholy Bella

Mom's been gettin' a lot of these "doe eyes" lately, too. She'll be readin' or restin', and The Black Dog quietly moseys over and plops her chin on Mom's lap. We know what she's thinkin'. She's really missin' Dad, and probably her kid, too.

There's excitin' news for her though. We haven't told her yet 'cuz she'd go ape-bananas, but Dad's comin' home this week!! That's makin' all of us really happy. 

Mom has a few projects to get made and out of here, and when she's the only one around, she's gotta stop all the time to tend to one or both of us. She has trouble gettin' stuff done. When Dad's home, we just bug him instead. So, we're all lookin' forward to havin' him back home. Mom will have him here to talk with (she misses him, too), and we'll be able to give him grief instead of Mom.

So, I guess this week is gonna go pretty fast while we get ready for Dad to get back here. Mom's gonna finish her projects, bake more bread for the freezer, make a cheesecake to send up the hill, take care of us, and get ready for her surgery next week. Time's gonna fly, which is what I'm gonna do now, too. I'll be back next week with all kinds of updates!

 

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then...

"Just Do It...but not on the rug."

 

Kathy's Lovely Pinkeep...

Brynwood Needleworks - Kathy's Drum Pinkeep

Primitive Gatherings' Wool Box 7 included a beautiful pincushion kit called "Flock of Sheep". The pattern finishes as a rectangular pincushion, but my girlfriend, Kathy D. had a different idea, and I love it!

I've been saving images of drum-style pinkeeps for a while, but hadn't purchased a pattern or looked for a tutorial for one so far. Kathy, however, had. She turned me on to a YouTube contributor called The Twisted Stitcher. The needleworker behind the videos is Vonna Pfeiffer. She has great videos, including one for how to create a drum pinkeep.

Kathy's is wonderful, and now I've been inspired to stitch up my kit, watch the video, and put together one of my own! Lisa's "Flock of Sheep" kit isn't available outside the Wool Boxes (yet), so if you're interested in adapting one of your projects, you can see Vonna's video tutorial HERE.

Thanks, Kathy!! I can't wait to make mine.

Sunday Scripture...

Brynwood Needleworks  via bibleversestogo.com

 

Time For A Sale...

Brynwood Needleworks - Sale Time!

 You know I'm such a kid about my Birthday, don't you? YES. I. AM. 

I've mastered the art of the extended Birthday, and have previously managed to stretch it out for three months! Well, it's been so crazy this year that I got a late start, but never fear, I managed to treat myself to a few things today and called them Birthday gifts...so, let the festivities begin!! I even bought a cake at the store today. (I cut and froze 2/3 of it for when Handsome comes back home.)

To mark the occasion in my Etsy shop, I'm going to have a 20% off sale on all purchases over $35.00. This sale will run from today (11/21/20) through 12/15/20, and all items will be shipped in plenty of time for Christmas. Please use this code on ready to ship items only. If you're interested in something I'll have to create for you, please contact me regarding pricing and production schedule. (Don't forget I'm having surgery on December 1st, which will affect my studio time.) The earlier you order, the sooner I can ship.

 

Just pop over to my shop (My Etsy shop link is in the sidebar menu), choose what you can't live without (for you or in time for holiday gifting), and type in this coupon code at checkout: BWSALE20. This sale is for US customers only (Sorry to my Canadian or UK friends). Celebrate!!! The party is on!!!

Jane's Applique' Quilt...

Brynwood Needleworks - Jane's Quilt

 

After inspecting the wedding ring quilt, I decided against it. However, I'm so glad to be the new owner of the beautiful applique' quilt I shared a couple days ago. I can now show you the newly cleaned and lovely design. 

The quilt measures approximately 87" x 100", and features meandering vines with leaves and tulips. Each leaf is about 4" long.

Brynwood Needleworks - Jane's Quilt  - Applique' Detail

 

All the motifs are impeccably stitched, and the leaves are accented with additional embroidery. The quilting is done by hand, as well.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Jane's Quilt - Look!

 

After washing and drying the quilt, I noticed mustard-colored thread in one corner of the binding. Upon closer inspection, I was elated!

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Jane's Quilt  - Dated

Jane embroidered the year into her quilt! Not only that, but it's my birth year! I guess I was meant to be the new owner. I sure feel fortunate that it's now mine.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Jane's Quilt - Accent Strip

The last feature I noticed was a lovely, soft yellow strip on the top of the quilt, also featuring leaves. 

 

I love everything about this quilt. It's soft, lovely, and so beautifully crafted by our friend's mom - a woman I also knew. Jane's legacy of lovely quilts will live on in the homes of many people who purchased them this past week...including me.

 

Shepherd's Home Design...

Brynwood Needleworks - My Version of PG's "Shepherd's Home" Pincushion

This is one of my recently completed projects. The design is one of Lisa Bongean's pieces included in the Primitive Gatherings' Wool Box #11. It's meant to be a pincushion, but I changed it up a bit.

 

If you click on the image, you can enlarge it to get a better look, and these are the modifications I made. First, I decided to make it into a piece that will be stitched to a ground fabric and framed. Second, I created the tree completely in stitchery, rather than adding wool for the trunk. Last, I added two crows in flight (where the pattern picture shows stick pins).

 

Brynwood Needleworks - BW "Wee Crows Seven" Sampler

I always add two crows because of the poem I learned as a child. I designed an entire sampler around the poem years ago. 

 

 "One crow, sorrow, 

Two crows, joy

Three crows, a letter, 

Four crows, a boy

Five crows, silver, 

Six crows, gold

Seven crows a secret, never to be told."

 

So, "two crows, joy" is always my choice. I'll get a frame next time I go to Menasha to Primitive Gatherings. I'm looking forward to how it will look with a border of fabric and wood.

Coming To Hickory Hill Farm...

Brynwood Needleworks - Vintage Applique' Quilt

 

Since moving back to Wisconsin, we've learned of old friends who are no longer with us. I didn't realize that one of our friends passed last summer until a couple days ago. I learned of this when I came across an ad for an estate sale in Handsome's old neighborhood.

 

I contacted the operator of the estate sale - also a friend who purchased Handsome and my first home - and asked her a few questions about some of the things I'd seen advertised. While I've also purchased a few other things, these two quilts will definitely be coming to the farmhouse.

 

I happen to know that our friend's mom created these quilts. While they're not labeled, I've been the recipient (many years ago) of one of her creations, and I know that she made every quilt in our friend's home. Our friend was her only child, and after her husband passed, she moved in with her daughter and son-in-law. The quilts were lovingly cared for, and will continue to be loved in our home.

 

I've wanted a quilt in these colors since I saw the golden color a few weeks ago. Remember THIS post? This will be my first quilt featuring these colors.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Vintage Wedding Ring Quilt

The other quilt I've purchased is a wedding ring quilt, also created by my friend's mom. I love this block, and can't wait to see it in person. 

 

I'm going to make labels for each of these quilts, crediting the creator, and where it was made. I wish I had dates to put on the labels, but I don't. Even so, adding the name of the quilter and where it was made will add to its provenance.

I'm going to do a "grab and go" to pick these up, and will photograph them opened up to share with you once I get them back home. I'm so grateful to have them, and am blessed to be their next owner and caretaker.

Tuesdays With Tag - We've Been Waitin'...

Brynwood Needleworks - My Handsome Countenance

 

 Hi, Everybody!

I know you've been waitin' for me to start a post with my very own picture, front and center. Well, here you go. Mom says I need a bath and a good brushin', but I don't know what she's talkin' about. I think I look just fine.

Brynwood Needleworks - Waiting Tag

 

Mom, Boo and I have been waitin'. The wind keeps blowin' and we just know the cold weather is gonna bring the wet, white stuff. We're waitin' to see when it finally comes so we can run around in it.

Brynwood Needleworks - Taggart and Bella

Most important of all, though, is that we're waitin' for Dad to come back home. You can see that's the most important thing to Bella. She's always lookin' down the road for him. He's waitin' until Mom passes her Covid test so she gets the go-ahead from the hospital. Of course, he'll be here the day she takes her test, so she won't be alone the day of her operation.

Bella knows that her little girl won't be back with Dad. She's in Florida until January. We keep tellin' her that she's with Uncle Mike so she doesn't worry. I'm guessin' that she's likin' the break. I mean, she's had that puppy up in her face since the very first day Carly was born. Six months non-stop! We'll all go get her when it's time to bring her back, so we just want Dad home for now.

Mom, Boo and I are gonna spend Thanksgivin' in isolation. She said we're gonna have our own little celebration. (I'm hopin' that means she's gonna dress The Black Dog like a turkey! snort) I guess we'll just have to wait and see, right?

 

I'll see you again in seven. 'til then...

"Just Do It...but not on the rug."

 

Works In Progress...

Brynwood Needleworks - Exclusive Alice's Teacup Pincushions In Progress

This is what I worked on over the weekend. I'll finish them up today or tomorrow. My own design - Alice's Teacup Pincushions - for a client. The dormouse is always early! I'd better get these completed soon. I don't want to be late!

 

Sunday Scripture...

Brynwood Needleworks - Matthew 5:44 via Facebook

The Staff of Life...

Brynwood Needleworks - Baking Farmhouse Sandwich Bread

I'm up to my ears in lovely yeasty goodness. I baked four loaves of Farmhouse Sandwich Bread yesterday, and will be making French bread today. I'm stocking up the freezer for when Handsome gets back home - and I'm planning ahead for my upcoming surgery. I'm going to have a weight lifting limit of five pounds for at least eight weeks, so I'll have to take it easy.

 

I'm going to rest - and stitch or sew - on Sunday. Today, I'm going to enjoy some kitchen time. Handsome will be so happy when he comes home to homemade bread (and other baked goodies).

They're Here!...

Brynwood Needleworks - BW Zipper Pull Hardware

 

My zipper hardware arrived yesterday, and I am so excited about how lovely the engraving turned out. These "piles" are just a sampling of what I received, and I'm going to be able to make quite a few wallets, handbags, and more using them.

(Remember: You can always click on the photographs to enlarge them! You might want a closer look.)

Brynwood Needleworks - BW Key Fob Hardware

I also ordered engraved key fob hardware, so of course, I had to create something new with them. I can't wait to make more - coordinating with my bags and wallets, and as stand-alone items in my shop.

 

I think I'll be in the studio today. The weather is cooler, the dogs are keeping me company, and I need to make something using my new hardware! What a great way to start the weekend. Happy Friday, everybody! 

A Little Tablescaping...

Brynwood Needleworks - Feathers and Stick

 

I played around with a little tablescaping yesterday. I've been collecting these feathers since we moved to the farmhouse. I liked this interesting stick, and I added a butterfly I found on the driveway early this summer. They've been displayed in a little, oval ironstone bowl since I started, but I decided they should be on view.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Birding Books

 

I have two antique bird books, too. One is for identifying bird eggs, and the one on top is for identifying bird eggs and nests. 

 

Dad collected one of the hawk feathers, and before I left his house the day he died, I safely tucked it into my bag to bring home. He taught me to love the outdoors, so it's appropriate that he be represented here, too. I even have a broken egg I found last spring. I haven't identified it for sure yet. It's a very pale blue and the right size, but I don't think it's a robin's egg. Good thing I have these books. I'll be able to look it up so I'll know for sure.
 

Brynwood Needleworks - Curio Table

 

The glass lid lifts on a hinge, so I carefully propped it up and started arranging all the bird items inside. Once everything was arranged, the glass lowered to protect the contents.

 

Brynwood Needleworks - Feathers Under Glass

 

The final touch was to add another of Tom Beardsley's lifelike carvings - a woodcock - on top to complete my birdy theme. I think the only thing I'm missing is a bird's nest...and I think I have one out in the potting shed. I'll have to check. I really think Handsome is going to like this one.