Simply Primitives

Check out all the new wares this month on Simply Primitives.com. A new issue is released every 1st and 15th of the month!

Berries Update!

Just finished this one off this afternoon, what a fun and quick stitch! I am tempted to buy some more of these chart packs. At first I was going to finish this as a pinkeep, but now I'm thinking I will get the rest of the fruit chart packs and frame them for my kitchen. They would really be cute done that way.

Berries by LHN

Last night I needed a BAP break, so I started Berries by Little House Needleworks. This is one of the threadpacks that I bought at my LNS sale on Superbowl sunday. I am using 1 thread on 32 ct. linen. I'm not sure what linen it is, something I pulled from my stash. But it feels stiff like a Wichelt. I am such a Lakeside junkie now, I don't really like the stiff linens as much anymore. Unless it is a band sampler on scroll rods or something.

HOHRH WIP update

One of my goals for February is to finish house #3. I am getting there, but I haven't had as much time as I had hoped to work on it. This weekend prominses to be busy as well, so we'll see if I can make the deadline. I am really enjoying this stitch, and I'm so glad I got the AVAS, as they are a pleasure to work with.

Here is a cool chart!

This is from Monique of My Mark. Wow I really love this one!


My weekend hasn't been as productive as I had hoped. The kids are off school today for Presidents Day, so it is a long weekend. I feel like all I have done is clean the same areas over and over, while they just come right behind me and mess it up again! Oh well!

I am still plugging away on the third house of HOHRH. I am almost done with it. The new charts for Mary Beale's Days of Advent came out-they are lovely. I don't know when I will be getting back to this one as I am so involved in other things. I only have the first block done, and I am finding the chosen fabric hard to work on. I wish I would have gotten a Lakeside Linen for this. I am considering a fabric change before I go any further, but that means I will have to stitch Adam and Eve over again. That just makes me want to throw the whole thing into the WIP pile! Yikes!

I think I have found a new favorite!

After coming across the Heaven Above design by Midsummer Night Designs, I decided to look up this designer, as I was unfamiliar with her work. Well she has some really wonderful designs! I think this lady is something of a kindred spirit, because her designs mirror so many themes I have been thinking about. She has mermaids, biblical, even a little home by the sea! Her pallette is not quite as folk arty in color as my own, but she sure likes the same themes! LOVE her mermaid design, another called Forest Song, and a really gorgeous sampler called The Flowers of One Garden. This is a truly beautiful piece and a must have!

Nashville Market New Releases

Here are some of my favorites that I have seen so far! Bittersweet Farms by Hillside Samplings, Deep Blue Sea by CHS (a punchneedle design), Mockingbird by La D Da(LOVE this one!), Mary Margaret by CHS, Quaker Study by CHS, Heaven Above by Midsummer Nights Designs, and Dead Man's Chess by Plumstreet Samplers.

Stocking Saturday, Feb.10

Here is what I accomplished yesterday on my primitive stocking.

Joseph F. Seisser 1926-2006

Exactly one year ago today my Dad passed
away from this world.
He was a man of faith, and he was ready to
go meet his beloved. He suffered
very much in the last few years. We were
prepared for his death in that we
did not want him to suffer anymore, but we
were not prepared for the tremendous
hole that has been left in our lives.

My father and mother were married for 51 years.
Although my mother is not a particularly
emotional woman, I have seen her walk around
all year as though she has lost a limb.
How do let go of your best friend of 51 years?


For my Mom:


Your Long Journey 
written by Doc Watson and Rosa Lee Watson


God's given us years of happiness here

Now we must part

And as the angels come and call for you

The pains of grief tugs at my heart


Oh my darling

My darling
           
My heart breaks as you take your long journey


Oh the days will be empty

The nights so long without you my love
         
And when God calls for you I'm left alone

But we will meet in heaven above


Oh my darling

My darling
            
My heart breaks as you take your long journey

         
Fond memories I'll keep of happy ways

That on earth we trod

And when I come we will walk hand in hand

As one in Heaven in the family of God


Oh my darling

My darling
                           
My heart breaks as you take your long journey 

Joseph F. Seisser 1926-2006

My Daddy on his last birthday, Nov. 25,2005. With Lucas, Aidan, Ingrid and Isabel.

Joseph F. Seisser 1926-2006

Exactly one year ago today my Dad passed
away from this world.
He was a man of faith, and he was ready to
go meet his beloved. He suffered
very much in the last few years. We were
prepared for his death in that we
did not want him to suffer anymore, but we
were not prepared for the tremendous
hole that has been left in our lives.

My father and mother were married for 51 years.
Although my mother is not a particularly
emotional woman, I have seen her walk around
all year as though she has lost a limb.
How do let go of your best friend of 51 years?





Your Long Journey 
written by Doc Watson and Rosa Lee Watson


God's given us years of happiness here

Now we must part

And as the angels come and call for you

The pains of grief tugs at my heart


Oh my darling

My darling
               
My heart breaks as you take your long journey


Oh the days will be empty

The nights so long without you my love
             
And when God calls for you I'm left alone

But we will meet in heaven above


Oh my darling

My darling
                
My heart breaks as you take your long journey

             
Fond memories I'll keep of happy ways

That on earth we trod
   
And when I come we will walk hand in hand

As one in Heaven in the family of God


Oh my darling

My darling
                               
My heart breaks as you take your long journey 

Joseph F. Seisser 1926-2006

My Daddy's last birthday, Nov.25,2005. With Ingrid and Isabel.

And now for something completely different...

I have been doing quite a bit of research on old tombstones, and the angels carved into them. I love the art and symbolism that is on the very old, pre-1850 ones. A couple of years ago, while on vacation in Boston, my son Aidan and I spent quite a bit of time exploring an old cemetary. I was quite surprised at how well a lot of them have aged, you could still read the inspcriptions on almost all of them. I remember it was very hot that day in July, and the rest of the family was sort of tapping their feet waiting for us, but we were just fascinated by them. OK, me, I think Aidan might have been humoring me!
I have learned quite a bit about them since then. Fore instance the oldest ones in America, erected during the more puritan era have death faces with wings. Then later as the influence of Neo-classical art came over from Europe, the skulls began to change to a more human face. The image of the winged scull or face(what looks like an Angel to us) represents the soul leaving mortal life and flying into eternity.

Here are a few common symbols (there are many, many more):

Flying Angel: rebirth
Trumpeting Angel: call to Resurrection
Weeping Angel: grief
Coffin, Pick, Spade, Pall: mortality
Crown: glory of life after death
Flower: frailty of life
Severed Blossom: mortality
Garland: victory
Heart: love, love of God, abode of the soul
Hour Glass; inevitable passing of time(and life)
Winged Hour Glass: swift passage
Scull, Bones, Skeleton: mortality
Winged scull: flight of the soul from mortal man
Winged face: Effigy of soul of the deceased, soul in flight



Of course the epitaphs inscribed on them is what first drew me to these little works of art. Here are some of my favorites:

The ever popular:

When I am dead and in my grave.
And all my bones are rotten,
Remember me when this you see,
Lest I shall be forgotten.

And:

What you are reading o'er my bones
I've often read on others tombs.
And others soon will read of thee
What you are reading now of me.

Then their are the ones that seem odd to us today:

Molly tho pleasant in her day
Was suddenly seiz'd and sent away
How soon shes ripe how soon shes rott'n
Sent to her grave & soon for gott'n

Which by todays sensitivities would probably read:

Molly, pleasant in her day,
Was suddenly seized and passed away.
How soon her mortal remains decay,
And her remembrance fades away.

Then there are the funny ones(which cannot be authenticated):

Here lies the body of our Anna
Done to death by a banana
It wasn't the fruit that laid her low
But the skin of the thing that made her go.

And from a tombstone out west:

Here lies Lester Moore,
Four slugs from a .44,
No Les, no more.

Bent Creek Littles~Bunny

This one is really kind of sweet and cute for me. I actually surprise myself how much I like Bent Creek. I don't usually go in the the cutsie stuff, but I really like so many of BC designs. I finished this one off for my little dowel tree. It was fun to finish it, and I actually figured out how to do it all by myself. I have 2 sheets of card stock inside there, which keeps it really flat and smooth. It is backed with wool felt, which doesn't need it's edges turned under, so no bulk.

progress on Houses

Yesterday I spent the whole day cleaning the house from top to bottom. It always feels so good when everything is clean.The kids messed it up again in no time, but once clean it is a lot easier to put back in order. I rewarded myself by spending the evening stitching and doing the never-ending mountain of laundry. In fact, I even struck floor down there in the laundry room!

Here is my progress on Houses of Hawk Run Hollow. I simply adore this project. The colors are so primitive and bold. Kathy really has a wonderful sense of color, and it is fun to explore her pallette. For instance, on the second house, that yellow that outlines the windows I would never have touched with a 10 foot pole. I mean it is the yuckiest yellow ever! But paired with everything else, the end result is just fantastic! I am stitching this exactly as charted. I never feel the need to change anything Kathy has done, I really trust her design sense.

As long as I have my camera out

Here are a few recent finishes. Home of a Needleworker, which I did on 32ct. overdyed zwiegart with one strand of DMC. And Bent Creek little bunny, which I will make into an ornament for my dowel tree. I stitched this one on 28 antique white linen with Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Weeks Dye Works. It was a fun one-nighter!

Stash enhancement from Superbowl sale!

I have been on some kind of buying frenzy lately(mostly internet)! But I had so much fun shopping with my mom and Isabel yesterday. It has been a while since we have done that . Here are all the things I bought. I need more charts like a hole in the head, but they make me so happy!!

Charts:
1. And a Forest Grew by Rosewood Manor~ I can just see this one hanging in the kitchen by the back door!
2. Stitchers Prayer by CHS~I have always loved this one! The verse reads:"I pray that risen from the dead I may in glory stand, A crown perhaps upon my head, but a needle in my hand." I am such a sucker for anything biblical or old timey spiritual like that!
3. Happy Hearts by Birds of a Feather~I think this just may be my favorite design by this designer-I LOVE the colors and contrast in this one!
4. Peach Tree Cottage by LHN~ I adore all the cottage designs by Diane and her daughter
5. Berries by LHN and Crescent Colors~both chart and 5 CC for $12.00? I love this deal and you don't have to ask me twice! I would love to get everyone of these! I LOVE Crescent Colors!!

I also bought a skein of Little House Brown by Crescent Colors to go with the Peach Tree Cottage design, a 9" by 12" zippie bag, and a beautiful cameo needleminder by Kelmscott Designs. So I am one happy stitcher today, and I even feel comforted in my devastation over the Bears embarrassing loss yesterday!

Angeline Pattern is ready

The pattern is all ready to ship! If anyone is interested it is $13.49 in the US. You can email me for a Paypal invoice or info on where to send a check or money order, or you can go to my website at:

www.anniebeezfolkart.com

Wah! The Bears played horrible!

But I am happy for Peyton. I have always been a big fan of his. So if we had to lose to someone, I'm glad it was the Colts.

On a super happy note, I went to a Superbowl sale at Welcome Stitchery today with my mom and Isabel. It was so fun and tomorrow I will take a pic of all the goodies I got. Isabel was such a good girl. I told her if she was very patient while I shopped there, and while her Grandma bought yarn at the yarn shop then I would treat her to some new clothes from Gymboree. (she really needs some new clothes as she has outgrown everything lately!) So we went to Gymboree, but we couldn't find anything. Then we went to Justice and she got the cutest shirt and pants. So we were all happy campers!

We went to a superbowl party at my brothers house. I watched the game with the boys and stitched away, and my mom and Bel watched ice skating in the den. During the game I worked on the third block of HOHRH, while my mom rolled her yarn into balls! It was a rather cozy evening even if out team didn't pull it off. Oh well, there's always next year. I'm kind of football-ed out, and you know...March madness is just around the corner! he,he,he!!

primtive stocking

Well the stocking saturdays aren't supposed to start until next weekend, but I couldn't contain myself and pulled mine out this morning. I had about an hour to stitch before I had to wake everyone up to get ready for Isabel's first reconcilliation. The boys were really good about getting up and getting ready. The service was very nice and not very long. I was surprised Isabel decided to go to confession to her uncle Ed.(he is a priest). She had a choice of about 5 different priests. But I guess she is not old enough to feel uncomfortable yet and she knows him well so she wasn't nervous.
Anyhow, I am not doing very well sticking with my stitching goals. I keep getting sidetracked by other things. This week I am going to try to get back to HOHRH, and get that third house done. It seems the only things I am working on consistantly are the travel pieces that I can work on at the doctors offices and dance lessons. I finished Home of a Needleworker. I love the way it turned out, and I hope to get it framed right away. I am so close to being finished with America by Little House. I just love Little House and Country Cottage. I love how quick they are to stitch. Its nice to have a finish so fast.

Stocking saturdays are starting up again!

I think it was 2005 when I participated inthe Stocking Saturday stitch-a-long on Legacy Embroiderers Guild, over at EZboard. It sounds like I am not the only one who eventually fell off the wagon. But they are about to start up again! Yay! I have my primitive stocking from CHS a little less than halfway completed, and I am all kitted up for Noah. I am excited to begin this project again!