Stitchin' & Stashin'

Hey Everyone; Hope you all are doin' well.

I have another finish to show off....

 "February"

Finished 2-28-2018

Designed by me using DMC threads and Mill Hill beads on 28 count white Monaco from Charles Craft and a rose embellishment. The stitches used are cross stitch, back stitch, satin stitch and a couple of Rhodes Hearts. The trim is hand made from DMC threads. I got a little large on the "F" but noticed it to late to do anything about it so it stays.

 The back is a cotton moire with an 1/8" satin ribbon run through the back for tying onto baskets or wreaths. 

I'll start stitchin' March soon after I make some more tweaks to the chart.

"January & February"

Now on to the "Stashin' " part.

I like to be frugal when it comes to my craft, sewing and needlework supplies, I like to use coupons, shop sales and shop thrift stores to cut down on the costs and have found tons of bargains doing so, but my recent order through Amazon.com was my best deal yet. 

You see, I take surveys using sites like I-Say, My Survey, Swagbucks and Pinecone and doing so lets me earn points that I turn in for Amazon gift cards. Between the hubs and I we have bought over $200 dollars worth of stuff with no out of pocket costs.

This is what I got yesterday ....

The Complete Serger Handbook $4.48

Bias Tape maker kit $12.29 came with 4 bias tape makers, sewing foot and awl.

Kreinik Custom Corder $15.30

Total = $32.07 

Cost to me $0.00 because of Amazon gift cards.

Well that's it for today, so until next post .......

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'

Hugs, Sandy 

2018 Smalls SAL Update

 Hey there everyone! Hope you all have been well.

It was a busy day today with it being supply the cabin day. Off to town we went 40 miles away to check out the Billings RV & Boat Show, they advertised more vendors this year, but they lied big time. Same RV dealers and no extra vendors for parts and such for your RV's.

After we spent an hour or so lookin' around there it was off to Lowes, Michael's, Costco and Walmart, with a stop at Arby's for lunch. Then back home to put everything away. 

Unfortunately I didn't find anything at Michael's. I have become very disappointed with the lack of needlework supplies, both Michael's and Joann's only have one small isle, but several for yarn. I don't even want to go up to Hobby Lobby, they will most likely be the same way. Guess if I want anything other than DMC floss and Charles Craft 28 count Monaco I'll have to start going on-line shopping.

I only have a picture of one Small's finish for this month, even though I did have two finishes.

So here is my finished finish for 23 February 2018.

"What's Cookin'"

Finished: 20 February 2018

Designed by me, using the the large pine cone from a "Sweetheart Tree" chart that I have somewhere among my smalls charts. I haven't found the chart, but I did have a finished piece from a few years back where I had stitched the pine cone on a needle roll. 

I tried several times to make a large pine cone that I was happy with, but just could not make it work. I will continue to work on a pine cone of the same size just to see if I can get one of my own right.

Stitched on 28 count Monaco by Charles Craft using DMC threads. Hand made cording also from DMC thread. I attached a magnet to the back so it can hold my dinner list for the cabin.

Here it is on my fridge, the dark brown cording is almost lost in the blackness of the fridge.

Oh, I almost forgot. I tried the Pickled Carrots & Garlic and the Pickled Garlic that I canned and posted about a week or so back (I couldn't wait any longer) it is so yummy. Wish I would have known about how to do it a lot earlier.

That's it for today, so until next post .......

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'

Hugs, Sandy

February 2018 TUSAL Update

Baby it's COLD outside right now only about 18 degrees F and we got between 10-12 inches of that fluffy white crap dumped on us over night, but it sure does have a calm beauty about it. Still can't wait until it melts though.💙

Taken from my front porch at 8 something A.M. 

Now, on to the TUSAL Update. I didn't have quite as many orts this time around. 

I still did my fair share of stitchin' and froggin', there's always froggin' when I work on one of my own designs until I get the colors right.

Floss wrappers and ORT's. 

Lettin' the ORT's out of the jar. 

My little octagon jelly jar is 2 7/8" wide by 3 7/8 inches tall.

Two months worth of ORT's.

Paula Dean candle jar cleaned out and put to use. I think it's way to pretty not to save.
If you want to join in on the fun, click the 2018 TUSAL link in my sidebar.

Well, that's it for today's post, so until next time .......

Thanks for stoppin' by everyone.

Take Care & Happy Stitchin'

Hugs, Sandy

Happy Valentines Day !!

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY !!

I got an early Valentines Day gift on Saturday.

A new Brother 1634D Serger and ....

a bunch of threads to use with it. 

He joins my Singer Heritage and my Brother XL-5340.

I have wanted a Serger for years and now I finally have one. Love that now I can serge the edges of my cross stitch fabric and not have it ravel. I tried zigzagging the edges before, but unless I got a real tight zigzag the edges still frayed. 

This one can use 3 or 4 threads and came with a Blind Hem foot (don't see me using that one very often) and a Gathering foot which will be nice for making gathered trim. Lots of things for me to learn after I get comfortable with the basics of the machine.

Well that's it for this post, so until next time .......

Take Care & Happy Sewing/Stitching Everyone

Hugs, Sandy

A Bit More Canning

Got to stock my pantry shelves with a bit more home made goodness on Sunday.

I discovered last month that I love Pickled Garlic and Pickled Carrots, couldn't find either one in Costco or Walmart, just mixes that also came with pickle chips. So what's a girl to do when she already has over 30 quarts of different pickles in the basement pantry ? She makes the yummyness herself, that's what she does.

7 Pints of Pickled Carrots & Garlic with 7 half pints of Pickled Garlic

Now I just have to have patients and wait a couple of months for them to cure up before I start snacking.

The Garlic is so good for the immune system and your heart, so a win win situation, health benefits and just plain yummy.

If you like to can as well, here's the recipe ....

Pickled Garlic
2 1/4 cups Vinegar
2 1/4 cups Water
1/4 cup Canning Salt
1 Tablespoon Pickling Spice (can sub Red Pepper Flakes for Spicy)
2 pounds Peeled Garlic (bought a 3 pound bag at Costco)

Mix vinegar, water, canning salt, and pickling spice in sauce pan and heat on medium heat until simmering, stir until salt is melted.
Wash garlic before packing jars.
Pack hot half pint jars with garlic and add pickling liquid to 1 inch head-space.
Clean rims of jars and top with hot lids, screw on rings until finger tight and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. After turning off heat let jars sit for five minutes before removing from water bath.
Let jars set for 12 hours before testing seal.

For the pints of carrots & garlic I upped the vinegar and water to 2 3/4 cups each and mixed about 2-3 pounds of carrots with the extra pound of garlic in a colander and packed jars from there. I didn't count or weigh just grabbed handfuls and added to jars. I processed in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes and let sit for 5 minutes.

Well that's it for today, so until next post .......

Take Care Everyone
Hugs, Sandy

Quaker Snowflake Gift

It's cold and windy here today so I thought I would share a pattern with you all.

Here is the chart for my "Quaker Snowflake" design. 

It only uses one color so is a quick stitch even for beginner stitcher's.

"Quaker Snowflake"

By Sandra Longan Designs

Stitch Count - 57x57 

When I stitched this piece I used:

28 count white Monaco from Charles Craft and 

DMC Color Variations 4025. 

As always, if you stitch one of my designs I would love to see a picture of your finished piece, it may well be posted on my blog for everyone to see. 

Well that's it for today, so until next post .......

Take Care & Happy Stitchin' Everyone

Hugs, Sandy