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Book Review!

I rarely do book reviews, but I found this little book by Aimee Ray called Doodle-Stitching and I just knew I had to recommend it if you like hand embroidery as much as I do! The sub title is "Fresh & Fun Embroidery for Beginners".  If you've not tried embroidery, this is the starting point for you!

I do hand embroidery in the evenings when I am sitting in my easy chair catching the news or my favorite TV show.  I have a basket beside my chair with my latest project in it.  I also keep a plastic container with all my embroidery threads and my embroidery scissors handy on the end table.   It only takes a few minutes time to sew a cute little design when you are set and ready!

Samples by Aimee Ray from her blog 

The reason I like Aimee's book is that it is simple!  It shows you how to start, using your own doodling designs.  She has a neat stitch library and shows you the stitches in the plainest way that I have ever seen!  Some books can make their stitch descriptions and illustrations soooooo confusing, but not this book! She explains  the split stitch, back stitch, stem stitch, chain stitch and many more! If you just knew these few, you would be well on your way to pretty embroidery!

Another reason I like and recommend this book is that it is contemporary and not stuffy!  It allows for current design--your design! If you are a doodler or like to design, you will love taking your images to the next level of creativity!

my own work available in my Etsy shop

The third reason that I recommend this book is that Aimee is a fellow Etsyian!!  Yay!  Be sure to visit Aimee's Etsy shop here.

Doodle-Stitching was published in 2007 by Lark Crafts, An imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. of New York.  I am sure you could obtain a copy on Amazon or another online site.

Who Am I?

It's January and I am still in the self and creative evaluation process! January is really a reflective month for me.  Exploring my love of quilts in this post.

Exhibit at Tillamook Creamery in Tillamook, Oregon

I love to look at quilt magazines and books; sewing TV "How to Do it" shows; as well as go to quilt exhibits. I love quilts where ever I find them--on my bed, in flea markets, or as backdrops for commercial fabric vendors.  I recently bought a new sewing machine that is more conducive to quilting, with drop feed dogs and a darning foot attachment!  Much better than my old basic machine!  Love it!  But . . . I am getting sidetracked!

An early tablerunner project that I quilted

I have found that when I quilt, I am better at getting smaller projects finished than I am at finishing a large bed-sized quilt.  (Previously I sent bed and lap quilts out to another studio, Janice Jenney Studio. She's done a nice job for me on the quilting, after my patchwork was done.) This may be just that I am not as accomplished at quilting as I would like to be, and afraid that the satisfaction of a "Job well done!" will not be there at the end, if I do it!  So I have dug a little deeper into my psyche to find out about a few peculiarities about myself.

1.  I am not a "purest" quilter!  I really don't care if the corners match up with precision!   I've seen on TV:  "Always press to the dark side of the fabric!" and "Trim the little corners, so it will lie flat!" and "Always have the presser foot in the down position."  These are all good instructions, but I find that I enjoy doing it my way! I like to finish my projects satisfying my own desires to be creative.  I march to the beat of my own clock!  I don't quilt to be judged by others nor by their standards!   Call me a rebel! (And I will never win any honors by traditional quilt judges, but that's OK with me.)

2.  I love the exploring process.  Learning to complete the process, start to finish!  Learning to do free motion quilting on my own machine!  Coming up with my own designs!  Exploring color combinations!  This quilt was done because I loved the block's center pieces of pansy fabric.--I designed around those pieces and their colors.  You can see the finished quilt here, when it was actually shared in a quilt show!

Exploring fabric colors to match 

3.  I don't like using someone else's patterns!  I love the creating process!  Thinking it through, planning and finishing!

4. I love using materials that I have on hand--I personally, do not like leftovers!  I like to "Use it up!" as the old adage goes. I like using materials that are not considered the "proper" materials! I guess that stems from the artist in me! This quilt was made for a friend, who had already cut out dozens of squares of fabric that was a bit  too loosely woven and stiff for a "normal" quilter, but I didn't want to waste her work!  It came out fine as the black and white border of this bed quilt (and the girls liked it!)

Well, That's enough self-evaluation, you get the point!  Be creative and don't worry about what others think. Decide who you are and go from there to find your greatest achievements!

 Enjoy the journey and keep on learning! 

Are you enjoying the journey?

Charity Ornaments

30 Days of Christmas Fun!

Do you have a special ornament that needs a special display place for the season?

I do, I have several.  One is especially special to me and I wouldn't want it to get lost in all the decorations on the tree.  Besides, this ornament is just a little too big for my little tree.  It is a hand blown glass ornie that was purchased at a fund raiser for a special hospital where my granddaughter was treated for a rare disease.  (I have written about her in a previous post.)  She is doing much better now (another post);  I am thankful for her life and the awesome care that she received.  So I display this ornament, to remind me!  I leave on the tag, with the Doernbecher hospital logo. 

     

Special ornament stands are available for purchase, but I have limited space so I hang mine on the lamp knob. 

I have another ornament given to me by a friend.  It reminds me of a my blessed status as being a breast cancer survivor!  I have found a perfect place to hang it--every time I turn on  my living room lamp I am reminded of my blessed existence!  It reminds me to celebrate life!

Looks a little stark, maybe I should add a little holly to the lamp post! 

Aprons and more aprons!

I've been making aprons like mad lately.  I made them for a local wholesale customer and also for a couple of craft shows that I am doing this summer.  One show was last weekend with another next weekend.  Most of what I have made were children's aprons. 

Also,  I have be hosting an apron sale in my PruittCreations Shop.  Left in the shop are my older styles and one vintage cross stitched apron; I would like to clear them out to make room for new stock.   I am offering them at 50% OFF the regular listing price.  There is a coupon code in the shop announcement for getting the discounted price.  You can choose from a thanksgiving apron, a cute half apron, breast cancer awareness aprons, and several others.  They would make great gifts if you already have a favorite apron!

Then, watch for the children's aprons to appear in my shop maybe later next week, after my next craft show.   (P.S.  Will also be listing some cute children's totes!)

What have you been up to lately?

Winners and a Birthday!

Today is my second granddaughter's 21st birthday!  Maybe i will share some birthday pictures next week!  I thought you might enjoy seeing a picture of her when she was young.  Here she is a cute 6 1/2 years old.  Happy Birthday Kelsie!!!!

Now . . . It's that time!  Time to announce the winners of my latest giveaway, celebrating  the re-opening of my Etsy Design shop! Thanks so much for all your entries!  Thanks for tweeting, commenting and connecting to my blog and facebook page.  I appreciate all of you who visit and read my blog!!! Now for the winners!


Necklace Winner is Daph!



Earring Winner is Cynthia R.



I will contact both of these winners by email. 

Congratulations! 

And according to your comments, these earrings were the favorite:



Terra Cotta Earrings by PruittDesign

 Again!  Thanks to everyone who participated!  Have a great Thursday!!!!! 

Afternoon Nap - Sunday Sketches

From our vantage point on our patio, our view is straight into three pine trees about twenty feet up from the ground.  Many times we have seen squirrels pick out a comfortable limb and sprawl out on it for a quick nap.  Sometimes they cradle their head in their arms like a human.  Other times they hang their arms down around the branch.  This one, today, backed up to the trunk with his tail up, although we have seen them with their tails hanging straight down over the side.  I decided to sketch this behaviour today.  Enjoy!

This is for Sunday Sketches presented over at Blue Chair Diary.  Have a look at all the other sketches, if you have time. 

Misty Morning Fog

I don't know if it is because it is early September and school is starting  . . .  or if I miss my hometown after visiting it on vacation . . . or if it is just my wishing for cooler weather,  but I have been thinking about fog.  Yes, FOG! I remember one of the only poems I memorized from my high school years:

FOG by Carl Sandburg

THE fog comes

on little cat feet.

It sits looking

over harbor and city

on silent haunches

and then moves on.

My home town was always filled with early morning fog in the fall and winter.  I walked to school in the fog, except when it was really bad.  On those days school didn't start for two or three hours later, waiting for it to move on.  Anyway, I remember sitting in the fog in the quad at my high school waiting for school to start, after my dad dropped me off early on his way to work.  Those were quiet solitary days that I will remember always.  I guess, all this reminiscing has inspired me to post these Friday Finds from Etsy shops who feature items of a misty or foggy nature. Please take time to visit these lovely shops. You might find something that you like!



Misty Morning by pbphoto on Etsy



Morning Fog from impulseART on Etsy

In the Fog by theHourglassStudio on Etsy

And last by not least, (and not for sale), is my own painting of the mist in the morning. (Sorry, my photograph does not do the misty quality of the painting justice.) I share it for here for the first time.  It hangs the my entry way of my home.  I painted it in 1982, so might say that it is 'Vintage' :)  Enjoy!



Bovine Dawn by Linda Easter Pruitt

How about you?  Any memories of an early morning school day?   

Happy Birthday!

Well, today is my birthday!  I can think of nothing else!  Not that there is anything planned in the way of a party, I will see all my family on the 4th.  And then we will party! (I have an exceptionally large family, since we are a blended family.  I had six children and my husband had four. We all get together on the 4th--it's tradition!)

Thought I would post an old picture of me.  This is me on my second wedding day 21 years ago.   I don't look quite the same, sort of grandMAish now, but oh well, that's life!  It's a good life!

Quite Moments

What I will be doing in the next few weeks:

. . . leading a life of leisure, sitting in my adarondack chair sipping my hot tea and reading the want ads!

Innocent Spring - Wordless Wednesday

Ahhhh . . . .  I wish I could remember those days!

(My grandaughter, Vivi, is my model.) 

Sunday Sketches - Chick Time!

This is for Sunday Sketches hosted by Sophia of BlueChairDiary. Visit her post today and see all the other participant's sketches!

With Spring here TODAY officially and Easter approaching, I decided to do a sketch that reflects  the newness of the season.  Enjoy!

Sunday Thought

"Give Thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!"

2 Chron. 20:21

We have had a huge disappointment a few days ago, but I have remembered, today, that my future is in the hands of a God who loves me!  The joy of life is returning!

Yesteryear - Birds!

I found a pattern for a bird quilt from an old (September 1977) Quilter's Newsletter Magazine.  I love it and want to try it on a small quilt.  The design is by Vera Crutter, an award winning needleworker.  The birds are ingeniously constructed of bias tape appliqued and embroidered on to a 12 inch block!  She originally had nine different patterns.  These patterns sold  for 35 CENTS each or $2 for the set!  WOW!  What a  bargain from today's standards!

I would like to try this, only I would not use bias tape, but strips of fabrics!  Hope this inspires you to try something new!  any ideas?

Sunday Sketches - Dandelion

It's Sunday Sketches time again!  This sketch goes with a "small Stone"  that I wrote yesterday:

Tiny seeds flying from their source. 

Floating, flirting, riding the thermals. 

Where will the landing be? 

Arbitrarily random?

Then, check out the other Sunday Sketches participants found in Sophia's BlueChairDiary.  Enjoy!

Pine Sprigs Near and Far

My sketch is a part of Sunday Sketches put on by BlueChairDiary.  Enjoy my sketch and check out the other Sunday participants listed on her blog.

More Musings--Suicide Monday!

I would like to share some insights about the recent string of craft shows that I have done and the effect they have had on me.  This last week I did two weekdays at the local community college bazaar and was slated to do two separate events on the weekend--one at a local High School and one at the recreation room in the complex where I live.  I was excited about the string of shows and had high hopes. I knew that the first two days were a slower venue but still had set-up and take down for both days.  I enjoyed the time, especially since the hours of operation were from 10 AM to 2 PM--shorter hours.  Sales were better than last year for the two day show, so I was happy.

I worked a full day at my part time job on Thursday, had Friday for further prep for the weekend shows.Saturday came and I did the show at the  High School.  The Saturday gig was unexpectedly show for me.  I watched the gal next to me sell crocheted hats by the dozens, it seemed.  One vendor came over to her and said: "You seem to be the hit of the show and the only one selling anything!  I see all the customers walking around in your hats!"  And, I believe, she was really helped by the exceptionally cold weather outside that day. She sat there all day, crocheting as fast as she could, as the special orders came in one after another.

On Sunday, I awoke feeling totally exhausted and fatigued! Since I had not paid anything for the slot at my complex, I begged off and stayed in bed the whole morning.  The afternoon was spent resting and trying to recover from, who knows, exhaustion, or catching a bug???  And to be honest, I know that I was fighting depression all day.  And I still am.  Hubby out of work, except for a temporary seasonal part-time job at Macy's; My part time job ending; now future in sight and my sales are just not that good!

We hear all that hype on Etsy about "quitting your day job" which I would literally love to do, but it seems so elusive most of the time.  So here are my insights (and resolutions):

1)  Don't--I say--DON'T make any decisions on the Monday after a show!  (Otherwise called suicide Monday, in other professions!)
2)  Give yourself some time to rest and recoup after all the work!
3)  Find something else to do after your shows, for a change of pace. Take a little break! We all need a break from time to time.  "Full steam ahead" is not supposed to be ALL the time!
4)  After recuperation, get some objective advice on your products and make sure that you listen!
and . . .
5)  Never, NEVER book yourself too tight in the future! (especially at my age!  :)

Anyone else have any insights?  Would love to hear them, er . . . . just maybe not today--MONDAY!

Saturday Musings--Creative Ideas come from . . .

This week has been and is still full of activity thru the weekend!   Part of this week, I was a captive audience to whomever wanted to talk to me.  I was at a craft show, manning my own booth and couldn't leave.  One woman who came up to my table, just wanted to talk.  The show was pretty slow, so she held me  captive forever, it seemed like.  She wasn't interested in buying anything, just telling me the "blow by blow" of her own creativeness! I tried to stay engaged, and not be rude, but it truly was difficult.  But, as sometimes happens, she was successful, unknowingly, in giving me an idea!  When she left, I began bouncing ideas off what she had been telling me.  After some time, I came up with my own idea for several products for Spring! Ideas come from the strangest places! Yea! Creativity!

Friday Fence Post #5

I've been participating in the Friday Fence Post fun that is put on my Anitra of Coffee Pot People.  I haven't put the link here before, but you really need to go to her blog and see all the other fence posts!  Some creative stuff!  Andy maybe you would like to participate on Friday's once in a while!   

Here's mine for today!  I love the tree on the other side of the fence! 

Saturday Musings--The GIFT of Family

The best thing in life is FREE! . . . Family!

I have the most wonderful family and I was reminded of that fact on Thanksgiving, with 30 of us gathered at my son's house. Even though my son had just been in a car accident the week before and was still uncomfortable, he hosted his chaotic family! It's because of unconditional love that these gatherings are so memorable and enjoyable . . . . . and such a work of cooperation!

Each of us are different--and that's the way it should be--even when we all come from the same parents. Some of my clan are givers, some are authoritarian administrators, some are teacher-like in personality, some have great compassion, some are perceivers, and some are various combinations of traits all rolled into one lovely person! How do we all get along, with all the differences? We love each other! UNCONDITIONALLY!

Unconditional love is a decision and takes work! We have to overlook a fault, bear one another's burdens, and enjoy what we can (what we PURPOSE to love!) In our family, we have a prankster, a cynic, a "you should have", a cryer, and a bossy one. But each of these loved ones have some very enduring traits too! The prankster would do almost anything for you if you were in need. The "you should have" loves the children and has a great sense of humor. You get the picture.

I know, some of you may have had a dysfunctional family situation, but there are good things in everyone and good memories to look back to, if you try. Memories are wonderful; and they sometimes, with time, gloss over the pain, that makes them wonderful!