New DMC Perle Cottons

Several years ago, DMC came out with a set of shaded embroidery threads which they called, "Color Variations". I loved them! Many times while stitching with them I thought to myself, these would be great in Perle #5! DMC must have been reading my mind because they've recently released these threads in Perles:



Aren't these just yummy?!!! Oooof! I wanted to share a photo of them with you before I started using them.

I don't see them listed on DMC's website yet but they are available from Herrshnerr's. Here's the direct link to the thread listing.

Flea Market Finds & New Purse

We went the last flea market of the season up in Elkhorn, WI yesterday. This one is my favorite. It's huge and the prices are really great! They only do this one 4 times per season so I felt a little sad when we left. Thankfully, there are others that run each month all year so as long as it isn't too cold or snowy, I do get a bit of antiquing through the Winter months. And we do have several nice antique malls that we go to when the weather is bad but I just love the outside fair grounds atmosphere!

Anyway, I found some nice things yesterday. First a great pile of vintage embroidery transfers to add to my collection which is quite extensive now!



I'm always thrilled when I find some that I don't have!

Next, some really nice old lace:



Vintage lace is great because it takes dye very well! There isn't any poly in it!

I also bought a couple of vintage rhinestone pins:



The tree is for a Christmas purse for myself. Now, I know you know that Christmas is not my favorite holiday but I thought a pretty Christmas purse would be fun!

The other piece is for a purse for my sister. She isn't huge on crazy quilting but she loves my peacocks with the fancy yarn tails and asked me if I could do one on a purse for her but not with CQ. I thought I'd use a beautiful fabric background, do the peacock and then add some SRE and some crystals. Yes, she does like glitter too! Anyway, I'll make that for her birthday which isn't until March.

So those are my flea market finds from yesterday! Fun stuff!!!

Something I've been looking for but haven't exactly found yet is an antique Singer Sewing machine in mint condition and perfect running order. We saw a lot of them yesterday but all needed work. Either the cabinet needed to be refinished or the treadle was missing or something else was missing. I'm sure I'll find one eventually. I love old things and I thought it would be fun to have one and do my piecing on it and then do my finishing on my regular machine. Which is also rather old as it was my grandmothers. It's one of those really good Singers from the 50's. I know I've put way more miles on it than my grandmother ever did. Anyway, an antique Singer treadle machine is something that I've got my eyes open for now. Don't you just love the thrill of the hunt?!!!

On the stitching front, I finished stitching up this little white cellphone pouch for Scott's step mom:



This is a gift for her birthday which isn't until December but I'll get it assembled as soon as I get another sewing day.

Since I only have 2 more gifts to make and a couple of ornaments, I'm going stitch up another purse for myself next:



I pieced this block back in July. The pansy pin came from the last flea market that we went to a few weeks back. It really pops against the black background! The painted lace was a gift from my friend Lula. I've been saving it for something very Victorian looking. Anyway, I plan to do this with lots of purples and plums. I may paint a piece of that lace that I bought yesterday and I want a lot of SRE on this. I plan to start stitching on this later this afternoon so stop back tomorrow to see where it goes!

Finishes

Yesterday was a sewing day for me and I did quite a bit of finishing starting with this little doorknocker for my mom:



I'll give this to my mom when I see her and she can enjoy it throughout the Autumn season.

Next, I finished up some cat dolls:



These 2 little Comfort Dolls are now on their way to Pat.

I also finished up this cat which was a custom order:



This too is now it's way to it's new owner.

I also finished up a Christmas gift and sewed up a few new blocks including this one:



This will be a cellphone pouch for Scott's step-mom for her birthday which just so happens to be the same day as mine, the day before Christmas!

Anyway, this is actually white. The flash bounced off of the shiny fabrics and I had nothing but a big glare! So I took this photo without the flash and I just wasn't able to brighten it up much in my graphics software. I'll use the scanner next time. That should give us a good image.

I bought that little vintage rhinestone basket pin at the last flea market we went to. This should make for a really pretty pouch!

And speaking of flea markets, I won't have time to post an update tomorrow as we're heading up to Elkhorn, WI for their last flea market of the season. Ok, I'm making boo-boo lips here. This is my favorite flea market and they only do it 4 times over the Summer months so I'm really looking forward to it. Thankfully, there are other flea markets that run every month all year so I'll still have some more antiquing to enjoy. It's one of my favorite things to do. I like the thrill of the hunt!

See ya Monday!

Go Cubs!

Ok, I just have to say that I'm absolutely bouncing off the walls today! My Chicago Cubs have won the National League Central Division and I am thrilled beyond words!

Now, I'm not counting my chickens before the eggs hatch. I've been a Cubs fan for a long time and I've been here before so for now, I'm just thankful to have a little more baseball to watch in October! I'll worry about the World Series if and when we get that far. It's best to stay detached for now.

Normally, I keep my personal believes to myself as far as this blog goes. But I would like to mention this, in hopes that some media person somewhere reads this: THERE IS NO SUCH THING A CURSE! Some silly person, years ago put that crazy idea in the minds of Cub fans and now generation after generation focuses on it every time we get this far. And the stupid media is already at it.

There is no such thing as a curse. It is the Universal Law Of Attraction. You get what you focus on. If everyone focuses on the so called "curse" kicking in, then the Law Of Attraction is going to bring that again. If however, every one focuses on what they really want, the Cubs going to and winning the WS, that's what we'll get.

So, I am mentioning this in hopes that maybe someone from the media somewhere will read this and perhaps spread the word. It's the Law Of Attraction. There is no curse. Do some research on The Law Of Attraction and start spreading positive energy for the Cubs and Cubs fans everywhere!

Black & Pink Comfort Cat - Stitching Completed

I added a little spider and web to the bottom of this yesterday:



I have some laundry to fold and then I'll be doing the finishing on my most recent project. I also want to sew up a couple of more pieces for Christmas gifts. Stop by tomorrow to see 3 finished cats!