More June fun!

New releases have been going well (thank you!) and life has been very busy with family, church, and VBS. I've been meaning to share some new frame options for the circle series designs. The frames I used were discontinued (aauugghh!) but I have found some beautiful round frames that are currently available (yay!!!).

Shown are two of the finishes. The bottom right, Share Laughter, is in the frame I use for the covers. The upper left, Cherish Friends, is a frame available from Inline Ovals. The frame that will fit this design in a snug way, on 32 ct. fabric, is #871 Rubbed Black 5x5. If you prefer a bit more fabric showing around the stitching, then go with the 6x6. They have different colors and finishes, and they are lovely. It is a bit wider, but it definitely makes the stitching pop!  

Other news - I'm waaaay ahead on models for new releases. I don't know that I will be able to wait until August to release them :o) What makes it worse is that I have more new designs ready to stitch and am so excited about those that I don't think I will be able to hold onto those until December!!! It has never happened before that I have been so far ahead.

A few weeks ago we went hiking in hill country and, on the way home, I had the joy of visiting Stitches From the Heart in San Antonio. This shop is amazing! They have a great assortment of my designs and I just giggled at seeing them all. Their thread selection is amazing and the variety they had in everything was so much fun. They have a stitch in every Tuesday, with lots of table space, comfy chairs, and great lighting to enjoy.

This next month I get to go to a stitching retreat and I am looking forward to the time with other people who are just as addicted to thread and sparkly things as I am. I haven't been to one in at least a decade and that was such a neat event. 

This finish was emailed to me this week from Rachel D. Isn't it lovely? She was creative with the threads and did the leaves in green. It was framed at Hobby Lobby with a scrolled molding that I think is the perfect accent. Great work!

Keep an eye out for new charts to be coming out as soon as I can't possibly stand it anymore! I'm stitching a Christmas piece with a Celtic knot style border and am determined that it be in with the next releases. Each night I just want one more stitch... 

New for June 2019!

It has been a busy past month in our corner of the world. Settling into Texas is going okay. I had some mom friends from Idaho fly down to visit for a few days, with my parents arriving just a couple days later, then it was back to hiking trips and exploring the beautiful area around us. Recently we visited hill country, stopping by Lost Maples and Garner state parks. It was so beautiful!

Work stuff has been incredibly busy, but good. Here are the new designs that are now available through your favorite shop:

MBT-227 Quaker Endurance
This is the fourth in the Quaker scripture series that I have been working on for eleven years. I got distracted :o) This piece features Isaiah 40:8 "The grass withers and the flower fades but the word of our God endures forever." This past year has been a lesson in holding onto everything with an open hand, and this verse reminds me that it is His word that I should cling to as the rest of my world changes. Model stitched with Weeks Dye Works on 32 ct. linen and accented by East Side Frames. There will be more in this series (as soon as I can find where I hid that stitching time).

MBT-228 An Anchor for the Soul
I can't adequately put into words how much this design means to me. A dear, dear, dear (she is an amazing woman and great encourager!) friend had a deep loss in her family and asked for this verse to be charted. It is a scripture that we both cling to and take comfort in. "We have this hope as an anchor for the soul firm and secure. Hebrews 6:19" Model stitched with Weeks Dye Works on 32 ct. hand dyed jobelan and Just Another Button Company buttons in a Green Tree Gallery frame. This will have a companion design that is also beach themed.

MBT-229 Share Laughter
This is the fifth in the circle series and I love the colors and the flowers and the message of life: laugh! And more than just laugh, laugh with friends! One of the hiccups with this design is that the frame I used was discontinued shortly after release. I have found a round frame that works great with this design. It is by Inline Ovals, #871 Rubbed Black. There are two options for size: the 5x5 will be a very snug fit and the 6x6 will be a more comfortable fit. The sixth in this series is already set for the next batch of releases!

MBT-230 Chicken Crazy
When I hosted the craft group at our last home, we would have treats out each month and the girls could snack and chat after they finished their projects. One of the girls asked how many cookies she could have and my response was "one less than would make your mom upset." This is how I see chicken ownership. I will always have one less hen than would make me certifiable. I miss my hens. We could have filled a semi with store bought eggs with what we put into our last coops, but the joy from seeing the little feather friends running around the yard is priceless. As we look to our next stop in Texas, top wish is room for chickens. The model is stitched with Weeks Dye Works on 28 ct. linen. This is a companion design to MBT-153 Hens and Chicks and MBT-222 Fowl Friends.

I'm at a weird place in my design life. I'm ahead. I have the next eight designs planned out, all are either completely finished or in the middle of being stitched, and the frames are already on hand. There isn't as much sass as there is scripture, and there will even be a Christmas piece! The goal is for August release for the next batch, but I'm so excited about them being pretty and ready to go that I don't know if I'll be that patient :o)

Enjoy your x's!