Saturday Evening Post

It's already Saturday night. Honestly, I don't know where my week goes.
I've been doing a lot of cleaning and organizing this week, trying to get rid of things I don't need. I have my mom's National Geographics dating from 1941 to present. There's well over 600 books in all and let me tell you, that's a lot of heavy books. Half of them are in beautiful leather cases- 56 cases in all.
There's 16 boxes in all and they probably weigh 30 lbs. or more per box. We got them all sorted by year and labeled. Now we need to haul them to the local retirement village library. I have to say it was fun looking through them but I'll be glad when the job is finished.

We have a winner of the moose ornaments from this last weeks drawing. It's Catherine from PA. If you are Catherine, watch your mail. I'll be sending you two moose ornaments! Thanks to everyone who entered.

This next week I'm going to offer a collection of six charts from the Colors of the Seasons series. The winner will receive Falling Leaves (pictured), Shades of Christmas, Shades of Summer, Shades of Spring, Shades of Brown and Shades of the Red, White & Blue. Seems like a pretty shady collection to me. All you have to do is email me sometime this week at PGPeddler@aol.com and put " Colors of the Seasons" in the title.

Send your name, mailing address, and email adress. I promise I won't shared it with anyone. I'll choose a winner on Saturday night.

Three Pumpkins Winner

Sorry to be so late with the winner this week but I spent that last few days in Memphis. It was 78 degrees when I left there today with blue skies and the azaleas still blooming. Just beautiful down there. It was 40 degrees when I got home tonight. Sadly, I think sandal weather has passed in MO.

We have a winner for last week on the weekly drawing. It's Marlene from PA. She wins the Three Pumpkins chart with stems and wool to finish. If your name is Marlene, watch your email!

This week I have two finished cross stitch ornaments up for the drawing as Christmas comes near. They are from my chart called ChristMoose. To enter, email me this week at PGPeddler@aol.com, before Saturday midnight, and put "ChristMoose" in the title. Send your name, address and email address. The only entries we consider are those with all three, name, mailing address AND email address included. I promise that I won't share it with anyone. I will choose a winner next Sunday.
Good luck!

Another Autumn Sunday, Another Weekly Winner

We have a winner of the Eye Glass Case this week. It's Leah from TN. Leah, watch your email. I need to know what color you prefer.


This week I'm going to offer my new chart, Three Pumpkins, along with three pumpkin stems to go with it. I think I'll even throw in a small piece of Juniper wool for the leaves to finish them.


All you have to do is email me this week at PGPeddler@aol.com, before Saturday midnight, and put "Three Pumpkins" in the title. Send your name, address and email address. I promise that I won't share it with anyone. I will choose a winner next Sunday.

Online Retail Show Continues

Tomorrow is the last day for the Online Needlework Show. There is a lot to look at and I've spent a few hours on there. This is a test show so they can decide if they want to continue with it. I personally didn't do the show but I know a few designers that did and I think they've had a good response. There was a lot of talk about needlework shops boycotting the designers that did the show so I'm guessing that's probably why so many designers didn't do the show.

If you haven't seen it yet, the show is at http://needleshowretail.com. Tonight is the last to enter the drawing this week. Tomorrow starts a new drawing. Off to finish some designing.

Is it Friday?

Well, it certainly came fast this week- Friday, that is. The online needlework show started yesterday. I got a good look at it last night and there sure is a lot there. I think it's a lot bigger than the wholesale show. I noticed a few shops had my charts so that was cool.

Tomorrow is the last day to enter my weekly drawing for the Eye Glass case. Email me by tomorrow night and the drawing is Sunday. A new weekly drawing starts Sunday also.

I got this picture of Grace today in her princess outfit. It just made my day!

Little Candle Mat Finishing Instructions

I've had some inquiries on the little candle mats and finishing them so I thought I'd try to explain it here. I trace the candle mat shape, that's included in the chart, onto clear plastic template and cut it out. Lay the template centered on the back side of the stitched design and trace around the template with a pencil. There are center lines on the template and it's easy to line up. Lay the stitched design face down on top of a second piece of matching linen. Use this traced line to sew a seam all the way around with machine or by hand. Trim the seams and corners.

Pull the top and bottom slightly apart in the center with your hands. Snip the very center of the unstitched backside, not the stitched side. Snip about 4" across the center of the unstitched backside only for turning. Turn right side out through the snipped hole. Press out the edges with your fingers or a ruler. Press all edges flat with an iron. Hand stitch the opening closed on back without overlapping the sides and press again.

Lay the candle mat face up on a 9" square of wool. Hand stitch the candle mat to the wool using thread that matches the linen so it doesn't show. I used blue thread on this one. Trim the wool to about 1/2" from the edge. Lay it on a second piece of wool and trim the edges to match. Make a decorative stitch, such as a buttonhole stitch pictured here, around the outer edge of the wool with pearl cotton to attach the two layers together. It is really very easy to do!

Another New little Candle Mat

We have another new Little Candle Mat available. It's chart #52, Colorful Cats. It will be on the website in a few days and available from Hoffman and Norden Distributors by the end of the week. It measures 9" finished and uses all DMC floss.


We had a great Sunday here, with all the kids and grandkids over for dinner after church.
The leaves were blowing in the yard and everyone enjoyed the 70 degree weather after our month of rain. Looking at this picture reminds me that they sure grow up fast.