Saturday at the Peddler's Market

Saturday was such a beautiful day here in Southern California.

It was only 83 degrees and my hubby had the day off.

It just so happens that Piecemaker's Quilt shop in Costa Mesa

was having it's bi-annual Peddler's Market.

It's an open air "garage sale" of sorts.

There are 100 vendors and parking & admission are free :)

So many cool things to see and buy

and the prices are definately "garage sale" prices!

You can find vintage jewelry and clothes, housewares, antiques

and so much more!

I attended the February Peddler's Market

and couldn't wait for August!

Just look at all those buttons!!!

This darling hand-stitched snowman pillow needed to come home with me.

Can you say $8.00?

Here is a photo of my fabric haul for the day.

Can you say fresh from the bolt fabrics

 for $1.00 and $2.00 a yard?

AND they had a pile of fabric that was free for the taking!

(I controlled myself and only took 2 pcs of the free fabric

 to leave some for others)

Aren't I generous?

Look at this fat quarter bundle I got for $5.00!!!!

How fun are these buttons????

And the seller of this homespun fabric wanted to make me a deal on a "pile" of homespun

but believe it or not I had to decline.

We came on the motorcycle and we didn't have anymore room in the saddlebags.

(do you think my hubby did that on purpose?)

And here is my favorite find of the day.

Is it not the cutest thing EVER?

Can you say $12.00?

I know right?

It's old and crusty and PERFECT!!!

I love love LOVE it!!!

My hubby found a model train set 

with all the goodies to go with it for $25.00 

and was carefully placing the cars

 and track into one of the saddlebags.

He is going to set it up for the grands to play with :)

On our way home we stopped at the motorcycle shop

and got a new helmet for me.

My current helmet is just a bit too loose

and when we are on the freeway 

I can't look left or right because

the wind gets underneath and I feel like my head

is going to get pulled off my shoulders.

I have to say I think it's pretty darn cute!

I saw it at Christmas time

but I didn't buy it then because it was $90.00.

Guess who got the very last one in size Small yesterday

at 50 % off!!!

Yep...This girl did :)

I hate to pay full price!

What a super fun Saturday!

Hope you all had a lovely weekend as well :)

You gotta have Faith :)

I finished "Faith" last night :)

It's the 5th chart if the "Sheep Virtues" series

by Little House Needleworks.

I'm a push-over for sheep.

I added a little heart to his bum

because I wanted a bit more red.

I love my little black sheep :)

Now he can join his siblings

Love, Peace, Hope and Courage.

I started on Simplicity last night.

I am really loving this series!

I'm hoping to finish this one before the next one arrives.

What are you working on?

Welcome!

"Cottage Welcome" by The Cross-Eyed Cricket stitched 2 over 2 on 30ct R & R Reproductions "Morning Fog" linen. 

Wow!

Feels like forever since I posted a finished cross stitch piece.

I stitched my final "x" last night and couldn't be happier :)

I love love love this one!

I love the design, but wasn't loving the color choices.

Too much lavender and gray for my home.

I've been asked for my color conversions

and since it wasn't a straight out substitution

I thought this would be the easiest way to 

share my changes.

Anywhere you see DMC 3821 on the chart

I subbed DMC 321

because I liked the brighter red. (shocker right?)

I also switched DMC 920 for the DMC 977.

The rest of the substitutions are as follows:

For the watering can I subbed out DMC 321 for the DMC 645

and DMC 648 for the DMC 523.

I also added the 3 white hearts.

For the geraniums I swapped DMC 321 for the DMC 3831

and for the flower pot I swapped DMC 301 for the DMC 977.

For the birdhouse roof  and chevron designs,

I swapped DMC 3821 for the DMC 648.

I also made the chimney solid DMC 321.

For the geranium leaves

I swapped DMC 3346 for the DMC 902.

For the stars I swapped DMC 321 for the DMC 3041

and the center of the stars

 I swapped DMC 3821 for the DMC 523.

In the star above the tree I also used DMC 931.

Here is a close up of the stars in the center of the letter "C".

I used DMC 321, DMC 3821, DMC 931 and DMC 932.

And for the basket I used Gentle Arts "Maple Syrup"

instead of DMC 645.

I just thought a basket should be brown and not gray :)

I hope that helps.

Now I need to get back to stitching my Sheep Virtues.

I started #5 last night and I have 6 & 7 waiting in the wings :)

Something to Crow about :)

I had such a good time last night sewing 

while the guys were outside

having their Friday night Cigar & Movie time.

I love to see my hubby, my son, my son-in-law

and my nephew spending that "man" time together.

It makes my heart happy to hear them laughing

and chatting until midnight :)

It also gives me one night a week

to sew or stitch while I listen to music.

It's a win win!

I made 4 new Limited Edition bags

featuring the amazing talents of Michelle Palmer.

I seriously can't wrap my head around

how she draws like that.

But I'm glad she shares her talent :)

These bags are in the shop now, while they last.

Hope you all a lovely Friday night :)

Fall is just around the corner :)

Fall is my favorite time of year

so I hope you don't mind if I get in the spirit of Fall a bit early :)

I'd rather wear a sweater and drink hot chocolate any day

than be miserable in the heat of Summer.

And for those few who, 

like me,

don't enjoy shopping for...

or wearing....

swimwear,

Fall is a welcome season!!!

I've been running my very own 

personal sewing sweat shop lately.....

Sewing up project bags like they are going out of style.

I even rec'd my very first order of 100 zippers this week.

I used to buy them 25 at a time.

I never thought I'd ever need that many zippers....

(Sandra....I blame you)

The good news is that I really love sewing the bags!

I love buying the fabrics that I would't normally buy

and then combining them in fun ways.

I've added some Halloween and Fall bags today

and more will be coming soon.

They are limited quantities

and when they are gone I won't likely replace them.

All the project bags,

with the exception of the limited edition bags

and custom order bags are $25.00 each.

They will all be going up to $32.00 each as of August 1st.

If you've had your eye on one,

now would be the time to grab it before the price change.

Next week I'll be adding some gorgeous new

 Limited Editon bags

with the amazing artwork of Michelle Palmer!

So hurry up Summer and make room for Fall!!!!

(ever notice that Summer and Bummer rhyme?)

Congratulations!

Photos by Pollock Photography

Congratulations to Disco D'eva!!!

You were chosen at random to win the 

Pins & Snips Stay Put Pincushion & Thread Catcher :)

Thanks so much to everyone who played along!

Stay tuned as there will be more new patterns

and fun giveaways coming soon!!!

My Big News and a Giveaway!!!

Today is the day!

It's finally complete!

My first pattern is available for PDF instant download 

in my etsy shop!

You may remember the pincushion and thread catcher set 

I made a few months back.....

While blog hopping I happened upon "Threads on My Socks"

owned by Susie Layman, a super talented illustrator.

She is so amazingly gifted!

I contacted her and asked if she would be interested

in designing an embroidery pattern 

for the top of the pincushion I was working on.

She said yes

and the rest is history!

We have been working together since then

and I'm so proud of the both of us.

This project could not have come together the way is has

without her amazing skills!

I feel so blessed to have met her :)

We are already working on other patterns

to be released soon.

Now you can see what I've been so excited about.

I want all of you to get a chance to share our excitement.

We are hosting a giveaway!

Would you like to win the Pins & Snips Stay Put

Pincushion and Thread Catcher

that was used in our photos for the pattern?

I used "Ruby" by Moda 

and the embroidery was done by Susie Layman.

Here's how you can win it.....

You have multiple chances

and you can do as many or a few as you like.

Each seperate entry is another chance to win.

1. Go to my Etsy shop and pin the pattern on Pinterest

and leave a comment here letting me know you did.

2. Share about the Giveaway on your Facebook page

and leave a comment here letting me know you did.

3. Tweet about the Giveaway on Twitter and 

leave a comment here letting me know you did.

4. Share about the Giveaway on your blog 

and leave a comment here letting me know you did.

You have until Sunday July 14th at midnight pst to enter.

I will announce the lucky winner here on Monday the 15th.

Good luck!!!

And for those of you who don't embroider,

you can still use this pattern to make an awesome set

by using any fun fabrics you have

or "fussy cutting" the top panel for the pincushion

as my friend Regena did when she tested the pattern for us.

You can see her version HERE.