Do "hope chests" still exist?

I finished the dresser scarf I had been working on and decided to dress up a little dresser that has been sitting bare.

It is long enough that the sides drape over the dresser well. It brightens up the corner it was sitting in.

I have a collection of heart boxes, glass bowls and vintage bottles. These pieces seem to fit the scarf well.

My mother had this candy dish when I was a very young child. She gave it to me when I turned 16, to place in my "hope chest" along with the other things I was collecting. "Hope chest". Is there such a thing anymore? Do young girls gather special things to put away for their home anymore? With the changing times and with young women going off to college, I don't think glass objects are sought out as much. Maybe towels and sheets perhaps? I am stitching on kitchen and bed linens to put away for my children when they decide to get married, but always, am reserved to when it comes to other things. There is so much available for people to purchase to decorate on their own. I still love the idea of a hand made quilt,embroidered pillowcases and sheets, and embroidered towels. Do any of you pack away things for your children for someday down the road? Did you have a hope chest when you were young? What were some of the things in it?

Here come the holidays!..........soon

Over the years, I have collected several things to embroider from gifts by friends and family or by seeing and can't living without it purchasing. I have had this set of fall/thanksgiving table runner and napkin set for many years. With fall coming on, I am in the mood to get stitching.
I have all of the colors ready and as you can see they are so vibrant and fall festive! I can't wait!

I have a wonderful friend who gives her free time to the local kennel club. There is so much that goes into getting a dog show ready for a local town. She and the other members work tirelessly at making sure every thing is done to the very best. Of course, she is a big dog lover. I am stitching this picture up for her kennel club as a door prize for the up coming show next year. After I finish stitching it, she will take it to be framed. It will then go into a drawing to be given away to someone who loves dogs and the dog shows. So I will work on this along with my holiday stitching. My needles never get a rest! What kind of decoration do you like for your table? A pretty tablecloth or runner, or perhaps a pretty floral arrangement? I would love to hear!

A little done at least{:

Hi everyone! The weekend is over and another month is almost finished as well. I spent a lot of my supposed sewing time outside, as the weather was cool and cloudy due from the much needed rain we received. I did, however, get one side of the dresser scarf done. It works up very quick so I should be done with the whole scarf in a day or two, depending on how much stitch time I can get in. Thanks to all of you for your sweet comments. I love hearing from you!

A weekend project

Now that I am through with the tablecloth, I went through my stash to see what I would like to stitch next.

I have had this dresser scarf tucked away for years. It was a gift from my brother a long time ago. I have saved it because I wanted to have the right spot for it when I did decide to embroider it.

Now that I live in the home of my dreams and I also have new spaces, it's time to do this piece. It is also simple enough to finish over the weekend.

Wanting to keep things simple, I chose only 4 colors. But might only use 3 as I may not use the darker green. With fall approaching as well as the holidays, I am getting ready to do some holiday projects. Do any of you have any thing you are getting done for Halloween, Thanksgiving, or Christmas? I would love to hear and see! Every one have a wonderful weekend!

Finished and on it's way!

Here it is! After working on this off and on since last November, I finally finished the tablecloth for a friend! It looks much prettier if you click on the picture to get a better view.

The hardest thing for me to do to get started embroidering this was to come up with the color scheme. I at first thought about doing it all in white like many of the antique tablecloths, but I then saw my friends china and decided to try to match the colors of the roses in the china to the roses in the tablecloth.

With the gardening projects, vacations, school functions and life's twists and turns, I took way too long in getting this finished.

Many hours of stitching were worked while watching old movies, praying for a loved one, worrying over a problem, and remembering the good times I have shared with the sweet lady who is getting this tablecloth.

Another hard decision was how to tie the rose clusters together on the tablecloth. With the roses having so much detail, I chose a simple vine and leaf design, which .......

by looking at it, it doesn't appear to be that pretty, however, when worked in a large area with larger embroidered designs, it works out beautifully. Now the last hardest thing is to wait for the mail to deliver it and to hear whether she likes it or not. I always second guess myself even with customers who have picked out the colors and designs. {: Now my hands will be busy with future projects. More embroidery, crochet and quilting to come!

Life at a slower pace

I have not had much to blog............my life seems to be very simple.{: For all of you who have kept up with me through the months, I have been talking about a tablecloth I have been embroidering since last November. I remember also posting a while back that I was determined to finish it within the coming 6 weeks. Well, 6 weeks can sure come and go before you know it! And I am still working on the tablecloth. However, I really am just about done! I am hoping to have it complete by this weekend and maybe post pictures of it next week. Most of all, I can not wait to send it to my dear friend. I am anxious in waiting to hear how she likes it. I wish I could see her face when she opens the package, but miles and the busyness of life will not permit that. I already have plans on what I want to get to work on after I have finished this. So for all of you, I will be back next week, have yourself a blessed week and weekend!