Once again, a beautiful piece of material

once dreamed about and in wait for embroidery, found it's way into a box at a flea market and  was taken home by myself to be brought to it's full potential that it was once designed for.

A small tablecloth, still stiff from starch, it's cotton material not stained..........

and designed with these cute dish motifs for embroidery!

I think these designs are from the 40"s ?  There is one in each corner of the tablecloth. 

There are holes throughout the piece, but that will not be a problem because I can easily patch them.

It is edged in a colorful crocheted edging. I am not completely sure, but I think that this is a piece that was probably already stamped for embroidery and sold in a five and dime store........

am I wrong?

So I took the time this week to embroider one of the motifs. I think I am going to embroider each motif in different colors...........instead of matching them up. 

What do you think? 

Also to my delight...........I came upon a whole set of vintage scissor pockets. Do you remember these? These were used to store the seamstress scissors. And they were not to be used by anyone for any other reason than for cutting fabric.  

Each piece is  so unique and in wonderful condition. The collection looks wonderful on the walls of my vintage shop and studio. 

I have not listed them yet, however, I am willing to sell a few. My shop is now open and ready for business. I have  cleared all  the rules and licenses and now can enjoy selling..............if I can get customers to find me. 

I want to show you my kitchen area. It is full of  vintage dishes and kitchen items.

(click on picture for a better view)

I have vintage dishes of every shape and size..........with roses on so many of them!

Do you like the " Homemade Pies" cutting board in the center? A friend gave this to me a few years ago because I always talked about wanting to have a pie shop. So it is for display only, because I love it!

I have a shelf of vintage glassware on the other side of the kitchen area........

and I love the old quilt tops on top of the vintage Royal Crown soda box.

Don't you?

I have embroidered linens in the drawers of the dressers, but I had to display some on this cute little cart that I recently found.

A small vintage night case has hand crocheted pieces spilling out over it. 

This is a very special piece and you can read the story about this, if you would like , on my country blog.

Just click onto the link

Eggs In My Pocket

Now that spring is here, I am hoping that you are finding the weather warmer and sunnier? 

What are your plans for this spring season?

Are you planning gardens..........or are you planning projects.........

or both??

I would love to hear!

A cardboard box sat on the floor of a resale shop...........

it's flaps pushed open just enough for me to see roses.

Vintage dishes with roses. I posted about this beautiful set a few months ago, 

showing you the design I created and embroidered to match the dishes on a tablecloth. 

Well the tablecloth is finished ..........

and I made a set of 6 napkins to go with it out of this beautiful rose print fabric . I finished the edges in a buttonhole stitch to match the thread in the tablecloth. I had planned to sell these in my vintage shop...........

instead.........

 they are on their way to San Francisco. One of my readers fell in love with them the first time I posted about them and told me that  when I was finished with the embroidery, to let her know.  I am so delighted that they are going to a beautiful home where someone will really enjoy using them! 

Now these once loved dishes have a new life to be loved all over again!

This is what gives me joy, most of all in the embroidery work I do. I love hearing that you are picking up a project that you had put away, ...........awhile back, and are inspired to start stitching on it again. 

I love knowing that you enjoy using embroidered linens and vintage dishware to serve your family dinner with!

So now you have me wondering...................

who among you still use linens or dishware for your family meals??

With all of the pretty paper products that are available.........

how many of you choose to use those in your fast and hurried life?

Tell me!

With my needle and floss.............I am making the beautiful English Daisy bloom

on fabric. 

My eyes......and heart...........caught the attention of these beautiful flowers the other day at a nursery...........

I would love a whole flower garden of these.........

wouldn't you? 

I brought an armful home to decorate the window box

of the front of my vintage shop...................

but you know me very well .......

that as an embroidery artist........

growing these were not my first intention............

I would much rather grow them and watch them blossom.......

with my needle.

 I lightly sketched them onto plain cotton fabric

and explored every blossom and leaf

to get the right color of floss and 

to capture their likeness in French knots.........

straight and short stitches, chain stitches and whipped stitches.........

Their round yellow centers and almost fluffy appearance

(click on image for a better view)

had me stitching , until I got the results I liked. 

Although I have been doing embroidery like this for years..........I still feel intimidated when I cut the stitches to make the flowers look like this. 

I need to add a bee, I think.........

How about you?

What flower attracts your attention the most?

Have you ever grown English Daisies? 

While going through and organizing

the projects in my work basket, 

the ones, unfinished..........and sometimes forgotten..........

I found this shirt............

if you remember..........I had posted about  awhile back

and I showed you how I was beginning to embroider on it.........

to make it my garden shirt. I embroidered the front pocket and on the inside and up above the pocket to make it look as if flowers were spilling out of it. 

Since then, I laid it aside and , never gave it another thought.....until this weekend. So in trying to decide what to it  add next..........I had been thinking about how much I cant wait to see the morning glory to start growing and blooming here on the grounds..............

I decided to stitch morning glory on the other side of the shirt. I have them going across the shoulder, 

and dipping down on the front facing. 

And I want a different array of color..........

They also dip over the shoulder and down into the back

where the smallest bud lies, I think I need to add a bumble bee here.........

don't you ? 

On the side shoulder, I wanted the flowers to fall off a little.

Now the shirt is starting to bloom. I also want to add a graceful butterfly...........

and a few other things, without it looking gaudy. 

What do you think should be added?
Do you like to embellish shirts or clothing?

If you do, do you like to embroider,.........or paint?

Or maybe you like to add jewels or studs?
I would love to see and hear about it!