Noah's Ark

 This isn't Christmas related either, but it is a beautifully designed version of Noah's Ark for anyone wanting a nice big project for this winter.

  One of the things I love about big designs like these it that numerous elements can be used by themselves for all kinds of small projects.  Like Christmas ornaments!

  I'd like to do the four seasons in the corners.

First Day Of School Themed Sampler

Know someone special who is starting school?  This sampler will help them learn their alphabet, numbers, and measuring.  With the included pattern for the alphabet, you can change the name of the school as well as the student.

Sleep Baby Sleep Poem with Birth Announcement

This pattern would be wonderful on any nursery wall.  And the alphabet is so beautiful, it is worth the pattern itself.

Illustrated Borders

I confess that I am getting to the bottom of my collection and am now taking a second look at a folder full of "extras".  I also went to scan some patterns from the 1980's and although the patterns are clear, the photos of the finished items are awful.  Honestly bad.  I scanned them anyway and tried to fix them, but there isn't much you can do with low quality originals.  There are a couple of fun ones that maybe I could try and make this winter and then scan my work??  I would love the time to do that!

And I would love to have the time to start sharing some of my own designs and making more of those.

Meanwhile, here are two illustrated borders and a nice alphabet.  I believe the bottom half of both pages of patterns are actually patterns for labels for school items.

Illustrated Buttons and Alphabet

Even though these patterns were meant to be for tiny stitches on cross-stitched buttons, they could be used for large pieces.  I love the cottage scene.  And the alphabet is awesome!

And Yet Again, Three More Hearts

These three hearts are some of my favorites and I have used them a couple of times.  So I hope you will forgive me for having colored in areas of one of the patterns to make it easier for me to see.

Illustrated Alphabet

This wonderfully illustrated alphabet was the inspiration for the six foot measuring charts I began making for my family when they were little.  After my first chart, with the measuring ruler down one side and an illustrated alphabet down the other side, I began designing my own alphabets.  The top of each chart had a little scene with another scene down at the bottom.

The theme of the country fair that year was "Apple Pies and Family Ties" so this was the scene I designed for the top of the measuring chart I entered in the fair.

Lilies and Alphabet Sampler

Long ago, before photographs, an embroidered "sampler" was your calling card.  It demonstrated your skills in more ways than one.  Besides showing that you could embroider, how well it was done (or not) said a lot about you.  In some families, these have been handed down through generations!

I love Asiatic Lilies, not only for their beauty and their heavenly scent, but for the fact that if they are grown naturally outdoors in my corner of the world, they are in full bloom when it is my birthday!