Three Things Sampler

November 4th, 2013
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So here is the picture of my Three Things Sampler by Moira Blackburn. I changed a few things but it is pretty much the same. The wording is very different since it is my family names. I love it and will share a picture of it here once I frame it. I plan to return much sooner than usual…I am getting into stitching again and a few other things I will share with you all. Can you see some of the changes I made? πŸ™‚

Hugs, Judy Odell, Just A Thought

"JUST SAYING"

ARRAY OF STYLE SAMPLER FINISH

November 3rd, 2013
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Oh my heck…look at the picture I just received from Marcia. She completed my design “Array of Style Sampler”. This is the first one I have seen completed and I love it. Love the colors too.
Beautiful job Marcia.
I have been stitching again. I did finish my “Three Things Sampler”. It turned out fabulous…I love it. I added the line of females in my family. I started with my Grandmother and ended with my Granddaughter. I will take a picture later and add it for you to see. It is quite a large sampler. Now I am into Christmas and Mill Hill. I want to figure out a unique way to frame the Mill Hill designs, if I can. You know me….I need a little 3D. πŸ™‚ I really love stitching Mill Hill designs. They come out so beautiful, what with the beads added. I plan to use some Modge Podge. NOOOOOOOO….you say. Hmmmmm…we shall see what happens. I actually never know until I am working on a piece how it will end up. I will share with you all though. Success or failure…you shall see it. πŸ™‚
So now, I shall return with a picture of the Three Things Sampler. Later Gater! Hugs Judy Odell

"JUST SAYING"

A New Design

March 25th, 2013
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Want to see a beautiful new box I designed. It was supposed to be a jewelry box but ended up just a needle work box, or treasure box, or whatever. I think it turned out just beautiful although it did take a million yards of ribbon and a zillion beads. But now that I have finished it, it was worth it. πŸ™‚


JAT Designs

Happy Holidays – Merry Christmas – and God Bless Us, One and All !!!

November 26th, 2012
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Hi everyone: Thanksgiving Day came and went way too fast. I did not even get onto this blog before it was gone so I figure since I am here and thinking about you all I will send my best wishes to you now during this holiday season. This way if I don’t get back I will not feel like I left you all out. πŸ™‚

Hmmmmm….let me see. What have I been up to. Very little in the world of cross stitch. I have been busy though. Let me see…I have used Pinterest as a huge motivator and redecorated my guest bathroom. Boy is it bright. Want to see some pictures? Oh, you do? OK…. πŸ™‚



Well heck. I can’t seem to get the colors right. But you get the idea. I plan on painting a silhouette and name on the wall above each one of those towels you see hanging there. Can’t you see Pinterest all over this bathroom? πŸ™‚

Then I made curtains for my dining room in my on-going attempt to give it a 50’s look. I must admit the curtains helped to finish it off. Now I only have to add the white paneling (wainscoting) on the back and side walls.

Next…I am crocheting some shawls for the old folks. Now when I told my dear friend Moosie I was doing this she said, “you are old Judy”. Ha-Ha…. I now say, “I am crocheting some shawls for the dear ones in the senior home.” Sounds much better don’t you think? πŸ™‚

And I wanted you to see my little tiny-tiny stitching area. My little corner that I do not spend nearly enough time in these days.

I am still stitching on my “Three Things Sampler”. It is right there under the red pillow case. I am much further along then last you saw and I will post a progress picture again soon. I decided that it is so big that I want to make it a wall hanging. I managed to get a beautiful used arrow at a gun shop and I am going to mount it onto the arrow for hanging. I will post another picture of it actually hanging on the wall once I get it hung.

I have not forgotten “Shelley’s Jewelry Box”. It is stitched and waiting to be finished.
That will be my next project. I will also post the travel roll stitching chart shortly. Maybe if I work really hard I will get it finished and pictures posted before Christmas; or maybe after News Year; or hmmmmm….Valentine’s Day????? Oh my heck…I am so busy these days…this retirement is just killing me. πŸ™‚

So now back to the original reason for posting today.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE…. MAY ALL YOUR WISHES COME TRUE…. MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS…
MAY WE ALL FIND PEACE IN 2013… BIG HUGS AND LOVE from me…. Judy Odell

"JUST SAYING"

Where the heck have I been….

September 22nd, 2012
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Let me think…I have started stitching and designing again. Not designing like I used to before I, “so-call”, retired. But, I am talking about Shelley’s Jewelry Box. I have actually sent it to my model stitcher to have it stitched. I have even posted three parts now on the JAT message board. There are some beautiful pictures of the different colors that some of the stitchers have chosen to use posted on the message board also.

I am working on Moira Blackburn’s “Three Things Sampler”. I have it about half finished right now. I seem to be getting into stitching again and I am so happy. This means I am coming out of my funk, as-I-call-it, after losing my mom and dad. Wow, it has taken some time for me. But I am hoping this is my come-back. πŸ™‚

I am going to post a few pictures of Shelley’s Jewelry Box parts but remember that it is not finished and I will be adding ribbon during the finishing. I did add the ribbon to the end panel so you could see a bit of what it will look like. It is quite the “girly girl” box. Also, I will post a picture of what I have stitched so far on the Three Things Sampler. I am so enjoying stitching this right now. I have changed a few things but mostly stayed with the original design. I truly love Moira’s designs and now know what a joy they are to stitch.

So the pictures are below and I shall be back with an update soon. Hugs everyone! Judy Odell

And here are pictures of the first sections of Shelley’s Jewelry Box


"JUST SAYING"

Soap Bags

July 10th, 2012
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I thought you might like to try this. I saw something like this on Penterest and decided that I needed to make one “my way”. I am never formal and everything has to be easy or I don’t take the time to do it. I love the idea because with my grand kids and hubby there is always a slimy, gummy bar of soap and ugly wash rags in the showers. And now, no more soap going down the drain because the shower washes it away or it floats to its death in the water. I hate it. I saw this and figured it was a solution to my problem. Use one for a bit…put the soap in a clean soap bag and throw the dirty soap bag in the laundry. I made enough to give everyone their own color soap bag. (Well actually I have a few more to make.) We shall see!

Easy Directions: Fold the wash cloth with right sides together and cut into three even pieces.



Stitch along the long sides and any time you stitch a side that is raw cut you need to zig-zag stitch and then straight stitch it. (I do this so it does not lose little wash rag threads). Turn the little bag you made inside out. Stitch a piece of ribbon about one inch below the top. Insert a bar of soap and tie closed. Easy-Peasy !!!! Soap bags!!!

"JUST SAYING"

Oh my heck…how cute is this?

April 21st, 2012
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I just found this darling picture at Pinterest.com. This is a great site. So interesting. You should check it out!

"JUST SAYING"

My Treasures Workstation – Re-visited

March 8th, 2012
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I have just finished revising the “My Treasures Workstation” class that I had a few years back. This was a class project only. There was a wooden base for the workstation at the time. I decided that it was time to release it via my JAT store now. To do so I had to design a bottom that you could all finish without needing to have the wooden base (of which I don’t have now). Two wonderful stitchers agreed to stitch it for me and I have added pictures below. Both are beautiful and you can see how the color gives both workstations a totally different look. So for those that were not able to join in on the class you can now purchase this design project through the JAT store. Click on “Shop” in the top menu. If you live outside the USA and would like to purchase this design you will need to email me directly because the store has a problem with overseas orders. I will send you a paypal invoice personally that you can use to order the PDF.

Just in case you have forgotten what the workstation looks like….here are some pictures with the new bottom. Enjoy πŸ™‚ Oh, I forgot; it reads; My treasures I must leave behind. Remember me if this you find.

IT’S A MYSTERY: On another thought….I am setting up a class on the JAT message board. It is “Shelley’s Treasure Box”. You know, the one I have been talking about forever. Well, I have the front and back stitched and the rest designed but I can’t seem to get motivated to finish it. Sooooooooo…I figured it was time to have a class and let you all help motivate me. The class will be free….yep…I will repeat it. The class will be free. But here is the catch, it is for those of you that have stuck with me while I have been away. Since you keep checking back and/or signed up for my newsletter I decided you needed to be rewarded for all your patience with me. And here is how it will work…I will release it in sections as I complete it. We will stitch it and then we will finish it. And then it will be GONE! Just like that….GONE! So what you have to do now is go onto the message board, scroll down to “classes” and read more about how the class will be run. Easy, Peasy and fun. Oh, I will describe the box to you all on the message board. Interested! I hope so. It is going to be large, beautiful and an original for sure. Just wait and see….you will be sorry if you miss it. But if you do, I will be offering it for retail sale on my JAT message board as soon as the class ends. So, get it free as a group class project or purchase it at a later date. Either way, I guarantee you are going to love this project. Do you trust me…mahahahahahahaaaaa!

JAT Designs

PDF of private class cabinets released for individual sale

November 15th, 2011
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Hello everyone. As I promised I have finally gotten around to adding my Mary Wigham Wardrobe and A Ladies Cabinet to the store for PDF purchase. You may be familiar with the private class I taught some time back but the PDFs have never been released as a singer purchase chart. These will be available for a short time only. I have also added some very hard to find books for those of you that are needlework book collectors. All are in beautiful condition and all are from the original releases and not “later reprints.
I added this picture of Sandi V’s cabinet as I thought it was so beautiful stitched in blue. There are a lot more pictures in the JAT store. Just click on the “Shop” link in the top menu.


I will be adding “My Treasures Workstation” in the store shortly but I need to write directions for constructing the base as it was wood in the private class. I will send you a newsletter notification once it is added to the store.

If you have not signed up for the JAT newsletter you may want to as it is the way I contact my friends with any new news. Just click on shop in the top margin and on the first page you get look on the right side margin. Just add your email address in the “subscribe” box and that’s it.

PLEASE NOTE: I have only one of each “hard to find” book that I just added to the store.

ALSO: If you live outside the United States and see something you like…please email me directly so that I can personally send you a paypal invoice. You can see all the designs and books in the shop but ordering for outside the US is not working at this time.

Further also…. I have no kits available but if you do not want to purchase supplies as you need them, Lois at Elegant Stitch, in Modesto California, will be making kits available to you. You can find her at www.ElegantStitch.com

"JUST SAYING"

Spike

May 18th, 2011
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Ok, another ufo in the works. I started this Dimples Design in 2000 and now I feel a draw to finish it. His name is Spike. Isn’t he handsome? And he has such an attitude…thinks he is “Mr. Tough Guy”. He is stitched on 32 count belfast Cream linen. Stitched over one thread. (Again, what the heck…was I nuts back in the day?) This is my last UFO…yep…it looks like I only had two. Can you believe that. So now my goal is to finish Spike, Shelley’s jewelry box, Learned Wife Sampler and my Scarlet letter sampler.

I am starting to look like a normal stitcher again and not a designer. And as I am changing my designs up I am having fun. I got quite a bit done on my Learned Wife Sampler but forgot to take a picture of it before I adjusted the linen on the q-snaps again so I will post a picture of it once I have finished it.

For now….here is Spike…

"JUST SAYING"

May 4th, 2011
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This is my progress on The Learned Wife Sampler. Of course I just had to make a few changes. Strange that I should pick something so blue. I really don’t like blue. Maybe I am changing now that I am retired. Honestly, I am getting really annoyed that I can’t get a picture that shows the true colors of this sampler. The linen is 30 count parchment from Weeks Dye Works and is really a beautiful light golden brown.

I am having so much fun with my “hobby” of stitching these days. I actually think I am getting the urge to change this project out and start on my jewelry box again. I will return….

"JUST SAYING"

The Learned Wife Sampler

April 26th, 2011
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Look what I found!


“One did commend me to a Wife both fair and young
that had French Spanish and Italian Tongue.
I thanked him kindly and told him I loved none such,
for I thought one tongue for a wife too much.
What love ye not the learned?
Yes, as my life, a learned schollar, but not a learned wife.

I love this sampler. It is The Learned Wife Sampler – c.1740 Maybe it caught me on a really good day because for some reason I just had to have it. How odd it is. And even today I am thinking that it will be my next new start. Actually, I think I am going to start a few new samplers and that way when I get bored with one I can just change it for another. So, once I pull threads and decide what linen I want to stitch it on I shall post a picture of my choices.

I am still working on Shelley’s Jewelry Box and my Joanna Warren 1655 sampler. Here is a new progress picture of Joanna Warren. It is slow going as you can see. But it is a fun sampler to stitch.

I am enjoying surfing the internet and checking out a lot of blogs. Gosh there are tons out there and so many wonderful stitching blogs. I bookmark the ones I really enjoy and find a lot of charts I want to stitch. Of course I would have to live for another 200 years. πŸ™‚

I hope you all had a fabulous, wonderful, and the best ever Easter yesterday. I did. What a beautiful day. I had the family here and we had a picnic outside. It was just a perfect day. I now have to get busy as I seem to always have cleaning to do. But, hmmmmm….I think I shall do just a bit of stitching first, or maybe, I shall check out some more blogs. Yep, I think cleaning can be put off for awhile longer. πŸ™‚ Hugs everyone!

"JUST SAYING"

OH MY HECK…LOOK AT THIS !

March 18th, 2011
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I am so excited.Β  Jill Rensel has just completed my FAS framing.Β  I just love it.Β  But then I knew I would as Jill was doing the job.Β  I have not gotten it back yet as she just finished it.Β  I told her to do whatever she thought would look best.Β  As a professional finisher I always loved it when I was given free reign to do whatever I wished.Β  Anyway, here is a picture.Β  Thank you so much Jill….I truly love it.Β  πŸ™‚

"JUST SAYING"

I’m Back

March 6th, 2011
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Hello again…I’m Back.

I think I am getting over my funk.Β Β  Lots of unpleasant things have happened to me in a short time but I am good now and I am ready to get back to stitching.Β  There are some changes though.Β  And I think you will all like them.

I have retired.Β  Well, not given up needlework altogether.Β  I still have my store, blog and message board; but I am not designing for retail any longer.Β  I am only designing and stitching for my enjoyment.Β  That means that when I do design anything it will be available for free.Β  I know, it sounds weird but I got very tired of the stress and pressure of a business.Β  I know it was my issue as you, my friends, are just wonderful. Anyway, I am now doing only what I want to do.Β  And since it is not a business that I care to make any money on I shall just share my designs, progress stitching and thoughts with all my stitching
friends at no charge.

I love the idea and I have lately been having fun stitching a Scarlet Letter reproduction that I started 14 years ago.Β  (progress picture follows)Β Next I will finish a jewelry box that I started for my daughter and when it is finished it will be a design that I share with you all.Β  (you know…a freebie) Then who-knows, maybe some Christmas ornaments or whatever.Β  πŸ™‚

So for now I am adding a progress picture of my Joanna Warren sampler. But I am stopping for the time being and starting on my new jewelry box. You can see a progress picture of it if you scroll down. It is the purple design. Don’t forget to come back and see more progress pictures as I go along. Once I have finished it I shall share it with whomever wants it.

Gosh, it’s good to be back. Hugs

"JUST SAYING"

A new start…

January 13th, 2011
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Once I finished my daughters sampler (minus the framing) I was ready to start something new. So I started looking through my stash. You know I have tons….what stitcher doesn’t? Anyway, I decided to finish a UFO instead of starting something new. I actually don’t have many UFO’s as I started professionally finishing early in my needle work experience. I did not start stitching by working on really small projects…not me! I always jump into things way over my head and just figure I can do it. So here is the UFO I choose to work on again. I started it in 1997. I can’t believe it has been 14 years…scary! I stitched my very first piece in 1996 (not even a year before) so you can see what I mean when I say I had no fear. Now 14 years later I am wondering what the heck!!! Was I nuts. I am trying to figure this out and it is taking me hours to actually get going on it again. I can’t figure out how I did it. This is full of satin stitches, button hole and detached button hole stitches, double running stitch, queen stitches…and where’s the cross stitch????? The chart is a challenge itself. What the heck???? It is for “advanced” and now I know what that means. Mind you 14 years ago I had no idea I had to be “advanced” to stitch this. Dah…what happened?

Anyway, here it is. This is a design I purchased from The Scarlet Letter. It is Joanna Warren 1655. For those that know me, you know I love DMC and hate working with silks. Well guess what…yep…I started using silk. Who knew? I had completed about 1/3 of this before putting it away. So, wish me luck. Hopefully, as I get into it again it will get easier. I shall keep you all updated.

"JUST SAYING"

Shelley’s Birth Sampler

January 10th, 2011
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I finished the stitching. Isn’t it just too cute? I just love the way it turned out. Now I need to frame it. I shall share with you how I frame it once I have actually done it. I think I know exactly what I want to do but sometimes that changes on me before I have finished. πŸ™‚ As you can see from the date on the sampler, I am late with her birthday. But, since she lives out-of-town and I will not see her for a few weeks I have time to finish it and she will never know the difference. I shall return with framing instructions for those interested.

"JUST SAYING"

HAPPY NEW YEAR….

January 4th, 2011
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Hello everyone. I hope you had a most wonderful new year. I have been quiet for a bit because I have been very stressed. A CT scan showed a spot on my sons lungs and he had to have a biopsy. Needless to say I have not been handling it too well. We are a very tight knit family and although he is 40 he is still my baby. What a wonderful new years gift we got when everything came back showing no cancer and a stamp of approval from the doctors.

I have also decided to take a little sabbatical for a bit. I am going to relax and do some relaxing stitching. I shall share with you when I do decided to do something small and hopefully post a few free designs on my blog for everyone to (hopefully) enjoy. Well, let’s say, “I will actually post the free design on my message board and give you all a picture here on my blog.” Then if you are interested you can pick it up on my message board.

This is the chart I am presently working on. I decided to stitch my daughter a sampler so she will always remember who she is. She is presently in the middle of a divorce right now and I think it might be fun to get her birth name in print. πŸ™‚ It is a chart from The Cross-Eyed Cricket and designed by Vicki Hastings. I am really enjoying stitching it. I am changing the girl around a bit to suit my tastes and I just have to give her red hair like my daughter. πŸ™‚ I will post another picture once it is finished.

"JUST SAYING"

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL…

December 22nd, 2010
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Sneak Peek

November 30th, 2010
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First of all let me mention that the drawing for the beautiful Unicorn Stitcher’s Treasure Box will be tomorrow oops, I mean today. I shall post the winner on the message board. Good luck to all who entered. You still have today to get your entries in. Visit the message board to find out who won.

This is a sneak peek at the new design I have been working on but moving very slowly. I have mentioned it a few times and I thought I might just add a picture of what the design is going to look like. This is a design I have re-visited. Some of you may remember the Simple Elegance book I designed when I first started this needle work business of mine. This is going to be a jewelry box and the stitch design is a mix of the out-of-print Simple Elegance and the Array of Style free sampler I offered on the message board just recently. I hope you all like it. This, of course is only one side. And, as is usual for me, it will be very simple to change the colors to your favorite colors.

I am thinking that now that Thanksgiving is over I may move along on this a little faster than I have been moving. I want to get it finished before Christmas as it is a Christmas gift for my daughter. Hmmmmm….her birthday is in January and I may have to make it a birthday present. Now that’s a thought.

"JUST SAYING"

Christmas Random Drawing

November 22nd, 2010
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Happy Holidays everyone. Wow…it’s here and I am so behind on my stitching I need a few more months to catch up. I think I am out-of-luck on this though. I have decided to do something a little different this year. I am still hoping to add a Christmas ornament for the members of my message board but I have so much to do I am getting a little concerned that I may not get it done. So….I have decided to have a Christmas drawing for all the members. What is it they say…many will enter, only one will win. This is true but hey, all it takes is a quick posting to enter and it may be you that wins. So if you are not a member of the message board as yet you might like to join us as this beautiful box may be yours. Who knows….someone will win and it may as well be you.

A little about the box you may win: This was the first year the Designing Ladies got together, 2005. Wow, it seems impossible it has been so long. This particular box is the Unicorn Box and the stitch design was by the amazing designer from Germany, Martina Weber of Chatelaine Designs. I designed the actual box and I finished this particular box. As a group the complete design was entitled “A Stitcher’s Treasure Box” and this is just one of many designers from all over the world that designed one of these boxes. This Unicorn box is covered with beads, metallic threads and specialty stitches. It truly is breathtaking to see in person.

So if you are not a member of the JAT message board yet, now is the time. Just click on “Register” in the top menu bar to register and don’t forget to send me a private message with your USERNAME so I can activate you. i activate no member requests unless I get a personal email along with the submitted registration. This is my way of keeping spammers out of our message board.

Oh heck…I forgot…would you all like to see the beautiful box that could be yours? πŸ™‚ HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE. TIS THE SEASON πŸ™‚

"JUST SAYING"