Pins & Needles Pinpoke ~

Welcome dear needlefolk friends!

My sincere apologies for such a late post...internet 
connection problems due to yet another major storm!

But, like the old saying goes, 
"Better late than never"

~:::~

Little Sparrow Pinkeep Club Update...

The rain finally stopped...allowing me to chance to get 
a photo of the finished model!

"Pins & Needles Pinpoke" ~ Club kit #3

My fabric shopping went well, the three colors in
this print are a perfect match to three of the 
thread colors...love it!

Everything is cut, just need to go to the 
print shop next week.

The scheduled ship date for the club kits 
is on OR before Friday, September 30th.

~:::~

Every night I've been working late on the
re~organization project under way in my Studio.

I feel exactly like my squirrel friend...

Totally exhausted after moving, pushing and 
lifting lots of heavy furniture & stuff!

Lots of progress and starting to see light
at the end of the tunnel...yay!

Hope to start sharing some photos in 
the next few weeks.

Once everything is running smoothly, 
I hope to start posting again more often!

~:::~

This past Sunday was spent on a nice
relaxing country drive with my 
two favorite guys...husband Bill & son Sam!

Photos are compliments of Sam...

He is just so fast at taking drive by photos, 
unlike me who has to have everything perfectly
still before I can snap a photo!

Can you see the camouflaged sheep on the 
mound of hay? 

Barnyard friends having lunch together...love it!

Right in the middle of this country road was
this old dilapidated shed, the narrow road circled
around it...just like a turn about!

Love the weathered boards and rusty roof!

Here you can see better how the road circles
around it.

Frozen in time...two old fence post with barbed wire!

From this angle you can really see its age!

No two Sunday drives are every alike...endless country 
roads to explore!

~:::~

This past week Wisconsin & Minnesota have been 

hit really hard with monsoon like rains!

Farm fields are under water... 

Large round bales of hay floating after flash flooding!

We had water in our basement,
and the weather forecast is predicting more flash flooding!

~:::~

Weekend Soul Food...

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the 
most High shall abide under the
shadow of the Almighty.

Psalms 91:1...KJV

~:::~

Hope you're enjoying Autumn's changing 
colors in your area! 

Sweet Blessings, Tammy

Little Sparrow Club ~ Sneak Peek

Welcome dear needlefolk friends!

I have a confession to make...I've been working

secretly on a BIG, REAL BIG undertaking!

The secret project is ~ a complete reorganization

of my Studio...sectioning off the back quarter of my 

building as my private design/work area, and allowing

the rest of the space to be reopened as an

Antique & Needlework Shop!

Right now it looks like a tornado has hit, 

complete mess, but little by little things are

falling into place!

More details will follow over the next several weeks!

~:::~

Little Sparrow Pinkeep Club Sneak Peek...

"Pins & Needles" Pinpoke ~ Club Kit No. 3

©2016 Scattered Seed Samplers

I hope you will like the lovely Autumn colors!

Club linen will include 36ct Edinburgh Summer Khaki.

Saturday, I'll be out fabric hunting for just the 

right backing fabric...wish me good luck!

It's never to late to join the club,

here are pics of the first two kits...

"Come Dance With Me" Pinkeep...Kit No. 1

And club Kit No. 2...

"Mend Thy Soul" Tailor's Roll

If you think you might be interested in joining,

memberships are still available through

my Etsy Shoppe...

To check it out click on the Bird above 

or HERE

The scheduled ship date for the new kit is

Friday, September 30th.

~:::~

Our big ditch here on the farm where we dump

grass clippings, weeds, etc. is completely covered with

wild volunteer pumpkins...

The last time we had such a huge harvest 

was about four or five years ago...the weather

conditions must be just right this year!

...it's going to be a great harvest this year!

Thank you kindly, Mother Nature for such

a wonderful gift!

~:::~

Look who I found on the hood of my 

White Kia Soul...

Probably thinking...she needs a car wash!

My, what BIG EYES you have my friend!

~:::~

Early morning sunrise photos

taken here on the farm by my husband...

Love the hills in the far background!

I was still in bed sleeping...didn't get to enjoy

these intense colors!

Goldenrod, so lovely this time of year!

My pottery crow keeps an ever watchful

eye on things here on the farm!

On guard 24/7

This is a landing pole for my feathered friends,

made by my dear husband!

My mother's old windmill, rusty, 

but still spinning with the winds of time!

~:::~

Weekend Soul Food...

Show me thy ways, O Lord;

teach me thy paths.

Lead me in thy truth, and teach me:

for thou art the God of my salvation;

on thee do I wait all the day.

Psalm 25:4~5...KJV

~:::~

Wishing everyone a spectacular weekend...enjoy

doing all the things YOU love most!

Keep it simple, Tammy

In the Workes ~

Welcome dear needlefolk friends!

Most of the day it has been raining,

bringing much cooler temps and

less humidly...yes!

September is time for 

Little Sparrow Pinkeep Club's 

next kit release...

The design is all finished and ready 

to start stitching!

The kit linen will be 36ct. Edinburgh Summer Khaki,

and these are the tentative floss colors.

Looks like I'll have a fun stitch filled weekend

ahead!

~:::~ 

Do you still love a good traditional calendar?

If so, you're in luck...

Yay, the new 

A Needlework Enthusiast's 

"2017 Book of Days" 

are now available once again!

The calendar size is a 9 by 12 softcover calendar booklet

with the twelve months of the year.

This nice size is perfect for a desktop or fits nicely into you

favorite sewing bag.

This is a month~at~a~glance calendar featuring quotes, 

vintage art, and is very user friendly!

Each month has a section where you can write your notes

& musings, or use as a journal of your stitching

projects.

Also, includes a page to list email addresses, websites, 

phone numbers, and antique charted motifs for your use.

This special calendar is perfect for needlefolk who

love samplers, or to give as a gift to a 

needlefolk friend!

Available in my Etsy Shoppe ~ click HERE

*****

Also, from Needlework Press are these

wonderful Notecards...

They come packaged as a set of six as shown above,

featuring vintage sampler designs, motifs,

and alphabets.

Also available in my Esty Shoppe ~ click HERE

~:::~ 

The mosquitoes are horrible this year,

taking the fun out of walking here on the farm!

My walking route in West Salem or at the Mall

 has been a real lifesaver, plus I get to see

 exciting things along the way...

At first, I thought this was a statue of a Bald Eagle,

until the head slowly starting moving...

He was watching me very closely, 

just as I was watching him!

One final look and he was off!

I love admiring flowers along the way...

I don't know what these are...but sure are pretty!

Black Eyed Susan and Purple Coneflower,

Easy to identify and always charming!

Loaded Crab Apple Trees...

Clusters everywhere!

Soon they'll be falling on the sidewalk!

~:::~ 

Weekend Soul Food...

Every way of a man is right in his own eyes:

but the Lord pondereth the hearts.

Proverbs 21:2...KJV

~:::~ 

It's time for me to get that linen cut so 

I can start stitching on that model!

Enjoy the gorgeous Autumn air!

Kindly, Tammy 

The Early Workbasket ~ Figural Tape Measures ~

Welcome dear needlefolk friends!

Hope you're enjoying the fresh beginnings 
of the beautiful month of September!

Today, the first Friday of the month,
 means it is time for my special
monthly feature, please meet
three lovely girls who are
excited to give the 
introduction...

The Early Workbasket ~
This months topic is...Figural Tape Measures

Far from being a simple means of measurement, 
tape measures were often an expression of creativity,
artistry and or humor.  

These three lovely ladies are made of Celluloid.
Their origin is typically either Germany or Japan,
and have a spring mechanism.

Next up...

Barrel style tape measures are generally made
of vegetable ivory and bone.  

These will usually have a Wind~Up mechanism on top, 
which winds the tape back into the barrel.

The first one is extra special because the wind~up nob
mechanism also has a Stanhope!


Metal Tapes...

Metal tapes are very desirable to the collector!
Anywhere from sterling silver, white metal, lead, 
brass, to Vienna bronze/brass.

Metal tapes generally have a crank wind up 
handle mechanism.

My little brass bear is extremely rare...

Made of brass with lots of detail, 
cloth tape with a wonderful crank wind up!

Look closely...

For small maker's mark or markings
designating that it's Sterling Silver...sometimes
very small, hidden and requires a good loop
style magnifying glass! 

Next, Relief Style tapes...

Many times a Relief Style animal will
be brass and have glass eyes...such as the Owl.

Relief Style tapes will generally be of German origin,
and have a spring mechanism.

Sterling Silver Turtles...

An original sterling turtle is rare and
very desirable...beware lots of reproductions in 
circulation!

What to look for...

An original will be made of Sterling Silver or Brass,
 and should say either:

"Pull My Head But Not My Leg"
OR
"Other Turles Have Four Feet I Have Seven"

The sterling/brass should have a wonderful old patina,

and the tape should be cloth not metal!

A metal tape is a sure sign of a reproduction...beware!


Rare Bird to look for...

This is a porcelain Enesco Bird from Japan,
with real feathers, pincushion and...

From its mouth springs forth a wonderful
tape measure!

And for a more humble little critter...

These fellows are many times passed by
not knowing that they are a pinkeep
and tape measure all in one!

The end of the tail is so camouflaged with 
matching fabric that it can be easily 
overlooked, unless you know what
to look for!

This style of animal is generally packed 
with traditional saw dust.

 Collecting tape measures can be a fascinating
 adventure with endless critters to be discovered! 

These are my two favorite tape collector
books...wow, you would be amazed at the wonderful
gorgeous tapes that where made!

Figural type tape measures were popular 
from about 1820 through the 1950's.

Hope you enjoyed September's topic! 

The next scheduled Early Workbasket will be
Friday, October 7th...mark your calendar!

:):::(:

Schoolgirl Samplar Club Update...

With the help from my dear friend Ona,
the assemble line is officially ready
to start bagging the kits!

Due to Labor Day on Monday, the 
 scheduled ship date is Tuesday, September 6th.

:):::(:

Weekend Soul Food...

As a bird that wandereth
from her nest, so is a man that
wandereth from his place.

Proverbs 27:8...KJV

:):::(:

Here in my neighborhood, 
the weatherman is forecasting a 
gorgeous weekend ahead!

My feet are anxious to hit the pavement
and enjoy a nice long walk...after I 
finish working on kitting!

Hope YOU too will have time to enjoy
the cooler Autumn air!

Blessings, Tammy