Welcome December! Another month has flown by!

What a whirlwind last week was with Thanksgiving! No time for sewing for those 4 days around Thanksgiving. Too busy with family and my three grandchildren who certainly keep me on my toes!
Nothing but silence now which is alright with me! hehe

So I have many New Primitive creations looking for new homes!

I love making these snowmen and tree make do's! Their faces make me smile :)

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 I now have a pattern available for my Primitive Christmas Angel Cat Ornie! You can find it in my Etsy Shop here Rock River Stitches
All creations you see here are there too!

These sweet little Primitive Nesting birds are so cute! I have one available along with the pattern for them! Super easy pattern to make up quick to decorate your tree!!

This Primitive Candlestick tree turned out so cool!! Available in my Etsy Shop!

So this is what I've been up to lately! Time to get back to work as I have several new ideas!!

Christmas in the Works!

Oh no....Looks like it's been awhile since I've posted anything. Been super busy as usual. 

Now that November is here, time to think about Christmas! Yikes...Where did the year go!

I have a new item for Christmas 2015! Now available in my Etsy Shop here  Rock River Stitches

Happy Fall!

Where did Summer go!? Happy Fall to you all!

We have a gorgeous day today. Not really feeling like fall as the temp is 81º. I always get a urge to go shopping for pumpkins and gourds this time of the year. Is it too early? 

Last week this sweet little baby squirrel appeared from I don't know where. Maybe he fell out of his nest. He was so tiny. Following my hubby around and walking over his shoes. Did not seem to afraid of humans. He did let me pet his back.

He was loving all the crushed acorns on our driveway. 

I love my black squirrels! We have many in our area. They were first introduced to our area back in the late 1800's. 

And speaking of something Black....I have this adorable Primitive Halloween Bat

available in my Etsy Shop! Just in time for Halloween!!

click on this link to my shop Rock River Stitches

A Glimpse into my World of Monarch Butterflies!

Hello Friends! 

Thought I would let you know what I have been up to this summer! 

Every summer I raise Monarch Butterflies! I've been raising these amazing creatures for about 5 years now. 

It all starts with growing milkweed plants to attract them. I watch for Monarchs to lay their eggs on the plants. Then I pluck the leaf off and bring inside to raise. Most eggs don't make it because of other insects eating the egg or the tiny newborn caterpillars.

 Once they emerge from the egg, you have to continually feed them more milkweed leaves. The whole process from egg to butterfly is around 25 days.

So far this year I have raised and released 23 Butterflies!!

A first for me this year is tagging the butterflies before releasing them. During the summer the butterflies go through 4 generations. Right now is the 4th and last generation  will travel to Mexico for the winter. 

I write down the tag code number, sex of butterfly, date of the release, city and state. When I have completed my tagging I send off my info to Monarchwatch.org.  Sometime during the Winter the people of mexico search through the mass amounts of butterflies to find the ones with tags. They record the information for research.

Monarch numbers have been dwindling for the past 10 years due to the milkweed plant being sprayed with weedkiller and other environmental issues.

So please if you can, grow milkweed or start a butterfly garden!! Save the Monarchs!

In other news....I've taken a little break from sewing and have been creating with polymer clay!

I've been making vintage style Necklaces! Please check them out in my Etsy shop, Rock River Stitches

These were so much fun to make! Brought back very fond memories when I was a kid and my mother had a ceramic class she taught in our home. I would spend hours creating with clay and then my mom would fire them in her kiln.

So this is all the exciting news for now....until then...have a great week my friends!

More Fall Goodies!

The cooler temps lately sure have me thinking Fall is just around the corner. So here are my latest creations which are available in my Rock River Stitches Etsy Shop

 Lately I've been analyzing my work. Is my work really any good? I thought I was becoming a better artist last year with a few new creations. And then I was chosen by Etsy as a featured artist in October 2014, which was huge. This is something I've never had run through my brain before. I've created a few new items lately, but I'm like.... Are they what people are interested in? Am I wasting my time. I find myself thinking of other creative venues that I might want to try. I'm going in circles. Don't know.

Primitive Halloween Boo Black Cat Dolls

Hello Blogging Friends! I have a couple of sweet black cat dolls ready for purchase in my Etsy Shop, Rock River Stitches!!

Aren't they fabulous in their beautiful Halloween print dresses! I loved making them and it will be hard to say good bye. 

Have to make this post a little short as a big storm is almost here and better get off the computer. 

Thanks for stopping by!! 

Happy Monday!

Getting A little Spooky!

I have a few new pumpkins to offer you! They are listed in my etsy shop right here Rock River Stitches

 And I do offer a pattern for the Primitive Silhouette Pumpkins in my etsy shop!

Thanks for stopping by my blogging friends!

Primitive Halloween Silhouette Pattern!

Since I've had many requests for a pattern of my Primitive Halloween Silhouette Pumpkin, it is now available in my etsy shop here at Rock River Stitches

It includes 3 silhouette designs. You may mix and match the designs for a one of a kind Halloween Pumpkin!

Here is the Haunted House design I was talking about in my last post. Sorry the Pumpkin has already sold. Trying to get more finished pumpkins back in my shop. Will post a message on here when I have more available!

We have a heat advisory today, as it's going to get up into the 90's. The humidity is terrible. You could cut it with a knife!

Captured this adorable photo of a fawn the other morning in my backyard slowly walking up to a rabbit to check it out. I'll title it "Bambi meets Thumper" hehe. Took it with my phone so it's not the greatest quality. Wish I had my Canon camera with me at that time. You never know what is going to happen with nature!

Enough for now...need to fire up the sewing machine. Primitive Halloween Silhouette Pumpkins on my mind! Think they will be for awhile! ;)

Time to Create!

So I've started up the old sewing machine again. I have a few new Halloween ideas floating  around in my head. And one of the ideas I just finished! 

Introducing my new Primitive Halloween Silhouette Pumpkins!

These two pumpkins are available and listed in my etsy shop here Rock River Stitches

Currently working on another with a Haunted House scene! Hope to have that one finished by the weekend! If I get a big interest in these pumpkins, I may offer a pattern for them!!

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Found these sweet fawns along with their mama in my backyard this morning. What a wonderful start to my Wednesday!

It was a rather cool morning, only in the 50's and didn't warm up much either. Think the high was in the upper 60's. Way cool for July! 

In other news, I'm having a clearance sale in my other etsy shop on my glass photo pendant necklaces. Buy One Get One Free! 

Stop in and check out what I have to offer here Red Oak Images.  Never too early to start your Christmas Shopping! 

I also have a wonderful line of photo pillow covers which are very popular! All are made with my beautiful photography images.

So until next time, have a wonderful day!!

It's Been Awhile

I do apologize for not posting in about 6 months. The days just get away from me and I forget. Plus I'm not sure too many people even read my blog. Just been busy with family and so forth. I've taken a little break from my primitive creating somewhat. Now is the time to start back up as the holidays will be here before you know it.   

I had a few of my Primitives  published in the latest issue of Prims Magazine which was very cool!

My Bunny Doll sold just before Easter, but I have several of my birds for sale in my etsy shop here Rock River Stitches

And I've restocked my etsy shop with many of my Primitive Wool Appliqued Coin Purses. Never to early to get started on Christmas shopping!

These are just a few of what I have to offer!

Been spending a lot of my time when it's not raining, in my gardens! Milkweed are in full bloom and waiting for the arrival of the Monarch Butterflies. I did capture this amazing butterfly on Sunday. 

It's a Northwestern Fritillary. I was very excited to see it as I've never seen one before.

Well I must get busy with something, so until next time! 

Primitive Easter Bunny *New*

Working very hard on getting my etsy shop stocked up again. I'm so happy with the way this new Dutch Bunny Doll turned out! He is now listed in my etsy shop! Rock River Stitches

What is more cuter then a bunny nose! 

Feather stitched Egg comes with Bunny

And a new flock of Prim Owls have flown into my Etsy shop as well!

And the winter weather just keeps on keeping on. Had about a inch yesterday and received a few more inches this morning!

Last weekend Hubby and I got up with the sun and took a few sunrise shots along the Mississippi River

And I was so surprised to see these robins!