Who's Ready for Fall?!

 Can you believe it is almost September? Where did the Summer go! We have finally cooled off here in the midwest with temps in the low 80's. We sure could use some rain. It's been probably close to 3 weeks since our last rainfall. 

So I've been busy sewing these adorable giant Acorns! Made from recycled wool and cotton canvas. 

 These are perfect for shelf decor or on a tiered tray!

You can find these in my Etsy Shop here ---> Rock River Stitches

 Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day!

Fall in the Dakota's

A few weeks ago hubby and I took a much needed vacation to South Dakota. I hadn't been there since I was a teenager with my parents. I've been wanting to visit again, so off we went! So easy now that hubby is retired.

 The Badlands

Awesome driving through a herd of buffalo where the wild animals rule the road!

 Devils Tower in Wyoming

 As we were walking the trail that goes all the way around devils tower, saw this guy hiking up it!

Amazing place to visit! Love it!

 Mt. Rushmore! 

Crazy Horse Monument. Couldn't believe how much progress they had made since my last visit as a kid. When I was there in the early seventies you could barely make out crazy horses face!

I got very busy on sewing when I got home from vacation and here are a few items that I have made up and are available to purchase from my etsy shop!

  

 My Etsy Shop <<

Thanks for stopping by my blog! 

Peace and Love to All!

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

New Primitive Fall Dolls!

Busy busy! I have a couple new Primitive Cat Dolls and a new pattern for my Primitive Pumpkin Pincushion!

First...here are my new dolls now listed in my Etsy Shop! You can find them here ----> Rock River Stitches

Both of them are pretty large dolls measuring around 20" tall when upright.

Plus I now have a pattern available for this guy!

You can find the pattern in my Etsy Shop and also at Pattern Mart!

Both available for instant download and paper pattern. 

I still have my pattern sale going on in my Etsy Shop! Buy 2 get one Free!

Ghosts A Plenty

I think I'm on a roll! I've gotten orders finished and other things listed on etsy and ebay! I have one of my favorite Ghost Door Doll's newly listed on ebay along with a Pumpkin Ghost Shelf Sitter. The pattern for this guy is very popular right now!

Click here --> EBAY for my current items for sale! I plan to get started on Christmas items very soon.

And these guys will be listed tonight on ebay.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday evening! Time to get back to sewing!

Primitive Halloween BOO Stocking

Happy Monday to all my blogger friends! I'm officially done creating for Halloween for this year! I finished up this stocking yesterday for a customer. She wanted a Halloween stocking, so I just kind of put things together that I had already had made that were in my finished but not finished box. I made the stocking and added them. I think it turned out quit nice!

Here is a little something I did today with some of the gourds from my fall display from last year. I dried a few gourds that I liked the best in my garage over the winter. I took my moldy gourd and under running water I scrubbed it good. Then let it dry for a few hours.

Couldn't get very much of the mold spots off, but that is OK because I painted it with acrylic paint, to look just like it was last fall! Don't ya think it looks amazing!!!

Now I can keep it to bring out every year!!!

I'm working a new more new Christmas items, so stay tuned for those updates!!!

Have a wonderful evening!

Update on Early Work Mercantile

I just updated my page late last night at Early Work Mercantile. Stop by and see what I have along with some other amazing artist there as well. I'm starting to get into the Christmas mood now that Halloween is almost here. Have to keep one step ahead of the game. Here's what I am offering this month.

"A" and "D" have been sold as of today.

And Mr. Jingles is still for sale.

Last weekend Daughter and grandchildren were visiting from NC while her hubby was at a seminar in NY. My daughter was here to go to her 10 year high school reunion. I can hardly believe that it has been that long. They grow up so fast. But it was great fun having them visit. They totally worn this grandma out! Harder now with 2 grands visiting, especially with a 8 month old crawling everywhere!

Here's my little Max just after he woke up the last morning they were here.

We did manage to do a lot in the 3 days that they were here. We made a trip to the pumpkin patch at Country Corner. They had a small petting zoo which my granddaughter loved!

Couldn't resist taking some pics of the goats. I'm a big goatie fan.

Miss Cora sitting on top of one of the giant decorated pumpkins.

Cora with her one apple she just couldn't wait to eat along with a wagon full of gourds and pumpkins.

And here is a little display I made up when I got home using a wagon that was my two daughters when they were little. I love my orange mums blooming in the background.

Fall Color Is Starting

Lately I've gotten addicted to a site called Pinterest. Pinterest is a virtual pinboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web.

You can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests.

While looking around there you can find some amazing photos and ideas to decorate your home. I happened upon a photo which had a link to Country Living website on how to make crow silhouettes that you can print out on your printer! Loved the idea, so I thought I would give it a try. Click on this link--->Bird Silhouettes for the tutorial. The directions call for you to use static cling decal sheets that you get at Office Depot, which you can only get if you go to their store. Can't get them online. I tried to find them. So I ended up buying something similar to print the crows out on. I used a product called Clear Decals For Windows by Avery. And the only way I could find this was by ordering it through Amazon.com. These decals are a little different from the static cling ones. They are a little tacky on the back but they can be peeled off and stuck back on. The crow on the bottom left was a little large for this window. I just wanted to show you the three different crows you can print. I was amazed at how well they turned out!!

Just noticed yesterday that the leaves are turning here in NW Illinois. In about 2 or 3 weeks they will be at their peak. I have several mum plants and one is in full bloom right now.

And I harvested my so called "Apple Gourds" What a disappointment they turned out to be. I contacted the farm that I bought the apple gourd from last fall about what happened to them. I sent them photos and they seem to think that the seeds that I planted, from the apple gourd that I dried over this last winter, had been cross pollinated with a snake gourd when it was growing. The lengths of these gourds were 22", 20", 17" and 13". I have no idea what to do with these giants. Let me know if you have any ideas. So I will be trying again next year. Not sure what kind of gourds I will be growing then. I have all winter to think about that.

So that is what I've been up to lately beside orders. I've been trying to keep up. I really need to start saying no to some people. I don't have time to work on new projects! And I will get absolutely nothing done when my daughter comes back home for her 10 year high school class reunion with my 2 grandchildren the end of this week!

Wooly Bear Caterpillar

It's that time of the year again for these little guys to be found crawling across your driveway. When my daughters were little, they would catch them and put them in their baby strollers and give me a ride. :) Here's some info on how to catch one and raise it into a Tiger Moth.

How to Capture a Bear

1.Find a brown and black banded woolly bear caterpillar in October (check the lawn, garden, or even the road.

2.Put it in a clear plastic jar with a lid (be sure to punch holes in the lid)

3.Add a twig in the jar and include some fresh grass for your bear to eat. Note: Put fresh grass in everyday. Soon your bear will tire of perching on the twig and will go to sleep on the bottom.

4.Remove any remaining grass but leave the twig in the jar all winter long.

5.Find a place outside that is protected from bad weather (a covered porch is nice) and you will be able to watch it hibernate.

6.In the spring, when weeds start to turn green it is time to feed your bear. Feed it fresh grass every day. Soon it will spin its magic cocoon of silk.

7.In about a week it will become the Isabella Tiger moth. On a nice day, take the jar outside and set your "tiger" free.

My Scared Black Cat

Just listed this on ebay tonight. I think it turned out pretty good! It was a fun one to make. I might make up a pattern for it if it does well.

Black Cat

So I finally think I am getting into the Halloween mode now. Here is a new Halloween item I made a couple of days ago. I just love the way the little pumpkin guys turned out! Kind of cute and scary. LOL I'm selling this right now on eBay. Yes....I said eBay. Thought I would give eBay another chance since Halloween has always been my best season for selling there. I'm working on making up a pattern for this kitty and should have it for sale on Pattern Mart,Ebay,Etsy and my website within the next couple of days.

Pumpkin Pickin

Yesterday the girls and I went to pick out our pumpkins for Halloween. It was a very warm day for this time of the year. This place, we went to, was awesome! They had huge fields full of pumpkins. It was a great place to take the family. You could pick red raspberries, but the bushes were done for the year. Will have to go a little earlier next year.