Lace Halloween Houses

First off I would like to thank Kathryn at The Dedicated House for featuring me on her Make it Pretty blog party today. I am very excited to have my Princess Party table chosen and to be the Tablescape Queen for this Monday.

Halloween is almost here and it will be time to decorate for Thanksgiving and then the biggie – Christmas. Do the rest of you have more Christmas than you know what to do with? I do too, so when we got the Christmas village lace embroideries into the store I decided that I would make a Halloween village.

I was able to get two of them stitched out for this year. Hopefully, I will get the rest done for next year. And yes I will be making them as the intended Christmas Village as well. Because really, don't we always make, redo or buy something to add to what we have?

I set them up on the sideboard in the dining room with the queen of the pumpkin spiders looming behind.





The Victorian House and the Town Hall were completed.



I used my BERNINA V6 Designer Plus software to change Town Hall to the Hall – oween. I also changed the time so it was a quarter to witching hour. The funny thing is I ended up with a ghost”e” on the clock face.



I started by bringing the design into V6.



I ungrouped the design, deleted the “t” from town, and moved “ow  n” to the right side. While the design was ungrouped I turned the time forward.



I then I cut the “e” from the lettering on the Bakery. It needed to be sized down, and there is that must be how I have a ghost. The original size is floating on the clock face. But that’s the kind of thing that happens on Halloween - right?



The applique fabric used was Northcott’s Stonehenge. I had just the right amount of darkness with a little silver sparkle.



The pieces were stitched out on two layers of OESD Aqua Mesh, rinsed, pressed between a towel, and laid to dry. The piece with the large circles allows you to place three battery powered tea-lights inside.



Susan our store manager played Bob the builder and took care of  construction. Very time consuming. I believe I may owe her a perk.



(Or two).



On the sideboard with my white pumpkins.



Call or come by Bolts in the Bathtub if you want to to build your own village. Check our online shop on Wednesday to order embroidery designs.

Stitch at You Soon,
Dawna

Partying with :
Kathryn  - Make It Pretty Monday
A Stroll Thru Life - Tabletop Tuesday

Studio Sunday #6 – Susan Rios

A couple of weeks ago while Nancy Bednar was visiting we dropped by Susan Rios’ studio. Nancy wanted to pick out a picture as a present to celebrate her special (she called it scary) birthday.

I of course was only too happy to take her as I have been in love with Susan’s artwork for over 20 years and have been blessed to have become a  friend in the last few years. I  featured some of her paintings in these previous posts - Greeting Fall & Breakfast with Susan Rios.

Her gate is open so let’s step inside.



There is an adorable wrought iron chair just inside the gate. I’ll bet she’s used it in one of her paintings.



There is great light from the two corner windows. A work in process rests on the easel.



The lower painting Rose Arbor, Descanso Gardens is an original available on her site HERE. Gazing at it gives a  feeling of serenity. Although this is a large piece, she has pieces as small as 6 x 8 inches.



The stack of ribbons are attached to items in preparation for an upcoming  Holiday Boutique.



Shelves of canvases in many sizes.



More stacked in the corner. A Toast to Friendship hangs on the wall. The are two sizes  to choose from.



A little vignette of romance. I have a similar Eiffel Tower that I used in my Peggy Went to Paris tablescape. Susan’s is much taller than mine.



Pencils stored in  hand painted buckets and



in vintage pottery and cream & sugar bowls. Isn’t this a beautiful way to store supplies? 



A pumpkin was dressed as a bat princess for the season on Susan’s desk.



The setting was beautiful



as we made our way back to the car.



Whether they depict lush gardens, floral sanctuaries, or intimate corners made for lazy afternoons with a friend, her acrylic paintings and her drawings offer a feeling of coziness, peacefulness and a surprising sense of familiarity that we instantly connect with. (From Susan’s website).

Thank you Susan for allowing us a lovely afternoon. Visit Susan’s website susanriosdesign.com to see more of her work.  For the record I received nothing in exchange for this post, I just truly love Susan’s work and am thankful for how it enriches my life.

Stitch at you Soon,
Dawna

PaintWorks with the 780E

I have been playing with PaintWork portion of DesignWorks on  the 780E. You can purchase just the tool or the tool and software. PaintWork and CrystalWork only work (LOL) with the 580E, 750E, 780E & 830E.



After opening the DesignWork software I chose the Paris file of the Eiffel Tower. It comes into the software in the Jumbo  Hoop.



I sent the design and resized it once it was on the 780.  If you don’t resize the machine will stop every time the design is outside of the hoop.

The PaintWorks tool is attached in place of the presser foot. There are four different sized holders for pens. The pens that come with your box fit in holder #4.

Below the pen is set into holder with the guard up out of the way. Make sure it is down as you place your hoop on the machine.





As embroidery machines are color blind I changed the ink color so my Eiffel Tower and Paris were pink. I left the city and the outline black.



The screen counts done time just as it does while embroidering.



It is interesting to watch how the design was digitized.



A section will be partially painted and the tool returns after an area has dried. Below, the lamppost is receiving the outline.




Finished!



I made one in brown and black as well. I am thinking they will be great pillows.



Drop by your local BERNINA dealer and watch the PaintWork Tool in action.

Au Revoir, Stitch at you Soon,
Dawna

Bats & Spiders–A Halloween Tablescape

The dining room has been infected with bats & spiders. There are bats swarming the chandelier and spiders guarding the plates.



Cobwebs have formed on the glassware and table decorations, that must mean you are late to the table as I am sure it wasn’t like that when I set it.



The butler has even turned into a mummy! 



And whatever he was going to serve looks as if it has become a skeleton. Careful, there’s one of the spiders on his shoulder.



Since you are here, let me share the table that I set for you.



Would you like a beverage? It’s garnished with bat. Just swirl the cobwebs into your drink, I’m sure they’ll dissolve.





At least the haunted house is too small to be a bother.



Please be seated. Don’t worry the branches are dormant and won’t hurt you.




I’ve shaken the spider off your napkin, so you may sit down. I do hope he’s not on your chair.



Oh, there he is above your plate. In amongst the cobwebs and the branches. It looks like he is crawling the other direction, so you should be safe. For a while at least.



Would you like an appetizer?



What kind of eggs do you think they are?



As long as we are fairly quiet the bats should remain in the chandelier.



I’m so glad you came to visit, I enjoyed sharing my table with you. I’ll try to clean out the vermin before you visit again.



Stitch at you Soon,
Dawna

Vermin Cast :
Tablecloth & Napkins  - Moda’s Haunted Mansion
Placemats – Home Goods
Chargers – Ceriart – Home Goods
Dinner Plate  - Blanca Petals – HG
Salad Plate – Home _ ??? Years ago
Glasses – Mervyn’s – 16 years ago
Haunted Basket – Longaberger
Bat Dish – Target – A week ago
Bat Garland – Target – Last Year
Candelabra – ??? Ages ago

Partying with :
Between Naps on the Porch - Tablescape Thursday
No Minimalist Here - Open House Party
French Country Cottage - Feathered Nest Friday
The Tablescaper - Seasonal Sunday