Boutis Kits on Sale

For one month, my patterns and kits are on sale for 10% off.

Please visit my Etsy site and try your hand at a beginner Boutis project!

Each kit contains all the materials necessary to complete your project.  Give it a try!

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Three Ornaments

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Two Hearts

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One Scissor Case in your choice of colors!

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HAPPY HOLIDAYS!   Averyclaire

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My Last Finishes for 2016

I know this post is somewhat late, but better late than never.  Most of these finishes were done in November before Thanksgiving.  I took the month of December off.  We had a death in the family and spent a week in Colorado for a memorial service.  I was also on the mend from a simple, but serious health problem. Luckily the meds have worked wonders and I now am feeling my “old”, but new self again!  I also have been busy designing some new boutis patterns, but they are quite a ways from being brought to fruition!  So in the meanwhile, if you haven’t tried this beautiful French stitching, please think about purchasing my ornament kit.  It is simple to work up and is a great introduction to French Boutis.  It is available on my Etsy page.

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Pat sewed this lovely pillow and found the perfect fabric for me to finish it with!

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I loved this fabric so much that I decided to quilt the back of the pillow!

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Beautiful stitching, Pat, and beautiful colors!

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Pat also stitched this lovely grey ring bearer pillow for her daughter’s wedding.  She gave it to her as a Christmas gift.  Perfect!

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Just look at all those scrumptious beads she used!

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Lena stitch this simple, but elegant tree ornament.  She has someone named Hope that she gives an ornament to each year….this one is filled with “hope”!!!

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Lena also stitched this adorable penguin.  I couldn’t resist adding the white “snowball” (mini pom pom) trim and the red ribbon with “snowflakes” as well as the snowflake charm.

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And Lena also found this cute pattern to stitch for some special twin boys in her life!

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Tina finished this lovely church just in time for the holidays!

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Vivian has been stitching a LOT lately and has another pillow to her credit.  This pattern is a Brenda Gervais pattern entitled Jingle Bell.  I added some rusty bells and a hand dyed silk ribbon to finish off the primitive look.

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And last but not least, Amy put a lot of work into stitching these two Shepherd’s Bush stockings for a couple of men in her life.  The stockings are backed with dark green crushed velvet and fulled lined with a lovely light colored cotton print.

My prayer for everyone is to have a truly blessed New Year. I pray that all who are hurting and alone find comfort, peace and happiness; all who are sick to become well and whole again; and that each and every person feel the warmth and love of someone special. We all know someone in one of these categories, so please pray!

And THANKS for always visiting here.  I love to read your comments, so please drop a line or two!

Blessings for 2017 to all my blogging friends!   Amities, Averyclaire

My Clients Do Such Lovely Work

Well, I survived the hacking of my email, although I spent a full day on my computer changing passwords, etc. I don’t know if that will help any, but it made me feel good. I had been meaning to do that anyway.

Each time I do finishing for clients, I am competely in awe of the lovely stitching that they create. I always wish that the item was mine when it is finished. Alas, with all the finishing I do, there is little time left for my own creations. I promised myself in the coming months to save a day or two a week just for me! I actually did finish something which I will show another time.

For now, feast your eyes on the lovely work of my clients!

Pat did the first one here. It is from the Plum Street Sampler Leaflet entitled “Good and Plenty.” She found the perfect burgundy mini pom pom trim to go with it! I love pieces like this that go all the way through Autumn!

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Beth managed to create some beautiful beaded ornaments. First is this adorable turkey named “Bruce.” She has a lovely story to go along with it after cooking a 40 lb. turkey one year! Nice memories.

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The next she did is this Sailboat Ornament. It’s very elegant with the rayon floss I used for cording and is perfect with the “sea” themed backing I had in my stash.

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And talk about elegant…well this Santa is quite stunning! His beard is made of all beads! A work of art! And I finished it will a green velvet back.

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And the last one for Beth is this lovely needle book/ornament. This was a gift to her stitched with her friends’ initials. How lovely is that?

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Nancy stitched this beautiful reindeer from last year’s Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue. The color of the linen she chose for this is perfect for the wintery day it depicts!

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And Betsy…well there are no words to describe this luscious sampler. It is from By the Bay Needle Art and is called Serenity Harbor Sampler. She changed the flowers from pink to yellow and the large house at the bottom to yellow as well. It took her a year to complete and is stunning! I added a coordinating plain fabric backing and used handmade cording. I painted the dowels to match the cording and the look is complete!

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Vivian made this lovely primitive pillow from the pattern “Christmastide” by Notforgotten Farm. She said it reminded her of she and her sister decorating the Christmas tree! I used the antique lace she gave me and I hand-dyed silk ribbon to coordinate with the pillow. It is a very pretty piece.

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Vivian is an extraordinary quilter, but loves to do cross-stitch too. This one is called “Deck the Halls” by Stacy Nash and was made into a pinkeep filled with walnut shells by Vivian. She asked me to attach the mini pom pom trim to it after it was finished, but I like it better within the seam allowance. So I took it apart and finished it with the trim in the seam. She loved it that way.

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And last but not least is a simple photo of the lovely “Princess Diana Serviceberry Tree” in my yard. The colors are so lovely in the Fall. It doesn’t last long but when it turns colors, it’s beautiful. Alas, I think our Autumn is coming to an end making way for the fun-filled holiday season.

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Once more I have to put in a small advertisement for those of you who have not tried French Boutis Needlework yet. On my Etsy site you will find an ornament kit with three French Boutis Christmas Ornaments. I am in the process of designing more Boutis patterns so I hope you will give them a try.

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In friendship, Averyclaire

A Few More Photo Finishes

Here is another post with photo finishes!  The finishing studio is humming where each week my clients challenge me with their work.  There is always something new and interesting to see. Enjoy the eye candy handiwork of my clients!

Vivian did this lovely Brenda Gervais small pillow “Merry Noel”.  Since the fringe was unavailable for her, I hand dyed some mini ball fringe to match.  It’s perfect.  The soft colors in this piece are beautiful.  Nice work Vivian.

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And Laura did an equally beautiful job on this Stacy Nash medium sized pillow entitled “Pine Tree Farm”.  She gave me handmade antique lace to use as an accent around the pillow edge and the perfect fabric backing.  It’s gorgeous!  And the colors in this one are equally soft and delicate.  Lovely!

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Judy created this beautiful white work pillow.  She wanted a brown backing behind the stitching, so I used the same brown fabric for handmade cording and the pillow back.  I included a zippered back so the pillow insert could be taken out if needed. Such intricate detailed stitching!

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Pat did a couple of gifts for little ones this time around.  She requested a rather large flatfold for the first one.  I added the “sticky kisses” across the bottom and the cute little matching buttons.  On the second one I added a handmade multi-colored cording with multi-colored french knots along the accent fabric.  And for privacy, in the photos I have deleted the birth date and weight from both.

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Pat’s needles were on fire this last month and she created this very large wall hanging for someone who just LOVES Halloween.  The tomb-like shape just adds to the fun!

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She also did these two cute wall hangings as Christmas gifts.  All the little girls seem to LOVE the Disney Princesses, especially the mermaids.  Here is one of Ariel!

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And another one of Snow White…this one is certainly elegant with the rosy red apple and the red rattail trim around the perimeter of the stitching!  I LOVE the Disney fabrics on the back!  These little girls will love to look at both front AND back!!

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If you are interested in learning Boutis (a simple running stitch and corded French needle work technique), I now have on my Etsy page not only a kit for the three ornaments I designed (containing ALL materials needed for the three ornaments), but a “pattern only” choice, as well as the “hard to find” special cotton yarn that is needed for the kit.

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I have lots more photo finishes…so come back again soon!  Thanks so much for your continuing visits!

Amities, Averyclaire

Finishing Photos Finally

It’s been a while since I posted some finishing photos except for what was done for the Boutis Class.  So I am trying to catch up on showing some of the lovely things my clients have done!

Pat quickly finished this very pretty needleroll.  It came as a kit and I did the finishing for her.  What a lovely piece!
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Nancy was very busy stitching up a couple of gifts for a good friend. I love the nautical theme.

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I kept the nautical theme going with the “whale-like” stitching on the accent piece. Click on photo to zoom in a bit.

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And I added some of that accent color to the back as well!

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And here is Nancy’s second gift item…sailboats…made to match the first one!

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For this one I added “wave-like” stitching on the accent piece and some accent color on the back as well.

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Vivian requested a simple Christmas pillow with ten rusty bells.  I love the backing she chose to go with it.  Simple and elegant.

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A new project roll is born with a hidden place to keep your thread and scissors, etc.

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And a couple more project bags were finished with a French theme.  Eiffel Tower on one with an Eiffel Tower zipper pull and a Boutis needlework piece mounted in the center of the second one, which also has an Eiffel Tower zipper pull.

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Thank you again to all my clients who keep my “in-box” full of beautifully stitched pieces.  More to come as soon as I have the photos ready and downloaded!

Amities, Averyclaire

 

 

Spring Really Is Here

Well, the warm days finally arrived here in Chicago after a mild winter, but cold days.  It sure feels nice to sit on my back porch and gaze at my perennial garden.  Everything is slow to grow, but it IS coming.

I want to take the time to thank all my blog followers and let you know how much I appreciate your stopping in to view the lovely work of so many of my stitching friends!  And, of course, I love to have everyone peruse the finishing I have done.  I can’t show all the finishes because some people use their items as gifts and it is obviously a SECRET!  Alas I must say that MY stitching and MY quilting have suffered due to not much time left after finishing.  But I will be sure to show you something of mine occasionally!  A heartfelt thanks again to all you who view my blog each post!  Oh…and see my 2 new pages above… Finishes for 2015 and 2016.

Southpaw Stitcher did this soft, lovely ode to Spring!  Need I say more?  Love the soft colors.  So many of my clients are loving the “flat fold finish” for their seasonal projects.

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Cheryl gave me some beautiful purple and teal batiks to use for finishing her box lid.  I added some tiny cross-stitches across the top and bottom and added some hand made purple cording.  What a lovely tribute to friends everywhere!

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Pat will be attending a wedding shower soon and stitched this beautiful keepsake for the wedding couple.  All those little dots are gorgeous glass beads that she added.  Such a lovely gift.

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Judy had fun stitching this elegant leprechaun with his lovely shamrock and cute gold buttons.  I added some super Celtic fabric.  She has a BIG head start for next year’s St. Patty’s Day!

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And speaking of head starts…Pat (who did the wedding pillow above) also stitched this scary Halloween wall hanging.  She gave me the spooky black eye fabric and I couldn’t resist adding a silver spider web and a creepy spider to go along with it!

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Becky is also well ahead of time with her adorable “Elf on the Shelf” ornament.  I think some lucky children will simply adore this one!  Golly, I wish I were ready for the holidays for 2016 already??!!

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That’s all I can show right now.  I hope you enjoyed today’s photo gallery.  Tis a busy season for everyone…gardening, family celebrations, graduations, Mother’s Day nearly here, vacation planning.  I hope each one of you is truly enjoying beautiful warm and sunny days.  After the long winter I am feeling renewed for sure.

I hope to have some photos next time of a stitching retreat I will be attending at Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI.  Can’t wait!

Until next time, amities, Averyclaire

 

 

 

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone! I can remember in July saying…Christmas will be here in the blink of an eye!  And guess what?!  It is upon us and I am not sure how it got here so quickly. Like so many others out there I got that awful bronchial virus and have been sick for six weeks and then my DH got hit by a car while out walking last week. Luckily it was a small car moving not too fast so DH came out of it very well. But it seems like I have been in a fog since summer time. I hope my head clears by the New Year and that the New Year brings a round of good health to all!

For now I offer you a photo journey of the finishes that were completed recently.

C.J. created this lovely skate themed piece for a Christmas gift. It was fun turning it into an ornament for her.

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The Southpaw Stitcher spent a lot of time on this beautiful needlepoint scissor case. I really love all the fibers and colors! It is lined in purple wool and has a purple glass bead finish around the rim. Also you will notice that it is TWO-sided. How fun is that?!

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I belong to the Waterfall Glen Chapter of the Embroiderers Guild of America. For our annual Christmas party I made this project bag as my “grab bag” gift. I like to make my purses and bags with a light colored inside so things don’t get lost in the bottom. The stitching is taken from a portion of a pattern from Stacy Nash Primitives called “Summer Gathering Pinkeep Drum.” It was quick to stitch and looks lovely on the project bag.  K.B. was the lucky recipient and I know she will enjoy it!

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The Tinsmiths Wife sent me this beautiful stitched piece which was finished into a lovely round ornament to grace her tree.

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The Tinsmiths Wife also sent me this fun Christmas House piece. This year I have done a LOT of flat folds for my clients and this one is lovely.

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S.H. gave me this small “Joy” stitching to finish for a friend. Most of my clients have requested flat “mat board” style ornaments rather than pillow style ones, so I did this one in an oval for her.

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And last but not least was this perfect “Teacher” gift done for S.G.   Here is another “flat fold” that will aid the teacher in not having to find a place to hang it! And it can be packed away “flat” from time to time!

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And last but always FIRST with me, I share a photo of my immediate family who fills my heart at Christmas time and ALWAYS.   I LOVE YOU ALL!Family 2014

And now I must finish up my Christmas week preparations for a festive weekend. It will be gone before we blink! So everyone….Have a truly Blessed Christmas and a peace-filled New Year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year…..Averyclaire

Happy Holiday Finishes

I am honored to help so many of you with your stitching finishes. My small business has grown considerably and I humbly thank all of you who trust me with your precious work.

C.J. lovingly stitched Six Little Cardinals and some pretty red fabric with golden stars was added:

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V.DiN. beautifully rendered this special pillow, hung with wide silk ribbon and surrounded by twisted chenille trim, as a lovely gift:

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A.G stitched this lovely Santa with pastel reds and greens for a soft side to the traditional colors:

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The TinSmiths Wife stitched this peaceful Dove on a gorgeous unusual red fabric, adding the lovely turquoise beads and knots around the neck and requested a cupboard hanger.  I added some more knots to the trim:

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Then using the same beautiful red fabric The Tinsmiths Wife stitched a Star Was Born cupboard hanger:

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And last but not least the colors were changed from light to dark and this beautiful Pomegranate Sewing Tray from Stacy Nash Primitives was born:

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I hope to soon show a few more finishes before the Christmas week is upon us. Thank you again for your faith in me and allowing me to be creative with your pieces!

Wishing everyone a blessed Christmas season!   Amities, Averyclaire

Remake

A few years ago I designed an “au naturel” wool Christmas stocking for my DIL who loves nature and the great outdoors (specifically sunflowers). Here is the first one I made:

She asked for a little more “bling” and perhaps something red…so I took off the top sunflower and added a cardinal, a few snowflakes, an aspen tree (they live in Colorado), and a pretty little gift under the tree and some “glittzy” sequins sprinkled all around.

I think she’s going to like this one:

And now I am working on one for one year old Maya….shhh.

Amities, Averyclaire

Christmas and Retirement

For weeks now I have tetter-tottered back and forth regarding my employment and finally made the decision to retire. The monastery in which I have worked for 18 years is closing and moving their offices. It was a good time to make the change. My plans are to spend more time with my DH who has been retired for ten years already (and of course find more time for stitching and quilting). The decision was not an easy one in our difficult economy. We will just be a little more frugal. Having committed to my choice, I have been working every day long hours to clean out closets, files, drawers, shred papers, recycle and “when in doubt…throw it out.” I will miss most of my working companions (some perhaps not so much–smile) and the routine. But thinking about sleeping in and being occasionally lazy sure sounds wonderful to me at this point.

I must now get busy and decorate my home for the holidays and finish my Christmas shopping. With the changes in my life regarding working, I’ve had a bit of a difficult time in getting into the Christmas “spirit”….but I LOVE the holidays and know it will be wonderful. My son and DIL will be coming in from Boulder, Colorado, and all the family will be together.

So……Merry Christmas to all…may the Holiday Spirit fill you with joy and peace for always. Joyeux Noel, Averyclaire

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