New colors and grains

Sometimes we have some extra molding and decide to make it into a frame. When this happens, we use the frame to practice new graining designs or use a new color we've been wanting to try. The first two frames on the page are examples of this. The first is painted in a new color for us, 'Nantucket', and the graining style is based on one by Primitive Traditions' Cathy Campbell. We're tentatively calling it 'Peacock', because that's the first thing that popped into our minds when we saw it on this color, but that name may change before we make it official.

Many of our early frame designs are based on Cathy's, which unfortunately became unavailable since she closed her framing business to focus on designing. We've also been working hard to develop new styles and grains that are unique to us.

The following frame is a new grain that we're calling 'Burl' and the color is 'Mistletoe'. It's beautiful in this color, and I'm excited to try the grain on a more 'natural' looking color to see how it turns out. One of my favorite things is to try to reproduce the look of natural woods, and this burled look, as well as the birdseye grain have quickly become favorites.

It's amazing that such a simple technique allows such varied and lovely results, and we find that the grains vary immensely just between the two of us. Even when Mom and I do the same technique, the grain looks slightly different, making each frame truly unique and original. I think that is the thing I love most about false-graining. I'm starting to branch out into graining some other items too, but since some of these are intended as Christmas presents, I can't share the photos with you until after the holidays!

The next frame is one we've had for a while, but I haven't had a good photo of it until now. It is also based on one from Primitive Traditions. This grain is 'Swirl'.

Lastly, we're always showcasing needlework in our frames, but I wanted to show how nicely they work on other items. The following is an example, using the 'Peacock' grained frame above with a school photo of my son. Unfortunately, there is a bit of a glare on the photo (darned glossy finishes) but I think it gives a good idea of how well these frames work on other types of items. Other ideas might be to frame a wedding invitation, ketubah, diploma, or other cherished item.

We're getting geared up for the holiday season, and are planning a few surprises along the way. Expect a few recipes from our files, a history lesson with a new frame, and perhaps a new cross-stitch design or two.

Blessings to you and yours -

Chicken Sandwiches

I wanted to start providing simple, quick recipes that you can make and enjoy, but that won't take much time away from stitching or other projects. This chicken sandwich filling is one of my favorites - I came up with it one afternoon while digging through the fridge looking for something spicy but creamy. I hope you'll enjoy it!

Chicken Sandwich Filling

2 cups cooked chicken ( if I don't have leftovers, I like to cook about a pound of tenders - cut into cubes and sauteed in a little olive oil, and seasoned with a bit of salt, pepper, and chile powder. )

1 cup sour cream

8 oz shredded cheese ( I like sharp cheddar or a four cheese mexican blend)

1 small can green chiles

1/4 to 1/2 tsp chili powder (to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

That's it! Mix everything together until well blended. I like to serve this on a toasted bagel. For extra heat, use a chile bagel, or spread on a little bit of jalapeno cream cheese. This filling is good warm or cold, and keeps well in the fridge for a couple of days.

We have a website!

At long last, our website is up and running! We're thrilled with how it turned out, and hope you'll take the time to pay us a visit! The new site is located at www.priscillaspocket.com. It is a work in progress as we add new things, and we'll continue to update you using this blog as well. Coming soon are new frame styles, cross-stitch patterns, needlework tips, a history lesson or two, and some time-saving recipes from our kitchen. Please drop us a line at priscillaspocket@gmail.com and let us know what you think! We'd love to hear from you!

Got the Blues

We just finished this adorable little frame for The Marking Samplar's reproduction of the "Lavinia Merritt Young" sampler. This sampler is worked in just one color of Crescent Colour's Belle Soie silk, and it is just 5 inches wide by 4 1/4 inches high on 40 count fabric. Mom loves alphabet samplers, and this one is very pretty in shades of blue.

The frame style we chose here is Hartford, and the color is Hamilton Blue. The graining pattern is new - and we call it Whisk. It actually took a couple of tries to come up with a grain that complements this delicate sampler without overwhelming it! (Now I have a blue birdseye grained frame to stitch something for.)

We're within a few weeks of releasing the website. The design for the welcome page is stitched, framed, and photographed, and the logo is nearing completion. After a bit of housekeeping and polishing, we expect to be ready to go!

We were also pleased to again be featured in Attic Needlework's August 14th newsletter. Two of our frames appear about two-thirds of the way through the newsletter - one framing Needlemade Design's "A Best Christmas Blessing", and the other framing Carriage House Sampling's "Spot the Horse". We're delighted with the way they turned out!

Stay tuned for much-anticipated news on our web-launch and more!

Getting there!

I'm so excited! Things are really coming together with the web site - today I finished graining the feature frame for our Welcome page, and it will be sealed and ready to go by this weekend. It looks fantastic, and I can't wait to share it with everyone! It is going to be so perfect for the cross-stitch pattern Mom has designed.

I've been really busy lately and every time I get something done and off of my list, I feel so accomplished! We're getting so close to having the site ready it's hard to be patient - I just want to get it launched and out there for you all to view. But we want to make sure everything is "just right" as well, so I'm finding new reserves of patience I didn't know I had.

The construction dust has nearly settled!

Lemonade

Well, it's certainly not getting any cooler here in Arizona, we've been over 100 degrees for over a month now and it's looking like it will stay that way for a while longer. We had the hottest month on record (in 110 years of keeping records here in the valley) in July! We did have an unseasonably cool June though so I guess this is the price we pay. With the heat, we've been making homemade lemonade and orange-lemonade. Mom has the greatest citrus squeezer - it is a vintage Wearever aluminum juicer like the one my Grandma used to have and it is so much better than the juicers made today!

I'm amazed at how much juice this extracts!

The recipe we've been using is so easy, you'll be running out to buy lemons (and oranges and limes!).

Juice from 3 fresh lemons (if making orange-lemonade, use 2 oranges to each lemon - you'll end up with about 3/4 cup of juice. You can make limeade too - again - 3/4 cup of juice)

1 cup sugar (you may need more or less to taste - adjust to the tartness you prefer)

Water

Pour juice into a 1/2 gallon pitcher

Add sugar and mix well.

Add water to fill pitcher, stir until sugar is dissolved

Serve over ice.

Depending on the size of the lemons, you may need to add a little sugar or water - we had some this year that were REALLY juicy and that batch of lemonade was too tart! (Kind of like drinking those lemon-drop candies) We diluted it a bit and added a touch more sugar - cool and refreshing!

The new cross stitch design for the website launch is coming along nicely - it's so cute and I can't wait to get the site running so everyone can see it! It'll be the centerpiece to our new home page. We've also been busily making new frames for some very special designs that will be coming out soon through Attic Needlework. We're excited to get these done and see the finished pieces - and we'll be showcasing them here very soon! In the meantime, here's another sneak peek at one of our favorites:

This frame style is 'Cambridge' the color is 'Lichen' and the graining style is 'Leaf'. We weren't sure how it would turn out when we first started experimenting with the grain, but it has quickly become a favorite - and it photographed so well!

Well, back to the workbench!

Be My Love

This was our first frame - the molding is Worcester, the color is Olde Red, and the graining pattern is Herringbone. This sampler is Be My Love by Carriage House Samplings, and it's a personal favorite! It is stitched with Needlepoint Inc. silks on 40 ct. Vintage Pear Lakeside Linen.