Something Old and Something New

Something old that I found hidden in a box of my childhood toys and memorabilia (including a ton of pens and pencils, which Anne will find amusing) is one of my early cross stitch works. I would say one of my first pieces, but considering the use of a specialty stitch and beads, it wouldn’t have been that early, but it was still done sometime in the 80s. It was framed in one of those plastic jar toppers that were so popular back at that time (ick!), so it has been quite exposed to the elements and is very dirty. This photo is pretty much straight out of the frame, as I wanted to capture the piece before I tried to clean it, in case I accidentally ruin it in the process.





While we were out buying furniture yesterday at Thomasville, I could not resist stopping in at the Michael’s next door. 😉 Actually, I had to use the restroom, but I also wanted to look for some jewelry kits that I could make up for my youngest sister, Ginny, for Christmas. I found two kits with matching, pearl-like beads. One for a set of two barrettes and two hair combs and the other was for earrings, bracelet and necklace. I could not resist making them up while we were watching TV and afterwards last night. They made up quickly, once I figured things out. The barrettes and hair combs were a challenge because you string on all of the beads and then have to wrap the monofilament tightly around the hair piece, arranging the beads as you go. It took me several tries to get it right on each piece because I’m very precise, but I think they turned out beautifully. Enough so that I’m dying to go out and buy more kits for me. 🙂 I didn’t like the closures that they used, so I picked up some magnetic closures to use instead and they worked out great! Enough babbling, here’s the something(s) new:





About Jenna Magee

IT professional, needleworker, editor/proofreader, author, singer, musician.
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12 Responses to Something Old and Something New

  1. Very pretty!!!

    I can’t wait to see *your* new furniture!!!

  2. Cindy says:

    I just love your something old. It is great to see older items that have been stitched. I do hope that the cleaning of it goes well! I love the someting new as well. That is just gorgeous and I love those colors.

  3. Christine V says:

    Oh wow, those beaded items turned out SO well!! I love them, especially the colours!! What a lucky sister you have, Jenna.

    I love your little cross stitch design. There’s further proof that you’ve loved the colour purple for a long time, hey?? 🙂

  4. Isabelle says:

    Your early piece is so adorable, Jenna 🙂 And I’m in love with the jewelry set you made for your sister!! Truly gorgeous. I like wearing combs but mine are very plain – those are just stunning, as is the whole set!! Congrats 🙂

  5. Cathy says:

    Jenna – what are you going to do with your first cross-stitched piece after you’ve cleaned it?

    I wish that I still had the first piece of embroidery that I ever stitched – it was from a class that I took on crewel embroidery. Several years ago I think I threw it away! (I realy never liked that piece…now it would be fun to have it… oh well!)

    I do still have the first piece I ever cross stitched though…hmmmm…..maybe I’ll post a picture of it sometime.

  6. Vonna says:

    LOVELY! I’ve always looked at those kits at Michael’s and I think…”I could do that” then I think…”what are you crazy?”…. 😀
    Yours is beautiful!!
    Your castle finish from the 80’s comment made me smile….I have a couple of those myself…..what was it with those jar toppers…they WERE awful!

  7. Carol says:

    I love your little early xs piece!

  8. Karen says:

    They’re gorgeous! I’m sure your sister will absolutely love them.

  9. Laura says:

    Cute little castle. I hope you can get it cleaned up okay.

    Love the beadwork, especially the combs. Very pretty!

  10. Meari says:

    They had specialty beads and floss back then?! LOL, j/k. (Although, I didn’t know about them back then when I was stitching) It’s a cute piece, though.

  11. Von says:

    Yes, I stitched jar toppers too and thought they were wonderful at the time. 😀

    Love your beadwork, Jenna! My dd Melanie has been making earrings lately. She buys some supplies at the craft stores, but finds some interesting things at Value Village/GoodWill that she can scavenge. It’s been fun to see what she comes up with.

  12. AnneS says:

    Aaaaaghhhh, I just realised I hadn’t commented on this post yet … I’m totally retarded at the moment! :/ You cracked me up with finding a bundle of pens and pencils … definitely a girl after my own heart!! I actually had a heart-stopping moment a few weeks ago … I found my Lamy fountain pen laying in two pieces on the floor (actually, it’s lucky the ink didn’t come out come to think of it hmmm) … it must have rolled off my computer desk and been run over by my chair, or something 🙁 But Mum (aka the Dragon) came to the rescue, back home they had a big sale on at Whitcoulls (a stationery/book store I adore in NZ), and she’s ordered me another one woohoo. But great news too … I was hunting through a pencil case I’d brought over with me at some stage (I was clearing out the spare room boxes that are still unpacked) and found my blue marbled Waterman fountain pen I bought in Paris – I hadn’t realised I’d brought it over with me … oh happy days! 😉 And Mum, that sweet kind soul that she is, popped my turquoise ink cartridges for my Waterman straight into the mail for me, as they were still back at home … geez I love my Mum! 😀 So I can totally understand how great it was to find that little pile of stash.

    Also, just wanted to say how much I love your latest beaded set – the hair clips and jewellery are all just gorgeous 😀

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