Exchange from Ina

I received this beautiful 15 sided biscornu and other goodies from Ina (no blog) all the way from the Netherlands!  I can't imagine the time it took to put it together.  Aren't the snowflakes pretty?!

Thank you Ina! 

Merry Christmas everyone!

Let's Celebrate "Christmas"

I keep this blog mostly stitching related and pretty low key; no political talk, nothing about religion (FYI, we're Catholic) no comments about the horrible things that go on in the news, but there has been something that's really been bugging me that I need to get off my chest.

Since when has it become so politically incorrect to say the word Christmas?

CHRISTMAS is celebrated December 25th, not Holiday.  I don't bake Holiday Cookies, decorate a Holiday Tree, or go around the house singing Holiday Carols, though I do bake Christmas Cookies, put up 3 Christmas Trees, and have almost 500 Christmas Carols on my iPod :)  I'm a huge fan of Santa and I realize that there are people out there that don't celebrate Christmas because it's also the Birth of Christ, to each there own.  So, though as my own personal opinion I like to keep Christ in Christmas, I would also like to keep Christmas in Christmas!

If you've read my rant, thanks for "listening", it feels good to have let it out!  And...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

...of course ;)

Stitching for my Mom

My mom asked if I would stitch her friend an ornament for Christmas.  Darlene and my mom have been friends since they were 13 years old and my mom is turning 60 at Christmas this year so that's quite the friendship!  I charted  and stitched "Best Friends" instead of "Season of Love" at my mom's request and made both into Gingerbread Girls :)

Season of Love by Country Cottage Needleworks

JCS 2010 Christmas Ornament Preview

Fabric:  32 ct. Platinum Belfast linen

Fibres:  DMC conversion as charted

Embellished with white seed beads

Finished as a pin keep

The ornament below is for another of my mom's friends.  The backstitching was a PAIN!!!  I had to keep putting it down so I didn't go mental and shred it into little bits!  It turned out cute in the end though.

Get into the Spirit by Brittercup Designs

JCS 2009 Ornament Issue

Fabric:  32 ct. white ??? linen

Fibre's:  some as charted, some my conversion

Embellished with red seed beads, star button and bells

Finished as a pillow ornament

I WAS NOT using the nasty yellow that was charted (3852) on the trim of the kitty's hat.  Instead I used this grey fluffy thread I have.  It's like Wisper.  You can't tell in the photo but it looked really cute and fluffy.

My mom offered to pay me to make these but all you stitchers out there know that if someone had to pay for a stitched item they'd have to pay through the nose because of the time involved!  I told my mom not to worry about it.  I get enjoyment out the stitching and finishing and I had all but a few DMC flosses in my stash.

Hopefully I'll be able to post somemore ornament finishes right away!  I have to get busy and make ornaments for my kids.  The ones for my parents are stitched and just need finishing. 

Happy Stitching and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Here are two different finishes of the same freebie design by Threadwork Primitives.  I've seen this design done on a lot of blogs.  It's a quick stitch and pretty too!  I stitched it for the HoE exchange group.

Merry Christmas by Threadwork Primitives

Fabric:  36 ct. Edinburgh linen

Fibre's:  WDW Holly and Garnet

Finished as a stitching tin, embellished with Holly fabric, a magnet and velvet ribbon

The past few years we've gone to an ornament exchange party at friends.  It's a great way to kick off the Christmas season.  Everyone bring's a wrapped ornament, pick a number and then the fun starts.  #1 is the worst number to get.  If the ornament you pick is awesome #2 can steal it, and so on.  It's the best to get the last number as you get the pick of the crop!  So I chose to stitch an ornament this year.



 Merry Christmas by Threadwork Primitives

Fabric: 32 ct. Platinum Laguna

Fibre's: WDW Holly and Garnet

Finished as pillow ornament

I have more finishes to post, but I'll save them for another post in a couple days.  Have a great weekend!

And We're Off!

Today is the day, it's finally here.  We're going to Disneyland!

See you in a week! 

Sandra - I'll make sure my son brings his clothes with us!!!  :)

A Finish and Sharing the Love

I finished this but I haven't posted a picture yet.  I succumbed to this fall sinus/cold thing that's been going around.  So far it's been a week and I'm sick of being sick!!!

Now on to "Sharing the Love."  I signed up for a Pay it Forward with Cole of Something for Me so if any of my lovely followers out there would like to sign up for the same from me, please leave a comment in this post.  It works like this:  I pick three people to Share the Love with and then you do the same.  The little gifts have to be sent within the year.  

If you're interested in this PIF, tell me what designers and types of stitching you like, for example, pinkeeps, scissors fobs, etc.

Have a great day!!!

Mr. Bones - Edited

This is my latest finish-finish for Hooked on Exchanging 2010 Halloween exchange.  I mailed it on Monday and my partner received it already!

I bought a unfinished mini wooden coffin at Michaels and painted it up for Mr. Bones resting place.  I thought it added just the right touch!

Mr. Bones by SamSarah Design Studio
JCS Halloween Issue 2008

Fibres:  As charted (orange was DMC conversion)

Stitched on white perforated paper by Mill Hill

I heard from my partner that she loved it!  What I really like about participating in exchanges is pushing myself to come up with something different than the standard ornament to make it special and unexpected for my partner.  This was a lot of fun.  I have to credit my DD because she was the one to persuade me to stitch Mr. Bones.

Happiest Place on Earth

Yesterday we booked our third trip to Disneyland.  My parents are coming along and they're bringing my 6 year old niece with them.  It'll be fun to see it through a little one's eyes again!

I thought I'd share a couple photo's from our first trip in 2003 when my oldest was 7 and my son was 5.  We completely surprised the kids with trip by waking them up the (VERY early) morning of our trip.  They were sitting all blurry eyed on the coach wondering why we got them up.  We told them to look down at their shirts.  I had bought them Disney shirts (my DD still has hers with Jasmine's and Sleeping Beauty's signatures on it) and put them in them.  The looks of surprise were priceless!

This is one of my husbands all-time favourite photos of us:

On our way to catch the tram back to the hotel

This is one of my favourite photos.  DD wore these shoes until there was nothing but scraps left. 



Snow White shoes

I'll have some stitching updates soon!

Whole Lotta Stitching Going On

I've been busy stitching a lot of little projects the last little while.  My mom talked me into stitching an ornament for 2 of her friends. One good thing happened while she was looking through all my JCS Ornament Issues. I now know what I'm stitching her for Christmas! I never, in a million years, would have thought she would like what she did.


Get Into the Spirit by Brittercup Designs:

I used a gray-fuzzy-metallic fibre that I had in my stash for the kitties hat instead of the ugly mustard yellow that was charted.  It's really fuzzy and adds a lot of dimension to the project.  I wasn't thrilled about stitching this at first but it's been fun. 

I'm catching up with my LHN monthly ornaments too.  He's A Flake:

Snowy Pines:



Winter Sheep:

I'm also finish-finishing a Halloween stitch for HoE Halloween exchange.  I'm really excited to show you that one!  It's turning out super cute!

Happy Stitching!

And The Winner Is...

Anneke of the Netherlands!  Congratulations!  Please email me via my profile with your mailing address and I'll have your goodies sent to you ASAP!