Gifts from a Friend

I received these sweet little zipper pouches on Christmas Eve and have forgotten to post pictures of them.  They're from my blogging buddy Sandra of Sandra Sews :).  She is a sewing fiend!  The first 2 are for my birthday, apparently she had them all ready to mail in July and then had an issue ;) so she waited to send them at Christmas.  Better late than never, I say!

How cute is the zippy made to look like a pair of panties!

This one Sandra made me for Christmas:

I love the cardinal fabric, it's so pretty!  Thanks Sandra :)

2nd Blogiversary Giveaway Winner Is...

Hillery of 22 Threads!!!  Congratulations Hillery!  Send me an email with your address and your prize will be on it's way to you this week.

Thanks to all of you who entered, to my long time followers and my new followers too.

Christmas Ornaments for my Kids

I have a confession to make...even though I had these ornaments stitched, sewn and stuffed, I didn't have them sewn closed until last Friday night (Jan 7th)!!!  How bad is that?  I made sure my parent's ornaments were done for Christmas morning, but I just showed my kids their ornaments and back up to the craft room they went until now. 

This is the ornament that I made my son for Christmas this year:



Run, Run Rudolf by Raise the Roof Designs

Fabric:  32ct. Stitches & Spice Linen, colour unknown

Fibres:  GAST, DMC

Embellishments:  ribbon, JABC present button

Finished as a pillow ornament

I made my daughter this:



It's Expensive to Be Me by Lizzie*Kate

(It's a Girl Thing Chart)

Fabric:  32 ct. Platinum Belfast linen

Fibres:  GAST & DMC as charted

Embellishments:  Kreinik #4 braid, Mill Hill Crystal Treasures, twisted cord

Finished as a pillow ornament

Let me tell you, that trim was a little time consuming to stitch on but I like doing the handwork part of the ornaments so it was no bid deal.  Isn't it pretty too?  I found it last year at Wal-Mart by the wrapping paper.

I know DD's ornament isn't very Christmasy but she loved it, especially the colours :)  Oh yes, my baby girl turned 15 on Saturday!  We celebrated with a sleepover party with her posse, as I call it.  She has a group of 9 incredible friends so it's no big deal having them all over at once :D  They enjoyed a taco bar, fancy cupcakes lots and lots of potato chips and candy and VERY little sleep! 

Have a great week everyone!

On the 4th & 5th Days of Christmas...

I've now finished 5 out of the 12 days!  I can't believe it myself...the best part is that even if it's only been 15 stitches, I've stitched every day this year so far!

4 Calling Birds

5 Gold Rings

12 Days of Christmas WhimZi by Just Nan

Fabric: 32 ct. Flax Belfast Linen

Fibre's: DMC & Kreinik conversion as charted

To be finish-finished in Just Nan WhimZi frames

5 Gold Rings had Kreinik Blending Filament.  Man, is that ever a pain to work with!  All in all, I'm thrilled with my progress.  Now on to 6 Geese A-Laying!

Have a great weekend.

Happy Blogiversary to Me!

I can't believe I've been blogging for 2 years today!  My husband says it's actually 1 year because up to a year ago I was a closet blogger and the only people who knew about it also outed me to my husband.  Dang kids and their big mouths!  LOL  I also can't believe I was embarrased to tell DH.  He's the one who's encouraging me to post things and asking if I received any comments from this or that. 

Anyhoo, to celebrate this momentus occasion I would like to have a giveaway.  No hoops to jump through, though it would be nice if you were a follower.  I'll draw a winner on Saturday, January 15th, 2011.

Here is what the winner will score:

Naughty or Nice chart by Lizzie*Kate

includes 30ct. linen and buttons along with Magic by Mona finishing kit!

January is Cozy by Pine Mountain Designs

includes Pillow Sham & DMC threads

Faith by Lizzie*Kate

includes linen & felt for finishing

The Queen's Diamond chart by The Goode Huswife

Joyous Ark chart by Just Nan

"E" is for Empress Alphabet Sampler by The Victoria Sampler

includes accessory pack



Enchanted Mermaid by Nora Corbett

chart has never been opened!

Santa & Wreath felt stocking kit by Bucilla

Good luck to you all!

12 Days of Christmas Update & New Bloggers

Here is my progress on 4 Calling Birds:

I think some poetic licence was used by the designer for this day...I guess roosters are calling birds of a sort.  The colours really pop nicely though.

I would also like to introduce you to 2 new bloggers that have found me and in turn I was able to find them:

The first is Anne of Doll's Musings.  I love the fact that Anne is from the same city as me!  Anne is an elementary school teacher who hopes starting her blog will help motivate her to finish the stitching she's started.  With all the great support of all the wonderful stitcher's out in blog land she should have no problem with this goal!

The second blogger is Rhona of Tangled Threads.  She just started her blog on January 2nd of this year!  Welcome to blogging Rhona!

I hope you take the time to visit their blogs and say hi.

Also, Daffycat has an excellent post on user friendly blogging tips.

3 Finishes...Yes, You Read That Right

They're tiny, but with a bazillion colours so they seem to take forever!  I finally got smart on Saturday and pulled out the needle-holder my Dad gave me for Christmas 2 years ago.  I was using one needle...DUH!!!!!

It all started Friday morning, thanks to a raging case of PMS.  It was either sequester myself in my stitching room or kill my husband.  Poor guy, he knows there is no reasoning (or talking for that matter) with me when I'm like that.  While typing up my post for the New Year and listing my stitching goals I thought, I'm almost done, I'll finish my little UFO and be able to post one last finish in 2010.  Not so.  I was thwarted by one teeny stinking pear, and having to stop stitching to beautify for a New Years Eve party.  You'll be happy to note the PMS had subsided and I was actually talking nicely to hubby again in time for the party! ;)

Here is were I left off in February 2010:

And here it is finished: 

A Partridge in a Pear Tree

I was able to finish up said pear Saturday morning.  I was smart at the party, only a few drinks and tons of water until 12:30am when the kids and I went home, (lucky for us the party was right next door) leaving hubby to stumble home at 5am!!!  He's a trooper and has to go till the bitter end.  I was looking forward to bugging him about being hungover but no such luck!

I then finished this January 1, my official first start of 2011:

2 Turtle Doves

And Sunday I finished:

3 French Hens

12 Days of Christmas WhimZi by Just Nan

Fabric:  32 ct. Flax Belfast Linen

Fibre's:  DMC & Kreinik conversion as charted

To be finish-finished in Just Nan WhimZi frames

I've even started 4 Calling Birds last tonight.  All in all a lovely 3 days in my stitching room.  We even managed to get all the Christmas decorations put away yesterday afternoon.  With DH, DD and DS helping we had it all done and the main floor vacuumed and dusted in 2 1/2 hours.  Not too bad considering how long it all took to put up!

Happy Stitching!

Stitching Year in Review

I decided to look back through my photos and blog to see what I accomplished this year.  2010 I had a huge dry spell stitching wise so I figure I didn't do too bad.  I'm going to try to stitch more this year...Imagine what I can accomplish then!

This morning I was up at the crack of dawn to place my New Year's Eve order on the Silver Needle's website.  I want to do at least one large project this year and I've decided it will be Christmas Rules by Lizzie*Kate.  It's so cute and I love the "rules" too!

I also went through all my JCS ornament issues and made a spreadsheet of all the ornaments I would like to stitch.  From 2003 - 2010 there are *GULP* 44.  The ones that will take priority will be the Shepherds Bush "In a Stable" etc, that go along with the 2000 Years Ago chart I have in my stash. 

I'm signed up for an year long ornament exchange already, the first to go out in February.  It has to have a reindeer in it.

I also have a few WIP's that I want to finish in 2011:

1.  Travelling Stitcher by Little House Needleworks

2.  Merry Christmas by the Letter by Lizzie*Kate

3.  12 Days of Christmas by Just Nan

Thankfully there aren't many!  My mom really likes Merry Christmas by the Letter, I'd like to try to finish it for her by Mother's Day. 

Overall it my To-Do list seems pretty reasonable.  We'll see how I do!

Happy New Year Everyone!

Gifts for My Parents

Last year I started a tradition that I want to continue doing for many years to come.  I stitched my parents and kids ornaments for Christmas.  For what I made my parents last year, click here and here.  The one I made my stepdad last year was a hit, on my blog and with him!

This year for my mom I made:

Santa and Rudolph by Water's Edge Designs

2007 JCS Ornament Issue

Fabric:  32 ct. ???

Fibre's:  DMC as charted

Embellishments:  pompoms, bell, twisted cord, ribbon

Finished as a flat ornament

I already have a few to choose from to stitch her for next Christmas.  While she was looking through my JCS ornament issues she pointed out a lot she likes, all with a gajillion colours :)  like charts by Serendipity Designs or The Vermillion Stitchery.  Not something you start the month before Christmas.

Here is what I made for my stepdad this year:



Santas and Snowmen Book #151 by The Prairie Schooler

Fabric:  32 ct. Platinum Belfast

Fibres:  as charted except red, used WDW Turkish Red

Embellishments:  Mill Hill Petite Seed Beads, pompom, ribbon, pins

Finished as a pinkeep ornament

I'll leave you a photo of Pumpkin enjoying Christmas morning with us:



A Very Merry Christmas to You and Yours

Merry Christmas to you all!

Have a wonderful holiday!