Happy 2013

Happy New Year!

It wasn't so long ago that we were anticipating the arrival of the millennium and here it is 2013!

May it be a year filled with good health, happiness, and lots of creativity!

This chart was provided by All My Scattering Moments

 This design was provided by Shirley at Hudson's Holidays.

This design was from here.


 Have a good Hogmanay.

lucky me ...

In late November Sandi from a Legacy of Stitches 
had some giveaways and I was one of the lucky winners!  Just look at what I won!!!   Jacquelynne Steves of The Noble Wife
designed this line of fabric called 'Joy Love Peace Noel' - isn't it all simply gorgeous?!!!!!!  (oops, I should have pressed that panel)   Thank you Sandi and Jacquelynne.

holiday exercise routine ....

I found a new holiday exercise routine .......

Merry Christmas from us

 

Merry Christmas from us!

some Christmas favourites

I wanted to show off the creche that my husband made from cedar.  He made this when we lived in BC and cedar was readily available.  I just love the aroma that arises when I unpack it and I love the simplicity of the design.  Regrets that I can't take a better photo.

Some prims, some birds, some santas,  etc. in the basket my husband made.

 My very own mouse - can you see her tail peeking out from under her dress on the right side (facing)?

This plastic canvas Gingerbread House was made many, many years ago.  I made one for each of my children for their families and one for us.

Little Dog's stocking.

I couldn't resist ....

Chocolate Shortbread

Here's a plateful of chocolate shortbread - yummo!

I couldn't decide which photo I preferred so you're getting both!

Here's the recipe if you're interested ....

 

x-stitch finishes

This fella can join both the Christmas and the winter basket of goodies - he was a chart from Daffy Cat.

The Primitive Apple is the designer of this cutie; you'll find the chart here.

Keep smiling .....

it makes people wonder

what you're up to. 

a Christmas card

We received this Christmas card from my dad's cousin in England.  Kathleen (she and I share the same name) is quite elderly and in poor health but always manages to send a lovely card along with a handwritten message.  Underneath the picture it says "Season's Greetings from Wem, Shropshire", which is where Kath lives.  Inside it mentions that it's a print of a painting of Wem High Street based on a 19th century engraving.  It's a reproduction of a watercolour by Katherine Sprawling produced exclusively for Wem Treacle Mine Shropshire.  Do they actually mine treacle?  Wem Treacle Mine is a shop on the High Street - such a clever name for it!

Redwork Christmas Tag

Here is another Redwork Christmas tag that's as cute as a bug's
ear!   It's a design from Plumcute Designs.  The fabric that it's resting on is what I used for the backing. 

Mom's shortbread

 My mom who was an excellent baker and cook used to make the very best shortbread but I never had a lot of luck with her recipe.  Today I decided to give it a whirl again and mom must have been watching over me since it turned out - the resident cookie monster has given it a thumbs up or is that simply because he hasn't had home made cookies for awhile?

Here's the recipe if you're interested. 

Redwork

 For my bridal shower (eons ago) my future mother-in-law stitched me a set of tea towels with each day of the week on them ... I used them till they were threadbare and these reminded me of them.   I have no idea what I'm going to do with these so I'll tuck them away in my hopechest box of goodies for now.   The design is available here  along with lots of others.
Their photo was taken on a Debbie Mumm design table runner that I made a few years ago - I love the colours in it.  Since there were some half blocks left over I turned them into cushion covers.

patchwork candle mat

I just finished this candle mat and wanted to share the pattern with you in time to make one for Christmas.  The pattern can be found at Patachalot Patterns.  Have fun.

Christmas ornies

Here are a couple of Christmas ornies that I've made. They almost look like paper piecing, which I cannot do.   I regret that I don't recall where I found the pattern for the angel but you'll find a similar paper piecing pattern here.

This Santa was a pattern that  Eleanor Burns  showed how to make on her TV program many years ago; it was from her book 'Christmas Quilts & Crafts '(Quilt in a Day).  Back then there were some fabulous sewing how-to shows on PBS ... those were the days.  You'll find a paper piecing pattern for a similar Santa here.

I find myself making these two over and over again so I guess that makes them timeless for me.  They make nice package tie-ons, too.

x-stitch candle mat

I made my first x-stitch candle mat ... my thanks to Valma
for the idea. 

 Whilst looking through my goodie box I spotted a small shoebox  nearby that said had written on it  "to be finished" so I took a peek and discovered a couple of x-stitch pieces that I'd stitched a few years ago ..... and I finished them.  This is one of them ...

and this is the other ...

Now I must finish the other stitched items in this box.

creative links

 The tutorial for the Tomte can be found here.  I made this little guy last year - isn't he loveable!

I made this half-eaten Gingerbread Boy last year also.  You'll find the tutorial here.

I couldn't resist including this photo of Little Dog checking out the Gingerbread Boy ... "nope, doesn't taste any good".

This door hanger was one that I made a few years ago.  The tutorial is found here.

Santa's gone country and you'll find the tutorial for his Gift Bag here.

This is my newest project ... yeah I know, it's a crummy photo but the other one was worse.

x-stitch ornies

Between Canadian and American Football there are lots of games being televised just now.  Thursday was a bonus with NFL games broadcast for Thanksgiving.  This Sunday is the Grey Cup, which is the final football game of the season for Canada .... and it's the 100th Grey Cup Game!
As I've mentioned before, during football games is when I do most of my stitching and I've got more stitching lined up for the weekend.  These two worked up quite quickly, in fact I think it took me as long to finish them as to stitch them .... alas, I still struggle with my finishes.  Valma has finished some of her x-stitch designs as candle mats and you can see them here.
I think it's a great idea.  

 I like the simplicity of this one.  It was a design from 

HERE

There are crystal beads gracing this one although they are difficult to see in the photo.  This was a design from here.

Grateful

 Happy Thanksgiving to my American readers.

This design is from Blueladie Designs.

I am grateful to my followers, my readers, and all of you who leave comments .... without you I'd be blogging to myself. 

yo yo angel

Here's a cute yo yo angel ornie.  She makes up quite quickly and is limited only by your imagination.  The link also has cute little sayings  if you want to personalize  your angel.  Don't you love the button face on this one?   This button was in my stash and it had the perfect face for the wee angel!  Have fun.

vintage hankies

I'm very fortunate to have a few vintage linens including some hankies.   It seems a shame for them to be tucked away but I couldn't come up with a good idea .... and then the light bulb went on -  why not make sachets from the hankies.  I experimented with one and was quite pleased with how it turned out.

 the vintage hankies

 the sachet filled with lavender

mug rug

I finished this mug rug that I'm giving to an elderly friend.  I know that she likes green and I'm hoping she'll like the "prim" look to it.

 

Liebster

I recently received this award from Valérie.   Thank you, Valérie, it's nice to know that you enjoy my blog.

There are rules with this award ... only blogs with fewer than 200 followers can receive it, the bloggers must be notified, and they in turn are to award it to 5 others.  It's a great idea since it introduces us to different bloggers around the world.  I 'googled' on Liebster Award and apparently there are also 11 questions to be asked/answered - whew, the requirements have been lowered.

I am awarding the following blogs with the Liebster Award - I cheated and chose 6.   I enjoy each of these blogs and they cover a variety of subjects - there is always something interesting to read and/or look at.

1.  http://tangostreasures.blogspot.com/
2.  http://sharonsfavorites.blogspot.com/
3.  http://everydaybitsandbobs.blogspot.com
4.  http://needleandsomethread.blogspot.com
5.  http://razzledazzlequilter.blogspot.com
6.  http://hibiscus-stitches.blogspot.com/

ta dah ....

I made this bag this afternoon - so what's the big deal you ask.   I saw a bag like this on Pinterest  and  really liked it so I decided I'd try to make a similar one and I succeeded!!  Pats on the back are welcome.  I think I shall use it for make up or as a catch all bag for my hand bag.  It could be made any size.  The design was quite straight forward  and I just needed to determine the dimensions that I wanted.

I found them .....

We've finished redoing our kitchen after 4 months at it so I finally had some time to spend on other things.  First job was to tidy clean up the sewing room and  whilst doing that I kept wondering where is this and where is that, etc. - all items that I'd  made earlier this year.  Ahh, I actually found them and here they are .....

A tree ornie that was a complimentary chart from
The Silver Needle.

A Crabapple Hill design.

A Redwork heart to add to my collection.

This will be tucked into a gift of homemade jam or cookies.

A mug rug for a friend.

Snowmen

We had a snow event this weekend and now have lots of snow which made this snow family happy.

 These characters were made from old fence boards from the old neighbour's yard.  My husband did the cutting and attached a stake and I did the rest ... they were fun to do.

Remembrance Day

This stitchery is a free chart.