Happy New Year!

Thank you for following, reading, and leaving comments on my blog - I appreciate you.

May 2014 be a creative year for everyone.  

We had some mild weather for a few days over Christmas and some fresh snow but it has turned frigidly cold again.

I finished the mistletoe  just in time for the New Year!

melting moments .....

I found this log cabin Santa pattern before Christmas and had to try it out.  You'll find the tutorial here.  The block makes 2 Santas and I made mine smaller than the pattern called for.

Christmas was a quiet one for us this year since our family is scattered far and wide.  However, we still had a Tourtière

 for dinner on the 24th and turkey on Christmas Day; and, of course  Christmas Crackers to pull.   Shortbread and fruitcake are always on hand during the season.  Here is a really easy faux shortbread recipe that I often make year round:

MELTING MOMENTS

2 cups flour

1 cup butter (or margarine)

4 tablespoons icing sugar

Mix well and roll into balls.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet

and flatten with a fork dipped in flour - I used a glass with a design on the bottom for these ones.

Garnish with a nut or cherry if you like.  Bake in a 350 F oven for about 15 minutes.

The edges should be a bit brown but the tops still white.

In our neck of the woods December has been unusually cold and extremely windy but with little snow.  Some days it was even too cold for Little Dog to have a run. But I am pleased to report that it warmed up considerably for Christmas and there was some fresh snow ... here's Little Dog helping move snow.

Before Christmas I did some sewing for myself.  In the fall I'd made a note to self that I needed to make some shorts for this coming summer and so I did.  Using the serger they sewed up really fast and that makes me wonder why I was avoiding making them.

I came across this scarflet at a link party  - I love it and the instructions were excellent. 

 

I couldn't resist making a prim heart from red ticking ....

and the little owl turned out smaller than I expected but he's a nice addition to the wee tree.

 

Merry Christmas!

We wish you a Merry Christmas!

a gift and some finishes

I'm enjoying stitching 'minis' and for some of them I prefer 

monotone.  While I was stitching this one I knew

exactly how I wanted to finish it but in the process decided

on another idea .... not sure if the end result was

Plan B or C but definitely not Plan A!

For this one I used a design from here.

This beauty was a gift from Valma.  I love it -
thank you so very much! 

show and tell and some freebies

May I introduce you to Pete the Bear.....

He is soft, cuddly and baby proof.    I met him over here. 

Here's another dainty x-stitch  - this time from Luli.  Be sure
to have a look at how she finished hers - that girl
is some creative!

This is my favourite Christmas quote.  I stitched it
on a piece of drop cloth and left the edges raw - they should
fray nicely with time.  It was a freebie. 

I really like the Scandinavian/Nordic Christmas designs so I  stitched a red snowflake  on some white twill for my version.

I made this candle mat for a gift.  The redwork
stitchery is from Val Laird; the wee piece of
fabric is what I used for the backing. 

This is the handmade card my kid sister sent me for my birthday
 - I love it!

 Claire offered some cute 'Tis the Season' designs and this
is one of them.  I stitched it on perforated paper and backed it with white felt.

 

There's a party going on here.

Zakka-style ....

I made this to use as a coin purse but I can see myriad uses 

for it so I'll  likely be making a few more.

  There's an excellent tutorial here.

 Some hexie and wonky tree mug rugs...

Christmas cards

I made a few cards for Christmas. Most of these are going to
family members with whom we don't exchange gifts.  Other
years I've made a stitched ornament to tuck into their
 cards but thought I they might like a change this year.
Perhaps I should stick with ornies.  
I couldn't resist showing off the hedgehog ornie - he is so cute!

This fella was late for the photo shoot ... he's one of 
Lynn Brown's designs.