December News

Hello everyone,

It's been some time since I've updated the ol' blog.  I'm finally on a two week vacation and am so happy! I haven't been overly productive in the crafting department but I hope to make that up these next few weeks.  I'm sure everyone is busy getting ready for Christmas in a few days.  I have some time before I need to get gifts and whatnot for my Christmas on the 7th of January.  I tried going out to a mall last weekend and it was packed...making me feel closed in and sweaty.  

On the stitching/crafting front, I managed to mail away my snowflakes yesterday, although they will be received quite late.  I also have finished a few little things and can only show 2 since one is a surprise for a friend.  

One of the crocheted snowflakes

LHN's JCS ornament finished with Annette's fabric

An old quaker stitch finally finished for a friend

 I've made some progress on Sarah Chapple, the granny stripe and the Sarah Emery sampler but I won't bore anyone with teeny tiny progress photos.  

On the Little Bean front, I am growing a wee bit more.  Waking up still in the night to go to the bathroom multiple times but I'm getting into a groove with less sleep. 

I received a lovely surprise in the mail from Shirlee the other day.  She made me the most loveliest ornament that is now hanging in our tree. Thank you dear Shirlee!!

I hope to visit some blogs this time around.  I do peep by often but haven't been very good at leaving comments.  It seems that facebook and IG are easier for me when I'm busy.  Speaking of FB, I'm a part of the Scarlett Letter group and there have been amazing giveaways on there lately.  One from Kelmscott designs where you post a chart you want to stitch from the Scarlett Letter.  It's been fun looking at all the samplers I want to stitch at some point in my life.  I've saved the photos so I can refer back to them to purchase.  Here's just a few of my favourites:

Sarah Dutnell

Sarah Singleton

Dorothy Walpole

Aren't they gorgeous?!! Oh to dream of stitching them one day!!

Off to church now.  Take care everyone! Have a very Merry Christmas from me, Titus, Lee and Little Bean!!

Crafty Goodness

Bonjourno everyone!!

I've got lots of great crafty goodness to share with you all so I hope you have something to warm your hands with a good cup of something.   I'm holding a cup of coffee since my hands are freezing.  Perhaps I should put on one of my mug cozies I've been crocheting up?! I can't though since they are gifts for people. The other night, my husband watched me jump from project to project with reckless abandon; stitching, crocheting, pinning, gluing and painting.  I caught the Christmas craft bug in a big way.  I found a great tutorial on how to make crocheted stars and have made three already.  I'm hoping to whip up more of these as cute little gifts for my friends and family.  They take less than 20 minutes to make and all I need now is some starch to spray onto the stars for them to retain their shape.  That and some glitter...my hubby's suggestion.  He's such a great guy!! If you are interested in making some of these charming stars, check out this great blog by Matt: According to Matt. He adds glue on his stars but another blog suggests starch, so that's what I'm going to use.  I still need to attach some bells at the end and then they are finished. I also started a deer silhouette for my brother's bullet box.  I'll be painting the box brown or may stain it.  What do you think I should do?  I've never stained anything before.  Anyone have suggestions?

I find it funny to upload this photo here since I've already uploaded it first to Facebook and Instagram.  It seems there are a lot of us stitchers on both media platforms finding each other more and more everyday.  Is blogging going to be a thing of the past? Although I do enjoy Instagram and facebook, I hope blogging stays because I do enjoy reading people's posts in a diary/journal type form!

Onto more crafty goodness.  I'm happy to announce that Meari has received my mailart!! After the people (rather the young buck) at the post office looked at me like I was crazy and was not helpful at all, I mailed the envelope with some trepidation.  I had visions of people at the letter sorting place pulling it out of the line and opening it or destroying it!! Why, I don't know...I was just worried!! So glad that it made it to her and she told me her parents thought it was really cool to receive mail from BC so they got out an atlas to find me! Check out her post! I can hardly wait to receive mine.  This is my first private exchange and I enjoyed every bit, even the worrying part!

The inside fabric

the back

the front

The design on the back is a freebie from The Little Stitcher. The design on the front is a freebie from Gazette94.  I stitched the tree and a bunch of the snowflakes randomly all around the tree.  I used DMC threads for all of the stitching.  The variegated red is 119 I believe.  I used some sort of evenweave fabric that was in my stash.  I hope to do this again...wink wink Meari!

Finally one of my giveaway prizes has been received. Pat from Southpaw Stitcher loved the pillow I made for her and the treats I included for her to use.  I am happy with the finish too.  For some reason I do "perfect" finishes for others....just not for myself.  Maybe I should pretend that the finish I'm working on is for someone else and then it will turn out ok! I stitched it on 32 ct. Lambswool with DMC threads. Her photos on her blog are much better than mine. 

Prairie Schooler Fall

Still waiting for the other two to arrive...but they have further to travel.  

So on that crafty crazy day, I finished my Two White birds.  Not happy with the finish at all.  It's crooked, the ribbon bow is bunchy, the ribbon around the pinkeep is wonky...sigh.  I'm sure none of you will see any of these flaws, but I do.  Not only is it not what I envisioned, but there's some sort of pink blog dot on one of the bird's tails.  You can't see it in the photo since the ribbon covers it.  

I haven't posted a TUSAL in ages, so here's my year end orts.  The bowl is overflowing and I have to figure out what to do with all of those orts. 

We finally put our Christmas tree up last night! Yay! We listened to Christmas tunes and Loreena McKennitt's Christmas album.  The song "Snow" always makes me emotional and nostalgic for Christmas times past.  I remember listening to this song in the kitchen while making sugar cookies with my mom when I was16 years old.  We listened to the tape on a tape player and stayed up until 1 am making cookies.  That night it was snowing and everything was quiet save for Loreena's voice echoing in our kitchen.  Magical...isn't it?

Take care everyone and thank you for staying with me this long! I appreciate all of the lovely comments and well wishes everyone is sending me and my husband.  He appreciates it too and thanks everyone who has taken a moment to think of him.  

Anne

First Tusal of 2013 and Homemade Gifts

Well the first part of 2013 has certainly gone by quickly.  I can't believe I've already had my birthday, Christmas and am starting a second week of work already! Whoooooshhhhh!!! Time flies!! So without further ado, I want to share with you some lovely homemade gifts I've received from my friends, my first TUSAL orts (lots of sparklies) and some stitching.

As many of you may know, I have a Russian background and many of my friends love to me anything that is Russian and a doll, since I am a Russian Doll!! Literally!!! Well, to my complete surprise, one of my dearest friends cross stitched me the most amazing gift ever.  A Matrioushka doll!! 

Isn't she a the sweetest doll ever?!!!

While I was in Prince George, I got to visit with one of my oldest and dearest friend.  We had a lovely time together and she surprised me with the most wonderful gifts: handmade soaps, scrubs, lipgloss, cream, little notecards, tags, and a pin cushion.  Both my mother and sister said that she should start her own business making these lovely things and I agree.  So A. if you are reading this, get an Etsy account pronto!! She also made the most adorable felted pin cushion I have ever seen complete with handmade pins! I will have a hard time parting with them!!

That mushroom pin I think I'll keep. It's too darling to part with!! As you can see, Titus got all involved as he likes to do.

When I arrived back home to rain (insert groan here) I had a number of little packages waiting for me.  One was from Tiki Stitches.  The other was from Mouse from Tales of a Stitching Mouse.  Tiki gave me some lovely fabric and tea. I already have a project lined up that will work perfectly with the fabric.  Thanks Tiki darling!! Mouse gave me a bourse to catch my orts!! That sort of rhymes doesn't it?! Thank you my dearest Mouse!! I love it!! So sweet of you both to think of me!!

Lovely fabric and tea from Diane

The prettiest little ort catcher from Mouse

My TUSAL picture didn't turn out as I wanted it to but someone popped into the scene to make it better.

Titus!!

Darling boy.  He missed us so much.  Our neighbour who looked after him, told us that when she visited him, he would often sit facing the door waiting for us to come home.  Awww, my big, baby boy! We are lucky though to have such a lovely neighbour come and make sure he's okay.

As for stitching, I didn't really stitch a lot during my  "holiday" with everything that was going on.  I forgot to take a progress photo of Baked Goods but there really isn't much to show.  I started two new RAKs for the Random Acts of Stitching Kindness blog.  I am nearly finished one and would show it but I can't since it would ruin the surprise. I also finally started Hannah Brassington tonight and am loving working with the silks.  Again I am mulling over whether to stitch 1 over 2 or 2 over 2.  Now that I've completed almost one flower with those pricey AVAS silks, I think I'll stick to 2 over 2 since I don't want to waste ANY of those silks!!! I think it'll be fine.  I'll post a photo to the Scarlet Letter Challenge blog tomorrow.  I do have some Tea Bath Fairy progress to show you.  Loads of sparkle!!!

I'll leave you with a photo of the Sister Cookies aka Sugar Cookies.  I designed the tree and angel.  They were really yummy!!

 PS: I still haven't caught up with all of you and your blogs...I feel so badly about it too :(  I really hope next weekend will be a bit slower although I have a feeling it won't as I'm trying to catch up with some girlfriends and I have to find the time to see THE HOBBIT!!! I can't believe I haven't seen it yet!! I may have to go on my own.  Anywho, when I do catch up I will be a happy camper!!

*GASP* Two Finishes!! IHSW and TUSAL

What's that you hear? Yes....you heard correctly! I finally had a finishing weekend!!! Yay! The finishing drive came over me once I had a glass of sherry and put on some old school jazz. I am pretty pleased with the results and can't wait for next weekend when I will have more time for finishing!! 

Earlier that day, I took a visit to Fabricland and found some wooden and metal buttons on sale.  I grabbed a couple of packs, came home and started playing with trims.  Following some inspiration from the wonder woman finisher Faye from Carolina Stitcher and her post about layering, I decided to give layering trims a go and found a lovely combo for my 123citrouille's Noel.  

123Citrouille's Noel freebie

I love the combo of ribbon, lace, cluny lace and chenille trim with those buttons! So proud of myself!! It's nice to know that with all that practice, I am getting a wee bit better with my finishes.  Don't mean to toot my own horn, but compared to when I first started, it's an improvement to say the least.  The only thing is I don't really like the current fiberfill I have, it's sort of lumpy and difficult to work with.  Now I need to buy some really good fiberfill instead of this lumpy stuff I have and my finishes will be even better.

I also fiddled around with PS's Partridge in a Pear Tree.  I cut out a triangle and spent a good 1/2 hour looking for the green felt I thought I had lying around.  Couldn't find it so I used some red felt.  After I made the ornament, guess what I found?  Yup, the green felt!! Egads!!! Oh well! I think this one came out okay too.  Not as good as the Noel pillow, but cute I think.

Check out who's under the tree! Naughty Titus!!

Oh that cat! 

With all that finishing this weekend, I didn't spend a lot of time stitching.  I did work a wee bit more on Tweet and Tea Bath Fairy.  Here's my progress for 2012's last IHSW.

Loads of Kreinik stitching...slow going.

The little Tweet!

Looking forward to more hermitty weekends in 2013! 

The last TUSAL of the year is filled with kreinik and other bits of string as my hubby calls it.

Thank you to those who have sent me Christmas cards! I have them up and displayed and love them all!! 

On a sadder note, my heart breaks every time I think of those children and teachers who lost their lives in Connecticut.  I wept for all those little boys and girls and their families.  My heart and prayers are with the parents and the community for their loss.  

Take care everyone! I'm looking forward to spending some time visiting your blogs on the break.  

Hugs from me and Titus

The Queen Stitch and Teeny Tiny Things

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas......or so that's how I feel! Tonight we decorated our tree and I started another Christmas ornament, so yes, it's feeling Christmasy here!! The weather has dropped and I feel there's snow on the way, however, it's Vancouver so most likely it will rain.  *Crosses fingers for snow** Hee hee!!!

After a couple of days of nursing my sick husband with lots of love, chicken soup, back rubs, temperature checks, heart checks, you know...all the checks a man needs because they are such babies when they are sick, I decided I'd read to him from one of my favourite books in the world: Brambly Hedge's Winter Story.  I thought this might cheer him up! Well, he loved the story as did I, and it got me right into the spirit of Christmas.  Warm and fuzzy feelings always stir when I read that book, sort of like that part in the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe when Lucy touches the branch of a fir tree and her feet crunches on snow as she parts the furs and falls into a Winter Wonderland.  How magical is that?!

When I was a little girl, I dreamed of living in this tree stump

Stitchy News:

Feeling rather bold last night, I tackled my first ever Queen Stitches while watching the last part of the Titanic.  I forgot about how amazing that movie is and also how horrifying it would have been to be aboard that ship.  I shed a few tears here and there.....right....the Queen stitches are in periwinkle silk.  It was hard to get a close up of the stitches.  These are the best I could take.

After tackling those stitches, which were a lot of fun, I thought to myself....why not stitch some Christmasy ornies and make them really tiny! So here are my teeny tiny designs I am stitching.

Tweet by LHN, various silks and DMC stitched on 40 ct Creme Brulee linen

And Titus' nose for size comparison:

A cute little freebie from Balades et Broderies.  I want to stitch quite a few of her designs and have chosen one to stitch on some of that lovely gray fabric I recently ordered.  This design is stitched 1 over 1 on 32 ct. lugana. VERY TINY!!!

That will be one small ornament! 

Wish I had some finishes to show all of you but I have not been in the mood to pull out my sewing machine.  Hopefully next weekend I will be! Send some of that finishing fairy dust or whatever over my way!!!

To all of those who wanted to exchange Christmas cards with me, I have sent them all out on Saturday so they should be arriving soon!!!

Thank you all for visiting and I hope to make more visits to your blogs very soon! 

Big hugs from me and Titus