Living in Denver part-time is quite fun for my husband and me. Our grandson is keeping us busy! We have new places to explore, and a new climate to adjust to. Our snow fall today has made me glad I purchased our turkey a couple of days ago! So much snow...just makes one want to stay inside where it's warm and dry.
      Barb has designed and stitched this sweet pincushion just right for the season! His black paper mache hat keeps him safe when not in use. This one will ship out to the distributors tomorrow. Should be in your local cross stitch shop after Thanksgiving!

  
     He's stitched on 36ct. Murky by Picture This Plus, and uses Weeks Dye Works floss.
Wishing everyone here in the states a happy Thanksgiving, and time to enjoy your family!

Until later,

Alma

 I made these gingerbread birds this past week from an antique cookie board I purchased last year. I can't even begin to tell you how much it cost.....but I had never seen one like it, and I love making these springerle-like cookies. I have quite a few molds and love them all! (All right.....it's an addiction.)

 Today I made some almond toffee....although the recipe called this recipe a brickle. I can't figure out the difference....what is a brickle? Is it toffee?

 I thought these sweet birds made the best gift tags. Really any shape of a gingerbread cookie would be sweet.

 The recipe is from this 2012 Land O Lakes magazine. They no longer publish cookie recipe magazines. But I have about 4 of them, so maybe Land O Lakes think they have written enough about Christmas cookies. I do use Land O Lakes butter though, as the water content is lower. But any butter would work here, so not to worry.

I usually write the date I've made something and any notes that help with the recipe in all of my cookbooks and magazines. It helps me later, and I think of these as personal cooking journals. You can tell I first made this in 2015 and was surprised how easy it was. The paper wrinkles show I've made this recipe quite a bit. Just glad the pages haven't stuck together yet! I can hardly get to my pecan pie recipe because of accidental drips and drops on the page. I've had to tear my Betty Crocker pages carefully apart a couple of times.

I did change this recipe a little. My changes are noted below in parentheses.

Here's the recipe:  Make sure you read over all the steps before beginning.

1 cup slivered blanched almonds
1 tsp. Land O Lakes butter, melted
1 1/2 tsps. of coarse ground black pepper  (I used just 1 tsp.)
1/2 tsp. sea salt or coarse grain salt
2/3 cup Land O Lakes butter
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon corn syrup
(I add 1/2 tsp. almond extract after taking the toffee off of the heat source.)

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 15" x 10" x 1" jelly roll pan with foil, and extend over the edges.
2. Combine the almonds with the 1/2 tsp. of melted butter in a small bowl. Toss to coat. Spread onto the pan. Sprinkle the pepper and salt over the almonds. Bake, stirring once or twice, until the nuts are lightly toasted....about 12 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine 2/3 cup butter, sugar and corn syrup in a heavy 3 qt. saucepan. Cook over medium hear, stirring occasionally, until the mixture comes to a boil and the sugar is dissolved.
Reduce the heat to low. (You don't have to stir much after you reduce the heat. It continues to do fine on its own.) Cook until the candy thermometer reaches 300 degrees. Remove from the heat and stir in the toasted almonds. (I add the 1/2 tsp. almond extract here also.)
4. Stir the mixture well and pour onto the same foil-lined pan; spread to a thin layer. Cool and break into pieces.

I made two batches....enough to share and have a couple pieces left for me too! I didn't double the recipe though. I made each batch separately.

Happy baking!
Until later,
Alma   

     My owl row arrived today by UPS, just in time to roost on the Thanksgiving table. The cleaning is done ....most of the grocery shopping is completed, except for a couple of things I forgot, and the family is arriving today. Let the excitement begin!

     We were going to give 10 books away....but I called Barb and asked if I could have some of her books to give away too. She said yes, so we are giving away 16 books instead of 10. We wish we could give everyone who responded a book!

Below are the winners:
Please email me at alma@blackbird-designs.com with your address. I will send them out next Monday after all my company leaves, ( if I can get out of my chair!)

1.  Sharon Treece in Alaska.....you will have to make more than one row to keep you warm up there!
2.  Ann....who found an owl on the highway and carried it to a rescue group.
3.  Picara
4.  Lisa who wants to make her grandkids a pillowcase
5.  Melody Bryan
6. Barb who uses the picture of the cute corgi for her ID picture
7. Bibby and Pa
8.  Kim from Northern California
9. Susie Hoover
10. Sherril who has an owl house!  Wish I had one too!
11.  Sandra Paschkow
12. Jilly Anderson
13.  Sue Cahill who wants to make a row for her mom.  (Hope my kids are reading this!!!)
14.  Shirley Mann
15.  M & M plus 3 who is going to make an owl house!
16. Karin Terwel who lives in the Netherlands

Congratulations to all of the winners!!!
Barb and I are thankful for all of you. Thank you for your nice notes too. Really enjoyed reading all of them.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Until later,
Alma

Give Kids the World Village helps children with life-threatening illnesses enjoy weeklong, cost-free vacations with their families. Together, the designers are donating royalties from the book’s sales to benefit this charity.

Until later!
Alma

     Mix a few birds in with some scrappy baskets of flowers, and you have folk art at its best! Notice how the sweet plaids make the burgundies and blues pop. This quilt would be the perfect accent for any room in your home. Barb used a fat quarter pack of  "At Home,"our latest fabric line with Moda Fabrics. She added yardage of several other prints and the look is fun! I'm always surprised how much I love the blue and red and burgundy leaves. It's nice when they don't all have to be green.
     The appliqué shapes are large and simple, making this a quick and easy project. "A Little Flower" is a 60" square.

     Below is pictured # 5 in our Loose Feather series, For the Birds. The same color palette helps to make sure they go together well. "Sing a Song of Seasons" is at the printer and will be picked up on Monday. Then off to the distributors, and they will be ready for you hopefully by the end of next week. I'm working on # 6 now. I know we have missed a couple of months publishing this series. I've had a couple of delays. 

     The pattern below is the newest one in our Christmas Series. It is adapted from an antique piece that captured my eye. The large floral border is my favorite part. This was such an easy stitch. This one will be in shops very soon.

         
     Here's a picture of M. Bowker's antique piece. Her sampler is joyous!



     I have to share two photos from my bike ride too. Becky is posing in front of this enormous rock. She's looking really glad to have biked so far! After taking her picture, I was going to do the same pose. Then, I noticed something under the stone's ledge. (Look just behind Becky's right foot.)


 

The Light Upon the Lawn is our newest Loose Feathers pattern. (Second in the series) It's on its way to the printer today, and shipping out to the distributors in a weeks time. The floss colors are the same as last month's palette, and I think one set of floss should be enough to do two of these small samplers.


     The title of this pattern is inspired by Emily Dickenson’s poem, ‘A Light Exists in Spring’. In the poem she speaks of the light in spring being colored differently than the rest of the year. I loved the idea of spring light awaiting on the lawn ... ready for us to come outside and view the landscape. You can read her poem here.
     Last weekend Barb and I traveled north for Stitchville USA's retreat in Minnesota. We had a lovey time! Great women, venue and food! Can't beat that combination! This trip really got me thinking about spring.
      After we had driven about 250 miles north, I noticed the landscape had changed. No trees were in bloom and no buds on the trees. I told Barb we could experience about 6 springs a year. Start in the south and slowly travel north over a period of 10 weeks. Might be the perfect bike trip. I digress here....anyway someone from the retreat asked me how we come up with some of the pattern titles. It got me thinking that Barb and I should share how we name our patterns.
    


     I had to wake Corey up for this picture. After our morning walk, he has been sleeping by my chair helping me work. Well....he's not really helping .....he's just lovely companionship. Look at those droopy eyes! Not to worry about any lack of sleep on his part...he's already snoring again.

Until later!

Alma