Gifts and a Giveaway

Good morning, my stitching friends! And how is everyone doing in this brand new year? 2015... doesn't it seem like just yesterday that we were celebrating the year 2000 and ringing in a new century?  I'll have to admit, January is not my favorite month... I always feel a bit of a letdown after the busy holiday season and this cold, bitter month seems to stretch on forever. Does anyone else feel like that? I think this year it hit me harder than normal because I was going non-stop from the day Dad died on October 31st until the Christmas decorations were finally tucked back into the attic on January 3rd. And all of a sudden everything is quiet again--which is both good and bad. Good because I have more time to read and stitch and putter around the house (I love puttering!). Bad because I have more time to think about and miss my father and worry about certain other friends and family members. I know that once short February rolls around I'll be relieved--after all, by then, the winter's end is in sight!

But, enough of that--I know you're here to see what stitching I have to share with you today. I was so impressed with the goals so many of you made for your stitching year... I'm just not that organized and I'm the type of stitcher who likes to stitch whatever calls to me at the time. My only goal for 2015 is to, once again, create a dozen new ornaments for my poor, overloaded Christmas tree. I try to do one a month and January's is stitched, but not finished, so I'll wait and show you that next time. Today, the only things I can show you are the ornaments I've given away as gifts at Christmas time and for a friend's special birthday. 

I stitched and sent 11 ornaments as gifts this year and today I'd like to share those I created for my international friends. Next time, I'll show you the ones that went to friends right here in the United States.

To my friend June, in England, went this piece stitched on 32 ct. black Belfast linen. If you think it looks familiar, you're right! I stitched another for my own tree back in 2012. I don't mind stitching the same design twice if there are a few years in between stitchings, do you? This is called "Candy Canes" and is designed by Sue Hillis. I found the cute candy cane charm in the lower right corner on Etsy.

"Candy Canes" by Sue Hillis

This Prairie Schooler Santa, from the "Father Christmas" booklet (No. 43) is now residing with my friend, Lois,  in Northern Ireland. For the finish, I used the suggested DMC colors on 40ct. raw natural Newcastle linen. I tied a couple of rusty bells on the hanger and added handmade cording to complete this one.

Prairie Schooler's "Father Christmas" gold Santa

To Lynda (no blog), in England, went another Prairie Schooler Santa from the "Father Christmas" booklet (No. 43). Once again, I used the suggested DMC colors on 40ct. raw natural Newcastle linen. I'll definitely be stitching both of the PS Santas that I sent to Lois and Lynda for myself. I just love how relaxing they are to stitch!

Prairie Schooler's "Father Christmas" blue Santa

For Nathalie (no blog), in France, I stitched an ornament which I've stitched at least four times! This gingerbread boy is designed by Plum Pudding NeedleArt and  is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. Jobelan using the suggested DMC threads. The chart can be found in the "Candy Cane Wishes" booklet which features two other equally adorable designs. I'm sure that won't be the last time I stitch him--he always makes me smile!

Plum Pudding NeedleArt "Candy Cane Wishes"

And finally, for Gabi (no blog), in Germany, went another favorite Prairie Schooler  design that I've stitched multiple times. The chart for this one was featured in the 1999 Just Cross Stitch ornament magazine. I used 18 ct. sage green aida and backed it with the cute polka dot fabric which coordinated perfectly with the DMC colors in the finish.

Prairie Schooler "Let It Snow" snowman

If you'd like to see the gifts that June, Lois, Lynda, Nathalie, and Gabi sent my way, just take a peek at my previous post.  I've so enjoyed my friendships with all of you--thank you again for thinking of me at Christmas time!

And there was also a special birthday gift for my friend, Cindy, who turned 50 on January 1st. I chose yet another Prairie Schooler design (are you tired of all these PS designs, yet?!)...  This one is from the chart "From the Heart" and is stitched on 40ct. raw natural Newcastle linen. I used the suggested DMC colors, but changed the border to all white and added six little beads to the basket. I thought Cindy could use it for Valentine's Day in a small basket of finishes or just place it on a bookshelf in her home. I previously stitched this for my bowl of February finishes back in 2012, but used a different color scheme in the border, which you can see right here. I actually think I like this all-white border even better!

Prairie Schooler "From the Heart" finish

Blogging slowdown? It was so interesting to read your comments and emails on my last post's reflections on the change in the blogging world over the past year. I'm thrilled that so many of you plan on keeping up your blog and a few of you even said you missed the personal contacts that blogging brings and plan to return to it. Yay!! A couple of you emailed and said you were discouraged with blogging because of the lack of comments on your blogs. Well, my answer to that is: "Do you comment on other blogs?" I comment--a lot. I know how a few kind words about a finish or a post can make me feel and I try to bring that same feeling to others. I rarely comment any more on blogs whose authors don't comment on mine. Does that sound childish? Perhaps, but there are only so many hours in the day and I'd rather take the time to comment on those blogger's blogs who reciprocate... A comment can be as simple as "nice work" or "lovely post." It really doesn't take much time out of your busy day. Anyway, it was an interesting conversation and the general consensus seemed to be that blogging offers more of a chance to build real relationships than some other forms of social media.

A little giveaway... I know you're all familiar with that lovely Santa postman in Marly's  header on her blog--isn't he the most handsome Santa? I love how Marly finished him, too, and will definitely be adding him to my "must stitch" list one of these years. While doing some organizing last week, I discovered that I had an extra copy of the book that contains that chart as well as over 20 other lovely projects. Who would like to win a copy?

Here is a collage of just some of the charts you can find in this beautiful book including the postman Santa shown in the far right photo. If you would like to win a copy of this Leisure Arts book, please let me know in your comments and I will pick a winner on my birthday on January 16th. I will leave the drawing open until midnight on January 15th. 

Giveaway for "Christmas Portraits" book

I'll leave you with this photo that doesn't look like much when you first glance at it. But, as I studied it more closely, it took my breath away when I noticed the brilliant reddish orange cardinal perched on the very top of a snow-covered pine tree in my back yard. Can you spot him?

Here is a blurry close-up--such a cheery bird in the middle of winter...

Enjoy your week, my friends... the next time I post, I'll officially be the big 6-0!! Thanks so much for each and every comment; I truly appreciate them!  Bye for now...

Catching Up With Christmas On a Very Special Day

Good morning everyone! Well, it's a special day for me, which I'll get to later in my post, but first I have some stitching finishes I'd love to share with you. Many of you have been asking about my monthly Christmas ornaments. Am I still doing them, when will I show them, etc. Well, I'm happy to say I've finally caught up--I hadn't finished a Christmas ornament since March so it was a lot of work, but I love how each and every one turned out! Below is a shot of the stitching along with some of the finishing materials I gathered. Sometimes I think finding the perfect trims, fabrics, and buttons to finish a piece is as much fun as the actual stitching!

Monthly ornaments waiting to be all finished up

My ornament for April was actually started last November and then got cast aside during the frenzy of Christmas stitching. Finding this little snow guy half-finished was like running into an old friend. How can you help but smile at that crooked grin of his? The suggested DMC colors and a mystery piece of 32 ct. linen were used. I think this finish is a perfect example of how you can take a simple design ("Let It Snow" by A Stitcher's Hands) and make it more special by adding fun fabrics and trims. The wee orange nose was called for on the chart, but I added the white pompom and jazzed him up with two fabrics, white ric rak, and a candy-cane striped hanger. The chart includes three other charming snowmen, all wrapped up in their warm scarves and knit hats, which I also hope to stitch one of these days.

"Let It Snow" by A Stitcher's Hands

I honestly enjoy (gasp!) stitching on black--in fact three of my seven ornaments for 2012 are stitched on black so far! The May ornament is stitched on 32 ct. black Belfast linen with DMC threads. I love how white just pops on the black fabric and with snow and wintry themed charts, there is always a lot of white on Christmas ornaments. This cheery piece is Sue Hillis's "Candy Canes" and includes a little brass candy cane charm. The color of the red is really more of a maroon shade than is shown in the photo. I changed it from the suggested DMC reds to DMC 815 which I also used to make the red and white cording. It is backed with coordinating red and white striped fabric and topped with a little white pin. I left off the backstitching for obvious reasons. That's another good thing about stitching on black fabric--no need to backstitch!

"Candy Canes" by Sue Hillis

For my June ornament, I stitched the winsome Trilogy design called "Cheer." This is the second one of their little trees that I've done. I also stitched the Spooky Tree for my dear friend, Myra back in 2010. If any of you are familiar with the original design, you'll notice I left off the rectangular border and one of the little stars and finished it into an oval shape with a ruched ribbon and bow in slate blue. It is backed with the beige and white homespun fabric shown. Some miniature white buttons serve as snowballs just waiting for that next snowball fight between this trio of little guys. I don't know about you, but the sight of them certainly brings me "cheer!"

"Cheer" by The Trilogy

And finally, back to my all-time favorite designer, Prairie Schooler, for my July ornament! "A Visit From St. Nicholas" is from Book No. 48, "A Christmas Visit" and is the second piece I've stitched from it. The first was Sunflower Santa done back in 2010. Again, I love every single design in this booklet and I hope to complete all seven. This one is stitched on 40ct. flax Newcastle linen using the suggested DMC threads and is finished very simply with handmade cording in DMC 221. A red and white gingham bow was added to the corner to cover where the cording ends meet.

"A Visit From St. Nicholas" by Prarie Schooler

And here are all four--April through July...ready and waiting for December's Christmas tree:

April, May, June, July 2012 ornaments

I've had some lovely gifts arrive on my doorstep lately from three blogging friends around the world. First of all, Suzanne in Washington state (no blog) sent me this sweet Lizzie Kate kit as a thank you for lending her an out-of print chart. Secondly, Melody from Bookwoman Stitches blog sent me this cute "Jolly Jack" chart to thank me for lending her two out-of-print charts. She's hoping it will make the cut for my "October Bowl"--I just bet it might, Melody!! And finally, all the way from England, came these gifts from Linda. Linda doesn't have a blog, but has written to say how inspirational my finishes are and wanted to send me a little token to show her appreciation. She sent me my first (and probably only!) souvenir of the Diamond Jubilee and a wonderful bookmark with "Desiderata" on it (boy, does that take me back to my college days in the mid-'70s. I think every girl in the dorm had a poster with that lovely verse on her wall. If you would like to read the whole thing for yourself, click here ). She also included some postcards and leaflets from Sandringham. I am so touched by all of your gifts, my friends. Really, nothing is expected when I lend my charts out, but I so appreciate your friendship and generosity!

A most special day: July 23rd, 1977...My wedding day--which makes today our 35th wedding anniversary! I seem to find myself humming that old Carpenters tune We've Only Just Begun quite a bit lately. (For all of you in your fifties and sixties you'll love this old video--does that bring back memories or what?! I think I wore out multiple copies listening to the Carpenters' records over and over when I was in high school!).

"We've only just begun, to live...
White lace and promises,
A kiss for luck
And we're on our way..."

We were so young and so full of hope. Our sons can't believe we married at age 22, but that's the way it was done back then... graduate from college, get married, work for a few years, and have kids. Today the order of things has definitely changed up a bit, hasn't it? And the time-frame has certainly slowed down. But, you know what, I wouldn't change a thing about the way we did things way back when...

Wedding Day Memories

Here is a tiny snapshot from our big day along with our wedding invitation (yes, it was the palest blue color!) featuring the quote "And this... our life, our beginning." The white lace is all that remains of my wedding dress which was damaged and discolored beyond repair from decades of storage in my parents' attic. So, I removed a few pieces to save before discarding it. (Having no daughters who might want to wear it someday, made that decision a bit easier!) And how about that 13¢ butterfly stamp--that just shows you how prices have jumped over the past 35 years--today it costs 45¢ to mail a card this size! (If it looks like there are no people in the pews behind us, that is because the minister would not allow photos during the church ceremony, so this was "staged" after the actual ceremony. There were actually nearly 250 people in attendance!).

So, how will we celebrate? Well, believe it or not, my husband is 3183.11miles away right now. He is on a week-long biking tour of Alaska! (This is not him in the photo, but I'm expecting some equally breathtaking shots to be taken by him this week.) I'm a bit sad, of course, but this was a once-in-a-lifetime trip and biking is to him what stitching is to me. I know we'll celebrate later, in fact we already have plans to head down to the mountains of North Carolina (Asheville vicinity) this fall. And this is where I could use your help--have any of you vacationed there who could give me advice; the best time to go to see the leaves changing, must-see sights, good restaurants, even the name of a great place to stay (I'd love to stay in a little cabin!)? Any help would be greatly appreciated...

Well, that wraps up another very lengthy post--I hope you've enjoyed your visit today! Welcome to my new followers; so glad you've joined the fun. As always, your comments and emails are very much appreciated--thank you, my friends. I'll close with the final lines from Max Ehrmann's "Desiderata." Although written in 1927, it is still so applicable to today's world...

"With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be careful. Strive to be happy".

May your week be a special one! Bye for now...

Yiota's Cross Stitch Kit Review

Happy Spring everyone--or should I say "summer," since that's what it feels like here in western Pennsylvania. Yesterday, we had a record-breaking 80 degrees--amazing for mid-March! But, I'm loving every minute of this unprecedented stretch of warm weather.

A few weeks ago, I had a lovely email from Yiota, owner of Yiota's Cross Stitch asking me if I would do a review of one of her kits on my blog. I had read reviews of her kits on other stitching blogs so I was most eager to see one for myself. Her website was very easy to explore and she seems to offer something for everyone... beginning to advanced stitching and everything in between on a host of subjects and themes ranging from animals to fairies to landscapes and more!

So would you like to know what kit I chose to review? It was a hard decision, but I ended up choosing this wonderful William Morris design called "Strawberry Thief." It has both birds and blue, so, of course I love it!

I was so pleased with the packaging itself--it arrived in a very sturdy cardboard envelope which suffered no damage in the journey "across the pond." Yiota's business is located in England and she and her husband design and manufacture their own kits. I love the fact that it is a small business because I feel like you get more personalized attention should a problem ever arise.

My favorite part of the kit was the way the threads were packaged... Aren't they beautiful?! All wound up so neatly on their own little card bobbins, clearly numbered, and a hole already punched into the card should you want to place them on a ring to keep them all together. Yiota's cross stitch kits use Madeira threads, but also offer DMC numbers in case you want to substitute. I've never stitched with Madeira before and am really looking forward to it. You also have the option to purchase the chart only.

The chart was printed in large, easy-to-read symbols on quality paper... The kit included a choice of aida or 28 ct. evenweave along with a nice needle. I chose the evenweave and was pleased with the nice Zweigart piece that arrived in the kit. I'll have to say I was a bit surprised that it wasn't black, though, as I was expecting that given the black background of the design. It would be helpful if the description included the color of fabric and offered it in 32 ct. size, too. Just a couple of suggestions to make an already fine product even better!

Here is a look at the whole kit--isn't it pretty? Please hop over and take a look at Yiota's site--I think you'll be very pleased with both the shopping experience and her wonderful products. Thank you, Yiota, for the chance to review your delightful kit--I'm sure I'll enjoy stitching "Strawberry Thief!"

I haven't done much stitching since my post last week, but I am almost done with the "Nature's Alphabet" that I began back in January (in this post). The stitching itself is complete, just have to add the beads; I can't wait to show it to you next week (hopefully!). In the mean time, I'll share a couple of older spring finishes with you:

"It's Spring!" by Sue Hillis Designs.
Stitched back in 2005--I still love it!

"Summer Scene" by The Drawn Thread.
Stitched back in 2009, but just framed in January.

"Daffodil Run" by Just Nan

stitched and framed in 2009.

The little daffodil charm is so sweet
and I love the ribbon hanger!
(Found the frame at Michael's...)

Here's just a sneak preview of one thing I'm working on for my bowl of April finishes... Any guess as to what it is? Here are two hints: it's stitched over one and uses 28 ct. babbling brook Jobelan!

March 21, 1982--a most special day... It's hard to believe that 30 years ago today, I became a mother. Yes, today is my oldest son's 30th birthday and I still remember the day he was born like it was yesterday... There is nothing like the feeling a young mother experiences when she holds her newborn in her arms for the first time. To my dear, oldest son, I wish you a most ♫♪♫ Happy Birthday ♫♪♫ and I hope all of your wishes come true... After all, you made one of our wishes come true the day you were born, and we are so proud to be your parents (even if we do feel awfully old right about now!!).

Your comments on my "March bowl" were all so wonderful! I sure am enjoying coming up with new finishes for it each month and I truly appreciate your compliments on both my stitching and finishing. I'd like to offer a big welcome to all my new followers, too. I've just noticed that my number of followers has topped 700 this week and I'm just astounded that so many of you find my blog interesting enough to follow... I'd say a celebration giveaway is in order, wouldn't you? Let me put on my thinking cap and try to come up with some cheery spring gifts to offer as a giveaway very soon, okay? I hope your week is filled with everything that brings you smiles! Bye for now...

January Blues

I wonder why the color blue is always associated with the month of January? I was thinking about that the other day and just couldn't come up with a good answer. I suppose snow does take on a blueish cast in certain lights, but other than that, I can't think of anything "blue" about the month. On the other hand, maybe it is more about the mental state--the "blue mood"-- that some people find themselves in after the holidays. I remember as the mother of three young, rambunctious boys, how very long and endless the month of January seemed. I would occasionally feel a bit "blue" myself after being inside so much on those cold, gray days that seem to settle upon our part of Pennsylvania at this time of year. Those days seem to be behind me now, but when I do have an occasional "blue" day, I have several things that seem to help brighten my mood. Of course, stitching is one of those things, but also exercising, and believe it or not... cleaning! I'm sure some of you are groaning right now, but cleaning the house is such a mood lifter for me; there is nothing like that feeling when you're finished and everything is all polished and spiffy-looking. How about you--what works to chase away your January "blues?"

So, in the spirit of "January Blues," I have some blue finishes to share with you all. My first finish (finally!) of 2012, is "Snow White" by Little House Needleworks. As I mentioned in my last post, I didn't enjoy stitching on this Heatherfield fabric, but I do love the result...the tiny blue flecks in the fabric add so much. I used DMC 3865 rather than the suggested Belle Soie silk and really like the look of it on the blue. Now, I just need to find a creamy white frame and I'll have a nice new piece to showcase during the winter months.

I just couldn't resist stitching this adorable, bald snowman shivering in the January winds. I'm sure you all recognize this as a Lizzie Kate piece. It's called "A Bit of January" and is stitched on 32 ct. sage Jobelan--always a favorite fabric of mine whenever I'm stitching winter scenes because the snow stands out so well. It was stitched with whatever overdyeds I had in my collection. I then made it into a little pillow using fabric from an old flannel shirt (one long abandoned by one of my sons--probably from the '90s!). I added a bit of white ric rak peaking out from the flannel and kept the finish quite simple. Here is the final result:

Now, this little guy looked pretty forlorn all by himself, so I went to my drawer of "unfinished finishes" (you all have those, right?) and decided it was high time I released more snowmen into the light of day. I spent most of Friday finishing all five pieces. Three of these were stitched years ago--you know how I can tell? Because they're done on aida which I probably haven't used in seven or eight years. I think the designs have held up quite well, though, and here is the remainder of my "January Blues" collection:

Sue Hillis's "The Weather Outside"
freebie available here.


Lizzie Kate January Stamp Flip-It


Sue Hillis's "Yankee Doodle Dandy"


Whispered By the Wind Snow freebie
which you can find here. I tufted
it in the middle and attached
a navy blue button on the back.

So, what did I do with all of these little pillows? Well, I found this lovely long wooden bowl on sale at Kohl's before Christmas. After deducting my $10.00 Kohl's cash from a previous purchase, I paid a grand total of $3.23 for this wonderful piece. I bought it expressly for displaying my seasonal small finishes and here is my first winter group... (click on it for a larger picture). What do you think?

THANK YOU TO...

I was so surprised to receive a wonderful birthday gift from Michelle at "Heart in Stitches" blog all the way from South Africa! Now, who in the world would ever have thought I would have a sweet young friend half-way across the world--the miracles of blogging! I'm so touched that Michelle sent me this beautiful pale blue pinkeep along with assorted ribbons, threads, beads, fabrics, chocolate (!), and a lovely beaded scissor fob. Isn't the pinkeep lovely? So nicely stitched and finished and in one of my favorite shades of blue. Your kind and generous gifts are wonderful, Michelle--thank you so very, very much. I love each and every item!

I had a couple of nice giveaway wins lately... First of all, back in December, I won Terri's "Christmas Basket of Cheer" giveaway. Just look at this stunning pillow that Terri made especially for me. She asked me what colors I liked (blue and buttery yellow) and what motifs (I told her birds or rabbits) and from that information she proceeded to select and adapt a design just for me. The antique lace she added is so special as is the backing fabric. You can read more about the details, colors, and chart on Terri's Dixiesamplar blog . I feel so honored, Terri, that you gave up your free time to stitch this for me. It looks like it was made to order for my family room and I couldn't have stitched anything I like more myself! In addition to the little pillow, she made me a monogrammed scissor fob, and attached it to a lovely pair of gold Ginghers. Inside she included a penny for good luck--I'll have to remember that sweet touch! Fabrics, charts, ribbon, needles, and chocolate (!) rounded out this treasure trove. Thank you so, so much, Terri--I'm just thrilled with all of your goodies! It was fun getting to know you in the "design process," too. I feel that I've made a wonderful new friend all the way down in Alabama!

And, after many, many years of being the lone female in my house (even our cat was male), I'm pleased to announce I finally have a sweet little girl--a knitted girl bunny courtesy of Julie from Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal. I won Julie's 5th blogoversary giveaway and she made me this adorable little cutie! When she arrived, Miss Bunny was a bit hungry so I found this basket of carrots for her. And she's still adjusting to my odd American accent, but I think she's beginning to feel right at home. Julie's knitting is amazing and she wrote on her blog that over 50 of her precious bunnies are now living all over the world. I've seen them on other stitchers' blogs and I'm so proud to have my very own "Julie made" creation. But, what to name her?? Any ideas? Having only named boys, I'm at a bit of a loss... I do have one idea, but I'd love to hear your suggestions! Thank you so very, very much, Julie--I know she will make a most delightful stitching companion...

Well, that wraps up another lengthy post. I do appreciate each one of you who has stuck it out till the very end! I always have the best intentions of writing shorter posts, but somehow they always end up too long... Thank you to each and every one who visits, leaves a comment, or sends an email. I know blogging takes time and I truly appreciate you sharing some of yours with me. Enjoy your week my friends! Bye for now...

Farewell to autumn...

Hello everyone! Well, I got through Thanksgiving, but, oh, was I wiped out by the end of the day. Having 23 people at my table was more like feeding a small army than a family...All went well, except Mr. Tom Turkey decided to be "fashionably late" to our feast--actually an hour and a half late! That big old 22-pound bird would just not get done! I don't think anyone noticed the late dinner hour (around 7:45 PM) except my husband and me who kept frantically checking every 10 minutes to see whether or not we could safely serve the turkey without sending everyone to the hospital with food poisoning! When we finally sat down, I was able to seat 20 of us at two long tables pushed together that I had set up in my sunroom (as you can see in the photo) and my darling six-year old triplet great-nieces sat at the kitchen counter. All in all, it seemed to be a big success, but I'll be relieved to have a break next year...

One of the highlights of my Thanksgiving was when one of my triplet great-nieces sweetly asked, "Aunt Carol, did you make that?" as she pointed to a very old (2004) Sue Hillis autumn stitching. I told her that I did and she said, "Ohhhh"--quite admiringly so I asked her if she would like to see my other autumn pieces (it's never too early to get a future stitcher addicted, is it?!). I then gave her a little tour of my autumn pieces and thought I might as well show them to my blogging friends as well...



This Bent Creek piece called "Leaf" was one of the first times I used over-dyed threads when I stitched it back in 2005. You see, I had a period of about 10 years when I gave up stitching altogether and didn't take it up again until 2003. I was just too busy with remodeling our house, raising the kids, work, etc. So when I returned, the world of over-dyed threads, hand-dyed fabrics, and such amazingly intricate patterns was brand new to me. I was like a kid in a candy store! Stitching had come a long, long way from the teddy bears, country geese, and quilts that I remembered from the early 90s...



Next up on my autumn stitching "tour" is, of course, a Prairie Schooler seasonal sampler. This one was stitched in 2008 and is from Book No. 123: "Country Seasons." It is one of my all-time favorites--I just love the face on the moon, the turkey running through the pumpkin patch, and the strange looking little squirrel gnawing on an acorn in the tree branch. I think this color pallet (that is seen so frequently in PS designs) is one reason I love their creations so much.



Next, I have yet another Prairie Schooler piece from Book No. 50: "Prairie Seasons." I really never meant to keep it in this frame--I just stuck it in there when I finished it back in 2007 and there it's stayed. Still looking for the perfect frame... Don't you love the checkerboard tail on the squirrel? I'll have to say the pumpkin-head scarecrow doesn't seem to be doing a very good job of scaring away those crows, does he?










The final fall piece that I showed to my great-niece on her tour was the November turkey from Prairie Schooler Book No. 90: "Spring & Fall." I think she loved this turkey almost as much as I do. I finished him up in 2009 as one of my "Ornament a Week" pieces and have used him in my November blog header this month. It was such fun sharing all my autumn stitches with my little niece and I do hope she develops a love of stitching as she gets older...







Just look at what I got from my niece (the mother of the triplets) and her mom, my dear sister-in-law, as a hostess gift on Thanksgiving: a wonderfully monogrammed stitching tote! Don't you love it? I told them they couldn't have given me a more perfect gift and they can be assured that it will be put to very good use in the future... There are two little mesh pockets on both ends to hold floss, needles, and small charts and lots of room inside for my fabric, scissors, and larger charts--perfect!



A special thank you goes out to Veronica at Veronica's Stitching Vault for this lovely scissor fob which I won in her recent giveaway. The purple beads are so beautiful and the tiny seahorse charm at the end makes it even more special. I loved what Veronica wrote to me about this fob...She said that when she first started designing it, it began with one focal bead which she thought was rather ugly, and yet the finished fob ended up being one her favorites. She went on to say how this taught her to open her mind to possibilities. What a great attitude and one that I'm going to try to keep in mind... So thank you, Veronica--I truly love your gift. And it looks just great on this new pair of Gingher scissors that I recently treated myself to!

I'm going to leave you with the photo of my cookie tray from Thanksgiving dessert. This year, my oldest son, baked some of his scrumptious chocolate chip cookies as well... I do love to bake and always look forward to this time of year when I can bake to my heart's content! My family is always very appreciative of the cookies, the pecan, cherry, apple, and pumpkin pies, and the pumpkin-cranberry bread that I make each Thanksgiving. I think if, for some reason, they weren't on our menu each year, there would be a major revolt! It was wonderful to see so many family members, but my very favorite part of the holiday weekend was waking up each morning knowing my visiting sons were all safe and sound asleep in their childhood bedrooms. There was just something so comforting in that thought...

Well, that's about it for my autumn stroll down stitching memory lane. I've carefully packed them up and stored them away until next fall when I will delightedly "rediscover" them! I know that winter doesn't officially start until December 21st, but, for me, the first of the month always seems like the beginning of winter. I'm looking forward to decorating for Christmas and envy those of you who have already started (or finished!)... Hopefully, I can do a bit each week and now that Thanksgiving is over I will finally have some stitching time again. Oh, how I've missed it over the past week or so...

Wishing you a delightful start to December--thank you all for dropping in, saying "hi," and continuing to inspire me with your creativity and stitching. Bye now...

Delivering Posies

Good morning, everyone! Hope your week is off to a wonderful start. I spent the past week stitching this whimsical piece by Homespun Elegance which is aptly titled "Delivering Posies." I couldn't resist the plump blue bird and his tiny companion, Miss Ladybug, pulling a cart full of daisies to surprise an unsuspecting friend. They look so serious and determined, don't they? For this piece, I used 28 ct. dirty linen and the recommended WDW, Sampler Arts, and DMC threads. The center of each flower is filled with French knots (grr... well, some of them resemble French knots!) and I really like the texture they add.




Two rustic metal buttons that I spied in my button jar were used for the cart's wheels and I substituted a dragonfly instead of the peachy-pink colored moth that was originally charted. Guess I'm just not a big moth lover! Don't you love it when designers' charts are sized to fit in a standard sized frame? Wish more of them would design that way. This fit perfectly into a simple 5" X 7" wooden frame that I purchased at Marshall's for $6.99 and it now brightens up the bookshelf in my family room...




I wanted to send my wonderful friend, Shari a little surprise for a big birthday (don't feel bad, Shari--you'll always be younger than me!!) so I stitched this summer pinkeep for her. (This is the second time I've made this one--I also stitched it for one of my "ornament a week" pieces back in 2009.) It's from the "Seasonal Baskets" chart designed by Sue Hillis and I used 28 ct. summer khaki lugana with DMC threads. This was my first ever pinkeep; can you believe that with all of the small pieces that I've cross stitched, I'd never done a pinkeep until now? I trimmed the sides with some rope-like braid, backed it in the red and gold starred fabric shown, added a blue and white checked bow, and finished it off with some gold pins. I'm so happy that Shari liked it--"Happy Birthday" again, my friend...





My mailbox was filled with a delightful delivery all the way from Texas last week. They say that "everything is bigger in Texas" and that is certainly true of the amazing giveaway package I was lucky enough to win from Natalie at "A Stitch in Time". I thought I had died and gone to stitchers' heaven when I opened her box of goodies all revolving around a red, white, and blue theme: tiny red Kelmscott scissors, two beautiful LHN charts, a sweet strawberry smelling Paula Deen candle, darling handmade pin pillow, marking pins, and a very unique needle holder, a sweet red and white needleminder (my first ever!), red/white/and blue finishing fabrics, the Just Cross Stitch Ornament Preview issue, a handy memo book, and to top it all off--a huge can of those decadent Pepperidge Farm chocolate fudge Pirouettes. I was overwhelmed and touched by your generosity, Natalie! Thank you so, so much--everything you sent brought a huge smile to my face... And if you're not familiar with Natalie's blog--please run on over! She has created some perfectly finished ornaments, very unique needle holders, and many lovely stitched pieces. I know you'll enjoy it...

Do you remember back to when you first began blogging and didn't "know" any of the other wonderful cross stitch bloggers? I sure do... but what a difference 18 months makes! I now feel like I've made so many wonderful new friends, learned so much from and been inspired by your blogs, and hopefully, even inspired you a tiny bit. So, that being said, I would like to introduce a new blogger to you... my friend, Mary over at "Sweet Sentiments and Stitches" has just started her very own blog. Please drop in and say "hi" and welcome her to what has to be the nicest community on the internet! I know she would love to meet all of you and discover your blogs, too...

I'll leave you with these photos of some patriotic looking flowers growing in our garden! I hope your week brings only pleasant things and that you'll find some time for yourself to stitch, or read, or garden, or whatever makes you the happiest. Thank you all so much for dropping in and taking the time to say hello--I still get that little thrill each time I see that a new comment has been left...