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...

Stitchin' Of the Green

Top 'o the mornin' to you, my dear friends! Things are really greening up around here--both outside and with my stitching. In my attempt to keep my bowl full of new monthly finishes, I've stitched a few St. Patrick's day pieces lately--even though I don't have a drop of Irish blood in me! But, as the saying goes--"Everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day!"

Although March has been a busy month (with me working both weekends in addition to my normal hours at the library), I've been able to carve out some time to create five small green goodies. Four are both newly stitched and finished and the fifth (the Lizzie Kate leprechaun probably stitched back in 2008 or so) was pulled from my drawer of unfinished "finishes." Thank you to all who sent me suggestions of what to stitch for my "March bowl"--as you can see, I've used some of them!

Below are all five, along with the fabrics and trims I selected to finish them off. For me, choosing the fabrics, ribbons, trims, and buttons to complete a small piece of stitching is almost as fun as the stitching itself. I love rooting through my boxes and drawers of finishing supplies to find just the right fabric and trims to make an often simple design really come to life. Finishing takes me a long, long time, but I really enjoy the process... These five took most of Friday to finish off, believe it or not!

So, would you like to see how they each look all finished up? Well, let's go!

First up is this classic Prairie Schooler shamrock bouquet from PS Book No. 13: A Prairie Year. I just love those older Prairie Schooler designs, don't you? Even though this chart was published back in 1986, its designs have withstood the test of time and never seem to look dated. This was stitched on 32 ct. dirty Belfast linen with the suggested DMC threads. I backed it with the green gingham fabric pictured above and accented it with a bow of handmade cording on top for a very simple finish.



I thought this St. Patrick's Day black cat was adorable. I'd say he's in for a ton of good luck based on the size of that giant four-leaf clover he's holding, wouldn't you? This is a freebie from Remy at Emboiderbee's Primary Hive which you can find right here. The cat was charted as a tuxedo black and white cat, but I changed him to all-black to resemble my dear old cat, Shadow. I also added a little green bow around his neck and left out his mouth and nose--just couldn't get them to look right. He is stitched on 32 ct. Belfast flax linen with DMC 957, 986, 310, and white with DMC 3828 for his eyes. I thought this simple little design really looked sweet after I paired it with some green ric rak and the polka dot fabric. What do you think?

My Lizzie Kate finish is the March Stamp from the Flip-It series. I stitched the red-bearded leprechaun quite a few years ago, but it seems that 2012 is his lucky year because he finally escaped the "dark drawer of unfinished finishes." If I remember correctly, the fabric used was 28 ct. tea-dyed Monaco along with good old DMC threads. I really love how this flat finish turned out... I originally planned to put a little bow in the upper right corner to cover where the cording met, but I made a little yo-yo out of fabric and topped it with a wooden button instead. Cute!!

This small pillow is another freebie from Erica Michaels which can be found by clicking here. I stitched this over one on 28 ct. Country Mocha cashel linen with DMC threads. It is such a tiny piece (1 1/4 inches by 2 inches) that I decided a miniature pillow would be a perfect way to finish it off. I added a stitched purple flower to the piece in lieu of sewing on a button because I couldn't find one small enough. The bright green gingham fabric accented with a bit of ecru lace and purple and white buttons brought the whole thing together quite nicely, I think!











Finally, another freebie called Leprechaun Lodge compliments of Blue Ribbon Designs. This is one of those designs which I thought was "kind" of cute, but the more I stitched it, the more I began to love it! Do you ever have pieces like that? It is stitched with the suggested WDW and DMC threads on 32 ct. antique white Jobelan. For the finish, I backed it in the pretty dark green and gold floral fabric which you can see in my photo of "waiting to be finished" pieces above. I kept this finish quite simple, too--just applied some handmade green cording. And look at that precious embroidered St. Patrick's Day handkerchief it is sitting on--it even has crocheted shamrocks in the lace! My mom gave it to me--it was her mother's--so it is very special to me. Mom thought I would like some of gram's old seasonal handkerchiefs to use in my blog photographs...wasn't that sweet of her? My dear Grandma was born on the day after St. Patrick's Day--March 18th--way back in 1895, so what a perfect way to remember her at this time of year...

So, here are all five displayed in my bowl. Do you have a favorite? Now on to April stitching...spring, bunnies, and lots of pastels. I'm so looking forward to leafing through my stash and picking out some little charts for next month!

March Bowl of Green Finishes

A while ago, I lent my friend Cindy a couple of my older Prairie Schooler charts. What a surprise to find these goodies included with my charts when she returned them. The March LHN cottage with the threads to stitch it and an adorable hanger ornament complete with little charms stitched by Cindy had also made their way into her package! I really didn't expect anything in return--I'm happy to lend my charts to stitching friends, but your kindness certainly made me smile, Cindy... Thank you so very much!

A sure sign of spring around here is the annual return of our resident duck couple to our pond. I hope they have little ducklings like they did two years ago--remember this post?. I first noticed them a couple weeks ago which seems a bit early, but with the mild winter we just went through I guess that is to be expected. One morning last week, I looked out to see the always impressive Great Blue Heron wading in the pond and hunting for fish! Of course, I ran and grabbed my camera and here he is...Not the best shot since it is from my kitchen window almost 40 yards away, but at least you'll get an idea. Oh, they do love to "fish" in our pond, so we discourage them from an extended "visit." Luckily, they are quite skittish and even the slightest noise like opening a window tends to scare them away.

The return of the Great Blue Heron: March 2012

Look closely in the photo below and you can see both the mallard pair and the Great Blue Heron--isn't he huge?! Why is the male of the species (except in humans, of course!) always so much more attractive? That bright green iridescent head on the male mallard is gorgeous, isn't it? So far, we've had no blooming flowers like so many of you are showing on your blogs; I've been getting more and more discouraged by how much our deer population loves to feast on anything we plant. Makes it hardly worth the effort to plant anything new... And with a yard that is over an acre, fencing is out of the question--the deer just jump over the fences we already have in place! Do any of you have any "tried and true" deer resistant plant suggestions? We do have a fenced in vegetable garden, however the chipmunk population discovered a "secret entrance" into even that area last year and had a field day with the tomatoes! Despite the problems we have with our critters, I so love seeing the wildlife that our pond attracts. In most any season, it is a treat to look out from our kitchen window to see what new creature might be visiting...

The mallard couple and the Great Blue Heron
enjoy a warm and sunny March day

Well, I hope you're still with me after another long post! Thank you, thank you for all of your wonderful comments--you are the best group of friends, cheerleaders, supporters, blogging buddies--whatever you want to call yourselves! And I truly appreciate each of you...so much. Enjoy your week and ♣♣♣ Happy St. Patrick's Day ♣♣♣ on Saturday! Bye for now...

Favorite Freebie Finishes: 2012 Edition

Good morning all! I've just returned from my monthly 600 mile round-trip journey to visit and help out my parents. Unfortunately, I got no stitching done while I was up in New York because, guess what ~ I forgot my needle! Luckily, the iPad that I received for Christmas kept me very busy playing "Words With Friends" (I'm totally addicted!), admiring all of your lovely new stitching and stash, and trying to figure out those horrid, new word verification "captchas." Mine has been removed from my blog to make it easier for you to comment and so far, any spam comments have been caught by the spam file on blogger, so I guess I'm going to leave things this way and see how it goes. Interestingly, when I used my mom's Mac to comment on blogs this weekend, the two "jumbled" words were very easy to read so I wonder if those of you who have Apple computers are all having an easier time with the changes than those of us who don't?

One of my most popular older posts was my Favorite Freebie Finishes back in October of 2010, so I decided it was time for another. I'm always so thankful to designers for sharing their talents with us through the form of freebies, aren't you? Several of you have asked if I'm doing my "ornament a month" finishes this year and the answer is "yes"--in fact, here are my first three... It just so happens that each of my Christmas ornaments so far this year has been stitched from a freebie chart. I didn't plan it that way, they just happened to be what I picked. I've also added the links for each one to my list of "Favorite Freebies" in my sidebar.

First up, is this sweet "Noel" freebie with its scenes of winter: the snowflake, the swag of holly, and the inviting looking house with heart-shaped smoke drifting up from its chimney (which, as I'm writing this, I realize I forgot to stitch--yikes!! Oh well, I'm not going to try to add it at this point!) . I found this one on a new-to-me French blog called "Balades et Broderies" and the chart can be found right here. Carmela offers quite a variety of cute freebies so check out the rest of her blog, too.


My January ornament is stitched over one on 28 ct. black Monaco. No colors were suggested by the designer, so I chose DMC B5200, 815, and 3051. Very simple, but effective on the black, don't you think? To finish it off, I ruched a bit of burgundy and white gingham ribbon and topped it with a white pin. It is very small--just a bit over two inches wide by two inches high. For me, the smaller the ornament, the better!


When I first saw Melissa's version of this next freebie back in 2010, I fell in love with it and knew I would stitch it myself some day. I hope she doesn't mind, but I "borrowed" her color ideas and used similar shades of overdyeds that I had in my collection (WDW Cocoa, Ivy, and Raspberry). Here is the chart for this cute deer freebie, and I'm sure you'll love many of the other free charts available on the main page of this site which you can find by clicking here.


To finish my February ornament (which is also stitched over one), I made a simple hanging pillow ornament with a bit of sage green fabric, rope-like trim and hanger, and a trio of soft cocoa colored buttons. You'll notice that I didn't stitch the border as charted because, well, the mystery piece of scrap linen that I used wasn't quite big enough for it! I think it looks great on its own, though, don't you?


And, believe it or not, I'm a bit ahead of the game as I've already finished my ornament for March, too! This comical melting snowman and his long-legged crow buddy were so adorable, I just had to stitch them. Doesn't it look as though the crow is just waiting for the perfect chance to pluck that tasty carrot nose from the snowman and eat it for his dinner? The chart for this freebie can be found right here on the French blog "Jura Point de Croix". I just used a small portion of the design and also changed the border so it would be symmetrical.


Vonna's extremely thorough tutorial on finishing a Mounted Flat Ornament was so helpful. Thank you, Vonna, for all the time you've spent creating those detailed tutorials in an effort to help each of us become better finishers! I used a fun black and white polka dot material for the backing and trimmed it with three silver jingle bells, burgundy satin ribbon, and handmade cording. It's quite a bit larger than my normal ornaments, but I'm still very pleased with how it turned out. So, there you have it--my first three ornaments of 2012.


I want to thank one of my Canadian blogging friends, Kathy, for passing along this darling LHN chart called "Summer Splendor." I had admired Kathy's finish of it on her blog and she so generously offered to pass along the chart. I'm especially thrilled because I have so few true "summery" pieces that this one will be a joy to finish and display. Thank you, my friend--I can hardly wait to start stitching this one as soon as I purchase the threads...


Do you remember when I last posted, I was feeling a bit forlorn because my husband had gone on a skiing trip to Utah leaving me alone for Valentine's Day? Well, he tried to make up for it by leaving me this surprise box of chocolates--aren't they incredible? You can click on the photo to get a better view--each one is painted like a miniature work of art. Why, they were almost too pretty to eat--almost!! They came all tied up in that pretty pink, satin ribbon, too--just perfect. Yes, my dear husband is in my good graces again--he knows chocolate goes a long way toward winning my heart...

Is anyone else shocked at how quickly this year seems to be passing by? It's hard to believe March is nearly here, isn't it?! When I was up at my parents' home this weekend, we watched that charming movie, "My Dog Skip." My dad seems to be totally enchanted with children and dogs these days, so I thought it would be a perfect movie to make him smile... Anyway, a line from it really gave me pause:

"Why, in childhood and youth, do we wish time to pass so quickly - we want to grow up so fast - yet as adults we wish just the opposite?"

Do you remember those times? The days when it seemed like forever 'till you were allowed to walk to the store all by yourself, go on your first date, or learn to drive.... And then suddenly, time seemed to be passing by more and more quickly and you began to wish it would simply slow down. When did that change occur? For me, I think it happened when my sons were born. I just wanted to hold their tiny hands a bit longer while they crossed the street and shelter them a few more minutes from the reality--sometimes harsh--of the grown up world. And now, as my fifties seem to be whizzing by faster than any previous decade, I long for the world to slow down more than ever. I have no desire to go back in time or to relive my life at a younger age; I'm happy being at this stage of my life. I just think I need to be more mindful of things that are happening around me right at the moment and to take time to really enjoy even the smallest things in life to their fullest... How about you?

Well, that's all I have to share with you for now. Thank you, as always, for stopping by and taking the time to say "hello." I truly love hearing from each and every one of you and I so appreciate your kindness and friendship--you guys are the best! Wishing you all a wonderful week--and remember to slow down, treasure those simple moments, and take some time for yourself. Bye for now...

Hearts and Flowers

Good morning everyone! Hope your week is off to a wonderful start... Any special plans for Valentine's Day? Since I have to work that night and my husband is off skiing in Utah, I'll be having a lonely day (boo hoo!!), but I've been trying to get into the Valentine's Day spirit by stitching a few cute holiday designs. Before I share them with you, I want to thank you all for your wonderful comments on my last post! Wow!! I've never had that many comments before (except when I offered a giveaway)... I guess everyone liked my bowl-full of January smalls? I also want to wish a warm welcome to my new followers--so glad you're here!

The first finish I have to show you is a Prairie Schooler design which can be found in the "From the Heart" chart. I stitched it on 35 ct. natural Northern cross linen with the suggested DMC threads. I did change the border though. I thought there was too much green so I substituted a white and pink border instead. I just thought it gave it a more "Valentiney" look.






I love this natural Northern Cross linen because white shows up so well on it. That and sage jobelan are my "go-to" fabrics for snowy stitching. To finish it off, I made it into a little pillow with a pretty fabric in the shades of red used in the cross stitch. I then added a bit of the tiniest crocheted lace which I found at Joann Fabrics. What do you think?


I know you've seen this design on many stitching blogs lately. It is from the "Quaker Valentines" chart by The Stitcherhood and I truly enjoyed stitching it. I used a lovely 28 ct. cashel linen in cream and Crescent Colors Wild Berries thread. It is actually a more "berry" looking shade in real life. I just love the script on this one--probably because I admire beautiful handwriting which is an ability I'm seriously lacking in!! Seriously, I can't write--I always print!! When I try to write, I always end up making mistakes! It is like there is a disconnect between my brain and my right hand... Anyway, the only time I ever write my name is when I'm signing a document or a check--strange, aren't I?


For the finish, I decided I wanted a tiny--and I do mean tiny--pillow so I stitched it over one. To make the little pillow, which measures a mere 1 1/2 inches wide by 3 1/2 inches long, I used the same cashel linen for the back and simply stitched the edges together with the same Wild Berries thread. Instead of stuffing it with my usual fiber-fill, I used crushed walnut shells. Love the "squishy" feel of it!






Doesn't this adorable Lizzie Kate February Flip-It bring back some long-ago Valentine's Day memories? Remember decorating our shoe boxes in grade school with hearts and flowers made from construction paper, white paper doilies, and glitter, and then setting them out for fellow students to put those corny little valentines (like these) inside? I just loved those Valentine's Day parties at school and always hoped that my "secret crush" might give me a special Valentine each year...


Once again, I used the 35 ct. natural Northern cross linen for this piece along with the suggested Sampler Threads. I didn't have the called-for charm so I found this antique bronze colored heart in my stash which I think works perfectly. I thought the pale pink fabric dotted in brown and a brown ric rak edging complemented the design nicely...so cute! There is just something so fun and appealing about polka-dots, don't you think?

In my ongoing effort to finish off some of those pieces in my "unfinished finishes" drawer, I searched through it and the following two things seemed to be perfect for some February finishing. First up is another Lizzie Kate (called "Be Mine Valentine" piece (which is the same one featured in my header). I've stitched it twice--once as a a card which I sent to my dear parents and the second which I stitched in 2011 (you can click here to read the details on fabric and fibers used. Since I hadn't done a flat pinkeep finish in a while, I decided this would make a nice one. I'm really pleased with how it turned out with it's pink gauzy bow and lavender and white pins... The lovely roses are from my husband--an early Valentine's gift since he was going to be away on the actual day.

I also came across an old Prairie Schooler finish from Book No. 23:"A Prairie Year II." I'm not sure when I actually stitched this--probably in 2008 or 2009, but I'm so happy to finally have it finished and on display. I used the burgundy and white flannel fabric (yes, from another son's old shirt!) for the backing and then tufted it in the middle with a pair of red and white buttons. I really like it turned on the diagonal like this, don't you?

Here is a photo of all five of my February Valentine's Day finishes all together. As you can see, my tastes are quite eclectic!

And here they are in my long wooden bowl!

I'm having such fun filling up this wooden bowl that I might try to do it each month. I think the summer months of June and August might be hard to find things to stitch for it, but we'll see how I do... Anyone have any cute March ideas for me? I already have one leprechaun with his pot of gold that I stitched long ago that needs to be finished, but I'll have to look through my stash to see if I have any other March smalls just waiting to be stitched...

Never in all my years did I dream I would actually meet one of my British blogging friends, but it happened on February 3rd when I met Gillie who blogs at "Random Thoughts From Abroad." Gillie was in town visiting her oldest daughter and so I invited her to come visit me and two local stitching/blogging friends, Lee and Linda. We spent a delightful afternoon at my home chatting, eating coffee cake, and drinking tea. Gillie brought me this lovely tea towel from the Lakeland area of England where she is from and a jar of blueberry jam. I made her a little "Christmas Robin" ornament which she loved. (I forgot to photograph it, but you can see it in this post because it identical to the one I stitched for Mary back in December). Thank you so much for taking the time to visit, Gillie--I loved meeting you and getting to know you better...Please know you're welcome to visit any time you're in town!











THANK YOUS:
I received a lovely Valentine's gift from my sweet friend in North Carolina, Myra. You all know what an excellent seamstress Myra is, and this adorable fabric Valentine candy holder is proof positive. It is so beautifully stitched that I think she could go into business--amazing! And what a cute idea to tie on a yummy chocolate bar... Thank you, my friend--your thoughtfulness always makes me smile...



And from another of my blogging friends "down South," dear Charlene, came a wonderful RAK package. How sweet is this petite Ball Jar that she covered with a personalized blue and white stitching for me! I told her, I think it's the perfect place to hold my multi-colored buttons. She also made me a cute blue thread catcher and included some pretty blue and gold ribbon. I was so surprised and touched by your sweet gifts, Charlene--thank you again for your friendship and emails...They mean so much to me!








I was also the lucky winner of a very special giveaway... Just look at what Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe sent me: fifteen of the most gorgeous threads I've ever seen. What a luscious rainbow of colors! If you haven't visited Nancy's blog, please pay her a visit soon. In addition to her wonderful threads, she offers some lovely charts, charms, and a whole plethora of ric rak and trims. Thank you so much for your generosity, Nancy--I can't wait to find the perfect project to showcase your lovely threads...

For my friends down south who seem to be missing any sign of snow this year, I want to share this collage of snow pictures that I took yesterday. It snowed lightly all weekend and we finally have our first true wintry weather of the season. Everything looks so fresh and pure outside my windows...

Well, as Porky Pig would say (you have to be old enough to remember those old cartoons!): that's all folks!! Thank you again for taking the time to visit me and say hello. Not sure if it's celebrated in all parts of the world, but I want to wish each of you a very special ♥♥♥ Valentine's Day ♥♥♥ filled with love and laughter (and hopefully, some chocolatey treats)! 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...