Another Ornament Finish/Pattern Giveaway

I've been keeping busy with stitching Christmas ornaments this week... here is my latest finish to share...

"Christmas Redwork Christmas Ornament
Historic Stitches
Lakeside Linens 32 ct Vintage Autumn Gold Linen, DMC 115

This pattern is now available to go to a good home.... in great condition, someone (cannot remember who!) gifted it to me last year... time to pass it along now too ... leave a comment here and I will draw a name on 12/15/10!




Currently Stitching: Christmas Ornaments!

RAK and another ornament

I came home from work this afternoon to two things - our first snow flurries of the year (OK, at least the first I have seen, plus they were also around a little during my morning commute as well...) and this adorable RAK from dear Andrea!

I love this ornament! Soooo cute, and of course, so expertly and perfectly stitched and finished. What a total surprise, and I am over the moon! I know my health issues have made me so very scarce this year, and to receive a stitching RAK from an old stitching pal brightened my day and brings me such hope for 2011! Thank you soooo much for such a thoughtful gift, Andrea. I will cherish this forever, and actually hope to decorate the tree tonight - just waiting for the branches to relax and open (we bought our live tree yesterday) so that DH can string the lights and then I can have at it with the ornaments! (PS - I had planned to stitch this ornament at some point in the next few weeks - now I do not have to, unless I choose to stitch it for someone else!!)

Also, I finished another little ornament this weekend... so here it is...

Joy Ornament
Amy Bruecken Designs
Just Cross Stitch 2009 Christmas Ornament Issue
Weeks Dye Works 30 ct Guacamole Linen, Crescent Colours Floss




Currently Stitching: Christmas Ornaments!!

Ornaments... and a Fall Exchange...

I have been a little busy lately (finally) stitching again... I managed to get a small little group of Christmas ornaments done...

Woodland Christmas Reindeer Ornament
Heart in Hand
28 ct Light Mocha Cashel Linen, GAST Floss

French Country Star Ornament
JBW Designs
Just Cross Stitch 2010 Christmas Ornament Issue
28 ct Potato Annabelle, DMC Floss, stitched one over one

Peppermint Paul Ornament
Helga Mandl Designs
The Gift of Stitching Magazine, November 2008
32 ct Olive Green Belfast Linen, DMC Floss

Also... I am a bit late in posting this.... I received this reall pretty bourse from Marie W. for the HoE Fall Exchange. She says it is her first... hard to believe, it is so perfect! Thanks again, Marie...

For Janet B., I stitched...

Small Seasons Autumn Fob
The Drawn Thread
Cannot recall fabric and fibers....

OK... off to stitch more ornaments!

Halloween Treats

I received this adorable exchange from Lisette for the HoE Halloween Exchange - she stitched up a goodie bag for me using a design by Helga Mandl. I love it! I am working on a good way to display it now. She also sent me an October breast cancer awareness bracelet, as well as a bag of Halloween licorice treats - those are half eaten now, and just did not make it into the photo ;-) Thanks Lisette, great exchange!
And, today I received a Halloween surprise from my dear friend Margaret - she stitched up the sweetest little Halloween biscornu - the back has spiders on it :-) She wrote in her card that is an unknown online freebie - I wonder if I have this one stored somewhere, as it is just too cute! She also sent fantastic fabrics, MH beads, and God love her - M&M's! What a treat! Oh, and look at the homemade card too! And... that great ribbon she wrapped it all in for me.... what a dear friend I have, thank you so much!! {{{HUGS}}}



Currently Stitching: Family Reunion Sampler, a gift, starting HoE Fall Exchange

Another Christmas Ornament

I have been focusing on my efforts to get at least a small basket of ornaments ready to give as gifts this year to those who have stuck by me during a tough year... here is another that I finished just last night....

Merry! Ornament
Heart in Hand
Just Cross Stitch 1997 Christmas Ornament Issue
32 ct Dirty Belfast Linen, GAST Floss




Currently Stitching: a gift, and Family Reunion Sampler

Candy Cane Snowflake Ornament

I managed to get another Christmas ornament finished this week...

Candy Cane Snowflake Ornament
Just Nan
32 ct Confederate Gray Belfast Linen, DMC Floss, Various Beads and Angel Charm




Currently Stitching: Family Reunion Sampler

Lots of Gingher Sonias (and others) ready to go!

75% sold already! Hurry!

Here they are - the new Gingher Sonia Scissors, 4" and 5".... also got in more 5" Elenas, 4" Mias and 4" Freedoms.... grab them up at Mike and Carol's Internet Store - if you already ordered, huge shipment going out to the PO this afternoon - they will be in your hands soon - my pair is stunning :-)

**Please Note: Coupon below is for books, and is NOT related to the Gingher sale

Get your Gingher Sonia Scissors Now!

We have them in stock NOW!

Both 4" and 5" available at: Mike & Carol's Internet Store

Thanks!

Three French Hens Ornament

At long last, I found the energy to stitch another Christmas Ornament for my basket. This time I chose an old freebie from my freebie drawer - from a packet that has designs for each of the "Twelve Days of Christmas," I chose Three French Hens.... dressed in french maid uniforms. I thought it was cute. I went with the designer's color key, but in hindsight, I would have switched to a darker green for the 3...

Three French Hens Ornament
Sisters and Best Friends
32 ct Natural Belfast Linen, GAST Floss




Currently Stitching: Family Reunion Sampler (should post an update soon, have done quiet a bit more), and another Christmas Ornament

For the Birds Exchange for Joke

I got word from Joke today that she has received the HoE For the Birds Exchange that I sent off to her.

Bluebird Needlebook
Blackbird Designs
R&R Reproductions 40 ct Mockingbird Linen, HDF Old Maid of the Sea silk floss

Wonderful Mail!

Yesterday, the mailmain delivered a birthday gift from my dear stitching friend, Marie! What a surprise - I used to stitch a lot of bday gifts for stitching friends, but life circumstances changed dramatically and now I rarely ever have a chance to do that anymore. I absolutely never expect to receive gifts, and yet... look at this stunning surprise from Marie. I adore it - the colors are amazing and the stitching and finishing are perfect! Thank you, Marie, for the treat! I will email you today - I got in so late last night from a dinner with my mom, her husband and his family that I was not at all focused until this morning :-)
And then, the mailman brought another treat today! I received this adorable HoE For the Birds Exchange from Erin today. Isn't this sooooo cheerful! I love this little SamSarah design and the finish so much that it now sits in my hutch in my dining area and is so perky! I am so lucky! She also could not resist making me one of those fun fobs she has been making with her husband's grandmother's beads - she said Happy BDay in my card, so must be for that! I was admiring the one she had in her blog recently, and now I own one! See, I am soooo lucky! Thank you Erin.... gulp, now I better kick it into high gear to get my exchange out in time.... :-)




Currently Stitching: HoE For the Birds Exchange, and Family Reunion Sampler

Belated Birthday for Katrina

I heard from Katrina a few days ago that she has received my belated birthday package... it is actually my second package to her, but package number one, sent to NZ in early April, is yet to arrive... so I made a second gift and added new goodies.... and those have, at least, arrived!

Dear Friend Needlebook
Elizabeth's Designs
28 ct Putty Cashel Linen, DMC Floss




Currently Stitching: Family Reunion Sampler

More Family Reunion Progress

I have a little more progress on Family Reunion that I can share... not a lot of new motifs, but did start to personalize a few more motifs in the past week or two. I posted this over on Facebook too - this way the family can peek and see if they can find their initials yet - it has become a bit of a game for them ;-)

Happy Fourth of July to my American pals!!

Happy Belated Birthday to Karen

I got the official word today from Karen that my belated birthday package for her has arrived safe and sound in Australia... I am almost exactly two months late in getting this to her - thankfully, she is a great sport! I sent her a bunch of goodies, and stitch her this piece... her initials are on there, but cannot be seen in any of the shots I took...




Sweet Baby James Needle Purse
Indigo Rose
28 ct Antique Ivory Cashel Linen, DMC Floss

ABC Exchange for Janet

I found out that Janet has received my HoE ABC Exchange. I signed up for this exchange after eyeing a chart she sent me in an earlier exchange and I just knew I wanted to use it for this exchange. As irony would have it, Edgar assigned Janet to me as my partner! So... I stitched for her a needlebook from the chart she had actually sent to me...

From the Heart Needlebook
Bent Creek
In Kris' Stitches From the Heart Leaflet
Lakeside Linens 32 ct Vintage Examplar Linen, Weeks Dye Works Floss




Currently Stitching: CaHORH, Family Reunion, a gift and a Christmas Ornament

ABC Exchange from Suzanne

Today I received this lovely mattress pincushion from Suzanne for the HoE ABC Exchange. It is one of my favorite freebie charts, and she finished it simply perfectly. I love it so much - and truly admire anyone who makes a mattress pincushion - the counting involved for the finishing is mind boggling... and Suzanne willingly boggled her mind for me! I appreciate that :-) Thank you so much!!




Currently Stitching: CaHORH, Family Reunion, a gift, and starting a Christmas Ornament... mailed off a gift to a far away place today too :-)

Family Reunion Sampler Progress

I figured it was time to show a new progress picture of Family Reunion. I have a new SD card for my camera now. I started adding a few family members' initials here and there... I still am not sure how I am going to work it out and make them all fit... it's a fun, quick stitch!

Oh... free shipping at eharlequin runs to the end of the month!



Currently Stitching: CaHRH, Family Reunion and two gifts...

Retired Gingher Scissors Available Now!

Mike has some amazing deals on RETIRED 4" Gingher Designer Scissors!

Currently available: Alyssa, Mia, Freedom

Gingher Elena also still available.... Grab your pair of Freedom Ginghers in time for Fourth of July

He is offering 5% off to blog readers onky - use coupon code FRIEND on his site....Mike & Carol's Internet Store

Early Christmas Exchange from Margie

I received this awesome HoE Early Christmas Exchange from Margie yesterday - I am absolutely thrilled. I have always wanted this BBD ornament, and now I have this one, so perfectly stitched and finished. Thank you so much Margie!

I have been working away on Family Reunion, but had to put it aside to stitch on a belated gift for a little bit... hope to post an update soon. My memory card on my digital camera failed, so I have to use my iPhone for a bit... not loving the FR photos it has taken so far, so here is to hoping I get a new card soon ;-)




Currently Stitching: CaHoRH, Ramily Reunion and two gifts...

Family Reunion Sampler

A week or two ago, I started a new project... and it has really gotten me back into stitching again! Whew! I decided to stitch Family Reunion by Rosewood Manor. This is not a good photo - I took it outdoors with my iPhone... not great. I am stitching it on Lakeside Linens 40 ct Maritime White linen with the called for DMC.... now the challenge is how to fit in all of Mike's ginormous family onto the sampler... thankfully, in this instance, my family is very small, so we will fit... I managed to stitch in a few initials as I have been stitching along. I think I am going to need an Excel spreadsheet to figure out where to fit everyone. I am so grateful to Facebook for this. Facebook has put me in touch with many of Mike's relatives and they were all quick to give me the info I needed for the sampler :-)

Currently Stitching: two gifts, Family Reunion and CaHOHR

All about Christmas Ornaments...

Today's entry has a lot to do with Christmas Ornaments :-) I was recently in two exchanges involving these delightful things... so no time to waste... here is stuff to show!

Today I received this stunning ornament from Marie for Becky's bi-monthly Christmas Ornament Swap - I always admire her work so much, and this one sure does not disappoint. It is a Prairie Schooler design all stitched over one... and she even personalized the back in such a nice way (but I forgot to photograph that part). I am pretty much speechless over this! Thank you so much Marie! I sure will always cherish it!

For the HoE Early Christmas Exchange, I stitched this one for Faye:

Star Topiary Ornament
Hillside Samplings
2000 JCS Christmas Ornament Issue
32 ct Natural Light Linen, GAST and WDW Floss
I stitched this one for Roberta for Becky's Christmas Ornament Swap. Roberta listed PrimitiveBetty as one of her favorite designers - well, that one was a new one for me, but I found this freebie online, so I gave it a go:

Silent Holy Night Ornament
PrimitiveBetty
32 ct Willow Green Belfast Linen, GAST Shaker Threads and WDW Floss

And... new books deals for May!



Currently Stitching: a gift, CaHORH and Royalty ABC

Celebration of Needlework 2010

Yesterday I attended Celebration of Needlework in Nashua, NH. I was fortunate enough to be able to take a class with Jeannette Douglas again this year. There were fewer teachers there this year, and fewer vendors - a sign of the economy? The mood remained very upbeat, so I figure all is still pretty much well with the Celebration crew... and I surely enjoyed it yet again this year.

Here is Ms. Jeannette herself, chatting with students in class...

... and here is my progress on the class piece as of late last night - I did three bands in class, and then four more when I got home. It is a long band sampler that she finished as a bellpull to be rolled and tucked away in the box. I could not afford to also take the finishing class that was held today... I actually plan to just frame mine when done. It's called Royalty ABC, and I will try to remember to post more progress pictures as I have them.

I have definitely been more in a stitching mood again - whew! That was a long dry spell, and I hope it stays picked up for me again!




Currently Stitching: Royalty ABC, CaHORH - mailed off my HoE Early Christmas Exchange yesterday