January Celebrations and a New Year of Stitching

The past week and a bit has been full of wonderful celebrations.  On the 3rd I celebrated my birthday with my wonderful family and friends.  Usually I don't do much for my birthday other than a quiet dinner, however, this year I felt it would be good to get everyone together to celebrate. It actually became a joint birthday party with one of my hubby's friend from elementary school.  His friends and my friends were a bit too encouraging with the drinks.  At one point in the evening, I suppose I decided to sing La Bamba.  I don't remember this!! Oh dear!

My auntie and me

Then we celebrated Christmas on the 7th.  We had a lovely service then ate lots of turkey and all the trimmings.  That first week of January always goes so quickly yet it is nice for things to get back to normal so to speak.  We still need to take down our Christmas tree but we are both dreading the process. Going back to work was a bit of an adjustment.  I enjoyed seeing the children but didn't like getting up at 5:30am again.  I am not a morning person, whatsoever!! 

On the stitching front, I started my new sampler, worked on WIP's and started a few little stitches. I also received a few gifts from Nia, Shirlee, and Vickie.  Shirlee made me the most darling little PS ornament.  She finished it perfectly and I placed it on my tree right away so I could enjoy it for a little while.  Thank you so much Shirlee! I will treasure it always.  This is my first stitched Christmas ornament from a friend.  A very special gift indeed!!

 Dear Nia sent to me a sweet little chart to stitch called Love Birds by Crescent Colours as a thank you for sending her a Tatty Teddy chart.  It included the luscious Belle Soie silks! I had never tried these silks before. I am now quite the fan!! Thank you sweetie!! I'm so excited for her baby Lourenco to be born.  He's going to be one well dressed baby!!

I started stitching it on Friday night on 32ct Platinum Belfast linen.

Vickie sent me some lovely homemade pins and a beautiful card.  I forgot to take a photo of the card! Oops!  Thank you my dear.  I will use these in my finishes this year!!

I also sent Vickie a little gift too.  I stitched it awhile ago when I saw the pattern and thought of her.  We have become sisters in Christ so I thought it fitting to stitch her this.  It's a freebie from Feathers in the Nest.  I stitched it on 40 ct. legacy linen with various silks. (I will have to email Jennifer for the link as it seems to have disappeared).

For one of my oldest and dearest friends, I made a Blackbird Designs Box for her.  Since she has received it I can show it now.  I used a pattern from BBD's Flowers of the Field book using the recommended threads and a mystery linen.  I painted the box a pretty robin's egg blue and finished it with Victorian Motto's chenille trim.  I am glad she loves her box!!

Another Christmas gift I stitched up was for my sister.  She requested a monogram awhile back and am happy that she loves her "C"! This is for you my darling sister!! I stitched it on dove grey 32 ct linen with DMC ecru using a pattern from Sajou. 

Now onto my new start, JCS 1707 from the Scarlet Letter.  I started it on New Year's Day, made a mistake, frogged it, then restarted again last night.  Not much to show though.  I am using NPI, DMC and AVAS threads on 36 ct. Newcastle linen in cream, the same as Hannah Brassington.  I just love that linen so why not stitch on it again!!

Teeny tiny start from the upper left hand corner.

I also made some progress on my WIP's.  I stitched a beet on Shakespeare's Peddlar's Magic Garden 5 stitches off so I hope I can fudge the rest of the pattern. I just don't have the heart to rip out the beet.

A wee bit of progress on Knotgarden and Teabath fairy.  I didn't take a photo of TBF for the progress is barely visible.  

If you got this far, congrats!! Thank you all for your wonderful comments on my 2013 stitching.  I haven't responded to all of your comments nor visited all of your blogs but I hope to make that happen soon.  I have a wee bit of work to do for school so that will have to be finished first.  I have noticed lots of people posting daily with their crazy challenges and WIP's.  I decided to not be a participant in any of the challenges this year.  The reason being is I have a hard time committing when I'm working plus all the health issues we are trying to deal with.  My hubby had a test on Friday so we are waiting for the results tomorrow.  I am praying everything will be ok.  Please send a few our way as I know you all will.

Take care!

Anne

Oh, here's a foggy photo of our New Year's Eve walk to the river.  It was so magical and romantic since we were the only ones by the river!

2013 Stitching Finishes and WIP's

Back again! Thank you all for your lovely comments on the deer box and dear Meari's mailart.  

After looking through my finishes of 2013, I noticed I have not done as many as the year before.  However, it seems that 2013 was the year of box finishes for me.  I completed a total of 5 box finishes! Thanks to Angela and Terri who inspired me in the first place, I tackled my first box and got hooked!! You will only see 4 though since 1 hasn't been received yet.

Top left to right: Deer Box, LHN's Blackbird Bottom Left to Right: Ink Circles, Life's a Stitch

Pillow finishes won by majority this year with a new mailart finish.  Next year I hope to do a few more pinkeeps and perhaps try some new ways of finishing.  I always like to experiment, even though the outcome may not be how I imagined it! 

Two other finishes did not make it into the collage as they too have yet to be received!! 

I only finished one BAP...Hannah.  Here she is again.

She is still waiting to be framed.  We found this really cool copper frame in the basement of my hubby's shelter that had been abandoned and we thought it would work for her.  Unfortunately, the frame is too small and would cut off the pretty border.  Too bad since it is the coolest frame.  Now I have to stitch something to fit in the frame!!

Here are my current WIP's going forward. 

Knotgarden

Magic Garden by Shakespeare's Peddlar

Good Morning Rooster

And last but not least, poor old Tea Bath Fairy.  I think the last time I worked on her was in March.  I would like to have her finished in 2014.  I realized I stopped because all of that white space needs to be filled with metallic thread....something I'm not a big fan of stitching with. 

2013 has also been the year of crocheting.  I got hooked, literally, into making mug cozies, snowflakes and putting rounds into my afghan.  I made a total of 6 mug cozies and about a dozen snowflakes.  I forgot to take photos but you get the idea!!

Quilts....I started the jelly roll quilt and have yet to finish it.  I am a big chicken...like Titus!! I have been thinking about cutting the panels to make the borders but don't want to make an error so there it sits...staring at me...taunting me.  Then I look around at people's blogs and see beautiful quilts people whip up...well, perhaps not that fast, but they have no fear!! I so wish I had someone who could guide me and encourage me to take up the shears and snip! I'm enlisting my dear hubby to help me with the cutting.  He thinks he can't help, but I know he can since I can't sew or cut straight, but I believe he can.

There she is...unfinished.  Give me courage!!!

Wishes for 2014: Two only.  One, for my husband to get better.  Two, for a child.  Please pray for us on both accounts.


I think I can't complete a post without some Titus photos. His favourite things to do...roll around on mom's stuff and sniff.

My favourite photo of Titus of all time....Titus, the Vampire Prince

A big thanks to all of you for your constant support, well wishes, prayers, good thoughts, and well just being the best stitchy friends ever.  I have made so many wonderful new friendships since I started blogging and I have been blessed to "meet" you all.  I wish all of the best in 2014 for all of you!! 

Hugs,

Anne

Meari's Mailart and Deer Box

2013 is almost at a close.  It's been quite the year when I think back on it.  I will most likely do a post tomorrow showcasing all of my finishes and WIP's.  I think it's nice to see what I have done and to look forward to doing more challenges in the new year.  For now, I would like to share with you Meari's amazing mailart she sent to me.  I finally received it on Friday and I squealed with delight!! The designs she chose are darling and she put so many cute little touches on that made it even more special.  It is presiding on my bookshelf and I have a feeling I may not box it away with all the other Christmas decorations.  I just might keep it on my craft shelf with all my other lovely smalls to gaze upon and inspire me.  She used some really cool round circle stamps on the envelope.  They didn't really photograph well with the reflection.  Without further ado, here is her mailart!!

Look at this adorable little giraffe placing a star upon the tree!

Adorable little penguins holding button snowflakes!!

lovely threads, some post its and tea

Close up of those cutie pie penguins!!

I just love it so much!! My husband thinks it's cute and that the giraffe was eating the star! I had to correct him and told him the giraffe was placing the star on the tree!! Silly man! Thank you again Meari!! I thoroughly enjoyed this unique exchange!!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my last post.  I visited most blogs and loved reading about everyone's Christmas's and your traditions.  It was quite the treat to take time to visit everyone.  

For my dear mama....thank you for your comment.  I was only teasing with that statement but did realize sometimes I may be a tad wordy so I tried being a little less wordy! Love you mom!!

The deer bullet box has been finished.  I have to say it's pretty cool. My hubby is a wee bit jealous and now he wants a box!! Here is the finish.  I used 32 count lambswool linen stitched with Molasses WDW and had to use Gast Espresso Bean when I ran out of WDW!!

I'm sure he will like his bullet box, or whatever he wants to fill it up with!!!

I will be saying adieu for now and be back tomorrow with my 2013 finishes!!

Hugs to you all!!

Anne

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas to you all!

I still have some time left as I celebrate on January 7th, but we will be celebrating with my husband's family tomorrow.  I have a couple of more things to do before tomorrow and I'm dreading going out in the madness.  I will be making this post short and sweet since my mom says my posts are too long.  Hope this is short enough for you mom!!

My crocheted snowflakes whip up quickly and I plan to make more tonight.  Nothing like last minute crocheting to do. 

I attached little bells at the bottom and am pleased with the result. I used a little starch and they are not super stiff but they do maintain their shape. 

I finished my brother's deer and will be using craft paint instead for the box.  It's easier for me and doesn't create a huge mess.

My crochet granny square is getting less wonky now that I turn every round.  I found a few stitches that slipped out when I took this picture and freaked!! Luckily, I was able to re-crochet it back together and tie a knot in the end so that won't happen again!

I will be busy baking cookies tonight for tomorrow and hopefully won't eat too many...heheee.

Another one of my giveaway packages arrived safely in Australia.  Noni received the ornament by Blue Ribbon Designs from JCS 2013 Ornament issue.  I'm glad she likes the ornament and it's on display for Christmas.

Thank you all for your wonderful comments.  I hope to respond once I've finished today's shopping trip.  Wishing you all of the best for Christmas.  Sending you all a big hug!!

Naughty Titus playing with the garland...looking like he's done nothing wrong

Crafty Goodness

Bonjourno everyone!!

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

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

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

The inside fabric

the back

the front

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

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

Prairie Schooler Fall

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

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

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

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

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

Anne