Goodbye 2013.....Happy New Year

I can now show off the Just Nan "M is for Mouse" this one is for my dear friend Mona!!!!  She loves pink, and so it is pink front and back.  I painted a tiny little mouse charm and sewed it on.  I added the little butterfly trails just for some whimsey.  I had to show off the trim, it looks so much nicer in person.   I could hardly wait for her to see it, now to make one for me!

Started this Little House Needlework pattern, Cardinal Winter and finished it in two days.  Now I should have changed the color of the fabric or the thread, but no, I just kept stitching away, and finished it up with some sparkling gold/white fabric backing.

Since I had this little whimszy of Just Nan called Jolly Old Elf, or JOE for short, I thought I could manage to stitch it up in one day.  Ha ha.  

Well, let's say I did it, but I sure wouldn't want anyone to check it really close.  I love it so much that I am going to do another one, and try to get it right...looks good with that new gold cord.  I sewed it with invisible thread, and that works like a charm.I have a few Christmas charms I might add to them.

Thanks for looking at my blog...and here's to many happy hours of stitching in 2014!!  Kathy

Happy days!

 This is my exchange Just Nan "Rose Lady" scissor fob that I made for my internet buddy in N.C.
I like it so much that I will have to do another one.  Also did one for my dear best friend, who still hasn't opened hers.  I wanted to see her face when she did.

OK, let's see what I can do in ten min.  I had just spent two hours working on this, and it just disappeared.  Now one photo is trying to download that is no longer there...Hope you can figure this all out.

This is what my best friend did for me.  I will have to get the designer's name from her when I see her again.  I am so thrilled to get this as she is super busy and rarely has time to cross stitch!

This is what my sister did for me...It is Lizzie*Kate's Little Love... I forgot to put the charm on, but will take another photo...it's so late.
 Happy stitching, Kathy

Oh what a feeling....

Here is what I got to unwrap under the tree!!!

I didn't get everything finished, but did get lots of cute ornaments ready....so it's show time!

Love this little gingerbread ornament from Little House Needlework, 2012 "Gingerbread Cookie"

 Lizzie*Kate's little Snow was fast and easy to make up!!!

Then I started "Merry Stitching" on Christmas eve, and finished it today.  It's by Homespun Elegance, Sandra Sullivan.  I just love it!

Tomorrow I'll show you the two handmade gifts I received.  I am so blessed.  Happy Stitching, Kathy

O Christmas tree, o Christmas tree....

 This is my little tree on the kitchen table....lots of other stuff that doesn't belong there, but I'm still stitching and sewing!!!!  Did get the last package off in the mail today, even when the Postal system was down and they would only take cash or checks, and I had to make a return trip home to get stamps I already purchased.  Naturally, after getting groceries, cash and stamps, they were back to normal.....What good is an automatic shipping machine if it goes offline???

 I just love my little gingerbread mouse....I can't wait to do the new Jingle mouse.....almost finished Lizzie*Kate's SNOW....so cute.  It's a little big for a pillow, but it might work on the tree.

This is Mary's heart that I stitched for her.  We are still deciding how to finish it...She's already seen it, so I can post without spoiling any surprise.  She's still holding back on her fob.   So it will show up later.  I also have another piece finished, but can't show it off yet!!!
Will chat more later, just a few more minutes of stitching, then it's off to bed.  I received my package from my sister, and just love how Lizzie*Kate's LOVE turned out.  That was her gift to me.  So I can show you that tomorrow!
Happy stitching everyone!  Kathy

Christmas cards are in the US Mail.

I finally finished my Handmade Christmas cards and found or googled all the addresses, stamped, and made it to the mailbox...whew!!  I was beginning to think it was Mission Impossible.  So I treated myself to a quick trip to a wonderful cross stitch store.  I left around 3pm and immediately got caught up in a huge traffic snarl.   Unable to take a different route, I was stuck for around 45 min. before getting on the freeway.  It was nearly as bad, but needless to say, I made it to the store with only ten minutes shopping time.  Luckily the rain had stopped, and I was the only customer.  I said, "I am a fast shopper, show me your JUST JANS, please".  She handed me several stacks of leaflets and I happily pulled out four that I wanted.  I quickly grabbed a few scraps of linen, then remembered to ask about the embellishment packs.  I joyfully sifted thru them and pulled out four that I must have.  Adding up the total, I gleefully paid the bill and hopped into my car and sped away into the traffic again, but so happy for my goodies.  Shall I wait and wrap them up?  Or reverently read all the directions until I can start one or two???  Let me know what you think!!!
Will post a few photos tomorrow.

Dyeing white floss with ink....

This is just a quick pictorial of how I dye white floss...using my tile counter instead of my usual mat, I laid the floss down, and wet with some denatured alcohol. I would suggest that you open a window if possible to keep the fumes down. As you might guess I am using Ranger's distress inkers.  They are very concentrated and it just takes a few shakes here and there and then blend them together.

I like to use at least two different colors.  Or two blues, etc...Then I pat them down with my fingers.  You could use a inking tool to keep your hands cleaner...Rinse in hot water after you get the colors you like.  Repeat inking if you don't like what you see. 

Then you can air dry like this.

 Or you can press them on a paper towel with a iron until dry.  Still be wary of them bleeding.  I would wash them at least another time.  I'll wind them on cardboard and add to my gift stash.

Or you can kill, waste all dayprint out some fancy bobbins and wind your special dyed threads on it.       Happy Stitching, Kathy                             

Silver bells are ringing

I finished this ornament late last night, using my stash of antique gold lace on the trim.  I went thru several pieces of Christmas fabric deciding what would look good.  I finally used a white piece that I recently bought.

I am going to write the date with a permanent marker....

This is how I signed two of the scissor fobs that I just finished.  I will show the fronts later so I don't spoil the surprise.  My nickname is Kitty, and this is for my best friend.

This is for my internet buddy...I got the idea from the Twisted Stitcher!  Happy Stitching, Kathy

Dashing thru the snow....

OK, thank goodness we aren't having snow here....Hope all of you that do, are safe and snug in your home.  Now for some more ornaments...

This one is made by my late sister, Jeri...I was a drummer in high school....about the extent of my musical ability!

Another one that Jeri did, she knew I loved cats, however, I'm allergic.

One from my friend Susan...it is gorgeous.
Off to do some finishing and get some gifts delivered!  Happy Stitching, Kathy

Rudolf the red nose reindeer.....

Oh why can't I get that song out of my head.  It couldn't be that the darling grand daughter wanted to sing it all the time when she was here???  We had a blast, and I even got some floss wound on cardboard....Lucky me.  Oh yes, and I finished Dottie's little Christmas gift, a darling teacup with flowers.  Now it's all ready to pack off and send to her.  Let's see, we need a family photo, some fancy tape she liked, the other cross stitch, and where did I put that extra floss she wanted....ok, so it's almost ready..I also had to make her a handmade Christmas card.  Everything is ready except editing the family photo.  We had a blast taking them at home.

Here are a few more of my handmade treasures from various friends thru the years.  I am just now getting them on the tree.  No one had time to help me hang them so I better get with it.

Can you tell a child made this?  One of my sons made this in first grade!  Love these little soldiers.

My dear friend Louise made this years ago.

Now you see I hang just about anything...yes, these are my new antique scissors....I just love them!!!!

Another one from Marilyn!

It's late, so I'll post more tomorrow.  Thanks for checking out my blog, Kathy

Do your Christmas ornaments multiply by themselves???

Years ago when I was first married, my husband and I very little in the way of Christmas ornaments.  As the children came along, I would visit the Hallmark store, and they would select a few they liked.  That started a family tradition. These little red boxes have grown and multiplied.  When my Granddaughter arrived, I gladly passed many of those ornaments to my daughter.

However, I can't seem to reduce the amount of ornaments I have.   However, here are some that are real treasures.

This was handmade by my dear friend Marilyn, who is retired to Georgia.  She was a cross stitch fanatic!

My last conversation with her was all about her new love, wool hooking  and Halloween.  I must get her email, so I can get in touch again.

 Oh why didn't she sign or date these...My memory is so bad.

 This is the sweetest Victorian street scene done by my friend Priscilla W. in 1997.  I love and cherish it.

 These are two of the sweetest ornaments that my friend Sylvia made for me.  So simple and elegant!  I rarely get to see her even tho she lives a short distance away.  She is one busy lady.

This is a sweet quilt that my dearest friend Louise did for me.  She passed away years ago, and I still miss her.
So do you have any treasures tucked away in your Christmas ornament box?   More to come, Kathy

Christmas is coming.....

As I type this post, I should be doing....
a.  sweeping the floor.....how does two dogs shed so much hair?
b. washing some dirty dishes.....how do two people use so many?
c. getting dressed....I admit, some days I never change to "day" clothes.
d. get off the internet....what a time suck..and I love it!!!

OK, enough..you want to see photos...

 This is a needlepoint piece that my mother made for me so many years ago, I am sorry to say I don't know the year.  The little pieces in the corners were lost somewhere along the way.  But I can't bear to throw it away.  Yes, those hot pink colors are actually that color.  But I love it anyway.  One of the few that she did.

 This is one of my favorite stockings.  No name has been given, but we all use it.  Since my children are all grown, we don't do the stocking thing.  I use it for decoration.  It was a model that I bought around 20 years ago.  I don't think I would ever finish a stocking.  It is even prettier in person.

 This is a darling little needlepoint door hanger that I purchased over ten years ago.  I wasn't doing any hand stitching at the time, and thought it was perfect.

These two pillows were needlepointed and purchased over twenty years ago.  I just love them and would never have finished them myself.  I have to admit I do better with smaller projects.  If I do large pieces, they have to be something I would keep up all year.  I will show you more hand made gifts tomorrow.  Thanks for stopping by, Kathy