Lots to Share

Now that Christmas has passed, I can share some of the things I have been stitching.

First, my friend Cathy, had a birthday. I made her something I had wanted to stitch for a very long time.



It is a "cotton wagon" and was in an old Just Cross Stitch magazine, I think 1996. Cathy does quite a bit of hardanger so I thought she would enjoy this.


Ornaments...
I made a few ornaments for Christmas this year. This first one was for my son. Last year I made him a set of 12 and will make one every year out.


This is from the 2010 Just Cross Stitch ornament preview issues. My friend, Joan, made this and I thought it was so cute. My son liked it too!


This next ornament I made was for my good friend, Viki. We have known each other all of our lives as we grew up next door to each other.


This is in the same magazine as the above ornament. It turned out very cute!


This last ornament is for my godson (nephew), Jacob. I make him an ornament every year. I stitched the Lizzie Kate 2010 Santa. Here is what it looked like after the stitching was complete.


I stitched it as charted and thought that it might just be a bit too big for the traditional square ornament. I got a little creative, as creative as I get, and came up with this.



I sewed some Christmas fabric to the ends, sewed up the side seam stuffed alot and tied ribbons on. I was very pleased with the turnout.


Exchanges...
I had a personal exchange with Kathy A. in which I posted what I received earlier. Here is what I sent her.



Kathy collects nutcrackers so I went with that as my theme. Here is a closeup of the scissor holder I stitched.



This is a freebie pattern from DMC. I used my own fibers though.


This past year I participate in a seasonal exchange on the Stitching Friends Through the Seasons blog. Winter was our last season. Karen D. had my name and I had Faye R.'s name. Here is what I sent Faye.


I stitched the Lizzie Kate 2010 Snowman and finished it as a pinkeep.


The knitted piece is a coffee wrap to keep your coffee nice and hot!

I put everything in the snowman tube, wrapped it in plastic and mailed it. I thought it would be such fun to receive it that way.


I just received my exchange today. Karen knows me quite well and really spoiled me. When this exchange started I had requested Shepherds Bush designs as I didn't have as many of them as I would like. All 4 seasons she delivered.


This is so cute! I just love it.


Karen also sent me some linen, a purple needleminder which she made, magnets, a frogging tool, an ort catcher (which she also made), a purple sock with lots of candy canes and the Recipes for a Cure cookbook that the Attic Needlework sold (which I really wanted!). Thank you so much Karen, for all my exchanges. You fulfilled my request quite well.


Last but certainly not least, I was one of the winners of the new fall line of fabrics from Blackbird Designs. I received them in the mail today.


These are just beautiful! They are going to make very cool pincushions. Thank you Blackbird Designs!

Well, I think that is it. That was alot. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Happy Stitching!

JillMN

Ornaments #4 and #5 and a RAK!

I received 2 more ornaments over the weekend. On Friday night, I received Cathy's and since we get together every Friday night, I got to receive it in person.



I don't know details on this ornament, but it is a Prairie Schooler and he has a pine tree! It is very lovely. I love the jingle bells that she added.

Cathy also surprised me with a RAK! Awhile back, she took a trip to Shepherds Bush--lucky dog! She saw this pattern and of course thought of me!

Can't wait to stitch this up. Thank you Cathy!


And, in yesterday's mail, I received this ornie from Vonna.


This one is a Prairie Schooler also and stitched on black fabric. It is beautifully stitched. Stitching on black isn't the easiest thing to do.

Thank you both for the super ornies. I can't wait to display all of them.

I Hate Winter--but Love Exchanges!

Have I ever mentioned that I hate winter? Yesterday was a true testimony for that.

I came home from work and walked down to get the mail. I slipped and fell on the ice and pulled/tore my hamstring. Talk about painful! I managed to finally get myself up and into the house with all my stuff after about 20 minutes. The worse thing was that I could not sit or bend without a very sharp pain. I had to go to the bathroom and the pain was so intense that I thought I was going to blackout. I laid in bed with ice and ibuprofen the rest of the day. I did not go to work and when I got up about 7 a.m., I was able to go to the bathroom with much less pain. And, I was able to sit on the couch and stitch this morning.

I am hoping it will even be better tomorrow so I can go to work and not miss my Friday Night Stitch fix.

On a cheerier note, Cathy B. was the January recipient for the Christmas Ornament Swap group that I am in. The ornament I stitched for her is from the 2005 Just Cross Stitch ornament magazine. It is "Folk Art Topiary" by Brown House Studio. It is stitched on 40ct. ivory with DMC Floss.


It is not your traditional Christmas ornament, but I think it is cute. I hope Cathy liked it.


Ulla finally received my SBEBB Winter House Exchange. A funny thing is that I had Ulla for the summer house too! I sure hope she likes my stitching.

I stitched "Chalet" from Bent Creek's Winter Snapperland. It is stitched on 32ct Country Grain Linen with DMC Floss. The inside is 32ct. Belfast Twilight Blue Linen. I finished it as a needlecase. This is my first needlecase that I have made and I think it turned out pretty good.




I hope Ulla is as happy with it as I am. Here is the entire exchange--


I sent Ulla the Holiday Pack of DMC Floss, Thread Heaven, a wintery thread counter, a skeing of the gorgeous #115 Red Variegated DMC Thread, some wintery buttons and a tuck away pillow.

This is my last exchange on the SBEBB as it is closing. I am OK with this as I am looking forward to doing more "me" stitching.

Well, I am going to lay down for awhile now--I wouldn't want to overdue it!

Have a great day!

Gifts Received

Over the past few weeks I have received several gifts in which I have been negligent in posting. I apologize for not being more timely on these.

First, I received this gorgeous fiber from Michele. Michele sent me some hand-dyed silk called "Winter Berry". It is beautiful. I will have to find something special to stitch with this. Thank you Michele!


Then, I received this beautiful tatted heart ornament from Cathy B. Her mother, who is 76 years young, made it. It is just gorgeous. My grandmother tatted and I do regret to this day not learning this beautiful art from her. Thank you Cathy!


And, today, I received a pattern from AmySC, that I think, was made just for me.


Can't wait to stitch this beauty up. I can use some of the lovely fibers I have received in exchanges. Thank you Amy!

I will be back again soon with exchanges to share.

More Exchanges to Share

First today I received my HoE Floss Tag Exchange from Ellen. Ellen stitched me a beautiful floss tag with a purple peacock on it. On the back she put our first initials.







Ellen lives in Singapore and she says that this is her first exchange. She did a superb job for her first one. She sent me lots of goodies; a bag of assorted buttons, 2 fat quarters of purple fabbies, some very cute mini clothespins with birds on them, lots of different purple ribbons, some cotton lace, a ring of course for my floss tag, 2 DMC variegated threads, 2 DMC variations threads, a very pretty purple beaded scissor fob/cap and a gorgeous purple beaded angel that is a cell phone fob (which is already on my phone). Love it! Thank you Ellen, everything is just perfect.

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I also received my Private Thanksgiving exchange from Cathy B. She stitched a Lizzie Kate design and finished it as a cube. It is gorgeous. Autumn/Thanksgiving is my most favorite time of the year so this is a very fun piece to display.




Of course, Cathy also gave me some great goodies. She must have checked my wish list as she gave me "Yule Game Board" by The Primitive Needle. She also gave me the fabric and fibers for the Yule Game Board, some #28 petite needles, a thanksgiving hand towel and a very cute turkey. This was a very great exchange. Thank you so much Cathy!



And, if all that from Cathy wasn't enough, she also gave me a little something for my birthday. Cathy made me a fob for my Roberta scissor's. I can't tell you how happy I am about this because now I don't have to decide which fob to stitch and I don't have to stitch one.






















Thanks for everything, Cathy. I love all of it.

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Then, I heard that Laura, from the Make A Wish Exchange, received her wish I sent her. Laura wished for a Shepherds Bush design in any finish. I stitched "Sheep In The Meadow" and finished it on a clothespin, which can either just stand on display or can be used as a pattern holder.


Thanks again to everyone for the great exchanges and thanks for visiting my blog.
Have a great weekend.

I Was Biscornu'd Today!

When my son brought the mail in today, he said I had a package. The return address on it was local and I could not imagine who this was from. Well to my surprise, one of my stitching friends had my name for the HOE Biscornu Exchange.

Cathy B. stitched me a beautiful biscornu that was a collaboration of Cat's Whiskers and Dinky Dyes for the 2007 Nashville Needlework Show. I just love it! She also sent me a mother of pearl thread winder, a notepad and My Precious Treasures pattern by Blue Ribbon Designs--I don't even know what to say except thank you so very much. How did she know I liked peacocks?