Christmas goodies and ornaments

I received a Christmas package last week from my stitching friend Stacy. I am sure I have mentioned this before but I met Stacy on Facebook about 18 months ago.  Since that time we have been together about 3 times.  She lives in Maryland and of course I live in Minnesota.  We have become pretty good friends in that time.  In fact I will be seeing her again in January.  Anyway this is what I received from her.

This is how all my goodies came out of the box. 

 Here is the unwrapped version.

 Stacy was at the Attic in Arizona in November and she brought back these thread keepers from there, and how about that cute scrabble tile piece.  Not sure where she got that but I just love it.

 Also got these great fat quarters when she stopped at a quilt shop.  Really nice Christmas fabric.

 Stacy stitched and finished this wonderful pillow.  It sits under my little Christmas tree.  I just love when I receive something handmade because I understand the time that goes into these gifts.

Thank you so much Stacy for all these goodies:)

 Now this great little bowl and scissors came from one of my stitching buds--Jackie.  Her and I still get together and stitch most Friday nights.  I have been lusting after this bowl.  Every time I go to my LNS I mention that I need to get this bowl to go with the wooden scissor holder that I have.  Which is the picture below.  So now I have it.  Thank you Jackie:)

Said scissor holder.  Don't know why I needed these two things but I did!!!

I wanted to post some of my last ornie finishes but blogger is just not cooperating tonight so maybe tomorrow.

I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and thanks for stopping by.

Catch up Post

More than a month has passed since my last post.  I have done quite a bit of stitching and sewing. Here are some of the results.

 First up are the ornies that I stitched for my grandchildren.  Now with that being said I have six grandchildren but I forgot to take a picture of all the ornies before I gave two of the kids their ornies.

So here are the four I still have.  These are from The Prairie Schooler book--Mittens.  These were pretty fun to stitch.  Plus I had to make the mittens from wool felt.  I have made ornies each year for each grandchild.  Should really think about traditions you start!!!  But I think it will be great that each grandchild will have handmade ornies from Nammy!!!  I am just so glad that I did get them all finished:) and with time to spare.

 Next are these LHN boxes that I stitched for each of our six children's family.  The pattern is My House.

Again a lot of stitching and finishing but they turned out just as I had envisioned.

Plus they also were all done on time:)

 I have been collecting these LHN Sampler Tree Series ornies and decided I needed to stitch at least one for me this year so I stitched Merry Christmas which is ornie #10.

Stitched on 32 count dyed linen by me with DMC.

Started 11-10-15, Finished 11-14-15

 Plum Street Samplers--Merry One.  Sorry about the picture, lighting just wasn't good and neither

are  my photography skills.

Stitched on 36 count Flax with DMC.

Started 10-31-15, Finished 11-21-15 

Finished this Plum Street Samplers--Serial Bowl Series Lesson Two.  I started this series and I am trying to stay current!! I apologize again for the poor picture quality.   I have Lesson Three stitched but not finished.  Lesson Four is still waiting to be stitched.  

Lesson Two was stitched back in August on 36 count Flax with DMC.

Started 8-5-15, Finished 8-7-15.

Threadwork Primitives--Ever So Grateful stitched on 32 count dyed linen by me with DMC.

Started 11-6-15, Finished 11-12-15.

LK--Grateful, Thankful, Blessed.

Stitched on 32 count cream with DMC.

Started 9-30-15, Finished 10-1-15.

I wanted to do some Thanksgiving/Fall projects.

Here is a non stitched project that I did for one of our Grandsons, Charlie who is three and loves the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.  I think they turned out pretty cute.

Another non stitching project for one of our daughters.  I really also enjoy sewing and these bags are always a fun little project.

Now this is another project that I wanted/needed done which involved my hubby.

I wanted this light to be put on a stand so that I could have a light that was light weight and easy to take with me when I travel.  

So here is what it looks like now.  My hubby modified the light and put it on a music stand.  

I just LOVE it.  

This is a close up of the bracket he made to attach the light to the stand. Which is also removable.

 The best part is that I can break it down and it all fits into this bag, which I found at a thrift shop.

There it is already to go.  It is also light weight so when I fly  it is easy to take with me. 

Thanks for visiting.  I have a few more projects to post about but who knows when that will happen.  Hopefully soon.  I know I always mention that I want to get better with posting as I finish projects but I just don't seem to do that:).

I hope everyone is having a great week.

A couple of finishes

I have been busy since my last post.  

Just never enough time it seems to post.  I really need to get better at that, not sure it will happen though. Always good intentions:)

This is a model piece I stitched for Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI.

It is Samplers Not forgotten--O' Christmas Tree.  

It was a nice stitch.  

Next is BBD--Basket of Cherries.  This was for me.  I have been dying to do some of my own stitching.  I stitched this on 32 count coffee dyed linen that I dyed and used DMC threads.

Started 10-17-15

Finished 10-21-15

Fun quick stitch.  I may wait and then sew the pieces together.

 Here is Hands On Design-Block Party-Home.

I thought this was such a cool piece, I couldn't wait to get it finished!

This was a really fun stitch.

 Top view.

Stitched on 28 count Prairie Grain linen with DMC threads.

Started 10-23-15

Finished 10-31-15

I believe this Block Party is going to be a series.  Can't wait for the next one.

Hope everyone had a great Halloween weekend.  We here in Minnesota are enjoying a bit of very nice weather.  It's going to be 62 today and even warmer tomorrow.  The calm before the freezing cold!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Salty Yarns Stitching Jamboree 2015

I just spent last weekend in Ocean City Maryland at Salty Yarns Stitching Jamboree.

Let me tell you I had a great time and what a shop and what a view!!!!

How great would it be to look at the ocean everyday and work in a needlework shop!!!

Here is a picture of the front of the shop when we arrived on Friday afternoon.

Had to get a picture of me in front of the shop too.

The teachers for this retreat were Hands On Design and Just another Button Company.

We started the retreat on Friday with a wonderful dinner of Lasagna, salad ect.

Then there was a meet and greet cocktail party/dessert bar.

Everything was just yummy.

Saturday morning started out with breakfast and then at 9 a.m. we started our classes.

 We were all assigned a classroom in which we stayed in though out the retreat.  The teachers came to our rooms for each class.

Our first class was with Rachel from Just Another Button Company and she taught us how to make this pear.  

 This is the finished project.  Our class went from 9 a.m. to noon.  

Plenty of time to finish the pear.  Rachel also made us that cute little pear thread holder.

This was actually our last class on Sunday morning.  It was with Cathy of Hands On Design.  We had some pre work to do which was to stitch the Needles-Pear and Pins-Apple pieces.

Here is the end result.  Well at least of one of the Needlebooks.  

I did get one finished now I have to work on the other one.  

Again a great class.

Here are all of the things that I finished in each of the classes.  Our second class was with Rachel's mom Cecile from Just Another Button Company.  She taught us how to make buttons.  She showed us how to make the pear buttons and then we could also make other buttons if we wanted to.  I also made some swirly buttons.  I tell you making buttons is not easy but I did enjoy it and I would like to try my hand at some more.

These were the goodies we received when we checked in to the retreat on Friday evening. 

They were is a cute Halloween bucket which I must not have taken a picture of and I left it at my duaghters since I only had so much room in my suitcase! 

The two kits to the left were also in the bucket.  The one on the right we got at the second class I think.

 Here is the kit from above and then at the third class we received a $25 gift card.

 Cathy from Hands On Design gave us this fob kit she designed as a little bonus. 

How cute is that.  Can't wait to stitch that up. 

The following pictures are some of Hands On Design patterns that I stitched up to take with me.  

 This design is Ahoy Squareology stitched on 30 ct R & R Fancy Blue with DMC.

I made this into a thread holder.

 Hands On Design-Stitch Everyday Drum stitched on 32 ct. Dyed linen by me with DMC threads.

 Hands On Design--I'm so Glad from the October 2015 JCS magazine.

Stitched on 32 ct. coffee dyed linen with DMC threads.

 Hands On Design-Love My Stitching and stitched on a pouch that I made.

Stitched on 28 ct. antique white with DMC threads.

The little basket and pincushion was stitched on 32 ct. cream with DMC threads.

 Hands On Design--Seas the Day picture and ornament made into a fob stitched on 32 ct. coffee dyed linen with DMC threads.

 This little fabric basket was made by Barbara one of the gals I was staying with while I was in Ocean City.  It had some goodies in it too.

 

This was some goodies from LaDonna.  Two cute pouches filled with some stitching goodies and some taffy.

 And last but not least these two goodies came from Stacy--the reason I was at this retreat and met Barbara and LaDonna.   I met Stacy through an online group last year and made a stitching friend from out east.

Stacy also gave me this cute little turkey.  Now to find a design to stitch for it.

There's retreat in a nutshell I guess.  Wish I would have taken more pictures and that I was a better picture taker!!

Thanks for stopping by.

Sunflower Retreat 2015

Well it was that time of year again.

RETREAT 2015 with my 3 stitching buds.

As you can see this year"s theme was Sunflowers.

Here was the Welcome at my door as retreat began.  Before we arrived at my house we did make a stop at our LNS--Stitchville.
I should have taken some pictures of our stash but didn't think about that.

,

As luck would have it I was at the local Farmer's Market and found these lovelies.

Very festive. 

Now on with the goodies.

Here are the goodies that Jackie gave us.  She stitched up that cute coaster which she does every year along with giving us a needle minder.  Plus we received a cup, stickers and some buttons.

Thank you Jackie:)

 Next up is Jill's (Purple Peacock) goodies.

She stitched up a very cute floss tag and gave us a sunflower charm, pen, scissors, pin and stickers.

Also a tart tin which we would like to do a group project for.  Plus a great little bag, post- it notes and  hand sanitizer.

Thanks Jill:).

 Here Is Lori's goodies to us.  She stitched a scissors fob and provided the fabric for the clear vinyl pouches I sewed together and them added some chocolate covered sunflower seeds, stickers, and very cute pincushion with a sunflower pin from Just Another Button Company and a sunflower Wallflower with Coastal sun freshner.
Thanks Lori:)

Last but not least here are my goodies.  I sewed a vinyl screened bag, a fabric pouch and a pillow cover.  I also made a wool pieced pin cushion and a quilted strap for keys.  Plus I gave some Sunflower Citrus soap and hand towel and a pencil and highlighter.

We had a great 4 days of stitching and talking and eating.  

Another year completed for retreat. Can't wait until next year for the "Birdhouse" themed retreat!!!