Last Minute Makes

Hi everyone,
I'm off to UK tomorrow to spend Christmas with the family but I just wanted to squeeze in one last blog post for 2011 to show a final round up of the last of the Christmas ornaments and a few other bits and pieces.




Top row left is Ze Rink part of the Winter Snapperland by Bent Creek. I stitched it for my 7 yr old grandson who is heavily into ice skating along with his sister.
Top right is a cute little freebie design offered by Pineberry Lane


Bottom left is a Waxing Moon gingerbread man UFO that I must have started maybe ten years ago. I have no idea what took me so long to finsh something so tiny but I decided it was time to finish it and will give it to my baby grandson Max.

Bottom right is Little House Needleworks Peace on Earth finished as a pinkeep style ornament.

Two of the ornaments are backed with the red checked homespun fabric and the others as shown



I have received some lovely surprise gifts :)
A box from Roberta containing this gorgeous Whitman's reindeer tin



Inside the tin a beautiful stitched strawberry by Blackbird Designs



other goodies inside the tin Mary Engelbright notecards and nail file and three bag patterns.
Thank you so much Roberta you really spoiled me and I love everything.



I have a bit of a thing for lovely tins and boxes and was over the moon with this one that friend Sheila gave me last week. It was filled with yummy cookies but I'm afraid to say they are just a happy memory now :)



Another lovely surprise from Valie in France. Valie had shown a set of Olde Worlde Santa's wearing national dress on her blog. I had admired the French one little knowing that he would be coming to Spain!
I just love his beret and the fact that he is carrying baguettes rather than a sack of toys :) Thank you Valie you really made my day.




I've been giving myself a few early Christmas gifts too. I think these will keep me busy for a while :)








All that remains for me now is to wish all of you a very happy Christmas, good health and happiness for 2012.
Thanks so much for your friendship over the past year. I have loved getting to know you through your blogs and from your visits to mine.

Margaret

SSCS exchange, a win and a few finishes..

Hi everyone,
December already! Where did the year go?
This year I signed up for the annual SSCS exchange on Chookyblue's blog
and my package arrived a couple of days ago. The main gift is not to be opened until Christmas but we all made an ornament which can be opened when the package is received.
My partner turned out to be Annie in Australia and here's a picture of the lovely way she wrapped my goodies


I opened my ornament package which was wrapped in a FQ of some lovely teacup fabric which I will put to good use.

My ornament turned out to be a little Matryoshka doll angel. What a cute idea. I love the pinwheel fabric she is wearing :)



Thanks Annie. I love my ornament and can't wait to see what is inside the big package.





I haven't been able to do much stitching over the past few weeks because of my arm/shoulder problem. However, I turned to my box of things that needed to be finished and I spent a few days putting things together.
The first one I stitched so many years ago I no longer remember who the designer is........
I'm guessing Lizzie Kate but I have no idea what the design is called.
I finished it into a simple pillow and it looks so pretty I had to wonder what took me so long.




Backing fabric is Moda Peace on Earth


This next ornament is another oldie. It was stitched many, many years ago and finished into a tuck pillow. All I can remember about this one is that the design is by Bent Creek. I decided it was time for a bit of a makeover so here it is brought up to date



The next ornament is a more recent finish.
Peppermint Twist by Little House Needleworks. I didn't have the special button but I think it is pretty enough without it. I backed this one with the same fabric as the Lizzie Kate ornament. It is stitched on unknown linen using the recommended threads.




I'm sure this one needs no introduction being one of the Prairie Schooler Santas




and another one



I stitched this little pillow for my 11 yr old grand daughter Amy who is crazy about ice skating. It's a JBW design stitched on 32ct linen with DMC thread. You can't see it very well in the picture but I stitched a Mill Hill glass treasure star onto the bow because to us she is a star :)



If you click the link you can see her skating in one of her competitions

I was lucky enough to win this gorgeous pincushion on Mary's blog




Isn't it gorgeous? I absolutely love it and was thrilled to be the winner as I doubt it is something I would have made for myself. There is a LOT of work in the Dresden Plate pattern and it would have been very fiddly to make with such small pieces.

Lastly a tiny Christmas quilt I made a couple of years ago but never showed here on the blog. It is decorated with stars and bugle beads, It was a lot of fun to make.



I think that's it for now. Welcome to my new followers and a big thank you as always for visiting and taking the time to leave your lovely comments.
Margaret