Sailing Into Christmas

Whew, it's done - now to hide it from mum til Christmas!



I think she'll love it.  She is Mrs. Christmas, you know, and she doesn't have anything like this!  I wanted something a little different, and this fit the bill.  It was great fun designing it!  I may have to do more Christmas designs....

Candy-cane sails and a wee Charlie Brown Christmas tree.....



Following the Star and ringing the bells....



And a boat that just might be bringing Santa to the harbor!



Streaming a Christmas banner above the sails....



Oh what fun it is to sail in a Christmas boat tonight!!!!  [Shameless change to Jingle Bells, with apologies to the composer!]

I was going to create a pattern for a table runner to put these on, but cut my sailboat blocks too small - when I started getting into 1/16" measurements I gave up.  So the pattern is for the stitcheries only, with a floss color list [although you really need to match your floss to your fabrics first!] and suggestions on what to put them on.  I'm going to use each sailboat to make a series of ornaments, and if I can find my toweling in my fabric stash [help!] I'm going to put them on dishtowels!  What would you put them on?

If you'd like to stitch up some nautical Christmas cheer too, the pattern is available in my shop, just click HERE!

Now I have to go grocery shopping, and that's never fun - plus I'm hungry, which doesn't help.  I think I deserve some Swiss Cake Rolls, don't you?  They really are my downfall!  I hope the box makes it home......'tis the season!  Happy Stitching!

I Hereby Declare....

the Christmas Quilting Games of 2014 are officially open.


Sailing Into Christmas - available soon, stitcheries only.

And oh am I having a time.  My back has been out for over a week - shooting pain in my leg, sliding disks keeping me awake all night, not being able to sit, stand, or lay down.  I haven't been able to sit in my comfy chair, which is making my cat quite happy, but not me, lol!  I've not been around your blogs I'm afraid, just can't sit long enough.  But I am trying to get a bit of quilting done - Christmas IS coming, whether I want it to or not.

I hope you all had a very happy Thanksgiving, we went out to my aunt's and ate ourselves into a coma.  So much to be thankful for.  From my family to yours, blessings!!

Profoundly Grateful....

that I do not live in Buffalo, NY.  Have you seen the pictures?  They're saying 8 feet of snow by the time it ends.  EIGHT. FEET.

We got snow today too, but only a little.



That pic was from my aunt's garage.  I spent the night out there last night [no, not in the garage], she had some guys coming to fix her garage floor - and for the second time, they couldn't do it.  Well, it was nice visiting anyway, lol.  Driving home, not so much.

Sunday was my aunt's birthday, and mum, the family diabetic, got right into the swing of things.



I tried to do some sewing, but was mighty distracted - my aunt's kitty, Snickers, has a new trick.  She loves to eat magazines.



That was a catalog - mum's new Woman's Day had already been taken away from her.  Bad Kitty.

My aunt gave me a new robe, and guess who claimed it when I got home?    Hermione.



It's really cuddly and soft, just like her.  I think she thinks it's her mother.



I just didn't have the heart to tell her no.

Hoping to get around to some blogs tonight, I'll be up til 2am, have to make sure my boy gets home safe from work.  It's so cold the salt isn't working on the roads very well, and they are slick!  I think I'll stay home until March.

Be safe out there, everyone....

Too Close For Comfort

Are any of you sewing for Christmas?  It's right around the corner, isn't it?  I don't intend to do MUCH sewing for it, but I did find something on pinterest that I thought was absolutely brilliant, and wanted to share with you.

This was a Fat Quarter Friday guest post on 2LittleHooligans for a bowl potholder.  No more burnt fingers as you pull your bowl out!  She has you measure your bowl to get the size right, which is difficult when you're making for others - but I think most bowls are roughly the same size and it could be somewhat generic.  I'll probably make a set for each person in different sizes, referencing the bowls in my cupboard.  Neat, eh?

Do you love pinterest as much as I do?  Then come follow me and I'll follow you back!  My page is HERE.

I haven't only been pinteresting, lol - I have been sewing!



Lots and lots of hand stitching, waiting on delivery of my new walking foot for my featherweight.....at which point my Viking will probably be sent to the closet, never to see the light of day again.  Well, maybe not, I do love that machine - but it's so big!!  When you have a tiny space to sew, a tiny machine just makes sense, doesn't it?

Off to the races I go....have a great weekend, everyone!

Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar

Back when I was working, as I drove I would listen to sirius radio.  My very favorite station was Radio Classics - all the old shows - Fibber McGee, My Favorite Husband, Gunsmoke, The Great Gildersleeve.  But the best show of all?  Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar.



I really hated it when an episode was playing during lunch, and I had to get out of the car.  So when they had a sale on cd's, I bit - and got these.  If you've never heard of Johnny Dollar, that's probably because it aired in the 1950's - but it's sure worth re-visiting!  Not affiliated, just a really happy listener.  I spend time with Johnny while I stitch.  You can find all kinds of these shows at RadioSpirits.

Toni from The Red Boot Quilt Company posted a pic of her embroidery floss on her facebook page - OH MY GOSH - I thought I was a mess, lol!!!  So I had to post a pic of mine too.  I'm so very OCD about my floss....



How about you?  Are you neat and tidy or do you have to hunt and untangle when you need some?

And I will need some tonight.  I stayed up all night creating some new designs, and I'm still not tired.  I may take a nap in awhile but I'll be stitching with Johnny tonight!


That glass under my drawing is plexiglass - it's my light box.  I put a small lamp under it.  It works.

The bonus was I got to see a really pretty sunrise!  It would probably look better with palm trees, but you take what you can get.



I hope you're all having a wonderful day - get out and enjoy it if you can!

The "Jenny Rose" Gypsy Wagon

My latest pattern - and I'll give you three guesses who it's named for.



Not a princess castle, or a gingerbread house, sorry....but it was SO FUN to create!!!



Don't you just want to put on some frilly clothes, bangles on your arm, kick off your shoes and find some daisies for your hair?  I do.



This is my new favorite design.  I got the idea about a year ago, and it only took me this long to get it in stitches.



Simple backstitch, and single-wrap French knots.  That's it.



In my craftsy shop now!

So - now what!  Just finishing this sweet little wagon makes me want to get the pencils out again!



Are you longing for the open road as much as I am?  Not to mention SUMMER?!  I think the only way I'll get through the dark dreary days of winter is to surround myself with gypsy wagons and flowers.....and woolies, can't forget the woolies!!!

Cold, Damp, Dreary.....

Perfect day to go to the polls.

I saw our forecast for the next seven days, most of them have snowflake pictures on them.  It's. Not. Winter. Yet.  All my Aussie friends, please turn your fans on high, and point them in my direction - maybe we can blow some tropical air up here.

I'm busy stitching, stitching, stitching.....what could it be?

Any guesses?  I hope it's done by week end....