More Tutorials

I've joined in the Pink Chalk Studios' Holiday Tutorial Contest, if you've made a tutorial post in 2011, do go link up!  Lots and lots of good stuff there, all picture links to the tutorials.  I'm going to have to browse them later!  I'm sure you'll find something you'll like there, so many ideas of things to make.

Em's Scrapbag has a darling tutorial for a personalized type key bracelet!  How cute is this!

Karen from The House of Wilson has a tutorial for a darling Santa Sack!  Very quick and I'll take two!

My adorable friend Jenny from Elefantz shared a darling design last year...

that she made into a door hanger for her daughter this year...

And the pattern is still available, scroll down through her post to see!


Kaaren from The Painted Quilt has shared a darling Santa stitchery, you'll have to go look as I forgot to get her permission to use her pic.  I'll be whipping this one up for sure!

And Gail Pan has a new Christmas design, it's so sweet!  Again, no pic, you'll have to go look!

Dolores from True Blue Canadian has completed a gift already, can you believe it?  She made this sweet beret...

Good job Dolores!  I'm still working hard on my stitcheries.  I'm going to a Ladies Christmas party at my cousin's church tonight, all the men wait on the ladies, lol.  It's always fun and has become a tradition.  Mum is going too.  I'll try to get some pics - better read my book to see which settings to use on my camera!  I hope you're all having a wonderful and snow-free day!

Everybody saw "AWWWW"!!!

My sweet friend Midge from Soggibottom is having a give-away, the sweetest little bear you've ever seen....he's 3 inches tall and comes dressed for winter!  This give-away is in honor of her birthday, so go join in and wish her lots of happy birthday wishes too!

I haven't been blogging much, I've been very busy stitching away - stitched myself right into a migraine today, lol.  Have to remember to take breaks!  Here's what I've been working on...I made a pillowcase for my brother,



And I'm working on some redwork stitcheries.




These stitcheries are from this book,



which I bought several years ago and forgot I had.  I found it the other day and as soon as I opened it, remembered why I'd had to have it!  Aren't they darling?  Maybe I should look at my books more often, lol.  I hope your stitching is going along fine too!

December Christmas Through The Year

It's our last month, and a short one at that!  Remember, anyone can join in, all you have to do is make one gift to be entered in our monthly give-away.  It can be something you sew, or jewelry, or baked, anything, as long as it's handmade.

Our cut-off this month is December 21.  At midnight of that day, I will pick our winner.

I have some tutorials for you, starting with Mary, from Quilting in the Sunshine State. Remember the gorgeous Sewing Mat she made?

Mary has generously created a pdf of the pattern, and sent it to me to share with you!  You can get the pattern here, and please do go thank Mary!  What a sweetie!!  Thank you Mary!

Val Spiers has created a darling journal cover, love the kitty cat!

She also has two more kitty designs!  Scroll back through her blog, and don't forget to click on her My Designs tab at the top of her blog - she has lots of great stuff there!

Linda from Buzzing and Bumbling has a very sweet owl ornament tutorial!

Caroll from Attic Window Quilt Shop designed the cutest rooster wallhanging!  I really love this little guy!

Jenny from Elefantz has shared some really gorgeous tree designs, this one is made into a table runner!

I dearly love Jenny's designs!!!!

And finally, Michelle from L7 Quilt Co. has some of the best ideas I've seen yet for gifts.  Not handmade, but all about buying local and keeping jobs in America.  I LOVE this post!

So there it is, kicking off our last month in our Christmas Club.  If this is your first month joining us, welcome!  And if you've been here all along, thank you!  You have kept me inspired to keep going, and I hope you have a nice pile of gifts ready. At the end of the year, AFTER everyone has received their gifts, I would love for you to do a post showing everything you've made this year.    You can also upload your pics to our flickr group, found here.  Now go get busy, time is running out!!!

November Christmas Through The Year GiveAway Winner!

Wow, it's midnight on the last day of November...where did this year go!  We have less than one month left til the big day.  If you've been playing along with me all year, you should be almost ready for it!

Sandra from Sandra Sews sent me some pics of gifts she couldn't post on her blog, so I'm going to show them here - boy has she been busy!  Look at these!

Makes me feel like a slacker, for sure. WTG Sandra!  Sandra has an embroidery machine, and made some stitch-outs for people to use in projects.  Love that idea!  And I love that bag!

 I suppose you want to know our winner?  Well then, I'll pop our numbers into Mr. Random and see......[cue Jeopardy music...]

Number two, which is....Mary, from Quilting In the Sunshine State!  Congratulations Mary, I'll be emailing you in a bit!

Now.  What about December?  I think we'll make the cut-off for gifts December 21st, and do our give-away at midnight of that day.  Any closer to Christmas and I may totally forget.  So if you want to join in, get your stitching engines into high gear, and you can be in the give-away!  Remember, it doesn't have to be stitched, it can be anything you make...jewelry, baked goods for a gift, etc.  I just found out that I'll be going to a cousin's house on Christmas Eve, so I'll need more gifts than I thought - yes, panic has commenced - but not as much panic as there would be if I hadn't started in January.

I'll be back tomorrow or the next day, I have a few tutorials to share!

November Christmas Through The Year Strut Your Stuff!

Yep, it's that time again, time to show off what you've made this month, or email me with a pic if you don't dare show it off on your blog!  Like our sweet Mary from Quilting in the Sunshine State did, here's what she made:

It's a pincushion/thread catcher, isn't it great in that Maxine fabric?  Mary got the pattern from here.  She added a strip of velcro to the bottom of the pincushion and the top of the pad to hold it in place.  I think her friend is going to LOVE it!

I've added Mr. Linky to this post, if you've made a gift for someone this month, post about it and add your name to be in the give-away.  Or, as Mary did, email me the pic if you don't want to spoil a surprise.  Remember, you can join in any month, you don't have to be in on this from the beginning.  Link is at the bottom, email me if you have any problems.

So, American friends, how was your Thanksgiving?  Ours was just lovely - my mother-in-law came with baskets loaded with food.  I didn't get any pics of the day that I can share, except for my mother, who loves the camera and just has to make funny faces.  I know, you're all jealous and wish she was YOUR mum.  Too bad, you can't have her.




My favorite part of Thanksgiving is the few days after, when nobody has to cook and we fill up on leftovers.  My mum-in-law makes the most wonderful Waldorf salad, and it's my favorite part, I claim it all for myself.  I finished it off tonight.



Thanksgiving was also hubby's birthday, so there are also ton of really fattening delicious desserts left.  Like home made fudge.  Oh yes, I love this time of year.

Ok, here we go, link away!

Happy Thanksgiving!

To all of my American friends, I wish you a joyful Thanksgiving feast with your families - I've closed comments and will be taking a short break to celebrate with my own family.  See you after the holiday!