A Christmas Stocking for Ada

It has been so long since I completed a cross stitch project and it feels so good to have this one done. I think the last project I completed was the twin's Care Bear quilts.  I bought this pattern back when I worked at Hobby Lobby and it went on after Christmas clearance.  It sat unused in my stitching stash until about a week before the twins came I decided to get it started. I had been off work for a couple weeks and was so sick of just watching T.V. but I couldn't really move around a lot.  

I love this pattern and I really hope that Ada will love it as she grows up.  I did goof up a bit and didn't baste the edge of the fabric. It unraveled and made the pattern not fit all the way on the left top. But I will just adjust when I am sewing it together.  This will probably go into storage until I finish Ty's stocking and then I will sew the up at the same time.

I love that their stockings will match Bret and mine and I am excited to see them all finished. While I was typing this up I realized I have never shared our Christmas stockings. I will have to do that soon! Christmas is such a special time and having homemade decorations just adds to it for me.

Thanks so much for reading,

Zoe

Merry Christmas to All!!!

I am posting today to wish all of my readers a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. I hope that all of you are able to spend time with the ones you love this holiday season.

I have been slacking on my blog posts for this month- too many presents being made, cookies being baked and spending quality time with friends. I will be back at the beginning of the New Year with some great project and recipe posts!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great holiday!!

(Christmas Card designed in Picnik and pictures taken by my friend Christalina at Christalina Photography)

New Year Resolution- Craft More, Blog More!!

Well, I guess so far my new year resolution has not been met in the blogging aspect, but it has been going ok for the crafting- I have finished a small cross stitch so far- December calendar hanging from Rainbow Gallery- now just January left and I will have the whole year. I haven't finished it off due to my sewing machine being out of commission, but will do that once I get the January one stitched. I think it is pretty and I like the snow!

Now I am just going to catch up with some projects that I finished at the end of last year- first I had made some scarves for Christmas for the dogs. I put their initials on them and below is a picture of Scout and Penny in their scarves. My sister made some for her dogs too and the dogs all looked so cute on Christmas morning!

For Christmas I made my in-laws a K-State quilt. I pieced the middle pieces together and then did applique in the shape of a power cat- Kansas State's mascot. I was pretty proud of how it turned out because it was my first attempt at applique. I just took it to get quilted a couple weeks ago (decided not to hand quilt this one!) and I can't wait to see the finished project.

My last (and favorite!) Christmas present I made was for my niece Marley. I made her two Binky Baby Bunny from a pattern from mmmcrafts.I really love her patterns- they are so cute and easy to make. I made a little boy bunny and a little girl bunny. I made little "binkies" for them out of coordinated fabric. Marley loves them and has been playing with them a lot.

Well, this year should be a great one for crafting- I have some goals-
1. Finish a quilt out of some squares that my Grandmother had cut out.
2. Finish my Under The Friendship Tree cross stitch
3. Multiple more that I cannot think of now :)

Time to take the Christmas Tree Down.

Christmas was great this year.. I got to give some hand made gifts and I hope that they are enjoyed. I made Molly Monkey for my niece Marley and she loved it. I also made initial plaques for my sister, my parents and my in-laws.
Marley, her doll and my sister on Christmas morning.

Scout got to go quail hunting this Christmas and she did very good at helping to find the birds!


December Goals-
1. Christmas presents (several home made things and buying some)-Yup!
2. Birth Announcement (finish and frame)-Almost finished- Kinsley was born on 12-28 and I finished the details of her birthdate and weight yesterday. I need to get some other things to frame it, so this may not happen until the weekend.
3. Also worked on Vegetable Wreath- made some progress but not enough to post a new pic.

Well, I have been really pleased with how much having this blog has helped me keep working on crafts and stitching projects that I really wanted to get done. I have also enjoyed reading others blogs and have found lots of motivation from them. My blogiversary is coming up in February- maybe I will have to do something special for that.

Goals for 2010-
1.Finish the quilt by July- I have 320 squares on the quilt, about 15 are quilted (5% done). My goal is to finish at least 50 squares each month. This will take some effort, but I really want to finish this project.
2. Do a triathlon in June- Already training, just have to keep going :)
3. Start Marley's Rag Quilt
4. Continue to work on current WIP's- no specific goals for finishing them.

Night at the lake and a weekend of finishing off projects!

This weekend was a productive one. We didn't have too much to do so I was able to finish some projects that I had already stitched. I framed my 2006 Cherub. I have multiple matching 4X6 frames like this one so I may need to do a set of Christmas stitches to go with this Cherub.

On Saturday Bret and I got together with one of my sister's family and my Dad (the rest of the fam was out of town) to celebrate father's day. We made shish kabobs which were delicious! It was a good time and was nice for a relaxing evening.

Sunday I got a lot done around the house and was able to finish off the July ornament (below). Now I am exactly 1/2 way finished with the year!

On Sunday we also got Scout a new pillow. We went for a bike ride and she ran along and was completely pooped afterward. Here she is relaxing on her pillow.

This weekend I also made good progress on Under the Friendship Tree. I am close to my goal for this stitching round and then will move on to another project. I didn't get to work on it tonight, we went and had a picnic at the lake. One of my good friends from school and her fiance moved back to town and we went out to the lake. We had a good picnic and got to swim. Scout had an awesome time splashing in the waves.
Happy Stitching!

Good finish-Mirabilia Angel

I am finished with Mirabilia 2006 angel. I finished up the last of the beading and backstitching tonight. I thought I had a frame that would work for it, but it was a little too small. I will have to go to Hobby Lobby and get a frame. I won't display it until Christmas anyway, so I have a little time.
It does feel good to finish a project and be able to take it off my list. Next up is the July Ornament. Should be fun and cute!

Past Projects- Mirabilia

This is my biggest project finished so far- Touching the Autumn Sky by Mirabilia.

I worked on this for about a year off and on. I love all of the colors and the whimsy of it.

My husband and I framed this ourselves- I found the frame for $5 at an antique store and the rest of the framing cost about $35 dollars- I was pretty happy with it. It hangs above our entertainment center now.

I stitched this Mirabilia freebie for my mother in law for Christmas. The beading is so beautiful.

I stitched this freebie for my mother for Christmas. I really enjoyed both of these projects and I have one for my self in progress.

These free patterns at www.mirabilia.com

The other Mirabilia patterns I have that I plan to complete-

Christmas Cherub 2006- work in progress

Under the Friendship Tree- work in progress

The Forest Goddess- not started

Snow Angels- not started

Ring Around the Rose Tree - not started

Past Projects- Christmas Ornaments

Made this angel for my sister- it is out of 100 Christmas Ornaments book

Made this Lizzie Kate design. I used orange for the cat instead of gray. I finished it into an ornament, but don't have a pic of it.

Another Lizzie Kate- this one was a freebie. Given to my sister for Christmas. http://www.lizziekate.com/


My sis Ellen and I finishing off ornaments.



Lizzie Kate - My first Christmas ornament for my nephew Eli

Another Lizzie Kate freebie- given to my cousin for Christmas.

Penguin Christmas- given to my sister for Christmas.

Penguin with cart- made into an ornament- again no finished pic.

This was a freebie from The Chart Shop - Sent to my brother and sister in-law for Christmas.

I made this cute ornament from a free chart- I can't remember where I got it from.

It is called Woodland Joy. I kept this one for myself.