A finish(sort of) and giveaway goodies!

As some of you saw in my last post, I was blessed to win one of Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe's givaways- for the Treasured Friend bag- here are the contents!

I posted a couple of pics cause it was hard to fit everything on my lapdesk- then I realized I was still missing a spool of thread! It is so lovely Nancy, I love everything!  Thank you again!

 

I do have a little finish to show you- I said "sort of" in my title because I need to get a button for it yet-poor planning! Just a little cardinal button.. but here it is so far. :)

I had to use some substitutions here and there, and I did french knots instead of buttons for the mouth, mostly because I didn't read the directions carefully and had stitched them before I realized they were supposed to be beads. I probably would have done it that way anyway because I don't think I have any tiny beads that were the right color.  This is Snow Dreams by Designs by Cathy Jean for Victoria Sampler- from the 2009 JCS Ornament issue.

 

I am impatiently waiting for my mums to open up- the ones that opened in the spring haven't come back, but I do have one pot thats getting ready to open!

 

There is a farm stand not far from my house that sells big pots of mums cheap- I am hoping to get some more soon.

 

I have been going through my stash-I am going to add another tab/page to my blog soon with stash for sale, will let you all know when I get it set up. I am hoping to get rid of it more that way vs. ebay- ebay is so time-consuming and not very cost-effective unless you have something really rare to get rid of.

 

The semi-annual library book sale is this week- I can't wait! I really have no business buying any more books- I still have so many from past sales that I haven't read, but you really can't beat the price, and the money is for a good cause! That's Thursday- it seems so long from now! ha! Although if it goes as fast as this weekend it will be here before I know it. It's been a nice weekend- all of us home all weekend which is unusual- usually Hanna is at some friend's house or another- yesterday a local church had a clothing giveaway/swap- you can bring stuff that you don't want anymore or just come and get some clothes if you need some. I brought some items that I don't wear anymore as well as a couple of things of David's. Hanna usually passes hers on to friends.  I found a few nice things- a cute pair of shoes, some dress shorts, a really pretty skirt- and a "Life is Good" long-sleeved shirt with a cup of coffee/cocoa on the front, which is perfect for me! I love their shirts but I never want to pay full price.. haha. Also found a Transformers shirt for David and some pj's..and Hanna found a few things as well.  We also went to Starbucks and to get a toy for Ginger. Pet Supplies Plus sent us a postcard for a free toy for her because her 1st birthday is October 18- 9 days before mine! So we got her a little toy frog.  He lasted most of the weekend but I noticed earlier she was into something and it was his stuffing. So bye-bye frog.

We then came home and I got some laundry and dishes done- Hanna and I made some pumpkin chocolate chip cookies- which were delicious- they are almost gone already. The recipe was on verybestbaking.com.  It had a glaze and no chocolate chips but we didn't have the ingredients for the glaze, so we added the chocolate chips and Hanna made her own frosting from a different recipe and website, but we left it on the side cause I thought they were just as good if not better without the frosting.  So she frosts them as needed. ;)

 

Ginger and I have been walking more now that the weather is getting cooler- and today I found a piece of pinecone that looks like flower-

I had some more of changing leaves but blogger is being weird again so I will have to share them next time. :(

Have a great week!
Tracey

 

 

Happy dancing.. I finally finished something!

This ornament has taken me forever- it was my lunchtime project- and after a while it seemed I was always running errands at lunch, then we got Ginger so I started coming home at lunch to feed her and take her outside(not that I'm complaining) so my stitching time has been limited. I have found a few minutes here and there, and today, thanks to the stitching group that meets at our local quilt shop once a month, I finally made some real progress.  So tonight I was determined to finish it! I'm not sure I am real happy with the beading, it's not the way I usually do them.. but I really don't want to re-do them either. I don't know.  I don't remember the fabric I stitched it on but I did substitute some colors -CC Desert Mesquite for Olde Willow English Ivy, WDW Hazelnut for Olde Willow Quaker Churchyard Adobe, and I think all the othe colors I used were the recommended ones. This is from either the 2002 or 2003 JCS Ornament issue I think- all I have is my working copy handy right now and it doesn't say on there.. but the copyright on the pattern is 2002.  Well I better get to bed, it's getting late- just had to share!

Finally a finish, and some ornaments completed..

I finally finished "Autumn Side" by San Man Originals. :) Just before fall ends!

And here are some ornaments I had finished stitching a while back, but just made them into ornaments tonight, for David's teachers.

Prairie Schooler freebie

I believe this is a freebie also, but I can't remember who designed it!

Also, I have started another daily blog- maybe I can keep this one up, ha! It's pics of our new puppy, Ginger- I will still post pics of her here sometimes but started this blog since I know I will always be taking pics of her-

http://gingereveryday.blogspot.com

Maybe I can keep this one up better than my photo of the day blog- I may take another stab at that one first of the year. :)

I can now show you..

the ornament I made for my friend for Christmas..well.. it was sent a bit later than that.. lol

The most progress I've been making on stitching is on a gift for my mom, so I can't show you yet.  And my other progress is slow going.. although I did give in and start something new- The Sampler Girl's "At Home with Jane Austen".  This picture's on my photo-a-day blog, but I'll put it here, just in case you don't check that one. :)

I know it's not much- but I was tired that night. lol

Well, just got the news- two-hour delay for school tomorrow! :) Wonder if they'll end up calling off school- I kind of want them to, but I kind of don't..

Gosh, I kept thinking of stuff to blog about when I couldn't get to a computer and now I can't remember what it was.. argh.. more later! lol

Busy busy busy!

I know, I'm not doing so well at keeping my word, about blogging more often! I'm sorry! I haven't forgotten, it's just been a crazy month.  Rob was on a business trip to WI for a week, so I was on my own with the kids. I am so thankful for a great boss, who let me go get Hanna every day so I wouldn't have to pay the day care to keep her! The kids both had things at school that week too- Hanna had a chorus concert, and David was in a pirate play.
My stitching has been slim to none- I need to get my stitching mojo back! I did however assemble some ornaments to give the kids' teachers- their last day of school before Christmas break is tomorrow. We had an 'ice' day today- not much snow, just ice and sleet, so school was called off. So I got to stay home most of the day with the kids, and it was a blessing because I would have been up late tonight doing those ornaments otherwise! I shouldn't have waited til the last minute. I will confess that none of these were stitched recently- just assembled recently. :)

I am also a bit embarrassed about the wrinkledness( that a word?) of this last one, granted the light does highlight them a bit, but I ironed and ironed this.. I thought I had gotten them out, or at least pulled it tight enough to smooth them a bit, but I guess not. :( Well at least it doesn't look this bad in real life. I was just trying to remember the designs of all of these- the first Santa was from an older magazine or leaflet I think- not sure of the second designer either. :( The third is Homespun Elegance I believe and the last one is Lizzie Kate I think. :)
I am nowhere near ready for Christmas- have almost all my shopping to do yet-but I am trying not to stress out! I will post a picture of the Christmas tree soon. Oh and I almost forgot-every year our town has a 'town lighting' night.. I don't think I have posted any pics from this yet. I want to get some better ones of downtown when it's not so crowded because it really is pretty. But here are some for now.

The snow is not real, it's a snow machine! :)

ME ornament finish and a little giveaway

Stayed up late last night to finish this one, that's why it's not in it's frame yet.  :) I am going to giveaway the pattern and remaining threads- anyone interested please leave a comment here and I will draw a name on Friday. :)