Monday Again??? (so soon???)

Good Morning Everyone!

Oh weekends! Never long enough... how can it be Monday already?

Not too much stitching got done this weekend other than another sled ornament but I did make a couple of these adorable wine cork flower pin cushions from instructions in a kit by By The Bay Needleart...

As you can see, it's already in use. :)  I hope to get something done stitching-wise tonight.  Have a wonderful day despite it being Monday and just keep stitching~  ~Nicole

New LNS Find & WIP

Good Morning Everyone!

Yesterday I was introduced to a Facebook group of stitchers and stumbled upon several posts mentioning a local needlework shop called Bush Mountain Stitchery which I HAPPILY DISCOVERED is in my state--only about an hour away from me!!  I'm not sure how things are in your area, but there aren't many local shops around anymore in my area.  I have one under an hour away and two (now three) that are an hour plus away. With the big box stores making more room for what they deem as "more popular crafts", the needlearts aisles have shrunk down to one and in some cases not even a whole aisle.  I try to buy local when possible but sometimes I do need to place an order online to get supplies.

Check out http://www.bushmountainstitchery.com/ and see what Maeann's shop has to offer --- I'm planning on heading to her shop in early February and will give you all a full report; photos and all! :)  She offers free shipping on orders in the USA over $10 as an added bonus!  I've also placed a link over to the right with all my other favorite shops that I've either visited or regularly order from online.

No baking happened in my kitchen last night so I was able to carve out a little time for some stitching.  Here is my progress on the BTB Stich an Inch motifs.  This progress accounts for about 5 hours so they really work up quick despite being over one on 28 ct. because it's the Continential Stitch. 

Have a great day and just keep stitching... ~Nicole

Vanishing Cookies and WIP

Good Morning!

Something hilarious happened to me last night and I just had to share since all of you knew how much I have been baking, baking, baking! :)  I made more peanut butter blossoms and it's cold here in Massachusetts so I put the cookies to cool outside on the back patio.  Note:  two FULL trays of cookies.  I go back into the kitchen to form more cake balls because those will also have to chill and firm up before I can dip them in chocolate, etc.... after they're all set I go back outside to bring in the cookies...

...and one of the trays only has 7 cookies on it, not the 13 it had when I put it outside to cool! HAHAHAHA  I did a double-take just to make sure I wasn't going crazy and that they were the full sheets I put out there...called Katie downstairs to make sure and then we started laughing.  I think we laughed for a good 10 minutes!  We have lived in our home for 14 years and every year I put things out in what a friend calls "God's cooler" and this has never happened before!  My thoughts are that it was a neighborhood dog that was roaming and smelled the peanut butter/chocolate combo and thought it was a cookie buffet! :D  Needless to say from now on I'll make sure things are placed higher up to prevent another cookie burglary!

I stopped early enough last night to have a little while to relax and get in some stitching.  Not sure why I can't rotate the photo this morning (computer gremlins?) but it's one of the Santa motifs from By The Bay Needleart's Stitch an Inch Christmas 2011 stitched over one on 24 count linen. Below him is a start of a few trees for the next design.  I want to get these done up in the next couple of days to put on my woolen feather tree that's on my side table in the kitchen.

Have a great day everyone and keep an eye on your cookies! ~Nicole

Woolen Feather Tree Completed

Good Morning!

I mentioned in a previous post that I took a class last weekend at Yankee Cross Stitch to make a woolen feather tree taught by Donna from By The Bay Needleart.  LOVED it and finally had time to finish the tree -- just needed to put the red berries on and did that last night.  See? 

It came out great, took about three hours start to finish and I plan on making some of Donna's "Stich an Inch" as ornaments to hang on the tree.  I ALSO plan on making more trees in different colors and already made a stop to Joanne's for some wool felt in various shades of green.  Most likely after Christmas but I want to make a large tree to put on a tabletop at fairs next year to hang ornaments for sale. Both Yankee's and By The Bay's links are posted on the right hand side of the page if you'd like more information.

Today is "Christmas Baking Day Part 2" for most of the day (yes, I'm stalling a bit by posting this blog post) where my girls and I bake and decorate to get gifts together for teachers, neighbors, friends, coworkers and family.  Last night I was up very late and made fudge (with nuts and without), chocolate covered pretzels, chocolate chip walnut cookes and some butter spritz cookies dipped in chocolate.  Today will bring more butter spritz cookies colored pink for poinsettias, more plain and dipped in chocolate, more pretzels, peanut butter blossoms and sugar cookies -- snowmen of course! :) Don't worry -- tomorrow's posting will be photos of everything baked and boxed up and I'm happy to share any recipes if anyone is interested.   Housekeeping will have to wait until during the week when I will get the house ready for my parents and brother on Christmas Day!

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone! ~Nicole

Another Finish, Christmas Ornaments Part 1 & Contest Winner

Yesterday I was not feeling well (stomach issues) and decided to make a very rare sick call into the office.  Upside was I got a lot of little things done around the house and by that I mean stiching-wise, certainly not housework/gift wrapping/holiday baking - wise! :)  That will come on Sunday, at least that's what I'm telling myself today.

Photobooth Snowmen by Bent Creek - Came as a kit with the light slate blue linen and beads for snow.  I am addicted to snowmen so no explanation needed as to why this one caught my eye.  After the holiday rush this one will be handed over to Amanda at Michael's in Salem, NH for her to work her magic. :)  (This one not leaving Casa Amaro either)

One of the designs from Stich an Inch Christmas 2011 from By the Bay Needleart:  This was stitched on 28 ct. antique white evenweave over ONE (yes, over one) in continential stitch.  Took me approximately 3 hours start to finish and I'll definitely be showing you some more of her designs which I love! (And I met Donna personally last weekend--she is such a talented AND sweet woman so I tell everyone about her designs when I can)  I was a bit cross-eyed afterwards but it was worth it. Finishing entailed putting stitching on foam core and popping it into the back of the frame - I secured the foam core around all sides with hot glue (kinda used it like "caulking").

Winter Wind by Prairie Schooler:  This was done on 14 ct. antique white aida and the finishing is just fabric fusion glue onto a piece of maroon felt with pinking around the edge.

Dimensions (?) Punch Needle Kits:  Purchased and finished punching these last year and came across them when organizing my stash a couple of weekends ago -- finally got around to finishing the snowmen and santa last night.  Finishing is just the design on cardboard with felt on the back and various ribbons around the sides and top for hanging.  Cross stitch will always be my first love, but I did love doing these punch needle designs and have purchased a few more since that are for now safely tucked away in the stash. :)


Congratulations!! (drum roll please....)
Follower "SEEFORD" is the winner of the "Double or Nothing" contest this week! Keep your eye out in a few minutes for an email from me so I can get your snail mail address and send your prize!

I am thrilled, excited and humbled all at the same time by the fantastic response and lovely comments regarding my blog.  I'm looking forward to seeing what's in store for this site and for being able to share ideas with all of you.

That's all for today -- have a great Friday! ~Nicole