A contest link to share with you....

Kim, over at Wisdom with Needle and Thread, is having a Blogoversary give away that I thought I would share.  Be sure to look at her box she made and the adorable little cherub she stitched up also.  Here is her link for her contest.  I have seen those boxes made on Lynn's blog and I might have to try making one for myself some day. 

Until later....Happy Stitching!

TUSAL report and a few other pictures added in.....

Today I am posting my first TUSAL report.  Yeah!!!  What is a TUSAL you ask???  It is a "totally useless SAL" and you can find out more about it on my sidebar icon link or HERE.  I had gotten this wonderful little painted ORT box from my dear friend Pat and so I'm finally getting to put it into great use each month. 

Here are all my little ORTS this month.  (This is only from my xstitching....not my sewing room for making and sewing up projects on the sewing machine.)

And here it is in my new ORT jar that I hope to fill up this coming year.  Isn't it pretty???  I got it at Michaels for only $1!!!!  Not a bad price!!!

Last night, I got to thinking what did I want to stitch for our Feb Just Nan SAL.  I started to have a contest and let yall pick what I was going to stitch but I didn't need help.  In February, we have Valentines Day so I wanted something with HEARTS on it.  I just love hearts!!! ♥♥♥♥  Don't you just love those little hearts????  My DD taught me how to do those on the computer!!  lol 

Here is what I will be starting tomorrow on Feb 1.......Cherub Garden!  I also have the adorable whimzi frame to put it in.  As I said, I am a sucker for hearts which is why I'm surprised I haven't stitched it up before now. 

I will be thinking what JN I will want to stitch for March so I can be planning and gathering up supplies ahead of time.  I have sooooo many Just Nan's that it actually comes down to really trying hard to decide WHAT to start and stitch up.  But I've got a couple of bigger JN's already started so I am hoping to continue on those each month during our SAL. 

I am dying to show you more pictures but I will wait to do that tomorrow.  I don't want to overwhelm you with a ton of pictures today. 

February is my Blog anniversary month so be sure to stop back by and see what is going on.  I may have a contest to win a prize to celebrate my anniversary month!!!  Until then........

HAPPY STITCHING!

Just Nan SAL 2014

YEAHHHH......I joined Zeb's Just Nan 2014 SAL!!!  You can find out more about her Just Nan SAL HERE on this link or just click on the Just Nan SAL icon on the side bar.  I had posted my finish in an earlier blog post but I am doing the right thing and posting here today officially.  I saw where Zeb just listed hers so I didn't want to be behind in posting mine.

I did JN Jolly Old Elf.....aka J.O.E.!  I actually started it on New Years Day and finished it.  YEAH ME.  I know the date on the picture shows something different because that was the day I actually posted it here on my blog along with some other finishes. 

I am now trying to decide WHICH ONE I want to do for next month????  Another whimzi?  Another small one that will fit inside a small box???  Hmmmmm decisions decisions!!!  I'll keep you posted though.

I'm off to stitch on a special project but I can't tell you what it is or who it is for.  You will just have to just keep checking back to see what it might be.  I might take some snippet pictures to share.  I have a lot more pics to share with you over the next few days.  Until then......

Happy Stitching!

2014 January Smalls SAL post...... chart link UPDATED!!!

Yeah!!!  Today is the first post for me when joining the 2014 Smalls SAL.  You will see the link to this group on my sidebar.  For this month, I chose a freebie that I have been wanting to do for a long time now.  Plus.....it is a Christmas ornament so .....YEAHHHH I have another ornament finish!!!  hehe 

This was a freebie chart that I found online, and it was soooo quick to stitch up.  Sadly, I can't remember where I got it from so you if know, please leave a comment so I can go onto my blog and list the designer's name/company and give credit due to that person. 

Thankfully, Robin, who is a follower of mine, left a comment right away who was the designer of this little chart.  It is Sandy and her blog is Stitchin and Life in A Small Town.  To find the chart for this little finish of mine, you can click HERE.  Just scroll down the page to find it.

I love how I even finished it too!  I had some leftover cording from a previous ornament so I just tied a knot in each end and sewed it each corner.  SUPER EASY and a definite quick finish.

I have some more finishes to show but I will save those for another day.  Today is reserved to the Smalls SAL.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Handmade Presents....

I just love getting presents whether it is early, on the intended date of the celebration for whatever celebration it  may be, or late due to unforeseen circumstances (AKA life).  Whatever and whenever it is given, I am ALWAYS THANKFUL because that person has taken the time to make or give me a present!!!   It doesn't have to be handmade either.  I am just thankful for the present because that person took the time to either make or go buy me a gift!

Today, my friend Janet came over so we could do some finishing work on our BBD stockings and she brought me my belated Christmas gift.  Oh my stars.....I absolutely love it!!!  And I love the huge glass jar that had a mixture of Hershey Kisses!!!!  She stitched up the new freebie design by LHN!!!  I LOVE IT!!!  And her finishing is just exquisite with that adorable cording with the rusted jingle bell at the tip end.  Janet told me to use the cording to wrap around the Christmas tree limb to hang it.  What a wonderful idea!!  I am DEFINITELY going to have to try this technique!!!

Here are my new goodies!  I love the bag and the saying on it!!  Look at the printed tissue paper too!!!  TOOOOOOO CUTE!!!!

Here is another present from my best friend Kimberly.  She stitched up Mosey N Me Santa and she too used those rusted jingle bells on the hanger!!!!  Kimberly, too, included some chocolates along with my stitched gift.  I'm going to have to order me some to use on other people's Christmas ornaments for this year!!!!  I love it!!! 

One last handmade Christmas gift was from my dear friend Pat who Tole paints presents for me for my birthday and Christmas gifts!!  I give her cross stitched project that are combined with sewn projects that I make using the sewing machine like tote bags, project bags, thread organizer packs, etc.  Here is my Santa she painted me.  Inside she included some Chocolate Drinking chocolate mix along with some Godiva chocolates!!!  YUMM YUMM!!!

After rereading what I was about to post here, I just realized something.  All these ladies sent me chocolate with my gifts this year.  Hmmmm.....I think they know me too well.  I also know I'm going to have to walk more on the treadmill so I can ENJOY these chocolates without guilt!  Feeling guilty eating chocolate?????   NEVER!!! hehe

Happy Stitching!

New charts from iStitch Designs!!!

I just wanted to post that Carol has a wonderful new little chart out called Sew Pandora!!!  You can find it on her blog HERE.  Carol also said that she will be having another new designs come out at the Nashville market here in February called Sew Stitching.  I don't know what it looks like but I've never been disappointed in any of Carol's designs. 

Be sure to click on the link to see what Pandora looks like!  It is made into a cute little box that would make the perfect birthday gift to give to someone.  You could pick their favorite color to stitch it in and give it as a gift!

Happy Stitching everyone!

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Contest!!!

I would like to share that Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having a contest!!!  You can find out more about how to enter HERE.   Please be sure to read how to enter the contest and while you are there, be sure to see her beautiful threads and charts.

Now....I'm going back over there to have a closer look as some of her sampler charts and then settle in for a night of xstitching for myself too!!!

Happy Stitching everyone!

Some finishes to share today.....

YEAHHHHH  come celebrate with me as I had finished stitching my first Scarlet Letter sampler called Mary Baker!!!!  I actually finished her on Wednesday Jan 2014 but it was late and I could not get a great picture.  So I decided today would be a great day to share her with you.  Now I will need to take her to be framed!

Here are a few other finishes.  

The first one is The Sampler Girl Believe freebie.  I finished it on Dec 31, 2013.  This was stitched on 25ct white using HDF Gigi's Christmas premium silk.  These are great to have already stitched up when you need a last minute gift at Christmas time.  I will get around to doing the "finishing work" on them another day.  I will sew it into pillow finish but I will need to make some coordinating cording to go with it.

This is also The Sampler Girl Believe freebie again but it was stitched on 28ct natural using HDF Gandy Tango premium silk.  This was my first New Years completed project even though I'm just getting around to posting a picture of it.

Another ornament finish was Threadwork Primitives Noel.  SUPER fun and quick to stitch also.

Here is my Just Nan finish.  This is Jolly Old Elf.....to go along with M.O.E. which is Merry Old Elf. I also started it on New Years Day but didn't finish it til Jan 2 with all that was going on around here.  I stitched this one in conjunction with Zeb's Just Nan SAL.  You can find more about her SAL HERE.  This is going to be really good for me as I said in my previous post that I have TONS of Just Nan projects!!!!  So stay tuned to see what I plan on stitching for next month.

I hope you have enjoyed all the pictures today.  I'm off to xstitch after I pull the colors and fabric for my next Scarlet Letter H.K. Smith chart.

Happy Stitching everyone!!!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone!!!  Today I am starting the Just Nan Stitch A Long with Zeb!  You can check out the link on my side bar or the link within this post.  I love how Zeb started her post as I saw it last night.  So I am borrowing a couple of her photo ideas.  Thank you Zeb!

I keep all my Just Nan charts in binders in the numerical order that they have been released.  Yes....I started this organization long ago.  As you can see, I have been collecting for a very long time from the amount of binders shown here.  I have 9 full binders.....most have the fabrics with them and some have silks and DMC threads as well.  I credit a small Just Nan kit that I bought from my LNS for $10 for my love of cross stitching on linen.  The kit came with the chart, linen, threads, bead and needle.  I figured if I didn't like cross stitching on linen then I will have only wasted $10 but I fell in love with cross stitching on linen.

I have the charts stored in sleeves along with the fabric on the backside of the chart like in this photo.

Here is a class project that a friend gifted to me as I ALWAYS wanted to take the JN Pansy Cameo class.  She had signed up for it but due to circumstances could not attend the class and later on she lost interest in cross stitching it.  So she blessed me with the chart and I bought the supplies to stitch it.  This one will be a definite project of mine to stitch up this year.  Pansies are my favorite flower and this project can't be more perfect.

I keep all my whimzi's and some Just Nan frames and tins stored in a gift bag on the shelf too.  It looks more organized with keeping them all together.  I know when I need to stitch up a whimzi I can go directly to the bag that has them all in it.  I have another gift bag with more frames stored in it but I didn't take that picture of it.

Here is what I decided as my first Just Nan New Year's Day start.  It is her Jolly Old Elf.....J.O.E.  I know I could have started any one of my many Just Nan charts but it just seemed right to get this New Year's Day started off right with an ornament!!!  Yes....I know there are some of you laughing because I love cross stitching my ornaments all year long but this one will go on my Whimzi tree this year!!!!

I have also signed up for Daffycat's TUSAL.  If you want to know more about it, please click on her link to find out.  I decided to pull out a gift a friend had painted for me as my ORT box.  My dear friend Pat tole paints exquisite projects as gifts for me and I give her sewing projects.  She can cross stitch and had painted herself an altoid tin ORT box as well so she gifted this one to me to have.  Isn't it gorgeous??!!!  I will eventually transfer the ORTs to a bigger container as it gets full but this is just the perfect size to keep beside me while I cross stitch.  Maybe I will need to go shopping for a bigger container next week.

I am going back to cross stitching on my JN Jolly Old Elf!!  Our family had gone out to the movies today to see Saving Mr. Banks so I didn't get anything done this morning except taking my pictures for my blog post today.  I forsee a late night of cross stitching!

Happy Stitching everyone!