Looking back and Happy New Year

I always look forward to the time between Christmas and New Year’s…it is MY time or so I like to think. I usually spend time organizing my calendar for the following year (birthdays and such), reading my Christmas books (always make sure Santa leaves a couple of these) and generally just reflecting on the past year.

My mother was the epitome of organization for her day. In my basement are notebooks of old photo of the generations gone by; sorted by person. This year, DH and I bought a scanner as a present to ourselves…we have promised ourselves to organize all the slides and pictures we have accumulated in 45+ years (we did come to the marriage with some of our own pictures.) So this week we have been scanning boxes of slides into our computer. This has been a true trip down memory lane…now we are deciding how to get these pictures to all those people who are featured in our archive of memories.

I also have been a very good girl about taking pictures of whatever creations I have made.

I went through a wood cut out period when country decorating was big. This was one of my favotires…tulips

I also did cross stitch and made them into aprons for everyone I knew.

I made vestments for a local Catholic high school…these were reversible green and purple or gold and red.

And this led to making banners for Mary for a local church.

But my real love has always been needlepoint and I even painted a few canvases.

 

Hope everyone has time to reflection 2011 and the hope of 2012. My wish for everyone is much happiness, peace and lots of stitching time…Happy 2012!

Until next year…I hope everyone has time to stitch!  ttfn…sue

Merry Christmas Everyone

The cookies are cutout

Baked

And iced

The packages are wrapped…

Holy families are displayed

My 1^st nativity set…bought at the dime store…

All for the reason we celebrate…

(Only pieces left from my father’s nativity set)

Merry Christmas Everyone! sue

Cookie time

If a picture is worth a thousand words, there are 4000 word here…

Hope I and everyone has time to stitch today and any day until Christmas!

ttfn…sue

Tis that time of year…

It is that time of year…I have this theory about the shopping malls and parking lots this time of year…I think that somewhere in every city there are buildings (more than two or three) full of cars and robots that are only activated between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve (around Easter they release about 1/3 of these robots and cars) …these robots look like you and me except they never smile and they rush here and there. Most are carrying packages, and pushing and shoving around the malls. Their cars are parked in every parking spot in the mall lot and only one robot (okay sometimes two, but never more than three) to a car. They will cut right in front of you to get a parking space and then wave at you with one finger. (I think most of these robots only have one finger on each hand and I’m hoping it is the “HI” sign, especially this time of year). I think the best way to handle these robots is to smile pleasantly and wish them a “Merry Christmas.”

I only did shopping for 4 presents in stores this year and two of those were done by my son and husband and the other two I got at the grocery store. For the rest I let my fingers do the walking and did all my shopping online. It was easy and effortless; saved gas, tax, and most of all TIME. AND when I ordered from Amazon to get free shipping just had to add an item for me to get free shipping. Two Amazon orders, two gifts for me…um-m-m, no I did not plan this; I thought I was going to buy another gift at the store and at the last minute decided item online was nicer than the one I was going out to buy. Next year I am doing all my shopping online and sneaking mine in there too…well I am saving the shipping and gas.

Have been baking cookies for the last two weeks and so far have made 25 dozen cookies. About 8 dozen have already found a home for the holidays, the majority of the rest are leaving this week-end and then I’ll do the ones for my family.

Tree, bells, Santa’s and Nativities are up; still have the Angels (but I put them up very last because I leave them up until February and Valentine’s day (never have too many cupids floating around.) This year I even had time to put out my sewing room decorations. I love these decorations…

they are some of the last my Mother made for me. She made this sewing box with cards of threads and tied spools of thread on the branches with ribbon and beads. She bought all the sewing related ornaments and decorations.

The small tree in the bathroom is a guild favor, I love the buttons it is too cute.

 

My other thing this time of year is to collect these perfume sample cards. I open one and place it in the trash basket in my bathroom every time I change the bag. The small basket is in my closet and every time I open the closet door I get a pleasant puff of scent…When these run out I just use a quick spray of my favorite spray or DHs aftershave on a tissue.

Am getting to stitch occasionally, but nothing to show yet….. BUT I think I might go drive by the shopping center mall and laugh!

Hope I and everyone has time to stitch today and any day until Christmas!  ttfn…sue

Last of Christmas: Ornaments & Gifts

Between decorating the house, shopping for presents, baking cookies and having a house guest I did manage to sew some Christmas ornaments and now they are all taken down and put away for another year.

My ornaments this year were another one of those let me see if I can do this…I wanted to make ornaments that were quick and easy and that I could carry around with me to stitch. I knew I wanted to use wired ribbon for the backing so I purchased this first. I folded a piece of the ribbon into a ribbon candy shape to get an approximate length (about 5 ½ to 6 inches.) Then I figured out how many threads wide the canvas would be added the number of threads to turn back and decided to stitch the edges with a Scotch stitch. I used the Scotch stitch because from the first I was not sure the wired ribbon would give me enough strength to fold the canvas into ribbons of candy. With the scotch stitch on the edges I could run a jewelry wire up each side if I needed and I did need to do this (use 28 gauge wire). Then I started looking though needlepoint magazines and used stitches and stitch patterns I thought would be fun to try. I added a small buttonhole loop to one end and a sequin snowflake to the other end. Then I glued (Yes, I said glued…these are ornaments to be hung on a sap filled Christmas tree not go to the Smithsonian) the ribbon on the back. I bent them into shape and voila Christmas ornaments.

My niece reminded me that I had offered to stitch something for her PEO group and so I whipped up this ornament for her to give. She wanted something that would have gold stars a symbol used by her PEO group. This was the best I could do. I finished it myself since it was way past our shop finishing deadline. Since I had the other ornaments completed I kept this in my carry along project and have stitched extras for next Christmas… (YES, I am ahead of the game. 1st time in my life, now all I have to do is remember where I put them and to get them finished finished before next Christmas.)

I am Christmas-ed out for now…

Hope everyone has time to stitch today! ttfn…sue

Hallmark cards

I want to preface this post by telling everyone that I think my home town newspaper and TV news medias are the worst. All of them can report the worst of the news but when it comes to events that are worth doing or seeing, both medias will only do so if time and space permits AND only after they have reported all the bad news.

Some where in the recesses of my mind, I remember my Grandmother telling me if you only look for the worst, the worst is what you will get. I would rather look for the beauty and happiness in the world… and thanks to Ann Martin in Delaware and her blog, All things Paper http://allthingspaper-annmartin.blogspot.com/ I found a little glimpse of it in my own hometown.

Because of her post I spent a few lucky hours taking pictures the Halls stores on the Plaza and Crown Center. It was such fun to see all the wonderful decorations that were created by some truly creative people. Everything was fun and everywhere you looked there are cards to see.  Each store had a dress I thought was incredible, the pajama guys were fun and the shoes and the hat were something to see. I especially liked the trees and wreaths but I think the flowers, were my favorite.  

Not only were the decorations wonderful but I also met the president of Halls stores, Mr. Kelly Cole. He happened upon me taking pictures and stopped to chat. He was so nice, took the time to tell me about the decorations and pointed out some that I should not miss. He is a walking ambassador for his stores; a breath of fresh air in this hustle-bustle world. You could tell just by listening to him he enjoys what he does. It was really refreshing to meet someone who enjoys what he does and who takes the time to share his joy with others.

I’ve post a few of my favorites here and all of them in my Flicker account:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudukc/sets/72157625678390104/ or http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudukc/

You might also enjoy seeing the how to’s of these creations

http://blog.halls.com/2010/12/behind-the-scenes-of-the-2010-halls-holiday-displays/

http://blog.halls.com/2010/12/holiday-windows-at-halls-at-crown-center-2010/

http://blog.halls.com/2010/12/holiday-windows-at-halls-on-the-plaza-2010/

What a fun experience, thank you Ann Matin and Kelly Cole, you brightened my holiday. If you live anywhere close to Kansas City, give yourself a treat and go see this incredible display.

And hope in 2011 news medias will try and report something good every day…

Hope everyone has time to stitch today!  ttfn…sue

Naughty or Nice…must have been REALLY good

I must have been a good girl this year because Santa was really nice to me this year (not that he isn’t always nice to me.) This year I received all the Helen Stevens books I was missing (I had two, now I have all 12.)

I had purchased two of the Helen Stevens books (The Myth & Magic of Embroidery and The Timeless Art of Embroidery) before I took the class, Floral Fantasy from Dorothy Lesher. I really liked this class and loved the idea of needlepainting on canvas but put the class away when life seemed to be getting too hectic and serious stitching needed to be put on hold. I hope to get the piece back out after I put the Christmas decorations away and life seems to slow down for the cold winter months. Spring flowers should keep my spirits up during the cold gray days of January, February and March.

I’m going to spend the rest of the afternoon editing some pictures I want to show you all…If I get them finished I’ll post twice today.

Hope everyone has time to stitch today!  ttfn…sue

Rescued

Remember I said we had a house guest? Well we helped a young lady out who needed a place to stay for two weeks…because of circumstances beyond her control that 2 weeks turned into 2 ½ months. I’m sure our Grandson ,who lives with us, would also think twice before asking again…he spent 2 ½ months sleeping in 2 overstuffed chairs and ottoman pushed together in the sitting room of our bedroom.  It was an interesting experience; one I am not sure I would repeat again, but I have learned not to say “Never”.

In the course of having her live with us I visited a couple of nearby thrift shops…you can find some interesting things in thrift shops. My friend who lives in Colorado finds great stuff, I guess I just wasn’t looking that hard. But one day, in the Christmas section (I was giving some thought to this season, not really I was just aimlessly walking around) I saw these two needlepoint ornaments. $1.00 each! I made the comment to my grandson that I hoped my needlepoint never ended up in a thrift store (although I am a realist and realize that it is not Smithsonian bound) and I would come back and “haunt” him if he put any of my needlework in a thrift store.

But to make this a shorter blog…I left these two ornaments there; even though I knew they were good canvases (Lee, I think), stitched with Kreinik threads n probably professional finished at a shop. Then it happened…I thought about those ornaments and how someone had lovingly stitched them for someone, how much time and effort had gone into them …and how now they were laying in a thrift store unwanted. Well, in my mind I made up this fantasy of how they were lost and needed to be rescued and rehabbed. I kept thinking about these ornaments and one day about two weeks later, I happened to be driving by the thrift store and decided to stop and see if they were still there. They were and so I bought them and brought them home. I was going to try and refurbish them, but have decided that I will place them on the tree just as they are to remind me that some things are worth saving and especially people. This must have been my season of rescuing: a young lady in need of a place to stay and these two ornaments.

 

Merry Christmas to all…

ttfn… …sue