Baking and Another Giveaway

I took a wild hair (as my Mama always says) and baked some Chocolate Chip Cookies - here they are - fresh from the oven.

I've always wondered how home bakers get their cookies all even and perfectly round - mine always come out many different shapes and sizes - which leads to my DGSs spending much time trying to pick out the largest!  However they are shaped - they are mmm-mmmm good!  Now I've some bananas that are very over-ripe - that means it's time to make some Banana Bread.

Loretta is having a giveaway over at her blog - and it's a goodie!

She is very generously including the needed DMC floss and the fabric (25 count linen) as well as the chart.  You have until 13 February to enter, and she'll be drawing one lucky winner on 14 February.

I plan to change the background tomorrow to match the new month - just have to decide what to use as a new header.  I'm sorely tempted by the latest pic of my currently youngest grandchild (got another one due in March!) - because, to me, it's a classic:

Thanks for visiting today.

TTE Scissor Pockets Sent and Received

Over at Tiny Treasures Exchange, our current exchange is for a Scissor Pocket or Case.  We do not send to the same person we receive from - and who we send to is kept a secret until the item is received.  Both sides of my exchange are complete, so I can share pictures. 

First, the case I received from Lori: 

  Isn't it adorable?  and I love the stork scissors - I have a pair in "silver", so can now add these gold ones to my ever-so-slowly growing collection.  Thank-you so much, Lori!

And the case I sent to Andrea:

 

  

  

I had a hard time letting go of the peacock scissors - they are so cute - but Michael's only had one pair - so off they went to Andrea, where I know they will have a good home!

Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 for 29 January 2010

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The book closest to me is Beyond World’s End by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill, one of the Bedlam's Bard series, which takes place in the same universe as Lackey's SERRAted Edge series.

Cautiously, Aerune sought allies, but even in this extremity, the Sidhe had battled one another, as if seeking to do the humans’ work for them.

I really like Mercedes Lackey's tales of Elves in the modern world, and I'm looking forward to reading this one.  It was so hard to just turn to page 56 and count down the sentences for this post!  But I don't need to start reading this just yet - I still haven't finished Summoned to Tourney, and these books really need to be read in order.

Hopefully, I can get back on track and publish a 56 post every week - I apologize for missing last week, and I'll try to do better.

Thanks for visiting today.

Giveaways

These are in no particular order:

Sharlotte over at The Happy Needle is giving away this adorable strawberry - just leave a comment to be entered.  But hurry - you only have until Sunday, 31 January.  BTW,  I love Patti's comment that strawberries are called dorsies at her house!

Lots and lots of stash is to be given away over at Calico Prairie.  Another one that ends Sunday, 31 January.  This is just one picture of about eight (I said it was lots of stash - weren't you listening? lol!) 

Julie is giving away  four cross stitch magazines - one each to four lucky winners.  Only one of the four is pictured.  Yet another that ends 31 January.

And for more giveaways than you can shake a stick at - click on the picture to visit One World One Heart - where 579 bloggers (thus far) are participating in a huge international giveaway.  Be sure to read the post - it explains the theme - "The original idea behind this giveaway event was to bring bloggers together from around the world who may never ordinarily meet." - and how wonderful is that?

Thanks for visiting today.

Comment Approval

I have a question for everyone: Do you feel inconvenienced by having your comments appear only after approval?

I decided from the beginning to require approval for two main reasons - first, to make sure I saw every comment and second, to make sure my blog wouldn't need constant vigilance to remove objectionable material.

So, what are your feelings on comment approval?

Your comments will be visible after blog owner approval - lol!

Thanks for visiting today.

TUSAL 2010-01

It may be late, but here it is! For the TUSAL, I chose an empty Yankee Candle jar to use this year - and at the rate that I'm generating orts, it may still not be big enough! I can't show most of my stitching (I've been working on exchanges), but I can show you Fa La La by Plum Pudding Needleart:
I stitched this on a mystery 11 count aida, using four threads. It's an oatmeal color, shot thru with gold threads, and I thought the snowman would show up nicely. It didn't really, so I added some back stitching to define it. I wish you could see the sparkliness of the gold threads - it adds a lot of appeal. I may yet go back and add some gold beads to the pine needles. This turned out BIG (about 5" x 5"), so I'm going to keep the finishing simple - backed with some coordinating fabric and probably use cording on the edges, with maybe a couple a tassels at the bottom corners. This little ornie probably accounts for half the orts in my TUSAL jar - stitching with four threads generates a lot of waste!

I've the finishing to do on the Scissor Pocket / Case for TTE, Too, and I want to finish it this evening so I can get it in the mail tomorrow. Then hopefully I will get stitching on a biscornu for Please Pass the Biscornu, and before the end of the month, get started on my first PIF. Whew- lots of stitching to do!

Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 – 8 Jan 2010

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The book closest to me is The Sanctuary by Raymond Khoury.

Hoping she wouldn’t get spotted, she slipped between the rows of diners, her palms wet with apprehension, her eyes searching for any sign of Evelyn or her pursuers.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Snow? No!

Despite a weeklong prediction of snow by our local meteorologists and the National Weather Service – this turned out to be a non-event.
Yes, we had some pretty fat fluffy snowflakes, and even a little sleety-looking stuff. But our temperatures remained above freezing, and everything melted as it hit the roads.
So it’s work and school as usual tomorrow, and my secret longings for hours of uninterrupted crafting time will be unfulfilled.
It’s halftime for the BCS Championship game, and I want to go back and see the end. Roll Tide!

Thanks for visiting today.

TTE Too Humbugs Sent and Received

I received this adorable humbug from Ronel, Isn't that chick cute? I love the beaded red coxcomb and all the blue beadwork on his back and wings. Much more sparkly than the picture shows.
Ronel also included some goodies for me: three packs of Madeira floss (I am sooo looking forward to trying it out since I've never used it), beads, fabric and large stickpins, as well as a postcard and sweet little note.
I sent this teeny humbug to Liz (no blog), and because it simply cried out for it, the teeny tag and teeny bookmark as well. The humbug is only 1.5 inches (~4 cm) and the bookmark is only about 2 inches (5 cm) tall/
I had bought a remnant of this fabric (I think it's Mary Englebreit - but I'm not sure) some time ago intending to make myself a project bag. I decided to use it to make Liz a quilted humbug project bag. (See my house canisters in the background - that's where I got the color scheme for my blue and yellow kitchen - lol!) I still have enough fabric left for a project bag for me, if I ever get around to sewing it!In the second picture you get a glimpse of my craft room in the background. It's still a work in progress - and quite messy as you can see. The wall on the right has three cupboards that I use to store far too many craft supplies. The wall on the left has cabinets that I re-purposed from my old office and has three of my sewing machines set up and ready to go. That's a really recent addition - and the countertop is a new one purchased to go in my craft room. The table in the middle is elevated to a convenient height for me to use as a cutting table, and has roll around drawers tucked under it. Right now my ironing board is sitting on top of it, because I was doing some finishing on Needle Books that I'm angel stitching for TTE Too. I desperately need a counter top ironing board - there's no room for the full size one in my craft room! The desk will have a computer on it - if I ever get it cleaned off!Those windows face South - so I have wonderful light all day long (when the sun is shining, that is!). As I finish sorting out the craft room, I'll take more pictures of it's features.

I may be spending quite a bit of time in my craft room over the next few days - the weatherman is predicting snow tomorrow (schools here are going to be closed in anticipation) and since we are not set up to deal with snow here in the southern USA- we just huddle in and wait for it to go away!

Thanks for visiting today.

A Belated Happy New Year!

Wishing you and all your dear ones a Bright and Happy New Year.

May you spend lots of time with loved ones.

May you fulfill all your goals.

May you be blessed all year long!

Hugs!

TUSAL, At Last

Here it is - a week late, but, as you can see, quite full. All those lovely red, green, black and gold orts at the top are because I was inspired by Carol, and her ornament a week self-challenge. So I printed out a couple of dozen of the charts I have been collecting for years, planning to stitch one ornament a week. But once I started stitching - I couldn't stop!

This one is trimmed and the backing fabric cut - but not yet sewn. I had this filed under cross stitch quilt squares, but don't have the author's name.

I know this was a recent freebie - but at the moment I can't recall the site and my printout doesn't say.
This was actually the second one of this chart that I stitched - altho I started it first - I wasn't paying close enough attention and started stitching the flowers in green instead of the called for red - so I stopped and started again correctly, finished it (and gave it away), and then picked this one up and finished stitching it with the red and green switched - and liked it!
I adore this little penguin - altho I just noticed I didn't stitch his eyebrows (isn't wonderful how you notice these things in photos?). I didn't stitch the white on his belly and his eyes since he is stitched on white - a case of the "lazies".
Just a simple candy cane - but I think it's rather pretty.
An alphabet tree - I've done several of these in the past, altho this is the first time I've stitched this particular chart.
And all I've got done on my little Christmas tortoise is the outside backstitching - something different that I'm trying for the first time that I saw suggested here. He should be called Slow as Christmas, don't you think?

I've stitched all of these on 14 count aida, cause I have lots of it in my stash. WalMart used to carry an inexpensive brand, and I bought lots of it when they were clearancing the cross stitch supplies.

I'm sorry that I can't provide links to the freebie ones above. Some of them are no longer available, some I don't have author info on and on two of them, the websites no longer exist. When I first started saving freebie charts that I found on various sites, I had no idea that 10 or more years later I would have thousands of charts (printed and saved to disk) and that I wouldn't remember where I found one particular chart. Nowadays I make the effort to include the website in the saved chart's name, if the author of the freebie hasn't included it on the chart. And I'm trying to remember to put my info on the freebie charts I design.

Thanks for visiting today.

Christmas Wishes

Wishing you and all your dear ones a most Happy Christmas!

O Holy Night

Alyssa Rossi sings O Holy Night - amazing!

O holy night, the stars are brightly shining,
It is the night of the dear Savior’s birth;
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn;

Fall on your knees, Oh hear the angel voices!

O night divine, O night when Christ was born!
O night, O holy night, O night divine.

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming
Here come the wise men from Orient land
The King of Kings lay thus in lowly manger
In all our trials born to be our friend.

He knows our need, To our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King! Before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another
His law is love and His gospel is peace
Chains shall He break, for the slave is our brother,
And in His name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy name.

Christ is the Lord, O praise His name forever!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!
His pow'r and glory evermore proclaim!

My favorite carol.
Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 – 11 Dec 2009

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The book closest to me is The Phoenix Transformed by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory
”Oh. Oh. Damn,” Harrier said.

Thanks for stopping by today.

Christmas Humor

First, thanks to Diane and Marsha over on the EMS Cross Stitch Board for The Monks (click on the monk picture for the video).

Then, to share my favorite version of The Twelve Days After Christmas (click on the choir picture for the video)- if you want to see the lyrics, you can find them here.

Still in the humor line - we all have terminology that we use quite casually - and sometimes forget that not everyone will understand what we mean. As a cross stitcher, when I think of floss - I think of embroidery thread - usually DMC or Anchor brands. Ann (in the UK) pictured some floss wallets she had made - and then explained them - which reminded me of when I first became a Floss Mom - my DH listened patiently to me talking about my Floss Kids all over the world - and then, quite seriously, asked, "Don't their dentists give them free samples?".

Thanks for visiting today.

More Ornaments

Hopefully, I'll get my tree decorated this afternoon during the SEC championship game (Roll Tide!). When (and if) I do, I'll take some photos - the greatest majority of my Christmas ornies are handmade by me over the past 30 something years, and other handmade ornaments have been received as gifts or in exchanges.

In the meantime, here are few more pics of other ornies that are special to me:

Away In a Manger, a freebie from the Chart Shop (a fantastic source of free charts, most card size). It took me forever to figure out the little pink thing in the lower right corner was a pig!

Another ornie framed with a canning jar lid - I thought I remembered him being called Mad Santa - but when I checked the Mad Santa chart is different, so now I'm not sure where I found this chart. I stitched him with four strands on 14 count green aida - I didn't want to chance the green showing through on his white fur or beard.A beautiful Matroishka ornament I received in an exchange from an angel stitcher (from Russia).

A sweet angel stitched for me by Jenny, one of my Floss Kids.

I've seen several versions of this in different places, this one is Microsoft Word - Anna12_Elchweihnacht NEU.doc (despite the name, clicking on this link takes you to a web page, where this title links you to a pdf document!).

While searching to make sure the above was still available as a freebie, I ran across this crocheted pair.Aren't they sweet? I don't read/speak German so the pdf associated with it doesn't help me! Anybody up to do some translating for me?

I hope you've enjoyed seeing some of my ornaments.

Thanks for visiting today.

The Friday 56 - 4 December 2009

The Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of this blog.
*Post a link along with your post back to Storytime With Tonya and Friends.
* Don't dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

HAPPY FRIDAY!

The book closest to me is The Lost by JD Robb, et al.

"That was… Okay.” Hard to argue when they’d both nearly been killed when dismantling a subversive and illegal human cloning organization.

It's good to be back after missing this meme for a couple of weeks!

Thanks for stopping by today.