4 pennies ;)

I couldn't resist - I made 3 more pennie pockets last night before I went to bed, lol. Here are the 4 I did :)

A "Pennie" (pocket) for your thoughts!

Pennie pockets!! TOO CUTE, and also TOO EASY!!!

Designed by Monica, the freebie pattern is available here. I was inspire to do these in Christmas fabric by this sweet post by Sherri. I made mine a little bit bigger than the pattern - I cut my pieces 10 X 10 and 5 X 5. I can't wait to make a few more of these little cuties! Flickr group for more inspiration pictures is here --- bet you can't make just one!!! ;)

Train quilt and bibs :)

A little Christmas gifty I got finished yesterday - the flannel is from my New York shopping trip on Black Friday! I used up the last of it for the second bib - I had to piece the backing! The quilt is bound with bias binding - I made it from the Dread Pirate, Shelley Rodgers instructions :)

I've got reindeer on my mind ...

I keep finding delicious cross-stitch reindeer patterns, and I can't stop myself - I save all of them!! I even save ones where there's no free pattern available, but the picture is clear enough that I might be able to draft a pattern. Yep, it's a sickness, lol! I spotted these posts today (here and here) and couldn't resist - I had to stitch the little "solid" guy :D When I went searching for the pattern, I found the fun blog that provided the pattern -- It's Daffycat - lots of fun and eye candy!! The free pattern is available on this post. Thank you Sharon for a great pattern and a fun read!

I also made a couple of hotpads today - I had some batik scraps to use up - aren't they sweet? :)

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree ...

You were so very difficult to get done this year *sings* -- I won't go into details, but the cobblers kids don't have shoes, the bakers kids are hungry, and the electrician's wife and mom (X2) didn't have proper tree lights for quite a while --- 'nuff said!!!

I finally finished decorating the tree yesterday - nobody else in the family really cares about this kind of stuff so I do it myself. And every year I put out less and less decorations, because it's a lot of work to do when nobody (but me) appreciates it! I don't think I'm the only one that feels that way, tho - I know Barb @ So How Was Your Day? has had some Scroogey days too!! Been there, done that, go through it every year, Barb - so I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!! I don't know why I even bother with the tree and the trimmings - every year I just want to cancel the whole shebang - and that includes this year. It's pretty crummy being outnumbered by SCROOGES!

XS gift bag :)

I can't post pictures of the other items I've gotten done in the last few days - the intended recipients will recognize the "themes" and will know what's coming, hehe. This, however, I can post, as it was really a trial run to see if I could make the project - on someone's blog recently I spotted an adorable picture of a Christmas bag with a cross-stitched panel in the front - I fell in LOVE, and wanted to try my own version. Mine turned out sweet as well - I'm so happy with it! In case you can't tell from the photo, I even added jingle bells on the end of the drawstrings - just for fun :) The XS pattern is a freebie from a wonderful XS site called Cross Stitch Happy ... she has amazing and fun goodies to share - I have plans on making other projects from her patterns!

My part of the challenge!

I recently challenged Miss Lettie to get her van unpacked after her craft show - in return, I would finally get around to decorating my tree ... which has been up since the beginning of December, but which is STILL almost totally naked! There are 2 ornaments on it that I bought in New York on Black Friday - a reindeer which is hidden somewhere, and the sweet flamingo that I've photographed. Got both of the ornaments at Menne Nursery - you should SEE their decorated trees!!

She completed her part of the challenge, and threw the ball back into my court! I'm a woman of my word, so tomorrow I'll do my tree :) Here are the before pictures ... tomorrow I'll get the after pics :D Note the unlit section near the bottom - for some reason that strand of lights is out - I'll have to have hubby or one of the boys have a look at it - that's a BOY job, lol.

More goodies :)

Two XS ornaments that I finished - Tall Trees by Helga Mandl and Barbara Ana ... and Night Flyer by Erica Michaels, which is available online for free :) Notice the reindeer backing for the reindeer ornament, LOL!!!

Steno Pads :)

Wordless Monday because I have to run upstairs and get a roast in the oven, but I wanted to throw this picture up before I get busy doing other stuff.

Oh wait --- Wordless means ... uhhhh never mind!!! ;)

Finished projects :)

Cage quilts, pet stockings, more cage quilts, XS ornaments and some gift bags - lots of sewing done in the last week!!

Shopping bonanza :)

My girlfriend Chris and I ventured down to New York yesterday for a shopping trip - my first Black Friday foray. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting, but we didn't arrive at our first destination - Walden Galleria - until about 9:30 a.m. - as I understand it, the insanity starts much earlier - at the unGodly hour of 5:00 or 6:00 a.m. I'm sure you've read about the crazy bastards that trampled poor Jdimytai Damour to death in Long Island. I saw nothing of that nature - the stores were certainly busy, but no crazier or busier than any mall during the Christmas shopping season. We had a great day going from store to store - I bought fabric and craft supplies, mainly (big surprise!) - we were lucky enough to get waved through the border and didn't have to pay any duty, so that was a hell of a bonus!!

This is most of what I bought - there's one piece of fabric I didn't post because the recipient will know instantly it's for him ;), and I don't know if he reads my blog or not :D There are also 2 ornaments I need to find (not sure where I put them when I unpacked everything, lol) and some groceries - I don't think you need a picture of my Campbels Cream of Chicken soups!

Tomorrow I'll post pictures of the projects I've been working on this last week :)

Feel free to laugh - I am!

I've seen this style of potholder several times online, and I decided it was time for me to try it. Sans pattern. It looks pretty good ... except for the fact that it appears his HEAD IS MELTING - I didn't do a very good job of piecing that one square, LOL. I'm going to test how they stand up to a hot pot right off the stove - potholders shouldn't melt - I'd like to make a few more of these (without the melty head, hehe) but I'll need to give them a trial run first. Another change I'll make will be to bind the project instead of birthing it - it turns out that I like the bound version better. Here's a picture of one of these creations that isn't as deformed as mine ;)

Equal representation for cats ...

I'm working on it!! Finished these up for the shelter bazaar, so hopefully there are a few cat lovers out there ;) I have several more cut out waiting to be sewn - I have to get more batting.



I also got a few more cage quilts finished up - I wonder why the scrap pile doesn't seem to be going down any? LOL!!

Sandra also XS's :D

Pattern from "Christmas SAL 2008" booklet by Helga Mandl and Barbara Ana - available at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wXSw/?yguid=205496533 ... I paid by Paypal and got my pdf file in an hour or so --- very cute patterns! They have some really sweet patterns if you're into XS (cross-stitch) - their sites are here, if you want to have a peek:
Helga Mandl @ http://free-pu.t-com.hr/hmdesigns/index.html and
Barbara Ana @ http://www.freewebs.com/barbara-ana-designs/index.htm (NAYY)

I added seed beads to the ornament to add a bit of pizazz (or - as I prefer to call it - I slutted them up, hehe) - they're not very clear in the photo, but there are beads in the snow, the snowman and the poinsettia berries :)

Bigger doggy stockings :)

Two more stockings done -- I finished the two larger ones in the middle today - they measure 9" X 15". Sweet!! I also got 4 more cage quilts done :)

The stockings were hung ...

on the design wall with pins, so I could take a picture of them before putting them in the box of stuff that will get mailed to LAWS for their bazaar on Dec. 13. "by the chimney with care" would have been quicker to type :D These little treasures finished to 7.5" X 12.5" - great for a pom, or a yorkie, or a doxie ;) Perfect size also for kitties, albeit in a different fabric! ;)

Freebie stocking pattern link

Working my fingers to the bone!

In the last few days I've finished up 3 travel cases (those are the pink and pink/black items) from P3 Designs, 5 cage quilts for LAWS, and a bunch more gift bags for their next bazaar. I have to put my cross-stitch away for a couple of days until my hands clear up a bit - my psoriasis is flaring up and handwork is a bit difficult right now. That's ok tho, I have tons of other things to work on, lol.

My world :)

It was somewhat of a special day today - our youngest lad got confirmation from the JAC (Joint Apprenticeship Council) that he starts his health and safety orientation on December 8 - he'll be an electrical pre-apprentice :) His dad completed the same course 24 years ago and then went to work for the company he still works for. His older brother (now almost 20) completed the course in 2007 after he graduated high school, and then went to work for the same company his dad works for - he's a first year apprentice now. . And now - my baby (18) will be doing the same class, and then will go to work with his dad and older brother. So those 3 pairs of workboots and 3 flannel work coats ... represent all my boys (except the cat, LOLOL) and their career choices. It makes me sniffly!!! Happy sniffly, of course, but sniffly none-the-less!

Oh the weather outside is frightful ...

just finished!!! It worked up to 9" X 9.5" ... I picked that button for the yoyo because it looks rather wintery/snowy :) Free pattern available from Sue Hillis Designs -- thank you Sue :) This is a Christmas present so I'm happy it's done ... and done weeks early, no less!!

Keeping busy and staying out of trouble :D

I don't get into much trouble when I'm puttering away in my studio (aka the basement dungeon) - about the worst thing I do down there is to eat cookies without anybody knowing, hehe. That would explain my hips ... ;)

Here are a couple of items I've finished up in the last few days. 4 cage quilts and 2 gift bags for my niece's shelter (speaking of which - their fundraiser on Saturday raised $2000.00!!! TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS - that's incredible!) - the quilts are for the critters, and the gift bags are for their next bazaar :) The cross-stitch project was a freebie from Sue Hillis Designs - tomorrow I'll get the fabric to frame it and finish it up. Now that I'm looking at the picture, I think I'll add a couple more snowflakes (they're BEADS!) on the left side to balance it out a bit - it seems a bit right-heavy ;) This will be a Christmas gift when it's finished! Time to pick my next XS project - I'm doing very well (so far) at finishing each project I start. I'm sure that won't last forever tho, LOLOL.

Can't post ALL my pics ...

because some of the items are Christmas gifts and the recipient will recognize them as such :p


Here's one I finished today, tho - and it's for MOI :) The pattern is from Stitchy Kitty, and the fabric is from Laurel Burch. This little mini finished up to 8" square, and is now residing in my front hall, ready to greet anybody who drops by. Zoomer approves, as he speaks the language himself (and sometimes in a whiney manner, imagine!)

BTW -- CONGRATULATIONS Barack Obama!!!!

They're on their way :)

20 bibs, 4 fabric baskets, 5 Grab 'n go bags, 6 tote bags and 10 sets of coasters (3 X 6 packs, 7 X 4 packs)- boxed and mailed - WHEW! Also pictured - my Meow Spoken Here project under construction - freebie pattern available from Stitchy Kitty!



And now I'm taking a break - I have a big pot of minestrone soup simmering away in the crockpot, porkchops ready for the bbq, carrots peeled and ready to microwave - I'm going to lay on the couch and watch ER :D

The last bit of sewing for the bazaar :)

The last of the sewing for the LAWS bazaar --- 3 more sets of coasters, and 2 more totes. WHEW! I got the stuff mailed off today - will do a post later with pictures of the goodies I sent - I hope it's stuff they can use!

Sewing my little fingers to the bone :D

I hope everybody had a happy - and safe - Halloween!! It was really a VERY nice bunch of kids we had - moms and dads would be very proud to know how well behaved their little (and not so little!) ones were :) Here's our last minute jack-o-lantern - carved by hubby. He'd never carved one before either - what a deprived childhood he had, LOL.



A couple of crafty pics --- two more cage quilts for LAWS, and some items I've sewn up for their bazaar - two more sets of coasters and two tote bags. The doggy fabric is from Sunni and Jessi, via my SIL Heather ;) :) I have a couple more kitty totes under construction, but I'm doing them assembly-line style so they'll be done pretty much at the same time. I'll try to get them finished today, and maybe one or two small items finished tomorrow, then will send the stuff off to Smiths Falls for the bazaar. I hope the stuff is OK - I didn't have a lot of guidance as to what they wanted or what would sell well, so I worked on what I knew I could do fairly well. Fingers crossed - I hope they raise a LOT of $$$ :)