Some Exchanges

Greetings all! I hope you all are having a lovely day ! My exchange partners that I sent to have both recieved their exchanges , so now I get to post some pics. The first one is for Melinda B for the HOE/ HOE II Halloween Exchange. Her package contained some floss, a couple of small patterns, one Halloween and one a beach scene. I also included some fall themed ribbon as well as a Reese's pumpkin, a little piece of evenweave I dyed, and some clay buttons that I made. Last ,but not least, the stitched piece itself, a BBD Trick or Treat stocking. This was so fun to put together and I'm glad that she likes it.

Here's a close up of the buttons.

Next is the beCAUSE It's Pink Exchange headed up by Jill F. My partner was Carol S. and I stitched a little piece in different pinks and made it into a lingerie bag. This was the first of that type of bag I had made and I'm glad it turned out well. In Carol's package I included some emery boards, a pink Sharpie, a couple of skeins of pink floss, (only one showing) and a bobbin lace book mark done in pinks. The pattern was I'm in the Garden by Erynn Chard. The original pattern had a W on it and I replaced it with a C for Carol. I hope she likes it.

I worked on a personal exchange yesterday and will send it off soon. I really had a lot of fun working on all the exchanges and so far I only have one more to work on. I worked a little on BBD's Berry Time yesterday . Not much else went on other than housework and school. Well I will wrap this up and let you all get back to your day. Thanks for your visit today.Thanks for the encouraging words yesterday!

'Til next time,

Happy Stitching,

Sharlotte

Pumpkin Patch Primitves Giveaway (2nd post today)

There is a great giveaway over at Pumkin Patch Primitive Quilt Shoppe. Go check it out at http://pumpkinpatchprimitivequiltshoppe.blogspot.com/ . It's a good one!

I'm not June Cleaver!

Greetings all! Don't have much to report today. I worked some last night on a Christmas ornament exchange and a tiny bit on Berry Time. I tried like the dickens to get some housework done. There just isn't enough hours in the day to get it all done. I have days that I try so hard to get it all done that I wind up getting nothing done! I dream of a life where I get the housework all done, and stay caught up on it. I have dinner ready at a somewhat desirable hour, have the house smelling wonderful. a beautiful dessert to go with dinner, and all is well. Well.... this chick isn't June Cleaver, so NOT going to happen! :o) I wish it could .Really though, I often wonder how in the world our moms did it all. I think they deserve a lot more appreciation thrown thier way don't you? I know that I am not the only one that can't get it all done. Sad but true. Calgon take me away!

Okay, now that I have blown off some steam, I'm done with my gripefest! For now! LOL! I leave you this morning with a piece I stitched a couple of years ago.It's LHN's Plant Kindness. It hangs on the wall of the family/game room. Maybe one of these days we'll actually be able to use it as a family at the same time. Here's hoping!

Thanks so very much for the comments on Jack's Salem Inn piece. He is very thrilled that everyone likes it. So far everyone at his work has like it too! That's it today folks!

'Til next time,

Happy stitching!

Sharlotte

A package arrived and a Salem finish

Greetings all! Hope you all had a wonderful weekend! Thanks so much for your comments on the cookie bag. I think those of you who choose to make it will really enjoy it. Friday was a rotten day for me. We had so much going on ,lots of confusion too. Hubby and I don't see each other much each day. Just enough to get things confused and not enough time to get it straighten out. Friday was one of those days.Plus I think I was having one of those Princess Must Scream days...you get my drift? .Which didn't help. Alex was outside petting the dogs and came in all muddy. I tried like mad to get the mud out to no avail. Guess I will have to try to soak it in Biz. Wonder if they still make that stuff. Anyway after returning home that afternoon, I was greeted by some wonderful mail. My winnings from Jolene at Dip Diddly Designs arrived! I was so thrilled ! The beautiful pattern, the floss , and that gorgeous towel! She also sent along a pack of Starburst ,which of course with the day I had I quickly gulped down. I was having a grand ole time then.Thanks again Jolene!

Hubby finished Salem Inn last night. Doesn't it look great? He said he'd love to do more cross stitch as long as it was Halloween designs.


Here's my progress on BBD It's Berry Time. I love working on this.I'd probably have it done by now too if it wasn't for that pesky thing called life! You all know what I mean.

Yesterday we were out and about and Alex wanted to stop at Petland and pet the hamsters. We knew he was missing Lionel so we thought it would either make him feel better or worse ,but desided to stop. Well petting led to wanting, and wanting led the salesman into telling us that they were 30% off, this weekend only. That led to wanting again and in the end, two came home with us. We were surprised that Alex would want one or two for that matter, so soon. He played up a storm with them when we got home. One is dark grey and white, which he named Oreo. The other is a pale peachy beige and white , that he named Cheerio. They are really sweet. No idea at this age what sex they are. We may bave bought more than we bargined for yesterday. Guess we'll soon find out!

Well that's it today kids! Thanks for stopping by!

'Til next time,

Happy Stitching!

Sharlotte

Homemade Gift #1 Cookie Bag

Greetings all! Welcome to homemade gifts week #1. It's a cookie bag. The pattern I used for stitching is a free pattern from Lizzie Kate called Cozy Christmas Wishes. I'm sure all of you seasoned stitchers out there are familar with this one. For those who aren't , you can find it under the free patterns at http://lizziekate.com/ . You can play around with different fabrics and ties for a different look. Put your thinking cap on. There are lots of possibilities. Now let's get started.

Supply list:
Stitched piece
decorative ribbon
fabric
thread
button or charm (optional)
ziplock bag
homemade cookies of your choice





1. Select the piece that you want to stitch . I chose of course Cozy Christmas Wishes but you can choose whatever pattern suits you that would go good on this type of project. If you embellish your piece with a charm or a button, make sure it is one that will hold up in the washer so it can be washed when necessary. Now trim down the piece to desired size.

2. Cut fabric 14"x 34". Fold in half matching short edges. Center design and pin down being careful not to pin fron and back together. Sew around about 3/8" from the edges. Clip threads and then pull a few threads around the edges to fray. Fold right sides together and sew a 5/8" seam allowance on each side leaving a little space at the top, about 1/4"- 3/8" . This is so that you will be able to fray the edges a lot easier. You can zigzag the seams if you want to but I just left them unzagged! Is that a word? LOL!

3 . Now pull the front and back out until points form at the corners of the bottom of the bag. Measure in 2" in from each point and sew a seam straight across each corner. This will give 4 sides to your bag. Trim excess off leaving a 5/8" seam allowance. Turn right side out. Pull a few threads at the top edge to fray.

4. You are ready to bake your favorite cookies to give. I cheated and used store bought cookies for demo. When it's the real deal I bake them. ;) . You'll want to use a self sealing or Ziplock bag to put the cookies in so the butter, oil , shortening, or whatever doesn't soil the bag. Place cookies in the gift bag and tie closed with a co-ordinating decorative ribbon and you're done!

This is a fun and easy project that goes fast once you have your stitched piece completed. Everyone that has gotten them from me just loves them. If something in the instructions was unclear and you need help with it, just send me an email with 'cookie bag' in the subject line.

'Til next time,

Happy Stitching!

Sharlotte

Feeling the Blahs

Greetings all ! Not much to report today. I did want to thank everyone that sent condolences to Alex. They helped perk him up a bit.! I had been home maybe half an hour from talking my hubby to work when he called that I needed to go pick him up. They sent him home because he was throwing up. I had sinus trouble yesterday and I got up this morning feeling like I could start doing the same thing. It's really the pits. I still plan on posting tomorrow with a gift idea provided I'm not sick in the bed! Keeping my fingers crossed. Hope you all have a great day!

'Til next time'

Happy Stitching,

Sharlotte

A family with a heavy heart

Greetings all. Our family has a heavy heart this morning. Yesterday morning my son's hamster Lionel was just fine. Then later in the day we noticed that he was moving really slow and his spine was in a huge curve . Late last night he was hardly breathing so my husband decided to go ahead and get a hole dug because we knew what was coming. We went to bed and when we got up this morning, sure enough he was gone. My son's heart is just breaking and mine is breaking for him. The only thing that we can figure out is that he often times would crawl across the top of his cage and he must have fallen wrong and got a bad injury. We always kept his food dish on the side when my son would feed him. Lionel was funny because he'd always scoot back out into the middle. He was a sweet little thing and didn't bite like most hamsters do. We will all miss him.

If anyone is interested in sending Alex condolences , you can either do it here or on his blog at http://aboyandhiscomputer.blogspot.com/

'Til next time,

Sharlotte