Festive makings

A couple of Christmas gifts to share with you this time before i wrap them up and send them off to Father Christmas - he'll be dropping down my chimney before I know it.  A month today and he'll have been and gone!

Simple, plain navy socks were requested - easy to knit, just a few rows at a time when you have a spare five minutes.

 

A surprise for a family member will be in their Christmas stocking after they commented how lovely our one of these was last year.  The original came in a little complete kit purchased from a craft show.  Easy to reproduce when you have the pattern and luckily I saved it and found where it was hiding.

 

 

Today is reveal day for the November challenge Christine sets us. This time is was from Alita.

 

I've really enjoyed a little needle time with this easy design and got two baubles stitched onto plastic canvas, backed with felt and finished off with a ribbon hanger.  Two little gifts that will pop into a Christmas card envelope real easily (and being flat cut down on postage costs)

 

 

Are you busy making gifts and thinking time is running away with you?  

 

Love and blessings to you all

 

Julie 

 

 

Gifted Gorgeousness - November

 

This month I've gifted a Christmas ornament to Clare for the tree she decorates at Church.  

 

I've been lucky in the past to meet with Clare at the church and see the trees that are decorated by the community and its always a joy to see such variety and hard work put in by everyone. 

 

Clare's theme this year is Winter Wonderland and even though stitching has not been happening much here, I really enjoyed making this ornament.  You can see Clare's ornaments she has made in this post.

 

 

My chosen design was from Just Cross Stitch ornament edition 2008.  A design by CCN called Let it Snow with a few alterations made to it.  The border and wording were left off to make it smaller.  I also changed the little bluebirds into our beautiful little robins with their little red breasts.   The large snowflakes charted were also changed to teeny tiny little single crosses.

 

Christmas gift knitted too - the doll is dressed

 

 

A slight mishap as I put her boots on upside down, but I wont tell if you don't!  Would you have noticed if I hadn't mentioned it?   She's on her way to santa now.

 

I'm sure you all know what Gifted Gorgeousness is all about - but just in case you don't ....

It is a chance for us bloggers to show off gifts we have given or received.  It could be yarn, a thread, a piece of fabric or something that's not for crafting but was sent/given to brighten your day. 

 

You can read more about 'GG' here.  It's the brainchild of Jo at Serendipitous Stitching

 

Hey Jo, i'm posting on time this month...that's got to be good news hasn't it. 

 

On the health front, yet another change in meds and the new regime seems to be working and for the last couple of days I've been feeling much better than I have for a very long time. 

 

I'm way behind on lots on things so hopefully the next few days will see a catch up to a lot of them.  A blog read session and answering emails is on the list together with a pile of ironing, I know which I prefer to do!

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie

Autumn 'hug'

Exchanges are always a fun thing to take part in and as stitching has been difficult for a few members of Needlecraft Haven in the last few months, Clare (she runs the forum) asked if we would like to have an "Autumn hug"exchange.

I read the rules carefully to make sure I could do everything asked, and opening day was to be 31st October - great for those that don't celebrate Halloween.

The parcel needed to include :-

A card on the theme for friendship, love, hug etc - it could be stitched, bought or handmade - to be signed anonymous 'From all your friends at Needlecraft Haven'
3 skeins of thread
Pamper treat
Munchie treat

An email popped into my box with my partners details - someone I know well and a lightbulb popped on in my head.   This lady is so talented with her craftwork and I could make something for her parcel that I was sure she hadn't made for herself.

Here's the parcel I sent off to Christine (I'm sure most of you know of her talents and the stunning things she creates).  I had everything together for the package, and I was looking for something in the fabric drawer and came across a fat quarter of this perfect autumnal apple fabric so decided to wrap the goodies in it.  Christine would find something nice to make with it and the autumn themed ribbon I tied it with would be useful too.

 

Inside fulfilling the items asked for was :-

 

Card - shop bought friendship theme

Threads - Ozark sampler, each with a name that made me think of Christine

Pamper treat - A lovely smelling rose bath bomb and handknitted socks in a teal blue variation - one of her favourite colours, to pamper her feet during the cold weather months (these were the item I didn't think Christine had ever made for herself before)

Munchie treat - bag of Cadbury's roses chocolates

 

 

The parcel delivered to me arrived in plenty of time for opening day.  It sat on the table watching me saying 'open me' but I was good and held off till October 31st.

 

Inside were these wonderful goodies - a Caron cake of wool complete with scarf pattern on the ball band, 2 delightful smelling bath bombs and chocolate covered nougat. 

 

 

The card itself was beautiful, the words were so special.    I didn't know who had sent to me, some ladies I recognise their writing on parcels but they could have easily disguised it or got someone else to write it?   I had to wait until the reveal to know that Rachael was my sender.  

 

 

Many thanks Rachael for a beautifully perfect parcel for me, I loved it. xx

 

In the rollercoaster of life, there's always something to smile about.

 

Love and blessings

 

Julie