SSCS...Parcel Arrived

Every year I participate in the swap that Chooky hosts for her readers...my parcel from my secret santa has arrived and is now under the tree awaiting Christmas day...Maria sent to me all the way from down under...go check out her blog here... We make one handmade gift and then an ornament which we can open immediately when our parcel arrives...she wrapped mine in some lovely Christmas fabric and those cockatoo's are just beautiful... These are just wonderful and are now hanging with the rest of my handmade ornaments. Now to be patient until Christmas. We don't know who makes for us as who we send to is not the same as who sends to us. I will post what I made for my partner on Christmas day.
Ornaments from SSCS...so lovely....

I can show the ornament that I made for my partner...

Wendy

Happy Thanksgiving....

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blogging friends who celebrated 
Thanksgiving on today.I hope your day is filled with love, laughter, family and lots of great food! Be blessed and tell those around you how much they truly mean to you.
Wendy

Snowmen Finished...

I finally finished the snowmen candle mat I have been working on...this project was fun and irritating at the same time...let me explain the last part...I was working fine the first snowmen no problem...then during the process of appliqueing the second one my fingers began to feel really raw...I could not figure out why...I left the project unfinished after I had sewn down the three snowmen and came back to it this past weekend...just like the first time, after working a little while my fingers and hands began to feel really raw...the only thing I came up with is working with the wool felt...I have never had any other type of reaction to wool before, so am not sure if that was the problem or not...anyhow, it is now finished unless I want to add anymore detail...I had thought about adding facial features but it wont be seen underneath a candle...what do you think, should I add the face or leave it as is?
Wendy

FNSI...Results

Not as much accomplished as I wanted, but I do have some secret sewing that cannot be posted yet...I did complete three more flowers for the scrappy flower garden and started a fourth...these are the first I have made in some time as I had over stitched and crocheted until I had tendinitis and had to let it heal...I did do a bit of stitching, but again I can not show it...soon though...what did you accomplish at the FNSI...

Wendy

National Button Day...

I was reading a blog I follow today and her post was about this being National Button Day...well I could not go without posting some of my buttons as well in honor of it being Button Day! I have a large collection of vintage buttons that was my grans and my moms...we used to play with them as kids and used them as money and such in games we played...most of these buttons holds many memories of days happily playing in the button tin...since I have had them I have added to them on and off through the years...here are just a few of my buttons...a few put together...the yellow ones came from a dress my mom wore when she was a little girl in the 30's...they are very fragile and I only have a few of these now...the black one is made of jet and came off a mourning dress. 

 these are made of bone and came off a coat that my mom wore...

 I love the green ones with the lilly petals on them...and the chocolate buttons with knots...these came from gran as well.

 These buttons are made of leather and are in really good condition considering their age.

I hope you have enjoyed my buttons as much as I do...I will be back on tomorrow with the results of my FNSI...
Wendy

Fairies...

A while back I entered a drawing on this blog for some fairies...someone else won the major drawing, but the artist Annette was so generous that she sent each lady that responded a few of her fairy cards...mine arrived this week and they are beautiful! You should go check out her blog here as she has some amazing art on her blog...these are just stunning...and no they did not come with writing across them, I added this out of respect for the artist and her work...:)
Wendy

Birthday Post....

My birthday was on the 6th of this month and I forgot to post about it here...I had a wonderful day and had many birthday wishes...I thought I would post a few of the items I received on my big day...I am so blessed to have been able to celebrate another year on this earth...I am truly thankful to God for another great year....a mini quilt, 7 charm packs, fat quarters, crocheted shawl, crocheted neck warmer, enamel peacock with swarovski crystals,two jellyrolls, and a $10.00 gift card from Goodys...had a great haul...the crocheted shawl and scarf was made for my by my daughter Bliss...I really missed her being here...the two men in my life went in together for the peacock...I love it...and of course I love my fabric...some closeups:He is just beautiful and sparkly when the light hits it...the crystals on his tail is just amazing...he opens up and there is a space just the right size to put something special inside...R & C did so well in getting this for me...another gorgeously stunning peacock for my collection...I love it guys!!!

Next is my lovely shawl that Bliss made for me to wear when I am working on my handwork in the evenings or early mornings...this pic does not do the color justice...it is a deep red and is so very soft and cuddly...I used this already this morning while drinking my cuppa and browsing blogs...so warm...a big thank you to my sweet Bliss for making these for me....I love them!

And a very lovely colorful scarf because Bliss knows how much I adore color!

My dad/mom got me another singer sewing machine along with this great mini quilt...I love collecting vintage/antique sewing machines so this was a great gift....I will be posting about it again soon...

That was the haul for this year...The most special gift of all though is the gift of life through another year from my heavenly Father...I cannot thank Him enough for all that He has done, not only for me but my family as well this past year...I am looking forward to another great year!

Wendy

Veterans Day....

In Honor of Every Veteran who has served our country past and present....Thank You! Thank you for putting your lives on the line on a daily basis...Thank you to my dad who served in the US Navy, and to my uncles and cousin who have served as well...To every man and woman who have and are now serving our country...thank you for your sacrifices to make sure we can live in a free country...thank you to those families who have paid the ultimate sacrifice of their loved ones life...from the bottom of my heart I appreciate your courage and all that you give so that we as a country may live in freedom...Thank you!

More Feathers....

I have practiced more feathers...I know you probably don't want to keep seeing them, but I am practicing and this helps me to keep a record of the play time with them...I am trying to play with the feathers at least 15 minutes a day with the hopes of making lovely feathers very soon...I will be back tomorrow without any feathers I promise. :)
Wendy

Crochet Update...

Cooler weather means more time crocheting. I have pulled out three projects that I put aside when the temps began to heat up. Now that it is beginning to cool down a bit I can crochet again without being so hot. I hope to finish the first project over the weekend. It has been in my work basket for a while now and I really want to finish it. It is a simple shrug made with Vanna yarn in a beautiful green color called mist. The pic does not do the color justice. I may try and take another pic when the sun is out. Next up is my simple wave afghan in pink and grey. I am loving this pattern. I have used the pattern from Attic24 , if you have a chance go visit this very talented fiber artist. She has lots of cool things to see. This one has a long way to go before it is finished. I think there are about twenty rows so far.

 What are your long term projects that you are working on? Keep those hooks busy.
Wendy

Work Table...

 I am going to settle in with some hot chocolate and some stitching tonight while I veg out in front of the tv. Keep those needles stitching.
Wendy

Snowmen....

Just a little candle mat that I am working on...trying to decide if I like this on the black background or not before I start appliqueing them down...I may do one on a red background as well...I also need to decide how I will do his arms and scarf as well.
Wendy

Feathers.....

More practice with the feathers...this will become a pillow since this was a practice piece...there are quiet a few mistakes, but I am continuing on...these are actually much better than the first ones, so there is hope...I just need to find my groove with these I guess...so more practice in my future...and a closeup...

Wendy

More Feathers...and a Win!

First up I have been practicing drawing more feathers...I am getting more comfortable with the shape of feathers and will be doing another practice run hopefully over the weekend...this has been a fun exercise and I am going to continue to practice until I am comfortable making feathers...I think they are so beautiful on a quilt and they also make great fillers for open spaces...someone said I should mark them for a while on the project I am working on...I had thought about that, but like learning to type without looking at the keys I think I will continue on as I am...I don't want to become dependent on marking my feathers...my goal is to be able to design feathers as I go to suit the quilt I am currently working on if that makes any sense...Second, I won a fat quarter stack from Connecting Threads on Stephanie's blog here she has some wonderful designs herself, so you should go check out her blog....and they arrived on today...21 lovely fat quarters! The name of the bundle is Spring Terrace and can be found here...

I have never used Connecting Threads before, but this stack of yummy goodness is just beautiful...I will definitely be going over there to check out their other lines...now just to figure out what I am going to make with these...keep those needles stitching...

Wendy