If You Like it Go Vote

Remember this fun little stitchery a couple post ago? Well it is a finalist in the November Celebrate Color contest! Hooray! If you like it, go here, look under the Needlepoint category and vote for me! Thanks.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sale

(My contribution to dinner today, links- recipe and bunting printable)

Here's hoping that you all had a fabulous Thanksgiving with lots of yummy food and family.

I'm stopping in to announce that I'm having a sale in my shop this weekend.
Starting tomorrow morning (Black Friday) and lasting through Monday Night (Cyber Monday), shipping will be free for everything.
And for any order over $20 I'll include a free selvage ornament.

Happy shopping!

Autumn Stitchery Finish

Before Christmas totally takes over I thought I would post one last fall colors project. This finish is a year in the making. Last year around this time I really needed something to stitch on when my baby was sleeping but I was too tired to do much of anything else. Enter this darling Autumn sampler from Crab-apple Hill Studio. It didn't take me long to finish it, but then it languished in my unfinished projects drawer. Until this week when my husband brought this frame home from work.
The border is Kona Ash.
My favorite parts- the "Autumn" stitched in variegated thread, and the tiny wool leaves and flowers.
My not so favorite parts- the fact that the muslin I stitched on is all wrinkled. No matter how much I iron it this is how it looks- frustration. Also I'm not sure how I feel about the frame. I had planned to paint it, even bought the paint but had second thoughts.
What do you think?
Hooray for the weather finally feeling like autumn just in time for the Christmas decorations!

For Your Christmas Shopping Pleasure

I've been working hard the last couple weeks to get everything loaded into the Etsy store for the holidays. And I'm happy to say that I'm finally done. At least for now. Depending on how the selling goes, I may or may not add more.

If you're in the market for ornaments, Dear Santa Mug Rugs, hot pads or just want to browse around stop by the shop. Thanks!

Seriously So Exciting!

Last night I was speeding through JoAnn's picking out a yard of fabric before we needed to be to a dinner engagement I noticed the magazine rack. Now I'm not generally the type who will stop and peruse the magazine rack (not my thing) but this little one caught my eye.

(This isn't actually my picture all though I swear that I did see it and did take my own picture, blogger just won't load it so I had to go to the company's site to get this one, but click on it and it will take you to their site)

And in that instant I was reminded of correspondence I received 5 months ago. To summarize, the corespondent had seen and liked my selvage ornaments, and thought they could jive with a publication her company would be releasing during the holiday season. Would I be willing to submit one of my ornaments along with instructions on how to make said ornaments, for possible publication? Uhhh... YES!

I knew that the Simply Handmade Holidays publication had been released, but I hadn't seen it and didn't know if my submission had been included. So as I waited in the horrendously long line at the cut counter (behind a customer who was having yardage cut of nearly everything in the store) I thumbed through the bright holiday pages. And then yes, there it was...

My creation (and name) in print! Along with blog and etsy shop mention!

I began looking for someone to tell. Unfortunately all my fellow cut counter line customers were zombied out and less than interested in my few moments of fame.

"Instead of discarding the selvages on your favorite fabrics, turn them into a lovely handmade ornament!"

I'll take pictures I decided, so I can tell everyone when I get out of Zombieland. Commence rummaging through purse. More rummaging. Panic setting in. No phone! Ahhh... not only was I cut off from all communication but how could I share with no pictures!

The following two pages include the instructions with corresponding pictures.

Luckily for me and my about to explode self Travis showed up right then. Unluckily for me he was rather miffed that I was taking so long (and not answering my phone) and that we were on track to be late to our fancy dinner appointment.
But once I explained what was up, he was nice enough to give me a high five and snap these pictures while I paid for the fabric and we skedaddled. No it isn't a book with me as author/co-author, and it isn't my own fabric/pattern line, and it isn't like suddenly I'll start selling lots of ornaments, or dozens of people will start reading this blog, or that I won the lottory (because as they keep telling me if you don't play you can't win). However, in my little corner of the universe it's seriously so exciting!

Back By Popular Demand

I've been spending a lot of time making hot pads. And I've finally finished and listed them to the shop. Hot pads are fun to make, because I get to make and create new and different things without having to invest a lot of time and energy in a big project. And I'm improving, like using this technique for the bindings.

I've even paired a couple hot pads with dish towels as requested. These dish towels were a blast to make. For my ruffle inspiration see this link.

The only sad part to my story is that the Holiday House/Handmade Boutique isn't happening this year. I'm pretty disappointed, especially after all the work I put into it. But I guess that's just how it goes. On the plus side, I'll be listing the whole lot in the shop, so hopefully all that work won't be for naught.

And hot pads aren't the only things I've been working on, however, everything else is of the Christmas gift persuasion and I love surprises to much to risk letting them get out before the big day. But I can tell you that there is a lot of yellow and grey on my cutting table and despite my previous vows I've joined this swap. On that suspenseful note I'll leave you for today.