the last minutes of 2009

Our party tonight was really fun; all our family gatherings this holiday season have been extra wonderful and special.

The New Years sale continues through Jan 2nd. Best wishes for peace, joy and much happiness in the New Year. Thank you for spending your time with me. I always enjoy your visit. See you in 2010!

if you like crab ...

My folks and grandmother are coming over for our new years eve party tonight and I'm busy making yummies for it ... I just finished these ... thought to share the recipe because they are goooooooood! If you need a simple, delicious finger food, try ...

Crab Pastry Shells

6 oz can crabmeat (I used 8oz)

2 oz cream cheese (cut from the brick kind)

1/4 - 1/2 Cup mayo (I used somewhere in the middle)

1/2 bunch chopped green onions

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon lemon juice

pastry shells (recipe filled 2 1/2 boxes of these - they are in the freezer section of store)

Mix all and chill. Fill pastry shells. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Click picture to enlarge ... and drool.

new years eve SALE

In celebration of New Years Eve ... December 31st ... selected patterns and such have been discounted 31% for a short sale starting TODAY and lasting through 12AM EST January 2.

Check website for all details.

merry new year

There is a steady wind here today which makes the temperature feel colder than it really is. Stepping into the sunny spots is a welcome delight. Just dropped Ben at a friend's house and about to plop down in a comfy chair to read but wanted to share my merry new year finish with you. The design is from The Sisterhood. I stitched it on Belgian linen with a blue overdyed thread in my stash.

You can see Miss Maddy has found a sunny spot to sleep. I think she's on nap number five of the day.

red bells

No work is going on but lots of stitching and you know I can never stay offline for too long. Just ask anyone who lives with me. So here is my Merry Christmas Hanging, a pattern by Pineberry Lane which I adored before Christmas and even bought the rusty bells to go at the bottom but when they came, I worried that the rustiness was too messy for little fingers should they find their way on this soooo I went ahead and put little red bells at the bottom instead. Sweet and even though it was finished after Christmas, it has been added to the holiday decor for a few more days ... until my it's the New Year and clean sweep mood comes to town.

Christmas was beautiful. There's been lots of fun family gatherings, delicious food, lazy time filled with playing with new gifts, sleeping late, endless tins of cookies, and plenty of hours spent listening to random family members score on 'Guitar Hero'. Hope your holiday was merry, merry too!

Merrie Christmas

May it be filled with all good and memorable things for you.

Holiday Shipping

The last batch of orders for 2009 goes out tomorrow, Wednesday, December 23rd. After that, the website will continue to process orders however, shipping will resume the first week of January 2010. Wow ... 2010! You can check the Order Tracking feature on my website as I update that routinely when orders are shipped out. International orders are running slower in delivery because of the holiday volume so please be patient for your order's arrival.

*EPATTERNS ordered between now and then will be sent but only when I'm online.

Thank you for your sweet patronage this year. It is a joy to create and it warms my heart you delight in my patterns.

show & tell

Speedy Sara fingers in Italy has finished another one of my designs ... White Christmas ... pattern in Kitty Kringle's Pattern Book for Christmas. This booklet is offered as an EPATTERN as well as a Mailed Booklet. Sweet finish, Sara. I like the little bow you added!

I've some requests for more backing fabrics so I plan to add some to the website today. Also will try and locate more of the little sleds for Gone Sledding Souvenir. First priority is coffee ... must. make. coffee.

cut outs

First of all ~ thank you heaps for the response (ya'll are fast!) to Gone Sledding Souvenir. Glad you like it and thank you for emailing your sledding memories to me. I'll try and get some more of the sleds.

The boys and I made sugar cookie cut outs tonight. Ah, the mess ... ah, the fun. Zack was beside himself with excitement and was pressing the cutters all over the place while Ben was more precise. Me? Repeating a patience mantra and happy when it was all cleaned up but they are goooood cookies and the joy in the air was worth the flour everywhere. No special recipe ... just the bag mix decorated with festive hands.

Tomorrow we tackle the gingerbread house kit. It will be ok. It will. Till then ...

gone sledding souvenir

Ben's ornament is finished. Woo hoo!! After I couldn't decide on a pattern in my pile, I came up with the perfect, and quite timely, one for him. Even added the pattern to the website in case there are other sledding enthusiasts. Some of the little sleds I used for the corner accents and a few fabric cuts I used as the backing are available on the website too.

Gone Sledding Souvenir

Offered as EPATTERN and Mailed Chart.

snowed in

Ben measured and the front yard is 15.5 inches of snow and the back yard has big drifts but overall, quite impressive for our area and we are lovin' it! The sun is out and with all the whiteness around, it sure is bright outside!!! Mighty bright. Our cul de sac hasn't seen a snowplow yet and I hope they stay away ... I like being snowed in. We've watched movies, made hot cocoa, popped corn, played board games ... I know cabin fever will set in but until then we're enjoying the cozy moments together. I put in a few hours of work already this morning - been filling epattern orders. I don't think I'll get to the post tomorrow but I'll try and send one more batch of orders before Christmas, roads permitting. Right now ... epatterns will get to you sooner! Here's Merry Christmas, My love, stitched by Sara M. in Italy. She ordered the epattern late the other night and sent in the picture the next day. Beautiful.

Today my grandfather would have been 95 years old ... he passed away three months before Ben was born in 1999. Memories of the heart live on. Enjoy your Sunday. Here's a view out my side window.

my dear

My husband's ornament (this reindeer freebie) is finished and when I was uploading the pictures, I noticed that I hadn't crossed two stitches! Just goes to show how late night stitching can catch up to you.

Just Ben's ornament left to do ... I'm having a bugger of a time picking just one! Wrapped most all the boys' gifts this afternoon and that just about did me in. They're all crammed in closets and wedged here and there in hopes no little fingers will find them. Last night was our bookclub's annual cookie exchange party. Not only is the house stocked with milk, bread and essentials for the snowstorm but there are plenty of cookies to feed an elf party.

Enjoy your night ~ be cozy.

looks like snow

You know when it just looks like its going to snow? First thing this morning and a quick opening of the curtains and I saw it. That look. The updated forecast is up to 15 inches with a possibility of 20 inches in some spots. The cupboard is stocked. We're ready!

S. Claus

There was no line to meet Santa today so Zack ran up to meet the big guy in red and well, it was priceless. Zack was very excited to tell Santa about the toys he wanted for Christmas and afterwards had to ride the merry go round. Later, Zack asked where 'Santa's sled and reindeer' were ... good question. I told him they must've been on the roof ... the mall doesn't allow reindeer parking. He was then distracted by his candy cane.

'believe' pattern

I've received a heap of inquiries this week for my little design, Believe ... where is it ... where can I buy it? It is included in The Sampler Girl Companion Christmas Booklet.

observations

Zack was working away on his coloring craft this morning and started talking about last night's Living Bethlehem event at church. 'Mary and Joseph' had a darling little baby who was in good spirits but got fussy towards the end ...

Zack: baby Jesus was crying

Mama: Yes, at church last night.

Zack: he was sad

Mama: Why do you think he was sad?

Zack: baby Jesus wanted his paci

just in the NICK of time

I stitched this classic Prairie Schooler santa design for Zack's first Christmas (2007) because he LOVED pears like some crazy baby but I never got it finished into an ornament. So, finally ... his third Christmas and it's done ... his first Christmas handmade ornament from Mama! I need to get a fabric pen to put the date on the back.

Now to stitch up Ben's.

Mrs. Darcy gets facelift

I updated a model of mine ... Mrs. Darcy is now finished as a simple sampler hanging. I have a few cuts of the fabric I used for the backing available on the website. Mary Kathryn Peter was the model stitcher for this design a few years ago.

new pattern ~ silver bells cupboard cushion

One more pattern pushing by for a December release ... it didn't want to wait a whole year for its debut. Silver Bells Cupboard Cushion is now available! It was inspired by an antique pillow and had to be reproduced for my home ... what about yours?

Pattern available as mailed chart or epattern.

voila!

Vero's column in the latest issue of Quilt Country is devoted to Jane Austen and she had interviewed me a few months ago to be included. I was flattered and the issue is out and well, it's lovely! Now I need to concentrate and read it ... it's all in French. Such a lovely magazine - if you want to purchase a copy, please contact Vero at her Quilt Shop in France. Merci!

s a t u r d a y

To cap off DH's birthday week, we lunched (and well I might add) at The Fish Market in Old Town. I thoroughly enjoyed lobster bisque and this big sandwich with layers of lobster salad and shrimp salad. Yes, it was absolutely delicious ... in case you were wondering.

The boys made more Christmas crafts ... Ben's gingerbread house turned out awesome and Zack's polar bear is mighty cute. The next craft will be glittering up some pinecones!

Everyone is nestled in for a sweet sugarplum Saturday afternoon while I need to tend to some work and then stitching more on this beautiful design by Pineberry Lane. Be good ... Santa sees you!

lights

It's magic when the sun goes down and the tree lights sparkle all the more. I've some Christmas stitching planned for the evening ... after pizza night ends. I sure hope your evening is cozy and needlework-filled. Happy week-end!

brrrrr

It's cold. Pretty cold. Not as cold as some places but our cold is cold. So for a wintry evening, something hot and comforting had to be fixed. Every now and then I get the EveryDay Food Magazine and in the October 2009 issue there's a tempting recipe for Individual Chicken Pot Pies. One is featured on the cover actually. Well, if you like chicken pot pie ... the recipe is a wonderful. Absolutely. Ben's always worried about what's for dinner for fear he'll have to eat it so I didn't waste one on him but the recipe made 5 little pies and the leftovers will be happily eaten, I'm sure. I might add that even though I did put the slits in the dough, it was piping hot. The kind of hot that takes your taste buds away for a vacation and returns when a cold drink soothes the tongue.

The boys got their letters to Santa done and we enjoyed birthday cake from last night. This week has gone by so slowly but then again I can't believe it's only 15 days until Christmas. This morning was our mothers group Christmas gift swap so I'm now the proud owner of a book night light. Mine was broken so I was giddy to get one. Off to read ... have a cozy night and stay warm!

9 dec

happy birthday to my love

Christmas is coming...

...the goose is getting fat

please to put a penny in the ol man's hat

if you haven't got a penny, a hapenny will do

if you haven't got a hapenny, then God Bless You.

God Bless You.

God Bless You.

I've had this pattern, Christmas is Coming, from Stacy Nash Primitives since last December and finally got some time to sit and stitch this afternoon and evening and just finished it up. I've always loved the song ... as it takes me back to the 'Muppets Christmas with John Denver' record. Ah, remember records? I think this design is adorable. I used the DMC called for except used an overdyed for her dress and stitched it on cream linen, then walnut dyed it just a little bit, enough to make the geese show up. Stitched the year 1765 on a piece of wool and sewed it down where the model showed a similar piece. Blanket stitched the edges around the same wool and stuffed slightly. Very sweet finish and I'm giddy over it.

The boys are in countdown mode for Christmas. Tonight we watched The Grinch classic which Zack enjoyed fully watching for the first time. He thought Max the dog was so funny. Tomorrow I think we'll watch Emmet Otter ... another favorite in our house. I watched The Christmas Card on the Hallmark Channel last night which was very good. Think I'll pop in Little Women since all my work for the day is done and oh yea, there's pumpkin pie ...

crafty

It was a light homework day so Ben and I made pom pom garlands this afternoon. They are super easy and even more fun than I thought it would be. Ben made his own pattern of colors and I just did red, white and green. His looks festive on the mantle greenery while mine is helping Santa steer his sleigh.

At IKEA a few weeks ago, I was giddy to get these fun stockings so I added our initials on them today. They're ready to hang near the fireplace.

Here's one of the wreaths from the front window. Cheerful little tomten, isn't he?

And lastly, this is what remains of Ben's snowman from the week-end snow. He's more like leaf-man.

Off to make dinner! Enjoy your night.

you need this

In a word, beautiful.

mint + chocolate = tasty goodness

I made my version of these for our Christmas party with stitching friends today. Instead of candy canes for the topping, I broke up Peppermint Andes mints and sprinkled them over vanilla frosting. Yum!

It was snowy day here ... first of the season for us. It started and ended with rain but we enjoyed a wee winter wonderland in between. When I got home, there was standing a snowman which Ben had built for Zack. Maybe Santa will bring the bigger snowflakes that last for more than a day.

r e d

This morning was the annual Sons of Norway Bazaar and what fun ... Mom met up with Zack and I there; the three of us had a delightful time shopping, eating varfels with jam and rolled up cookies that were light as air. Remember last year's post? Today I got a few more made in Norway lovelies to add to my collection including this darling girl with candy pouch which I filled with candy cane kisses which made her smile. The boys are part Norwegian, from their father's side. Zack was very excited to attend!

This is the wreath I made for the front door yesterday ~ the paper decorations are from my IKEA trip a few weeks back. I love the little tomtens!

Tomorrow is our Christmas party with stitching friends and it's supposed to snow in the afternoon ... what could be better?! Enjoy your week-end.

this & that on thursday

Recently my Mom was showing me some prim pretties she got at my favorite country shop down the road ... of course I had to venture there myself last week for my own Santa. Also, got this cute snowman because he wanted to come home with me too.

Oh and Marianne - sorry but I had to get the holiday Entemann's cupcakes this morning. Don't they look goooood? Ben will be thrilled after school.

Ben and Zack are enjoying their chocolate-filled Advent calendars while I'm hunting for itty bitty numbers on my own December calendar every morning. I can't tell you how long I have to search ... the numbers are so tiny!

The 2009 Christmas Ornament Limited Edition Kits are flyin' out of here ... be sure you get one before they're gone!