HAPPY NEW YEAR, EARLY

I'd like to wish everyone a Happy New Year a little early. Hope 2008 is the best one yet for everyone.

I have grandchildren Kyleigh and Jaeger coming over this afternoon, and spending the night tonight. Kristen and Jeff are having a party tonight, so the John and I and the kids get to have our own fun.

I also wanted to post my progress on the Winter Quilt Swap.

I have been appliquing the past couple of days, and last night I started quilting it. My recipient wanted a primitive Christmas quilt, and I had this pattern by Jan Patek for Father Christmas. I had to modify it a bit to make it work for the size requirements for this swap. I have had fun digging through my cupboard of homespuns again, and working on this while watching TV. I think when I finish this one, I need to start one for myself.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

May you all have a wonderful holiday, and the best in the coming year.




















I finished up 1 last Pollage yesterday, this one with a fairy theme for my daughter Kristen.

Katie by the way loved the frogs.

Santa's Sweat Shop Continued

The last few days I have had a chance to make a few more gifts for the kids. They love these sweatshirts and T-shirts so much, and my sweatshirts are all that Jaeger likes to wear. This is for Kyleigh, I have had the shirt since her BD in August but had not gotten a chance to embroider it until now.







And this is for Keaton.








And for Jaeger.









For Kyleigh's sweatshirt I decided to sit down and do some silk ribbon embroidery.








And last but not least, I made this Pollage for Katie, who has always liked frogs.

MORE GIFTS

I recently took a class on Joggles.com called Pollage, the instructor was Patricia Dibona. I involves painting background on canvas and adding photos, lace, charms to create a piece of art. I made this for my sister as a Christmas gift. I hope she likes it. I have 2 others I hope to get done, but probably not until after Christmas. But at least I can get this in the mail to Southern California tomorrow. I have done a lot of collage pieces, and the idea of this class really appealed to me, with painting the background.











I cross-stitched these little elf legs for my girls and made them into ornaments. This was again from the wXSw yahoo group, with stitch designer, Helga of Helga Mandl Designs.

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, SANTA'S WORKSHOP

Three years ago, my friend Moira gave a group of us a link where we could purchase these laser cut nativity scenes. All you had to do was iron them on a batik fabric. I purchased 3 of them, 1 for myself, and 1 for daughters Katie and Kristen. That year, I did not have time to get them done, so I put the patterns in gift baggies for the girls. Forgetting I did that, last year, I ironed them onto batik fabric, but still did not have time to complete them, again put them in gift baggies for the girls. This afternoon, I finally finished up the project, and plan to give them to the girls tomorrow at Jaeger's birthday at the ice cream parlor, so they can get a chance to hang them this year. I say, better late than never!


Karrin's branch of Santa's workshop has been busy also on gifts for the boys: I purchased sweatshirts and embroidered some motifs on with my embroidery machine:

This is for Keaton



















This is for Jaeger

A LITTLE BIT MORE DONE

I have been working a bit more on my Encrusted CQ block for Sharon B's class. I added the gold bullion flowers along the left hand side, and I also beaded the lace flowers in the same area.

Meanwhile am working on a secret CQ block for one of my daughters at the same time.

Also after reading Charlene's blog this morning, I joined the wXSw yahoo group, and had also seen Susan make mention of it. A wonderful cross stitch designer, Helga of Helga Mandl Designs hosts this group and has stitch alongs! She has the cutest little ornaments. I started one this afternoon and am 2/3 through already.