Pretty Embroideries

I finished off my label for the Row Robin, I'm posting it here again with the row so that you can see how they match, there is a line for each group member to sign, embroider, or cross stitch their name. Someone else has finished their row as well, so we're rolling onward. With 2 down.
My embroidery unit has been quite busy in a bust of free time I began working on embroidering a couple of large butterflies that I'm planning on using in the Sampler quilt that I will be making in 2009. Yes I know I haven't trimmed all the threads on the upper two. I tried to make each on different from the others. Can you see my Black eyed Susan's? The blue fabric much like the green from the label I showed you above came from my Secret Santa, Elle in Spain. It's amazing how a bit of new fabric can inspire us.

Best Hopes and Wishes for your Entire Holiday Season

I hope everyone had a Very Merry Christmas, I know we did. It was packed full of love, laughter, mostly peace, and happiness. Now I'm not going to have a list of whats-wes-gots because my Christmas was wonderful for such deeper reasons. I am thankful to every power-that-be that I found some great deals long ago and stocked the closet. It really was Christmas to pull some beautiful much appreciated toys out of that closet. I kept it pretty low key and small scale for the " just in case" of tomorrow.
Now I would like to review my daughter's Calico Critter Toy Store, this is an amazing toy! It was worth whatever 70% off price that I paid for it and then more. It was better and more wonderful than I ever would have guessed. We just couldn't swing the doll house this time around (not enough money, or even supplies for dh to build it). This toy is great. She has already had hours of fun playing with all the little toys the toy shoppe came with. It's a beautiful thing. I would highly recommend it as an add on to your doll house or as a complete starter stand alone. My daughter said it best as "we're going shopping again!"

I promised so post Christmas photos so here they are. Daddy showing off the sweat rag I embroidered for him. He was quite surprised and gave me the look of, you weren't supposed to make anything! Haha, wait till he sees his birthday present on Sunday. This is my sister Ashley with her blue Butterfly Bouquet Quilt. Hopefully she wasn't just pretending to like it. My mom was the recipient of the Red Wintergraphix Star Quilt, boy oh boy am I happy to see that one go.
Life wouldn't be complete without a toddler enjoying a classic now would it? Here we have The Very Hungry Caterpillar, by Eric Carle thanks to our Book Club this one will be appreciated for years to come.

Row Robin

My first Row for my Row Robin is done. For medical reasons I'm way ahead. I wont be mailing my row to the next person till I know hers is done as well.

My center point is a double star that I embroidered, with two blocks by the name of Crossed Roads one on each side. This is quite symbolic because my theme is "Christmas Hope" and I am so sick of crossed roads, and picking paths and walking down this road. At the intersection of each road is a snowflake, I let the bobbin tension off unpurpose so it shows through the top stitching at different intervals, showing that no two snowflakes are exactly the same. Of course finishing everything off are the two hearts from the pattern I made up when I first started quilting. To pull the Christmas - Winter theme in the red hearts sit on beds of blue with white falling snowflakes.


More than once I wondered if I even liked how this was turning out, but the embroideries added just the right touch to bring it all together.

Currently the large quilt group is closed with 6 members. The two mini quilt groups are still open with five members each. Honestly I'd really like to close them a bit early as five in the mini groups will work out so well for some of the quilt sizes, but I haven't pulled the plug yet. My planned close date is set for Dec. 24. We'll see if I let it run. :)

Sometimes Ups...

Today has been a day of ups and downs, much like that song in Disney's Robin Hood. "Sometimes ups, out number the downs but not in Nottingham", I'm not certain which weighs heavier here yet.

The first up is that I shopped fabric today. My most favorite thing in the world it seems, which lead me on an inspired path including but not limited to giving myself a refresher course on batting. My friend Heather must be rolling her eyes by now, but that comes with being a quilter, sometimes people understand you, but not always.

Next up my mom came over and we measured my scarf for Soldier's Angels, I'm up to 28"! I might just have enough yarn after all.

Lastly that Double Star I made has been driving me crazy, something with the colors, ect. just wasn't quite right. So it dawned on me (no dish soap involved thank you) that I should turn it on point. So here it is and I can honestly say I'm much happier with it. I'm planning to embroider "Hope" in the middle of the white center, and my Row Robin theme will be Christmas Hope. I was going to do something fancy with the triangles but the Batik worked out just fine.

On the sad side, my nearly 9 year old cat Kitty got herself into an awful bit of trouble with the Christmas tree, and injured herself quite badly. We are under strict orders to keep her quiet and to keep a close watch on her. Any spare happy thoughts we could use. Kitty's birthday is this Jan. 1st (well as close as we know to celebrate it) and her 8 year anniversary of living with us is the 3rd of Jan. I certainly never would have guessed that when I mentioned her the other day that I would be beside myself right now as to if she'll even make it to celebrate with us. So any happy thoughts you have time to give us we'd appreciate it.

Tribulations

My one of neighbor from the North have returned this afternoon. It's always nice when the subdivision starts filling back up. It works out to be great timing as well, because we just raked up all the leaves and moved all the brush off his driveway, so he can feel nice and welcome. It's not our job, he has a lawn service guy who takes care of it, but let's just say the lawn service isn't very through.
I've been working on the first row for my row robin. So far I have one block done. It's a double star with two batiks, a white on white fabric, and a blue that looks like the ocean. Hopefully that will provide a nice blend of fabrics for the other ladies in my group to tie into. I haven't settled on a theme, but currently I'm liking favorites of the holidays. So each person can add fabrics, blocks, or embroidery of their favorite things. Currently my plan is to add two applique blocks on either side each containing a Christmas Cactus. Oddly my own little plant hasn't started to bloom yet. Not one trace of a bud. It's been cold enough so I'm not certain what it's trouble is.
My friend Gail sent this to my daughter. I helped Jessica to open it and she hauled it all over the house until she decided around about her nap time that she needed a bath. She just loves buttons, so this is wonderful for her.

Last but not least my Sunny Boy tried to run away today. Jessica was playing a bit rough with him when he was out on his leash today and he wiggled right out of his collar. Eventually Rob found him up under the house. Only after he was found did I allow myself to fully feel the terror I had over thinking him lost. Silly cat putting me through that.