A YEAR GONE BY

Oh . . hey . . HI!

No one can believe it .
but we are already one year old.

Mommy gave us first dibs . . she's the BEST!

Hey . . Who took that cake?!

What?! . . yer sayin' another whole year?

BACK TO STITCHES FOR LAURIE

The repeated days trapped in my booth finally got to her.  I could tell something was up when those jaunts to the restroom grew in length.  Ah hah!  Finally she returns with her finds.  Bitten by the Fabric Bug at last . .  and we all know what that nip feels like.   I loved her choices.
Fresh !
And more impressively, not long after I returned home from the show I received these pictures.

Made from our pattern  - BAG IT.

 

Laurie is thee greatest help in my booth when I travel to the North West.

But never did she let on that she was such a proficient SEWer girl.  Just casually mentioned that she had not sewn in years.  Isn't contagious a good word in this story?

And I was warmed by her added note . .  

"Thanks for bringing sewing back to me."

The kind of thing that makes you want to keep the fingers to the drawing board.  And the needle to the cloth.
The spirit of sewing shared.
Stitch _ _Stitch _ _Stitch _ _ _
Hear the heart sing.

MAKE YOUR OWN SHABBY RIBBON

I really do have some other patterns started but i am still finishing up the dolly.  She is of the primitve sort so the lovely hand dyed rayon ribbons from Auntie Em's were not a good fit by themselves.  Yummy tho huh?  I keep them tidy in this yellow French bowl that i picked up in a little shop in not France . . boo hoo.  The hot chocolate cup became chipped and was then discarded.  Someone was silly.

 Her worn muslin dress needed something . . a bit more raveled . . tattered . . . ratty.

So I grabbed from my stash of tacky nylonish type sheers, the kind that freak out when cut . .  and ravel wildly all along the edges.   Isn't this one just so eeeek gaudy?!!

Grab a similar textile from your stash and make some shabby ribbon with me.

 Cut a strip a bit wider than your desired ribbon.

Gently tie knots about every 3 or 4 or so inches.

It is begining to ravel some now isn't it?  In a little plastic cup mix together some liquid matte medium and some brown antiquing medium.   I was too impatient to continue painting it onto the strip with a brush so I added just a bit of water. Moosh the ribbon into the mixture and gently squeeze out the excess liquid. Then dip a couple of fingers into the mixture and dab here and there on the strip. Maybe wear a pair of gloves like I didn't.   Squeeze the strip in a paper towel and hang to dry.

Mellowed to my liking now.  How is yours looking?

Might be added near the bottom of the dress.  Possibly on top of the brown hand dyed ribbon . . that will bring it down a notch.  More befitting to an aged old doll.

Then perhaps a scattering of some small worn buttons??

EVAN FROM HEAVEN

What do you think of this?

I think of my youngest daughter's, and now son-in-law's, wedding.  

A warm and lovely summer afternoon and evening.
In a beautiful garden.  On an organic farm and vineyard. 

A very unique land.  Flower and vegetable gardens scattered and hidden all about.

Oh and you could hear them whispering . . asking themselves . . you could . .  

"What will I find down this twistting narrow path, or through that gracefully fetching arbor,

or over this little beckoning bridge?"  

Follow me.   And behold.  A marvelously mellowed yellowed roadster in all of its retiring glory. . 

EVAN FROM Heaven

Coincidently, the best man's name was Evan.  He - a bit too wonderfully hellish to have come aboard this little heaven train.

Was it a memorial? 

Was it hiding . . its tarnished body not quite up to the constant parade of stylish gardeny guests?

Were orchids about to burst up from its center and do their tranquil dance as only orchids can do?

Well, what do You think?

HORRIFIED FRANCES - MORE UFDBs!

 Poor Frances.

Once again dismayed . . no horrified . . at the site upon the shelf.

More Unfinished Doll Bodies have appeared.

She without her own legs for soooo long now, has lost her faith in me.

Even though, Frances,  I have completed a number of doll patterns since I long ago abandoned you.  

Have a little faith why don't you.

Frances. 

So with all of the patterns I need to complete, I decided to spend my time on a new doll.

I think it will be the goofier one on the left.  Gotta hurry.  

But poor Frances.

Send her your sympathies if you feel so inclined.

Or . . perhaps some legs!

SECOND ANNUAL M & D

Because my son-in-law's sister is pregnant and not feeling terrific yet, our Mother and Daughter San Francisco event was not going to happen this year.  But at the last minute mother-to-be had a good day.

And it was on.

The weekend just before Christmas but who could say no.  So many things would not get done.  No worries . . Christmas will surely come around next year.  Unlike last years jaunt, nothing formal was planned.  Have alot of Christmasy images that i will save for a more timely time.  So fun.  This year I canned the high heels . . memories of our comical Mason Street hike still fresh enough!

Those of us heading south caught the

Larkspur Ferry.

Crossing the SF Bay by ferry dates back to 1850 when ferryboats operated between SF and Oakland.  Ferry service bloomed and waned as transportation progressed. The birth of the Golden Gate Bridge eventually terminated it for about 29 years.  The Marin service was revived in 1976 when the Larkspur Ferry Terminal opened.

For us, it was a gloriously sunny journey across the Bay.  

Hard to miss as you depart is this 30-foot metal sculpture.  Created in 1990 by Dennis Patton.

Sir Francis Drake.  Elizabethan naval commander.  To some a hero to others a pirate.

Either way,  an awesome sculpture.

 A bustling Farmer's Market awaited us at the SF Ferry Building.  What a market it was.  No tears for any palette.

Vegan?  GOT IT!

Paleo?  GOT IT!

World's Best Hotdogs - YEP!

 Oh those daughters.  The Hyatt was just a skip across the

street.  Inside, thousands of streaming strands of lights from the top floor to the lobby.

Making our hearts all aglow.

Views from our room

Oh and so now you are hungry are you?  Well hop in our taxi and we will take you to

Marlowe

Tiny.  Farm to table type.  Deliciousy scrumptiousy type. . . Marlowe

 Where you will surely eat . . drink . . and be merry!

We hope that in this new year to come, you will enjoy, or begin, some sort of annual affair . . that will make your hearts sing.
A Very Happy New Year from us to you.

Kathryn - Willow - Journey - Reets - Lilanya

Mothers and Daughters 

CARD POCKETS

It is a good feeling to complete something right?  Looks like not another stitch is needed on Sally's Christmas Card Pockets.

I have seen her work up close and it is always impeccable.  Yep . . one of those perfect SEWer girls.  This is a wool 2-pocket card holder.

She has just to add the cards but this picture without them gives a clear view of the design.

This is a close up of the bottom pocket.  Love the addition of the Heart for letter "O".

And I see you added additional leaves for more color.  Likin' that alot!

What a beautiful stitching job Sally.   Thanks for sharing these with us.

Christmas Card Pocket Pattern
Here is a view of our pattern cover showing the vintage card display.

Deck the halls!

STITCHING A PRAYER

I just continue to be humbled by so many of you.  I received this today.  It is what Deb did with the Angel ornament kit she won here . . . the minute she received it in the mail she began.

She cleverly left the bottom open and placed it at the top of her tree. 

And then, she posted it on her blog.  If you like to read that which warms you from the inside out, you should go there and read more.

http://mosaicmagpie.blogspot.com/2012/12/angels-among-us.html

A bit of what she wrote . . 

"I believe there are Angels among us.

Sent down to us from somewhere up above

To show us how to live,

to teach us how to give

To guide us with the light of love." 

The light of love . . .

She stitched

and she prayed

stitched

and prayed

She prayed for all of those families and loved ones touched by our most recent tragedy

at that elementary school

in that little town

that struggles now with so much sorrow.

A sorrow that has plunged itself so deeply within each and every one of us

that we shudder in disbelief.

 We wonder, how will those parents . . and those families . . carry on?

But that is what prayer is for.  On the wing comes its kindness and its comfort.  It heals.

Thank goodness it travels so far and so wide.

BRENDA'S LITTLE SANTAS

Brenda's Little Santa Things Ornaments

If you were in Brenda's rug hooking group,

you would have been lucky enough to receive one of these little gems at their yearly ornament exchange.   She made them just a bit smaller than our pattern.  What a wonderful stitching job she did on them and each one with its own adorable expression.  I love these.

Don't you want to join their group ?!!  I do.

Thank you Brenda.

And Merry Christmas!

HAVE YOU BAKED YOUR CHOCOLATE DIPPED MACAROONS YET?

You HAVEN'T baked your macaroons?  Well then would you like a simple recipe?

I altered this recipe in a number of ways.  Less sugar for one.   Many recipes are a bit too sweet for my taste.  And I like to add things too.  In the Recipe Box below is my adaptation but you can also find a richer sweeter recipe here:

Chef Keem's Coconut Macaroons. 

Lots of good pictures, instruction and even a video on making his Espresso Sea Salt Caramel.  

Great for Christmas sharing. . .

You can bag em up.

or

You can box em up.

or

You can eat em up!

But first . . 

You gotta MIX em up.

Click on the box below to enlarge and play Recipe.
This recipe is thick  and a bit stiff so do by hand or use a strong paddle mixer.
This makes half the batter of the original recipe.

A free printable recipe card by Smilebox

TWO WINNERS - AND A POLKA DOT HAT

I knew you would want to know . . . 

I found my HAT !!

Nettie didn't quite approve of this photo.

Admittedly, it is not that flattering but . . 

I FOUND my HAT !

Enough on that hat.

Happens every time.  I read your comments and start wishing, very sincerely,  that i could send a gift out to each one of you.  Thank you for sharing all of your Angel thoughts and your Christmas thoughts and Family thoughts and your Love thoughts and any of your thoughts.  It is the best thing about blogs.  I like that they stay there to be read again whenever we want.

So.  It was a silly idea to mix the comments and all of the Followers in one hat to draw a winner, as I first said.  Makes alot more sense to draw out two winners . . one from each category.  The winners were drawn (you guessed it, right out of my Found hat)   Congratulations to :

COMMENTS WINNER - COMMENT #1 - BETH

FOLLOWERS WINNER - MARGARET PALMER

Please contact me gals, with your mailing addresses.  Your kits are ready to send!

Woolbert was discovered lingering around in the Wool Room this a.m.  Perhaps looking for some items for the next Give Away - Coming Soon.  I wonder what it will be?

Well Thank You to all and to all a good night.

TO MARKET TO MARKET

First, if you came to enter the drawing for the FREE ANGEL ORNAMENT KIT,

Simply scroll down to the next post dated DEC 5 and leave your comment.

New Marketplace items on Website

Thought I should let you know . . we just restocked the shelves in our Marketplace on the website.  Many finished items have been added.  Mostly Christmas but also an apron, pincushions, pennyrug and so on.

Also restocked some charms and added a couple of new ones.  You have to see the Girlfriends Charm. . .

Stop on by!

Click Here to buzz on over to Reets Marketplace.

AN ANGEL ORNAMENT KIT FOR YOU ?

And it could be coming to you.  We will toss the names from comments to this post AND the names of all of our Followers into the hat and draw a winner.  Sign up to be a Follower and leave a comment and you will have two chances to win!

Believe Pattern

If your name is drawn you will not only receive our Believe pattern but also a kit to make the darling angel ornament featured above.  You will need additional items to make the ornament but the kit will include all of the hand dyed wools, wool floss and the small rusty bells to paint.

TO WIN - Sign up as our Follower and/or leave a comment to this post about

A N G E L S

DEADLINE FOR COMMENTS AND/OR FOLLOWER SIGN UP

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2012 - 11:00 P.M.

I have always loved angels.  They are good to talk with.  And here is a verse of one of my most favorite Christmas songs.  Visualize - it is so joyous.

Angels we have heard on high

Sweetly singing o're the plains

And the mountains in reply

echoing their joyous strains

and then that wonderous refrain

Glo oh oh oh oh oh oh oh ria   in excelsis Deo

I was lucky once. . . I got to teach the choir at Casterlin Elementary School.  

Each year . . A Christmas Program 

And I will never ever forget that glorious band of little angels, mouths open wide as their wings,

belting out that Gloria refrain.

Just to remember it,  is exalting.

Angels

                  do you hear?

WARM WOOLENS

Psssst . . just a reminder that tomorrow we continue with our Gift Give Aways.

Another blogger asked, "What keeps you warm on a freezing day?"

I instantly thought about my favorite scarf gloves and hat ensemble and

replied excitedly with a detailed description.   Later to find out the topic was Hot Foods.

Oh well.  Miz Nettie Needles offered to model these for you.  They are wool of course.

Sadly, my hat is missing.  Don't you love the polka dots?  And how about all of those big tufted wool balls attached - are you thinking Awesome?  oooh . . . I feel your envy.  And I don't blame you!  I'm shamefully in love with these.

The blog I mentioned, by the way, was a new discovery - Tongue In Cheek - go there.

See the link in Good Journeys in that column to the right >>

Nettie Needles Warmed by Woolens

And here we have Little Miss Muff and Woolina Snow.  They are also sporting their woolens.

You would have to wonder . . how could one even imagine a world without wool.    Right?

Well anyway, I guess it is ok to repeat a question already asked . . 

What keeps you warm?  Hot food ideas  -  perfectly acceptable.

All of us here . . wishing you warmth . . on this chilly day.

. . . Oh but I so wish I could find that hat.  I know.   I'm a Big Booo Hoooer.  I know.   But . . .

STOCKINGS HUNG

Two winners have been drawn but first you must see these stockings.

Antoinette stitched these up last year from our patterns but completely in her own color palette.

They went to her grandchildren and became even more beautiful.
Well . . .  that grand staircase certainly doesn't hurt the view either does it?!

From patterns "I Ben Good" and "Santa On The Way".

I loved reading every single comment.  It sounds like the Christmas spirit  and joy is amplified by hands that create don't you think.  I'm delighted that you find such pleasure in stitching and I especially appreciate that you are enjoying some of my own designs.  It inspires me repeatedly.  Thank you.
Love the sense of humor so many of you have expressed.   I keeps the world turning.

Starting this Wednesday there will be another Give Away.  Winner will be chosen not only from the comments but from our list of Followers as well.  So some of you will have two chances to win.

Gift to be announced Wednesday.  

So I'm glad this one was a lengthy contest because as promised we did get those storms and yes we did lose power a few times.  The storm last night was horrendous - but then again in comparison to recent weather events - quite tolerable and the house still stands.
And as someone commented,  "Country Life eh?"

Ok ok . . . WINNERS
The Number 7 Comment - Carol Simmons
The Number 21 Comment - Cheryl Williams
Both of you may go to our Christmas Pattern Page and pick out your free pattern.
Then just contact me with your mailing address and pattern choice.
Congratulations!   And thanks to all for joining in.
Our next Give Away begins this Wednesday.  

HOLIDAY PATTERN DRAWING!

I thought I heard the sound of little hooves . . 

And here is Woolbert with a 

Free Holiday Pattern Give Away !!

Just leave any short comment about the Holidays to this post.

Your comment enters you into our random drawing.

TWO WINNERS will go to our
Christmas Pattern Page on the Website

and pick out their free pattern.

Can't beat that!    Please - leave your contact info.  

Better make the deadline Sunday as a few storms are headed our way and that sometimes means

No Power!  So - 

COMMENT DEADLINE:  SUNDAY 12-2-12  ~ 11:00 P.M.

WINNER will be announced here on Monday.

Holly Jolly good luck to you!

Oh - - - Don't forget to check out the Christmas Blog Hop.  Over there, to the right >>

Festive and Fun!

JULIE STITCHED IT

Julie from Oregon is enjoying our Wool Sampler Quilt BOM.  She sent us a picture of the finished blocks from Rows 2 and 3.  They are not arranged according to the pattern yet so don't panic if it does not look like yours.  Awesome stitching.  Julie mentioned being a model maker for Pioneer Quilts.  Aren't they the lucky ones!
She can't wait for next month . . . now that's what I love to hear.
Thank you Julie.

Wool Sampler BOM

Oh . . Woolbert was digging through the pattern room and I'm certain I saw him in the
Holiday Section.   I think he is about to give away another pattern so stay tuned.
Make it a good one Woolbert!

To You . .

I would like to say  . . . 

and have a very lovely

Thanksgiving. 

CHRISTMAS BIRDIES

Little Birds
Pattern

Love To See What You Do!

I have a niece from Pennsylvania who, quite like her mother, is very clever.  She enjoys firing up the wood stove and grabbing a needle and thread to begin the holiday gift making season.  All with her doggie Hannah at her feet.  Look how she made up this pattern.  Transforming these three everyday little birdies . . .

                                   into
                                         these
                                               three
                                                       very special . . .
                                                         
                                                                Christmas Birdies !!

Love your festive version Beth.  Thanks for sharing.