More finishing!!

Yes, I have two more finishes to show today!

I did not stitch either of these.  You may remember that I visited a real Cross Stitch Shop in Memphis recently, and while on my spending spree I purchased a few little shop models that were marked to practically NOTHING!!!  You can read about it here!!

One was this lovely Autumn piece.  It is a Bent Creek OOP chart.  It wasn't finished in any way.  Just a piece of fabric with stitching.  So, I made it into what else--an ornament!  It's about as large as one can go with ornaments, but I'm really pleased with how it turned out!  I will enjoy this in months to come!  It is backed with a simple brown fabric with yellowish leaves on it!  I went a little "wild" by putting some leopard charms to hold the ribbon!  I bought them on the "junk table" at Hobby Lobby and this seemed to be a fun place to use them!  HAHA!

This next one was actually in a cute little "tuck" pillow.  It was blue and had bees on it.  I loved the little pillow and I loved this stitching.  I didn't think they went together as well as they might have.  Plus, my Valentine tree is really pink and red, and the blue pillow would really stand out!  So, I just took the stitching out and made a standard rectangle ornament. I used sparkly pink buttons to attach the wide ribbon hanger. (Another "blingy" way to attach ribbon!)  I had a small scrap of glitter ribbon that was just enough to put on each side of the stitching!  These fabrics are from the wonderful stack that my dear friend Janie brought me from a quilt retreat--read about it here!!

Well, that gets all of my things finished!  I can now stitch with wild abandon!  LOL  Actually, I hope that I will get back to the real store in Memphis on Friday, so I will have more goodies to show!!

Thank you for visiting and please come by again!

Frances

Happy New Year????

Well, I have done some more finishing...but I might be just a little bit late with these!  No fear, though, because I'll be ready for next year!!

I was busy a while back, stitching up a few little New Year's items for my New Year's tree--which didn't materialize!!  These are the first New Year's ornaments I've made, so I had nothing to go on it!  However, I googled New Year's cross stitch and came up with several freebies!  I will try to have a few more before next year!  Also, after Christmas I hit the 90 % off sale at WalMart and found some gold and silver snowflakes and stars, so that should fill in pretty well.  I even found some gold party horns and plan to use those, too!

My photography isn't too great--I used my phone, but you can get the general idea!

This was a sweet freebie from that I stitched in Crescent Colors Apple Fritter.  It was found here, and I used metallic fabric, rick rack, and ribbon.  I even added a cute little clock charm that is almost ready to chime midnight!!

This next piece is from Trail Creek Farm Millennium 3 and I used gold and silver threads. It's stitched on 22 ct. Hardanger...I couldn't see it too well...might not do that again!  HA But I used some metallic trim, snowflake material, and snowflake buttons to attach the hanger.

This one is very similar, because it's also Trail Creek Farm, from their Millennium 2 chart.  I also stitched it in gold and silver, but accented the gold on this one!  The fabric has gold metallic dots and I used gold lace for a hanger.  This is also on 22 ct. Hardanger--I was using up a piece, and it's gone now!  No more squinting at that!

Last, this is a cute reindeer with huge antlers.  It's a freebie that I've had for a long time...I don't remember where I got it.  I stitched this also on 22 ct. Hardanger and put beads around his lovely antlers.  I used a shimmery fabric that slid around and pulled, and I won't be using it again!  LOL!
I topped it with metallic brown ribbon and found a large "gemstone" to put where the ribbons crossed.  All-in-all, it turned out ok, but was really a pain to assemble because of the sliding cloth!  Oh well, you live and learn!

These were fun to stitch and assemble, (mostly!!) and I now have a few cute things for New Year's!  I will hope to add more throughout the year!

Thanks for stopping by!  Please come by again soon!

Frances

A Finish!!

Well, I just barely made it for this year!!!  Today is Fat Tuesday, so this is the end of this year's Mardi Gras season!
I have finished the cute little mask ornament I stitched on the way to New Orleans a couple of weeks ago!   It was a simple little mask, in Mardi Gras colors, but I tried to "fancy it up" with finishing and trims.

This little mask was stitched on a scrap of Aida cloth and I used some purple/gold metallic fabric, and fleur de lis fabric in Mardi Gras colors.  I added purple/gold metallic trim beside the stitching.

I used gold wired ribbon for the hanger.  I had bought a little packet of Mardi Gras buttons at Hancock's several weeks ago.  These two little purple glitter mask buttons were in there, and I thought they were perfect to attach the ribbon!  Doesn't it look cute beside my Voodoo Doll?!?!

This was a really fun ornament, and looks festive on the tree!

Thank you for stopping by and please come back soon!  Now I will have to take down BOTH the Mardi Gras and Valentine's trees!  Then it will be time for St. Patrick's Day tree, so come check it out!

Frances

Giveaway Winner!

Hello everyone!

I really enjoyed participating in the Grow Your Blog party, organized by Vicki!  What a fun time it was!  There are some really great blogs out there, and it has been fun to investigate and see what everyone else is doing!

I do have a winner for my cross stitch giveaway!  It's Felicia from Finding Simple Treasures!! Congratulations Felicia, and I'll get your cross stitch package off quickly!  I've emailed you for your information!  After I send it, I'll post a photo of the goodies!

I have a self-imposed deadline to get something finished, so check back quickly, because I will have a photo!  Also, St. Patrick's Day isn't too far off, and I feel another tree coming on!! HAHAHA

Thank you for stopping by and please come back soon!
Frances

Be My Valentine!!

This year is flying by already!  I can't believe it's February 1st!  It's time to show my Valentine Tree!
Since Valentine's Day and Mardi Gras are so close this year, I decorated both trees at the same time. One is in the foyer and the other, in the dining room.  I used my new super-thin flocked tree for the Valentines Tree.

At the top of the tree are some random picks, left from Christmas, in silver and red.  In the right photo is a sweet little heart freebie located somewhere here!  I cannot find it now at all but I'm sure if you scroll long enough, it's there!  I finished it with a cute little heart lock and key ring charm.  Below it is a cute Love freebie found here.  In the left photo, is another version of that same heart--this time with pink "love" fabric and tiny red heart buttons.  Below that is a sweet Love freebie from the Stitcherhood, found here.  I finished it with a row of white buttons across the bottom.  Below is yet another "love" freebie from Kinkavel krosses, found here.  I finished it with red heart fabric and rick rack--cute!

Here's another cute little love freebie from iStitch charts, and found here.  I finished it with cute little red and white "love" fabric and red and white ribbon and heart buttons.  Don't you love my cute red monkey???  I have a pink one and a black one, too!!!  This little heart is a checkerboard heart from somewhere...I don't know...that I finished with heart buttons and red pom poms on the bottom edge.

The LOVE is from February by Prairie Schooler.  I had a small scrap of brown Aida and I love the way it coordinates with all the brown Valentine fabrics I used.  The two heart buttons finish it off! The large swirly heart is a freebie from Romy's and is found here. 

I love these sweet little "love birds"!  They are monthly freebies from Sylvia.  The charts are located here.  They are Februar 2 and 3.  These were so much fun to stitch!  I used a mixture of fabrics, ribbons, buttons and trims. I love the red leopard fabric on the one by the pink monkey!

Here are two more variations on that same little heart that I can't find on the above link!!  This time I stitched the background with pink variegated floss and left the design unstitched.  I really don't know where it is on that site, but I hope someone finds it!!!  The left photo has white pom pom trim and little red beads along the edge.  The right photo has various fabrics, buttons and ribbons for interest.

You will notice some sweet little antique-looking paper Valentines tucked between the branches.  These are actual Valentines that my cousin gave me.  They were from her mother-in-law when she was a child. This lady would be in her 90s now, so these are very old.  I love them!  I really like that faded honeycomb on the heart! Sweet!

I really enjoyed putting this tree together.  It is a white flocked tree with clear lights.  You might notice some pink filigree heart shaped lights.  I got those from Target this year.  They run on batteries, so you don't have all those cords everywhere...well, just the tree cord!!!

I hope you enjoyed seeing this tree.  The next is St. Patrick's Day, so I'll have some green to show then!

Don't forget that I am having a Grow Your Blog giveaway!!  It's a mystery, but will be cross stitch related.  If you haven't signed up, please go it here!!  The drawing will be February 15th!

Thank you for stopping by, and please come again!
Frances