Exchange received!

I saw on the TTE2 blog that Patti has received her needlebook! I've seen on a number of the UK blogs that there was a postal strike that started right around the time I mailed this, so I was nervous. But I'm glad it's arrived safely!

For Patti, I was inspired to do a "sampler" style, incorporating ideas I'd been gathering from that Encyclopedia of Needlework. Unfortunately, I didn't take any finish-finish pics. I seem to have a problem with that! But if you click on the TTE2 link above, it will take you directly to Patti's post, with pics of the finishing. This was my first needlebook, and I had so much fun working with the stitches and materials, that I also designed a matching scissor case for her, and sent her the pattern with some of the Aida I used.

As if I don't have enough to do...

In all fairness, I agreed to make gifts for a Facebook group long before I decided to make an advent calendar. I just didn't start long before the advent calendar. So here is one piece of a 3-piece ornament set, snowflake inspired. This one is blackwork (my design!), and I used the new threads I got at the LNS I found. I actually used one strand of each color, to give it more dimension. And also because the light blue didn't show up against the white fabric. I'm not sure the scan does it justice, but it should be clickable. It's really stunning in person, if I say so myself. :)

ETA - The photo IS clickable - and it gets really big, and you can see the light blue all twisty around the darker blues. :)

There will also be a 3-piece peppermint-scented ornament set. I've started work on those, too. When inspiration strikes, you've got to go with it!

Day 6

Worth the wait? Isn't he cute? He kind of looks like a chocolate teddy graham-man to me. Again, I'm stash clearing, so I used "close-enough" colors to get the same effect. Also, I may be totally insane, but I signed up for a cookie swap AND a secret ornie exchange at church. Handmade ornaments are not required, but you know me. The exchange isn't until December 6, and I figured if I wasn't done with the advent project by then, I should just put it away until next year. But I will be finished!

Saturday update

Obviously, I've spent much of my week on the advent pockets. And I'm going to make you wait to see day 6.

BoInk progress - a lot!!! Especially compared to my work of the last couple of weeks. But I finished the right side motif, started the center one, and finished the side border (again, huge milestone to me).

And I received my TTE2 Needlebook from April. It's a Mill Hill pattern - pumpkin man, still on the vine, lol. Soo cute. The pumpkin is alternating stripes of beads and cross stitches. Thank you, April! I'm sure my needles will love their new home!

I'm still waiting to hear if the Needlebook I sent off has reached it's new home. I'll go ahead and say that it went to the UK, so I hope it didn't get lost in the postal strike they had recently.

Day 5

For Day 5 - A Christmas star. I can see that I'll have to really be careful about trimming threads when I'm finishing! Wow, I didn't realize they were that long until I posted the scan!

For fun-ness tonight - I was supposed to host Bunco at my house. But most of the regulars were busy. So instead I had a girls' night out with 2 other mommies from the Bunco group. We're all crafters, so we went and walked around Joann's and looked at scrapbook papers and cake decorating supplies and yarn. Then we went to a dollar store and a close-out store - I found a comforter set in the colors I want for my bedroom for only $70. Must talk to the husband first, but I'm planning to go back when he gets paid again to pick it up. It has the aqua and the browns, but it's not floral at all, so we'll both be happy.

No picture tonight

I've completed day 5, I just didn't get around to scanning it. I know, I know. But it's a long piece of fabric, and I can't hold it straight, and...and...I just didn't feel like it. Besides I have to stretch out the advent showing stuff a little bit, right?

I had a question to post earlier, and I forgot what it was now! That's what I get for waiting until almost the last minute to blog!

Day 4

Day 4 - a snowflake. This was a quick, one evening stitch. A good thing, too, because some of the others had taken a lot of effort to push through and get done.

Husband leaves tomorrow to go back to Seattle to work. We'll miss him again, of course, and we're trying not to get our hopes up too high for this job. He has a lot of reasons to be hopeful, but we just don't know until the employment agreement is signed, kwim? I'm glad I've given myself enough projects to keep my mind busy!

Day 3

For day 3, some sweet candy canes! Again, another example of "close enough is good enough" - the pattern calls for 2 shades of red, and 2 shades of yellow in the ribbon. On my printout of the pattern, the 2 different shades of red are so close I would have gone crazy trying to stick to it, lol. And this piece gave me an incredible idea for a project I'm doing for a FB group. You'll have to wait a bit to see it, since it's still firmly locked in my head. :)

Day 2

A wreath! This is where you really start to see that I'm using this project for stash clearing - I did not go out and purchase any of the called-for threads. Some I happen to have, others are "close enough" in my book. The wreath's greenery should be 699 - I have 500, which will work for most things. :) I edged the ribbon in Platinum Light Effects - I think it shows up better than it would have with the darker red.

Nothing else to report today, except that I'm making effort (huge effort, for me) to contact businesses in the area about how SendOutCards could help them. I dread getting on the phone with people and having less than 3 seconds to explain who I am and what I want. So I created a card to introduce myself and my business, and I'm sending it to neighborhood businesses. That way they can see what the cards look like, and how effective it could be for them. *patting self on head*

Day 1

Day 1 of NaBloPoMo for me! Woohoo - 1 for 1!!! To keep myself motivated to post every day, I'll be posting pics of my Crazy Advent Experiment.

But first, as promised, a pic of the finished trunk. A shark! After an informal poll of Harvest Party goers, we won best trunk! I haven't heard a tally of the number of kids, but there were a lot! Everyone guessed that our car was a shark, complete with fish stuck in his mouth. The whole concept was Hallie's, and it was a good project for her to do with her daddy while he was home.

Day 1 of Advent - A holly stem! The stitching is complete on this, so it's ready to be blocked (obviously), cut out and affixed to some kind of fabric. :)