Me & My Stitches

Me & My Stitches
Click on the picture to go to my website. These are 1 1/4" pendants.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

Winter Wonderland

Happy New Year!  I hope everyone had a great Christmas and a fun New Years!  Today I am hunkering down in my sewing room with my little fireplace cranking out the heat.  We are supposed to reach a whole 5 degrees today - BRRRR!!!  Unfortunately, I do have to leave my cozy house later this afternoon, but I'm trying not to think about that right now.

A few days before Christmas we had sleet and then a little over 4 inches of snow.  Not nice weather for people to have to travel in, but very beautiful to look at (from the same room mentioned above!).  I couldn't resist taking pictures of the trees and the pond  (through the window of course, so as always, you have to try to ignore the glare!).


 Loved this snowy sunrise...
We had some warmer days when most of the snow melted, but Mother Nature gave us a day of snow yesterday, so everything is white again.

We have some snowflakes inside too - as many of you know, my mom owns a stained glass business and teaches lots of classes, and has lots of fun stuff to play with!  We all went and spent a day in her shop a week before Christmas and made lots of snowflakes...
It was hard to get a decent picture - I finally ended up closing the blinds.  The one on the right is really pretty with the sun behind it - it's a really dark red.  Now, I know snowflakes aren't red - but you know red is my favorite color - so I had to make one!  I really love the turquoise-y one in the center, but it's not mine!

We had lots of fun making all of these, and made many great memories at the same time.

I forgot to mention in my last post that I was the winner of Janet O's giveaway!  I was so excited to win!  She made this cute little quilt - I love everything about it, and doesn't that stripe just make for the perfect binding? I also love her homemade soaps - they smell sooooo good.

She also sent some of the Floral Gatherings fabric by Primitive Gatherings - but somehow I managed to not get that in the picture!  Thanks again Janet - I just love it all!


I did actually finish something before Christmas - this table mat called Old St. Nick, by Primitive Gatherings, has been in my stash closet since last Christmas.  I was just determined to finish it before this Christmas, and boy, it was a close one!  The last stitch was put in on December 23rd!  Love that red wool!

And also finished long before Christmas (why did I not post this stuff sooner??) is this baby quilt that I made for friends who have a new baby girl.  She was born right after Thanksgiving and I actually had this little quilt FINISHED before her birth.  But then, some things got in the way and I haven't been able to get the quilt to them or to see that new little baby.  But, they have it now and I hope to see the baby in the near future!  This pattern is called Ziggy Baby by Cluck Cluck Sew.  I bought the pattern and all of the fabric at Inspirations, in Hills, IA.  Just love her shop!

I also put some new jewelry on my website this morning.  It was looking a little bare after all of the Christmas sales (thank you all very much!).  Here are a couple new things...
The first 2 are 1" x 1 1/2" - this shape has been really popular - we were sold out of them for quite awhile, but now have a few online.

 The next 2 were made with some pretty, pink breast cancer ribbon fabric that was given to me by a friend.  I made a few that she is going to donate to Relay for Life next year, and then a few to sell.  I think I will also donate a couple more pieces when Relay happens this summer.

And one last picture - you know I rarely have a post without a furry face in it!  Callie and Ozzie got a present for Christmas that they both LOVE!  It has an arm with colorful feathers, that moves around under this circle of nylon fabric.  It moves at all different intervals and directions, and has really captured their attention!  They were not happy campers over Christmas, as they had to share their house with my 2 grandoggers!  Wish they would learn to live in harmony, but it hasn't happened yet!
Ok, it's time for me to go stand by the fireplace - I am FREEZING!

Hope you all have a great week!

9 comments:

  1. Brrrr! It's not that cold here in Nashville, but it's pretty darn cold and the snow if falling like crazy :) Congrats on the win from Janet O - her soaps are amazing! Love your little wool table mat! It was worth waiting for :*)

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  2. What a pretty sunrise, Julie! I get sunsets from my sewing room.
    Love the snowflakes--what a cool idea. I've never seen anything like that before.
    That is such a great Santa mat. Every time I see it anywhere I wonder why I haven't bought the pattern yet.
    Have you seen the post on Lisa B.'s blog yet today? : (
    Really nice pink ribbon jewelry--great idea!
    It is so fun to watch cats play with that thing!
    It sounds very cold there. Luckily, we are expected to get clear up to 31 degrees today. We are having a warm spell. : )

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  3. The snowflakes are really pretty. I have to say I'm glad not to have real snow although we may have some before winter is out!

    Happy New Year!

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  4. LOVE those snowflakes! Can you take a close up of one? I would love to see how you put them together. I have never seen stained glass like that! What fun! Darling baby quilt as well! So cute! Talk to you soon!

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  5. What a spectacular morning view from your sewing room window! I enlarged the picture of the snowflakes...WOW! They are really special! Janet's goodies are so perfect, aren't they? So happy you got that baby quilt done BEFORE the arrival... I remember you were worried about that! It's darling! I have to get one of those crazy cat toys for Buddy... then maybe he would leave my spools of thread alone!!! Stay warm!

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  6. I am sitting here freezing and it's 60 degrees. LOL!!! Stay warm!

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  7. The snowflakes inside and out are gorgeous, Julie! Hope you're not buried even more by now! Gracie May and Sasha are jealous of the cat toy with the feather - their's doesn't have a feather!
    Cheers!

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  8. Love your finishes, especially that darling penny rug! And congrats on winning that sweet little quilt. I always enjoy seeing your new jewelry creations. And a funny sidenote--my two kitties received that same toy for Christmas! Tom's parents gave it to them. teddy loves it and Poe is scared of it.

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  9. All kinds of loveliness in this post!!

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