Coffee and Cross Stitch

So much to do...so little time....

I cannot believe we're creeping up on Christmas already.  I just can't believe it.  I had such ambitious goals for the Christmas season in terms of crafting and such...I can only hope I achieve one, let alone all of them.

On the list:
(ahem)

• Make Christmas cards to send out. (I've at least started this one...)
• Make ornament box toppers for everyone again. (This one...not so much...)
• Make Christmas cookies (Still have a bit of time before I have to start making the batters...)
• Make Advent wreath (again...not even an evergreen around that candle holder.  whoops.)
• Make Advent Calendar (this I have actually started, but found out I can't use my printer with my new computer.  this just flat-out sucks. dammit DELL. looks like the entire dinosaur computer AND printer is going out for trash.  boo.) 

And so ends the list of things I need to get started on before Christmas actually arrives.  

At least I have my mantle decorated :-)

It's an eclectic array of Byer's Choice "12 Days of Christmas" and Jim Shore.  Until I can find a place for all the Jim Shore stuff, this is how it'll stay.  And you're over it.

Ta Da!!

Ok so...I'm finally able to post a pic of the apron I made for my lil' sis for her birthday :-)

The best part?  She said when she opened it, that she just said to herself that she could use an apron!  Perfect timing by big sis!! :-)

I cropped the pic - I'm sure she'd kill me for posting the entire thing, since she's got a silly look on her face ;-)

Um....how a-dor-able are those ruffles?!!?  I had so much fun sewing this!!  The fabric colors turned out faboooo for a bright and cheery apron!!  I may just have to make more and post them to my etsy store which has all of, you know, nothing, in it right now.  Oh wait, there's a cross stitch pattern I'm trying to unload that no one else seems to want either.  (le sigh)

It's gonna be a rainy dreary day in Philly....so go forth and be crafty and creative!!

Give Thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving!!  Christmas has, unfortunately, taken over the entire last 3 months of the calendar year every year (don't get me wrong -- I LOVE Christmas -- but retail won't let us enjoy the most wonderful fall holidays anymore), but Thanksgiving is still a fabulous holiday :-)  Who can go wrong with all that turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes...the list goes on and on.

On this day, when we all come together on a day of rest, be thankful; be grateful.

(Click here for your copy of Plum Street Samplers' freebie!)

Love and stitches :-)

Sneak peak

Just a quick post here before I forget --

I'm currently sewing an oh-so-cute apron for my lil' sis (who's not quite so little anymore...in fact she's taller than me....but she'll always be my lil' sis :-)), and I just wanted to take a snippity snap and give you a sneak peek.

I'll post a pic of the entire thing once I give it to her :-)

Be creative today!

SMASH it.

Soo.....I need to tell you a little bit about my new favorite thing.

SMASH journals.

LOVE.

Now, I'm not one to sit and do "Dear Diary..." sessions...EVER...so that's not what these journals are all about.  It's a scrapbook journal, and I LOVE this idea.  These gems are from K&Company and are SO much fun to work with!!!

Have you ever been scrapbooking, and find yourself with leftover pictures that you l.o.v.e. but just don't have room for them, or they don't fit the theme ya got goin' on in the scrapbook (even though they were taken the same day or on the same vacation as all the rest of the pictures, but they still somehow just don't work.  how does this even happen, anyway??? i digress.), so you're left with these orphan pictures sitting on your project table.  

Enter SMASH journals.  They're themed, and all have pre-printed pages in them, and are just.so.fun.  I got the light blue "retro" themed one.  SO MUCH FUN.

Ok, so.  On the side of the journal is a pen.  Not just any pen, mind you...this pen has a GLUE STICK on the other end!  That way, when you're out, SMASH journal tucked neatly under your arm, just in case you find something awesome that you need to scrap, like NOW, and you're totally prepared!  You take whatever it is, grab the glue stick end of the pen, glue it, stick it, voila!  Awesome!!!!

I took a few snippy snaps of my SMASH journal, and since I've only just started on this journey, I don't have too much going on, but you can still get the idea.

I had a random Phillies sticker that I just could NOT part with, but had no clue what to do with it.  BOOM.

A perfect way to remember those special ball games aand concerts you attend.  This ticket is from the Navy v. Troy game I attended at the USNA and had a BLAST.  I DEFINITELY have to go back there and snag me a Naval Officer off the streets of Annapolis.  Just sayin'.

On the left, tickets to cool stuff in Italy and Spain; the right - Phillies @ Cubs when I got to go to Wrigley Field last year :-)  Aren't the pages cool?!  I thought they were fitting for my trips around the globe ;-)

Isn't this fun????  There are so many fun, funky SMASH goodies you can use to dress up your pages, like little envelopes, stickies, polka-dotted tape (um, yes.  awesome.), etc.  Go to the link I have up at the beginning of the post and check out this fun stuff!!

Go forth and be scrappy and creative!!!

Peeps!!! I finally figured it out!! I figured out how to allow you all to subscribe to my blog posts by email! Check out the right sidebar on my page and get your email updates!!

Love and stitches :-)

Eat, Drink, and be Scary...

Alright, peeps.  I know I'm a day late (and a dollar short) in sharing this, but better late than never, right???

I simply couldn't let a Halloween go by without sharing this rockin' finish with you all.  I did this two years ago (even though I just swore to myself it was only last year....good thing I date and sign all my work....) and absolutely love love love this.

It's called "Eat, Drink, and Be Scary" from Waxing Moon Designs.  I stitched this on 28 count Smokey Grey (LOVE THIS FABRIC -- I also used it for "Hiss" of "Eek, Boo, Hiss!") and used all the overdyed threads called for in the pattern.  If you've been following me for a while, you know it's very unusual for me to do that -- I'm always changing either fibers or the fabric from the sample.  I'm telling you, though, you CANNOT go wrong with Smokey Grey.  Just not possible.  Trust.

I would like to point out the fly ("I don't know why she swallowed a fly....perhaps she'll die...?") hanging precariously off the tip of the hat.  Also of note, the candy corns slighly askew amongst "Eat".  Love them.  Well, not literally.  I hate actual candy corn, in fact.  It's quite nasty.  Much like wax with a hint of sugar.  But not so waxy that they're like wax lips (remember those nizasty things??  Good God.), but just waxy enough that you feel like you just accidentally ate the wax drippings from a birthday candle that was allowed to burn just a smidge too long along with your gigantic forkful of cake and icing.  Ew.  No, no.  I'm talking about how much I love these little buttons.  And how about that bat at the bottom?  Awesome.  All of these are from Just Another Button Company and can be found at your LNS or you can find them and order online!  

Up next, since Halloween is officially over, a pretty Autumn piece I finished 2 years ago (again, would have sworn on my purple robe that I did this last year). 

This is a pretty Mill Hill piece that I got from one of their books, which I think can only be found online these days.  All full of pretty beads and treasures, I love hanging this where all can see.  It's not very big, but it definitely has a lot going on!  I love working with stitching band, too -- especially this one, since it has the lovely fall leaves on the sides to give it that added umph.

And how about that hanger!!  Awesome, right???  This can also be found online at Mill Hill.

Love that lil' acorn ;-)

I love how stitching band is SO EASY to work with, and gives you a fabooooo alternative to framing.  We all know how expensive framing can be, so having even just a few alternatives to framing your work, especially with something as simple as this, can make your work look just as beautiful, and sometimes, gives it an entirely different look altogether.  Stay tuned for more of my love affair with stitching band ;-)

Until then...do something cReATIve today and bask in the fall leaves and crisp air with some mulled cider (or better yet, mulled wine!! woop!)!!