Top Ten Books 2014

I only read 37 books this year......that is not very many.  I think stitching and napping cut into my reading time.  But that is okay, as I had fun nonetheless!  

Here are the top ten books I read this year.  I highly recommend each and everyone of them!!!

You can click on the book cover to be taken to a description of the book.

Please let me know what some of your best reads of 2014 were!

Here is to more great reads in 2015!!!!

Christmas time Antique-ing with Mom!

 My Mom and I went to a great new to us antique shop yesterday.  Antiques of Winfield, in Winfield, IL.  Before I get to that story though, please note the fabulous Christmas ornament I received in our Christmas ornament exchange from my friend Karin!  What a sweet ornament!!! It is designed by Little House Needleworks and is such a treasure!  Thank you Karin for stitching such a beauty!

 Our trip to the antique store yesterday was just what you would expect from a great shop around Christmas time.  Full of fun Christmas ideas and surprises around every turn.  My Mom and I were just delighted to be so inspired and given so many ideas for future decorating.  Above are some Shiny Brite boxes.....the idea this gave me was to decorate the inside of the box with a little Christmas scene.  Alas, we did not purchase any of the boxes.....but someday!

 I saw this darling graphic on a cleanser can on a shelf.  It reminded me of my friend Karin who is Dutch.

 This shelf was just darling.....I would love to decorate it with a small village scene.

 Another great idea.....and also, everything is better with Baker's twine!

 I love the idea of just putting a ribbon around red and green books.  Have to be on the lookout for some.

 Sweet old Christmas card.

 This blackboard art with ornaments was just too, too sweet!!!!!!!!! 

 Marshall Field & Company boxes were all about.  What sweet memories of Christmas past.  I miss that store so much!

 This is not Christmas per se...but we love M.A. Hadley pieces and this platter was something else!

 Sweet old Christmas boxes.

 We found this dresser and both coveted it for a craft room!!!! 

 We found this little jello mold for $2.00.  There were two of them so we each got one to fill with jingle bells!

 I just love this Danish china pattern.

 This teapot was so beautiful!  We left it behind....but if it seen after Christmas on sale....all bets are off!  I would love to put a little Christmas tree in it.

 Here is another sweet teapot.  I love the bells at the top.

 This was a little needlepoint round box....I would love to have this design made up for cross-stitch.  Love!!!

 My Mom is on the lookout for little village pieces like this that are not so expensive.  Anyone have a source?

 What a darling vignette!

Another crafting idea.......styrofoam tree shapes covered with great fabric!!!  Next year!!!!

We had a fabulous mother/daughter day!  This is what Christmas is about for me...magic times with Mom! 

Stitching and stamping

I have been stitching turkeys lately!!!  I found these two charts and could not wait to stitch either of them.  They are both just super fabulous!!!!

The top chart is from Jenny at Country Rustic Primitives.  I cannot say enough about how great her designs are!!!!!!  Click HERE to go check out her charts.  They are without a doubt impossible to resist!!!

This turkey sampler is from an older chart....but it is so right up my alley.  Love the whole look and the threads for it.  I am hoping to frame it exactly as the chart shows.  

 I have stuck with my card making mojo too.  I am using up vintage images from books and magazines that I have been hoarding for years (and I mean years!) to make cards.  They look so great with patterned paper.

I also reordered some Gamsol.  This is a liquid that you can use with colored pencils to make any image look like an artist did it.  Love!!!!

It sure makes me happy to spend time with my hobbies and the friends I have that love them too!!!  

Everything Old is New Again

I have been intrigued by my stamp room again!  Which is a good thing because I have so very many stamps and mountains of supplies!  I signed up to take a class using Copic Markers.  So I got out some images to practice with.  The above stamp was lots of fun to color and I think the image is adorable.

 I added some vintage wallpaper as a background to make this into a card.

 Above and below are my first two practice runs.  The class starts tomorrow.  I think I will be learning a lot and I love to watch other people's art process.  

Here is a link to the class in case you want to check it out:  Online Card Classes.  I have taken the classes before and they are Top Notch!!!!  and Fun!

 After some coloring and stamping I went back to one of my favorite styles....combing great patterned paper with vintage images.  I have two tons of vintage ephemera and have been hoarding it for years.  I finally decided just to use it!!!!!  It felt great.  I need to reduce my hoard!!!

Looking forward to trying to balance stamping and stitching.....and reading and napping!!! 

Karin Moved to New York - The Cross-Stitch Gang is Very Sad

I don't know if you heard the seismic shift in the cosmos.......but there was a collective groan let out in Illinois this summer.  Our dearest best buddy Karin has moved to New York.  Her wonderful husband is now heading up the Midtown Manhattan Hilton and so the fabulous Dutch family has headed East.  But before Karin left we made sure to make the most of every minute we spent together....as we have been doing for the past many years that we have known each other.  

But before we get too, too sad, we definitely give thanks for the world we live in now where we can be connected at all times by texting, Facebook and e-mail!  We are also thankful that Karin will be able to come back at least a couple of times a year for our stitching weekends (that we absolutely live for!!!)

So, we had an official last get together recently at Pat's wonderful abode.  First of all, we had a surprise for Karin.  We stitched this fabulous BBD design with all of our initials on it and we are going to ask that Jill Rensel frame it so it will be extra over the top special!!!!!

 Our other gift to Karin was put together fabulously by Patti.....she got together the many pictures of our times together and made this fabulous memory book for Karin!!!  Above is the cover. 

 Here is Karin looking through the many pages of happy happy memories!!!

 Then, surprise!!!!!!  Patti had books made for each of us!  I could have just wept with joy to be able to look through this book over and over and over again!!!! How thoughtful.

We had a photo shoot so each gal could have their picture taken with the stitcher of the hour.  Here is Pat and Karin.  Note all the delightful pieces of stitching and quilting that Pat has around her lovely home.  Sigh......

 Karin and Brenda.

 Karin and Patti.

 Kellie and Karin.

 Karin and Teresa.

 Karin and Linda.

Karin and me. 

Here is what it looks like when we sit around the table.  There is show and tell of stitch projects in abdundance.  There are phone and ipads to look up new projects.  There are drinks and snacks.  There is love, joy, and so much friendship.  We are so blessed to have each other and to be able to share our passion of stitching together.  We have been through a lot together and we will be through a lot more in the future.  We are a united front and we will always love each other very much.  So, you see, even though Karin is going to live in another state.....we are still very much together.  Always and forever, amen. 

Speaking of show and tell....Karin had some of her pieces framed and ready to take to New York.

 Florry Hollands by Pineberry Lane. 

 A lovely older Prairie Schooler.

Krissy Nelson by La D Da.

There just could not be a post without some stitching right?

So, to sum it all up.  We are really, really, really sad that we can't see Karin at the drop of the hat....but that won't stop us from always being close in spirit and thought.

We love you Karin!  We wish you much joy in New York......we wish you lots of trips back to Illinois and here's to many more stitching memories!!!!