TO ALL............

May the spirit of Christmas bring you peace,

The gladness of Christmas give you hope,

The warmth of Christmas grant you love.

~Author Unknown

To all who visit my blog may you truly enjoy the love

that Christmas brings.

CHRISTMAS RUSH.

I have done it again.... so please with what I stitched for my friend Ann that I rushed it off to the post before I took a photo. It was for our Stitching friends exchange... and I thought I had found the perfect design to stitch for Ann, when in a conversation I learnt that she had found the same design and was stitching it not only for her exchange partner but also for herself. The challenge for this exchange was a flatfold with a Christmas tree design on it and I had chosen JBW Designs "Christmas Motif Sampler".... the search was then on for another design to stitch and it was quite a while before I found just the right one. I decided on "Joyeux Noel" found on http://www.mingiustitch.com/.  and by then I was running late hence the rush to the post. ( Ann has promised to send me a photo after the Christmas rush.

This is not the first time I have done this with a gift for Ann, I did the same thing when I sent her a birthday gift this year, however I did get the opportunity  to take some photos later and will share them with you now.
The construction idea for the needle book was inspired by one seen on.Danybrod's blog and I used the peacock cross stitch pattern from a bag I did in a CA Wells workshop some years ago. The lovely Peacock pin is from the Just Nan's collection.         I have plans to use this idea again.

Back veiw.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

And I have received some delightful gifts and surprises. Firstly from Joan, my exchange partner in our "Stitching Friends"  flat fold exchange. The challenge was a flat fold showing a stitched Christmas tree.
Joan had stitched one of JBW Designs Sampler Trees, and what I love along with her very neat stitching is the very tiny stars decorating the tree, the finish is just perfect.

Next to arrive was a  packet  from America. Thank you  Annie (of Annie Bebop's Coloring Book Blog)

for such a lovely surprise, although its summer here snowmen are always welcome and if I look outside there is still a little snow on the mountain but with warm weather is could disappear soon.

Here are close ups of the decoration and the card. don't you just love the teddy bear, I do

Last night Naomi from "Stitching Friends Group" popped in with a surprise gift and when opened  it was this tiny angel, she is so tiny and has such a lovely stitch hair do ...the photo does not truly show her off.

I can see me making some of these next year. Thank you Naomi for this tiny treasure..

This mornings mail brought a parcel from Argentina and my EMS Forum  exchange partner.along with the card letter and the Jolly Santa was a small bag of sweets....  I wondered when the parcel arrived why It had be opened by the MAF inspectors, they must have gotten a smile when the saw what was inside.... it passed inspection  and made it to me. thank you Laurita.

And now its my turn to give away a Christmas gift. We had a fun draw here with my writing down the names of the friends who left comments to my last post and folding them up and tossing them on the floor and asking Paul to pick one up.................................................the lucky person is Laurie who is also the newest member of my Followers on my blog. Laurie please contact me with name and address so I can pop your parcel in the post.

THREADS and TEDDIES

This is the lovely collection of threads from my shopping in Auckland, they are hand dyed Chameleon Threads  from South Africa. I bought mostly Perle 12 with a few stranded cotton and some Perle 8. The photo does not show the lovely subtle shading in the skeins.

I have been using them for my Christmas project, this year I designed  a project for the younger girls (8 & 9 yr olds) in our Junior Embroiderers Group,  a simple Christmas stocking (7cm high) using back stitch and chain stitches with beads, ribbon and braid. Here on the left is Darrian's stocking, when their stocking is finished I  add the tiny Teddy Bear for them. It worked out so well I made some using the Perle 12 threads and a slight variation in the stitch size.

Don't you like this line up....most  will be posted out tomorrow however one will go in a draw for my blog friends, so leave a comment between now and December 8th and it could be on its way to you.