Gifts and Stitching

I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Rex and I spent part of Christmas Day with my mom and I managed to do a little stitching as well. I worked a bit on Carol's quaker round robin.

First up is some stitching I completed. One thing I made into a pinkeep and the other I just stitched and haven't finished as of yet. Both are designs by Heart in Hand. I just love these cute little snowmen!

I also stitched up a Christmas ornament. The design is by Helga Mandl.





Now the gifts.....every year I always send my friend Lynne (no blog) in California something stitched by Lizzie Kate as Lizzie Kate is her favorite designer as well. So..this is a design that is featured in her latest Tiny Tidings leaflet. I think it turned out pretty good. Lynne also loves flavored coffee, like I do, so I sent her a package of that too.



Lynne doesn't have alot of time for stitching right now as she is a very busy mom and works full time so this year she sent me a gift subscription to any magazine of my choice so I choose the magazine All You. I have been picking it up at the store alot lately and really like it so thought a subscription would be nice. She also sent some lovely kitchen towels, which I love, and some peppermint bark too!



Next up is what I sent to Carol for her birthday. I wasn't able to take a pic of the birthday gift myself as the store packaged her gift for me. So if you copy and paste this link and it will take you to a pic of what I sent. http://www.ibloom.com/ItemNumber/400847_LittleHugsPlaque.aspx

Its an Isabel Bloom. They are very popular here in eastern Iowa as the company is based in Davenport, Iowa. Its very unique and wanted to send Carol something special this year. I have sevearl Isabel Blooms and just really love them.

I also sent Carol something for Christmas and chose a Blackbird Designs pattern from JCS ornament issue from last year. This was my first attempt at a stocking and I am really happy that it turned out so well. It really wasn't hard at all to do. So I see many more of these in my future! LOLOLOL I also sent a quaker coaster that I know she would also love and its in her favorite color --- BLUE!





Well, I think that about does it for today. I have stitch group here tomorrow so I need to be thinking of a dessert to serve, nothing sounds good right now and do some housecleaning.

I hope everyone has a great week and if I don't check back in..have a safe and happy new year!

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy stitching,
Wendy Jo

An Ornament Received and a Birthday Surprise Sent!

I participated in the Winter/Holiday/Christmas ornament exchange on the All Seasons Ornament Exchange blog and I received my ornament from Tracy yesterday. Tracy made me a cracker from an issue of the Gift of Stitching magazine. I love it! I am going to have to give making these a try, they are so cute!

Thanks so much Tracy and the card is cute too!




I also surprised my SIL, Jane. She is a dog lover and when my stitch group went on our road trip earlier this fall and paid a visit to Lizzie Kate's studio, I saw Linda had this all stitched up and was going to have it in the LNS soon, I knew it would be a perfect piece to stitch for Jane's birthday, which is next week.

This is my first piece ever to frame! I know...shocking! LOLOL (I must give some credit to Rex....he did cut the foam board!) It turned out great...Jane loves it..and I am a happy camper!

Happy birthday Jane!!


I am stitching on "snowy" things right now..no pics yet. I hope to have something to share soon. I also have a couple of Christmas gifts that are on their way to new homes so I also hope to be able to share pics of those as well very soon.

Thanks for stopping by and happy stitching.

Hugs,
Wendy Jo

Scented DMC Floss - Who Knew???

Earlier this year I participated in the Christmas in July exchange on the Hooked on Exchanging Blog and Lynn B. sent to me. Lynn had included in the package some "Secret Perfume" DMC floss! The package says "stitch and release the scent"...mmm I was quite fascinated with this! I had never heard nor seen this before. I mentioned to Lynn that I would like to try some again and....some more showed up in my mail last night! The scents Lynn sent were orange, lemon and toffee.

Thanks so much Lynn..you are such a sweetheart! I can't wait to give these a try too!



In other news....we now have some snow on the ground and a fair amount of it too! I can't remember how much we have gotten so far but we are to keep getting some throughout the day. Here is a pic of our wooded area in back of our home. This picture is taken from our windows in our living room. Its such a gorgeous view. I love that I can sit in my stitching chair and stitch away and look at this, which I think that is what I am going to do today after I do some cleaning.



Happy stitching!

Hugs,
Wendy Jo

Exchanges.& Exchanges & a Birthday Gift!

I have a few to share that have been received and sent onto their new homes.

The first one is from the Stitching Exchange Blog's Anything Christmas Exchange. I stitched for Elisa and she was really happy with the design I choose. I stitched LK's Ready, Set, Snow.


I received my ornament from Maggee and I just LOVE it to pieces! I love snowmen and she couldn't have picked a cuter design. Thanks so much Maggee!


Next is the Christmas exchange on the Exchange Heaven blog. I stitched Joy by LK for Lindsay. I also sent Lindsay some notecards too.I am glad Lindsay likes what I sent.



I received from Carol H. and she stitched a cute little snowman and sent a cute bunny rubber stamp. I am looking forward to adding this to my tree this year. Thanks so much Carol!


Then there is the Holiday/XmasWinter exchange on the All Seasons Ornament blog. I sent an ornament to Tracy and what did I decide to stitch..well a design by LK of course!(Gotta keep that theme going!) The design is from one of her Tiny Tidings. I am glad Tracy likes the ornament, it was fun to stitch.


I believe all I have is one ornament coming my way and I think all the exchanges will be completed for the year.

Cathy had a birthday recently so I decided to stitch a little snowman fob for her. She e-mailed me and said she just loves it..so glad to hear that! Its a design from HIHN from the monthly markings series. Happy Birthday Cathy!



I have been working on some Christmas things for myself and plan to play with my sewing maching alittle bit this weekend and hoping it behaves itself..sometimes it can be so temperamental!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Happy stitching and hugs,

Wendy Jo

A Christmas Ornament from Germany!

My ornament from the exchange on the Friends Through Friends blog arrived yesterday. Kerstin stitched me an ornament using motifs from a German designer "Liebevolle Kreuzstichentwijrfe". It is really very pretty and finished perfect too! (Kerstin said this was her first time making an ornament, I sure couldn't tell). The ornament came in such a cute little bag too.

Thanks for a lovely exchange Kerstin.





Thanks so much for the well wishes on the migraines. I am doing much better. They usually have been kept under pretty good control.

I wish all my US friends a Happy Thanksgiving. Rex and I plan to have my mom come down for dinner and other than that, just a quiet day at home.

They are forecasting snow showers on Thursday so that might just put me in the mood to start pulling out the Christmas decorations. Seems like everyone around town here has their Christmas lights AND Christmas tree up and all lit up! I feel like we need to get busy! So we will see.

Thanks for stopping by.

Happy stitching!

Wendy Jo

2 Ornaments Received & A Finish

Kerstin received the ornament I sent from the Friends through Friends ornament exchange. I stitched Kerstin the Littlehouse Needleworks pattern from the 2009 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue.

I am so glad you like it Kerstin, I enjoyed stitching it for you.



I also participated in the ornament exchange on the Exchange Heaven blog and we were to also send a non-stitching gift as well. So in addition to a lovely snowman ornament Carol H. also sent a cute bunny rubber stamp!

Thanks for a lovely exchange Carol!


Here is a pic of Gobble Gobble by JBW Designs. I did get it stitched but not "finished" or ironed! I am not sure if he will become a pillow or a pinkeep.


I have been battling migraines the last few days so I haven't done much stitching. Just today I am feeling a bit more like myself just not much energy.

Thanks for stopping by and happy stitching.

Wendy Jo

A Christmas Ornament Arrives!

I participated in an ornament exchange on the Friends through Friends blog and I received my ornament from Joan and I just love what she sent and the finish is so pretty!

Joan stitched a freebie design (designer unknown) and used DMC variegated floss 4210. All in red...my favorite color to boot!

I'm looking forward to putting this on my tree, which will be here before we known it!

Thanks so much Joan.



I have spent the past couple of days stitching Gobble Gobble by JBW as I had been eyeing that pattern in my pile for a couple of weeks so I decided I am just going to get it stitched before Thanksgiving and I actually should have that finished later today. Then its back to my Christmas stitching and I should have some pics next week to share.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and thanks for stopping by. I really do appreciate it and thanks so much for the compliments.

Hugs,
Wendy Jo

A P.I.F and LK Exchange Arrive!

I received a couple of packages that I have to share.

First, a P.I.F. (pay it forward) from Carol S. Earlier this year I signed up for a P.I.F. on Carol's blog and I received a lovely Christmas ornament from her! Its from JBW Designs called "Peace on Earth". It is so cute! I can't wait to put it on my tree! Thanks so very much Carol!



The next package was from the Lizzie Kate exchange blog I participated in. I received a lovely pillow from Brenda. I haven't had an opportunity to stitch this chart yet so I was tickled to receive this. Thanks so much Brenda for a lovely exchange!


I am all done with my Christmas exchanges and gifts and they are ready for mailing so I am now just working on some things for myself which is nice. I hope to be able to show some things shortly.

Thanks for stopping by and happy stitching.

Hugs,
Wendy Jo

Because Its Pink Exchange & LK Exchange

I participated in the Because Its Pink Exchange on the Hooked on Exchanging blog and today my exchange arrived from Jayne P.!

Jayne stitched me a Dinky Dyes limited edition design, made it into a scissors slide (one side of the design reads "Love, Laugh, Survive Thrive") and included a pair of scissors. Jayne also sent some wonderful gum as well.

Thanks so much Jayne for a wonderful exchange. I love it!



I also participated in an exchange on the Lizzie Kate Exchange Blog. I stitched "Stitching Forever..Housework Whenever" for Eileen and finished it into a pinkeep. I am so glad Eileen likes the exchange. It was fun to stitch.

Here are some pics:



Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,
Wendy Jo

Exchange Sent and Received

Chris H. let me know she received the breast cancer exchange I sent her from the Hooked on Exchanging blog. I stitched Chris a freebie pattern from Cosmic Handmade called Breast Cancer Awareness and I finished it into a pinkeep. I also sent Chris some other goodies as well. I'm glad you like the exchange Chris, I enjoyed stitching for you.

Here are some pics:



I received my autumn ornament exchange from Alison last night from the All Seasons Ornament Exchange blog and it is so pretty! Alison noticed on my blog that I love the color red and said that blackberries reminded her of fall. So she stitched some for me from one of her favorite magazines "New Stitches" issue 53. She stitched the design on sparkly evenweave with silk mill thread and finished it into a pinkeep. She also put my initial on the back. So very pretty!

Thanks very much Alison for a gorgeous pinkeep!!

Here are some pics!



Well I have only 2 exchanges left to stitch and then I can start on my gifts so I think I am doing pretty good!

Thanks for stopping by and thanks for all the lovely commnets...I do appreciate them very much.

Happy stitching.

Hugs,
Wendy Jo

Harvest Time Exchange from Lisa!

I got a lovely exchange from Lisa V. yesterday that really brightened my day (which I desperately needed). It was an exchange from the Stitching Exchange's Harvest Time exchange. Lisa stitched Bent Creek's "Giving Thanks" on 32 ct. Sand Minster linen and used DMC floss and finished it into a cute pinkeep.

Lisa also included some fabric that I already have a project to use it on.

Thanks so much Lisa, I love my exchange and thanks for brightening my day!




Hope everyone has a nice weekend and thanks for stopping by.

Hugs,
Wendy Jo

LHN "Pumpkins" Arrives to Gillie

I participated in the Harvest Time exchange on the Stitching Exchange blog and Gillie was the recipient and she was very happy with it. I painted the pins with some copper paint I got at Hobby Lobby and made it into a pinkeep. I also included some autumn colored threads.

Here are some pics:





I am so glad you like the exchange Gillie..it was a fun stitch!

I am mailing out my Lizzie Kate exchange tomorrow so hopefully will have pics to put up shortly for that.

I am awaiting the arrival of Carol's rr and have until the new year to work on and to mail. In the meantime, I will continue working on Christmas exchanges and start working on Christmas gifts. I can't believe Christmas will be here very shortly.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs and happy stitching,
Wendy Jo

Exchanges Sent Out Are Received

Alison sent me an e-mail that she received the fall ornament that I sent her for the All Seasons Ornament Exchange. I designed to stitch her JBW's Autumn Pumpkin. Here is a pic:



I am glad you like it Alison..I enjoyed stitching it for you.

The next exchange I sent was to Lynn B. for the Hooked on Exchanging Halloween Exchange. Lynn e-mailed me to let me know it arrived and she likes it! I stitched Lynn Waxing Moon's The Spooks Are Out. I also sent a LHN pattern that she didn't have and a fat quarter. Here are some pics:




I also completed my section of the Emblem of Love rr I am participating in. I stitched on Margaret's piece and she used some lovely red thread! Very pretty. Now it will be on its way to Edgar tomorrow!

Here is a pic:


Now I will be contining working on my Christmas exchanges and some other gifts and hopefully working in a few things for myself too.

Thanks for stopping by.

Hugs and happy stitching.
Wendy Jo