Snowman Love!

The weather here in Iowa has been mild this winter (knock on wood) - temperatures have been cold, but not bitter...and there is not a drop of snow or ice on the ground (totally unbelievable)...in fact, I have still been walking Simba over 2 miles a day - I just bundle up. So, today when this snowman pincushion/scissor holder arrived in my mailbox, it gave me a nice touch of winter! Isn't he adorable??! He was sent to me by my dear friend Terri in IL - Terri and I met over our love of stitching, when she emailed me years ago about a design idea - we quickly found out that I have relatives that live in her hometown (small world) - and we met face to face shortly after...now we are the best of friends and keep in touch weekly....and whenever I visit my relatives, we make plans for a day. Our friendship now goes beyond our love of needlework and I can't imagine my life without her! This week she sent me the most adorable holiday package with a snowman theme - the pincushion/scissor holder, a pair of scissors, a snowman hat pin, a snowman needle nanny, and a snowman trivet...and each item was wrapped and placed in a wonderful Christmas box....very fun! The snowman pincushion was made by Kathleen at Fat Cat Crafts - I was not familiar, so a quick Google search led me to her Etsy Shop and blog. Her pincushions are super adorable...and Terri asked her to add a scissor sheath to the back of my snowman, which is perfect! How is that for a wonderful Christmas surprise??

Also arriving in my mailbox today was a wonderful book that I must share with you. It was sent to me from my dear friend Sue in NY - Sue and I met at a Stitcher's Hideaway Retreat in 2010 and then again at the New England Stitcher's Retreat this past October. Sue's smile is contagious and her loving personality make her a true joy to be around - I love her dearly....in fact, I can't wait to see her again next October! This book was a complete surprise - I had no idea it was on the way...and it is absolutely perfect for me. This book is from The Workbasket magazine and is called "Sewing Workbook"....it is full of handy hints, helpful guides, and place to log all about your sewing projects - kind of like a diary for a seamstress. This workbook provides places to sketch, plan projects, log inspiration, file away fabrics, and keep track of all the projects you make...and it is filled with vintage illustrations and suggestions from vintage Workbasket articles. It is a nice size at 6"W x 8.5" H - perfect for carrying along on a shop hop or quilting trip. I plan to make great use of this handy little book!

So there you have it, several more wonderful gift ideas, brought to you by two more members of my close circle of friends - I hope they spark an interest and inspire you!

I will be getting together with my two BFFs, Merry and Kimber, on Wednesday for our annual holiday get together. I can't wait to share with you the projects I made for them this year and tell you all about our luncheon...