Christmas Countdown Cheer

Greetings friends - I'm so happy you are visiting with me during the holiday season! Today, I am back with more creative Christmas inspiration - I am sharing more of my recent creations for the Poppie Cotton Christmas Countdown Challenge (in case you missed my first post, here is a link). A few details: Poppie Cotton created a very fun word prompt list beginning on December 1st - each day, you can use the word as a prompt to create something and post an image(s), tagging them for a chance to win prizes - you can participate as little or as often as you like. You can visit their Instagram page post for all the details...and visit their website for a downloadable list, a coloring page and Santa templates! I have been participating on most days and have enjoyed my time creating holiday projects - it is helping me get in the Christmas spirit, while I am still under the weather and bogged down with work catch-up. 

Here are five more days of Christmas Countdown creativity....

Day 8 - Snowman

I *had to* post "Flurry Friends," one of my favorite original winter cross stitch designs. You can find the pattern (which has the larger focal design and two bonus single snowman designs) in both paper format and digital format in my Etsy shop. 

Day 10 - Candy Cane

I created these sweet ornaments...fabric birdies each holding their own candy cane, using fabric from the Goose Creek Gardens collection - they make me happy!! I have had quite a few requests, so may write a pattern for creating these sweet birds...

Day 11 - Christmas Tree

I couldn't decide between two of my creative projects - so I will share both. First is my classic cross stitch design "Just Add Tinsel"...a wrapped present needlebook, star pinkeep, and scissor fob ~ along with a unique stitched tree, completely made of linen (with stitched sides, bottom and interior, as well) to hold them! This classic design with complete finishing instructions is available in my Etsy Shop in both paper format and digital format.

My second share for the prompt Christmas tree - a couple needlebooks I created using the Farmhouse Favorites fabric collections, hand-dyed trims from Lady Dot Creates, mini buttons and star pins. These were made playing around in my studio without a pattern or a plan...🎄

Day 13 - Christmas Chicken

I'm not really a "chicken person" but wanted to challenge myself, so I made this cheerful Christmas chicken mini quilt, using the Betsy's Sewing Kit collection along with hand-dyed trims from Lady Dot Creates (her chenille and rick rack were perfection for this project). Again, this was created playing around in my studio without a pattern or a plan...🐓🧣🎄

Day 14 - Neighbor Gift

One of my favorite gifts I created for a neighbor is a oven mitt set with wooden spoons and a dish towel. These oven mitts were made from the Daisy Mae collection and were paired with a large wooden spoon, two tasting spoons and a flour sack towel...all tied with a ribbon….

I hope these creative ideas will get you in the holiday mood and provide some inspiration and Christmas cheer! I have more posts up my sleeve for the coming days leading up to Christmas, so look for those on my social media pages...

For now, it is back to work - I am feeling quite overwhelmed with client orders after my time away in New Zealand and recovering from a terrible case of the flu (I am much better, but yes, I still have a nasty cough!)...so I am busy from morning until night in the studio. Today, I made some updates to my website - I am so proud of my new website that I built (completely from scratch, by myself) this year - if you haven't visited, please take a look! I also had a pile of paperwork and computer work to get done this afternoon - the list is never-ending right now. I'll be back again soon to share some of the projects that have been on my work table...

Thank you for spending a little time with me - I hope you are finding some joy this holiday season!

Warm Winter Wishes

Countdown to Christmas (BRD-077)
Ready to turn the piece for today...

Greetings friends! It is a chilly day here in Iowa - perfect for spending a little time at the sewing machine or curled up with a cross stitch project. It has been a whirlwind of creativity in my studio the last month - finishing up freelance jobs, custom finishing, and special holiday orders...and trying to fit my own handmade gifts in the mix. I am happy to say I finished up all my big deadlines last week and finished up my holiday gifts over the weekend...and I am now down to just a few projects that were not included in the holiday rush (those who are waiting, thank you for your patience)...whew! The last few packages are shipping today...and I am ready to get the house cleaned up and ready for Christmas...and get the last few items checked off my Christmas list. I managed to hang all my framed Christmas cross stitch pieces and place a few decorative bowls with holiday ornaments and smalls throughout the house...yes, I know, I have been saying it for too many years to count - I *need* to get a tree to display my cross stitch ornament collection which has surpassed well-over 100 stitched ornaments (one day, I a tree will be in the budget, but until then, I will find creative ways to display the ornaments throughout the house).

I want to thank everyone who voted for my video in the Husqvarna Viking #sewworthit contest to win a Designer Epic (my dream sewing and embroidery machine). I placed third in votes (VERY close to second place when the contest abruptly ended)...and while they encouraged everyone to make creative videos, the contest was based on the most votes - so, I will be receiving the runner-up prize - a $500 prize package of sewing notions and supplies, which we all know I can definitely use...so a HUGE thank you for voting and supporting my entry - I truly appreciate it! While my dream didn't come true, my heart is full from all the love and support I received...thank you SO MUCH - I may not be blessed with the sewing machine of my dreams, but I am truly blessed to have great people in my life that support my creative passions! I'll be sure to post a photo of my prize package when it arrives.

Here are a few photos of things I can share (including some recent shots of some of my Christmas cross stitch models)...more details on a couple of these will be posted in the near future...

Peppermint Twist (BRD-076)

Just Add Tinsel (BRD-089)

A machine applique Americana design in progress...

Poinsettias and Pines (BRD-059) 

A custom order Stitch Starter Ruler Sleeve with my BRD Stitch Starter Ruler...

A new pattern I created for AccuQuilt - the GO! Piece of My Heart Strip Quilt
I will post more details very soon....

My "All Bundled Up" Fabric Baskets
Details coming soon along with a full tutorial on the
AccuQuilt Blog later this month...stay tuned....

I'm off to work on some custom orders and a few new items for my Etsy shop...then some household chores...and tonight I will be in my cozy stitching nest working on a new design model. I hope you are enjoying the holiday season and (if you are in the COLD zone) keeping warm!

Merry Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas Eve to my family, friends, and followers! It is a quiet holiday in our home...I spent the day running errands, cleaning, and doing a little preparation for Christmas dinner tomorrow (my husband's parents will be joining us for a celebratory meal). I plan to spend this evening in my stitching nest - with a fire in the fireplace - a movie - and a nice glass of wine (I'm hoping my husband will make it home to join me!).

To the right you see a photo of me as a little girl opening a Christmas present..this makes me happy and fills my heart with the Christmas spirit!

Below is a little Christmas collage that includes many Blue Ribbon Designs holiday favorites....

Merry Christmas to those celebrating - wishing you a blessed and magical holiday! May you find joy in the celebration, beauty in your surroundings, and love in your heart...

Pair of Precious Pillows

Finally, a beautiful sunny day here in Iowa...I am feeling much better...getting a bunch of work accomplished and deadlines fulfilled...the new designs are finally in printing production...and I have reached 100 blog followers (THANK YOU FOR FOLLOWING)...it is a great day!

The last three days have been spent working on getting the new designs published...and this time, there was a bit of a challenge with the covers - but now, the proofs have been finalized and the printing is underway. This was a very large print order, but I am confident my printing company has it under control and I should have the new designs in my hand by the end of the day on Friday...then the *fun* begins...my weekend will be spent bagging thousands of charts, filling invoices, packaging and shipping...all in an effort to get my new charts to your favorite needlework shop as soon as possible.

I finished stitching the model for my SYHO Designer Encyclopedia this morning...it was a bit of a challenge to work with a 50 x 50 stitch count for me...but I am quite happy with this small design and look forward to sharing it with you in the future! I am now excited to work on teaching designs for 2010 and new pieces for the Nashville Needlework Market in February.
(By the way, have you heard - I will be teaching at the first New Endland Stitchers' Retreat in conjunction with ABC Stitch Therapy in June 2010 - I am super excited about this!!)

Yesterday, I took a couple hours to test two new machine embroidery designs for Shelli at Needle In A Haystack Stitchery; two beautiful Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness files - one has the ribbon filled with embroidery - the other the ribbon is applique'. I enjoyed finishing these two designs into a pair of pillows. The applique' was embroidered on wool felt (and the ribbon is wool felt)....and the ribbon fill design was embroidered on quilted cotton with rick rack for an embellishment. The fabric for the borders is one of my favorites (Karen Neuburger - 2006 Pink Ribbon Signature Fabric) and I have been holding on to it for quite some time, waiting for the perfect project! These will make very special gifts....plus taking a couple hours to sew was (again) great therapy for me!

...and although October (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) has quickly come and gone, we all still need to be proactive....PLEASE do your monthly breast self-exams and your yearly mammogram - early detection is key!

A Couple VERY Good Things....

First of all - I think I am finally getting over the flu virus...at least I see a light at the end of the tunnel. Thank you to those who have sent me well wishes...healing vibes...and cold remedies! I feel better than I have in several weeks...I am down to just a dry cough and very sore throat...and I have actually accomplished some much needed work today...which brings me to my second "good thing"...

I cannot begin to tell you how I excited I am to share this with you...a sneak peek of "Just Add Tinsel"...a new design coming out in the next couple weeks...and you are seeing it here first! I have been doing my best to keep this design and idea a secret for quite some time...and now, here it is, just as I imagined. It is a needlework tree-shaped box (made from/stitched on 32-count Green Slate fabric by Lakeside Linens) and a set of three needlework smalls (stitched on 32-count Sand Dune fabric by Lakeside Linens). This design has been in the works since last fall...and turned out exactly as I envisioned. The lid of the tree-shaped box has a place to keep your threads (mother of pearl thread rings by Kelmscott Designs) and can be attached to the box, if so desired - I left mine unattached, but directions are included for attaching it to the "trunk" of the tree....and the inside base of the box has a stitching surprise - birds decorating a feather tree. The needlework smalls include a star-shaped pinkeep, a scissor fob, and a needlebook tied to look like a present! See, all your tree needs is a little tinsel. Finishing/stitching instructions are included for all pieces. I am finishing up the design files today and meet with my printer tomorrow morning, so if I goes well, I will be shipping the three new designs to automatic shops and distributors late next week...keep an eye on my website for specific details. I will be posting additional photos and design materials/specifics over the next couple days....please be patient...

"Just Add Tinsel" Sneak Peek

Happy Saturday friends and followers!

It has been a rough couple weeks trying to get rid of the flu...it is still hanging on, but I am starting to feel a little better each day....thank you to all who have sent me well wishes. H1N1 is no joke, so make sure you are washing your hands, getting plenty of rest, and taking good care of yourself...

On to new design news...it has been slow going, but I am finally ready to start the finishing work on "Just Add Tinsel". I am hoping to have it completed this weekend and to the printer on Monday or Tuesday, so I can get the new designs to a needlework shop near you in the next couple weeks. For now, here are a couple sneak peeks of the design...and to give you a little idea of what it is all about - remember "Creepy Crawly" (the Halloween needlework casket I released last year)??...well, think same idea, but a for the holidays...obviously, the shape is different (it will not be a casket)...think something more Christmas themed...and there are matching smalls...just a teaser until I get the finishing work done...I will be sharing a complete photo with you real soon....

Until the next post, stay healthy...and have a great weekend!