Finished Decorating and My Sweet Ballerina

 The stockings were hung by the chimney with care, in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there....  Happy holidays!  I've finally got the house decorated.  Well, not as much as I usually do but this year either sneaked up on me too quick or I've been extra busy every since I retired!    This tree is in the family room and called "the bear tree".  It's sitting on a red child's sled.

 Took a little time for myself to finish the red and white quilted tree skirt for this tree.

 These are few of the bear ornaments that I've collected for years.  Most of them are Boyd's Bears.  And one gingerbread ornament made by my granddaughter.  That definitely needed to be with the bears.

 My great buy for 2012 - pot belly cabinet.  Top shelf has some of my Jim Shore collection.  One of my favorites is Santa on a sled with his reindeer.  I have several pieces all over the house.

 These vintage post cards were purchased during one of our antiquing outings  They each came in their own plastic cover and I only paid a dollar for each one. 

 Some more Santas surrounding some family photos.

 Ahhhh, my nine footer in the living room.  I didn't make this quilted tree skirt.  It's been with me for many years.  It's appliqued with Christmas angels.

These are some of the ornaments for this tree.  Many are ornaments that were bought for my kids or that they made in school.  This is called "the family tree".

 

 

What is Christmas without a ballerina.  This is Cadie's first Christmas Recital.  I was so proud of her.  She danced beautiful - of course grammy can brag - right?!

 

Just a few days until Christmas.  A time to remember what we are truly celebrating, for counting our blessings and for friends and family.

 

Here's wishing each and everyone of you a very blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year - until 2013...take care!

 

Warm hugs,

 

 

 

 

Finishing some dolls

 I think I'm finally finished with the doll orders for the year.  Here it is - just about two weeks before Christmas and folks I haven't even started my Christmas shopping let alone finished with decorating the house!

 

The doll with her teddy bear has just arrived in California and it's a doll for this wonderful customer's 7 mo old granddaughter.  It will be her first dolly!

 These two girls are also going to California.  I have this great customer that I've lost count on how many dolls she has of mine.  She wanted one for her granddaughter.  The one with the gold bows is for the granddaughter and the red bows is for her.  Her granddaughter loves having tea parties so these two will be attending for sure.

Speaking of customers - I have been so fortunate to have made contact with so many wonderful and appreciative people.  Thank you all for loving my dolls.

 

I hope to soon start decorating the house and post some pictures.  Until then - have a wonderful week!

Hugs,

 

Counting my Blessings

 Craftshow is over and I am happy to report that it was a success.  Now that it's over, time to celebrate with my family Thanksgiving day.  The cornbread is in the oven and thus begins preparing the dressing or stuffing.  Pumpkins pies are done (thanks to Costco! lol).  Hey, at least my cornbread dressing is done by scratch (no Top Stove for me!) heehee.

 

  After Thanksgiving I'll start some custom doll orders that need to be done for by Christmas.  But before that I took a little time out for me and finished this snowmen wool table top.

 

I'm counting my blessings for many things and some of them are for the wonderful customers that have bought my dolls and their feedback on how much they love them.  But most of all, I'm thankful for the friends I've made in blogland.  There are many beautiful people out there and my wish for you and your loved ones are - have a very blessed Thanksgiving Day.

Hugs, 

The Rush Is On

 Feeling the pressure of finishing up a whole week's worth of crafts.  Yes, the rush is on folks.  This Saturday is the set up date, ready or not.  Come this Monday morning until the following Saturday they will come in droves from all over and shop at one of our biggest Holiday shows downtown San Antonio.

 I'll have all sorts of stitchery, ornaments, Santas, gingerbread men and of course my dolls.  Plenty of snowmen this year.  Humm, must be the year of the Snowmen!

 After this show is back to some custom orders and my dolls for Etsy.  The work never ends!  But loving it.

 

Have a fantastic week!

 

hugs to all,

Finishing some more projects

 These are some Santa bags done with wool.  Fun project.

 This pillow is hand embroidered with touches of wool appliqued.  I like working the two together.

 I had to take a picture of this little girl.  She had been laying around my craft table for a couple of days among other unfinished projects.  She looks like she's very frustrated with me for not finishing her dress!

 Well, be not frustrated any more my little one - you now have a dress and hair!  Candy Cane Annie.

 

Busy weekend - my niece's wedding and then next Thursday and Friday I'm heading to Houston TX for the International Quilt Show!  That is always exciting.

 

Have a wonderful week all!

 

Hugs,

 



Working on dolls for the show next month....

 I have to admit that I'm stressing just a little.  My week long show is approaching so very fast!  Just about 3 weeks left before set up date.  Here are a couple of dolls that were finished up this past weekend.  Have to make this short so that I can get back to making more.

 

If these don't sell - off to Etsy they will go!  Have a great week.

Hugs,

Back From Our Mini Vacation.....

 and time to get back to crafting - but first I have to tell you a little about our trip.  As some of you might know I live in South Texas (San Antonio) and since we only had five days hubby and I traveled up north  on I-35 and stayed at a town on the Texas/Oklahoma border.  It was great!  Did a little antique shopping which we both thoroughly enjoyed.  Love the unique small towns we visited - Gainsville TX,  Durant OK, Ardmore OK, Thackerville OK (home of WinStar casino) and Denison TX.  If you like antiquing I'd recommend Dension - the entire Main Street had some wonderful shops.  That's where I bought this beautiful pot belly cabinet.  Actually they called it a possum pot belly cabinet.  I fell in love and since I had won a little bit of money the night before at the casino - hey it had my name on it it!  I haven't had time to fill it up.  Working on it though.

 Since I've been back I've finished a couple of santas and some Christmas pillows.

 

These two dolls will also go to the show.  I'm not quite finished with them.  Working on a teddy bear and kitten for them to hold on to.  By the way the quilt behind the girls is another great find I purchased.  It is a small child's quilt that had a price tag of just $7!  I couldn't pass this one up.

 

Have a great weekend!

Hugs,

 

 

Things do with bits of wedding dress lace

 Just returned from a weekend trip.  We drove down south Texas to "The Valley" in Edinburg to attend my niece's bridal shower.  Veronica (my sister's daughter) is getting married in October.  She saved some pieces of lace from the alterations done on her wedding dress and asked if I would do something "crafty" for her.  She hadn't asked for anything specific.  Left it up to me, yikes.

 

After much thought I decided, what else, but one of my dolls!  I didn't want a bride doll, but just a little raggedy doll with the lace on her dress.  I added the red heart with their initials and pearl embellishments.  There is ribbon and a lace flower on her hair.  The lace is beautiful with pearls and crystal beading.  The photo does not capture how beautiful the lace is.  I haven't seen the bride's dress, but I'm sure it is beautiful.

 With the little bit of lace left over I decided to try a little mixed media art or collage.  I first painted the canvas with gold glitter paint and then mod podged some pretty scrapbook paper that had love wording all over. I mod podged one of their engagement pictures and then used a mod podge for fabric to add the lace on one side.  I added their names and date of the wedding and glued on pearls here and there.  I also glued a silver heart by the date.

 And I'm very happy to report that she absolutely loved it!  

 

.  Now that I'm back I have just two days to craft before we hit the road again.  Going up north as far as Oklahoma for a few days.  Taking a mini vacation.  Until next time!  Take care.

Hugs,

Finished product

 Tada!  I decided on a pillow for the wool/stitchery snowmen.  I liked how it turned out.

 This is a pattern by Sweet Meadow Farms.  I've had this pattern for a couple of years and just got around making the snowman.  He looks so jolly!

 

I'm doing some of my hand stitched items framed this year.  Thanks to my hubby - he made the frames for these.  I have about three more frames to work with and more if I want.

 

These are just a few things I've been working for the show.  I really should get busy with the Santas.  Guess I'll work on those next. 

 

Have a great week!

Hugs, 





Pillow or Wall Hanging?

 That's the question of the day.  I'm not sure after finishing the hand stitching on the "Snowmen" whether to make it into a pillow or a wall hanging.  Humm, thinking, thinking.

 

Actually, I'm thinking I need to start cooking our dinner - so with that - check back soon and I'll post a picture of the finished product.

 

Hugs, 

 

 

The Birth of Patricia

 Since I didn't have any dolls in my Etsy shop and I've been busy working on my crafts for the Fall I started working on a new doll very late last night.  She was not completed until way past midnight and then I remembered - It's my BIRTHDAY!

 

So in honor of my birthday I've named her Patricia! Lol

 

Even before I had decided on a name for this doll I had already sewn her very own dolly.  How appropriate is that?  This Patricia LOVES raggedy annie's too! 

 

Funny how things just turn out.  Hope everyone has a wonderful day.  I know I will.  I'm cooking on my birthday.  I'm making my granddaughter's favorite meal - spaghetti.

I know you are probably thinking "what - cooking on your birthday?"  Yes, going out to eat can be done whenever - but when it comes to spending your special day with your family and cooking my granddaughter's favorite meal - well that is my present - cause I'm one very blessed lady!

 

Hugs,

Gingerbread Man.....

 'Run, run as fast as you can!  You can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!'

 

That's what he thinks - poor thing.  There was someone who did catch him - does anyone know who that was?  I'm not telling.

 

Just finished these cute little gingerbread men for my show.  Fun, fun, fun - almost looks good enough to eat!

 

Guess I'll start on some star ornaments.  I'm waiting on some wool that I just ordered for my Santas.  Have I mentioned before how much I  love working on Christmas projects?

 

Until next time - happy crafting all!

Hugs,

What have you been working on?

I had to set aside the dolls and now working with my favorite - wool.  These last couple of days I've pulled out some patterns and then did a little designing myself.  I'm finishing up a dozen of the Frosty ornaments.  These are so cute and easy to do.  I still have to stitch "Frosty" and then sew them into small pillows.  Then I attach a string and it becomes an ornament.

The Christmas trees will become small pillows.  The idea came from a pattern called "O Tannenbaum" by Ginger Sanchez Designs.  It's a wool table runner with 5 different trees.  I made this last year for my sister's Christmas gift.  I decided to pull out a tree from the pattern and then add the words.  I'll probably make one of each tree.  These are nice to set on a bookshelf, small chair or a basket.  Love these.

 

Then I made these small stockings with a jolly little snowman.  I plan on doing some in a red and add moon and twinkly little stars instead of the holly & berries.

I look forward to checking out your blogs with your holiday crafts.  Have a wonderful and safe Labor Day weekend.  Until next time - happy crafting!

 

 

hugs,