Lots of Pictures

I'm at a strange point in my life! :) Seems like nobody really needs me. My kids are getting to the point where they rarely need me to do something for them. (Unless, it's to thread their needles...more to come in a future post!) DH is settled in his job and doesn't seem to need my help much. We're at a new church and they don't seem to need any help. Luke's teacher is an awesome teacher and seems to completely have her act together. I volunteer a tiny, little bit...but not like I'd like too. I don't have family nearby, so can't help out much with that either! Kind of hard to babysit, when your nieces live in Alaska and you live in NC!

ANYWAY! I know it's just a phase, and I'm sure it won't last long. So for now, I've been spending my extra time stitching. And actually finishing! Believe it or not, my "to finish" pile is drastically reduced!

I stitched this Tulip Needle Book probably last year. I saw it at an LNS in SC, it was completely finished and sitting on their counter. Course I had to get it!

Front:

Back:

A little close-up. I love the blues in this pattern!

Inside:

A friend gave me a chart for this project. Really it was just one night of stitching. All you stitch is the little pin cushion. It's stitched on both sides. Make the little needlebook, make the tassle (my first), and make the padding for the button of the tin. I only had tiny silver scissors, I need to find some 2 1/2" gold scissors. And the best part? The tin comes full of CHOCOLATE! Yummy!

Open it up and look inside: (almost as yummy as the chocolate!)

A little more close-up:

A different friend shared this pattern with me. It's by Just Nan and was a commemorative pattern, I think for a shop that had been open for 20 years? It was a fun stitch, though I'm not sure about the blue birds on the back! But I just love the inside. Don't tell anybody, but the flower isn't attached yet. Haven't got the right stuff to attach it.
Front:

Back:

Inside:

This is all I can show you for now.. it's a gift for somebody special! :) But isn't that cording awesome?

This is by CherryWood Designs. I just love it! :) She designs the funniest things. Sadly, I showed it to my kids and they didn't get it! They said, "Are the reindeer stuck?" I said, "Look at the chimney!" I stitched this pattern last year, and did the finishing last week. I just realized I forgot to take a picture of it!

This is a pattern in the current JCS Ornament issue. I'm not sure I love it. I don't really like to use perforated paper. It doesn't seem like cross-stitch to me for some reason! I'm supposed to glue the green paper on to the back, but I'm not sure how to make sure the glue doesn't poke through all the holes on the front of the ornament. SO... there it sits!

I'm not sure the name of this pattern. MD and I call it "Tubby", but I'm sure that's not right. But come on...isn't he a cutie?! The finished picture has this ribbon of white pom-poms attached across the bottom only. It's really cute. I went to Joann's to get some, and they had lavendar, purple, black, brown, orange, yellow, lime green and pink pom-poms ribbon stuff. Course no red or white! Bummer! I'll have to wait on this one.

This is my current little project. I know, I know...I said I was going to work on Flower Power! But this little things just keep calling my name! I love Christmas stuff on pink for some reason...so cute! He is called Chilly's Gift. He was a freebie at Stitchy Kitty, here's a direct link.


My Tarheel Stitching group is having their Christmas Party this Saturday! Can't wait to go, it's gonna be a blast as usual!

Back to my other life: gotta clean out the Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge!