Hermit Weekend....

Well, this is my first International Hermit Weekend post. (see sidebar if you want to participate too) I was supposed to post by Tuesday, but well....I'm a procastinator as you can see. I promise to do better next month.
Unfortunately and as always.....Sir Echo got in the way. He insists on being right in front and on top and in the way of every stitching project I do. And he always seems to know exactly what part of the pattern I'm working on so he can sit on it....which by the way is the 2011 Littlehouse Needleworks Ornament collection.

Then he has the nerve to look at me like, "yeah...well...whadda you lookin' at??"

So, that was my third weekend of the month Hermit post.....I'm sure there will be alot more of these as I "hermit" alot with my stitching.
So, till next time, yunz crazy guys!

For a Special Friend...

Hubby always says I should keep the things I make instead of giving them away as they are so nice. But I have great joy in giving things to people who I know will appreciate the gift.
I have a dear stitching friend who is going through some health treatments right now and I thought I would cheer and surprise her with a little something to let her know I'm thinking about her and praying for her.
So, I made her this altoid tin scissor box with a magnetic insert.

I also added this super easy needle keep. I actually bought one when I was on vacation once and just figured out the pattern on my own. So so easy and great stitcher gifts.

My friend had actually given me a bunch of left over material that she used in backings on some of her ornaments that she had stitched. I liked this combination so I used the cupcake theme to make these items for her as a thank you and something to let her know I'm missing her stitching with us. I'm sure we'll be seeing her soon.

Also for all you stitchers, check out my new button for the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend.....sounds like fun and you do it in your own home once a month. Check it out.

So, till next time, yinz crazy guys!

It's a NEW YEAR!!!

The Holidays have wiped me our craft-wise but that doesn't mean I'm stopping...just slowing down a bit and doing some crafting for me!
I've been anxious to show this Junk Journal I made for my niece so grab a cup of your favorite hot beverage, sit sound, turn up the volume and enjoy 5 minutes of relaxation while you take a peek at my first junk journal made with my new Cinch binding tool that Santa brought..ENJOY!

MY FIRST JUNK JOURNAL

Till next time, yinz crazy guys!

Well, well, well....

It's that time of year again....time to start the gift crafts that you promised yourself you would start last July. So needless to say I'm busier than a one-armed paper hanger as hubby would say.
This is my cross stitch for a HOE Christmas Box exchange. It's a By the Bay pattern and it's really cute.

In addition to lots of goodies, I also included this needle keeper that I made using Christmas fabric for mine. Sorta looks like an ornament when you open it up.

Next is a watercolor I did from a picture I took on my phone while eating breakfast at Cracker Barrel (my fav). I did it in sepia tones which I really really liked. The place was just so cozy for a cold morning I couldn't resist taking the picture and then painting it at home.

Then I also got into this journaling stuff....bought a couple of SMASH journals from KC Company. Love them! This is the first page I did but I just want to "smash" every piece of junk paper I have...so addicting.

The above pics could be the reason I've procrastinated on the things I need to do....but I guess that's the problem with being a crafty person....you can't stop wanting to create.
So with that said, I'll leave you with an adorable picture of my bad kitty being a "good kitty" for once. Till next time, yinz crazy guys!

The "S" word....

I cannot believe we are saying and seeing the "S" word in October! YUCK!!

The one good thing is that I stitched just about all day. My spot in front of the TV on a cold Saturday....

This was a Drawn Thread pattern that I got to make as a gift for someone who really loves Halloween. It ended up being a door hangar as you can see below. Very quick to work up. I did it on 28 ct evenweave I tea-dyed myself.

I also made this pillow from a pattern I got online at Creative Poppy. You can just download them right to your computer ....no shipping charges or waiting for them in the mail. I love it.

And I was recently in a swap that was put together pretty quickly on the HOE Exchange site for scissor FOBs. I sent this with some goodies (not pictured) to a lady in Germany. (I know it's upside down...but I can't seem to change it...sorry) It's my fob with a small needle case.

My partner sent me this awesome package. I love everything...especially those spider scissors which I really wanted.


And last, but not least...still doing my journaling and watercolors. Hubby was making dinner one evening, so I sat at the Kitchen table and painted this. Love them watercolors....quick and easy.

That's it for now. Short and sweet......so till next time, yinz crazy guys!

So inspiring....

Saw this on a Facebook post and just had to share. I think this lady got inside my brain and knew what I've been thinking about my creativity for the past 50 years...


Till next time....yinz crazy guys!

Some Quickies...

Thought it would be fun to try and just sketch a quickie pic without giving myself my time to plan it out which is a bad habit of mine and keeps me from just pulling out my sketchbook anytime and anywhere and just drawing.

The first is pic I did in about 15 minutes at my lunch while sitting on my front porch.This second one took a little more time but still done without any pre-pencil sketching. It's from a picture we took while on vacation in Michigan.

For most artists I think this would be nothing at all to do this. For me it was a big accomplishment. I'm way too much a planner. Even in my cross stitching or crocheting, I read the pattern, think about it, plan it out and finally start it. I actually was pleased with the results and hopefully will be doing more of these quickies!

So, till next time, yinz crazy guys.....

Ever have one of those months????

I love to change the wallpaper on my phone and I actually have a great app for that....this happens to be the current image on my phone.

A couple of times I was tempted to use it but resisted the urge as I can't afford a new phone right now. Think I would be safer cutting it out and taping it to a pillow tho.

Okay...onto bigger and better things. Saw this tutorial on making a zipper bracelet and decided to make one. I just love it. Turns out there are alot of things you can make with zippers. So if you are interested....just google "zipper crafts or zipper bracelets" and you can do it too with the zippers off those old pair of jeans that don't fit you any longer. I gave this one to my niece but plan on making one for myself.

Next off, we went to a Night at the Races recently for a benefit. It wasn't real races just dvd's of races. Anyway, our horse, "Lucy's Hotflash" came in last...figures. But we did manage to win the largest basket in the Chinese Auction. It was a romance basket.

It was full of antiques and chocoloate and smoked oysters (we know what those do to you now, don't we??) and candles and tea and a tea pot and all sorts of goodies.

We plan on taking it all with us when we have our little cabin get-a-way in a month.....those candles will do wonderful around the hot tub, don't ya think???

Short post, but I will finish off with our little squirrel buddy who comes up on the porch twice a day for his daily nuts. This time I managed to get him to take it off of my shoe. He was so cute.

This may have been the same squirrel that was climbing the bird post.....up until I coated it with vaseline (my own idea)....which hubby laughed at...but worked.

Oh, well, that's it for now.....enjoy the fall weather, till next time, yinz crazy guys....

Look what we got!!!

We got a Hobby Lobby...we got a BIG Hobby Lobby! I've been waiting for one of these stores to open near us for a very long time and finally my wish came true. I even emailed their headquarters once and asked why there wasn't one in PA. At that time they were only building so far out from their headquarters. So now we have one and I love it! We have Michaels, JoAnns and Pat Catans...but Hobby Lobby is my fav.

As a matter of fact, I was so excited, I even did a watercolor of it...crazy, I know.

Also, was in a Fall Pynkeep with the HOE bloggers. Received this beautiful pynkeep from my partner. It's Bent Creek's Pumpkin Farm. The trim on this is so so pretty.

This is the one I sent out to my partner. It's the Heart in Hand Seasonal Birds for Fall using overdyes.

And lastly, forgot to show this in the post I did on Barbie outfits. While I was crocheting on vacation, I whipped up this lighter cover/carrier for the lady of the house. She was complaining that she always loses her lighter so hubby suggested I make her something to hook onto her purse or whatever. I just sorta tweeked the pattern I have for my chapstick cover that I love and is lasting forever, by the way.

Well that's it for now. Got some other projects on the burner that I'm really excited about in both crochet and cross stitch. Still doin' a bit of watercolor and journaling too. Just keepin' these hands busy! So, till next time, yinz crazy guys....

I'm back...

I know, I know....what happened to the even days postings? Well, after I came back from vacation, I had a bit of an upper respiratory infection and then a little relapse of it. Finally feeling back to almost 100%. So, I'll get back to my blogging. Thanks for hangin' in there.....till next time, yinz crazy guys!