Thursday, November 14, 2013

Autumn Delights Finished!

Hello and Warm Greetings Everyone!
Hope you enjoyed Halloween, we did. This year we had over 100 Trick or Treater's. They looked so cute. For the girls - Princess costumes was the most popular and for the boys - Superman and Football Players. 
Do grab a cup of your favorite beverage because lots to share with you and some cool links and the end.

On the lady's dress I used GA-Holly Berry. Had to make it PINK!

"Autumn Delights" by Barbara Ana
32ct cream linen and DMC 
Cross Stitch & Needlework November 2013 Magazine

I am so happy I finished Autumn Delights - Vickies SAL. Vickie had completed hers a few weeks ago. I want to add my initials on the trunk just like Vickie did. Her finish came out so beautiful. Next I need to make this into a flatfold. All in time for Thanksgiving on the 28th here is USA. Thank you Vickie for inspiring and hosting this SAL. I enjoyed stitching this very much.
                                     
 I participated in EMS - October Holiday Ornament Exchange



 "Sleigh Bells Ring" by LHN
14ct adia hand dyed by ME:)

My partner has received my package. It has to travel all the way to the United Kingdom. I was surprised as to the age of my exchange partner. He's young and still in elementary school (I'm pretty sure).  So of course I sent him a nice and full care package with his ornament. 


 He wrote me a thank you. He told me that the package arrived in time for his birthday. I didn't even know. And that his sister had borrowed a pencil from him... I laughed. It was very nice of him to share with his sister, he's a good brother. I love these exchanges. Now I have not received my ornament yet from who ever has my name, but it will come I'm sure. There are stitchers from other countries and it takes time for mail to travel.

 I received a card and this darling Halloween Bookmark from sweet Bea from Canada.
Thank you Bea and I am making good use of it! I love to read.


 I was able to finish a whole page on Fairy Hill  for Cut Thru SAL with Debbie and Linda.

 Close up of the section I finished. I have started to do the backstitching for it. 5 pages to go!

 Mary's Sampler by Plum Street Samplers
Love how this is coming along.

Went on a shopping trip with a friend yesterday.  My feet are still recovering. 
We were gone all day long and included lunch and dinner. 
Stops included Thimblecreek Quilt Store in Concord and Joann's.

 Love these fabrics. You see about 4-5 years ago I came up with the idea that any time out shopping I suggested to my sister that she should collect a few pieces of fabric that are Christmas themed every year. Then when she had a good collection I would make her a quilt. Well this is the year I am going to make it and my goal is to have it done by this Christmas. I added to the fabric collection yesterday while out shopping.

 I got to visit a Hallmark store yesterday and come home with 2 new ornaments. This is a collection that my mom had started a long time ago. I decided to get this years house in the series because it's their 30th year for this series. And I am stopping here.

 The back and inside of the house.

 Had to get Harry Potter's Castle and you push the button in front and it plays the theme from the movie.
I have to put up my Harry Potter Christmas Tree. I thought I would of had it up by now - but didn't yet.

 To get a good jump on some Christmas tags I and my sister focused on a whole day of paper crafting. These were cut out with my Cricut machine and used Anna Griffin's Winter Wonderland cartridge.

 I loaded the different papers and selected the image and sizing to be cut. My sister punched out all the little pieces and together we pieced them and glued. There are up to 4 different layers on each individual motif.

 This one I cut out is very large - 5 inches wide.

We divided all that we made. I will use them for decorating packages and make some as gift tags.
A few days ago I also made Christmas cut out sugar cookies. I didn't do any decorating on them yet. They are now in the freezer. Feels good to have a nice jump on Christmas crafts and baked goods. Still more to do and plenty of time still. 

To help you get organized for Christmas, I have at the top right on my blog I posted a really fun link.
Kerryanne of Shabby Art Boutique blog offers lots of great ideas on gifts, free print out planner (which I love and use every year), recipes and more. Have a look and see what you think.  

Before I forget - Have you seen Allie's in Stitches post when she went to France to visit  DMC Archives?
Part 1 of her tour - link is HERE. For Allie's Part 2 tour- the link is HERE. I loved seeing every photo she shared and what a dream trip.      Thank you so much for visiting me.
With Love and Appreciation - Annette

26 comments:

Rowyn said...

Lots of stitching and crafting eye candy in your post Annette.

I love that your exchange was for a young stitcher. I hope one day to teach my Annabelle to stitch :-) I remember trying to teach my husbands nieces and nephews when they were younger, with varying degrees of success :-)

Wow, 100 trick or treaters! Halloween is getting bigger in New Zealand, but this year we didn't have any trick or treaters at all. A little disappointing, as we had some fun kids come to the door in previous years.

Lee said...

Like Rowyn no trick or treaters here this year either but then it was a very stormy night
Congratulations on your stitching finish looks great

Zeb said...

Oh my, you're a busy crafty lady! :)

Lots of gorgeous items here, and the cut thru looks colourfully delicious!

gracie said...

You have been very busy....love the stitching progress and finishes.

Chris said...

Hey Annette!
I love your SAL finish. When I saw you guys were going to do this I went out and bought the magazine. I love Barbara Ana designs. Your cut through project is looking great too. What a lovely exchange package you put together.
You have a great jump on Christmas.
Have a great weekend!

Justine said...

Oh Annette you put me to shame! Is there no end to your talents?! I love the Barbara Ana SAL and wish I had been able to join in. I like the thread you chose for her dress. And your Fairy Hill is really coming on too!

Vickie said...

Yay! Autumn Delights looks wonderful!
That is so fabulous to do an exchange with a young boy! I really like that.
You and your sister are so talented!
Thank you so much for the link to Allie's DMC posts. I had no idea. I spent so much time this morning reading them. =)

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

My goodness, I am impressed with your tags, and your baking that is stored away to be decorated another day and all of your stitching! You have been mighty busy!

Anonymous said...

Annette,
You have been a busy crafting.

What a cute finish with Autumn Delights. I love the PINK dress!

What a sweet package for your partner. Your ornament is beautiful and I love your dyed fabric!

Cute bookmark from Bea!

You got some progress done on Fairy Hill. Looking good.

Mary's Sampler looks great. I am doing version two.

What awesome fabric and I can't wait to see the quilt!

Love the house ornament and Harry Potter Castle.

What great gift tags! Thank you for the link. Have a great weekend!

Margaret said...

I love your two finishes! What fun to have such a young exchange partner! Looks like a great exchange package you put together! Love the xmas fabric, and how wonderful that you're making a xmas quilt for your sister! Nice ornies -- I collected train ornies from Hallmark for a long time, but I have so many now, I stopped. lol! They were because my DS was into trains as a little one.

Jackie's Stitches said...

I love the idea of exchanging with a young stitcher!

We only had about 30 trick or treaters. Still fun, we both love seeing everyone dressed up.

I am AMAZED at your tags! It looks like a lot of work but they're all works of art.

ricketyjo said...

Fabulous stitching and paper crafting! It's fab to hear that you exchanged with a young stitcher - sometimes I worry that young people aren't picking up crafts anymore, but it's good to hear that some of them are!

Ellen said...

How wonderful that your stitcher is a young person, and a male also. I wonder if his sister also stitches. We definitely need to get more young people stitching.

Your Mary's Sampler looks wonderful. A new member of our sampler guild is hand-dying linen, and I got a gorgeous dark blue piece on Saturday. Now I need to decide if I want to do sampler I or II.

Loved seeing all your other accomplishments!

Shirlee said...

Great post Annette! I love that Sleigh Bells Ring ornament : ) How cool that you got to send an exchange package to a young stitcher! You made excellent choices. He sounds like a very nice little man : ) Love the Hallmark house ornament. Those have always been my favorites : )

Carol said...

Such a cute finish, Annette--love the idea of putting your initials in the tree like Vickie did, too! How nice that a young stitcher was the recipient of your latest exchange gifts. It's never too early to start stitching, is it?!

Catherine said...

You have been busy, busy! Love the stitches and the goodies! How sweet that your exchange went to such a young stitcher!

Simply Victoria said...

Hi busy lady! Glad you have time to do what you love. How fun with the young boy and the exchange. Can't wait to see the quilt for your sister.

Linda said...

What a great update Annette. Your stitching looks fantastic and of course my favorite is Fairy Hill. Awesome exchange packages. I love the Hallmark ornaments. I need to see if I can find them around here.

Linda

Karoline said...

Your Autumn delights is gorgeous & the exchange is lovely. Great progress on Mary's sampler & fairy hill

Myra said...

Autumn delights is fabulous Annette! I was surprised to read the age of your swap partner too - how fun. Your exchange piece is lovely too. Thanks for sharing the link to Allie's blog post - could you even imagine? Definitely the trip of a stitchers lifetime.

Sharon said...

Love, love your Autumn Delights! It's gorgeous! You have been busy doing beautiful work in all things :-)

miek said...

you finished the Halloween tree in time I think?
it is beautiful made.
and I love your trimming on the x-mas ornament, those bells! lovely.
all those Christmas fabric makes you longing for Christmas all year long.
the further you go with boothy threads the more you can see that your fabric colour is perfect.
greetings miek

Giovanna said...

What a delightful finish - congratulations!

SoCal Debbie said...

What a great blog post, Annette! All the goodies you sent to your partner in the UK are perfect! Fairy Hill is coming along great! I added your progress pic to the SAL page. Mary's Sampler looks so nice!

Teresa S. said...

Wonderful post, Annette! I'm behind in my reading :)

Anonymous said...

Hogwarts Castle not Harry Potter's Castle....Just saying, get it right :P