Some Holiday Stitches!

Well the Holidays have arrived! SO much has been happened that I am going to do my best to bring you right into the loop! This is what I always told my Nannie during the holidays - "Nannie we have to get out and about so we get  into the loop and know whats going on!" Oh how she would laugh!!!
Our weather has finally been nice and cold - around 60 degrees.

One quick reminder - Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe (HERE) is currently having her 25 days of Christmas giveaways. Visit her blog everyday till the 30th of this month and comment daily to be included for her daily drawings starting Dec 1st - Dec 25th!!

After I was done helping my sister prepare for a Holiday Boutique (boy that was too much work),
I have a new project....

Hansel and Gretel!!! 28ct Pink sparkly Fabric Flair (left over piece from my Gingerbread houses last year) & all DMC flosses. The chart is from a French magazine: Creation Point de Croix, September/October 2012 issue #23. It's still available on their website in CPC/back issues.
While stitching with these lovely colors and all the candy I decided to put up a Christmas tree NOW! It's themed Candy & Gingerbread!!

The gingerbread house ornaments are a series from Hallmark that I had collected.

I participated in a EMS (Ellen Maurer-Stroh website) Christmas ornament exchange. I stitched this ornament for Jeannine who lives in France. She has received it and loves it! This design is called "Naughty & Nice" from BBD Christmas Garden Book.

                                                                       The backing!

                                               Other goodies that I included for Jeannine!

Here is what I received from Donna/USA for the same EMS Christmas Exchange. It's a beautiful wall-hanging with three different stitched ornaments. How lucky I am! I love it and Thank you Donna!  Here are some close-ups of each ornament....

Thank you again Donna! 

My birthday was the weekend after Nannie's funeral. There was no way that I was up to celebrating it and skipped it for this year. My friend Lee did make me something very special and I was so surprised when I opened it. 

 Lee stitched this Gorgeous Golden Pear! Isn't the her needlework incredible! The stem is painted gold and you have to see this up close too see all the fine details.

I absolutely cherish this. Lee also at the time was having trouble with one of her eyes. She made this with one good eye - This is very precious to me. Thank you Lee I treasure what you made me.

                  Lee had attended a convention and made this beautiful needroll and she gifted it to me.

 Thank you for everything and for making my birthday special Lee!

This beautiful card and heart ornament was made by Ann who also lives in New Zealand.
It is a Thank you gift from Ann to me for sending a chart that she was looking for.

Ann is another master stitcher and still continues to teach in New Zealand. I was speechless when I opened her gift. So many fine details are in the heart. I tried to get as close as I could with my camera. Thank you so very much Ann!!!

Lee had a birthday in November! You may have seen this on her blog but here is what I made and sent to her. The design I stitched  "Tulip House Stitching Companion" from the book BBD - A Stitcher's Journey. I painted the wood box a med grey color.

 The inside compartments I used lavender duponi silk and some Anna Griffin fabrics.

Little pin cushion.

 I pulled out Ann Dale and worked on her for a while. I finished the last 4 motifs on the bottom row on the left and completed the one row for the band underneath. I also stitched more on the side borders on each side.

Here is a photo of my sisters table (the one with the red table cloth) at a Holiday Boutique at a elementary school she participated in. 
That's me sitting behind the table talking to a person next to us. sister is sitting behind the small Christmas tree, can't see her.  My It was fun and lots of preparation leading up to it. Mostly making price tags, all the packing and practiced setting up how to display. I think her table was very festive and lots of shoppers stopped by. Off to stitch on Hansel and Gretel again.
Thank you so much for stopping by.  With my love and appreciation - Annette