Where is the snow?

I´ve been having a look at a lot of fellow bloggers´ posts, full of photos of their lovely last minute Christmas crafts, of decorations in the snow, fairy lights in the snow and more snow.  Where´s mine then?  I wouldn´t mind a sprinkling of the white substance either!  It´s the right time of year and Christmas is always portrayed as being white.

Inland we have a lot of snow and the ski slopes were in full swing weeks ago, but I live on the North coast of Spain at sea level and we are lucky to have a few pinhead sized flakes float downwards once or twice a decade, and if you are not actually in the streets or looking out of a window, the phenomenon would probably be missed entirely. The weatherman has forecast rain for the next week, so we will have to content ourselves with this other form of H2O. However with or without snow, I have made a snowman.

In fact I´ve made two.

  

These two placemats were made with the itzy bitzy pieces of fabric I bought a couple of weeks ago at our local patchwork shop.

I didn´t use two of the chosen pieces because in my stash I found the perfect white fabric with tiny silver stars, ideal for the snowman´s body although not very appreciable in the photos. However, I may well buy more of the red fabric which is a lovely rich colour with a tiny print, very handy to have in one´s stash.

I added a fringe to his scarf.



I hadn´t planned on making any more Christmas items but I got a last minute request.......

  

  

As my next post will be after the 25th of December, I´d like to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas.

 

Who stole a week?

I´m getting quite used to the odd week having only six days.  You know, when you´ve prepared supper that bit earlier to be able to sit comfortably, with embroidery in hand, to watch your favourite Friday night TV program, only to discover that it´s not Friday yet, but only Thursday.

This has happened to me several times this year and I still cringe when I see the man at our local Charity shop who very obligingly agreed to pick up some unwanted furniture from my home one Wednesday morning.  After not finding me at home on that said day, he located me by phone and had to listen to my paltry excuse of not being at home because I had thought it was Thursday.

I seem to rob the odd day now and then, but this month I haven´t done it.  The calendar assures me that December definitely has 31 days, but as soon as the month begins those days sure do start to speed up and I´m suddenly left with a week until Christmas when I thought there were two.

Keep him warm part two

Here are some more photos of this quilt mentioned in my last post.

These small designs are based on life in the country

Apart from the designs by Lynette Anderson and Tasha Noel, I haven´t any record of  where I found the other patterns, but will try to find a reference to include here.

I finished the quilt corners with a little hand quilted design.

and backed it with a pretty blue and white printed fabric.

I enjoyed making this lap quilt and was pleased with the result.  Thank you for visiting and see you on Friday, if no one steals it!



Keep him warm

We all know how our beloved pets always find the cosiest spots where to snuggle up and be warm when the elements outside threaten.  Although our weather here has brightened considerably, it´s still very cold and outside we can find a vast array of dogs modelling jackets, snuggies and sweaters, either knitted, sewn or crocheted by the pooches´ proud owners.

When it comes to waterproof gear, a complete rain suit with fitted legs, cap or hood plus booties, not only assures us that not an inch of the animal will get wet but also that he will be totally unrecognizable beneath such a camouflage.  Has anyone had success with their dog wearing booties for the snow?

 

I made this lap quilt for a young lady last year.  It is made up of 16 log cabin type blocks with a small applique or embroidered centre.

 

 

This little design  is from `The simple life´ fabric by Tasha Noel.

This pretty house  is one of the several designs by Lynette Anderson found in her book Country Cottage quilting.

 

I made this quilt based on life in the country. Here are two more designs by Lynette, the wheelbarrow full of flowers and the little beehive.

 

I´ll publish more photos in my next blog post.

Scissors

Must mention that Missy at Missyllaneous is having a giveaway, so do have a look at her blog if you would like a chance of winning some lovely new scissors.

Until next time.

Men in Red

Here is my finished Christmas table runner which I´m really pleased with.  It´s a design by Rita at Twinkle Patchwork who I particularly admire for her fabric and colour coordination.

I think we have probably all at one time or another embarked on sewing or embroidering a design which colour scheme we have either partially or entirely changed from the original, only to be disappointed with the end result.

Well, at least you can´t go far wrong with our jolly old Santa Claus, clad in his Coca Cola colours.  Can you imagine portraying this charitable elderly gent as before the popular drink´s promotion of a century ago, in his green or brown sackcloth attire?  No, this intense red definitely suits him perfectly along with the terrific weight gain that they also obliged him to undertake.



I added  a small bell to the top of his hat.

and a smattering of beads and sequins to the tree

I really like making Christmas table runners, such a pity we only get to see them once a year.

Happy stitching            

                                                          

I did it

Just what I didn´t want to do and had voiced to one and all that I wasn´t going to do, and certainly wouldn´t do until at least next year.  It happened yesterday afternoon when I was walking home at a moderate pace due to the cold weather with absolutely no intention of stopping or looking in the window or even glancing in the direction of our local patchwork shop.  However, as I got nearer, my legs took on a will completely of their own, slackening their velocity until on reaching the shop I was practically dawdling and as chance would have it, at that very precise moment someone chose to emerge from the shop, leaving the door ajar and I was inescapably suctioned inside.

Considering that I spent nearly an hour contemplating and scrutinizing all the new goodies, I left with only four itzy bitzy pieces of fabric enough to make a couple of Christmas place mats.  However I must finish my table runner first.

Here is another heart I made this year, very different from the ones of my last post.

This embroidery is a  pattern by Atalie called  `Gaelle´. .

I backed the heart with red velvet and added a pearl to the cording. 

A month blogging

I started this blog almost a month ago and I would just like to thank the visitors I´ve had passing by and for the kind comments made.  I hope you will visit again soon. 

  

                                                             



Have a heart

Seems like it´s been raining forever.  Amazing how grey rainy days affect your mood.  As soon as you wake up, draw back the curtains and observe that it still appears to be midnight outside, with the streets glistening from the falling rain in the reflection of the street lights, you immediately forget that joie de vivre spring you had in your step during the summer months and start shuffling around the house in your slippers.
  At least these dismal days have helped me advance with my Christmas sewing and I´ve made good progress with my table runner and have finished these mix and match heart ornaments.

I added some beads and sequins and ribbon and cording.

I´m pleased with them and might make more so I can keep some and give others away.

Thank you for visiting, until next time.