Santa "Peakies"

Well now, I can show a couple, 'cause they were delivered today.

My good friend Sarah takes my oldest to school every morning. She teaches Kindergarten & has a snowman fetish collects snowmen.  When I saw some prim-y winter designs coming from Stephanie @ HeartStrings Embroidery I knew I had to do something for Sarah with them. First, I thought I would do a pillow with

but then I saw

and knew I had to use all three!

So, I found her a hoodie & went to work.  I modified the "sampler" with a heart so she can wear it through Valentine's Day, at least...

She loves it & wore it to work today.

Santa was also busy in the kitchen, whipping up teacher gifts:

(And yes, those are 7-inch cinnamon rolls...)

Sshhhh!

Santa's busy in the workshop -- that's why I haven't posted lately...

I am working on Auggie's stocking, and since "the Aug doesn't blog," I can post pictures when it's finished. I love the fact that it's "crazy-quilted" in my embroidery machine. That's sooooooooo much easier than wrestling even a crib-sized through a machine by hand.

 

That's why I do so many "raggy" quilts:  embroider - sew blocks - snip - wash - dry - DONE!

Oh! This one I was able to piece the photo blocks in my embroidery machine...

...but had "sew" much fun with the quilting of the entire quilt!

I don't think I'll ever do one this large, ever again!

Favorite Christmas Pictures:

"Somebody" was trying to impress the bachelor-pad roomies... This was our first Christmas -- 20 years ago!

I believe this is my absolute all-time favorite! Sixteen years ago at JCPenney's photo studio, my nephew (in the green) and son  were 1 year old & 10 months old. They were quite tired of this whole studio thing...

Cutest elf, ever! This was middle son's 6-month portrait. How I loved that outfit (but youngest son hated it!)

Little H was just a month old...

I think this was the last portrait session we ever had at Penneys...

It's all about the Savior! My son a.d.o.r.e.d the little "Mary" & couldn't take his eyes off her the entire time he was on stage.

Oh! to have that child-like faith and allow the manger to be the focus of the season...

STOCKINGS!

Christmas Style

My youngest sister & I have pretty much polar opposite Christmas decor. My tree is usually angel-themed, Beverly does "COWBOY"!

However, I loved making her tree skirt!

I bought "Christmas Cowboy Boots" from Rease's Realistic Designs .

(I did customize the designs & colors to match her family's style!)

The rope alphabet I found at Embroidery Library . Perfect!

Bonus find on the fabric! It's kind of a knit faux suede. Beautiful! And I have yards & yards of a sort of ropey braided piping.

Here it is needing to be trimmed & lined.

At home in Las Vegas!

It's "in the cards"!

This morning I awoke to another chance to win "my" Silhouette machine.  This time the giveaway is on the Decor Chick! blog.

Aside from all the incredible Christmas gifts I could create in no time with this machine -- of course there are some additions needed for my wall.

Right here (as if you couldn't tell!)

I would use vinyl letters (different fonts, but we're using our imaginations here, right?) to do this:

But wait, there's more! This sweet machine also does heat transfers for fabric.  We could make this

look like this:

To recap: if I win, my family room could evolve to this:

Oh -- fingers crossed -- legs crossed...

Count-down to Christmas

I know it isn't yet Thanksgiving; but I wished to show you a finished project for my favorite kindergarten teacher. The designs all come from Embroidery Library . 

I made the advent calendar with tabs for Sara to hang in her classroom. 



Her students will enjoy placing the pieces in the stable.



(It's all about the Savior!)



I enjoyed using some specialty threads for angels & wise men.

After embroidering & cutting out all 25 pieces, I coated them with tacky glue to seal the back.

Next came the application of repositional adhesive.

Now all the felt will stay where placed.

Thank you, Sara, for teaching little ones about His birth!

Answer to my vinyl prayers!

Ha Ha Ha!!!
Just in time for Christmas, Beckie at  infarrantlycreative is

giving away! a Silhouette®!

I shall enter as many times as possible.  I have soooooo many projects just waiting... 

Like this one



( ^ Photoshopped! ^ )

  from here!

Confession

I have to admit I have a  c o b a l t  fetish. 

I believe I inherited it, along with a couple bottles, from my Grandma Long.

I've bought a few items,

but by far, my obsession collection exists because people who love me, gift me.