Gifted Gorgeousness - December 2022

Hello Dear Readers

Just a little post before Christmas! Probably not the best time to post ….. I know we are all so very busy!

So sorry if I haven’t been able to comment on your post. Blogger changed a little while ago, and I’m not sure if my old blogging friends will all see my posts as Blogger stopped sending notification emails to followers, so I hope you will have found me via my blogging friends Blog Lists. Google now asks one to sign in on some blogs, so, as I am not very computer orientated it makes it impossible for me to comment …..

Anyway, I digress, back to the subject - Gifted Gorgeousness is where we share photos of gifts received and given. See who is joining in, and maybe you’d like to join in too, over at Serendipidous Stitching. 

Firstly, I can show you the completed alphabet letters I sent to Clare of Ametu’s Stitching for her church’s Annual Christmas Tree festival (read about the festival here).  The “B” is stitched on pale green which, sadly, is so hard to photograph, and the “E” on tea dyed fabric. (Clare’s photos are much better than mine!!!)

All of us who sent letters of the alphabet to Clare left them unfinished so she was able to finish them in one style before they went on the tree. I do hope you will pop over to see everyone’s stitching. The Trees all look magnificent. 

-ooo-

Also this month, I finished stitching a second “Bees” by Melisa - forgot to take a photo, if you need a reminder you can see the first one I stitched on this previous GG post and then gifted this month’s “bees” to a friend at my handicraft group along with the yellow check fabric I used for the first finish (as my friend wanted to make “bees” into a gift for a friend of hers). 

-ooo-

I’ve encouraged a few ladies at my handicraft group to try cross stitching this year and one of them gave me this cute card, saying she was thinking of me as she stitched it.  Thank you so much, Peggy, if you’re looking in. 

-ooo-

Another friend at Handicrafts bought in some fabrics she wasn’t going to use, and I thought they might be useful in finishing one of my Christmas decorations:

This same lady decided cross stitch isn’t for her, sadly, and so kindly gave me this kit ….. although stitching with gold is not my favourite, so I will have to see whether I will actually stitch these.  However our club has a big anniversary next March and if I don’t use it it might be a little something for the sales table.  

Anyway, I must go now. I’m off to see whose blogs I can comment on!

I’ll be back before long with my post about tea dying. Oh, and I’m going to try changing my header photo too. I might not be able to because I’m using my iPad mostly now and I’m not sure it will accept my edited photo. 

If I don’t return before Christmas do have a super one and I look forward to hearing from you and seeing your blogs too in the New Year. 

So,

Here’s wishing you a

Very Happy Christmas,

and

A Peaceful 2023

Hugs,

Barbara xxx

2022 Advent Calendar Blog Hop - Day 17

Hello Dear Reader,

 

I’m here today to join in with Jo’s annual Christmas blog hop on day 17. 

Jo asked us to show some Christmas/Winter stitching and talk about “afters”.  

You can visit Jo for all the details and for the list of everyone joining in here. 

And so this is my Winter stitching:

Stitched from this free pattern
by Melisa of PinkernPunkin Quilting 

I had hoped to have finished this, but sadly not. It’s going to be a small cushion, the same as Melissa’s - but the scrap of fabric I was intending to use wasn’t wide enough for the backing so I need to think what other fabric I can use !!!

I’ve also been stitching the advent calendar from CrossStitcher magazine, 

as I love every motif, 

but, alas this too will have to be finished for 2023. 

Surprisingly I got a little diverted from my Christmas projects by a little “everyday” stitching, when my crochet hook, pens and nail file all jumped out of their place in my project bag  - obviously I needed a little pouch to keep all these little things safe.  I wonder if this will be finished soon ….. or will it join all my many WIPs in “The Dreaded Cupboard” ???

My latest whim. 

I’ve been tea dying a lot of my fabric lately - I find I just don’t like plain white fabric any more, and I keep wanting to see what colour the different teas will make my fabric. I could be back with more on that. 

- oooooo -

Ooooh! I almost forgot ….. “afters” - Back when I was growing up my maternal grandmother used to stay with us over Christmas and she would do lots of cooking to help mum and dad, each Christmas she would  cook : Christmas pudding, a Dundee Cake and lots of mince pies for all the family, however, nowadays we don’t eat many puds or cakes although hubbie and I are rather partial to mince pies and custard, or a Christmas pud - but sadly shop bought. 

I have lots more sewing I want to do before Christmas, and a couple of photos for Gifted Gorgeousness,

 so I’ll try and write here again soon. 

A Very Happy Christmas to you!

Many hugs,

Barbara xxx