More than just Cross Stitchin': winter

Showing posts with label winter. Show all posts

Monday, January 23, 2012

Changing the Mantle

Does anyone else find it a challenge on how to decorate their mantle for that in between stage? Christmas is over, but it's still too early for all those hearts and pinks and reds?

Not very original I know, but what I came up with could best be described as a "winter mantle". Mainly snowmen, but also a few other wintery/homey themed items that make you want to cozy up with a warm afghan and your hot beverage of choice.

I'm wanting some sort of a garland... paper snowflakes?... Crocheted snowflakes?

Happy to finally display this snowman cross stitch that I finished in March 2011!

Just had to add this rustic "Let it Snow" plaque that my son made me 15 years ago when he was in Grade 5.

Since changing things over after the Christmas decorations came down a couple of weeks ago, I've noticed other mantles in the blogging world that have followed this same direction; but with less snowmen and more winter. I've ~~stolen~~ tucked away a lot of these ideas that I hope to incorporate into my decor this time next year!

Tracey

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Another Blast of Winter & A Finish

I wish I was writing that winter was finished for this year but not a chance. Woke up to a winter wonderland again this morning. Looks like another good day to stay inside and stitch.

I am happy to have another finish under my belt for 2011! At least this vintage snowman looks like he is happy to have more snow... means he'll get to stay around for that much longer :^)

I know you read a while back that I was hoping to have this one finished before Valentine's Day (ha ha), but I'm sure you can all relate... picking up something new to stitch and putting those other projects on the back burner. Well, that was the case with this one.

So I think I will get Mr. Snowman and his little friends all framed up and tuck them away until later (much later) in 2011... when we are actually looking forward to having snow again.

Now onto stitching something a little more spring-like...

Tracey

Friday, January 14, 2011

More Snow And More Of My Snowman

We've had more snow this week as you read in Bonnie's last post. Perfect weather to sit inside and stitch, so I've made some progress on my snowman. Here he is:

Even with all of this snow, it was beautiful and sunny today with little wind. Perfect weather to go outside and take Willow for a walk. Took my camera along.

As much as we complain about these winter months, I really think I would miss the sparkling beauty of this winter wonderland if I lived somewhere else.

Tracey

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

2010 Storm December 13 & 14

Well, Sarnia Ontario (30 minutes from where I live) made it on CNN today. Lambton County was declared a state of emergency and the military was called in to rescue stranded motorists that have had to spend the last 24 hours in their cars. Some people may not be picked up for several more hours. Let's hope and pray that all this snow is the last we will see for quite sometime; we do not need weather like this for holiday traveling.

It was quite comical to hear reports that the the military was trying to rescue 300 people from 360 stranded cars. I guess 'Casper,' 'The Invisible Man' and perhaps 'The Shadow' are all doing fine....?

The following photos were taken December 14th.


The view looking out my window for the past 3 days.

Driving Miss Paigie to work.

Stranded truckers on one half of the parking lot at the IGA.
The other side of the parking lot and the back of the store are all full of stranded truckers.

Now THIS is pretty!

The weight of the storm.

This wedding arbour looks slightly different than it did at my daughters wedding: but still beautiful.


This was taken looking out my front door off the two step porch. You can barely see where the lawn ends and the road begins. Yes, the pumpkins are still in the urn. I left them there because I knew we were getting a storm big enough to decorate them as snowmen. Now I have to search for a hat and scarf and the decorations will be complete!


A few hours later... the sun desperately trying to break through.

These photos were taken on December 14th, 2010 at noon. Stay safe and warm everyone.

Bonnie

Friday, November 26, 2010

Getting Prepared...

... for the season to come:

Some pretty new ornaments for the Christmas tree...

A book to read while wrapped up in a cozy afghan...

A yummy smelling candle for that warm glow on a blustery night...

A favourite movie or 2 for those long snowy days...

Do I even have to mention stitching?...

Are you prepared??

Tracey

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Keeping With the Winter Theme

I was so happy to pick up my mail this week and find the pattern I ordered a bit ago from Beth at Heartstring Samplery.

I have to admit, I've never really been a fan of big samplers; until I saw this one... I knew I just had to have it! I think it probably had something to do with the verse added in there. (I'm a real sucker for verses/sayings.) And you gotta love those 2 red hearts :^)

Pattern: I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
Heartstring Samplery

http://www.etsy.com/shop/heartstringsamplery

Be sure to go to the site and check out this pattern and all of the other beauties Beth has to offer.

Tracey

Charlie Brown

Growing up, I had a pet monkey named Charlie Brown. Actually, he belonged to my sister and he came to live with us in 1966. You were actually allowed to have monkeys as pets then and if you can beleive it, he was ordered from an ad in the back of a magazine. Charlie Brown was a squirrel monkey (just like the ones in the Telus commericials).

Everyone in school loved when it was my turn for 'show and tell'. You will see in some of the photos (if the slide show downloads for me...) that he used to wear diapers. Eventually, he learned how to take them off. We had a rope strung across the kitchen from end to the other. We kept a piece of papertowel on the floor at the end of one rope and that's where he did his business. His rope provided many hours of entertainment. At bedtime, if mom and dad were not home when it was bedtime, he would sit on his roap and cry out until they returned.

If I was crying, Dad would put him up to my face to lick away my tears. He would dangle from my hair and lick from one eye to the next. It alwyays made me stop crying. He would play outside and every once in awhile he would swing from tree to tree and end up down the street at the neighbours.

Often you would find the monkey lying in the cast iron pan on the stove. The pilot light from the gas stove provided him a warm and comfy spot. He would also sit on top of the lamp shade for warmth, and if you ever heard a 'pop' - you knew he peed on the lightbulb. It happens...

Charlie Brown used to sit on the wall phone.... until it rang. That was always funny. He brought many years of amusement to us all and I miss him and his antics.

Bonnie

Warm hearts ... and warm toes!

Well since we are talking winter, let's talk about warm hearts ... and warm toes.

A few years ago at Christmas we had a gift exchange. Ironically, both Anita and myself had the exact same idea for a present. We always open our gift bags at the same time, and it was really hard for me to keep a straight face when I saw that Anita had had the same gift idea as me and while she explained that she thought slippers would be a good idea, that way we could carry them in our bag with us at all times. Anita had knit slipppers for everyone and made a little draw-string pouch, with our names embroidered on it, to keep the socks in.

Then they all opened my gift bag and we burst out laughing. I knew how much everyone loved snowmen, so I had stitched faces on white slippers and added a carrot button for the nose. Well we weren't finished with the laughter because I thought we should get a picture with our slippers on. So then we were all sitting on the floor trying to get different positions in order to get everyone in the picture at the same time. We tried sitting up against the wall and taking the picture of our toes all pointing up to the ceiling and then I said, nooooo - that will show the snowman's face upside down. Someone said... (and I won't say who...) "Good point, let's think of something else. What if we lay on our back with our feet in the air - you know... like if our feet were ON the ceiling"

Well then the faces would still be upside down wouldn't they. Spontanious Laughter.

We had to think of something else. It was decided that we would just stand toe to toe in a huddle and we would take the picture from above in order to get everyone in the picture. Sounded like a good plan right?

Well... not if you have a protruding belly and/or big boobs. After the inital light-headedness subsided from sucking in our bellies, we had to deal with the shadow from the boobs.

So we stood in our huddle, adjusting, wiggling and laughing with our arms around each other while we tried not to tip over. It was about that moment when Anita's daughter walked in on us, which of course added to the laughter when we saw the look on her face.

Finally the photo was taken and our toes are doubly warm.

Bonnie

It all started with a tea towel...

Quite some time ago when I was perusing the Dollarama, I came across the cutest autumn tea towel with a teddy bear dressed up like a scarecrow. It immediately reminded me of Jody and I thought 'I'm going to get that for her', and then I thought... why not get one for everybody? And so I did and it was a hit.

From that point on, it's no surprise to any of us if there just happens to be an occasional 'mini gift' exchange on Cross Stitch night. Once when Jody hosted in February, she gave us all a tiny picture frame with a 1" x 1" opening. I had no idea what to do with mine, but Tracey knew immediately. Because it was Valentines day, Tracey stitched a heart.

Mine sat for a good number of months before I could figure out what I could stitch in such a tiny area and not copy Tracey's idea. And then one day it hit me; Jody loves snowmen. I would do a snowman in the frame that Jody gave me. But.... do they make snowman patterns for less than 1" x 1"? I couldn't be bothered looking, so I winged it. And voila! A happy smiley snowman face. I think it took longer to write this posting than it did to stitch that happy face.

We'll have to get a picture of Tracey's heart posted after her renovations are complete as I expect it's packed away for now.

p.s. I wasn't allowed to Blog today unless I cleaned my house. It's half cleaned; consider this half a blog.
Bonnie