A Christmas tea towel

I made this for my friend Fuchsia for the Christmas in July swap.  It's from the Twelve Days of Christmas pattern set from Crabapple Hill Studio.  Since I was making only one tea towel, I opted to omit the number from the pattern (the numbers one through twelve are part of the designs).  I had neglected to take photos, so Fuchsia kindly took some for me.

Here is a closer look at the stitching.  The design was easy and fun to stitch. 

Directions for the scalloped fabric border are also included with the pattern.  This is a bonus, as far as I'm concerned, as I've been wanting to learn to make this type of border for a tea towel for a long time.  You can't really see it, but I imagine you can if you click on the picture at top -- the edging fabric has a muted design of evergreen sprigs, so it's perfect with the spriggy garland behind the Christmas cookies in the embroidered design.


Earlier in the year, I used the vintage camper design from Sublime Stitching's Camp Out! set to make more of these scallop-edged towels.  I thought you might like to see those too, so here they are in two different color combinations:

Blue camper with green edging

Red camper with aqua edging

What a fun pattern this is.  Check out Crabapple Hill Studio if you like to embroider.  You won't be disappointed!

A "Christmas caravan" ornament

Our Canadian and British friends call this a "caravan".  Here in the states we are more likely to call it a camper  or camping trailer -- in this case, a cute little vintage one.  I found the camper design in the Sublime Stitching collection called "Camp Out".  I've used this design for dish towels and they came out very cute, but I decided to also try making it into a Christmas ornament, and this is the result.

It was easy to decide what colors to use to make it Christmasy, but a bit more difficult to figure out how to make this into an ornament.  I made the design smaller by first scanning it, then shrinking it to make it a better size for an ornament.  It's still quite large and probably would look better hung in a window or from a peg rack or something, rather than on the Christmas tree.  Then I used a homespun in a Christmas plaid, along with green felt, to make the ornament itself.  It has a wire hanger trimmed with buttons, and as you can see I put it all together with blanket stitching on each layer.  I found the design in Gooseberry Patch Christmas, Book 3.  It was used for cross-stitch ornaments there, but I found the design worked admirably for embroidered ornaments, too.  What a fun project this was!

Rudolph Day for July

From the parcel ... handmade magnets by Fuchsia

Rudolph Day for July was uneventful as far as doing any Christmas crafting went, but it was an eventful day in other ways!

I did start out the day by burning a Christmas scented candle on the porch during my quiet time, and I did sip some Candy Cane Lane tea.  Later, I had the leftover tea over ice. 

As for the eventful part of the day, I had my Christmas in July parcel from Fuchsia to open.  I opened the card first


and marveled at the craftsmanship.

Then, I tried to space the opening of the gifts and goodies throughout the day.  The shortbread cookies were especially delicious!  I shared some of those with my daughter and grandchildren, who thoroughly enjoyed them.  There are still some of these yummy shortbread cookies (made in seashell shapes) in my freezer.


The post titled "Christmas in July" below shows the lovely contents of the parcel, so I won't show all the pictures again here.

Part of the fun was also reading the comments of others on the Christmas forum who were also opening their Christmas in July parcels that day.  It was especially fun reading Fuchsia's reaction to the contents of the parcel I sent her -- soon, I hope to post pictures of some of those items.

Suffice it to say that Christmas in July was a wonderful way to celebrate Rudolph Day!

Christmas tea wallet

One Christmas my daughter Carrie made me a lovely little tea wallet.

I have enjoyed it so much. One day I was looking at it and thought that a pretty Christmas tea wallet could be made using green felt and making the little birdie red. So I tried out this idea for my Christmas in July gifts for my swap partner. Here's the outside:

And the inside:
I thought the sort of retro green would make a nice contrast for the inside pockets.

The red bird came out quite cute. It's amazing how different the project looks using different colors of felt! Wouldn't a fall one be cute? You could add a few colored leaves to the branch.

Here is the link to the pattern if others are interested!
Little Birdie Tea Wallet
Enjoy!

Christmas in July!

Today is July 25, Christmas in July!

This year I was blessed to be able to take part in a Christmas in July gift exchange at a Christmas crafting forum I frequent. I just finished opening up the parcel my Canadian friend Fuchsia sent me and thought it would be fun to share the contents here.

Wish I had thought to take a photo when I first opened the package. But here it is with only some of the items opened. Festive!

Fuchsia even included some shiny red jingle bells to make the package sound like Christmas even before I opened it.

Here is the lovely Christmas card she made. Now I need to find out how she did this.

Hot apple cider sets the Christmas mood.

These fabulous butter cookies will be wonderful with cider. (And now I need the recipe!)

This beautifully handmade stocking

was stuffed with a candy cane, gift bags with snowman closures,

and these sparkly Christmas light bulb ornaments!

Another view of the pretty magnets.

This gives you an idea of how beautifully each gift was wrapped.

Aren't these note cards gorgeous?

What a fun cross stitch! (My kitchen and dining room have a strawberry theme.)

I've saved the very best for last. Fuchsia is an expert at making these glittery little putz houses.

When I found out we were to be CIJ swap partners, I was so hoping to get one of these. And I was not disappointed! This yellow and blue house is so lovely ... and I love the little snowman in the front yard.

Thank you, Fuchsia, for all of these thoughtful, generous gifts! Merry, merry Christmas in July!

Quote of the day

I was just browsing through one of my favorite Gooseberry Patch books, Good for You! It's a summery book full of all kinds of fun and healthy ideas. Sadly, I think this one is out of print; sure wish they would bring it back. Anyway, in my browsing I came across a wonderful idea I just had to share:

"When I am stressed, I have a box of Christmas fabrics handy. I go to my sewing room, play Christmas music and sew! It gets my Christmas gifts completed and I keep the Christmas spirit all year long." -- Nancy Stewart

I know I have seen this idea before and thought it was great. This time I decided to file it where I can't lose it -- here in my Christmas kitchen!

A little repurposing project

I am taking a chance posting this, but I doubt that either my 3-year-old or 5-year old granddaughter looks at my Christmas blog very often.

This is just a whimsical little repurposing project which I am making for them as a small Christmas gift. I had embroidered some pillowcases for gifts last year, and the Walmart brand of cases came in a little fabric pouch with a snap closure. I imagine they are trying to "go green" by eliminating paper and heavy plastic from their packaging. I kept looking at those two pouches and thinking that there must be a way to re-use them.

I finally came up with the idea of making tiny purses from them. I edged the front flap with some trim I had on hand and added a coordinating ribbon (which was the only thing I had to buy for this project!) for a handle/strap.

I stenciled an initial on each one but was not happy with the way the edges of the stencil came out -- too blurry. I think the pouch was just not smooth enough to use the technique of freezer-paper stenciling on. I couldn't think how to fix the problem until it came to me that I could simply embroider a chain stitch around the edges of the initial. Presto! Problem solved! I love it when the Lord shows me a creative solution.

On the back of the purse, I appliqued an adorable felt cupcake design.

I'm planning to put a few small things inside -- perhaps a little notebook and pen, a lip balm, and a coin purse with a few quarters in it. I'm thinking of trying to make a felt coin purse in a cupcake design to coordinate with the purse.

I love repurposing things, don't you?

The Rudolph Day that wasn't

Yes, Rudolph Day for June -- the 25th, of course -- was on the calendar all right, but I just didn't manage to accomplish anything Christmasy in it. Life is really, really busy right now and Saturday is one of the few days Mr. T and I can accomplish anything together. So, Saturday the 25th was full of activity, but none of it profitable toward Christmas. The only thing I managed to do was to drink a cup of Candy Cane Lane tea before bed. I'm certainly hoping that July will be a more festive Rudolph Day, and I have every reason (like a nice Christmas in July parcel I'm planning to open on that day) to hope for that!

May 25 ~ Rudolph Day

Rudolph Day for May was somewhat underwhelming. Wednesdays are always a really busy day for me, with quite a bit of time spent out of the house. I determined I would do a little something for Rudolph Day, even if only a little. So I spent a bit of time with my Christmas notebook, looking over my lists and crafting timelines. I recently bought a couple of components for handmade gifts, so entered that info in my notebook, crossed off under "materials needed" in my handmade gifts section.

And then I also tried out a pattern for crocheted coasters. A friend had sent me some of these in Valentine colors


and I thought they would also look nice in Christmas colors.


I made a dark green one and have started a burgundy one. Haven't found time to take a picture yet!

That was pretty much the extent of my Rudy Day, but I'm pleased to have accomplished even a little something.

April 2011 ~ Rudolph Day

Rudolph Day for April was yesterday. Mondays are always very busy days for me, but I planned ahead and made sure Rudolph Day was special anyway, incorporating some Christmasy fun into my day. I started out with a mug of Christmas coffee -- a blend of hazelnut and cinnamon.

I also put on some Christmas socks -- aqua with polka dots of red and green. They have a red Christmas tree on them too, but up closer to the ankle so the tree couldn't really be seen.

While having my morning quiet time, I sipped some Candy Cane Lane tea -- one of my favorites. I try to keep it on hand at all times.

While doing laundry and working at the computer, I listened to Christmas music -- A Classical Christmas and, later, Guitar Winterludes.

While eating lunch, I paged through Christmas Joy, by Susan Branch.

Later, when most of my work was done, I got out my Christmas notebook and did some work on my Christmas list and also on my Christmas crafting timelines. It felt great to get some more planning done. In the evening after supper, I spent time working on a Christmas in July gift for my swap partner on the Christmas crafters' forum.

And that was my Rudolph Day for April!

Quote for the day

"No matter what the calendar tells us, somehow in a crafter's heart and hands it is ever 'a little bit of Christmas'."
~ Crafts'n' Things magazine, April 1993

March 2011 ~ Rudolph Day

Yesterday, the 25th, was "Rudolph Day" for March. At the Christmas craft forum I frequent, we are encouraged to plan ahead and craft for Christmas on Rudy Day, along with maybe enjoying Christmas music, holiday coffee or tea, trying a new Christmas recipe, etc.

It was a busy day for me, but I had planned ahead and bought cotton yarn in the "Mistletoe" and "Dark Pine" colors. I hoped to get a bright red too, but our local Wal*mart only had the country red, which looks pinkish to me.

I bought the yarn because I wanted to try out a pattern for square crocheted coasters a friend had told me about. I thought they would be pretty in Christmas colors. This is the result. I like it, but think I would prefer solid colors for the richer look they give. And I think maybe a picot edging might look nice, too.

I also sipped some Twining's Christmas Tea (bought on clearance after Christmas!)

and browsed through some Christmas cookbooks for inspiration:

Gooseberry Patch Farmhouse Christmas (which I was "published" in!)

and The Christmas Kitchen, by Tammy Maltby.

I couldn't resist buying this while we were off on our getaway in January. I'm enjoying it for the prose as well as for the recipes.

And, to top it off, my Christmas cactus actually celebrated by blooming on Rudy Day!

What fun!

Pattern for crocheted chocolate doughnut!

Debbie asked if I would be willing to share the pattern for the crocheted doughnut which can be seen in the post "More Fun With Felt Food". Of course I will share, but I can't take credit for the pattern. I found it at Crochetville while I was searching for a crocheted cupcake pattern. I have yet to find one of those I really like, but this doughnut is adorable. Here is the link: Crocheted Chocolate Doughnut. This is intended to be a pincushion, but I just sewed on colored beads instead since my grandkids are using these doughnuts for play food. Very easy and fun to crochet!

A few more details from vintage cards

Here are just a very few more of the vignettes and greetings from my vintage Christmas card collection:

This was the cover to a 1960s photo Christmas card. The photo was on the inside of the card.

Love this little glimpse of holly and sheet music!

Here's a cheery Christmas greeting:

And here's an even cheerier one:

Hope you have enjoyed this glimpse of a few of the details of my vintage cards!