Christmas Exchange from Dawn and Stephanie

I received my exchange from Dawn last Saturday. We weren't expecting any mail, but it came late so it had been sitting in the mailbox all day!

She stitched up a lovely ornament using a Prairie Schooler pattern called Snowy Night. I love that she used neutral colored twine for the edges. 

I can't wait until after Thanksgiving as I'll be definitely displaying it on our Christmas tree. Maybe it will bring us winter luck and we'll get snow (a Southern girl can hope, right?! lol).

Do you guys remember the beautiful autumn/Halloween exchange that I received last year from Stephanie? Well, she's the wonderful lady who organized this Christmas exchange for us since the HoE has been dormant all year.

I received a Christmas card in the mail this week from Stephanie with a fun surprise, a Lizzie Kate pattern and two skeins of Weeks Dye Works thread in Christmas colors!! I wasn't expecting anything so it was a great surprise.

Thank you, Stephanie, for organizing this exchange and fun 'extras'.

Thank you, Dawn, for the beautiful ornament :)

Until next time ^___^

HoE Christmas Exchange 2016

Pattern: Yuletide Memories by Blackwork Journey
Fabric: 28 ct Jobelan antique white linen by Wichelt
Threads: DMC 666 and 699 and Artiste yellow gold metallic
Notions: gold seed beads and sparkly cording
Start/Finish: 10/22-29/2016

I mailed out my Hooked on Exchanging Christmas ornament last Saturday and my partner, Dawn, received it on Monday.

I stitched up an ornament from the Just Cross Stitch 2016 Christmas issue. It is called Yuletide Memories by Blackwork Journey. I've always liked blackwork designs, but the last time I stitched one was a while ago from a booklet that a friend got me while she was in New Zealand.

When looking through the JCS magazine, this one and another (Mistletoe by Giulia Punti Antichi) caught my eye and I eventually chose Yuletide Memories.

I finished it as a hanging ornament using my trusty Sizzix machine and circle die cuts. It struggled a bit with cutting the chipboard (even though it was the thinnest chipboard I could find), but worked fine with cutting the backing fabric and even the quilt batting. 

Before sending off my exchange, I found some cute Christmas buttons and notepad at Michael's that I thought were perfect as 'extras' even though they weren't necessary......they were too cute to past up :)

I found the little drawstring bag at Target in their dollar section. It was the perfect size for my ornament.

Hopefully we will get to do some more exchanges next year. They are quite fun  and always a pleasure to make because you know the person on the other end will appreciate them as fellow cross stitchers/crafters.

Until next time ^____^

Christmas Cards for Cross Stitch Friends :)

I wanted to send Christmas cards to the ladies I've stitched for or received gifts from the Hooked on Exchanging blog. I found some adorable buttons at Joann's Fabrics and added those to each card.

I hope everyone in the HoE group is having a wonderful holiday season :)

Until next time ^___^

Surprise Autumn Cross Stitch - from Lee of Stitchy Fish

I received a package from Lee of Stitchy Fish in the mail earlier this week. It turns out that she had accidentally sent her exchange project to me instead of her partner because she thought I was supposed to receive it since I sent her something. I offered to mail it to her exchange partner, but she insisted that I keep it and that she'd work on another pattern for her partner.

She had stitched up this adorable little bag and included some candy and a beaded scissor fob inside.

Thank you Lee for the 'surprise' accidental gift. It is lovely. I have the bag displayed by my Halloween tree.

I can't wait to see what you up for your partner. I'm sure it will equally as beautiful.

Until next time >___<

HoE Autumn Exchange - from Erin of Fairy Tales and French Knots

I received my HoE Autumn Exchange piece in the mail from Erin of Fairy Tales and French Knots. It is called Autumn is Here by Helga Mendl. I had actually stitched up this design years ago and made it into a pillow, but I have to say that Erin's finishing is way cuter.

Who would have thought to use a little wooden fence to finish a cross stitch pattern?!?!

I have it displayed on my Halloween tree right now.

Thank you Erin for such a beautiful piece of stitching!!

Until next time >___<

HoE Autumn Exchange - to Lee of Stitchy Fish

Pattern: Autumn Biscornu freebie
Fabric: 32ct cream Belfast linen by Wichelt
Threads: DMC 310, 420, 801, 922, and 3051
Notions: Le Bouton 5/8" brown buttons
Start/Finish: 9/20-24/2015

Good morning everyone! I sent out my exchange piece for the HoE Autumn Exchange on Saturday. I was given Lee of Stitchy Fish as my stitching partner.

Looking online for cute autumn themed biscornus, I ran across a squirrel and acorn biscornu and knew I had to stitch it up. I had found some brown buttons to finish it with.

I wanted to 'dress' up the packaging of my biscornu and found a lovely crochet pattern for a maple leaf by Happy Berry. I used the leaf I crocheted and some orange/white baker's twine for the outside of my package.

I hope you liked your exchange piece, Lee!!

Until next time ^_____^

HoE Halloween Exchange - to Rosa of Working with my Hands

Pattern: Halloween 2008 freebie by Les Grilles de Maryse
Fabric: 28 ct Jobelan Lambswool linen by Wichelt
Threads: recommended DMC
Notions: pumpkin fabric, orange fabric, 1 1/2 inch wire ribbon, and white pearlized pins
Start/Finish: 8/23-24/2015
Finished: as a no-sew cube on 9/12/2015

Hi, everyone! My HOE Halloween exchange project finally made it to its destination in Nova Scotia, Canada today.

I was quite worried for a while after I mailed it because after it got to Canada and cleared customs, the tracking number kept on insisting that it was on its way from Miami all over again (the original departure city in the US)!!! For a while I thought maybe the package failed at customs and was being sent back to me! I was so glad when this morning it said it had been delivered.

While searching for a cute Halloween design to stitch for my partner, Rosa of Working with my Hands, I found a lovely design by Les Grilles de Maryse.

I decided to finish it as a no-sew cube. I had help choosing the backing fabric. I had two types of fabrics in my stash and after asking for Amanda's advice, I went with the darker pumpkin fabric.

I used an orange fabric and mulitcolored ribbon for the side and top of the cube.

I had a lot of fun making this project and I hope my partner liked her exchange :)

Until next time >___<

HoE Halloween Exchange - from Blue Star Stitcher

This morning I had gotten a few autumn decorations and my Halloween tree out of storage. When I got home I found a lovely package in the mail from Stephanie of Blue Star Stitcher. She stamped the envelope with cute pumpkins and bats which matched the handwritten note inside.

She made a gorgeous hanging pillow using one of Prairie Schooler's patterns, Witching Hour. The fabric is hand-dyed (absolutely beautiful color!!) and she used over-dyed threads for the moon and stars.

I need a bigger Halloween tree to display it on!! Right now, I have it on display with all my other fall/Halloween cross stitch pillows.

Thank you so much, Stephanie!!! I love it!

Until next time >___<

HoE Halloween Exchange

Hi, everyone. Over the years, I've loved reading blog posts on stitchers' exchanges with one another. This year I thought I'd see if I could join the Hooked on Exchanging (HoE) blog group. I received an email this morning saying I could join and participate in their Halloween exchange this autumn.

I am quite excited! This evening I pulled out a few of my old Halloween issues of Just Cross Stitch magazine to get some ideas for patterns and finishes.

So many patterns to choose from! Decisions, decisions.

Until next time >____<