Shorttakes

 

Well...it's "that time" of year!  For any of you Harry Potter fans, I like to call this "the season that shall not be named".  Also, the time when white stuff falls from the sky.  And yet, I LOVE winter designs!  What's with that?

I am so excited to FINALLY get a newsletter under way!  As y'all probably know ALL TOO WELL, the last 9 months have been a whirlwind of challenges for me & for my mom, and all those different events left me drained of energy to do the things I wanted to do here.  But I am getting back to it all, slowly but surely.  So thanks for hanging in there thru the storms & for being such a wonderful source of kindness, comfort, commiseration & understanding. 

 

Instead of trying to catch you up with ALL the things I haven't been showing you (yipyapping about), I'm just gonna start where we are.  And as I go along I'll also add in things that I've missed showing you these last several months.  But for now, it's winter!  And you know how much I just LOOOOOOVE that.  My friend Deb from Stitches N Things in Michigan (she's retired now), was giving me grief on FaceBook because I posted a snarky weather thing about snow & the temps ~ she said, "Oooohhh, a heatwave!  It's 16 degrees here".  Yeah, add that to my list of spots not to live!  But she was snuggled in and stitching, so even less sympathy from me!  Having said that, there are so many A-DORABLE winter designs to share with you, so let's go....

 

   

Cherish - from Cherry Blossoms.  This designer is relatively new & we just love her whimsical charm!  This design is so sweet & would make a darling gift for someone you love!  I like that she stitched it on the Petit Point linen that has the dots on it, but it would be just as cute on a solid fabric.

Snow Day - from Cherry Blossoms.  This is where I like my snow ~ trapped inside a glass globe!  Super cute!  Tracy is working on this one right now.

 

      

Cozy Winter Sampler - from Artful Offerings.  LOVE LOVE LOVE this!  I'd like to say there's one particular thing about it that draws me in, but honestly, I love everything about it.

Cedar & Pine - from Calico Confectionery.  A perfect little bowl filler for winter decorating (see?  It doesn't have to ALL be about snow!).

 

Cabin in the Woods - from Flossabilities.  What a beautiful design!  While it's not explicitly winter, it is certainly giving that cozy winter vibe. 

 

    

Winter Quilt Barn - from Pansy Patch Quilts.  You know I love barns & this one is just darling!  I love that tall skinny tree to the left of the barn too!  Her start as a quilter is evident & adds so much to the charm of this.

Warm Winter Wishes - from Pansy Patch Quilts.  As usual, I just wanna move into one of these cute little houses! Also, check out how cute it looks finished as a drum....

 

   

Hot Cocoa Weather - from Shannon Christine.  Yes it certainly is!!!  This would be darling to hang in the kitchen during the winter.

Hot Chocolate Season - from Shannon Christine.  YUM!  Just warms you up looking at this!

 

    

Winter Forest - from Primrose Cottage.  Isn't this gorgeous?  It's beautiful finished as a drum, but it would be just as pretty framed!

 

    

Snowy Quaker - from Little House.   Oh I like this!  I think I want mine on slightly darker fabric (or maybe I'll just have to stitch it in different color floss ... you know how much I LOOOOVE dark fabric ~ NOT!).

Quaint Quakers 4 ~ Winter - from Quaint Rose.  I LOVE this!!  So much great stuff to see in it ~ from the sled-riding penguins with Quaker motifs on their bellies, to the igloo with the "Sleigh Rides" flag, to the great border with pine cones in the corner...loads of fun in this pretty piece.  And before you ask, YES 1 thru 3 are also available!  I'm picturing them below because they are really fun too & I think they got lost during this past year of struggles!

      

Quaint Quakers 1 ~ Spring  - Spring on the farm with flowers & the cutest little piggies!

Quaint Quakers 2 ~ Summer - YES!  My favorite (of course!), but I have to say, the Winter one is a close 2nd (even though it pains me to say that).  I love the sailboat with the quilt patterned sail & the crabs are adorable (might have to make them blue since we're so close to the Maryland coast) & of course the anchors are always popular with me.

Quaint Quakers 3 ~ Fall - Rich autumn colors, darling crows & I love the windmill.

 

   

Cocoa Quaker - from Primrose Cottage.  This is adorable & SO FUN!  These gals truly have brought so much to our industry & it seems with every new release we love them even more!  This is such a fun adaptation of the Quaker style ~ the medallions filled with cheeky winter motifs & the little bits scattered throughout the rest of the design are just great!

Cocoa Quilt - from Primrose Cottage.  Love the quilt pattern designs too!  And if you didn't know what those cups were...you'd still know, am I right??

 

    

Winter Snow - from Anabella's.  What a cute design ... just right for your winter decor!

Snowy Serenity - from Imaginating.  Because I love blue, this is just perfect for me!  Now lots of times, with cute houses in designs, you'll "hear" me say I just wanna move in there.  NOT gonna hear that with this one ~ it makes me cold just looking at it (or maybe I'm just cold because the temps haven't even been above freezing yet this year...ugh!).  But I do love this design ~ explain that to me....

 

   

Winter Wreath - from Tiny Modernist. How cute is this design?  For all y'all who wish to welcome winter, you know you want this!

Winter Folksy Rabbit - from Tiny Modernist.  This bunny is darling!  I really like the surrounding flowers & greenery as well.  Sometimes with designs like this, I can see using that round border for something else like a small wedding sampler with the initials & date in place of the rabbit.  This would also make a darling baby announcement, by just adding the baby's name & birth date below the circle (& obviously framing it without a round mat!).

 

   

Wrapped in Winter - by Infinity Bear Designs.  A new to us designer, I think this design is so fun!  The smaller I make the picture, the better you can see the kitty (the stained glass window effect gets lost, the larger you make the image), but if you squint your eyes you get the idea as well!

Keeper of the Snowflakes - from Haunted Frames.  I think this is super cute!  That kitty looks like he or she is having a good time playing with all those flakes.  And I'm sure the mouse is happy that the cat is occupied! 

 

        

Frozen World Quaker - from Twin Peak Primitives.  This is a really pretty sampler.  I wish the image was a photo of the stitched piece instead of a digital rendering of the chart, because I truly think it would be even lovelier!

Let It Snow - from With Thy Needle & Thread.  A cute little snowy vignette captured under a cloche. 

 

Yes, as sure as the New Year rings in, Valentine's Day is just around the corner!  Never a favorite of mine, I do have several stories & observations (and because I've been MIA for so long, I'm gonna share 'em with you ~ haven't you missed me????).

So, Valentine's Day with a boyfriend.  More specifically, one of MY stupid ex-boyfriends.  "Let's go see a movie & then go get a drink after".  Wow, how nice.  So we go to the theater, there are loads of couples in line.  All going to see a very romantic movie (can't remember what, just that it wasn't horribly sappy, but still very romantic).  What do we have tix for?  Groundhog Day!  And don't start with me that there's romance in it.  Just don't.  He had a choice.  Still salvagable though, right?  Afterwards, we hit a pub ~ okay.  Except we went there because it was dollar beer night & it was filled with guys avoiding Valentine's Day.  Overall, I give it a 1/10.  Do not recommend. 

Next, Valentine's Day with little boys in school doing their Valentines for school.  My nephews were probably in 1st & 2nd grade.  Chris was going thru a phase where he would tell you his WHOLE NAME!  Just so you know, he is named after my brother-in-law's best friend from college who had passed away, so he actually has 2 middle names.  So he would walk around saying, "Hi, I'm Christopher John Corcoran T. Middleton".  Um, what is that extra T for, dude? "It's for my name."  ????  Nope, pretty sure you've got enough names & letters without adding an extra.  What does it stand for?  "It stands for my name."  As you can see, reasoning with a first grader wasn't happening.  Anyway.  One evening he's signing all his Valentine cards for school.  As I walk by, I read one.  It says, "Love, Chris T".  Except this 1st grader has run all the letters together so it really looks like "love Christ".  Good news: they went to Catholic school, so at least there was a lesser chance anyone would be offended.  Plus, everyone thought Jesus was sending them a Valentine!! 

And lastly, an observation on stitching something for your sweetie ~ whether it's for Valentine's or any time. *sigh*  Unless it is your child or your spouse, DON'T DO IT!  No ringie no stitchy. During college, people would occasionally discover that I stitched & that I was connected to a cross stitch shop.  And they would ask for help ~ which I was glad to offer.  But seriously, if I had a nickel for every stupid ad I saw in the school paper for a "half-finished PiKA crest...cheap".  Or a "partially stitched lab puppy picture...free".  You know why.  You know!  You know she thought, "Oh I'm such a sweet girlfriend.  He'll just love this!"  And then they broke up before she finished it & she just wanted it GONE!  Yep.  No matter how many times I said it..."no ring, no stitch"!

So there, those are my obviously biased observations on Valentines. 

Having said all that (!), there are several fun (& quick to stitch) designs that would be darling to give to your (ring-wearing) sweetheart or to decorate your lovey home with!

   

Valentine's Day Alphabet - from Primrose Cottage. I love this design!  I personally would change that teal color, but I do know it's really popular right now.  I don't really feel like this is screamy meemy valentines & I'd leave it out all year.

Home Sweet Home - from Primrose Cottage.  Another darling design that doesn't have to be just for Feb 14th.  This would be a nice little gift for someone moving into a new home ~ even for a young person who's moving into their very first home away from mom & dad (and I may have one headed that direction in the near future....ACK!!).

 

   

Valentine's Day Quilt - from Primrose Cottage.  Another in their delightful Quilt pattern series, this would be a sweet little bowl filler.

Valentine's Day Word Tree - from Primrose Cottage.  Clever!  And another fun little stitch that you could finish as a small pillow, maybe put a fabric pocket on the back & tuck a note or a gift card or an invitation inside for someone special!

 

 

Click the heart for page 2!