Merry Christmas from Canada!

Hi and welcome!

Hope you're all enjoying these last days of the year.

I thought I'd share a few photos from my home with you.

I'm addicted to Pinterest!

It was there that I got this idea of turning a tomato cage upside down and wrapping it in lights, creating a "tree" for my front porch.

 

And also, stuffing a bunch of lights into a burlap sack--so simple.

As you enter, you'll be greeted by Eggplant, a Lakeview Primitives doll pattern, holding a Christmas Blessings cross-stitch pillow (pattern by La-D-Da).

Look straight ahead and this is what you'll see. 

 I stuck a few white poinsettias into this vintage carpenter's box and stuck a little snowman and a few greens into an old sifter.

Look up and this is what you'll see.
It's not exactly a Christmas quilt but it does have stars.
(You can find it in my At Home with Country Quilts book.)

 I put the tree in the center of the window.  I love all the lights!
My Ikea stars stay up all year.

My "Home for Christmas" tree-skirt lies underneath the tree.

 This is my favourite cupboard.  I hung a few ornies on the knobs and put a Christmas pillow on the chair.

 What's Christmas without a few sheep?

 My favourite home-made Santa--a Pineberry Lane pattern--sits on top of an old Bible and quilts stuffed into what used to be a wood-box.

 Here's my fireplace topped with my Santa collection.  A little creche sits on the floor beside it.

 A handmade rug from Primitive Gatherings sits on the coffee-table.  On top of it is a pantry cake (also handmade) surrounded by greens.  Beside it is a little quilted sachet stuffed with greens from last year's Christmas tree.

 This poinsettia is already looking kinda straggly but I still love how it looks in an old sieve filled with pinecones.  It's sitting on top of one of my penny rugs, on top of a big old tin.

 I tucked this little Belsnickle into another rusty, old sieve and put a few greens and pinecones around him.
These old sacks are my kitchen "curtains".
I love how my Merry Christmas penny garland contrasts with them.

Of course, you need some primitive gingerbread boys in a wooden bowl.  These are from a new pattern of mine, now available at www.patternmart.com.  Just in case you've forgotten where to find me!

I wish all of you a wonderful Christmas and a new year filled with joy and dreams come true!

Odds and Ends

Lately I've felt like I'm in a bit of a slump.

Maybe it's the time of the year, I don't know,

but inspiration for new projects isn't striking.

What to do?

Well, I guess I could clean up some of my odds and ends

left over from other projects.

So I found some sample blocks I'd made for my first book for Martingale.

This one was from "Prairie Stars".

I made the sample block into a little pillow.

I took my sample block from "Tulip Time",

added some wool applique and embroidery 

and made a little table topper.

 This block was from the cover quilt.

I added some handquilting and binding and made a...
could be a pot holder or a candle mat.


 I had a bunch of strip sets from
(no idea where).
Made them into a double nine-patch block, stitched and bound it.



This was my finished version of "Autumn Equinox". 

My first try at the patchwork center didn't turn out quite like I hoped but
I couldn't bear to throw it away.
So I added a different border and machine quilted it. 

I think I'll keep this one for now. 

The other odds and ends will go to "Creekside Home Decor",

a local shop where I sell things on consignment.

Still waiting for inspiration

but now I've got a bit more space to work in when it (eventually) strikes!



What Shall I Make Today? Little Light Ornies!

Wanting to make some last-minute decorations?

Here's a super quick and easy idea.

(I don't know if this is original or if I saw a version someplace--can't remember things like I used to!)

You'll need a battery-operated tea-light, an old jar lid, a rusty star, and some rusty wire.

Punch two holes in opposite sides of the lid.

I found the easiest way to do this was to tighten the lid in a vise and hammer a nail into it.

You'll also need to hammer a nail into the star to make a hole.

I found the white tea-lights at Michael's.

Since I prefer the grungy look, I painted the top and sides with black acrylic paint.

Before it dries, sprinkle with a mixture of ground instant coffee and cinnamon.

When dry, paint it with modge-podge (but not the bulb!)

Cut a length of rusty wire and insert one end into the hole in the lid.

Wrap the end around itself.

Thread the star onto the wire and bend the wire to hold it in place at the top.

Insert the other end of the wire into the other hole and wrap that end around itself.

Tear a little strip of homespun and tie it around the wire at the bottom.

Place the tea-light in the center of the lid.

Fill the area around it with bits of moss, berries, whatever you like.

That's it! 

Won't these look pretty nestled among my Santas on the mantle?

Or as little center-pieces on my Christmas table?

You could also give them away as party favours,

thread a tag with a guest's name on it onto the wire for a place setting,

or hang them on your tree.

Have fun!

What Shall I Make Today? Creepy Cobweb Coasters!

Here's a last-minute Halloween decorating idea for you!

Draw lines like this on a piece of graph paper.

My finished design will be 4 1/2" square so the cross-lines are at 2 1/4".

Make little marks at 3/4" down and across from each corner.

Draw an arc between the lines on the top half of the diagram, like this:

Fold the paper in half and cut out along the arcs.

Unfold the paper and pin to a double layer of muslin, with a piece of batting underneath.

Make sure to leave about 1/2" around the shape.

Sew around the shape, leaving one arc open.

Remove the piece from the machine and cut out 1/4" outside the stitching.

Cut straight across the points.



Turn the piece right side out through the opening.

Use a chopstick or other pointy thing to get into the points.

Hand-stitch the opening closed.

Place the piece between 2 single layers of cheesecloth.

Machine-stitch with contrasting thread across the shape from point to point,

making sure to intersect in the center.

After you've stitched the 4 lines across the piece,

move your needle about 1/2" toward the center.

Following the arcs, stitch around the shape.

When you get back to the beginning,

move your needle another 1/2" toward the center

and stitch again around the shape, following the arcs.

Repeat once more and remove from the machine.

Trim any long threads and the cheesecloth loosely around the shape.

If you like, you can brush some stiffener onto both sides of the shape and let dry.

Your creepy cobweb coasters are finished!

If you want, you can loop a length of thread through a point and hang them around your house.

Happy Halloween everyone!

First Sunday of Advent

Here on Canada's west coast, we got our first taste of winter this past week--days of howling winds and record-low temperatures were followed by an early snowfall.

Here's the view out of my kitchen window. I like to keep things simple during this holiday season.

My decorating starts with this creche, which has been part of our
family's Christmas tradition for many years.

I made the crepe paper figures based on a pattern in Better Homes and Gardens magazine. My husband crafted the rustic stable.

Christmas quilts are hung around the house.
This my "Holly and the Ivy" pattern.

And here's my "In the Photo Booth".

Here's another old "Better Homes and Gardens" pattern.
Even though it's getting a bit dated,

I love how it looks against the blue mantel.

My husband made the stained glass wreath which is hung in our living room window.

I'll put a little potpourri in a wooden bowl

and place it on this table mat (pattern by Primitive Gatherings.)

And I love this penny rug pattern by Lakeview Primitives.

Last year my sister surprised me with this wonderful Pineberry Lane stitchery.

She hadn't realized that I loved the pattern so much,

I'd just bought and made one for myself,

so now I have two!

One can never have too much of a good thing!