SSCS 2011 - The Big Reveal...What I Sent...

Finally, finally all can be revealed...the agony of waiting is over, parcels are opened, paper and ribbon cleared away and tah dah! What I made for Nancy who lives in a place far far away across the seas near Philadelphia...

Stalking of Nancy's blog revealed she is a William Morris and civil war fabrics girl so I combined the two and came up with my slant on William Morris mets civil war Aussie style...appliqueing civil war fabrics (hand blanket stitch) in a William Morris bird design from Michele Hill's book "William Morris in Applique"...with a pattern by Leanne Beasley of Leanne's House...thereby incorporating two Aussie designers into the mix...to create...

A block keeper

A few little parcels went in the stocking ornament with instructions they weren't to be opened until Christmas Day...a piece of civil war fabric I came upon when buying the ribbon for the block keeper ties (which I seriously contemplated keeping for me but was strong and didn't)...some Victorian-made Aussie chocolates...a little triangle pouch in the same fabric as the block keeper for hiding those little things like a thimble or a reel of thread that we need to tote along sometimes but don't want to take the whole sewing bag shebang - or hiding some sneaky chocolate treats...and a pocket sized Birds of Australian 2012 calendar so Nancy is never without her stitchy dates to hand...but which her husband has decided I sent for HIM! so Nancy is being very good and going to share by hanging it in the house (she is good to him, hope he appreciates the sharing!!)...

I hope you enjoy what I made for you Nancy as much as I enjoyed creating them for you.

Thank you Chookyblue for once again hosting this most awesome of swaps.

Happy Stitching...and Merry Christmas!

SSCS 2011...The Ornament...Incoming...

Parcel Guy came by this morning and left a box in the door...from over the ditch (New Zealand that is)...marked "SSCS"...wahoo!!!...turning the box over revealed it was from Nicky...inside three very prettily wrapped presents and an envelope housing Rudolph who told me the small one was the ornament, the big one the present and the middle one I could choose whether to open now or not...I'm being good, it is residing under the tree with the big one...we'll see how long that lasts *LOL*..

And the ornament...Oh. My. Goodness. Such teeny tiny cross stitching...really teeny tiny...the whole ornament is only 7.5cm across and there are two reindeer in that star!  Can you see them, they are perfect and so small...I think I'd go blind trying to stitch that teeny tiny...thank you so much Nicky I Love It...it immediately went across the room and took up residence on the Christmas Tree...looks pretty darn good...

Happy Stitching...

So Impatient...

So I mailed two SSCS parcels across the seas to a place far far away near Philadelphia in the US of A - one with the ornament that can be opened now and one with the main present that can't be opened until Christmas Day - and what arrives first - and on a Friday so that the weekend has to be endured before the next mail delivery - but the main present...aaarrrggghhhh!!!! I feel Nancy's pain...I want her to be able to open it...I want to know if she likes it...I want to be able to tell the story of how I decided on what to make...but she can't...and I can't...so we endure...the waiting....

But it did occur to me yesterday that hey, it is December, it is the month of Christmas, it is time to break out the decs and that means 'Tis the Season can come out and play...

so today I'm going to vacuum the Jindi fur off the carpet and drag out the Christmas tree and boxes and play decorations (when I get home from playing steward at the local agi show)...which means I get to enjoy this again...

my Christmas decoration made for me by Anne-Heidi for last years SSCS...and the house will be ready to receive this year's ornament...when the post office decides to deliver it...

Happy Stitching...

Friday Night Sew-In...

Friday Night Sew-In rolled around again last night...thanks once again to Heidi & Bobbi for hosting...so what did I achieve...well, stitching away when I realised that I actually can't show it yet...doh!...local quilting group is having our biennial quilt show in October and the challenge fabric has been languishing on the shelf for months...yep I totally forgot about it...oops!...a comment at Monday craft group a couple of weeks ago reminded me that time was fast running out!!!...so all I can show you is a sneaky peek...

Not very exciting but I'm happy with how the project is progressing...don't you just love it when what is on the sewing table pretty much matches the picture in your head..

I did get a little distracted during the course of the evening when Chookyblue emailed my partner for this year's SCCS swap and I wandered off to blog stalk...so exciting...I've already worked out what I will make ? for her main present...I've also got ideas about the hanging ornament...I love this swap...

Tomorrow I'm off to play at Urban Stitches along with Kerrie, Rosie & Jean (no blogs)...we have been so looking forward to this day...and I'm also looking forward to spending the day with three good stitchy friends...it's being held in a big hotel located in one of the Waverleys (Glen or Mount...I get them mixed up) so a bit of a drive but it will be well worth the effort I'm sure.

Hope your weekend is stitchy...

Happy Stitching...