Halloween Rules

Hello!

I finished Halloween Rules a couple of weeks ago. Life has been so busy, only now I had the time to post it.

It was stitched on 14 count aida  tea dyed by me. The fabric is a bit darker than it looks on the picture. I stitched it with DMC and made lots of color changes.

I also made changes on the space between the designs. I think it looks less busy this way.

I chose to finish it similar to Christmas Rules that I finished last year.

I used black ric-rac to trim and  a metal hanger. For the back, I used the black and orange polka dot fabric pictured.

The light inside my apartment is not good, I always have to take pictures outside.
I love this hanger I found on Etsy. It gives it the perfect finishing touch.
To be able to finish this, I am late on my other stitching. And now it's time to start making gifts and other things to prepare for Christmas. I will see how it goes.

Have a Happy and safe Halloween!

Ana Paula.

Back to School

Hello!

School started yesterday.  Life is back on it's old routine.
It's very hot right now in Southern California. Because of the drought, we only are allowed watering the plants twice a week. My little garden is not doing very well, but is surviving.
Hope you are enjoying your end of Summer. Here we still have some hot weather ahead.
I have some things to share since my last post. It was way back in June!
First, my Flip-it Stamps  cross stitch ornaments.

Here are July and August. I made some color changes on both. I am just so excited to finish my little collection. I am late this month, still need to start the September ornament!

 

I finally made a patriotic table runner for my sideboard. It's a simple one, made with fabric I had at home. I am trying to use the fabric from my stash, instead of buying more.

This is Mason, I don't remember if I posted him before, but he is too cute to not share. He is a Boyd's Bears cookie jar, but I never put cookies inside him.

This little flag pillow I made with scraps and tiny star buttons.

Another Cross Stitch finish.  This is "A Very Merry Summer" from JBW designs. It was on my to do list for a long time.

Three new clothespin dolls for my  collection! I just love to find the right accessories for each one. This time, I had everything in my craft "stuff".

I had great plans for baking with Brenda this Summer. But, most days were just too hot to bake.
We managed to bake a little, including a peach pie. Brenda made an small one all for herself.

Don't you love the many beautiful knit pumpkins on Pinterest? Some are made from old sweaters. Since I had no old orange sweater, I found some orange yarn and knitted one. It was very easy!

And here is my latest project. A pie carrier for my gingerbread loving friend.  I had this fabric in my stash. She loved it!
That's all for now. Hope you stay cool wherever you live.
Have a great day!

Ana Paula.

Some Cross Stitch and Other Fun Stuff

Hello!

The last couple of weeks were quite busy with end of the school year activities. Now Brenda is home and will be another kind of busy...it will be fun!
I was able to finish some ornaments.  Here they are.

The June ornament from Lizzie Kate's  Flip It Stamps series.  It was stitched on 14 count Aida oatmeal with DMC floss. I made several color changes.

Recently I got a couple of new patterns from Creative Poppy.  This little swimming girl is part of "Happy Childhood - Seaside" from Perrette Samouiloff. I love her designs and it's such a treat to be able to buy them online and print at home. The Aida is really light blue, not white as it looks.
 I made the ornament for Brenda to celebrate her swimming classes. Swimming is the only sport the doctor recommends for her, and she loves it!

These two ornaments I made a while ago and had not posted yet. The pattern is a freebie that I can't find the link now. I made the green and pink to give as a baby shower gift, but the blue and pink is mine. I just love it!
Now a little bit of sewing. We were invited to the wedding of a very sweet girl.

I made this casserole carrier  as her wedding gift.

Inside it, I put a Pyrex dish and a Gooseberry Patch cookbook. 

And here is the picture of a little tea party we had for Brenda's birthday. It was sweet and simple, but fun. She loved it.

She got the gifts she wanted, and I made a couple of new things for her room. An origami dress garland for the bookcase, and a little bolster pillow. I love those origami dresses, they are just so cute and so girly, I will be making more soon!
That's all for now. Lots to do around here.
Have a great week!

Ana Paula.

A little Sewing

Hello!

Last week I made something that was waiting for a long time.
I got a layer cake from Moda fabrics on e-bay to make a table runner but just never got to make it.
I love quilting. The problem is that I am not very good at it...but, I keep trying.  So, here is my Ruby table runner.

I love this line of fabric, an old one now, but beautiful. I played safe and just sewed the squares together. Simple, but fast and less challenging. Sometimes easy is the best.

I also made this pie carrier. Another simple sewing project.

It's just a padded square of fabric. You can get the idea with my picture, but if you need, you can find many tutorials online teaching how to make this.

To close the carrier, you just pass the middle of the fabric handle trough the two loops. Just great to take round or square casseroles to potlucks this summer. If you use a one way print fabric would be perfect. Mine is not, but I love this apples and pears fabric and used it anyways.

Last Friday Brenda went to a birthday tea party. I made this little apron as a gift to her friend. The birthday girl was one of those girls that have a lot of stuff. Hard to shop for...so, a cute apron was the solution. I hope she liked.
And now this week's sewing. It was kind of hard, a very difficult fabric to work with.

These are thirty long sleeve shirts that I had to sew a stripe of silver fabric on. Brenda's school is doing the Disney Beauty and the Beast play. These shirts are part of the costume for the silverware from the "Be our guest" song.  I volunteered to help with the costumes.
So, that's what I was doing lately. Lots more to come.
Thanks for stopping by, and enjoy your weekend!

Ana Paula.

May Ornament

Hello!
Just a little post to show my new finish.

This is Lizzie Kate's May Flip It Stamps. I made several color changes because I wanted something more Spring looking. I think it turned out cute.

I am very happy with my growing collection of Flip It Stamps ornaments. I had stitched just January and March before, but made the other three months recently.
Hopefully I will be able to finish the rest by the end of the year.

Last month was a busy one with several events to attend. Brenda's class had their "Walk Through the American Revolution". She was Patrick Henry, and I made her costume with a yarn wig and all. It was fun!

We also had the annual fundraising auction for the Girl's Camp  at my church. I made this cute cherry apron to donate. I love this fabric!

I also made my trifle. It sold for a hundred dollars! I can't believe that next year Brenda will be one of the girls going to camp...she will be twelve years old! I don't know where the time went.
Got to go now... I need to make a baby shower gift  and a costume for Brenda's school play.

Have a wonderful rest of the week, and a Happy Mother's Day!

Ana Paula.

Happy Easter!

Hello!

I was able to finish two more ornaments.

First, this Lizzie Kate April Flip It Stamps. I changed the colors a little, and really like it!
It's stitched on 14 aida  oatmeal with DMC floss.

The next ornament  is this cute design from Prairie Schooler -  Just hatched. I love the little chicks walking back and forth. I finally stitched this one! I used DMC floss using colors I had on hand.

 I am glad I finished both  just in time for Easter.

 

They look cute with my Easter decor.

This year I got a new idea for a display.

I should spray paint this 3 tier thing white...I think it will look better.

I used moss, some English tin eggs I got on e-bay years ago, a little nest  and birds from Michael's.
The empty spots were filled with silk violets and ivy. Two of my favorite cross stitch ornaments give the fining touch. The top ornament was made by Carol. It's a small masterpiece.

I had a birthday in March, and here are a couple of the gifts I got. I was crazy about this book since I saw it at the library. I just had to have it! So many cute projects in one book. Many craft books these days have only a couple of projects that I want to make. This one is different...hard to decide what to make first.  I got the Willow Tree "abundance" figurine from a dear friend. I love it!

Now my three little flower girls live on a  shelf  above the computer. Aren't they cute?
Anyways, that's all for now, I need to make some preparations for tomorrow.

Thank you for stopping by, and have a wonderful Easter!

Ana Paula.