Handmade Gifts and a New Cross Stitch.

Hello!

Hope you are enjoying the nice weather!
Here in California is nice and today is the last day of school.
This month started sad with the passing of my husbands  grandmother. She was 93 years old. We are having a memorial for her next weekend.

With the end of the school year, Brenda wanted some gifts for her teachers, so I decided to do something different.
I wanted to make some embroidery framed on hoops, so I got the Book Club Stitchettes pattern set from Wee Wonderfuls.  Here how the little gifts turned out!

Miss Brenda loves them, hope the teachers like it too. I think now I need to make some for Brenda's room ... the designs are so cute!

Brenda just had her 10th birthday, and I made this reading pillow as a gift for her.
The pattern is from  Sew Liberated. 

We love this toadstool fabric! She will use this pillow  a lot this summer.
I also made this little owl bag set in crochet, as an early birthday gift. She wears it so proudly! I think it really turned out cute, besides my poor crochet skills.

I enjoy doing some gardening, even with a tiny space. It's good for the soul! Here are some of our flowers.

  

 

 

And finally, here is my new cross stitch i just started.  Chistmas Rules from Lizzie Kate. I love this pattern and wanted it badly, but it is an expensive one. Months ago, I was able to get a very good deal for the set of patterns on e-bay. I was going to try to stitch it on linen, but because I needed a big piece, I used some aida I already had. As you can see, I always need a magnifier to stitch now.

 

Hopefully, I will be able to finish it for Christmas.

I was able to get also the Halloween Rules set. I will make it next year.

Have a great weekend, and a wonderful Summer!

Ana Paula.

Hollyhocks, berries and a new apron

Yesterday we got our first hollyhocks! This year I saved them from the snails, and recently from rust.
They are doing well now. I like the color. Last Summer we had pink ones, not many because the snails ate most of the baby plants. Was just one left. I planted more latter and  would love to have some  pink hollyhocks this year, but with assorted seeds, you never know.
More on gardening. Well, Grandma's garden.

My mother-in-law has a boysenberry bush in her backyard.

Very pretty, isn't it?  Now every Sunday when we visit Grandma we pick berries. Lots of berries.
Because of her Parkinson's and other complications she can't pick as much as she used to. She can't bend and her balance is not very good. She falls a lot.

We try to help her with these small things. She used to be very active and it is very hard on her not being able to do simple things.

We end up with more berries than we can eat. They are very good. We make smoothies, or cook them with sugar to serve warm over pancakes or ice cream.
I am freezing a lot too . I will try to make a pie or a cobbler.

Now, a little bit of sewing .

I had this fabric for a looong time! It was a fabric panel with all the parts printed on.
I  made one small change . I added a muslin back so I could have all  the seams  inside.
It came out nice and I really like it, it's perfect for the 4th of July.
Thanks for stopping by!

Ana Paula

Ivy Letter Topiary

Hi!
I wanted to make a big initial  letter to display on a shelf , and when I found this cool idea
on  Family Fun magazine, I  decided to give it a try.
Great gardening craft to make with kids!

My problem was to find a rectangular pot that fitted inside a pretty container. Good luck on that!
So, I got two small ivy plants on two pots,and put inside a loaf bread pan as you see above.
When it is on the shelf, nobody will see inside, right?
I made the letter using sticks and twine. The magazine asked for 12-gauge covered floral wire, but the sticks worked better for me.
Now I need to be patient and wait the ivy grow and cover the letter. As it grows, I will tie it on the sticks.

Let me tell you, next time I will start with longer ivy plants. :)

If you don't have the magazine and want to make it, you can find the directions at the Family Fun website.
Thanks for stopping by!
Ana Paula.