My Cross Stitch Goal for 2012

Hello!
Some months ago I was able to get a great bargain on e-bay : Lizzie Kate's flip-it stamps.
My goal is make one a month.  I just finished January.

I changed the colors to mostly blue, inspired by this ornament .  The trim is ruched ribbon.
The pattern came with 3 tiny buttons but I decided to use snowflakes instead, like on  the ornament  I was copying :)  But, I was not able to find such small snowflake buttons like hers. I had to use just one.
I finished it as a flat ornament, and the fabric on the background is the one I used on the back of the ornament.
I love this design and I am so pleased on how it looks after finished. I love it!

This has been a busy month, and I am happy I was able to finish it before January is over.
The plan is to display a new ornament on a little easel every month.  Eleven more to go!
Thanks for stopping by!
Ana Paula.

Cleaning, an old project, and a Cookbook

Hello!
Not much crafting going on around here.  All I am doing now  is cleaning and organizing.
We took lots of stuff to Salvation Army and I still have more to take there.
I am working on a little cross stitch on some free minutes. I will share it soon, I hope.
Since I have no new projects to share today, I will show something that I made in December but never posted.
I am keeping it out because I love it.

It is very simple to make. You will need :

A bag of moss - I got it at Joann's.
2 plastic deer - You can find at Michael's.
Small toadstools - my friend Jodie made mine from wooden knobs in different sizes.
A pretty container - I found this one at Home Goods, but Tai Pan Trading has lots of them.

To make the little meadow scene, you  cut a piece of moss to fit the container you chose and tuck it in.
Now you just have to place the deer and toadstools over the moss and you are done!

Since I don't have any real deer near by, these ones are good enough for me!

Now, on a complete different subject.
I got this on the mail this week.

I sent a recipe to Gooseberry Patch and it was published in this book, Fresh from the Farmstand.
If they publish your recipe, you get a free copy of the book.
My recipe is "Berry Sweet Trifle" on page 215.
I love their cookbooks and it was very exciting to have my trifle recipe published.
That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by!
Ana Paula.

Christmas "Paper" Dolls

Hello, and happy new year everyone!
I am late here again, there is never enough time, but I wanted to share something I made this Christmas.

The inspiration for the paper dolls set comes from here.  Make sure to check it out, this girl has the cutiest blog.
I found the fabrics on e-bay, for a very good price.
I made some changes on my set (in reality I made two sets - one for Brenda and one for her best friend).

Here is one set with all the parts. Five girls, seven outfits and nine hair accessories/hats.

A close-up of some of the girls and some more pictures of the set.

I used spray starch and heat n' bond ultrahold to make the fabric stiff enough to cut all the parts.
I used a normal iron on by the yard for the case. I got everything at Joann's, including the polka dot fabric. Only the two paper dolls fabrics were from e-bay. I got one yard each, one with the girls and one with the clothes and acessories.  I believe I have leftover fabric enough to make another set with less pieces.
I think it came out pretty cute, and the girls love it! Paper dolls are really fun!

Since I am talking about Christmas, I will share some new ornaments we got this year.

I finally have Elvis!

 We got a Fancy Nancy ornament too. I made it from a fabric scrap and some fancy trims.

German toadstools.

A gnome.

A dessert stand.

We gave Brenda a piano ornament to celebrate her first year taking piano lessons.
That's our tree. From baby Jesus to annual pictures of Brenda,  we have it all. It is a tree of memories and things that we love.

And here is my girl, waiting her granparents to arrive for Christmas dinner.

 And here reading a Fancy Nancy book to her great grandma.

And opening a present.
Well, that's all for now. A big Christmas post in January!
Thanks for stopping by!

Ana Paula.