Special Friends

After meeting in town to shop and lunch, the ladies came back to my place for a quick visit. Here we are. It is so lovely to keep in contact with such a special group of friends even though I now live so far (2 hours) away.

Di was my Christmas buddy this year and she stitched me a Christmas tea towel and bought me the loveliest Christmas apron and a very useful Book Seat! The latter is very good for me as I love to read and especially in bed. What a wonderful gift.

After the ladies headed home, I found a card placed sneakily on my kitchen bench. Inside was a card from Karen and she had given me one of these beautiful bobbin lace ornaments from Slovenia. I had much admired the one that Fiona was given for Christmas! What a lovely thought. It is hanging on the tree right in the front!

I did try to learn how to do bobbin lace years ago and found it quite a difficult skill to master. You need lots of practice and I like so many other forms of stitching that I gave up! How terrible!

Christmas gift

Had a very special day on Saturday catching up with some friends from the Bay here is Canberra. We met in Civic for a spot of shopping and then had a yummy lunch at Cream. It was Maree's birthday and our Christmas celebration as well. We all have one person to buy for each year and I had Lynda this time. These are her gifts. I bought the new Donna Hay cookbook "Seasons" and made her a bookmark.

I had bought this lovely covered journal at the Stitch-in in Melbourne earlier this year. What a lovely use for a doyley.

I also made her this decoration using one of the Theodora Cleave buttons and the pattern by Marg Low. I am enjoying making these up now that I have done a few.

Christmas decorations

On Wednesday night, our last class, some of the girls brought some lovely show and tell. Sue has knitted this wonderful Santa!

Sue has also made these absolutely beautiful, smocked decorations. They are so special.

Margaret was telling me about how she was making some lolly wreaths for Christmas and I asked her to explain how she makes them and she made me one! I was so thrilled! I am so wanting to eat the lollies every time I walk by but I am being good till Christmas!

Afternoon class

Marianne brought in her lovely floral runner to show us and it is all finished.

Marianne has also finished her Santa hanging. Well done!

Anne added the hair and face to her delightful doll she has made using Laraine at "Up in Annies Room"'s lovely pattern, Dimity. We have the pattern at Hobbysew. My doll has one shoe painted and isn't even stuffed yet!

Isn't she so cute?

Great class show and tell

It is so exciting to see all the lovely things the girls at class are doing and finishing. It was our last afternoon and evening classes yesterday and I will miss seeing the ladies and being able to share their beautiful work with you.

Sue has been making some very special lanyards for Christmas gifts. This one, her own design, is for her musical son-in-law. I gather he loses his keys often and this will be very useful for him.

Sue has also made another one for a family member who stitches and knits.

We also enjoyed seeing Sue's finished stockings. Don't they look lovely?

Jill shared her wonderful little chocolate basket with us. Her choice of Nancy Halverson fabric looks fantastic. This is one side......

.......and here is the other side.

Christmas decorations

As I decorated, it made me remember special times and places. Some of my decorations remind me of holidays we've had and some remind me of lovely friends who have given me special gifts. Here are some Santas. Some are hand made and some bought. The really big Santa and the lovely felted cushion were gifts from special friends.

We were in Canada last year, in Sydney Nova Scotia, and I bought this timber decoration at a craft exhibition.

My daughter brought this one home for me from Germany.

This moose/reindeer is from Alaska and reminded me of our cruise there. The star was just from one of the shops here in Canberra last Christmas but has a really scandinavian feel. The angel is a stitchery from one of Nancy Halverson's books (again).

December is here!

December is here and I am not sure where this year has gone. I suppose I could read this blog as it is nearly a year since this started. I started with images of my Christmas decorations. I had to refer to the pictures to help decorate over the last few days.

I have been doing a little stitching and have made this little hanging from one of Nancy Halverson's lovely books.

I am having fun making these little decorations using Nancy's appliques and fusing onto felt. I have a sheep, camel and a few others to make too.

Now some little glimpses of decorating. My special little feather tree ...

and a very favourite tree decoration given to me by Audrey a few years ago.

It will be easy blogging with all these Christmassy things to share.