Lots of photos! - Stitching First ...

"Noel"

JBW Designs

I'll probably use this for an ornament exchange, I'm not sure really - I just stitched it because I liked it! ... and then, just as I was finishing it realised this is the ornament that Lara sent as an exchange to me last year - I couldn't believe it took me that long to remember LOL ... that's what happens when all the Christmas things have been put away for nearly a year.

As usual, my stitching stuff is at the othe end of the house, and I can't remember the designer for this one! It is our last month's NZ SAL though, from last year's JCS Ornament magazine.

and as promised last week - a picture of Pink Carnations (designed by Sweetheart Tree). I bought this as a kit from a LNS (Nancys) in Wellington - I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it - I love pink, and love pink carnations - when DH sends me roses (*cough splutter* hasn't happened for a while!) he will have them put a pink carnation amongst them because he knows I like them. I'm planning on using it as a box top, somehow ... need to think about it more - probably the same way I made a couple of Christmas gifts last year.

I haven't stitched a lot at all this week - I've been working on an ornament for a 12 Days exchange that needs to go out at the end of this week, I'm hoping to have all the stitching finished and then get the 12 gifts together tomorrow, including making up the ornament. I love this exchange - my cross stitch buddies on Cross Stitch Crazy do it ... we make up a package of 12 small gifts and then open one a day for 12 days - I LOVE putting together the 12 gifts - that's even more fun that opening of them!

I've also been trying to get a wall hanging finished as a gift for Charlotte's kindy. She finishes on Tuesday! I finished putting the top all together yesterday, and will quilt it together today/tomorrow - I should get it done in time, I'm definitely not as paniked about it as I was a few days ago when I just couldn't make time to get my sewing machine out. I've done lots of work for soccer AND cricket last week - but the good news is that it's almost done, soccer just about ready to hand over and cricket - the annual handbook is ready to print, and website all updated with this years draws and results - now it's just a quick weekly job to update results after each weekend.

Enough rambling ... I will do a separate post for some other photos!