Halloween Stitching

I finished up a couple of Halloween projects this week. The first is a banner, the pattern is called Long Spider and is by Annalee Waite Designs. I stitched it with glow-in-the-dark floss. I think the buttons are a nice touch, the web is a purchased button, but the spider and ghosts are handmade. (not by me!) They were sent to me in a button exchange, the ghosts are black which I thought was unusual, but hey, I used them anyway! They are actually holding the ribbon on, in case you were wondering where they were. The one side looks a little wonky where I stitched the opening closed, I'm not that great at sewing, by hand or by machine, but I try. LOL This is a gift and I really hope the recipient likes it. I can't say who yet because they haven't gotten it yet.

Next is some San Man Originals members only patterns from last Halloween. I actually did stitch them last Halloween, but just got around to finishing them into ornaments this week. I wasn't in a big hurry to finish them because I didn't have a tree to put them on. I found one at AC Moore a week or so ago, it was super cheap and cute so I grabbed it. Hence the ornament finishing, they would have sat in a drawer for another year if I hadn't found the tree. :)

I dyed the orange and purple fabrics with RIT dye, the others are just fiddler's lite and marbled aida. The fabric they are sitting on is what I backed them with.

My tree is a little bare, I think it needs something on top, and maybe a thin orange bow here and there. The cute little witch ornament was sent to me in a Halloween exchange by Elizabeth L. Isn't it so cute? I'll have to take a photo of everything she sent me. She's a great exchange partner!

Nostalgia

I was sitting out on the back patio this evening, it was quiet save for the distant dog barking, the air was cool and fresh. I could hear the crickets chirping and there was a faint smell of campfire. Not sure if that's what it actually was, but that's what I smelled. It immediately took me back to when my sister Tina and I used to spend the summer with our great-grandparents at Keystone Korner Kampground, back home in Pennsylvania. I have so many memories of those days. The evenings were often spent sitting around the campfire wearing our sweaters, the woods behind us dark and scary, the campers in front of us with strings of pretty lights. Somehow I was always the only one to end up with soot on her face. It seems like so long ago, but in an instant I was there. It was a moment of sadness and happiness at the same time. Sad for days gone by, happy that I have the memory. Both my sister and my great-grandparents are gone now, it's memories like this that keep them alive in my heart.

Weekend project

Nevermind that this is Thursday, I'm just getting around to uploading the photos. Anyway, who doesn't want their weekend to last until Thursday?

I found this shelf at the curbside. Practically had to force my dear husband at gunpoint to put it in the van. He kept saying something about trash, but all I could hear was myself thinking about what I was going to do with it. Granted, it was dirty, white and the backing was falling off, but I could see through to it's inner beauty. Yep, that's it, inner beauty. I forgot to take a before photo, so all you get to see is mid-project, and after, once I get around to that part :)

A few coats of paint (three in the photo, four in all), a new backing (second photo), and it'll be perfect. Even Rusty admits that it's looking pretty good.




I know just where it's going and what's going on it. Then on to the next project.....

Our baby got her ears pierced

Well she's not a baby anymore! For her 7th birthday Abby wanted her ears pierced, so I took her last Sunday and had it done. She picked out her own earrings and was so brave, she even got a certificate of bravery. Here she is, modeling her new earrings....

And here is her big sister Emma on the day she had her ears pierced, 4 years ago for her 6th birthday.

Time goes by so quickly, I sure wish I could slow it down sometimes. Next thing I know we'll be picking out dresses for proms.

Welcome to my blog!

I really enjoy reading my friends blogs, so I decided to give it a try myself. I love all sorts of crazy things, so hopefully it will be far from boring! Thank you for taking time out to visit!