Christmas Stitching for My Nieces

My twin (fraternal) nieces live in California and I live in Colorado, so sadly I do not see them much. But the internet helps. I like to make them something for Christmas and usually make an ornament. I was thinking their tree might be getting full, so I made each of them key chains. They are 23 so ideas for gifts to make can be tricky.

For one niece I used the chart from the November 2011 Issue of cross-stitch & Needlework Magazine. I stitched in on some green aida I had on hand and changed some of the colors to one's she likes - lime green and pink. It is folded on itself and therefore the same on both sides.

For my other niece I made a key chain showing her favorite sport - soccer. The chart is from the book by Sam Hawkins called 501 Cross Stitch Designs. Published in 1993 by Meredith Press for the American School of Needlework. For this one I did not fold it on itself, I sewed ultrasuede on the back (shown here under the stitched piece).

They were fun to make and I am told they liked their gifts.

Do as I Say, Not as I (don’t) do

Here in the states when we change from or to Day Light Savings time it is suggested we also change the batteries in our smoke detectors. I even reminded my blog readers on my blog. But did I do it???? NOOOO!

So last night at 3:50 am, I am sound asleep and hear this beep and a female voice that says “low battery.” Having been sound asleep, and hubby still sound asleep, I wonder if I dreamed it? So I lay awake for a bit, but finally fall back asleep. Then at 4:20 am I hear a beep and the female voice saying “low battery.” This time hubby wakes up too, and of course if we are up so is the dog.

I go downstairs for a 9 volt battery. No battery, so I go upstairs and take one out of the clock radio in the guest room, hoping it has enough oomph to make the alarm happy until I can get a new battery. We screw the alarm off the ceiling and peer into the battery slot and see three AA batteries. So, down the stairs I go for the correct batteries.  Batteries replaced, alarm screwed back on the holder, step stool put away and the dog calmed. She was shaking and right at the bottom of the step stool! She HATES the low battery beep. At the other house she hid under the bed for the entire night once.

By this time it is approximately 4:30 am. Hubby can’t go back to sleep and decides to go to work early. I lay there for about half an hour and finally fall asleep only to be woken by the alarm a half our later at 5:30. I see lots of coffee in my future today!

Because all good blog posts should have a picture, here is Miss Maddie in her Christmas finery, sent by my friend Sandra who lives in NY State.

zzzzzzzzzzz - she does that so well!

TUSAL Dec 2011

Almost forgot in all the preparation for Santa and the new moon being the 24th! Here are my orts since the
last new moon. Santa was nice here, for those of you who celebrate, I hope he was good to you too.

Happy Holidays to you all what ever holiday you celebrate!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!

"The closest thing to heaven on this planet anywhere Is a quiet Christmas morning in the Colorado snow" From the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band song Colorado Christmas.

Have a nice day everyone

Snow & Telework Day

Well it snowed overnight and is still coming down. Lucky for me I can telework and stay safe and sound inside. I took this photo at 6:40 am today when I let Miss Maddie out.

It looks to be at least 12 inches on the table. Despite this being my 5th December here, I do not have any high snow boots, so I could not run out and get a real measure. So I used the unofficial measure of  how far up the snow is on the dog! It was up to her elbows and that is about 10 inches. Must be more by now!

So it looks like this is a year when we will have a white Christmas. Believe it or not we do not always have a white Christmas. According to the weather folks and 110 years of data we have snow falling on Christmas about 15 % of the time and snow (1 inch or more) on the ground 3 out of 10 years. So if you want a white Christmas this is the year in Denver!!

I posted this photo with info on the local news network's facebook page and they aired it! With my name and what I said about snow up to the dogs elbow! Wow.

Well break time is over, gotta get back to work.

BUSTED!! Dec. 12, 2011

Just as I suspected!

Caught in the act when I was home sick earlier in the week!

Six Inch Snowman

I like to make things for my family and friends, especially at Christmas. Usually I make ornaments, but my mother-in-law does not put up a tree anymore. So I came up with this cute little stand up snowman (photographed laying down because it was just easier that way). It is approximately 6 inches tall and 2 inches wide at the base. I put some crushed walnut shells in the base to help with the standing up and the rest is stuffed with fiberfill. It is the first one I have made and I can see some refinements already - if I decide to make any more that is!

I know I can safely post this before she gets it because she does not have a computer!