I HATE Snow, But LOVE Snow-people! I Must be Demented!

I HATE Snow, But LOVE Snow-people! I Must be Demented!  Now that's a contradiction. 

If you've been following my Linda's Blog this Winter you already know how much I dislike the snow so I won't bore you any more with ranting on and on about it. 

Instead, I thought you might like to see all the wonderful snow-people who decorate our house for the Winter season.  Most are my Linda Walsh Originals creations.  Some, however, were made based on other designers patterns. 

I hope you enjoy your visit. 

The picture at the beginning of this post is the snow scene we created in our dining room fireplace. 

This delightful snowman is I call "Charlie" and he was made based upon a "From My Heart To Yours" pattern.  He stands 30" tall.  His wool hat was one of my old ones and his black derby hat was a contribution from my sister-in-law.  His flannel scarf was made from one of my younger brothers old flannel shirts. 

Homer, our adorable snow bear greet each and every visitor.  He stands 29" tall and was made based upon a "TLC Crafters" pattern. 

Sitting on his throne is "Snow Cone Sam. He's 26" and was made based upon a "Time Worn Treasures" pattern. His jeans were from my two year old grandson, Noodles. 

Next, is "Sam, The Skiing Snowman."  Hubby and I stenciled and painted his ski's.  He stands 36" tall and was made based upon a "Maggie Ann & Friends" pattern.  He's wearing one of my brothers old wool hats and the scarf around his neck is an old scarf given to us many years ago from someone in the family.  His rolled up socks belong to my younger brother. 

In our sunroom we have an array of some of my favorite little snow-man and snow-woman designs. 

On the top shelf on the left is "Isabell - Cross My Heart" who is a 7" shelf sitting snow-gal.  If you'd like to make my Linda Walsh Originals "Isabell" design please CLICK HERE for her e-pattern. 

On the top shelf on the right is "Benjamin - Cross My Heart" who is a 7" shelf sitting snow-man.

On the second shelf on the left is "Jerry Snow Guy" who is a 10" self standing snow-guy.  

On the second shelf on the right is "Sissie Snow Gal" who is a 10" self standing snow-gal.  

On the bottom shelf on the left is "Kathleen Snow Queen" who is a 6" shelf sitting snow-gal.  

On the top shelf on the right is "Alexander Snow Tsar" who is a 6" shelf sitting snow-man. 

On the side table we have a jolly trio of snowmen ornaments. 

To the left is "Give Me More Snow" who is a 10"snow-man ornament.  

In the middle is "Marsh Me Snow" who is a 9" snow-man ornament. 

To the right is "Help! I'm Sliding!" who is a 10" snow-man ornament. 

Beautifully gracing our family room fireplace is "Nellie Snow-Lady."  She is a 23" Victorian Snow-Lady.  

On the shelves of our wooden clock in the family room we have some miniature snowmen and trees. 

Hanging on the knobs of a desk we have a pair of ghouls. 

On the left is "Winnie, The Snow Ghoul" who is a 6 1/2" extreme primitive ornament.  

On the top shelf on the right is "Wilbur, The Snow Ghoul" who is a 6 1/2" extreme primitive ornament.  

Over to our Dining Room, again, we have two snow spoons hanging from the fireplace flue opener. 

On the left is "Susie Snow, Spoon Me Up!" who is a 13" wooden spoon snow-lady ornament.

On the right is "Sammy Snow, Spoon me Up!" who is a 13" wooden spoon snow-man ornament.  

On the cabinet wall we have a trio of snow-people. 

"Brian Snow Buddy" is here to sheer everyone up, despite the fact that he's a snowman.  He's a delightful 5" shelf sitting snowman who just loves snow.  

Just behind "Brian Snow Buddy" is a family of snow-people.   Meet "Harriet & Donald, & Lil Charlie."  They just love having fun in the snow.  

We always like to create a seasonal or holiday theme on our front hall cabinet. 

Sitting so perky in the corner is "Snow Go! Noodles."  He's a 28" snowman who has his shovel ready - just in case we get any snow in the house!  Now that would be disastrous.  

Standing in the corner guarding our stirs is "Harry."  He's a 36" jovial bear who is wearing my 2 year-old Grandson Noodle's red knit shirt and jeans.  If you look closely you can see the diaper snaps.  He was made based upon a "Design farm" pattern. 

At the top of our stairs we have some of our Victorian Snow-people designs. 

We have "Petronella, The Bird House Lady!" who is a stump doll snow-lady.  

We also have "Sweetheart Faith!" who is a 14" stump doll snow-lady. 

In between his two favorite snow-ladies is "Doug, The Handy Dandy Gentleman!" who is a 13" stump doll snow-man.  

Over in the corner we have a Victorian mother and son. 

In front is "Brr.... Why Is It So Cold, Laura!" who is a 9" Victorian snow-lady.  

Behind his mother is "Brr... It's Cold Outside, Bruce!" who is a 9" Victorian snow-boy. 

I hope you've enjoyed our little tour of snow-people. 

It's Winter Outside and Inside Our House

The weather out side is frightful.....

But the fire's so delightful......

And, if there's no place to go.......

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow......

Well, I don't think so.

There was a time when that song was a happy one for us.  Not any more.  Too much snow can have that affect on you.

As you know from all my Linda's Blog posts it's winter outside and inside our house.

Here's the remainder of our Winter decorations pictures:

On the front door we have a wood painted snowman .  "Snow Thyme Samuel" is  23" tall and was made from a "From My Heart To Yours" pattern.

Inside we also have two of the wool felt penny rig kits that I made and blogged about last year.  The one pictured above and the one pictured below I reviewed in my "The Book Review Corner Blog" in a post entitled: I Really Wanted To Try Needle Felting and Penny Rug Felting - I Loved It!"

The one pictured above is the Wish Upon A Star Wool Felt Pattern by Lakeview Primitives and the one pictured below is the Piece on Earth Wool Felting Pattern by Lakeview Primitives.

We also have several of the punchneedle Winter themed kits we created and which we wrote about on our "The Book Review Corner Blog" in a post entitled:  Last Year's Punchneedle Kits and Subsequent Gifts.

The bald headed snowman punchneedle pictured below we wrote about on our "The Book Review Corner Blog" in a post entitled:  Punchneedle Fun With Dimensions Holiday Friends Ornaments Kit #73244 and Dimensions Santa's Presents Kit #73410 and the  little snowman punchneedle was made based upon a "Lizzie & Kat" pattern design.

The shadowbox snowman and snow-lady in the picture below were created and made by hubby and I.  I wrote about them in a Linda's Blog post entitled: The Rest Of The Shadowbox Pictures.

We're done with the snow.  It's time for SPRING!!!!!  Now if I could just get Mother Nature to cooperate.

I Thought You'd Like To See Some Of Our Winter Floral Decorations

It may be cold and snowy and wet outside during the Winter around my house, but it's beautifully decorated inside. We have a wonderful array of winter blue florals decorating almost every room in our house with each and every room having it's own array of snowmen and snow-ladies to create a wonderful Winter atmosphere.

Now you might wonder why I would want to decorate for the Winter or create a Winter atmosphere inside my house when I don't like Winter. In fact, I despise it. Well, simply put I LOVE creating floral designs and I LOVE snow-people.

I know that this is a contradiction. In fact, it's totally absurd. I would be very happy indeed if it never snowed again in my lifetime. We've had more than our fair share of snow this season and I, for one, am anxious for the Spring to arrive. That's not going to happen for a few months and more than likely we'll be getting more snow. My poor husband is getting physically and mentally fatigued by day after day after day of clearing snow. It's just too much "Mother Nature!" Cut it out!

And, to all the weathermen who think the weather we've had is "interesting" I'd like them to get a reality check and a grip on things. Heavy wet snow is a heart attack waiting to happen. There's NOTHING "interesting" about that.

In any event, before I get lost in a rant about ridiculous weathermen I thought you might like to see some of our Winter floral and Snow-people decorations. This post has the florals. Subsequent posts will have the rest of the Winter decorations.

I hope you enjoy your inside visit. You certainly wouldn't enjoy the outside visit.

A Response From Dimensions Via Facebook

Last December 2010 after I finished my "M'Lady's Chateau - Dimensions Gold Collection Cross-Stitch Kit" I decided to tell Dimensions about my review of their kit that I had written on my "Linda's Blog" and on my "The Book Review Corner Blog."   So, I went to their EK Success Brand website and filled out their contact form.  I received an email on 1/1/2011 saying someone would contact me.

Well, I never heard anything in response so today, February 14, 2011 I thought I'd visit their website again to see if they had an address I could send a letter to. Well, to my delight, they had a Facebook link to their EK Success Brand Facebook page. So, I thought well let's see if they'll answer a Facebook comment.  So I "liked" it so I could make a comment and posted the following to their wall:

"I thought you might be interested in my review of M'Lady's Chateau - Dimensions Gold Collection Cross-Stitch Kit that I finished at http://thebookreviewcorner.blogspot.com/2010/12/lindas-review-of-mladys-chateau.html and more about it on my Linda's Blog here - http://lindawalshoriginals.blogspot.com/2010/12/you-spent-how-many-hours-on-that-cross.html. Have a great day. Linda"

I also posted the same comment to their review page after rating them with 4 out of 5 stars.

Well, within two hours of posting that to their EK Success Brand Facebook page I received the following comment on my "The Book Review Corner Blog" review post :


Anonymous said...

Hi Linda,
First, we are so happy to hear you love the way your design turned out. It certainly was a labor of love!

Secondly, you might be pleased to know that this was a design we produced some years ago, and we have since made a number of changes to how we create our instructions and charts. Many of the comments you made were things that we have addressed, such as the issue you had with the same symbol in different colors. We really appreciate your comments as this kind of feedback helps us to become even better at what we do.

Your framed piece is GORGEOUS--well done!

Kristel Adair
Product Development, Dimensions

Well, I was thrilled that I had finally gotten a response and so happy to know that they thought my framed piece was gorgeous.  I'll have to remember to tell the Art Emporium that the next time I'm in their store.

I had bought my kit last year, but I don't know how long my particular kit was at the website I had bought it from.  It's good to know that they had already addressed some of the issues I had mentioned in my post and that they are happy to receive comments from their customers.  I wonder if they'll address the rest.

My comment and the quick response I got from Ek Success Brand - Dimensions just shows you the power of Facebook with corporate America.

The lesson I learned is "If you want to get in touch with a company see if they have a Facebook page. And, if they do, post a comment on their wall."

Thanks, Kristel for responding so quickly. I appreciate that.

Just A few More Crafts Kits

One of the stores in Sturbridge that my Mom and I used to visit when we were in town was one called Colonial Crafts. They were a small store on the main drag that had all sorts of wonderful wool fabric bundles, primitive patterns, primitive cloth bundles and fat quarters, finished items, wool felt kits, and punchneedle kits.

The staff was always extremely helpful and willing to put kits together for just about any pattern you bought if they had it available. It was where I was first introduced to punchneedle. In fact, one of the owners had no problem taking the time to show me exactly how easy it was to thread the needle and, once you got the knack, how easy it was to do. I was instantly hooked on punchneedle by the time I left the store.  And, of course, I had bought several kits.

I wrote about this adventure and the kit I subsequently completed in a post on my "The Book Review Corner Blog" entitled: Last Year's Punchneedle Kits and Subsequent Gifts.

Well, unfortunately they closed their brick and mortar store. However, they opened up a website - which, of course, I was just thrilled with. Their website is called Colonial Crafts and it is at http://www.colonialcrafts.com.

At their website they have a birthday club which offers a discount to members during their birthday month so, of course with this year's birthday, I asked hubby to get me some things (just a few.... Wink! Wink!) for my birthday. So, he did.

Besides some of the wool bundles that I've been wanting to get for awhile he got the following (all at birthday club discount, of course!)

Wooly Pumpkin Mat - Chickadee Hollow Designs Wool Applique Patterns

Wild Wooly Rose - Chickadee Hollow Designs Wool Applique Patterns

I just LOVE wool felt and penny rug kits.  I have one for the Winter and one for the Fall that I completed and several kits waiting to be completed. I wrote about these in a couple of different posts on my "The Book Review Corner Blog."

Red White and Blue Santas - Gloria Lowell Felting Kits

For quite some time I've had my eye on this wool felting kit.  I've been wanting to try it so maybe this year I'll finally get a chance.

I've also had my eye on some creative embroidery kits for quite some time and finally decide to try the following as they're just so pretty looking:

Vintage Ornament 6 - Chickadee Hollow Designs Vintage Ornaments

Vintage Ornament 18 - Chickadee Hollow Designs Vintage Ornaments

My Crazy Autumn - Chickadee Hollow Designs My Crazy Series

My Crazy Heart - Chickadee Hollow Designs My Crazy Series

I'm hoping to get most of these done sometime this year.  If and when I do I'll review the craft kit and then let you know in a blog post what I think.  Stay tuned.  This is going to be a wonderful craft year.  I just know it.

I Thought They All Flew South For The Winter!

The other morning as I was walking by the picture window in my sun-room my eye caught a flicker of activity. And, there was a lot of activity going on.

When I turned my head there had to be 15 or 20 birds flying around the tree just behind my arborvitae bushes. They were darting in and out and all about. I was lucky to get the three pictures I did.

I have no idea what kind of birds they are. I was surprised to see them given our horrendous snowy winter. I thought all the birds flew south for the winter? Don't they?

You'll Never Believe What I've Started

You would think that after I had spent 250 hours creating my M'Lady's Chateau - Dimensions Gold Collection Cross-Stitch Kit that I would give cross-stitching a rest. Au contraire! Not at all. Secretly, I think I'm addicted to it. Then again, I get addicted to just about any type of craft I'm doing.

Well, no sooner had I finished my M'Lady's Chateau - Dimensions Gold Collection Cross-Stitch Kit then I decided to start on another Victorian cross-stitch that I had bought last year. This one is Dimensions Gold Collection In Her Garden Counted Cross Stitch Kit: 11x16 and she is a beauty.

I've already clocked 70 hours on her and she is far, far from being finished. In fact, hubby couldn't visualize exactly where I was in the cross-stitch until I had done her face. I have her face, hair, and half her body done, but that's it.

Unlike some of the other cross-stitch kits I've worked on this one is done on an 18 count Aida linen and the stitches are very, very small. So, it's going to take awhile.

I'll keep you all informed and, of course, will show you how she looks when she's finished.

She's a beauty - even if it will take me all year to do her.

Peek-A-Boo! Deer I Enter?

I thought you'd all like to see what greeted me as I looked out my kitchen window the other morning.  He just stood there for close to 30 minutes just looking at the house.  Wonder what he was thinking?

Peek-a-boo! Deer I come in?

Snow Go! Snow Go! Come On Snow Go Noodles Handmade Doll

I hat snow but I love creating snowmen.  Go figure!  One of my favorites is "Snow Go Noodles!"

"Snow Go! Noodles" couldn't been any nicer. He couldn't be anymore positive and goodhearted. He couldn't be anymore charming, or intelligent, or distinctly dressed. He couldn't be any more of a philanthropist than he already is. He couldn't be any more helpful or physically fit. He couldn't be..... Well, let's just say he's perfect. Perfect for a snowman - that is!

"Snow Go! Noodles" is a 28" squared bottomed self-standing cloth and wood country snowman. His arms and hands are wired and his warm & natural cloth head and warm & natural cloth body are supported by a wood dowel and wood base. His face is embroidered and he has indented black bead eyes, a resin carrot nose, and outline embroidered mouth. His eyebrows and eyelashes are embroidered and his cheeks are blushed and slightly indented. He has a mass of thick, straight, cream colored hair along the side seams of his head with the back left bald.

His large brimmed and lined hat with contrast bands and decorated bows sits slightly tilted to the left of his head. He is wearing his favorite blue top stitched jacket with cuffed sleeves, facing along the edges, a large button for front closure. A bow decorated pocket with coordinated fabric is affixed to the front of his body. A fringed scarf is wrapped around his neck and overlapped in the front and a fringed scarf is wrapped around his waist and tied in a bow in the front. He has a corn cob pipe inserted behind his waist scarf and is holding a large wood and metal shovel in his hands.

"Snow Go! Noodles" is so positive and so nice that nothing can get him down. Not a little snow, not a little cold, not even a little thaw. Certainly nothing that can get the average snowman down. But, "Snow Go! Noodles" isn't just any snowman. He couldn't be happier. He couldn't be ..... Well, let's just say he's perfect.

Copyright © 2004 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved - Designed and Written By Linda Walsh

Baby Nicky

"Baby Nicky" was named after my grandson, Nicky, who I affectionately call "Noodles." Like his brother he too is adorable, cuddly, lovable, and has the most enviable head of brown curly hair that you'd ever want to see. I would give my eye teeth, so to speak, for his curly hair. He, on the other hand, would probably prefer my straight hair. Well, boys will be boys, and girls will be girls. We always want just the opposite, don't we?

My grandson "Nicky" was born premature at 31 weeks weighting 3 pounds 1 ounce and spent the first 9 weeks of his life in an intensive care unit. The nurses there were exceptional and treated Nicky as if he were one of their own. In fact, I began to wonder, at times, if they were dragging out his release just because they loved him so.

Fifteen minutes after Nicky was born his Dad took us in to the intensive care unit to see him. I couldn't get over how humanly perfect he was at just 3 pounds 1 ounce. He just looked like a very, very tiny little man. I don't know what I was expecting to see but, he just took my breathe away. Even then he had a full head of brown hair. It wasn't curly just yet but would be within a matter of time.

His Mom, who was my biggest fan besides my husband and my Mother, used to give me all Nicky's baby clothes and shoes for my dolls. I know she was hoping that they would all come back to her in one way or another in the form of a doll for her house. A lot did.

In any event, I just loved all Nicky's little baby clothes. There's just something special about tiny little Reeboks and little denims. I can remember shopping with her one day at a "Baby Gap" store. We went in and just laughed and laughed at how tiny everything was. I just loved all the clothes and so did she. We went shopping several times after that for clothes for Nicky and always came away laughing. Sometimes we bought some. Sometimes we just went to look and laugh.

So, I knew I wanted to create a doll that would remind me of Nicky and his full head of curly brown hair and his most adorable baby clothes. That's how "Baby Nicky" was born. Isn't he adorable? Don't you just want to grab all those curls? I do. In fact, I used to hate it when his father would cut all his curls off. I tried to teach "Nicky" to tell his Dad "Don't cut my Hair!" It didn't work. Maybe someday Nicky will realize how beautiful his head of curly brown hair is and leave it alone. Yeah, sure, Nana! Dream on!

Baby Nicky is a 20" baby boy doll pattern. Nicky is a free-standing boy doll in his pajamas and ready for bedtime. He has an undershirt, flannel jacket with long rolled sleeves and pipe trim, and flannel pajama bottoms. He has round black button eyes, a fabric covered wood head, wood body and wood feet covered with slipper socks. He has long curly brown hair and has a night cap knotted at the end on his head. He is carrying a teddy bear in his left hand and a cherished flannel blankie in his right hand.

Every time I look at the "baby Nicky" doll I can't help but remember how small and tiny "Nicky" was at 3 pounds 1 ounce and think "how precious life is!"

Copyright © 2004 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved - Designed and Written By Linda Walsh

Snow, Snow, and More Snow? I HATE Snow!

It's been snowing to beat the band since early this morning.

It seems like it's going to snow for the rest of my life!

There's nothing but snow everywhere you look.

I think I'll keep all my curtains and blinds closed until the Spring!

Can you blame me?

It really is snowing to beat the band outside and hubby has just come in from shoveling, snow-blowing, chopping ice, cleaning the gutters, and raking the roof for the umpteenth time this Winter. We've had so many snow storms and so much snow that we just can't keep up with it.

You can no longer see coming out of our driveway. We used to be able to see cars driving down the street from our windows, but there's so much snow on the ground now that we can't see the cars anymore. It's been a long and snowy winter so far and then is no end in sight.

One of these days I think both my husband and brother are going to going to put their fists right through the television. They both HATE the weathermen (who are never right) and who LOVE to tell you how wonderful this is, how lovely the scenes are, or say something humorous about the snow. I know that they're both thinking ... lovely my........! You get out here and shovel and rake and chop it and then tell us how much you LOVE the snow. You can have a heart attack and there's nothing lovely or wonderful or humorous about that.

So far this winter we've had 65 inches of snow and most of it is still on the ground. Sure there's been some melting going on here or there, but even the warmer days are fleeting. This is just a bad winter. Maybe even the worst we've seen in some time.

Today the forecast is that it's going to snow for two days and add another 15" - 20" of snow to our total.  And, then there's another storm forecast for Saturday.

I'm a glass half full kind of gal and try to stay positive about things, but even this every other day forecast of snow is getting me down. It's just so much work for all of us and, truth be told, there's nothing joyful or positive about shoveling and clearing snow day after day after day.

So, for all the weather men and weather women out there who think this is wonderful please keep your enthusiasm to yourselves. We don't want to hear it.

Flora Ellen

Flora Ellen has been waiting for her wedding day all her life.

She has been groomed to be the epitome of exquisite and refined beauty. All in an effort to attract just the right Victorian gentleman. After all her family is one of a line of Dukes and Duchesses and she is expected to marry someone of her families standing.

So, she has been groomed and prepped for just the right dress, just the right style, just the right manner. Her wedding day is not just about her, but also about her family and she aims to make them all proud of her.

Flora Ellen is a free-standing doll who is wearing an 1896 Victorian bridal gown. She has a long, fancy double-tiered lace and ruffled trim satin dress with a flowing train and long double-tiered laced and gathered sleeves.

Her bodice is a double criss-crossed lace overlay. Her long curly blonde hair is tied on one side with floral accents and looks beautiful underneath her very fancy lace & floral trimmed lace veil which is also decorated with floral ribbons and lace pearl streamers.

Her inner body is made from a dowel covered with fabric and eyelet lace and she is wearing a lace trimmed slip. Her arms are wire-shaped and covered. She also has a painted wood head and covered round wood base.

Around her neck she has a long pearl necklace and she is carrying a bouquet of flowers with lace pearl and ribbon streamers. A large floral accent piece adorns the left side of her waistband.

Flora Ellen has not doubt that her wedding day will be perfect. Perfect for her and perfect for her family who worked so hard for this moment.

Copyright © 2004 - 2023 - All Rights Reserved - Designed and Written By Linda Walsh