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

Doll Street Dreamers - What A Fabulous Club!

We've got fabulous news.

Not only have we joined Doll Street Dreamers, which is a fabulous art doll club, but some of our e-patterns are now listed in their The Pattern Shop. Isn't that wonderful news!

You may not know this, but I have been wanting to join Doll Street Dreamers for years now as they are the premier internet doll club.  I have also wanted to take one of their e-classes. I just have never had the time.

Well, last Fall I decided that I should just join and make the time. So, I did.

Well, the last several months have been unbelievably busy and I haven't had the chance to really participate in the club or take a class as of yet. I'm hoping to change that in the very near future. Make that - I'm determined to change that in the very near future.

If you don't know what Doll Street Dreamers is it is an amazing art doll club run by Judi Wellnitz, who is a talented artist and doll maker in her own right. I have been a reader of her Art Dolls A Journey in Fiber blog for over five years now and just love it.

So, what is Doll Street Dreamers all about?

Well, according to their website:

Doll Street has something for everyone!  There is so much going on for today's doll maker - whether you create with cloth, clay, or mixed media.We have classes, swaps, and challenges, but best of all we offer friendship.

Want to learn a new skill or technique?  Pop on over to the Creative College ...See what's on the auction block at Carole's ... Wonder what the Dreamers are up to now? Check out the Post Office ...See the Dreamers' dolls at the Art Gallery ....... there's lots to see and do here on the Street.

I Didn't Realize I'd Created and Reviewed That Many Craft Kits

Boy! Sometimes you really do surprise yourself.

I know that this morning I did and the surprise had nothing to do with dolls.

It actually had to do with the number of craft kits I have put together and reviewed for my "The Book Review Corner" blog.  During the last couple of years I have managed to put together 30 different craft kits.  They may have been cross-stitch or punchneedle or penny rug kits.  I guess whatever was suiting my fancy at the time.

In fact, over on my "The Book Review Corner" blog the number of craft kits reviewed has far exceeded the number of books I've reviewed.  Maybe I should change the name to "The Craft Kits Review Corner!" LOL LOL

Nah....  I like "the Book Review Corner" name just fine.

However, I guess I'd better start reviewing more books.

Now that's a good New Year's resolution for that blog.

Let's see if I can achieve it during 2011.

Cross your fingers.

Gotta Love Cross-Stitch Ornaments

I think if I tell you any more about some of  the cross-stitch kits I made this past year you'll want to strangle me! LOL LOL Well, maybe not strangle me, but say, "Linda, enough is enough." I know that's what my Mother would say. 

But, I just have to tell you about another cross-stitch kit I bought and made this year as it contained 6 adorable Santa and snowmen ornaments.  They're shown in the collage pictures above. 

Aren't they adorable?  I know you'd like to say that they are, but you're afraid if you do then I'll have even more cross-stitch kits to tell you about! LOL LOL  Not to worry.  This time I promise it's the last cross-stitch kit I'm going to tell you about for awhile. 

I had both the kit last Spring and written about all the cross-stitch kits I had purchased in a post on my "The Book Review Corner" blog entitled "Cross-Stitch Kits I Bought This Spring." The Santa and Snowman ornaments kit was one of the few cross-stitch kits I was able to complete this past summer. 

I am going to review this kit on my "The Book Review Corner" blog.  If you'd like to read that post please CLICK HERE.

I know enough is enough. but don't the pictures below just make you smile? 

They certainly make me smile and given the year my family and I have had that is no small feat. 

I hope you all have a happy, "healthy" and peaceful 2011. 

Some Of Our Handmade Cross-Stitch Christmas Gifts This Year

You may have noticed in my last few Linda's Blog posts that I've been on a cross-stitch kick this year.  In fact, I think I've been on it now for close to three years. 

Just recently I finished an enormous Dimensions Gold Collection Victorian cross-stitch kit. 

I have been a fan of the Dimensions cross-stitch for quite some time and have written about them several times on my The Book Review Corner blog before. 

Back in June I had written a "The Book Review Corner" blog post about several cross-stitch kits I had bought and was hoping to finish this year. 

Well, I finished several - two of which were woodland landscape scenes and which are shown in the pictures at the beginning of this post and below: 

They were made based upon the following Dimension Gold Collection cross-stitch kits: 


Dimensions Moonlit Cabin Counted Cross-Stitch Kit

Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross-Stitch Kit

I had bought these two because they were different from all the other cross-stitch kits I had seen. They were woodland and I knew some of my relatives would just love the pictures. 

I ended up giving the Dimensions Moonlit Cabin Counted Cross-Stitch ( shown at the beginning of this post) picture I had finished to my younger brother as a Christmas present his year. You know, the one with the amazing workshop.  Well, he and his wide just loved it and were amazed at the detail within the picture and how it had a three dimensional aspect to it. 

The Gold Collection Petite Morning Lake Counted Cross-Stitch (2nd picture in this post) picture I finished I decided to keep for hubby and I and have it hanging next to our desk in our kitchen. It looks wonderful there and I, too, am amazed at the detail within the picture and it's three dimensional affect every time I look at it. 

I was hoping to finish more of the cross-stitch kits I had bought this Spring but just ran out of time. 

Oh, well! There's always next year! 

In my opinion,  it's never too early to start on Christmas presents. 

In fact, I already have a few gifts in mind! 

Hmm........ Do you think they'll be cross-stitch gifts? 

They'd better be with the number of kits I've bought and haven't completed as of yet. 

My Dimensions Santa & Snowman Cross Stitch Ornaments

I think if I tell you any more about the cross-stitch kits I made this past year you'll want to strangle me! LOL LOL Well, maybe not strangle me, but say, "Linda, enough is enough." I know that's what my Mother would say.

But, I just have to tell you about another cross-stitch kit I bought and made this year as it contained 6 adorable and delightful Santa and snowmen ornaments. They're shown in the collage pictures above.

Aren't they adorable? I know you'd like to say that they are, but you're afraid if you do then I'll have even more cross-stitch kits to tell you about! LOL LOL Not to worry. This time I promise it's the last cross-stitch kit I'm going to tell you about for awhile.

I had bought the kit last Spring and written about all the cross-stitch kits I had purchased in a post on my "The Book Review Corner" blog entitled Cross-Stitch Kits I Bought This Spring." The Santa and Snowman ornaments kit was one of the few cross-stitch kits I was able to complete this past summer.

The Dimensions Santa & Snowman Ornaments Counted X-Stitch Kit included the pattern, embroidery thread, 14 count white Aida, felt, needles, and sequins. The 14 count white Aida fabric was 15" x 10".

The Dimensions Santa & Snowman Ornaments Counted X-Stitch pattern uses full cross-stitch, half cross-stitch, back stitch, and French knots for emphasis. It also uses thread shading and different strands to achieve a subtle effect. The pattern also tells you that you will also need thick craft glue and quilt batting.

While I found the pattern instructions to be easy to follow there are a couple of things I would change. First of all, the thread did not contain a thread sorter. It was all just bundled together in a knot.  You had to separate the strands yourself. So, I opted to take a piece of cardboard and punch a series of 18 holes in it for the 18 different colors of thread. I added the color code to each circle and then tied the respective threads to it.

I would have added the color symbol key to this but, luckily, the pattern came with an 8 page booklet that was separated into two four-page booklets and the symbol key booklet was entirely separate from the charts. As a result I didn't have to add the color symbols to the thread sorter I had made for these purposes as I just kept my symbol key open on my lap top desk. The 6 individual charts were large and symbols used were easy to read.

The pattern calls for you to divide the fabric into 6 equal sections but not to cut the sections out. They want you to find the center of each section and mark that with a piece of thread. Then you attach the 15" x 10" Aida to the embroidery hoop you are going to use and proceed to cross-stitch all 6 of the ornaments. Well, I found this to be cumbersome. I thought it would be a lot easier to just cut the Aida into 6 sections and then use a smaller embroidery hoop. Unfortunately when I did this I found that there wasn't enough fabric to fit into a small embroidery hoop.  As a result I had to add masking tape to some of the edges to stretch the fabric wide enough to fit the small embroidery hoop I was using. A larger piece of fabric would have been nicer.

The pattern called for you to use the red embroidery thread to create a long braid that you would then glue or hand sew along the edges of the ornament.  Instead, I decided to deviate from the kit and give my ornaments a lace edge.  I cut a piece of 1/3" lace trim long enough to fit the circumference of the ornament plus a 2" overlap and then machine stitched the lace edge WSO (wrong side out) to the edge of my cross-stitched Aida with the lace edge facing the center of the cross-stitch picture.  I did this so that when the felt was sewn to the cross-stitched Aida and the ornament was turned RSO (right side out) the lace would be facing in the right direction.

The pattern also called for the felt to be hand sewn to the back of the ornaments. Instead I opted to machine stitch the felt RST (right sides together) to the cross-stitched Aida leaving a 1" opening for turning RSO (right sides out) and then turned my ornament RSO (right sides out).  I then turned the edges of the 1" opening under WST (wrong sides together) and then hand stitched the 1" opening closed.

The pattern said that one of the things that makes their designs unique was the subtle color shading. They achieved this through the use of different stitches and different numbers of strands. By following the key you would get a beautiful design for each ornament. That was definitely true. When finished the ornaments were beautifully shaded and were quite colorful and cheerful.

So, what do you think?

Aren't they colorful and don't they make you smile?

They certainly make me smile and given the year my family and I have had that is no small feat.

I hope you all have a happy, "healthy" and peaceful 2011.