Santa Giveaway

Since the season for giving is upon us I feel like having a giveaway and since I have a Santa or two just sitting here I decided to give one of them away to one of you. I used the old eenie, meenie, miney moe method for choosing and here's the Santa that is going to be sent out to one of you.

Santa is dressed in red from head to foot and has a dear little bear in his bag.


I'm going to keep it simple for you to enter the giveaway. All you need to do is leave me a comment saying you would like to be entered and your name goes into Santa's bag. It's the old bag that Mrs. Claus gave me because she gave Santa a new one for his birthday.

I will be drawing the winner on December 3rd and mailing out the prize on December 4th so Santa will arrive in time to be used in your holiday decorating this year and then for many years to come.

I don't know about you but I'm so far behind in my holiday preparations that even if I had twice the time I don't think I'd be able to get everything I want to do done. I have so much to do I would use a few clones to help me out. Having said that, I will wish you all a wonderful day and lots of holiday cheer and as always, thanks for stopping by.

The Second Wee Santa

I finished this Santa yesterday. He is the second of the four that I told you about that I’m making in this approximate size. The overall measurement for this jolly Santa is 6 ¼ inches tall including the ¾ inch thick section of Christmas tree trunk base he is mounted on.  This makes him ½ inch shorter than the first one in this series. Unlike the first Santa who has long skinny legs, this one has stubby legs and is quite rotund.

I’m picturing him here with one of my regular sized Santa figures so you can get an idea of how small he really is.

The Santa on the left is 6 inches taller but it's more than how tall he is compared to the newest one. He's bigger all over and until you see them together it really doesn't sink in.

I decided on green for his outfit with reddish colored fur trim. He has antique gold buttons down the front of his coat. He is wearing brown boots and mittins and is carrying a sweet little doll.

I did say he was rotund. Like the other Santa this one is standing atop a mound of snow. I used Martha Stewarts tinsel glitter on the snow mound but don't know if I like the effect as much as the glitter that I used on the last one. It doesn't seem to sparkle or glisten as much.

The painting seems to loose the depth I try to achieve when I photograph it and I was hoping that a close-up might show it to a better advantage but now I'm not really sure if it makes a difference. Not only that, but the color looks different. More blue than green.

I couldn't resist showing a close-up of the little doll. Her face is so small, just over 1/4 inch that I have a heck of a time seeing it let alone painting it.

Thanksgiving is only four days away and I have so many things to do to get ready for our holiday get-together. I make dinner for my family and a few friends and I still have cleaning, shopping and baking to do plus working on gifts and cards so I might not be back here until next Friday at the earliest so I'm going to wish all of my US friends a very happy Thanksgiving. If you're traveling this holiday please have a safe journey.

Happy Holidays and as always, thanks for stopping by.

FORGETTING SOMETHING?

In the dining room:

“Hey, Bellamine I know Mom said she wanted to hang this  pretty pumpkin thingy  that Oma Linda sent us on the wall but see how  it matches  this basket and it goes with our decorating scheme which is all about pumpkins. Well I’m thinking since it’s even the same orange as the orange of the basket and it looks like it’s the same diameter as the top opening, I’m thinking it will make a great looking lid.”

“Do baskets even have lips, Wendy?”

“Lids Bellamine, not lips and yes, some baskets do have lids.”

“Would you look at that? It fits perfectly and I can almost guarantee that Mom is going to just l-o-v-e it!

Are you about finished hanging the pumpkins on the tree? I’m getting hungry.”

“Don’t rush me, I’m almost done. Wendy, how do the turkeys look here under the tree? Should I move them out or push them further back or leave them where they are? Come here and take a look and tell me what you think.”

“Where you have them is fine. Now, finish with the tree so we’re done here. I need F-O-O-D!"

“Okay, that’s the last of the pumpkins. Is it too much or not enough? Do we need anything else? I keep thinking we’re forgetting something.”

“We’re not forgetting anything Bellamine. Remember, we decided to downplay the decorations because the weekend after Thanksgiving we’re going to start decorating for Christmas.”

“Are you sure we’re not forgetting something?”

“Well, now that you mentioned it Bellamine, I think we forgot to have our afternoon snack of toasted muffin with peanut butter and honey but we can take care of that right now. Last one to the kitchen is a snail bear.”

“When we get done with our snack we can watch Brave again? I really do l-u-v that movie!”

Meanwhile in the park half a mile from here:

“It looks like we’re the only ones here. Where is everyone?” - Pugsley

“I told you we didn’t have to leave so early to get here but you wouldn’t listen.” - Wednesday

“Look, the O’Dell kids just turned the corner into the park.” – Agnes May

“Looks like Donner couldn’t get away from us fast enough.” -Dory

“Dory you know how much he likes to be around Wednesday. I think he’s crushing on her.”

“Where are Bellamine and Wendy? I thought they would get here first. It was Bellamine’s idea for us to meet here so we can all go out to Snow Ville together so we could meet their snow friends.” - Danni

“Don't you worry. They'll get here. If Bellamine says she’s going to do something she’ll do it.” - Dory

“Ahhhh…. guys, how long are we going to wait?”  - Danni

While back home:

“WOW! That was great! Okay, who wants to watch it again?”

“What’s going on in here?

                      Bellamine aren’t you forgetting something?” - Mom

“Noooo…..I don’t think so. What??? Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Weren't you going to meet your friends and you weren't you supposed to go together to Snow Ville so they could meet Crystal and Crispin? Well? I'm waiting for an answer young lady and your friends are down stairs waiting for an explanation.”

“This all happened yesterday and now we have to find a way to make it up to our friends. Mom said that if she didn’t know better she’d say we were both having a senior moment. All we can say in our defense is our heads are filled with stuffing. You’d better believe we’re not going to let something like this happen ever again.”

“Now we’re going to go visit our bear friends for Funny Friday.”

Hugs,

Bellamin & Wendy

APRON-OLOGY

For years I hadn’t given aprons a moment of thought. Then last year my sisters were talking about making aprons using men’s shirts and the idea intrigued me enough that on a whim I made one for my granddaughter for Christmas.



I wasn’t prepared for her reaction. She loved it. I have decided that this will be a gift that I can give her more than once so with that in mind I started looking around for apron ideas.

That’s how I learned of Apron-ology. There is at least one magazine devoted to the subject. I had no idea there were so many people interested in making aprons and the number of styles for aprons are endless. There are so many ways to go when deciding the style of apron to make. You can go frilly and feminine or abstract and bold. Simple or fussie with all sorts of embelishments. You can make them with a bib or one that covers only from the waist down. Some are so fancy they look like they could be worn as a dress to a formal gathering. (As long as you're not worried about covering your backside.) My mother prefered the cobbler apron and owned several. I have two aprons, one I use for Thanksgiving and another that's for Christmas. Both have bib tops. 

The other day while shopping for fabric, I saw several dress forms wearing what appeared to be winners in some apron competition held by the store. The one that took first place had a head of a cat for the bib and was done up in bright bold colors. One of the simpler ones caught my eye and got me thinking about how I could use the basic design but with a few changes make it so it was reversible. Here’s what I ended up with.

Completely reversible.

Close-up so you can see those are coffee beans not leopard spots.

I may never become an Apron-ologist but it’s an area of study that I’m quite happy to pursue.   How about you? How do you feel about aprons? Do you use them? Are you as intrigued by all of the possibilities for making them as I am? Have you ever made an apron and if so did you use a pattern or did you create one using your imagination? I almost bought a pattern for one thinking if might be useful but once my imagine kicked in I realized I really didn't need a pattern.

Ariel, please don’t let this be the time you decide to visit my blog.

I need to get back to the sewing table. I'll be putting in a lot of time there if I'm to get my gifts finished up in time for Christmas. Enjoy your day and as always thanks for stopping by.

The First Wee Santa

I finished this little Santa yesterday that is the first of four that I’m going to be making of this approximate size. The overall measurement for this jolly fellow is 6 ¾ inches and that is including the ¾ inch thick section of Christmas tree trunk base he is mounted on.

Santa is standing atop a frosty mound of snow.

He's dressed in the customary red suit with white fur trim.

Santa is holding a very small teddy bear.

I started this little fellow back in March of this year but couldn't decide how I wanted to proceed until one day last month when something in the old noggin clicked and there he was. Hopefully the next one won't take as long to complete. 

It's starting to feel a lot like winter this past week. It's a good thing too since it really puts me in the mood for the holidays. With gifts and cards to make and get sent out I need to be getting very serious about how I spend my days. Now is also the time for some serious cleaning so the house is ready to decorate.

So, having said that I think I should go work on my granddaughter's gift. I'd tell you what I'm making her but it would be my luck she would pick this time to read my blog and it would spoil the surprise.

Enjoy your day and as always, thanks for stopping by.

QUILT BLOCKS

I've already found a use for some of the fabric that Katy so kindly sent my way. Yesterday I visited My Patchwork Life blog spot where Erin is asking for help making blocks to be donated to what she is calling "Hurricane Sandy Relief Quilts". You can visit her site and get instructions for making this block. It's called a Disappearing 4 patch.

The one above is made of scrap book paper that I made as a guide. I had to be sure I could actually figure it out before I cut into fabric. I shouldn't have worried about  following the instructions Erin gave since she was very precise and the block is easy peasy.

Here are some that I made this morning. Now all I have to do is get them to the post office so they get to Erin. She and some of her friends are taking it from there.

So, if you want to help in the making of "Hurrican Sandy Relief Quilts" please visit My Patchwork Life and sign up to make a few blocks or send a Paypal donation for buying quilt batting. Your help can really make a different to someone who could use a little help right now.

Remember what day it is today and whatever you do don't forget to get out there and vote. I want to wish you a wonderful day and as always, thanks for stopping by. 

Continued good fortune

When I posted the other day I told you that I’ve been having a very good week where all sorts of lovely things have been coming my way.

It started when I went out to help my sister Maggie pack her craft and art supplies because she is moving. I took her three large covered storage containers for her to use in the move and ended up bringing back all three filled with things she decided she didn’t need or wasn’t going to finish. I wish I would have thought to take some pictures before I put it all away.

Then my bestest bestie Oma Linda decided to gift me with what I showed you in my last post and then yesterday my mail carrier brought me another package, this time from Katy, you know who I'm talking about, right? Her blog The Littlest Thistle is one of the most enjoyable places to visit and I’ve been going there regularly now for nearly two years. She makes the cutest bears you’ve ever seen and for some time now she has been sewing just about anything and everything you can think of. She has just returned home to the UK from a trip to the states where she attended the sewing summit in Salt Lake City Utah and after the summit she and her friend and a bear named Jack rented a motor home and traveled the Southwest seeing all of the natural wonders, which by the way in case you aren’t aware, are mostly lots and lots of red rocks.

Was I surprised when I opened the package and this is what I found inside?

I almost couldn't get it all in one photo there is that many goodies....

Just look at those yummy fabrics.....

And the magazine and patterns and the place mat kit to make a clutch or whatever...

You’d better believe I was surprised!!  She told me these are some of her freebies from the sewing summit and she didn’t have room in her luggage. Rest assured Katy; you chose the right place to send your excess and I won’t let these goodies go to waste.

Another darling blog friend and a very gifted artist, Karen Anne of Ireland Brady took two of my recent paintings and made eight prints from them and sent them to me. One of the paintings is the one on the Halloween tray, “A Little Witch Will Lead Them” and the other is a witch from a series of ACEOs that I painted as gifts for some of my friends for Halloween. If you’d like a print of either of these let me know.

It’s really wonderful the feeling one gets when they’re the recipient of such generosity as I have been this past week. I’ve always thought I was lucky and this just proves I have been right all along.

It’s not the gifts as much as it is the friendship of these lovely women that has made me feel so blessed with good fortune. I treasure them and want them to know how much they mean to me.

Enjoy your day and as always, thanks for stopping by.

GOOD THINGS HAVE BEEN HAPPENING TO ME

With all of the terrible things that happen to people like what has been in the news these past few days concerning the people who are still without power and the others who are even less fortunate due to the devastation wrought by hurricane Sandy I feel a bit guilty about how lucky I have been lately.

By now because my sister has let it be known, some of you have heard that my doll Lula seen here

Has her photo on page 68 of this magazine...

The same day I learned about Lula getting into the magazine I received an email saying another doll (or dolls because it' a Topsy Turvy doll) will appear in the Spring issue of this magazine. For someone who never expected to have one doll get into a magazine you can imagine how pleased I am. Surprised and pleased!

Then yesterday while I was out shopping with my daughter a package was left on my porch and when I opened it I found this inside.

This dear little bear is Teddy's Teddy (100th Anniversary Limited Edition) Isn't he adorable?

And I also found this...

  my very own Troll Knoll.

With this to add to my Halloween decorations I'm sure my collection is nearly complete. Thank you Oma Linda. You're too good to me.

Is it any wonder I think she's wonderful?

These two feline sweeties sitting next to Teddy are Kitty Galore and Itty Bitty Kitty both made by my sister Maggie. She and I made kitties like these about 20 years ago for a Christmas Craft Fair and I made one for my granddaughter Ariel.  Thank you Maggie. If you ever want these two back you'll have to fight me for them or beg really hard. Just kidding.

There are more good things that have happened to me lately but I'm going to save them for another time.

I want to wish you all a happy weekend and as always, thanks for stopping by.