Last Cracker - from Susan

 Susan absolutely spoiled me with the amount of stuff she put in and around her cracker - there was a whole baggie full of things not stuffed in.  Here's a pre-opening picture.

And here is the exploded view.  Isn't it all wonderful?  I've decided I'm going to put the block to use, too.  I'm going to use it as my steampunk round robin block because the colors and all the rich brocades and such are perfect for it.  Thank you so much, Susan!

Thank You Betty!

 Betty sent me this pretty cracker with red fabric in the Christmas cracker exchange.  The gold stitching on it is snowflakes!

Here's what was inside:  many pretty batiks, some beads and trinkets, and some cute crocheted flowers.  Thank you Betty!  I'll definitely be using the fabrics soon.

A Fairly Summery Christmas

Defensor Sporting Club sponsored a Christmas artisan fair this year.  It ran for three weeks in the evenings only (not starting until 7 pm) before Christmas.  Here are some pictures from one of the times we went.  As you can see, it was pretty popular.  Notice, too, how light it is.  It's not been dusk here until about nine lately.

Handmade games.

I thought these flipflops were neat.  They took the regular Dr. Scholl's design and printed different designs on the bottoms.  Aren't they cute?

Thank You Nancy

This is the ornament I received in the Friendly Stitchers exchange.  Nancy made it for me, and I love it.  The lace trim she picked sets it off beautifully, too!  Thank you so much!

A Christmas Cracker!

 This Christmas I exchanged three crackers in the Crazy Quilting International group.  This is one of them - a lovely, scrappy block with lots of different fabrics.  The second picture is what was inside when I opened it.  Thank you!  I'll have lots of fun playing with all this!

A Crazy Start to the New Year

I love starting projects.  The thrill of putting a needle into an unmarred piece of fabric is a real pull for me.  So how could I resist when I heard about this challenge?  Start a new project each of the first fifteen days of the year, and then try to finish them all by the end of the year.  Most of the ones I've picked are small, and I figure this is a new way to do goals for the year.  I've started my first piece today.  It's at the top of the list I'm adding to every day as I add a new project.  Maybe it'll make me somewhat accountable...

Yet Another Ornamental Finish

Here is how I finished the Christmas Wreath from the JCS ornament issue.  I think it came out pretty well.  The variegated red thread is part of the Weeks Dye Works threads I won.  I'm putting them to use!