Blue Christmas, A Christmas tree to cross stitch

While I am making some new small cross stitch patterns for the coming Holidays I'd like to add one to match the previous Snowflake one. You will find it here in my previous post. 

I made both ornaments a long time ago, both ornament look pretty together and continue the theme of a Blue Christmas.

Both of these patterns are very simple and you can finish your project over the weekend.

 

Please enjoy this free pattern. Happy Holidays! 

Potpourri ball, the Holidays gift idea

I bought the clear plastic glass ball at our local craft shop another day with great intentions to crochet around it. When I came home I start to look at this ball from another angle. The clear glass ball is a perfect way to preserve the summer and have it all year around!



So my idea is simple: gather your favorite botanicals, dry them, add 1 drop of your favorite essential oil per 1 cup of dried mix or leave it unscented, it is up to you.


Take the cap off the ball and carefully place your dried botanicals inside.


Put the cap back on and tie a pretty ribbon on top. Add another ribbon to hang the ball. That's it! Your one of a kind small but thoughtful gift is ready!

A plastic clear ball will work fine for this idea but I would use a clear glass one for this purpose. It is more friendly to the Earth and also the scent will stay brighter. The botanical mix, the ribbons and the scent are your choice, there is plenty of choices, just look around!


This idea is also great for the party favors.

Believe!

A little miracle happened to me yesterday.

My husband and I were shopping at the our local grocery store and when we were loading our purchases to the back of our car I've suddenly heard a little bell ring, right in front of me. I looked down and I saw this tiny Christmas bell! I don't know where it could be coming from, there was not cars or other people around and I don't think a store could carry a Christmas decoration in a summer! So, of course I've picked it up and shook it a little - it made this little jingle noise again! I thought of movie, The Christmas Express, where Santa says to the little boy that Christmas will always be with him as long as he will hear the Christmas bell ... is this a good sign or just my imagination?

Whatever it is, I took the bell, brought it home and put it together with my little handmade treasures. I've also started a framing process of my Santa's stitching I've made last year. I thought of best finish for it for a long time and actually I was going to finish it as a ornament but for some reason I found a framed picture more attractive - what do you think? How would YOU finish this design?

This wonderful design is by Carol Emmer Designs and was published in Just Cross Stitch magazine.

Back to cross stitch

I am finally back in my creative mood again. It's just too many bad things happened last winter - we lost our dog, companion of 14 years baby boy shit zhu, some friends were diagnosed with cancer and are battling it still. Not much space for creativity, hah? But we are all together and this is all what matters :)

I stitched some Angel ornaments for my friends last year - don't you love them? I should really make one for myself, this design is from Wildflower Stitchery & more and it is just too cute! Just a little lovely reminder that Angels are among us

Currently I am working on a series of my new cross stitch designs for the lavender sachets - hope you will like them! I will show it to you as soon as it will be done! Too many ideas and just so little time...

I have a passion for these little things. The sweet scent of lavender reminds me of purple summer fields in Washington State where we lived for a couple of years. I made some sketches of these at the farms and I am trying to recreate them now in my designs. Love purple :)