How was your Christmas? I hope everything went smoothly, the food was awesome, and the company cheerful. My oldest son and his two boys could not come home this year, so my husband and two younger sons (19 and 18) enjoyed a quiet and fun Christmas. We even played cards all afternoon on Christmas day (say, What???). What a memory to keep! Let me show you the best desserts we loved this Christmas. Because it was just the four of us, there was one dessert for Christmas Eve and one for … [Read more...] about Best desserts we loved this Christmas
Wool Appliqué
Cotton, Wool, and Giving Thanks
My sister Miriam is visiting me from Brazil! We are enjoying this precious (and short) time together so I have been working (and blogging) part-time only. She was last in the US 6 years ago - crazy, huh? All of you who live close to your siblings are so lucky! We spent a few days in Las Vegas, Nevada, and went to see Cher. What a fantastic show! Back in Utah, we have settled into a routine - working in the morning, going out in the afternoon. It is wonderful having her company and … [Read more...] about Cotton, Wool, and Giving Thanks
Pure and Simple Things
Photograph by Brent Kane and Adam Albright for Martingale. Used with permission. I woke up and immediately found myself in a contemplative state, pondering my numerous blessings, sending prayers to friends who are going through an arduous journey of sickness, and getting energized for my day. In the end, I realized as the beautiful artwork above depicts, that life is really good. And so, I give thanks for the many freedoms I enjoy, to the opportunity to learn new things (I am a learning … [Read more...] about Pure and Simple Things
A Cottage Garden
This is about the time of the year when I begin my Christmas list, a list of people to whom I would like to handmake a small project. It is so fun to rest my feet up in the evening with needle and thread and a good audiobook playing, deadening the sounds of my 18-year-old playing video games with virtual friends in the basement (although, I do enjoy his belly laughs!). A Cottage Garden - Stitch and Enjoy a Bounty of Beautiful Blossoms by Kathy Cardiff, published by Martingale, has 11 wool … [Read more...] about A Cottage Garden
Wool embroidered lids
Christmas is just around the corner and I needed two more gifts. I saw these pincushion jar lids and could not resist them! The embroidery is simple - I am not too good at it yet but I think they turned out lovely! Instead of using wool as a background as the pattern suggested, I used flannel so it would not be too difficult to close the lid once the work was done. Still, the lid does not close all the way but you can turn it once and keep treats safely inside. This is the second one I … [Read more...] about Wool embroidered lids
Wool mini quilts
The cool weather and a book with cute projects inspired me last weekend and I decided to work with wool. This mini quilt measures 7" x 9" and the recycled wool pieces came from three sweaters and a pair of pants. The simple embroidery was done with DMC floss. The osnaburg patch with the wording added a nice texture to the work. The background fabric is cotton and the embroidered Xs gave more depth to the project. I liked it so much that I had to make two identical pieces except this one was … [Read more...] about Wool mini quilts