Happy Thanksgiving....and a little craftastic fun!

I would like to wish everyone celebrating a very Happy Thanksgiving!  Last year was a very different feeling to the holiday.  Ben was engaged and we were finally meeting her family for the first time.  While it was a little nerve wracking trying to get our house in order, we really enjoyed getting to know them and welcome them into our family.  So while this holiday feels a little sad, I still can't help feeling thankful for all the blessings we do have.  We participate in a church activity once a month called Be More Caring where we take food and clothing to the homeless living in Baltimore.  Tuesday night was our night, and it's very humbling to be wearing warm clothing while feeling full from a good meal to go and pass out food to hungry people.  It's getting cold here in Maryland, sometimes dipping below freezing.  There were so many looking for warm clothing, hats, gloves, scarves, even soap and toothpaste.  It's heartbreaking to know there are folks living outside in this weather.  I wish I could do more, but all I can do is donate my tine and feel grateful and thankful that I have a warm place to live and warm clothes and food daily.  It's a bitter sweet Thanksgiving, but I can honestly say, I'm thankful for all I've been graced with in my life.  

Finally...I feel like I can breathe a little!!  I've been stitching and finishing like a whirling dervish!  I guess I bit off a little more than I could chew...and with everything going a little sideways in my life, I wasn't sure I could get it all done...but...well most things are coming together like they should finally.  I stitched a few angels earlier in the year, and while contemplating how to finish them, I hit a road block mentally.  I finally decided I needed to get these done and in the mail, so I took a few days, took my time, took a deep breath and went for it. Here is the fruit of my labors.

All of these angels are free on the internet.  You can find them here.  I asked a couple house guests who visited this year to pick one they would like me to stitch and Teresa chose this one...

I was fretting from the time she picked it, how on earth I would finish it.  So...I took the finished piece, laid it on the printer, and printed the piece onto a piece of paper.  I then measured and drew lines around the area where I wanted to finish it.  Cut it out, cut the backing and the foam core....padded the foam core and laced the stitched piece and the backing fabric to the prospective pieces and sewed them together, along with the rickrack.  I am surprised (and pleased) how nicely it came out.  You can't see in the picture but the rickrack and the stitched piece are kind of sparkly.  She's lucky I love her so much or I would have kept this for myself!  hahaha

Donna chose these two.  I have loved these patterns for a long time and it was fun stitching them for her.   Now that I see how nicely they finish, I really need to stitch them for myself.  I have to say, I love how they are finished, and now that I know I can do it, I'll have to make some for myself.  I used a combination of tutorials for these.  But mostly they came from Vonna over at the Twisted Stitcher and you can find her tutorials here.  With a wonderful suggesting by the lovely Ms. Mouse, I added bells to the bows in the corners because when you hear a bell ring, an angel gets it's wings.

Our church had a craft night last weekend, so I went and got my "craft" on.  I was pretty tired from a busy week....and a busy day helping someone decorate their home after a move, so my brain was a little fried.  I did the best I could and would like to try this again, because it was pretty fun!  Here is a snowman, and a candle holder we made.  Can you believe it only too two hours to make both of these?

So...I finally got caught up on my Linen & Threads SAL.  I didn't stitch a bit on it during the month of October, so I had two months to stitch when I finally got the chance.  I'm happy I have a little breathing room before the final part comes out next week!  You can find the free patterns here.

I also got caught up on the three Tempting Tangles SALs I'm participating in.  These are little snippets that are published every other week it seems, but only take a short time to stitch.  They can be found on Tempting Tangles Etsy page for only $5.00 while the SAL in going on.  There are only two pieces left for This Corner of Earth, and I really love how this one is coming out.  You can find them here.

Here is This Corner of Earth

Here is  Wildflower Woodland Quaker, I just love that little owl!!!  Yes they are of the same pattern, it's just a difference of the light that makes the fabric look like a different color.  It's been so dreary here, it's hard to get good pictures!

Here is Springtime Easter  Delight and believe it or not the fabric is a bright white.  Dreary days are the pits for taking pictures!!

And last here is a little something I started as a Birthday gift for a friend.  She doesn't know about it, and I'm going to be really late getting it to her, but I hope she will forgive me anyway...I hope she thinks it will be worth it!  LOL

And that is all I have for now.  I have some gifts on the way to some folks and will have to wait to show what I sent them.  I'm hoping I find a little more time to stitch now that things have calmed down.  I feel pretty good about what I've been accomplishing lately though!  I hope you all enjoy your Thanksgiving, those who are celebrating!  Happy Stitching!  And I hope your Thanksgiving is full of good food, good fun, and the love of family and friends!