Meet Belle

Hello Dear Friends & Followers;

Hope this post finds you well.

After I finished making "Jingles" for my winter decorating I decided that he needed a friend, a lady friend.

So let me introduce "Belle" 

"Belle"

She might get the rosy cheeks treatment as soon as I buy some blusher.

She is made from the same natural cotton batting and stuffed with fiber fill from an old pillow. She wears dark red felt earmuffs with a braided jute band adorned with smalls snowflakes, a dark red felt scarf with fringed ends and a snowflake, and a dark red felt apron with lace overlay that ties in the back. She has a handmade orange felt carrot nose and sewn on dark blue button eyes. She is 8" tall and 6" across the bottom.

 

I still haven't decided on the arms yet, I have some twigs that would work, but would have to be very careful when packing them away so they don't get broken. We're going to town next weekend and will hit up the craft stores to see if they have any alternatives for arms. If nothing else maybe I can use brown pipe cleaners or something similar. Maybe some heavy wire or pipe cleaner wrapped in a single strand of jute.

"Jingles & Belle"

I think they make a perfect couple.

I call these "make-do" crafts since I had everything for them right in my craft room except the arms. I'll have to try a pipe cleaner wrapped in jute to see what that would look like, I have that in my craft room too.

Since I worked in a House of Fabrics for 2 years and a Ben Franklin's for 4-5 years I acquired a lot of stash.  

Thank you so much for stopping by today and maybe leaving your thoughts behind, I really appreciate each and every comment.

Take Care Everyone &

Have a great day.

 Hugs, Sandy

TUSAL for December

Hello Dear Friends & Followers;

Hope everyone is doing well.

Well here is my very tiny ORT offering for the end of the year.

 Not very much stitchin' going on since the end of October.

But I have been in a fabric sort of mood since mid November and have been getting the hanging organizers for tents and pop-up campers cut out, getting potholders and trivets cut out and of course making not one but two snow people. 

So here is my sewing scrap/ort container.

It's an old popcorn tin from Walmart. 

That's it for today. 

Thank you so very much for stopping by.

Take Care Everyone

& Have a Great Day

Hugs, Sandy

Winter Crafting

Hello Dear Friends & Followers

I hope all is well with you.

Since I haven't been doing any stitching since late October, I decided to do a bit of crafting. I love decorating for Christmas/Winter, but most of my decor pieces are Santa's of varying sizes, two Angel's, one Nativity and assorted pine boughs and wreaths. Not a lot to leave out for the rest of the winter months, so I'm trying to remedy that.

Here is my first try at making a more rustic winter....

"Jingles"

He's made from natural cotton batting, stuffed with fill from a well laundered old pillow, he has a weighted bottom, a hat made from an old glove and adorned with jingle bells sewn on the finger tips and little snowflakes scattered on the front, a scarf made from purple felt and fringed on the ends with a bigger snowflake, sewn on button eyes and two more for buttons down the front and a felt carrot nose.

 

He stands 9" tall and is 7" wide at the base. His nose pokes out at 1 1/2".

I tucked the thumb inside the glove and stitched the opening closed then gathered the fingers together and secured with some thread.

I thought about a bit of blush for the cheeks and twig arms, but don't know yet since I can mock up he arms but pink cheeks are forever.

I think he's just to cute and want to make a few more.

Thanks for stopping by and having a peek.

Take Care Everyone

Hugs, Sandy

2018 Smalls SAL Update

Hello Dear Friends & Followers;

I hope all is well with you. 

Thanksgiving was just the hubs and I per usual with our families living in California and northern Idaho. Cooked a turkey with stuffing, corn, deviled eggs, gravy and rolls as sides. Peach Cobbler for dessert.

A nice quite day.

I haven't done any stitching in the last few weeks, but still have a finished piece for my November Smalls SAL update, which is a day or two late. Oh well, so goes life.

"Flower & Berry Vines"

Designed By: Sandra Longan Designs (ME)

Stitched on 14 count rustic aida using my own hand-dyed threads.

This little pillow will be sent to my 93 year old mother for Christmas.

It has a stitched patch on the back that reads "Always Remember" with my siblings and my name surrounding the words. My mother is in a memory care facility in Sacramento California suffering from advanced dementia. 

Thank you for stopping by and maybe leaving your thoughts behind, I really do appreciate all the nice things you have to say.

Take Care & 

Have a Great Weekend

Hugs, Sandy

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Just want to wish all of my friends & followers a very

 May you be surrounded with love and blessings

and be Thankful for all you have.

Here's a Thanksgiving gift from my home to yours.

Use your favorite Autumn/Fall colors.

79 stitches wide x 43 stitches tall

Have a Blessed Day

Hugs, Sandy

TUSAL Update and some Stash

Hello Everyone; I hope all is well with you.

I almost forgot about my TUSAL for November.

Not a whole lot, but every little bit counts.

My 55th birthday was on Monday so I decided to get myself a couple of things I've been wanting. I used my Amazon cash that I've been getting for doing surveys online, so there was no out-of-pocket expense for me.

New clothes for my 30+ year old ironing board. I went with a Dritz Pressing Assistant, it will be a help with blocking all of my stitching smalls. I might add more padding under neath for a bit more cush. 

Then I picked out a tin filled with 100 of these little clips. 

They are just perfect for all of those smalls I need to finish off.

They are 1"L x 3/8"W x 1/2" T and the jaw opens 3/8". 

They don't distort the fabric like pins usually do and they hold tight.

I also got the hubs a box of 24 U-NO candy bars, they are his fav.

It has snowed again, it started Monday night and kept falling until Tuesday afternoon. Since the temps have been in the 30's and going to go up to the 40's I don't see it going it away anytime soon.

I'm using my laptop once again minus the battery, still haven't gotten a replacement, found one in Billings for $120, but if it works plugged in and I don't intend to take it anywhere, I'm ok with it just the way it is for now.

That's it for now, thank you all for stopping by.

Take Care Everyone

Hugs, Sandy