My resolution to finish projects before the end of 2010 is going strong. Photos today are to show my first ever Quaker design: “My Lady’s Quaker” by Jardin Privé. I stitched one over one, on 27 count ivory “Linda” evenweave. Since I’m planning on stitching the matching Gentleman design, who has a dog, I added the little cat that Nathalie Cichon has made available to stitchers on her site http://www.jardinprive.com/index.php.
When I was young, I got into the habit of writing and sending out my Thank you letters in the week between Christmas and the New Year – so it’s time to say my “Thank yous” for this year for the lovely well-chosen gifts that found their way into my home.
From Titane, a gorgeous 3D card that will be packed away with xmas decorations and put on display again next year 
From Sandra (Stitched in Wales) the most exquisite ornament. It’s a Nancy Pederson Blackwork design that was in GOS magazine – Sandra knows how much I love this kind of design, stitched in my favourite colour and finished off making her own cording which gives it such a well-finished look. 
Sandra also sent me a calendar 2011 with some lovely photos of Welsh scenery which will be hung in its place on Saturday.
And from Sabine . . . I received lots of little gifts to open that kept me very busy during present opening time lol. There were decorations for the tree 
threads and little zippy bag 
marzipan (all eaten), hand warmers (forgot to take a photo) fimo buttons and a really cute felt bookmark 
I have a few more “Thank yous” to write – but will save them for another article.
As recent posts show, I seem to have made friends with my sewing machine of late, and am gaining in confidence when it comes to finishing off a piece of cross stitch. Christmas is the ideal time to get creative, and here’s what I made for two friends. 
The cat cushion was a very straightforward, “sew two squares together” and add a zip but with me, even putting in a zip can be rather an interesting experience so I was quite pleased with how smoothly it all went. The more patchwork effect one was inspired by Pine Mountain Designs who have brought out a range of cute cushion kits. It was also a great way of having fun mixing and matching fabric and using a small Jardin Privé cross stitch piece. Here are photos of the backs of my cushions too 
I am having so many happy dances this month, it’s no wonder it’s been snowing ^^
Today I come to share photos, this Christmas Eve, of my blackwork 15 sided biscornu that I have just finished stuffing. I still need to find a couple of nice buttons to add the final touch, but for now, here is my little masterpiece. 
I stitched on an ivory coloured aida with gold flecks running through, using DMC 315. The design is by Anita (Stitch Creations). 
There’s been no stopping me with my sewing machine these last few days ^^.
First of all, a festive cushion cover with the Isabelle Vautier design “Un soir en décembre”. 
and still on a Christmas theme . . . my second Barbara Ana snowman that I have finished off in much the same way as the first: a wall hanging with the same fabric so that xmas decorations look slightly co-ordinated this year ^^ 
Only five days until Christmas and snow falls means that our “Cold Hands” SAL looks even more festive as stitchers in France begin a Barbara Ana happy dance ^^
Here was the stage to post 
which I then turned into a wall-hanging (which is looking lovely in the living room) 
and the slide show of my fellow stitchers’ finishes.
Many thanks for everyone who stitched along. Some began the “Witch Hat?” SAL in September and then carried on with the snowman, so for some ladies we’ve been stitching together for four months ^^
a few reasons for happy dancing over the past year.
Christmas is less than a fortnight away, and another happy dance is only one week away as, today, I post step 7 in this SAL. Only a small amount of stitching this week as I know that everyone is busy with shopping, present wrapping, tree decorating etc. 
Happy dancing here tonight as I’ve just put the last stitches to an Isabelle Vautier design : “Un soir en décembre” (from her book UN PETIT FIL ROUGE M’A DIT). 
I stitched this design as a SAL but cheated on the last stages as I have chopped off part of the design on the right and sort of made things up as I went along. The original design looks like this 
A few weeks ago, I published an article about a new cross stitch application available for Iphones / Ipads / Ipod Touch. Then there were three themes available: Kitchen, Cats and Dogs . . . and I’m back today to let you know that three more applications are now on sale here http://appshopper.com/search/?search=point+de+croix
The new titles are
CONTES DE FEES (Fairy Tales)
BORD DE MER (at the seaside)
LANGAGE DES FLEURS (the language of flowers)
NB – the price of the Kitchen app has come down from 3.99 euros to 79 centimes!
