Hambone surprised me with a white Christmas this year!

He meant to surprise me with a fire, but a closed flue and a little ash sure do make for some flurries!

I, in turn, surprised Hambone with a Red Ryder….

Or, rather, some bath bombs from LUSH. I didn’t want him to shoot his eye out.

For a long day of present-opening, I recommend a hearty breakfast of petit fours and prosecco!

Here’s to the holidays!

The holidays!

(And, apparently, bad posture on my part! Sigh! Just one more resolution to make!)

Hope yours is comfy and cozy!

Real quick - the chandelier fabric I posted about earlier this week can be found at Sew, Mama, Sew! Happy shopping!

Wednesday was my birthday, and it’s nice to be able to celebrate a new personal year only just before everyone else’s New Year - two new starts at once!

I’m not much for resolutions, because they’re well, stodgy, and it seems so mean to hold oneself to higher standards through the months of January and February, when we seem to need self-care most of all.

So I don’t want to make a 28th/2008 resolution, but I do think it would be really cool to make the next few months a year of quilts, and make, or rather, finish, 12 quilts.

I know it sounds like a HUGE undertaking, but it’s really just more of a huge (no caps) undertaking. I already have some projects at various states of completion, and I’d really like to finish them off. Not least of all because Hambone and I will be in the market for our first house soon, and I hate the idea of moving around a big pile of unfinished projects!

First up: I’m getting a head start on some hand-quilting on the project that includes the blocks I got in the Seedpod swap. Which can be tough, when it’s always in use:

In this pic, btw, I’m sitting cross-legged, and Hatbox is taking up just half of my lap. You can’t tell from close range, but she is a teeny, tiny little gal!

Hi, my name is Jennicakes, and I’m a fabric addict.

I can quit collecting fabric any time I want to, only I don’t want to! So I’ve been spending some of my holiday down-time organizing my giant stash, and using some of it up so that I can get more!

I know, I know. It’s a vicious cycle. But I MUST have some of this yellow chandelier fabric to make myself a spring dress:

So I’m doing my best to make room for it!

Here are a couple of aprons I made yesterday that are a birthday present to me, from me, made from fabrics I couldn’t bear to part with:

I’ve also been weeding out some prints that I’m finding I’m just not all that fond of, and trying to match them with quilt tops. That’s one thing that’s great about being a quilter - if a print ceases to be useful, aesthetically, it’s still, at the very least, yardage!

I was able to back this quilt, which is about 4′ x 4′, without even touching my muslin! I’d like to show you a picture of the piecing I did, but as you can see, the quilt is occupied:

Other ideas for stash reduction:

- Wrap gifts for crafty family and pals with anything you realize suits their stash better than yours!
- Use it as wall decor, a la The Purl Bee.
- Swap! Granted, trading fabric for fabric doesn’t really constitute a proper purge, but you may wind up with some yardage you’re more likely to use.
- Make cloth napkins for yourself or others. They take about five seconds! This is my favorite thing to do with cute fat quarters I can’t bear to cut up, and it’s a great way to practice rolling hems.

I hope these ideas will help you out from under that mountain of fabric - and, if not, feel free to share your own!

Hi craft fans!

Remember my abc post from last week?

I turned it into this:

I think alphabet Samplers could easily become my new thing. They don’t exactly stitch themselves, but they are a heck of a lot faster than big old quilts!

I’m so glad to have snagged a Mailorder #5, which contains what I hope will be my next sampler project!

And while we’re on the subject of cross-stitch, one of my favorite gifts from last Christmas is the Cross Stitch Motif Bible! It’s really extensive and easy to follow. I especially love that the different alphabets are laid out in a really attractive way - you can just grab your Aida or linen and start stitching!

And finally, I know it’s not a sampler per se, but I really can’t talk about my future in framed needlework without saying how much I love the cute, easy to follow, and very affordable kits by Ms. Julie Jackson of Subversive Cross Stitch! I’m actually going to be working on this one for the remainder of 2007!

I know everyone crafts for others at this time of year, but if you’re going to take some time to make a gift for yourself - and I think you should! I think a sampler is the perfect addition to any home!

xoxo, Jennicakes

Some gloomy weather has been exacerbated by a broken window (my fault, don’t ask!) and while I wait for the glass company, I’m stitching up a very simple sampler inspired by 1. this sampler I saw a few days ago and 2. the arrival of Peppermint Fairy Stitchette patterns!

I don’t want to reveal more until it’s all done, so please be patient!

I know it’s the season for handmade giving, as opposed to, say, handmade self-spoiling, but I hope all of you ladies (and gents) have a cute seasonal project on hand for those days when you just need to say, “To hell with this!”

My abc’s, btw, are from Jenny Hart’s wonderful book, and I picked up my threads locally at Old World Designs Needlepoint Shop.

Time for tea and more stitching!