It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Well, here it is, a week before Christmas and the Christmas cards are finally out, and the tree and stockings are up.

Here are a few pictures of the cards I made this year. These in addition to some I made last year, but didn't send and some store bought cards are what I sent out this year.

I've done these cross stitch cards before. The idea came from the Better Homes and Gardens Country Crafts Christmas Edition magazine from 1990. The pattern was for a sampler, but they also had the idea to do some of the motifs on perforated paper, cut them out and use them on cards. I had a great time using some scrapbook paper for the backgrounds (something that wasn't around in 1990).

I was short a couple of cards and decided to make a couple cheery looking cards using the Iris Folding technique. I like the look of it and even though it looks complicated, it's really simple.

And, because I know my friend Aimee reads this blog and I love her's. here are a few interior Christmas shots.

I only pick ornaments that mean something to my family. Perhaps an interest or a hobby, but there is a connection between each one and us.

My mom and dad cross stitched us these Christmas stockings back in 1998 after Jarod was born. Yes, BOTH of my parents cross stitch. I love them and these stockings too. I believe they've done one for every member of their family and even some friends too. Lots of work and love went into these.

This is the is the coffee/tea service table in my dining room. I'm not sure where the table came from originally. I believe it was my husband's grandmother's table. My mother in law was using it as a laundry room table for her detergent (horrors), so after much begging, he bought her a shelf and took this home. It needed a lot of work and refinishing, but it looks great here. It is a drop leaf table. We went to a Bed & Breakfast that had one of these electric kettles and I really wanted one after that. So, now I have my own set up and use it often.

Now, I'm off to build a "yarn swift" so that I can be ready to start the Sky Scarf for 2012. Merry Christmas to all!

Sky Scarf, Holland, MI

You know, sometimes I come across things online that I want to do, but I can't remember how I came across them in the first place. This is just such a thing.

It's called a Sky Scarf and is the brain child of Lea Redmond AKA Leafcutter on Ravelry. She calls this a "Conceptual Knitting" project.

Basically, you look at the sky every day and knit two rows on a scarf in colors that represent what the sky is doing.

Above are my color choices. I'm using Cascade 220 Fingering in white, robin egg blue, sapphire, silver and charcoal.

This scarf is knit on size 4 needles over the course of a year and will measure approximately five feet when finished.

I will be starting on January 1, 2012. Lea recommends keeping everything together in the open so that it is easy to remember to do your rows each day. I found (YES, FOUND!) this beautiful Longaberger basket last year, bought a new liner, and I think will be the perfect place to keep this scarf for a year.

Check back to see my progress. Since I live in Michigan, I'm sensing there will be a lot of white and gray to start with.

Interested in making your own? Click HERE.

Interested in the yarn I'm using? Click HERE.

Interested in joining the Ravelry group for this scarf? Click HERE.

Definitely a TREAT!!!

Well, my yarn arrived and I consider it a TREAT. I'm sure this photo doesn't do this yarn justice. This is what I received for the "Trick or Treat" from The Buffalo Wool Company. It has no label, so I have no idea which of their yarns this is. No big deal though since they said that these were all random skeins and some wouldn't be labeled. I assume this is made from Bison fleece and it looks to be close to a worsted weight. The color looks black in this photo, but upon closer examination it looks like a combination of dark brown, green and black. I immediately thought this would be a great stocking cap for the hubby. Stay tuned as this may be going on the needles sooner than later.

Trick or Treat

Mystery Yarn! I can't wait!

http://store.thebuffalowoolco.com/trick-or-treat/

I'll be posting what I get AND photos of what I've made. Stay tuned!

Dipping my toes back in the water...

A NEW blog post by yours truly!

I just realized, embarassingly enough, that it has almost been a year since I posted anything on this blog. Can't imagine that anyone would want to visit here if there is nothing new to see. So, here is a brief posting of one of the new Birthday cards I just finished. My card box was decimated following all the May birthdays on the Riemersma side of the family, so it was time to get to card making. I made a few Anniversary cards too. Next post will be devoted to card making, I think. Then again, it might be sailing since the boat will be put away sometime in the next couple of weeks. My, how the time has flown. Stay tuned and if you have seen this posting, come back and invite your friends too. Thanks for visiting.