Craft Corner: It's like Christmas in July

Well there is a lot to post here, so sit back and settle in ... they say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here is my book!


My secret sister (not really so secret since we do it on our own) sent me a beautiful package this month. She chose the tea theme since that is what my kitchen is in and I collect tea sets. So she sent me the Cross My Heart, Inc. Tiny Little Teapots pattern and Heirloom Hydrangeas book. I can't wait to get started on a few towels with tea pots to tide me over until I can do an afghan (first and second books). Maybe I can do some placemats, each with a differnet tea pot or a tablerunner. Oh, the possibilities are endless. The Hydrangeas will compliment my moss green livingroom perfectly, too.

The othr book, Cross My Heart, Inc. Teatime Teapots and a yard of dove grey fabric was in a recent order from Mary Jane's Cross n' Stitch online. My SS also included this beautiful Janlynn's The Tea Garden (photo to right) in the package. I am excited about trying it on colored fabric. What color do you think?

I think it is absolutely adorable. The brick wall and pink flowers with wicker furniture makes me want to curl up with a good book ... or new cross stitch project! But that's not it. She also send this beautiful teapot shaped tea bag holder with matching spoon, but I'll have to post a photo later.

Another stitcher found a book with two tea pots in a garage sale and sent it too me (that's was awefully sweet of her to think of me and it arrived when I was having a bad day –– perfect timing!) I didn't get to take a picture of it because I left my camera at work and only grabbed what was on the counter when I left this morning.

Yesterday I also got a package in the mail from Lisa (in TX) who sent me the completed project for the freebie exchange I signed up for in the Stitch 'n Swap 2 Yahoo! group.

We each picked a freebie pattern, kitted it up and sent to person No. 1. Meanwhile, person No. 2 was sending one to us, which we stitched and sent to person No. 3. Once I got past the confusion it was fun. I learned some new stuff, stitched in a fabric count that I had never done before and in the end had a a beautiful project to add to my growing collection.

I ended up stitching a Lizzie Kate pattern, How does your garden grow? (see previous post for photo) which I loved and may do for myself in the near future. All in all it was a fun experience and Lisa also included a Tx postcard and magnet with makes me feel a little closer to home. Being a military wife often leaves you homesick, but that made it a little better.

And last, but most certainly not least, I was in a Christmas in July ornament exchange in the same group and did a fun snowman for a fellow stitcher overseas, Italy, I think. I absolutely loved it and wanted her to get it before I posted it. She got, so here is a picture. I enjoyed it so much, I think I'll make a set of eight for my tree ... yeah, I know I gotta start finishing projects before starting new one! Well, I hope you all have as much fun as I do. Who knew that all it takes to entertain some adults is a piece of fabric and thread, maybe we'll work on world peace, but first there is this sale at the local needwork shop and oh, i heard there had some new patterns at that one website ...