Happy New Year !

Today signals a fresh start for all of us....a clean slate that we can write our hopes and dreams for the future on. My wish for all of you is a healthy and safe year that brings newly found prosperity, love, happiness, and delight in your life. And as the Irish say: "This New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, never in want."

My new friendship's this year started with Gai from New South Wales, Australia. Gai was my swap partner in Chookyblue's SSCS 2009. In addition to a lovely card showing her home town, a dish towel appliqued with Australian animals, and a package of tiny cat buttons,
Gai made me 2 lovely decorations for my Christmas tree.
If that wasn't enough, she embroidered me a gorgeous Angel wallhanging! She even added the hanger for it. I am amazed at how small and even her stitching is. I only hope some day mine will be as nice and precise as Gai's. It is a beautiful piece of workmanship and I am so proud to hang it on my living room wall. Please click on the picture, so you can see a larger view of it and admire her handiwork. I just love this gift! Thank you so much, Gai.

My stitching friends, Linda D and Carol L, both gave me prezzies for Christmas. They're both part of our larger Craft Club group, but the 3 of us get together once a week just to stitch. Carol L makes beautiful cards and made the cutest Santa gift card holder for me and put a gift card to Jo Ann Fabrics in it. And Linda D can do anything-- she does beautiful tole and folk art painting, plus she makes quilts, and does hand stitching and applique, among other things. She (and her sister, Carol M) made me the sweetest blue bird pincushion from wool felt. It has little colored flowers all around the bottom and is just adorable!
I made them both tea wallets and matching tissue holders for their purses. Of course I forgot to take pictures, so I'll have to show them to you another time. I have an order for more, so I'll be working on them next week.

I have another friend, Lynne P, who also makes beautiful cards. She made me this gorgeous card for Christmas; I think she calls it "Iris-folding". I know it sure looks complicated. I plan on framing this card and putting it in my sewing room (when I get it cleaned up, lol).

Tomorrow I'll show you the lovely present my friend, Mary, made me. Until then, stop in and check out the new BOM that Jenny of Elefantz is offering. It's a 6 month BOM, beginning January 7th, called Bouquet. It's going to be beautiful! And Tozz at Tozz'z Corner is also starting a new 6 month applique BOM. Block 1 called Flippy Daisy is up now.

Happy New Year from Sharon and Katie