A day of finishes

Here it is the second day of school after Christmas break and my youngest is home sick.  In between "Mom, can you get me a Sprite,crackers, the TV remote, etc....I sat at my sewing machine and finished up some cross stitch pieces that need my attention.

Merry New Year is a pattern by The Stitcherhood and can be found HERE

I gathered unfinished items and I must say I'm just a little embarrassed by the number of projects I've left undone. They still are not all done, but the pile is reduced by 75%!  These next finishes are all for next Christmas, I'm ahead for this coming year (as opposed to being behind for this past year  and that's the story I'm sticking to!)   

       This first project is from a free pattern by Marly at Samplers and Santas blog found HERE.  Please note the green pillow cover in the background.  I bought this several years ago for the pillow form inside.  I'm still not sure as to why I saved the cover, but I now am very glad I did as it made the perfect backing for the pear.

 And, I still haven't finished it!  Needs a stem, a leaf and a coffee stain.

The Merry Primitive Christmas is also a free chart, this one from The Primitive Hare blog found HERE.  I changed the date to 1803, my favorite historical year!

Can I switch subjects for just a minute?  2 posts ago I shared that I won some faux fruit from Marly of Samplers and Santas - I was wrong - it's real dried whole fruit.  My day started out with the great idea of drying my own grapefruit and oranges today.  

I bought this food dehydrator a year ago at an auction, it was never used and still hasn't been.  I thought I could just place the fruit inside - WRONG - there are trays stacked up, it's not open inside.  So much for drying my own whole fruit that way.  I've put some in the basement refrigerator and I'm hoping that eventually they look like the 3 in the above photo.  

Back to cross stitch.... 

 The Christmas tuck and mini santa are patterns by Country Rustic Primitives found HERE

The Prairie School Santa  was a free chart from way back when there was a cross stitch store in our town.  It's been sitting in my to do pile for years.  I really didn't like it.  That is until I saw how nice Marly's look on her blog.  Mixed in with other Christmas pieces it will be a good addition.  

I used the envelope method of putting the backing on the 2 santa pieces in the above photo.  I do like how it makes the piece look

The next 2 are pillows from Pineberry Lane that you can find on patternmart

                          

 A pillow I made from a Create & Decorate pattern years ago 

 again, the envelope back..

 My last finish of the day... I stitched these peacocks awhile back, with no thought of any project - just because.  For me that's a bad idea!  They sat in my basket for over a year.   I ripped a piece of homespun, hemmed the edges and used a running stitch to hold the stitchery to the towel.

 Found the perfect spot on my Folk Art corner cupboard.  I see no one dusted last week while Mom was gone!  

I hope I've provided you with correct links that all work.  If something doesn't work, leave me a comment and I'll get back with you.  

Thank you Marly for all your cross stitch work that inspired me to finish up some projects.

~Ann