Nothing but links

 

I've been working on the landscape but truthfully nothing that you can see in a photo...so....how about a few extra links to explore today instead of a photo?

- THIS takes you to a PDF of a really pretty shawl.  If I were a shawl person, I'd love this one.

- There are some fun ideas for gifting HERE.

- THIS would make a cute little gift.

- As a little further note on the chocolate orange cover I showed you last time, perhaps you'd like to check out THESE designs as well.  OR if you'd like to cover bath bombs, have a look HERE.  

- There's a great tutorial HERE for making really nice gift bags that you could fill with all sorts of Christmas treats, edible or otherwise!

- I came across THIS very excellent post about temperature blankets (and I love the colours she chose!!).  I would really love to make one and the time commitment to only having to do one row each day wouldn't be too bad.  But THEN, I price out the yarn and it gives me huge pause for thought.  

- If you have a tea-lover on your list, perhaps one of THESE would be a welcome gift.

- THIS would be fun to both serve AND to gift.

- There are some fun ideas HERE too.

- THESE are really pretty and would make a nice gift with a candle tucked inside.

- Some cute ideas HERE too.

Today's quote..."May your day be filled with glitter than someone else cleans up"

A little bit of progress

 I think you can see some progress on the landscape - namely in the truck itself.  I've also 'done something' with the birch trees although they're by no means finished yet.  Quilting has started in the snow as well.

It looks somewhat 'bumpy' but that's because it's held together by lines of basting at the moment.

I thought I'd add a Terry's Chocolate Orange to our oldest grandie's gift and came across some ideas for making fun covers for them.  This is the result.

Pattern is HERE. 

- Sharon Boggon is running 'TAST' (Take A Stitch Tuesday) in 2024 and if you want to learn some new-to-you embroidery stitches or brush up on some familiar ones, check out her FAQ's page HERE.  

- THIS is a really cute and easy to make ornament.

- As is THIS.

- I know it might be a tad late for THESE for this year, but perhaps get an early start on next year?

- It seems that every year THESE come up and every year I contemplate making one.

- Never let it be said that I don't lead you down some massive rabbit holes!  All I can say, is be prepared with lots of bread crumbs when you go HERE.

- There are a number of fun gift ideas HERE, some of which I haven't seen before.

- And, to finish off the links for today, how about making some of THIS??  Please invite me over to help you eat it!

Today the quote is from Rumi..."Raise your words, not your voice.   It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder"

and....it begins....again

 Another landscape has begun.  This one, because it's snowy outside, has a winter theme although the original photo I'm using for inspiration was in B&W and not winter.  Here's the photo (once again by Dale Stewart and used with his kind permission)...

I have taken the liberty of moving the truck into the snow as you can see from the beginning here...

Over the weekend the Resident Chef and I decided we should do some Christmas decorating so he hauled out the box of decorations and the box that holds our Artificial Shedder (thinly disguised as a Christmas tree).  I had decided that I wanted to seriously downsize our decorations and was surprised that he was on board.  We got rid of just about half of what we had and I feel hugely relieved.  THEN, he tackled the Artificial Shedder and immediately started muttering about how much of a pain it was, all the while dodging the shower of 'shed'.  Once upon a time it was a pre-lit tree but over the years the lights burned out so he has been adding lights.  All in all, not a fun experience.  So...me being a firm believer in making things easier, suggested that we should just go and buy a new tree that fit our space and was actually working.  He, being a firm believer that happy wife/happy life was quick to agree (I rather suspect there might have been a tad bit of relief on his part as well).  So...we relieved ourselves of some money and came home with a new one - much smaller than the other and, best of all, it won't shed...and the lights actually work!  It's hard to take a picture of a lit tree but here's the best I could come up with...

Our local food bank has published this reverse advent and I thought I would share in case you'd like to participate in your area..

- The ingenuity of some people simply astounds as THIS will attest!

- There might be some ideas HERE that you would like to do for Christmas gifting.

- If you're interested in textiles, perhaps you might find something in THIS listing that would intrigue you.

- I think THIS would be fun to do.

Today the quote is from George Orwell..."The further society drifts from the truth, the more it will hate those that speak it"

Look at what came in the mail!!!

 

This little darling hopped all the way here and was created by the clever fingers of Donna who chose to give him away and I was the lucky winner!  I've never attempted to do goldwork and when I saw this little charmer I know the odds are pretty high I never will because all those  little beads (chips?) are SO tiny and I know I'd never be able to see well enough to even begin.  Donna does incredible needlework so do pay her a visit HERE.  

Thank you Donna!!!!💕

- THESE are quite pretty and don't look too difficult to create.

- THIS would make a great gift for someone with a sweet tooth.

- You might want to have a go at making THESE.

- THIS is something you can have fun with yourself or with younger family members.

Today's quote..."Don't change so people will like you.  Be yourself, and the right people will love the real you"

Finally mustered enough courage

 I've been procrastinating over putting the zipper in the sweater I made for our oldest grandie.  Turned out I really didn't need to fuss over it because it wasn't as difficult as I thought (who knew!!).  The sweater isn't wonderful but I doubt he will care because, after all, Grandma figured out how to use the same Minecraft design I did on his hat and translate it into the sweater.  This, as of this moment (barring any unforseen idiocy on my part), will be the last sweater the grandsons will get because they insist on getting bigger and my hands just won't agree with me knitting that large.  I *might* still make one for our littlest one but that remains to be seen.

- THIS is a cute wee gift that you might like to create.

- THIS is a pretty little tree project.

- Pour yourself a cuppa and have a look through the ideas found HERE.

- THIS is cute too.

- There are lots of ideas for snowflakes HERE.

- THESE are pretty and would look nice either on your tree or used as gifts.

Today's quote..."Don't let anyone who hasn't been in your shoes tell you how to tie your laces"

Yay!!

 The last Christmas present is finished!!  The butter tarts are baked (and, for once, RC listened to me and only made a small batch).  Heaven help him if there are no butter tarts.  I even completed most of the wrapping over the weekend AND the Christmas cards are addressed and ready to mail.  Now I can exhale and play with my new sewing machine to see how it performs doing landscapes.

One of the final gifts to be completed is this...

Pattern is THIS one and I added a bit more length to the dress.  Paton's Canadiana yarn from my stash.

*****

Complete change of topic but I wanted to share something I wrote in an email in response to a comment Jocelyn made...."..enjoyment is totally in the making..."  That resonates with me because that's exactly how I feel.  My friends are often astounded that I will spend hours and hours on a project, only to happily give it away without a second thought.  Of course, having said that, I'm a complete lesson in contradictions because I truly do want to sell my landscapes rather than give them away (although I have given some).  For me, it comes down to the distinction between 'craft' (thus giveable) and 'art' (saleable).  I don't suppose that makes a whole lot of sense does it!!  

Please share in the comments how you feel about this because I would be interested in knowing your thoughts.

******

- If you like fudge, or plan to make some for gifting, perhaps THIS round up of recipies might intrique you (scroll down to see all the different varieties).  And, if you have a hankering for some truffles, perhaps one of THESE might be just what you'd like.

- THIS would be a fun little project!

- THESE would make a lovely little gift.

- So would THESE!

- I know THIS is a paid pattern but I thought it was worth sharing anyway.

Today's quote..."We live on a blue planet that circles around a ball of fire next to a moon that moves the sea, and you don't believe in miracles?

Losing my mind...or a screw loose...take your pick!

 Well, it's now a proven fact that I'm losing what's left of my mind...and the Resident Chef isn't much better.  We just spent over four hours searching this small apartment for two Minecraft-themed pillowcases that I distinctly remember making for the two oldest grandies that were supposed to be for Christmas.  We turned everything upside down (oh, the dust elephants....and the sneezing!) but they were nowhere to be found in the bedroom.  Hmmm....so....did they get scooped up with loose fabric and get put away somehow?  Well....a grand dumpage of buckets and bins and sorting on a grandiose scale certainly neatened things up but no pillowcases. 

It wasn't until we were on the LAST drawer of fabric that the RC had a brainwave and wondered, just maybe, did we give them to the boys for their BIRTHDAYS earlier in the year?  

Surely we didn't.  

Did we??

A mad dash to the computer to message our respective families begging them to put us out of our misery and tell us that we'd already gifted them.  

Crisis averted.
Apartment cleaned.
Dust elephants wrangled.

Back to the regularly scheduled chaos
here at Chez Magpie.

- THIS is a nice design that would look wonderful as a banner.

-THIS takes you to Part One of how to make an adorable gingerbread house. There are further links to Parts Two and Three.

- THIS is an easy and quick little gift you could make (and fill with goodies!)

- HERE is another of those things that just made me laugh.

Today's quote is from Sue Fitzmaurice..."Next time I lose my mind I swear I'm not even going to look for it anymore"