Tis the Season (of stitching of course!)

I've got my stitch on...do you?

Life here in the Lilac Thicket is beautiful as the holidays quickly approach.  We have had our first snowfall of the season.  The weather has been warm and the weather has been frosty. Mother Nature just can't decide what she is aiming for here. I think she is a typical woman.

I found myself a couple of great little bargains, one being the pumpkin basket pictured above.  I love the double handles and the touch of bittersweet around the opening.  It was 70% off at Michaels as was the sweet plaid ribbon.  The "Home" was a $3.00 find at Dollar General.  It is simple yet has a touch of bling for the winter season.  You can also see some progress on my "Autumn Still Life".  

Saturday my bestie Leslie, a true Scottish lass, and I Skyped and we started our stitch along on Mirabilia's "Lady of the Flag". We are both stitching it on  Primitive Hare's "Constitution" 30 count linen.  I am stitching it as charted. Leslie on the other hand being a rebel has reversed the pattern.  She also is going to make the head of the lady a wee bit bigger.  I think her head is fine. By the way the blue and white hoop cover on my Lady is a steering wheel cover from Dollar Tree.  I bought 3 of them when the new location opened and have yet to find them since. They had honest to goodness project bags up there and I bought 6 of them.  Again, haven't seen those since either.

I gave into temptation and purchased Mirabilia's new Lady Justice.  I absolutely love her.  I had Sue Hillis' "Hello Halloween" fall into my cart.  I just couldn't resist all those skeleton's in a pick up truck heading off to rattle their bones at some spooky haunted cemetery any longer.

Leslie and I were talking about how my stashing habits have changed.  I have been to the LNS only once this past year.  I really have been making due with what I have.  I have so very too much stash and have a lot of bills stacked up as we are still paying off Orin's medical bills from his cancer scare/miracle earlier this year.  I still have more spending I need to cut out, waste less, do without or whatever. We live in such a consumer driven culture, it is hard sometimes to not get caught up in it.  I have found myself more and more being really critical about things I want to purchase.  I ask myself do I really "need" it.  Will I use it or will it just sit for years before being given away or thrown away. I find Orin and I eating more at home and really cutting down on processed foods, making more and more from scratch.  Last month I tried my hand at making laundry soap. Tide pods are 22¢ per load and my from scratch detergent is 8¢ per load.  I cannot tell the difference in the clean laundry. I am looking at this as a challenge and a choice, a new life style so to speak.  God is guiding me well so far.

I am so thankful for those who read my blog of nothing.  I know others think I a boring person, which I am but I am really a boring BLESSED person and honestly that is DAMN terrific. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and give all your gratitude to our Creator.

Mondays' Moneyless Massive Mooch (aka freebies)

It time once again for the Mondays'  Moneyless Massive Mooch of designs out on the web.  Hold onto your teeth as this ride begins! 😬

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My Big Toe: http://www.mybigtoedesigns.com/home.htm

I love this designer.  Her designs have a distinctive Christian flavor.  She offers 5 free designs and several tutorials on her site.  Tutorials include a flat ornament, needlebook, scissor block and an Ort box.

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Wichelt Imports: http://wichelt.com/freegraphs/freegraph.html

Wichelt has several free designs available.  Several of the links don't work but enough work making it worth your time to see if any interest you.  I particularly liked the one below.  It very much reminded me of AAN design style.

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Christian Cross Stitch: http://www.christiancrossstitch.com/

There are a couple of dozen designs here. Most are charted from art.  The charts are very large and you must click and save them, they are not PDF's.  I really liked this version of the praying hands pictured below as well as a very different version of the Nativity.

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Domestic Church: http://domestic-church.com/CONTENT.DCC/19990901/FRIDGE/crossstitch

There is one cross stitch pattern here that I very much like and it is the prayer to Archangel Michael.  The verse is backstitched and there is a border on 2 corners. The pattern must be printed out in four parts!

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Sue Hillis Designs: http://www.suehillisdesigns.net/freebies.html

I love the designs that come out of Sue Hillis' mind.  On her site she has generously offered us 7 must have designs.  Below are pictures of my favorites.  Ride on over and get your favorites too!

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Glory Bee: http://www.glorybeestitch.com/free.shtml

Glory Bee has 18 free designs and if you are a Stars and Stripes Patriot you must march over there and capture the current one. You will find the older designs in the free pattern archive which is a drop down menu below the picture of the current offering. 

 

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Aurelle: http://aurelle.over-blog.com/tag/freebies/

I believe that I have mentioned this site before but with 399 offerings of freebies through out the years it really deserves another mention.  This is a French site and her designs are on the smaller side with a dose of blackwork and monochromatic designs.  I love the fresh sweet designs offered here.  Hop on your Vespa and scoot on over there.  But be fair warned you could be there all day!

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Les Marottes de Nathalie: http://lesmarottesdenath.free.fr/index.php?cat=2

This is another French site offering interesting "Grilles Gratuites"!  It is always refreshing to see the styles of designers in other countries.  Different countries definitely have different cultural artistic styles.  I think while you are on your Vespa you need to drop by and check out the offerings.

 

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The Shop Around the Corner: https://lecrocettedimanu.blogspot.co.il/p/free.html

The Shop Around the Corner is an Italian site. It offers 7 small fun designs.  As you are drifting lazily down the canals in your gondola, float on by and check out the offerings. 

 

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Solo Brode: http://solo.brode.over-blog.fr/tag/solo%20free/

Sophie at Solo Brode Blog is a most generous French designer.  If you do not like back stitching or blackwork then you may not be as thrilled over this site as I am.  These are the most interesting and delightful designs I have seen in like...forever...lol....yes I am a valley girl, I am from the valley (low spot) on 3rd street! My life does not get much better then this little corner of the web!  Visit and bedazzled or besotted or be joyful.

 

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Appleseed Prim: http://appleseedprim.blogspot.com/p/free-patterns.html

So if you are a "Prim" and proper stitcher you will enjoy this next site.  Sweet little primitive cross stitch designs and some primitive little dolls such as a rabbit and a "tattered suitor".  These are nice little finishes for you prim bowl.

 

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Stitcher's Anon: http://stitchersanon.blogspot.com/p/free-charts_10.html

A nice blog with a nice selection of free designs offered.  She has wizards and Christmas and Halloween designs.  I love the frog Christmas tree and the hope needle roll but my favorites are pictured below. You find the PDF patterns by clicking on the name of the design below the picture of it. 

   

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Graphic Garden: http://www.graphicgarden.com/

Graphic Garden has been on the web since 1997, wow 20 years!  There are some cute little country designs in the cross stitch section.  Look on the left hand side of the page for "cross stitch".  There is so much on this site.  I love the non stitching items, bookmarks and the graphics, the recipe cards and calendars.  It is a very pleasing site to look at. 

            

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Balades et Broderies: http://balades-et-broderies.over-blog.com/tag/grilles%20gratuites/

Only 3 words adequately describe this site, "OH MY GOSH"! Another French designer with an affinity for cute, with a whimsical flair.  It is much too difficult to pick a favorite design so I must pick all of them.  If you are not weighted down by your buttered croissant, hurry over to this great, great site!

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Sew and So: http://ideas.sewandso.co.uk/

As I have often said, I am the last one to all parties.  I had no idea Sew and So had free designs posted every Friday!  They have tons of designs on the smaller side, many perfect for cards. They also have free e-books to download. DO NOT get caught in the huge circle turnaround in the middle of London and miss this site for great free designs.

  

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Cross Stitching.com:  http://www.cross-stitching.com/free-cross-stitch-charts

Here is another site with tons of free designs. It is associated with the World of Cross Stitching and Cross Stitch Gold magazines. There are pages and pages of designs perfect for cards. You must be registered to download the patterns but it is a very easy process. Designs are in PDF format which is terrific.  Register and download your fingers to stubs.

 

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Sylvia's: http://syku66.blogspot.it/

Sylvia is a German blogger and she shares her creations with you and I.  I love her sweet style.  She has seasonal designs and also a darling stitch along "My Little Heart".  There are also a couple of primitive style samplers.  Please go show Sylvia some stitchy love!

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Passion Creative: http://passioncreative.over-blog.com/

Pages and pages of free designs are here to assail your eyes.  They are for the most part what I call color book blocked stitching.  You will find Mario characters from the computer game, a ball of yarn with knitting needles, Tinkerbell, butterflies and on and on.  Have fun on today's final stop of the Freebie Express.

 

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