Complimentary Exchange from Mary

This is the awesome exchange piece I received from Mary in the complimentary exchange. It's Sunflower Welcome by The Sunflower Seed. I absolutely LOVE it 'cuz I'm a lover of sunflowers!! Perfect choice, Mary!

Complimentary Exchange Piece Received

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Sally received her complimentary exchange piece, so I can finally post a picture of it for all the world to see! This is Stitchy Kitty's "Winter Blues" stitched on a piece of 32 ct. Little Boy Blue linen using Crescent Colours fibers. I just love this little guy and think he's so cute! Sally told me she wasn't sending him back to me, so I might just have to stitch him for myself one day!!

I'm currently working on another complimentary design for a heart exchange. I'm LOVING the piece I'm stitching on and can't wait until it's received so I can show you this pretty little thing!!

Baked Some Brownies!

Since I am housebound today, I whipped up a batch of homemade brownies. These are my absolute, all-time, made from scratch favorites! They are so easy to make, too! This was originally an "in the jar" recipe, so you could layer the dry ingredients in a small Mason jar, and attach the recipe to the lid and give as a gift.

Sand Art Brownies
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1/3 cup cocoa
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup Holiday M&Ms (red & green, or any baking chip of your choice"
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/8 cup flour
½ cup chopped nuts (I use walnuts, coarsely chopped)
½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla
2/3 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs

Mix dry ingredients in a medium size mixing bowl and add vanilla, oil, and eggs. Stir until well blended. Pour into a greased 9 X 9 pan and bake for 20-30 minutes at 350º. (I usually cook mine for 27-29 mins.)

City Snowfall

Snow!! I woke up to a light dusting of snow this morning. You have to understand, this is quite unusual for Texas, even north Texas! We just don't have weather like this too frequently. Many businesses and schools are closed. Eventhough it's my day off, I tried calling up to work and there's been no answer, so I guess the store's closed! Eveything is so quiet and peaceful. It's one of the good things about snow that even I can appreciate.

Here are some pictures for you to enjoy.

Here's the backyard. Look at all the green grass! LOL



Here's the front of the house.



Lastly, this is Mango, our neighbor's kitty seeking shelter from the rain in the tire well of my truck! (He went inside when they went back in after playing in the snow.)



I was going to run errands today, but it looks like I'm housebound, so after I balance the checkbook, I'll work on finishing a little gift for a friend, put my initials on an exchange piece and get that ready to mail, then sit & stitch while watching a DVD or 2. I'm also going to whip up a batch of brownies today!! Yummy!

Final Stitches of 2006

wldfire7

Here she is in all of her glory!! Olivia's Garden Quilt is a wrap! I put the final stitches in her during the last week of 2006, and I must say she is much prettier in person! I'm so glad to have her finished! Now, I just need to find the time and money to take her to be framed.


wldfire7

Quaker Christmas Holly was my last ornie for 2006. I finished it just before midnight on New Year's Eve! LOL I added beads instead of doing the French Knots. It's stitched on 32 ct. Exemplar linen from Lakeside Linens using Crescent Colours.

Happy New Year!

Eventho it's already the middle of the month, Happy New Year! Last year ended with a sick husband, a sick cat, and a sick me! Not the best way to end the year or start a new one, but we're all better now and life is pretty good. Well, as good as it can be when it's cold outside!

Ice has hit North Texas and we've been housebound today. I ventured out late this afternoon and took a few pictures around the yard.

Here's the view out the window over my sink. I giggle everytime I see that pumpkin on top of the compost pile! Now it's covered in ice!


wldfire7

Frozen Savannah Holly limb on the east side of our house and our honeysuckle bush.


wldfire7


wldfire7

Since it was a stay inside kind of day, I made a big pot of beef stew and a batch of cornbread for dinner. Made the house smell yummy all afternoon!! It was so delish and warming!

~Stephanie