White, Cold & Snug as a Bug

Finally, we have our white Christmas. Never too late! The snow was gently falling yesterday and it was cold enough that it just stuck to everything. I was in the kitchen baking, Papa was playing Pioneer Trail and the fur babies were playing on their new toy. Noogs certainly let it be known that this was his toy, lording it over the other fur baby, Pixie. Don't worry she got in her fair share!

The baking is all done, except for some last minute frosting. Now time to package the goodies and send them their way. It's amazing what a little snow can do to get you in the spirit. It blankets the landscape, coats the trees (now they are in their proper garb), mutes the sound of everyday life and brightens the evening with a glow. Ok but after Christmas you can melt away happily... not likely....Have a great day .. Joni

Morning Tea with David

The air is crisp, the light is different, there is a smoky woodstove fragrance to the air and it's time to break out the tea. Of course I have to have my little mini shortbread cookies - very addictive. I usually only drink teas during the fall/winter on a daily basis. The rest of the year, it is how the mood strikes me. Last year I discovered this great tea place called DAVID"S TEA and yes they are Canadian. They do ship all over NA for cheap though.They have the best loose leaf teas. They smell wonderful and are so tantalizing. It's hard not to stop at trying one or two. They just came out with their seasonal teas for the winter so I am going to skip away there and place my order for the new ones! They also have this really great infuser called THE STEEPER. I love it!

This one is the LONG LIFE OOLONG - Organic Shui Xian oolong tea, peach pieces, apricot pieces, almond slices, orange peel, safflower petals, with natural flavouring*. This morning I had the CRANBERRY & PEAR - so sweetly fragrant - Cranberry slices, black tea, pear pieces, apple pieces, flavouring.


OK I could not resist I had to put this picture in of Noogs having his fair share of the cheese pizza. Since Roby's passing the cats have run amok. There is no one to herd them anymore, so they are all over the place. It's not like we have a lot only two and they are oh so cute with their antics!

Oh Dear. I just remembered the apple pie in the oven.
Yikes burnt edges! We'll work around those edges. LOL. Have a great fall day. Happy stitchin' Joni

Why do Cats?

c. Joni Black 2011

This is a new project I have on my board - I selected some beautiful spring colours - robin egg blue - a soft green and some posey pinks. Thought I would lay them out in a semicircle and there will be a hooked piece that will get set in the middle. Have to get this finished so that it is available in Pfatt Marketplace for the 10th.  

I just sort of got inspired and the ideas flowed and the fingers flew and I am happy with this look. I have been wanting to do some wool applique for awhile. I just love black as a background! The colours just seem to pop. I started glueing the pieces down but the glue did not seem to want to hold it well - so I went to my tried and true method of basting everything down. I know it takes longer but I am constantly starting and stopping and putting down that I like the security of the basting. I do not use any interfacing - I like the softness and flexabilty of the fabric. But some people do like to use it and that is ok. Whatever works for you!

I decided to use a whipstitch to secure the pieces to the background. I love the look of this stitch - just seems to add to the primitive look I want. The thread I am using is the new Valdani Twisted Tweed #12 Perle Cotton. It is wonderful to work with and I have also used it in my punch needle pieces.



Curious Kitty

 So you ask "Why Do Cats?"....
well what happens when you put down something new on a table? I thought I heard Mr. Mischief jump down from around my work area. What do you know - put something new down and it is inevitable that they will find it - no matter what. Our Noogs is a very curious and nosey little bugger. Tonight I have to remember to cover it... hence the cat hair in the picture.






A New Year - New Projects

These are some of the projects I have been preparing. I love making pincushions. They are small, made quickly and very precious in their smallness. With punch needle you can get a lot of detail in just a few punches of the needle. These boxed pincushions shown here are two of a set of six. I have a 20 year background of quilting so often quilting designs inspire me. This project is based on old quilt patterns that had meaning in every day life. They were a lot of fun to make and I am sure will eventually end up as a pattern booklet sometime this year - hmmm patterns of punch needle pincushions - that's an idea. I love smalls!

These are available on Pfatt Marketplace - a wonderful place where you can find all kinds of talented artists. Some more of these pincushions will be popping up on Etsy and some on TDIPT this month.

The bottom pincushion is available as a complete kit for those punch needle enthusiasts out there. Contact me if you are interested. I plan on making a couple for the mothers in my life - come Mother's Day.

The Christmas holidays are over and now it seems we talk about summer holidays. I hope to make it to my favourite spot - PEI - in September with Peter and the hairy beastie - the pooch. Before that Mom and I make our annual pilgrimage to Maine in May. We have been doing it for years and all we do is eat, relax, soak in some sun if we are lucky and just gaze at the ocean. We rent a lovely place right on the beach. Can't say enough about the ocean. For me it just is not a holiday without it.

Roby got his first professional grooming last Saturday. OK he is 5 years old but I could not stand leaving him with anyone even for a couple of hours. So I found a groomer that comes to the house and Roby got pampered. I was so nervous as to how he would be - he does not like me brushing him and it is always a tug of war - have you seen that dog - he earns the name hairy beastie. He was good as gold and I sighed a big sigh of relief. Got a big kiss from his Mommy and even better a cookie treat!

Update on Noogs... our little orange boy came home last night after being at the vet's for a week. He is eating again and they have stabilized him. We hope for the best and have done all we can to help him to good health. Now it is up to him and we'll just play it day by day. What a sweet baby. They said he was well behaved - had a wonderful temperament and even when sick, purred. He was so glad to be home last night and reacquainted himself with all his favourite spots in the house...

Everyone is safe and sound in our humble abode. Snow is lightly falling and it is going to be very cold tomorrow but we are all snug and warm. Goodnite.. Joni

Noogs

We are having some up and down days lately. Our little orange buddy took off for 6 days over Christmas and came back just before New Years - terribly sick. He has been at the vets since Saturday undergoing tests and we went to see him tonight. He is seriously ill and they have not pinpointed exactly what is wrong but I have seen the X-rays and I keep hoping and thinking I am prepared but you never are. So we will know over the next couple of days after some more tests what kind of decision we need to make. I wish our furry beasts lived longer. How many do we part with during our lifetime? I guess the most we can do is love them as much and as best as we can while we have them. Such unconditional love we get from them.

Good nite ..Joni