From Old Woolen Blankets ..

Hello my dear friends,

I had been so busy before and over the holidays and then one evening ... I couldn't believe it ... it was already Christmas Eve and again I was late with many things.

I still had presents to wrap and I had almost no time at all to be creative and or to even share finished creations with all you lovely bloggers. I think taking on the task of painting my living room and then the dining room and kitchen wasn't so good after all in a way and I am sure my poor body will agree with me on that but then again ... I am so happy I did it! Unfortunately our house didn't turn out to be very Christmassy in the end, the energy just wasn't there for it unfortunately.

Very early in the morning of Christmas Eve I did managed to grab a tiny bit of creative time whilst my Guinness cake was baking in the oven.  I had taken out an old  project that I had started over a year ago and never finished. (This seems to happen more often these days I have noticed.)

 I had felted old woolen blankets and my thoughts were with creating something from them for Christmas. I must admit that I was inspired somewhat by the Pottery Barn last year and their beautiful poinsettia pillow but in the end I didn't want to just recreate it but rather think of a creation of mine instead. I chose to make a stocking from the old felted woolens and embellish it with my poinsettia, which I have now turned into my music sheet poinsettias pattern.

Poinsettias have been made from felt since many, many years and in so many different ways too. I can remember my Aunt made poinsettia napkin rings from red and green felt when I was younger and they looked so festive on the Christmas dinner table.

Today I am finally sharing my Poinsettia Christmas stockings with you and I know it's already after Christmas but I really wanted you to see them.

Both are made from two different felted blankets. Believe it or not but at first I wasn't too happy with my stockings. Something was just not right for me and I think it was the shape of the stocking that bothered me. It was a little too ornate for me even though I have made a stocking from it before but from an old pillowcase and I loved it. I have decided that whenever I create a stocking for this year Christmas, I think I would prefer a less ornate shape. Never the less the stockings is still very lovely.

Take a look! ... Combined together with lace, seam binding and pearls the old felted woolen blanket creations really look posh than rather tatty.

I actually took these pictures yesterday morning at about -20 degrees C (with the windchill) in our front yard. It was cold to say the least but I had to have my stocking pictures taken in the snow and I hope you have enjoyed them and my latest creations too.

There are a few more creations I didn't get to share with you before Christmas but those will have to wait now until this year's 'Christmas in July'.

Thank you for stopping by and visiting me today here at Todolwen. It is always so nice when you do.
When you have a spare moment, do stop by some time soon again and see what I have been up to.

 I hope you are well and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Practice Makes Perfect ..

Hell my dear friends,

practice makes perfect or so they say and I hope that will be so in my case because right about now it isn't happening for me.

I had seen this image on Pinterest ...

... and was taken by the beauty of the embroidered blossom.

And now I so want to learn how to embroider Bullion roses too. They are just beautiful and can turn a plain piece of  fabric into something just so lovely.

I found a great tutorial online and ...

... gathered everything I need to start so I began. 

Unfortunately as easy as it might look, it wasn't that easy for me. 

I tried and tried and almost every time something went wrong but I will not give up yet but try, try again until I have done it right even if it will take me weeks to master them but that also means that it might take me some time before I will be able to share anything that has to do with them. But it will happen because I am determent to learn how to make this lovely little blossom.

So do stop by from time to time and visit me here again at Todolwen and see what I have been up too.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

I Almost Didn't Make It ..

Hello my dear friends,

I almost didn't make the deadline to the lovely Vicki's yearly event ...

... 'Grow Your Blog'.

Again it is gong to be a big party, like a huge "Meet and Greet' where you get to know new people and maybe find new interests too. Not only that but there also might be a few giveaways happening too?!

When is this event? ... Mark you calenders for January 25th., bright and early and it is all day long!

Hope to see you there and maybe here too?!

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Winter Arrived Overnight ..

Hello my dear friends,

I am really sorry I have been posting very much lately, I just have been quite busy with all sorts around the house and other things, including a teeny tiny bit of creating which I will
share with you soon.

I can't say that I didn't know it was coming but it came over night ... Winter and with it finally snow and quite a bit of it too.

After we had a 'green' Christmas which not only I wasn't too happy with, last night the white glistening flakes started to fall and it hasn't stopped yet. On the dot at 7 am there I was all bundled up warm clearing snow from driveways with the help of my trusty friend, our snow blower. It didn't take too long and three driveways and paths were cleared but unfortunately our snow blower got damaged due to a large piece of stone that had been broken off a little stone wall by one of the city's sidewalk snow blowers. Some of those guys don't really care I think at times and just go for it. Oh damage ... it's not their property so whatever basically. (My little rant of the day.) Now my hubby will have to take a look at it and hopefully we can fix it for the next coming snowfall.

As you all know, the one thing I just love doing is taking photos of our backyard and critters that live or visit it and share them with you.

This is one of our little squirrels yesterday before the snow came, enjoying a few peanuts on our deck rail.

Maybe I should said our chunky little squirrel because he or she is very well fed as you can see.

This was our backyard first thing this morning just as it was turning dawn.

My camera picked up this amazing blue/grayish color of the cold morning outside.
(Or maybe my setting are just off?!)

Right now it is much brighter and it still snowing a lot and we actually had white~out conditions all morning. The  forecast is for every 12 hours we might get 8 to 10 inches of snow. So .. I think I am not going to head out anymore today. Maybe I will finally be able to be a little creative again, who knows?!

Here are just a few more photos I took earlier today ~ I hope you enjoy them.

My dear friends, where ever you are ~ please be safe.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

Christmas Mail From Germany ..

Hello my dear friends,

I just love to find mail in my letterbox!
Just after Christmas I received mail from a lovely lady named Ines who lives in Germany.

 She makes lovely cards and I have shared a few of them with all you lovely bloggers before and this is my lovely Christmas card she made for me this time ...

... and as always with a sweet message.

Not only did she make my card but she also made this little 'Windows and Doors' tag.

It is just so neat! It`s  just like looking outside a little window into a Winter Wonderland.

Even the back of her tag looks lovely too.

My dear Ines, you are so sweet for thinking of me ~ thank you.

Believe it or not ... I am already thinking of what I am going to gift my blogland friends with this coming Christmas. How do they say ... 'the early bird catches the worm'?! I need to be a early bird this year so I hopefully don't fall behind with to much again.

This past Christmas I had gifted them with the same stocking that I had made for my "Christmas to Come". Talking about giveaway and Christmas to come ... I am thinking of doing it maybe again this year because I think it's a really neat thing to do! What do you think?! I would love to hear from you.

I hope you are well my dear friends and life is treating you kind.

Have a peaceful and creative day.

My Wishes For You ..

Hello my dear friends,

a new year is here and I have many wishes for all of you.

I wish you joy and peace this new year and good heath.

I wish you no worries and sorrows.

I wish you much love and happiness and ...

... and I wish that all your dreams and wishes comes true.

I wish you and your families no matter where you are ...

... A Happy New Year!

Thank you for all you lovely comments and kind word you have left for me over the past 12 months, they all mean so much to me. 

.

Thank you for being with me in 2014 and I hope you will stay with me in with me in new year too.

Many hugs.

Merry Christmas To All Of You ..

Hello my dear friends,

I just couldn't let the days go by without wishing you all where ever you are ...

... A Very Merry Christmas!

All my love, many hugs and warm wishes.