It's beginning to look a lot like...well you know!

Oh how I love Christmas!  It's my favorite time of the year, for sure.  I love the decorations, the songs and the time with family and friends.  I thought I'd share some great Christmas thrifty finds I've gotten over the past few months or so. I've also been working away on the Santa cross stitch I last updated here.  So here we go!

Beautiful vintage angel.  She reminds me of these dolls!

I could not resist this little angel ornament!  Eek!!

I thought these were pretty great.  A few fabric sheets of ornaments to stitch together--just cut them out and stitch them up!

This stocking has a little doll attached to it, and she comes out so you can play with her!

A few needlepoint plastic canvas ornaments and the awesome Rudolph refrigerator magnet!

These amazing vintage Santa's and a reindeer.  Again, I just couldn't pass them up!!  I will have to research these a bit.  I'm very curious about the year of these.

Another needlepoint plastic canvas wall hanger. 

Here's my tree for the year.  I ended up just putting up my little pink tree this year because it's all I had the energy for.  I usually have a large, beautiful white tree that I put up.  You may notice the wee little angel on top and several plastic canvas ornaments that my grandmother gave me.   I also found that small, green fabric tree while thrifting.

Here's the progress of the Three Santas cross stitch.  I've just got one more Santa to go!

I'm also pretty sure that I've decided to make a wreath out of the balls like here.  I really hope I find the time to do it.  I've got so many balls and I just don't ever seem to use them all on the tree.  Are you all decorated and ready to go! 

Flickr Faves: Christmas wreaths

It's been a while since I've done a flickr faves post!  I've been thinking about making a different wreath this year for Christmas so I thought I'd turn to flickr for some inspiration.  Here's a few of my faves!

I thought this one was quite lovely.  You could display this one way past Christmas--I guess it's more of a winter wreath in that respect.  I love the colors and the little bottle brush trees made by Danielle F.

This one by marmaladeandcream is so over the top--I love it!

Yo-Yo wreath!  Yes Please!  I love this wreath by kmel.  The red yo-yo's look like mint candies!

I adore this scrappy fabric wreath by Flying Blind On A Rocket Cycle.  You could take this in so many directions, for many different holidays and seasons just by the fabric you choose.  The fabrics used here remind me of candy!  Just lovely.  There's another one here, here here and here!  Really fun.

I love this one made with vintage ornaments by georgiapeachez.  Again, kinda over the top but full of kitsch and I love it!  It reminds me of the ones I've been drooling over on Betty Crafter's blog!  She even has a great tutorial for how to make your own!

This one by Mrs. B  is super cute and again could go in so many directions depending on the colors you choose.  I really like the addition of the buttons and bells. 

The simplicity of this one by Kristie at OCD makes this wreath beautiful.  I like the thick, chubby, green yarn contrasting with the more delicate felt flowers.  Really pretty.

This lovely paper wreath by Marie the Bee is so pretty.  The use of decorative holiday papers with pages from a book is wonderful.  You could use pages from Christmas books like A Christmas Carol.  That would be a nice touch!

Linky Links--check out some others!  This super bright one!  This one made out of crayons! A gorgeous button wreath! This one is edible!  A little stitchy pattern!  If you've got a bunch of vintage Christmas light bulbs, you could make this!  This pup is super adorable.

 I'm still not quite sure what I'm going to do but I have found some great inspiration.  All of these wreaths are so beautiful, enough to get my brain churning with ideas! 

Progress...Three Santa's

I've been stitching away on this cross stitch for a couple weeks now.  I had wanted to stitch this last year but just couldn't find the time, so I'm starting early this year!  So far, here's what I've got.  These Santa's are just too adorable.  The pattern is from the November 2010 Cross-Stitch and Needlework magazine.  Are you already making things for Christmas?

Thrifty bits and birthday gifts

My birthday was over a month ago and I'm finally getting around to sharing a few gifts I received!  So here goes along with some of my latest thrifty finds.

 
My mom gave me this lovely blanket.  It has wool fabric squares that are crocheted together.  It's huge and I love it!

 So does Maggie.

 Mom also got me this vintage sewing basket.  It's super cute and will be great for traveling with embroidery projects.

 I've added to my milk glass collection.  I bought a couple of these and my mom gave me one.  My mom-in-law gave me the little shoe for my birthday!  How adorable!

 

I got Maggie another blanket.  She seems to like crocheted blankets as much as I do!

 This beautiful embroidered piece with a sweet senorita being serenaded.  

 This is stitched so well.

 

Have you scored some thrifty goodies lately?

Side note: As I was bringing in some of my plants, I found this little guy living under one of my pots.  Tiny and cute!

Bubbles Bubbles Toil and Trouble...

Well friends, here's my last Halloween stitching of the year. Another great pattern from Super Colossal Iron-on Transfer Book that I found thrifting.  I looked this book up on ebay so you could see what it looks like.  I highly suggest you pick it up if you ever see it around.  It's filled with tons of patterns that are perfect for embroidery.  Some are super 80's cheesy, but most are definitely usable--particularly the holiday patterns.  I really wanted to make this into something--pillow or all hanging, but may not get around to it this year.  But at least it's all stitched up and ready for next year. 

I've been taking it easy lately, the weather has turned cold here in NC and we've finally had to turn the heat on.  I've been sipping hot chocolate,watching scary movies and snuggling with my hubby and kitty.  October has just flown by!  I can't believe it.  Now I'm getting in the Christmas mood, I've started a cross stitch that I wanted to do last year but didn't get around to and thinking about gifts.  It's never too early right?  Til next time!

Spooky wreath

I updated my Halloween wreath a bit this year and added a little cross stitch and fabric flower.  I also added a hat to the crow.  Now it's getting spooky in here!  Are you all decorated and ready for Monday night?

There are a few batty people living here

Trick or Treat!

Just another quick post on an embroidery for you.  I felt like I needed another Halloween towel for my kitchen--I only have the one I made last year.  So I decided to do this little monster trick-or treater for myself.  I have stitched this up before for a tea towel tour swap.  He's so cute, I thought I'd stitch him up again!  Hope you're getting ready for Halloween!

Trip to the mountains

Last weekend we took a trip up the mountains of NC and TN.  The fall colors were not quite at peak but were still beautiful and the weather was pretty much perfect.  We took a drive through Great Smoky Mountain National Park, spent a night in Knoxville, drove the Cherohala Parkway and spent a night in Cherokee (losing a little at the casino).  It was a rejuvenating trip for sure.

House in the Horseshoe.  We stopped here on the way out of town and so glad we did.  Beautiful farm country and so quiet and isolated. 

A tunnel on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Off the BRP

The Smokies

Hiking the AT in the Smokies

A friend along the trail

I thought this leaf was interesting--split in half down the middle--half red, half yellow.

The Smokies

The Sun Sphere in Knoxville, TN

Along the Cherohala Parkway

Along the Cherohala

Fontana Dam

Playing Star Trek slots at Harrah's in Cherokee. 

Again, I've got more photos on flickr.