The flu and some more christmashearts

, This is me today. Got the flu and feeling not very well. Think I look exactly like her right now. And have lost my voice completely. I've been at work today and they laughed of me........talking like a crow. Well.......tomorrow I stay home in bed.
I'm happy to have the computer because then I can chat with my friends on msn without talking.

I have got some more photos from ladies that have finished the Christmas heart and it is so fun to see what they have made out of it.


Look at this lovely basket to keep bread in at the table Randi made out of my heart.

Look what Me at Stitching Basket have done. I really love this version and the red and white striped fabric :) She have also added this heart as her first finish in the challenge.

This wallhanging is made by Gunn Torild

This beautiful bag is made by Peg for a friend. And the fun thing is that she has used my sewingbag pattern from the Stitchers Angel project too.

Inger has made a little table mat for her tray. I like this idea very much. In fact I have a white painted tray myself that needs a little table mat.

And some days later I got photo of this cute christmas heart bag. Inger made it to store her gingerbreadcookies makers in it.

And I guessed you have already seen the cute free BOM Bunny Hill Design is giving. I will for sure join this. Remember, even though you have joine our One Project a month Challenge, you are allowed to start new projects he he he......so that's exactly what I need right now. A new project medicine.

Saying for today:

A good laugh and a long sleep
are the best cures in the doctor's book.
--Irish proverb

Update on challenge and my first finish

As Kris also says in her blogpost of today GOBSMACKED!! I had no idea this challenge would reach this amount of ladies who wants to join. By so far (and I have not compered my list to Kris's righ now) we have 118 ladies with their cupboards/drawers/sewingrooms filled with WISPs/UFOs/Kits/Patterns that they want to finish. That's amazing. And I that believed I was the only one with a lot of projects in my sewingroom.............just kidding..........I knew I was not alone HE HE HE.

Please go to Kris blogpost GOBSMACKED!! and read what she tells today about the rules aso Not necessary for me to write the same over again :)

I have done a little bit sewing this christmas. I enjoyed doing the applique on a new block in BOM Joy of Life.
Now I have finished 3 out of 9 blocks in this BOM. When Bjørg (no blogger) have finished her applique on this block we go forward to next block. We always have a meeting where we plan the progress on next block.

And as a good example for this challenge I had to find one of my WISPs and start working on it. The adventcalendar I stitched before chrismas never got its binding.

But last night I got the binding on and sewed it down. My first finish for this year. And as you see in my sidebar I have put this adventcalendar as a finish in January.

And this is exactly what we want YOU ladies who is in this challenge to do. Make a monthly list like mine and Kris and add your finished project on this list. This is very important because this months finishes is in the monthly draw for a price. In february we start at scratch again and you have to earn your lottery tickets by putting finished projects under February list. And by the end of the year all finished project for the year go back in the lottery. And email Kris and me to tell you that you have finished a project so we can get you on the spreadsheat Kris has control of.

And today I learned a new word from Cathi in Ireland. She said Happy WISPing in a mail. I love this word. So to all of you ladies in this challenge

Happy WISPing

Next WISPs to be done is one of these. The sewingpouch from Leanne Beasleys pattern and two small pouches from one of my Japaneese books. Or perhaps I find something else .....hehehe .....I have plenty of them.

And remember another rule in this challenge........... You are allowed to start any new project without feeling bad. But Kris and I encourage you to work on the old ones!!!!

Saying for today:

Doing the best at this moment

puts you in the best place

for the next moment.

--Oprah Winfrey

A challenge

Oh...what have we started now. Do you notice this badge and a list on my sidebar. It all started with some comments on Kris's blog. Challenging eachother to finish up some WISP's (Work In Slow Progress or UFO's) I had already an agreement with Hanne and Stina to do the same.

And then the snowball began to roll................

Kris and I started to chat about making this a worldwide blogger challenge. So if you want to join the rules are:

1. Participants will try (we know life interferes sometimes!) to complete at least ONE craft project by the end of each month. This can be something you've had partly done for a while (a WISP!) or a pattern or a kit you bought ages ago that you finally get around to making.

You can join us at ANY TIME - there is no cut off or deadline, you just have more chances of winning some fun prizes the sooner you join us

2. You have to put up this badge on your blog (with a link back to mine or Kris's blog) and make a list of the monthly projects you have finished. If you don't have a blog that's OK, just email a photo back to us and we will show it on our blogs.

3. And of course send a photo back to me or Kris, and tell about it on your blog so that we can see what you have finished. Another good thing to do is to show us in the beginning of the month what you plan to do this month. But it is OK if you show a photo of one project in the beginning of the month and then finish another one (LOL) Because I know somethimes the inspiration takes other directions than we first have planned.

And there will be prizes !!

Kris and I will have a prize draw on the last day of each month. Everyone who has registered a completed project with us for THAT MONTH will go into the draw - if you've completed more than one project, you get an entry for EACH finish, so have more chances of winning some yummy gifties!! Kris and I will take it in turn to do the draw and provide the little prize so there'll be plenty of surprises and variety to keep us all motivated. Then, on Christmas Eve, we'll have a super-size prize draw where ALL of the entries will go back into the draw for a special prize drawing - but details of this will be worked out closer to the time. After all, it's January and December is a loooooong way off.

Does this sounds complicated..........NOT AT ALL...........this is just for fun, and maybe a lot of finished WISPs/UFOs. If we finish one each months, means 12 finished project this year.

Kris and I have just started to plan this and I guess there will be a lot of questions, so don't hesitate to ask if you wonder about anything.

And please visit Kris to read what she has to tell you about this challenge.

Now I am off into my sewingroom to find my first WISP for the year. I think the adventcalendar needs a binding so it is ready for next christmas.................but I hate bindings. Probably the right thing to do this evening in front of the tv, because like Kris I have had a night dreaming of rules, WISPs and Abba Songs in my head (watched the dvd Mamma Mia last night)

Saying for today:

Above all, challenge yourself.
You may well surprise yourself
at what strengths you have,
what you can accomplish.
--Cecile M. Springer

New years eve reflections

It has been freezing cold here this christmas. This morning it was minus 23 cold degrees outside. I'm so happy I have my fire burner that keeps the house warm. But this is not the coldest we have had. I remember many years ago we had a new years eve with almost minus 40 Celcius. Brrrrrrrrr THAT is too cold.
It has been so cold that I forgot to get my post before last weekend, so this package from Sharon had to stay in the mailbox for a couple of days. Sharon and I have been talking about what to have behind our stitcheries, and we have swapped some samples. And look what she sendt me as a christmasgift, a lot of patterns and a charmpack. Love those transfers :)

This gives me a reflection on ALL YOU WONDERFUL BLOGGERS I have met through 2008. And that is the reason why I continue blogging. I have learned to know so many nice and wonderful ladies all over the world. And you all give me inspiration and joy. Thank you :)


I have had almost 14 days off from work this christmas and it feels so good. Spending time with my DS and DD has been the most wonderful. But I am also happy that I have had some time to sew. So these days I have been working on a block in the Joy of Life BOM. I have enjoyed doing the applique on this and have had some great evenings sewing together with my DD. She has started to do cross stitch and have been working on a table cloth.

Did I manage to finish everything I had planned to in 2008.

Oh no !!!! But I guess I am in good company with a lot of others LOL

The adventcalendar is still hanging in my sewingroom without the binding.

I did not finish quilting on my Leannes House.

My new flanell quilt for the sofa is also in need of a binding.

And sorry Stina. I did not manage to even baste the Angel Story Book quilt before deadline des 31st. I have now agreed with Hanne about a new deadline July 1st.

And what about these to Leanne B stitcheries. They are finished and I even got the frames for both.

And I know I am going to start on new projects like this one. Annie Downs new BOM Pockets of Posies. I am going to make this together with Hanne and we start now in january.

And not to mention all the other projects in my sewingroom. And all the fabrics in my stash. And all the books and patterns and magazines.

But don't you agree: What would we do without all this.

I just love it all.

I have one big new years resolution. I want to finish a lot my Ufo's or what I like to call them WIPS's (Work In Slow Progress) And I want feel bad starting new projects, because that is what makes me (us) happy.

And now I will wish all of you my blogger friends a happy new year. Take care!!

Saying for today:
Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve.
Middle age is when you're forced to.

~Bill Vaughn

The Christmas Heart Project

During these christmasdays I have been receiving photos from ladies that have stitched the christmasheart and made something out of it.

Here are the photos I have got so far.

Sølvi was the first one to send me a photo of her finished heart. She has made it into a christmas cushion.

And then there came a photo from Bev C. I love the use of ric-rac on her version of the heart.

And Jeanette has made a stuffed heart filled with lavender . She has also stitched the heart instead of applique a heart.

Love the green version of the heart made by Bea.

And look at these two christmas pillows Anne Grete has made. Love the idea.
Corinna from Creativity with Corinna has made it into a christmas ornament. Like the way she has stitched 2008 in the heart.

If there is anyone else who has stitched the christmas heart I would love to hear from you.

Saying for today:

I wish we could put up some of the Christmas spirit
in jars and open a jar of it every month.
--Harlan Miller (Better Homes and Gardens)

Christmas bird

I have got a new cellphone that can send photos to my blog! This is my first attempt!

And then came Nissen

Gjesåsberg nissen (the santa from the mountan nearby) came by yesterday. The children and the grownups as well was so happy to see him. He was so quiet, did not say so much, but he left a big pile of christmasgifts for all of us.

We spendt almost 4 hours opening all the gifts.

And this is how it looks after all the unwrapping.

I must have been a nice girl this year because Santa brought a lot of quilty presents for me + a lot of other not quilty presents.

Lise have knitted the mittens for me, Anne Ida have made that little blue sewingpurse, and Hanne has stitched the little snowman. I also received tea, patterns, liqueur from other quilt friends.

My DD and DS had bought me some new quiltbooks. One was on my wishlist, but the other one was totally new to me so I was so surprised by that one. And I got the two christmas cd's and the Mamma Mia dvd I had on my wish list + a lot of dvd movies to watch.

Stina had made the little cute lavender pillow for me. Nancy had made two lovely hearts, a bag to keep my tea lights in and a new tablemat. And look what's laying on the blue towel together with the lavendersoap (that smells so lovely).......my own abyquilt thimble.......

Look, isn't it so cute. One of a kind and it is mine. Laila's mother have handpainted this one for me.

Another fun present is this one. When Bjørg and I was preparing the next block on Joy Of Life BOM we joked about having bias on our wish list for christmas. Because there is a lot of bias on these BOM and we both hate to make them. So Santa brought me 3 long stripes of bias.

And this is some other wonderful things that has dropped in my mailbox these last days before christmas. I appriciate so much to recive these little goodies from friends.

Thank you all of you.

Now I am enjoying a quiet moment on Christmas Day. My new christmas CD of Peter Jøback is in the background. I am reading blogs and mails. The candles are lit. (got this wonderful candleholder from my DD). And I am just enjoying som quality time. And now I will find my stitchery or the next Joy of Life block and start sewing.

Enjoy your Christmas time.

Saying for today:

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world,

and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful