HAPPY NEW YEAR! С НОВЫМ ГОДОМ! С НОВЫМ СЧАСТЬЕМ!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Закипит шампанское в бокале,
Разлетятся пузырьки вокруг.
Старый год спешит проститься с нами!
Новый входит, словно новый друг!
Пусть он будет полный вдохновения,
Радости, любви и красоты!
Пусть подарит лучшие мгновения
И исполнит все заветные мечты!
Распахните дверь свою с надеждой,
С ожиданием счастливых перемен!
И шагнёт он из метели снежной
Под родные своды ваших стен!

Christmas International Swap 2011

It was my second year I participated in the International Christmas Swap organized by Caterina, and again it was a lot of fun of giving and receiving. You probably remember I couldn't wait too long and opened Sonjya"s gifts before the Christmas and made a post about them already. The partner that I've sent the Christmas gifts to was Carmen

http://minishabby-mcarmencasanova.blogspot.com/

and here is a picture of my presents:

The Needlepoint Christmas Pillow "Joy"

The Wreath

Three Little Shelves

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Carmen!

Another Project has been completed. Need Your Opinion...

I finished stitching another project based on my design and don't know what to do with it now. Apparently it was supposed to be a rug in 1/24 scale, but I didn't like something about it.

VARIANT 1.
So, first I decided to make a seat cover for a footstool.

VARIANT 2.
Then, I had a thought to make seat cover for a settee with a phone stand

VARIANT 3.
Then my daughter came and said: "Hm,nice pillow"

So, what do you think? Should I finish it as a seat cover for a footstool, or as a seat cover for a settee with a phone stand, or as a pillow?

Christmas Stocking for Caterina

On the 8th of January, 2011 I offered you a contest on my blog "Be Your Own Designer" and design your own Christmas stocking and I promised to stitch it for a winner. Here is a link to that post:
http://scarletsailsminiatures.blogspot.com/2011/01/contest-be-your-own-designer_08.html

Surprisingly for me, nobody wanted to participate in that contest and I had only one person who contacted me. It was Caterina from http://leminisdicockerina.blogspot.com/.

Since she was only one who participated I announced her as the winner of that contest. Caterina didn't design her stocking but she e-mailed me these lovely photos

and asked to make a stocking based upon the images.

Today I can finally tell Caterina that her Christmas stocking is ready to be filled up with Christmas goodies. Well, Caterina won't get it for the Christmas, but I hope it will arrive before the New Year!

Happy New Year, Caterina! I hope you like it!

and final view, by the way the stocking was stitched with The Silk Mill, new silk thread I purchased recently

Let Me introduce You: THE SILK MILL

I wanted to share this exciting news with you last week, but didn't have any time for it. Those, who has passion for stitching, or building furniture, or making minis from clay, etc... will understand my excitement. You all know this feeling when finally you have an opportunity to buy a table saw, or found another device that makes easier for you to create a mini masterpiece.

Most of us are happy to get as a Christmas gift not a French perfume, or a ring with a diamond, but another screwdriver or a pack of new silk thread, like in my case.

I am always in search of new silk thread that I can use for my mini projects. I finally found a brand of silk thread that I can easily substitute with DMC cotton thread (that I don't like to use for my mini stitching).

Let me introduce you The Silk Mill.

The Silk Mill is a filament silk. It is strong and has vivid, festive, bright colors, almost 600 different colors! Just listen to the names of some of them:
Beaujolais Nouveau
Gentian
Bone White
Claret
Aztec
Cucumber Skin
Radish Leaf
Snowy Egret
Silver Dust...
I can go on and on and on...
The silk thread is actually little bit thicker than DMC but I love that coverage. It can be used on 32, 35 and 40 count silk gauze.

I have a computer stitching program that allows you to pick up different kind of brand of threads for your project. This is how I knew about the Silk Mill. This silk is sold through the company that is located in the UK and their website is www.thesilkmill.com

WORK IN PROGRESS: French Aubusson Rug in 1/12th scale

Last week was not very well organized for me, my daughter has been seek for a week and kept me busy. Here is my little update on French Aubusson rug in 1/12th scale

Have a great week!

International Christmas Swap 2011. More gifts!

I've just got the parcel from Sonja, my Christmas Swap partner. I've been struggling with myself: to open it now or wait till Christmas! What do you think? Yah, I couldn't resist that temptation and opened the package! You can't blame me for it, true?!

Wow! First of all, I didn't expect to see soo many gifts; secondary, they are soo amazing and they will fit my Christmas scene perfectly!

Sonja, thank you very much for this Christmas gift. You made my day!

You can feel that all minis were done with love and care, as well as with accurate details and taste.

I love this sleigh. Reminds me mine when I came to visit my grandma.

Look at this little guy/cook with a Teddy bear

and this box with tiny Christmas balls decorated with angels

and this can filled up with Christmas goodies

and this...

Here is a picture of all gifts together

Love it!

Sonja, thanks again for bringing smile on my face and the Sun in my mini world!

Merry Christmas!

Dollhouse Miniatures Christmas Sleighs and Wreaths. Santa's Helpers.

Last week in between stitching I put together some Christmas sleighs and wreaths. I used some Teddy bears that I purchased from Hobby Lobby a year ago, made Christmas hats for them.

The sleighs were put together from the McQuinnee's kits

I filled the sleighs up with gift boxes, Christmas tree branches, some decorations.
Sleigh # 1

I just don't understand, why Teddy bears always should be sad?

Sleigh #2

Sleigh # 3. Here Teddy bear is resting on the pillow. Everything is covered with snow. At least now you can give a little explanation why he is sad, he might be frozen a little bit...

I also finished 2 Christmas wreaths

# 1

# 2

I am still not ready for the Christmas! What am I missing? You are correct! The Christmas Tree!

to be continued....