Merry Christmas 2013!

Have a Merry, Happy, Jolly Christmas and winter holidays! 

I have off from office today, so enjoying my day! I hope to be back to blogging soon as I have things to share with you, my dears!

Christmas and Cats

Well, as you know I live in the of the North India which doesn't have that real change of the seasons. These days we have +25 in day time and around +8+9 in the evening. The house feels more cold than outside. We never get snow here, and hence I cannot FEEL winter. So as I have been doing for the past 3 years, I IMAGINE winter.. :) I imagine the frosty morning air, and looking at the evening sky I expect it'd snow... I also try to create that winter holidays mood around me, preparing little gifts.

This time I couldn't wait more and tried my hands at cross stitching. I used to admire all the beautiful needle work people do: absolutely amazing pictures, made with love and warmth of their hearts. I wanted to start learning this craft. My D took me to the local shop called "Chhotu Motu" in Hindi, means "Big and Small", miscellaneous. There I purchased 10 skeins of Anchor thread and 50 cm of fabric + 2 tapestry needles. All cost me 130 Rs. or 2.09 USD. I think it is damn cheap! 

Here is my first cross stitch picture - a Christmas cat :) I know the stitches are uneven, and as I used 3 strands of thread, the crosses came out too thin. But I am happy with this first try and enjoyed the process a lot! This cross stitch was washed and intended to be made into a card. The pattern is here.  I have started another small picture, and I am using 4 strands of thread, which looks way better.

 One more very quick Christmas themed project was a mini stocking made with this pattern. I didn't make any more stockings so far. It's a good project to engage with as you can use scraps of yarn to hook it up.

Meet Mellow, a toy cat. Mellow - Meow + Yellow and it is soft :) Hehe. It was such a spontaneous thing to make, originally it is a crochet applique. I made two such appliques and stitched them together.  Pattern is here, it is a Russian forum/website. 

 I didn't really like the idea of making so many cat appliques for a blanket, it is too boring, and now a toy makes me smile and meow every day :) I am definitely a cat girl!

Tomorrow I am joining new office, and I am very excited about a new job and a new place to work in. Details later and wish me luck! Thanks for wonderful comments about my blanket, you made my day and days to come!

Have a wonderful second half of the week, my dears! Take care! Meow!

All Together - Blanket, Birthday and Tangerines

Life definitely decided to take over in the past few weeks. I was caught up in its events, unexpected turns and many new beginnings. Besides I did it -- I finished my BIG Summer Blanket. Well, it was completed on the 21st of November, but I could post about it only now. I am not making it a huge Ta-dah, and somehow other things now seemed more important than this afghan. But yes, I can't believe I actually have it now and I am so thrilled to be able to make this myself.

As you see it is sunny in India still, especially around 10 in the morning, it is such a pleasant time to be outside. Here my D helping to present the blanket he liked a lot too, and already cuddled up inside it few evenings ago. 

This was taken on the chairs at the back yard. I love the colors!

Seems endless in this picture. It took me nearly 10 month for complete finishing of it, I might not attempt something like this soon.

And not so spread on our bed. I think it is okay as it was not intended to be used as a bed cover. It is enough for both of us to comfortable be under it.

It was my birthday on the 26th, and this is a small rose my D gifted me after the clock stroke 00.00. The rose is still so fresh and has become even more beautiful as petals unfolded. He also gifted me a pack of 6 handmade neem soaps. Oh, what else can be better than a fragrance filled shower? :) Though he says he doesn't know how to choose gifts, he knows my choice well now. Come on, it's been more than 3 years!

May be you remember me mentioning our citrus tree. So here are its fruits we collected yesterday morning. Fragrant, fresh, juicy tangerines as I call them. Mmm... :) 

That's all in this post of mine, but more is coming. I have started small cross stitch projects, and another crochet afghan, a smaller one this time. I am in a winter holidays mood that much that I even saw a snowfall at our back yard in my dream, and could breathe in fresh slightly frosty air... in my dream. What can I do? I am a winter type of a girl. 

I am missing all of you a lot, my friends, but I tried to visit some of your posts and comment. Hope everything is fine in your corner of the world. Take care and have an awesome week ahead! Happy December!