From the booklet by Alma Lynne Designs called "Folksy Foursome".
Date on the booklet is around 1988. There are four designs in this
series but I only stitched the two. They are stitched on a cream
coloured Aida material. I like many of the Alma Lynne patterns and I
have about 8 booklets of her designs. Linda, my crafty friend, has
also made dolls from some of the patterns provided in these booklets
along with the cross stitch designs. She's made me two and even
turned one into a "cross stitcher" doll. I'll have to get a picture taken
of her some time.

On Sunday DH and I went to my Mom's retirement residence where
they were having a wine and cheese party for friends and family of the
residents. A lovely spread was put on for our enjoyment, which also
included smoked salmon on pumpernickle rounds, shrimp salad, a hot
rice dish and lots more. Once we'd finished noshing, we went back to
Mom's room and visited until her dinner time. Then we returned home
and I spent the evening making Christmas bows to put on my parcels
when they're wrapped. Okay, when they're bought and wrapped.

I got into bow making thanks to Darlene's sweetie Tony. It's all his
fault. Really. He made a bow to put on my Christmas present one year
and I loved it so much, because it looked so beautiful on the parcel. Well,
I had to insist that he make me a new bow every Christmas for that years
present. So now I have about 6 Tony bows out around the house as part
of the holiday decor.

But then I decided to try my hand (and the accompanying 10 thumbs) at
making bows too. I started about 2 years ago and began to collect rolls
of fancy Christmas ribbon, and then I looked for things to put on them.
Since I'm a crazy person for glitter and sparkle I was especially on the
lookout for things with lots of glitter on them. I usually made about
5 bows per year, but this year I got carried away and I've made a dozen.
Since Sunday.

I have to work in the kitchen because that's the most practical place to
spread out my supplies. Trims and ribbons on the table, a large plastic
tray on the counter with my hot glue gun, glue sticks and scissors and
stapler. Now you, dear reader, should know that I'm a messy crafts
person. When I put glue on something, I put glue on everything in the
immediate vicinity. Strings of glue stretch from project to project, and
wrap around scattered trims and clog up my scissors and stapler. Glitter
that has rubbed off of the trims speckle the counter, my shirt, the floor
and the cats. In short, the kitchen looks like Tinkerbell exploded in it!!

Once I'm done for the evening I pack everything away and wipe up the
kitchen as best I can. It usually looks fine once I'm done cleaning, but I've noticed the next morning at breakfast that the toast has a certain gleam
to it that isn't quite normal.

Perhaps I'll get some pictures of my bows before they get given away.