Time flies sometimes, doesn’t it? I realized somewhat belatedly that my guild’s Christmas party is a week from today. Every year members are invited to participate in an ornament exchange, and I had not even picked out a pattern let alone started stitching an ornament yet. So, what to do?
Earlier this year I received a 25% off coupon for Annie’s Craft Store, and I used the discount to splurge and purchase the Just Cross Stitch DVD-ROM with all the issues from 2001-2010, including all of the ornament issues from those years. The DVD has high-res PDFs of each issue, and the files are optimized so you can search the PDF for keywords or the names of designers to find specific patterns. As much as I love my stack of print magazines, this is so much easier sometimes.
Monday night I popped the DVD into my computer and browsed through the Ornament issues and found two patterns that I liked that I think I can finish in less than a week. One was by Heart in Hand Needleart, and the other was by The Prairie Schooler.
The next step was to dig through my stash to see what kind of fabric and threads I had. I ended up going with The Prairie Schooler pattern because I was able to pull together the supplies I needed just from my stash. Huzzah! Here’s a peek at the kit:
Hopefully I will get some extra stitching time this Thanksgiving weekend, and next week I can reveal the finished project if all goes well!
In the meantime, I really need to learn how to take better photos. Ugh.
Rabbit Girl Crafts 
Can’t wait to see it!
I keep telling myself that I need to learn how to take better photos, but who has time for that?! :)
Ha! I know. Part of my problem is that the lighting in my office at home is so bad, but that’s not my only photography problem… :)
I have often thought about purchasing that CD. All of my magazines are out in the garage and sometimes the thought of flipping through each one to see what is inside makes me crazy! Glad you were able to use it and find a couple of projects easily. I may have to add it to my list of “things to buy”. Is every project from a magazine on them? So getting rid of the magazines may be a good idea?
Yes, the PDFs on the DVD reproduce the entire issue(s) of the magazine. You get all the projects, all the ads, every original page of each issue is there. It is very convenient, and, yes, I was able to recycle a lot of paper magazines after I bought the DVD!
Pingback: 2015 Guild Ornament Exchange | Rabbit Girl Crafts