The Year in Review

I often see things ranked in Japan, such as the top three best or most or…. whatever, and I’ve decided to do my own top threes with my last post of the year. I’ve included links to the posts on my blog that told about these things. (Sometimes you have to go to the end of the post to find the subject).

ADVENTURES IN JAPAN

1.    Cross Country Ski Race (Part 1 and Part 2)

2.    AnniversaryTrip to Otaru

3.     Vacation to Gifu, Nara, Kyoto, Yokahama, and Tokyo  (and the posts before and after this one - it was a long trip)

 

FESTIVALS

We attended many festivals this year, so this was difficult, but I’ll have to say:

1.    Mochi Festival

2.    SapporoSnow Festival

3.    SapporoDance Festival

FINISHED PROJECTS

I was pleased to finish so many stitching projects this year.  The ones I’m most please with are:

1.    TheDragon Master and the Sun Dragon

2.    Ojimi

 

3.    The Four Beaded Nutcracker ornaments

FOODS

I’ve tried many new foods and I’ve enjoyed many Japanese foods I had never tried before, but my favorites here aren’t all Japanese.

1.    Bombay Blue Indian Curry

2.    Ted’s Secret Fish Recipe

3.    Moving Sushi

 

UNIVERSITY CONCERT EVENTS

One the many advantages of living so close to the university is being able to attend the performances of the students. My favorites are:

1.    Thai Dance

2.    Seven Course Music Concert

3.    Indian Music Concert

MOST READ BLOG POSTS

One of the features of the blog is being able to see the statistics including how many views each post receives. Here are the three posts receiving the most views:

1.    Japanese Birthday Cake
 

2.   Animals Speak Japanese in Hokkaido

3. Thank you Margaret in New Zealand  
  

Thank you for reading my blog this year.  Please come back next year (I mean tomorrow)!

Dragonflies for Ted

Our big vacation trip is our Christmas gift to each other, but I want to show you this little gift I made for Ted – a dragonfly sashiko for the little table next to his side of the bed. I used a multi-color sashiko thread for the dragonflies.

The Little Toolie Tour (Part 4)

The remaining little toolies are fun and helpful and not made by me.

This magnetic needleminder was a gift from my friend Rhoda. It has my initial so I know which canvas is mine.

 

My friend Rose just sent me this little crystal lady bug needleminder. It looks like it can't wait to fly to my next canvas project.

A woman on the Heritage Needlework Tour made these magnetic needleminders for all of the participants from state quarters.  I was living in NC at the time so my quarter is the one featuring North Carolina.

 

This set of three measuring squares was a table favor at a Carolina Sampler Guild event.

 

This mini sewing kit was another table favor from a Carolina Sampler Guild event.

 

My friend Kathryn made me this set of counters inside what looks like a matchbook. It is very handy to have the matchbook to keep them from getting lost.

 

This was a gift from the Georgia EGA chapter at Calloway School of Needlearts.

 

My friend Kaz gave me this Lego head lamp.  The lights are in the feet and can be pointed where ever you need more light.

 

Ted gave me this little ort eating neko-chan.  She keeps things neat and tidy.

 

Thank you for taking this tour of my toolies.

The Little Toolie Tour (Part 3)

Today – Pins and Needles

This wheat pin cushion was stitched in 1997 and has a flannel backing.

The sampler looking pin cushion is stitched over one and is inside a faux shaker box. It gets a lot of use and is looking a little worse for the wear.

 

I like this crazy quilt pin keep best.  It was a chapter project at an Indianapolis EGA meeting in 1996.

 

This strawberry pin ball is done with rice stitches. Inside the ball is wool yarn.  It was a mini class I took in 1996 at Conner Prairie near Fishers Indiana. They used to have a summer needlework event at Conner Prairie with all different kinds of classes.  The Indianapolis EGA chapter had a table with membership information the first year I went. I joined the guild soon after.

 

This bargello needlebook was another little class from Conner Prairie in 1997. I use this needle book all the time.

I know it is hard to believe I have so many toolies, but they are all so very useful.  I have just a few more to show you.  Please come back tomorrow.

The Little Toolie Tour (Part 2)

Thank you for coming back to see more of my little toolies.

This Longaberger Basket set was a Susan Greening Davis class in Raleigh. The needle pouch and scissors fob were part of the class.  I made up the pin keep and needle threader with leftovers from the kit.  We made pockets on the inside of the basket, with the names of the items stitched in cross stitch over one. The basket is normally filled with all kinds of stitching necessities. It's easy to take along and holds quite a bit for being small.

 

This set was a class at the Chicago EGA national seminar that I finished this year, since I’ve been in Japan.  There is a needle book, a scissors cover, and a thimble holder.  I don’t often use thimbles so I put thread I’m using for a small project inside.

 

The Secret Garden was a class taught by Lauren Sauer at an Indianapolis Chapter EGA retreat held at Clifty Falls State Park.  It took a few years to finish it but I am really happy with it now that it is finished.  I like the little pockets for scissors and other small things and especially the needles behind the garden gate.

 

This quilted triangular bag was a gift from my friend Anne and is currently holding scissors.

 

I made this envelope at a class at the Paducah Quilt Show one year.

 

Can you tell this was once a pot holder? It’s full of stuff so it’s hard to tell. It was a gift from my friend Rhoda.

 

My friend Charlie gave me this little hardanger box made from an Altoid tin.  It holds tiny toolies.

 

This Heritage Tour bag was also finish this year and was from a trip to Williamsburg Virgina with Susan Greening Davis.

 

This looks like a giant blue pin cushion, but the top comes off and it holds lots of small things.  It was also a gift from Rhoda.

 

The Ice Cream and Cupcakes tuffet and bag was finished earlier this year and was from a Myrtle Beach retreat weekend with Susan Greening Davis.

 

I have more little toolies, but I've saved some for tomorrow.  Please come back.

The Little Toolie Tour

You may have already figured out that I like little stitching toolies. For most things in my life, less is better, but not for the little toolies.  I have many projects and like to have the scissors and other tools ready in whatever project I decide to work on, all together. I’ve tried to gather up and photograph them to show to you.

This Beehive scissors fob is my favorite. This one was a guild project when I was in the Indianapolis EGA chapter.  I’ve made more of these beehives as gifts.  The hive is made up of buttonhole stitches.  A charm for the bee and a few tiny silk ribbon flowers completes the fob.

 

This hardanger fob and cover was an EGA correspondence course when I was with the Indy chapter, although I didn’t finish it until about ten years later in 2007.

 

This Elegant Emery was stitched this year, since I’ve been in Japan.

 

This ribbon and bead fob was a gift from my friend Jeanette (who is in the Indy chapter).  It’s gotten a lot of use and is looking a little worn.

 

These two cross stitch scissor covers hold larger scissors. I bought them at JoAnn Fabric many years ago and added the little bit of cross stitch.

 

This tiny pair of scissors was a gift from my friend Rhoda.  Have you ever seen such tiny scissors?

 

I made this cross stitch spool chatelaine in 1997.  It is banded 14 count aida.  One end has scissors and the other a little lavender doll.

 

This scissor fob is a Denise Pratt design, made up of triangular eyelets with overdyed floss and beads. I've made more of these as gifts.

 

I often wear this little clover cutter on a ribbon around my neck when I travel, although I think it is now banned on US flights, too.  Short scissors are supposed to be allowed, but I don’t want to chance getting my scissors taken away at security.

 

This bead and ribbon scissor fob and cover was a little kit I bought at Hobby Lobby, on sale I’m sure.  It has a string so it can be worn around the neck.

 

That's enough for today.  Please come back tomorrow to see more little toolies.