Gift exchange mailed! Now for Thank You cards

I finally did it!  I got to the post office yesterday morning to mail off my contribution for the PR chatroom gift exchange.  I had intended to do it Tuesday afternoon ... but Tuesday and Wednesday were complete wash-outs when life threw us a curve ball.  We'll finish up the fixes after the weekend ... but things have settled down enough to enjoy our crafting again.  Hug your loved ones if they are within reach, or call and say you love them if not - that is what is truly important.

Now that I've mailed off the gift I made, it is time to turn to tank-you notes for gifts already received.  Last weekend I scored blank cards on Hobby Lobby's clearance shelf, with corresponding envelopes to boot ... complete set of 100 (50 larger, 50 "thank you" sized) all for just $6.  This morning I decided to start using them. Here is my prototype:

Calligraphy thank you card

This took me about two hours this morning.  I've been reading the calligraphy book reclaimed from son's room, and had forgotten that calligraphy is more than just pretty letters.  Just on this little card. there's been the layout, selecting alphabets (there's two used), sizing, and flourishing.I used three sheets of printer paper and two blank 4x6" index cards to get it looking like the idea I had in my mind.  Once I am certain the ink is dry I will erase the penciled guidelines (and hope the pigment doesn't come off the card!).  Then I'll have seven more to do ... so far.

Chatters, do NOT tell Val.  She claims she likes surprises, and of course I will send her one for the BDU bag she made me for the gift exchange.  This will be our secret.  Also, Mom - don't tell my sister either.  And Mom, I'll probably get the thank you card done for that buckram before I get your requested off-white doily crocheted up.

Now ... I think I need more ink to finish up the rest of the cards, so time to browse Hobby Lobby ... as if I really "need" an excuse to go do that!  Maybe I'll find more blank cards on the clearance shelf ....!

Calligraphy gift cards

OK, so I have been so far observing the secrecy rule on the chatroom gift exchange ... but I just can't help but post this pic.  First up, I have not purchased a card from a store in years, and have no intention of starting that nonsense up again.  I tried to find my old calligraphy pens, but after a week or so of checking places I think I would have put them, I broke down at Hobby Lobby and bought a new one (the sale helped this - ebil enablers that they are!  LOL).  So here is the card I made for the gift exchange:

Happy Holidays calligraphy gift exchange card

I had to practice for almost two hours to get it to look that good ... I am truly rusty at my calligraphy!  Use it or lose it, so the saying goes ...

My son pointed out that the letters get a bit bigger, which is overcompensation for my usual problem of getting smaller ... *sigh*.  Of course, my dear offsprung (since it happened over 18 years ago) also insists that the big calligraphy book in the house was purchased by me as a gift for him.  I seem to recall buying it, but for both of us.  I'll have to see if he tries to take it up to his room again ...

Calligraphy book and card sample

As for the calligraphy pen that followed me home a little over a week ago, this time I bought a dippable one instead of the cartridge style or "disposable" felt-tip ones.  I was actually quite annoyed that none of the sets with the nice cases had the dippable style ... they are all the cartridge style.  I am hoping hubby will make me a nice little box for this set, so I don't have to keep it all in a zippy bag.

I did make other gift cards, but those all have names on them.

Ransom negotiations, pineapple doily style

So, I posted up my first pineapple doily - first full-sized doily, period - the other day, with a ransom note to Mom.  I called her for her birthday, and she says while it looks quite nice, she likes solid colored doilies better ... preferably in off-white.  Hmmm ... I have white-white thread, but surprisingly no off-white crochet thread in my (still small) lace stash.  I guess this counts as a good excuse to buy some.

Here is the variegated holiday doily, unpinned and starched.

holiday variegated pineapple doily

This one will still go out in the mail within the next week (provided I actually get to the post office).  It just won't be headed to Mom's house now ... Nope, not saying where it's going.  It will be a surprise.

Sampler WIP: Band 10 Grapes

I've been in a cross-stitching mood this past week, and tore through band 10 on my ongoing sampler-in-progress.  Son says he really likes this one, and hubby concurs.

Grapes and leaves cross stitch band/border

It looks busy but stitches up rather quickly.  The colors are a smidge off in the pic as I had to play with the levels to get it to show up properly.  It is also the first band past the halfway fold on the cloth!  Here's all ten bands.

Sampler bands 1-10

I've picked out a floral band for #11, in (of course) shades of pink.

First pineapple doily crocheted and blocked

I'm pretty excited - this past weekend when my sinuses went haywire, I sat on the couch and crocheted up my first pineapple doily!  Actually, it's my first full-sized doily I've completed after pulling out the first two attempts midway.  I've heard that with pineapple doilies, it's either love or hate ... so tally me in the "love" category.  This was so cool to hook up, and here it is blocked and pinned out:

First pineapple doily blocked and pinned

The book says it's supposed to be 15 inches across, but mine only comes out to 13 inches.  I guess it's official: I crochet "tightly".

MOM, this one will be yours ... as soon as you mail me that hat buckram you bought me after I posted about not finding any locally (that post is dated August 28th!).  I need it now, Mom.  The pretty linen sun hat did not weather the rainstorms we hit on our way down to Florida.  Getting a coat and a pair of leather gloves tossed on it after the rains didn't help, either.  Zip down to the post office, Mom, because you know you want to hold this - my first full sized pineapple doily - in your hands to see for yourself how my crochet is coming along decades after you gave me a blue plastic hook.  Do it soon - before I put it "someplace safe" because I do indeed take after you in that.

While waiting, there is another pineapple doily pattern in that book, and I scored another book of just pineapple doily patterns in the clearance aisle at Hobby Lobby, so there will be one for this house at some point.