Early Christmas gift from L*K

Just for you...here's a little holiday freebie to make your season merrier!  Click here for the December freebie.

This little piece is a companion to the Moon Over Blackbird freebie we posted in October on our website.

We've already celebrated "Thanksmas" at our house. What is Thanksmas? It's the combined holiday you celebrate when you share/rotate the holidays with your adult children's families.

Our daughter Sarah and husband Jeff flew in to Wichita from Chicago for the long Thanksgiving weekend. They really appreciated our sunny, unseasonably warm temps - it was 65-70 degrees during their 4 day stay. Thankfully they flew back to the windy city BEFORE the big storm hit and closed the airports.

Thanksgiving feast with our family of 8

Christmas sweater cookie puzzle - if only they were edible!

We enjoyed all our usual Thanksmas traditions....cooking, baking, eating, working a Christmas puzzle, visit to Nifty Nut House (Wichitans will understand!), trip to N and J's (great Lebanese food) and Molino's (fave Mexi food), walks around our lake, annual Ebright talks and more.

Wichita Note: If you're ever in Wichita, schedule a quick trip to the Nifty Nut House near downtown. It's a giant building with an unbelievable selection of fresh nuts, candy and snacks. You can't walk in there without smiling. It's bustling all year long, but around the holidays it's slammed. The cheerful employees always welcome you to the Nut House and smile while they weigh and package your selections. Which makes me think...where did I hide that cajun snack mix?

We also added a new activity to our holiday fun - we decorated TINY gingerbread houses. I found some patterns online and baked the houses earlier in the week. I crafted 3 different house styles from "construction gingerbread". Gingerbread for houses is edible (I definitely ate some), but is a little harder than usual gingerbread. Note to self: When baking more than one style of house, be sure and keep the pieces separate next time - so confusing.

Hard at work with our pastry bags full of royal icing

Extreme concentration from Sarah and Jeff

Our finished "tiny house" village dusted with powdered sugar sitting in a "drift" of Epson salt!

My kitchen tree with leftover gingerbread

I used extra "construction gingerbread" to squeeze out these pointy heart cookies. Thankfully I remembered to poke holes in them for hanging BEFORE baking. I think they're pretty cute!

I still have 2 unassembled houses in my pantry. I'm looking forward to assembling them myself...leisurely. Here's how I picture it: me in my comfy clothes, looking outside at softly falling snow, a Hallmark Christmas movie in the background on TV, sipping a cup of hot tea. Maybe?!

***L*K CONFESSION

Hello, my name is Linda and I am addicted to Hallmark Christmas movies. It happens every year. Even though the plots are predictable and repetitive, even though every woman has the same hairstyle (soft waves!), even though everyone looks model-perfect all the time, even though it is ALWAYS gently snowing (never blowing), even though someone has always lost their "Christmas spirit" and even though there are a huge number of obscure PRINCES wondering around the US looking for mates....I find these irresistible. 

I'm not sure I have ever watched/listened to an entire Hallmark Christmas movie. I just like them in the background during the holiday season while I'm putzing around my kitchen. 

Want to share a favorite Christmas tradition at your house???

LEAVE A COMMENT below and share the holiday fun!

How was your ECLIPSE day?

We had so much "eclipse" fun, I want to take a quick break from MYSTERY SAMPLER scoop, and share! I promise another behind-the-scenes mystery update soon!

So here we are...looking geeky in our official eclipse glasses, gaping at the historic event. But where were we? We traveled to sunny, scenic Missouri...our neighboring state. Many months ago we signed up with a group of friends to ride our bikes on the KATY trail during the eclipse.

What's the KATY Trail State Park? It's our nation's longest continuous rails-to-trails conversion with almost 240 miles of trail from St. Louis to Kansas City. It has beautiful scenery and is super well maintained...and did I say it is blissfully FLAT?!

Cool stone railway tunnel behind us at beginning of ride. See how refreshed/unsweaty we look?

We drove to Missouri with 6 of our favorite bike buddies, 8 bikes and enough snacks/drinks/photographic equipment for a long expedition. Alas, we only rode for one day...but what a day!

The Total Eclipse of the KATY ride was organized through the Missouri State Parks. We signed up many months ago before our Spirit of Christmas Mystery Sampler even crossed my imagination. Leaving town the week before our September 1 shipment wasn't a great idea, but it was a once in a lifetime eclipse...right?

For a brief moment I considered packing my Spirit of Christmas Embellishment Packs but decided to let them rest at home and wait until I returned. The drivers will thank me for not distributing random beads and buttons in their back seats.

We began about 9 AM, cruising by cliffs on one side...

...and the calm Missouri river on the other side

Every time you pass through a small town on the KATY, there are charming little "depots" with important stuff like restrooms, benches and bike repair stations. And during this ride...SNACKS and DRINKS!

Check out these scientific eclipse cookies our friend Vicki made for us

My husband Alan (right) and 2 other K-State faithful in their purple

Alan wore a Kansas State (Go Wildcats!) jersey which was a great conversation starter along the trail. There were riders from many states and it's so fun to meet new people as you roll along. 

Beautiful views everywhere!

But what about the eclipse??

We were in the area of TOTALITY, so we kept our geeky eclipse glasses handy as the eclipse began about 1 PM. 

We would stop our bikes. gaze at the eclipse, then ride on

We managed to finish the 37 mile route about 2 minutes before TOTALITY. It might sound like good planning, but it was definitely accidental. It was getting really hot on the trail, and I just wanted to finish the ride.

We viewed "TOTALITY" with other gazers in Jefferson City, MO

Below are some pics our bike friend Bob took for us. Aren't they amazing? AND...he carried his camera on his bike!

After we were done riding, the organizers served us a hot dog/hamburger lunch with tons of iced tea/lemonade/water, which was great. I'm not sure a mini bag (alright...2 mini bags!) of chili Fritos have ever tasted so good. Then we waited to shuttle our bikes and ourselves (in separate vehicles) back to our starting point. During our wait we chatted with some of our 500+ new bike buddies about our adventure.

Now it's back to work on the Spirit of Christmas Mystery Sampler. Can you identify the goodies in the picture above??

LEAVE A COMMENT with...

* Your eclipse adventure

* What are the "covert" items in photo above?

L*K Charity Update!

Last November I told you about our L*K holiday charity project. We're so excited to share an update with all of you...our stitching and giving partners!

B55 I Am Only One Inspiration Boxer Kit

We introduced our "Charity" Boxer B55 just in time for Christmas 2016. But...it's not a holiday 2016 project only. The giving will continue all year, and for years to come.

How many stoves have you all funded so far? We sent a check at the end of 2016 that will fund 27 stoves. And that's just the first donation! How exciting is this?!

Why did we choose Stove Builders of Guatemala as our charity?

I was fortunate to visit Guatemala several years ago, and am hopeful to return again to build more stoves. Women typically cook on open fires inside their homes. The #1 killer of Guatemalan women is lung and eye diseases from open fires. Women's long skirts often catch fire and small children may fall into the fire. In addition, a lot of wood is burned, deforesting the countryside. Everywhere we traveled, we saw people carrying firewood...young and old...everyone carrying bits of wood.

Long story short...an American who had lived in Guatemala developed a fuel efficient stove that could be built using local materials. Besides being fuel efficient, the stove got the cooking fire off the ground and vented the smoke outdoors. It could be built for about $120.

Stove Builders Juan and Diego

Local "stove builders" have been trained (pic above), and they continue to build stoves and train more stove builders. Twice a year a group from our church returns to work alongside local stove builders and provide financial help. Can you believe Stove Builders have built over 850 stoves?!

$120 is a big price for a family where a good wage is $6 a day. Stove Builders provides $100 per stove through donations and the family pays $20. In addition, the family helps with construction of the stove.

Our hope is to provide a stove for every family who needs one. By purchasing this L*K design, you are partnering with us and stitchers around the world to provide safe, efficient stoves to Guatemalan families. ***Check out those tiny tortillas above. Tortillas are a staple food - breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I couldn't finish this post without sharing this pic of the beautiful women and their gorgeous handmade clothing. I fell in love with the traditional clothing of these Mayan descent women. These ladies aren't "dressing up" for tourists - this is their everyday wear. Every village has it's own "pattern" of embroidery, and you can identify a person's home from their clothing. I also thought the wrap skirts were genius! No matter what your current weight, you could wind these skirts to a comfortable, cozy fit. And the beautiful COLORS!!!

***If you have a special story to tell about how you are using B55 I Am Only One Inspiration Boxer in your life...maybe as a special gift, project or something other creative use...please leave a COMMENT. 

"I am only one. I cannot do everything, but I can do Something".

And with all of you...we can do so much MORE!

Official L*K forecast for 2017!

I'm forecasting a year full of cross stitch fun for 2017!!!

****If you don't read about "how I plan a year in advance", scroll on down to the SNEAK PEEKS later in post. If you want more L*K behind-the-scenes, read the whole thing!

Seriously, I'm working this week on my tentative design schedule for 2017. Believe it or not, I do plan ahead...sort of...subject to change, of course.

Here's how it works...kind of an L*K tradition. I tear out a piece of old-fashioned notebook paper (old school!), grab an (erasable!) pencil and get to work. I pencil in what months we will be releasing new designs. That's usually every other month. Unless we're doing a Mystery Sampler, unless market gets in the way, unless...whatever else pops up. In 2016, we had 8 product releases. With only 4 months without new product releases, it seemed like we were always doing major shipments...and we were!

As I pencil in my designs for the year ahead, I refer to the previous year's schedule. There are some designs that occur yearly, and I don't want to forget those. Every year we have Tiny Tidings (tiny holiday designs) and a yearly Snippet Santa.

Then I try to maintain a nice balance of our different product lines and scatter those throughout the year. The goal is to have a little something for everybody.

Chartpaks - usually a large design or group of small designs
Snippets - small designs
Flip-its - series of small design that can be stitched separately or together
Boxers - kits that include fabric, embellishments and BONUS design
"A Little" Kits - themed kits that include fabric and embellishments
Kits - seasonal kits, often Limited Edition
Embellishments - sometimes we have optional embellishment packs to accompany designs

I don't pencil in a whole year at once! But I do have an outline. There's always room for "sudden inspiration" when I find a theme or a quote that really speaks to me and I want to share it with all of you.

And sometimes things I plan on doing just don't materialize. That's why everything is in PENCIL. Then when the new product release is actually scheduled and announced to the needlework shops, I get out the eraser and finalize it in ink.

Sometimes a design that begins as a single design evolves into a series. A good example would be S106 Spring String Snippet. I have so much designing this little "string" that a wholes series followed. Buzzy String, Spooky String, Thankful String, Merry String, Snowy String, Doggy String and Kitty String. They aren't my best sellers, but I love them (sometimes that happens!).

S106 Spring String Snippet

S107 Buzzy String Snippet

NOW...HERE'S A SNEAK PEEK FOR 2017!

* Celebrate with Charm Flip-its. We just shipped the first 2 parts of this 7-part holiday series. They're quick, cute and each one comes with an antique gold charm. So many finishing possibilities on these! Easter Celebrate with Charm is coming in February.

* Chick Party! I just stitched 2 little Easter designs with lots of adorable chicks. I'm not sure whether to call it "Just Chicks" or "Chick Party". I'm leaning toward partying! Coming soon in February.

* She Believed She Could. Suddenly I'm seeing this saying everywhere..."she believed she could, so she did". I just designed and stitched this quote, along with another women-oriented saying that I love. This continues my theme for 2016 on self-care and empowerment and "just go girl!". Coming in February.

* Coffee designs! I just finished stitching a series of 3 coffee themed designs. I know we've "done coffee" before, but there's a real "thirst" for coffee stuff. It never goes out of style....

* A Little Stitch Kit. Several years ago I asked my blog readers to submit ideas for Little Kits. I went back through that list (still have it) and decided to do a cross-stitch themed kit. Can't wait to start stitching this model because it's fun. It says "Stitch every day", which is (of course), excellent advice!

* Snippet Sleds. These little buggers are so popular, and they're so fun to design. It's sorta like solving a puzzle...trying to figure out how to fill the allotted sled-size stitch count with a cute design. Each Sleds Snippet comes with 3 sled designs. Last year we released 2 Sled Snippets (6 designs), and hope to do that again in 2017. Each Snippet also includes little sled embellishments.

S129 Snowy Sleds

S128 Peppermint Sleds

* Santa and Tiny Tidings. Every year, these make an appearance. Our 2016 Old School Santa was a very popular guy. And Tiny Tidings XXI was the most popular Tiny Tidings in recent years. I adored the 5 little holiday characters. What should I do in 2017?

* Seasonal Smalls series. I just designed a group of 3 summery "smalls" and they are so cool, I'm planning a seasonal series. What are smalls? Just what you think...sweet little designs. The fun thing about smalls - you can do so many great finishes. Pin pillows, bowl fillers, tiny frames, boxes, easels, whatever you like and they look great. My favorite thing about smalls...they are satisfying, enjoyable, quick little projects. Smalls are FUN!

* Inspiration Boxer Kits. We've done almost 2 dozen Inspiration Boxers, and they're still popular. I think a little inspiration is always a good idea. A few years ago, we had a contest to submit sayings. I graphed the 3 winners, and I still have the long list of submissions. Want to submit your favorite inspirational saying? Leave a comment below.

B56 Be the Rainbow Inspiration Boxer - our most recent release

* Just Cross Stitch Annual Ornament Issue. L*K was MIA from the 2016 Annual Ornament Issue, but we'll be back in 2017. Would you believe we submit our designs in March? I decided, uncharacteristically, to tackle it as soon as I got the request from JCS last week. I designed it and am stitching on it now. The JCS ladies will be shocked when they receive my ornament issue project in February! Definitely a first for L*K.

What else? What would you like to see in 2017???

Please LEAVE A COMMENT below and let me know what is your "heart's desire" for 2017. I keep a file of suggestions from stitchers and refer to it often. I really love the input.

Here's to a great 2017 together...in stitches!

L*K holiday charity project!

Here's a preview of our final 2 releases for 2016. Scroll back to previous post for the 2 new kits coming to a shop near you in early December.

#178 Prayer of St. Francis

I've had a lot of (prayer) requests for this one over the years. I had planned on releasing this in 2017, but now seems like the perfect time. It's a big piece for L*K, but every word is important. I found that stitching these lovely words, one little cross at a time, was comforting and meaningful.

B55 I Am Only One Inspiration Boxer

It's our first Inspiration Boxer where the proceeds go to charity - yea! Just in time for the holiday gifting season, we're inviting you to be part of our L*K holiday giving. We used a classic inspirational saying and also included a BONUS design. Kit includes 30 ct. lambswool linen, embellishment and BONUS design.

We're donating to a favorite charity of ours - Stove Builders of Guatemala  We included an insert in kit so everyone can learn about this useful and environment project to improve the lives of Guatemalan women and families.

Why build stoves in Guatemala? Here's the short scoop:

I was fortunate to visit Guatemala several years ago, and am hopeful to return again to build more stoves. Women typically cook on open fires inside their homes. The #1 killer of Guatemalan women is lung and eye diseases from these fires. Women's long skirts often catch fire and small children often fall into the open fires. In addition, a lot of wood is burned, deforesting the countryside. Everywhere we traveled, we saw people carrying firewood.

Long story short...an American who had lived in Guatemala developed a fuel efficient stove that could be built using local materials. Besides being fuel efficient, the stove got the cooking fire off the ground and vented the smoke outdoors. It could be built for about $120.

Stove Builders Juan and Diego

Local "stove builders" have been trained (pic above), and they continue to build stoves and train more stove builders. Twice a year a group from our church returns to work alongside local stove builders and provide financial help. Can you believe Stove Builders have built over 850 stoves?!

$120 is a big price for a family where a good wage is $6 a day. Stove Builders provides $100 per stove through donations and the family pays $20. In addition, the family helps with construction of the stove.

Our hope is to provide a stove for every family who needs one. By purchasing this L*K design, you are partnering with us and stitchers around the world to provide safe, efficient stoves to Guatemalan families. ***Check out those tiny tortillas above. Tortillas are a staple food - breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

I couldn't finish this post without sharing this pic of the beautiful women and their gorgeous handmade clothing. I fell in love with the traditional clothing of these Mayan descent women. These ladies aren't "dressing up" for tourists - this is their everyday wear. Every village has it's own "pattern" of embroidery, and you can identify a person's home from their clothing. I also thought the wrap skirts were genius! No matter what your current weight, you could wind these skirts to a comfortable, cozy fit. And the COLORS!!!

BTW - this is "the gift that keeps on giving". We will continue to buy stoves - with your help - for years to come. This giving doesn't end with Christmas 2016! We really look forward to keeping you posted on our adventures in Guatemala.

"I am only one. I cannot do everything, but I can do Something".


****If you need any of these L*K newbies under your tree...or the 2 new kits previewed in previous post...let your favorite needlework supplier know NOW. We're shipping to shops right after Thanksgiving.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING, everyone!