The weather is getting colder here in South Carolina...

the trees are bare...

Wait...

Let me clarify the actual picture...

When I say colder...

I really mean high of 55-60 degrees...

which in South Carolina...

is like a serious artic freeze of magnitude proportions!

Just keepin' it real!

Because the Christmas Holiday is moving quickly towards us...

I decided that my Hot Cocoa Bar needed it's own little official SIGN!

Let's get started...

I found this sweet Hot Cocoa Mug Applique, complete with a whipped cream topping

and added this Cute text to the side of it...

merging it in my Embrillance Essentials Software.  

I ventured out and Coffee/Tea Dyed a piece of Jobelan Evenweave Cross Stitch fabric...

and layered it, using my usual Christmas Ornament process of Warm and White Cotton batting...

before loading it onto my frame and then into the machine.

As you can see here...

I like to add a few Flat Head Flower Pins to securely attach my prepped piece to the

"Sticky Stabilizer" that is on my actual Fast Frame.

Don't you just LOVE the mottled look I got when I Coffee/Tea Dyed the Jobelan?

Not to mention the coffee smell that permiates the room...

YUM!

Gracious BE...it's stitching out just PERFECT...

 YES...in the above picture you can see that I slapped a piece of WSS on top after all the Applique pieces 

were placed and trimmed around...

because...

that's how I ROLL!

After I finished stitching this fabulous design I mounted it first on a piece of Sticky Board...

and then mounted that onto a slightly larger second Sticky Board that I covered with a fabulous Christmas Plaid Fabric

that had all the same colors in it as the threads I used for the stitch out!

I then mounted the whole thing onto this super cute Easel Chalkboard Stand that I got at my local Michaels Store...

and it is FABULOUS!

YEP...I used a Red Mirror Glitter Vinyl for the Cup and a White Mirror Glitter Vinyl for the Whipped Cream on top!

Then...

I added a cute simple Metallic Ribbon Bow with a Glittery Wooden Snowflake glued onto the center of it!

It was the PERFECT amount of BLING!

And when a serious PLAN comes together...

it looks like this...

And just because I can...

Here's a Close Up on the Counter of my Hot Cocoa Bar...

Kathleen

TOOLS OF THE TRADE...

-Hot Cocoa Applique (https://www.embroidery-boutique.com/products/hot-chocolate-applique?_pos=1&_sid=c4c9768c2&_ss=r)

-Words "Hot Cocoa Bar" (https://www.theitch2stitch.com/Cutie-Patootie-Embroidery-Font.html)

-Jobelan Cross Stitch Fabric (that I Coffee/Tea Dyed)

-Glitter Mirror Vinyl for the Cup and for the Whipped Cream (www.mikriworld.com)

-100% Warm and White Cotton Batting (available at Fat Quarter Shop-Joann's-Hobby Lobby)

-Red Metallic Wire Ribbon (Hobby Lobby)

-White Glittery Wooden Snowflake (Hobby Lobby)

-Sticky Board (https://www.fatquartershop.com/16-inch-x-20-inch-pres-on-mounting-board)

-Stitchery Tape (https://www.fatquartershop.com/double-sided-stitchery-tape-60-foot-roll) 

-Wooden Chalkboard Easel (Michaels Craft Store)

 OH  SANTA...

PLEASE

STOP

HERE!

Doesn't everyone on your Gift list this year need a Super Cute sign...

just like this one to hang in their home this Christmas Holiday?  

I can think of about 4 on my list already! 

Let me tell you how I did it...

so you can make one or two or TEN for those ...

Special Someone's!

I used the "Swirly Beard Santa" Applique design...

and merged it with some Super Cute text in a Font called "Penguin Grins"!

Be sure to check my Tools of the Trade at the bottom of this Blog Post to find all the details of what I used to make this cute sign...

and where I got them too!

I followed the same stitching/stabilizing process I have used when I make my Christmas Ornaments...

by combining my fabric with a piece of Warm and White 100% Cotton Batting before I loaded it into my frame and onto the machine.

AND...

YES...YES...YES...

I used some of that FABULOUS Glitter Mirror Vinyl for the Santa Hat Brim and Ball too!

Gracious BE!

Once I had the Design stitched out...

I mounted the design onto a piece of Sticky Board...

and then mounted it onto a second piece fo Sticky Board that I had covered with a Pretty Christmas Plaid I got from Hobby Lobby!

And just like some of my previous ornaments...

I used a simple Sparkly White Cording around the edge of the to give it a little POP!

Once I made the "double mount"...I attached the whole thing to this Hanging Chalkboard sign I found at Hobby Lobby!

I also added a Simple Metallic Sparkly Bow and a Santa Jingle Bell...

and changed out the hanger for this fabulou RED Cording to tie it all together just RIGHT!

Isn't it just PERFECT?

 TOOLS OF THE TRADE...

-Swirly Beard Santa Applique (https://www.embroidery-boutique.com/products/swirly-beard-santa-applique?_pos=1&_sid=e3640fe58&_ss=r

-Cotton Twill Fabric (stone color)

-Glitter Mirror Vinyl for the Santa Hat Brim and Ball (www.mikriworld.com)

-100% Warm and White Cotton Batting (available at Fat Quarter Shop-Joann's-Hobby Lobby)

-Silver Metallic Cording (Hobby Lobby)

-Red Cording for Hanger (Hobby Lobby)

-Red Metallic Wire Ribbon (Hobby Lobby)

-Santa Jingle Bell (Hobby Lobby)

-Sticky Board (https://www.fatquartershop.com/16-inch-x-20-inch-pres-on-mounting-board)

-Stitchery Tape (https://www.fatquartershop.com/double-sided-stitchery-tape-60-foot-roll) 

Now....

this sweet HO HO HO South Carolina Ornament has got to be my FAVORITE so far!

Well...Maybe as of TODAY...anyway!

Tomorrow is another Day!

This time I couldn't pass up using this Beautiful South Carolina State Ho Ho Ho Applique Design from Embroidery Boutique. 

This Super Cute design stitched like a dream and using the 4X4 size was just PERFECT for a Christmas Ornament Mount. 

Once again...I stitched it on a piece of 25 count White Opalescent Lugana Cross Stitch Fabric

with a piece of Warm and White 100% Cotton Batting on the backside. 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this Sparkly fabric...

it shimmers so nicely for ornaments!

I then mounted the stitched pieced (and batting) onto a piece of Sticky Board...

and then covered a second piece of Sticky Board with a Christmas Plaid fabric that

closely matches the color threads I used to stitched the actual design itself.

I also used a Sparkly Silver and White cording around the paremeter of the actual first layer where the design is stitched onto...

I just Love the BLING it adds to the Ornament itself!

How about YOU?

Kathleen

 TOOLS OF THE TRADE...

-Ho Ho Ho South Carolina Applique Design (I used the 4x4 design size) (https://www.embroidery-boutique.com/products/ho-ho-ho-south-carolina-applique?_pos=1&_sid=0a1cb0d0d&_ss=r

-25 Count White Opalescent Lugana Fabric (https://www.fatquartershop.com/zweigart-premium-quality-25-ct-lugana-opalescent-19-27-cross-stitch-fabric)

-100% Warm and White Cotton Batting (available at Fat Quarter Shop-Joann's-Hobby Lobby)

-Metallic Ribbon (Hobby Lobby)

-Silver and White Cording (Hobby Lobby)

-Silver Jingle Bell (Hobby Lobby)

-Sticky Board (https://www.fatquartershop.com/16-inch-x-20-inch-pres-on-mounting-board)

-Stitchery Tape (https://www.fatquartershop.com/double-sided-stitchery-tape-60-foot-roll)

Gracious ALIVE...it's officially Ornament time here at The Quilted Story and Mattie and ME! 

I LOVE it when a plan comes together...

and this Super Cute Reindeer Applique design certainly fits the bill! 

I purchased this Applique Design and have stitched in on several different items...

but this time I have managed to hit it out of the park...well...so to speak. 

This little guy just makes me Happy Happy Happy...know what I mean?

I used the 4x4 design size (smallest in the group) and he stitched like a dream...it's definetly a must have for sure!

Be sure to check out the website mentioned below to purchase this adorable applique...you will not be disappointed!  

Here is the direct link to the design...https://www.appliquecorner.com/reindeer-tangled-in-lights-applique-design.html

Kathleen