Gingerbread and the Holidays!

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the Gingerbread houses that we make at home. The kids love decorating the houses, and who doesn't like the SMELL! This year I noticed that King Arthur Flour is selling candy especially for Gingerbread houses. What a great idea. For some reason, they always look more festive when there is an odd collection of candy and not just Christmas candy. Just thought I'd pass that along. Sometimes, it's the little things that make all the difference.

Happy Baking,
Nancy
Wicked Stitches

Holiday Favorites

Seems that everyone is working hard to get the holiday shopping done. Personally, I'm a last minute shopper. But, even I can see the benefit of shopping early. We here at Wicked Stitches hope that our customers do too! We are offering FREESHIP on any order thru December 10th. So for all you organized Holiday shoppers - here are our Favorite Holiday Gifts:

For the Hostess: Candy Cane Monogram Holiday Napkin set of 4, or a pair of hand towels....$25.60 (on sale) FUN and FESTIVE!


For those who have everything: Monogrammed towel set: set of 6 towels (2 bath, 2hand, 2 wash).....$60.00 Always Elegant.


For Mom or Grandma: Our "Make your own" tote: we will put your favorite art work onto a canvas tote....$75.00 Completely original and unique.


For a special little girl: Personalized Princess Pillow shams: Pink and precious personalized for your little princess....$24.00 Adorable.


For your dance teacher: Peace Love Dance beach towel: (pss...we can do this on a tote too) kind of says it all.....$25.00 Very Hip.


For that special guy: Neighbor Hood U - looks like a university but it's really your hometown... $36.00 Great conversation starter!


So there you have it, our top picks of all our great gifts. We want to help keep your Holidays - HAPPY. So visit our website and order today!

Warmest regards for a happy and healthy Holiday Season!
Nancy & Carolyn
Wicked Stitches Embroidery

Keeping the Holidays - well HAPPY!

I've been too focused on my sewing that I've forgotten my blogging! We are working hard this year to create a Holiday List to keep our customers Holidays - HAPPY! Keep watching - we'll be posting our Holiday Favorites over the next day or two. Have a favorite Wicked Stitches Gift? Let us know! We love to hear from all of you!

Warm regards, Nancy

What's your ultimate fall weekend?

Usually we spent at least one Sunday or Saturday picking apples or pumpkins during Fall. For us we have to get in the car and travel a bit to do it. We live in one of the five boroughs of NYC, we usually travel upstate for the day. The kids come kicking and screaming, wondering what they are missing by not being home. I'm always thinking, what I could have done in the house or at work....but it's my husband who demands our annual fall fest day, as I so sarcastically call it. A beautiful thought, and I am grateful for his insistence that we do this together. So today, we're off to pick a pumpkin and hopefully see some foliage.

We spent the day yesterday celebrating my Great Niece's First Birthday (no, I'm really not that old!), then we spent the evening with great frinds at our annual "Autumn dinner party." Today, is a beautiful day, the sun is shining, the Yankees won the first round of playoffs, and we have off tomorrow...this just may be my Ultimate Fall Weekend!

Tattoo Designs

Funny sometimes where you can get inspiration from. I would have thought that Tattoo designs would be the last place to look for inspiration. But, have to say that old saying; "don't judge a book by it's cover" can be applied here too. We created this particular heart design from a tattoo design we saw. We think it makes a really nice applique. It works on the back of thermal shirts that I made for my tween daughter and it works on a little girl knit hat.

Who Knew?

Tags for stuff

As a person who embroiders stuff for other people. One thing I've learned is that personalized items can be very helpful! To differentiate your items, or to make an ordinary thing more appealing.

One item that we love to make are vinyl tags. Tags for stuff, all sorts of stuff! It would be wonderful if everyone ordered tags from us and we could just design tags to match backpacks and lunch bags and music bags....etc....well you get the picture.

But, just because we have the tools to make these beautiful tags doesn't mean you can't do the same. It can be a fun thing to do with the kids. Felt is a great, durable fabric that can stand up to some abuse. It's also great to work with because you can glue it. You can cut out shapes with different color felt and glue them onto a larger base, place a ribbon behind the base piece and glue on a back. WaLa...a tag for your stuff! Start with a simple shape and add a cut out initial.

Here are some popular tags that we make.

Happy crafting,
Nancy

Back to school breakfast blues

The muffins were a success! The kids loved the Coffee Cake muffins hot out of the oven! The best part is that I froze the leftovers and heated them up this morning. Now I just have to figure out how to eliminate the white sugar and white flour and keep the taste.

Any tips?

Back to school breakfast blues

What does back to school mean to you? I think for most of us it's bittersweet. No more leisure time with the kids, back to the grind! Of course it's good and bad, as so many experiences are with kids. But, I digress. What I really wanted to share was my bright idea. I'm sure there are so many of you out there that will say; "is she kidding, I've been doing that for years"...but for you Johnny come latelies - here goes!

My kids are the worst breakfast eaters, but they love muffins and other time consuming baked goods. I really am trying my best to avoid processed food. So, I'm thinking I'll just make homemade muffins - yeah OK. Then I read Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More by Carole Walter. It does seem weird, but I actually read a lot of cookbooks. Anyway, she says that you can make the muffin batter and put it in the muffin pan overnight in the refrigerator. She said that for some muffins it helps to create that crown you see on the professional baked goods.

Today is Sunday, I'm going to prepare my muffin mix right now and put it in the fridge, I'll let you know how it goes!

Bride Gifts and Pre-Wedding Wear

For those of you who know, Wicked Stitches has been doing custom Bridal gifts for some time. Recently we got into the Bridal Sweatsuits and created a new website dedicated to these items. Check it out at www.InStyleBeforeTheAisle.com. We like to call it our beautiful sister site.

With the recent trend in sweatsuits for the bride and her wedding party, we decided to add our custom touch. We thought it would be nice to have two jackets with the pant instead of the usual jacket / pant set. Our jackets can be used before the aisle and after! One says "Soon to Be Mrs....." and the other states "Just Married" across the back! Always on white and written in Bridal Blue - of course.

We like to say Package, Package, Package and love to make things just so..... We place these beautiful Bride track suits inside a Bridal Blue suitcase with a personalized luggage tag. But that's not all, inside the suitcase is a card to be filled out by the bride which states her story. The suitcase becomes an heirloom for her wedding treasures......AWWWH.

We're nothing if not thoughtful gift makers!

Beach towel birthday gift

Has it really been two months since I posted to the blog? I seem to be better at Facebook these days. Boy do the last few weeks of school get nutty! Between softball, baseball, soccer, school plays oh yeah and schoolwork there isn't much time left for blogging!

Anyway, when I'm not attending to the kids/house/family stuff - I am working. I've been doing so many beach towels lately and some are just too cute....

Love these towels that we are doing now, appliqued names. I match fabrics that I have to the brightly colored towels and WaLa....perfect birthday gift. Wrapped and ready and just $25.00! Add a matching tote ... it's a bargain at just $46.00. Visit us today!

Affordable, adorable, awesome gift....get one today!

Birthday Gifts

April in my Family means Birthdays! First it's Moms, then my twin nieces, then my younger sister. This happens all in the course of two weeks. So, last week I spent time making my Mom a "family tree" runner. I made a little face for each grandchild she has....of course it was very cute and Mom loved it. I'll post a picture of it just as soon as I can download it from my camera. Hopefully, that will be sooner rather than later! Not as technical as I am crafty!

Three more birthdays to go.....

Easter Hostess Gift Part III

OK, is it just me or did Easter pop up on you too? We were sewing fast and furious Green, Green, Green for St. Pat's and before you knew it --- Blues, Lavenders and Bunnies! We just made and sold several of these garlands. While it may be a bit late for sending more of these out....I thought I could share it anyway. Better late than never - I always say!

Again, a nice little hostess gift. It's adorable, not over the top and affordable too (just $25). The garland is about 6 ft long and is done on a baby blue felt with lavender, green, white and purple fabric applique. It's very bright and happy, just like spring!

Happy Easter to you!

Easter Hostess Gift Part II

Well, I did make my sister Easter Table Decorations but when I started sewing Bunnies, I realized that my sister LOVES PEEPS! Then I thought, I'll make peeps. I plan to give her these yellow felt peeps atop a box of real yellow peeps wrapped up with a yellow polka dot ribbon. I think she'll get a kick out of that.

Sometimes, the best ideas are the simplest. I think this may be one of my best ideas today.

Easter Hostess Gift

Of all the gifts we give, Hostess Gifts are my favorite. I know that I talk a lot about them, but to be honest when someone invites you into their home for a meal or just for a cup of coffee, it's special. I think it's a true skill to be a good host and to enjoy your company. When someone goes to the trouble of having me and my family over, I like to acknowledge that with a gift!

To me it's always kind of a challenge to find just the right thing to bring someone. Today, is Palm Sunday and I'll be working on some Welcome Spring Garlands. Later today, I'll have dinner at my sisters house and plan to bring her some Bunny Table Decorations. She always cooks Easter Dinner for my entire family. I'm not usually with my family on Easter but with my In-Laws instead. I know that this is the perfect gift for my sister, she happily hosts Easter every year and this year is special because she has a new granddaughter. That's one more bunny for her table!

Be it Bunny Table Decorations, a beautiful tulip plant, a great bottle of wine or just your sincere gratitude be sure to bring your host a gift! It will be appreciated and best of all - you might just get invited back!

Great Gift Tags

I just made two gift tags for my kids. This may be my new favorite thing!!!

Just go to wordle.net and create these funky word art combination's. Great Stuff. I found that you need to put the name of the person or the word you want most prominent several times. You can play around with styles. But, make sure you save your words - because when you go back to the "create" page to change them they aren't there. It's one of those great finds that you have to SHARE!

The possibilities are endless. This could make a wonderful gift, print it out on nice paper and frame them. Make a truly personal gift tag. Attach it to a bottle of wine! Scrapbookers' will love this site!

So have some fun and Wordle! Let us know how you use yours.

Best,
Nancy

Simple gifts for Easter Morning

As spring arrives, so does Easter. Everyone has Easter Basket Traditions; our are a mixed bag between my husband and myself. Usually, the kids always look for the eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny first thing and then they tear into the Baskets.

However, last year the kids woke up to a crazy Easter Basket treasure hunt. The Easter Bunny took yarn and weaved his way from their beds to their baskets. Each of them followed the color yarn that was attached to their bed. It was quite funny to see the kids follow the yarn to their baskets! Up and over, under and thru just about every piece of furniture and doorway we have. Finally, their baskets were attached on the other end. One was in a kitchen cabinet and the other behind the basement door. It's one Easter Morning they won't forget! Of course, when they got to the baskets - it's pure sugar and chocolate for breakfast .

Our gift was listening to the giggles and watching them smile along the way!

Happy Spring,
Nancy

Special Gifts

Another simple gift idea in honor of National Craft Month. This simple cardboard hatbox has been transformed into a truly special gift. My daughter received this gift from my Mom. It is a collection of pictures of my daughter from the time she was a baby with all the members of my family. It's a gift that my daughter holds dear and still uses to keep her most treasured items. It's simply one of the best gifts my girl has ever received!

And so simple, here's how it's done:
You'll need a cardboard hat box. Usually you can find these in any craft store, we have an AC Moore and a Michaels near us and both have them. A jar of Decoupage, copies of your favorite pictures and some themed scrap booking paper. Keep in mind that you can use newspaper articles or magazine clippings too. You can virtually decoupage anything! Even fabric works!

Simply lay out your design of pictures and words and decoupage. Apply decoupage to the back of each item to paste it on, then decoupage the outside once everything is set. Also, decoupage comes in matte or glossy. A few coats of glossy on top can really give it a finished look. Of course, it will take a day or two to dry.... but wa-la - best gift ever!!!!

Make this special gift for someone special...Mothers day is just around the corner! What Mom or Grandma wouldn't love one of these to keep her special memories in?


Keep Crafting....we'll keep bloggin'! We love gifts; making them, giving them and sharing them!

Best,
Nancy

Simple St. Patricks Day Celebration

Well, St. Patrick's Day is upon us! We have been working hard to meet the demand of sewing Shamrock gift items for some Lucky Irish families. Now, we need to get ourselves ready.

I wrote my grocery list last night and need to get that done today. The meal is the simple part, it's the decorating that I love! I plan to set my table with a white table cloth, green shamrock table decorations, candles, and my fine china. My daughter plans to make rainbow cupcakes, and I plan to make Irish Soda Bread as a gift to my guests.

The Soda Bread recipe I have makes one huge loaf. But, on these occasions I like to split that into four small loaves. After the bread has cooled, I wrap each one in brown paper and tie it with cord. Then I make a paper shamrock as a tag. Very simple, very cute, appropriate and always appreciated!

While we're not your typical Irish family, we do enjoy a good St. Pat's dinner.
Slainte!

St. Patricks' Sweatshirt

March Madness continues. We created this sweatshirt for a Lucky little one who is attending her first St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC this year. Of course, I can't tell what March will bring, but I'm guessing that a sweatshirt is always handy on 5th Avenue. I can almost hear the marching bands and bagpipe players walking past St. Patricks Cathedral. The sites and sounds of NYC never get old! Wishing a very happy outing for this Lucky Little Leprechaun!

Bib for the wee one

How can you make a baby more kissable? Put an "Irish" kiss me, kiss me, kiss me bib on them!
Great gift for any baby, Irish or otherwise!
This bib was done as a custom order, we would love to have the opportunity to make something special for you....come in and browse. We are all about the best personalized gifts!

St. Patrick Hostess Gift

Hostess Gifts, the most fun of all! As you might have guessed by now, I love making and giving gifts! We started our business based on great affordable gifts.

We call these tablecloth decorations, and they are used to decorate a festive table setting for a holiday. Here I made personalized shamrocks for a friend who is gracious enough to host a St. Pat's Parade party. Our neighborhood hosts an annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, and as you might imagine; it's a BIG party! My friend is a wonderful host, and it's always a great day to be with friends!

Slainte!

St. Patrick's dessert

Awesome St. Patrick's Day dessert!!!!
A fruit rainbow - Each fruit is cut up and placed in a row arched like a rainbow, one on top of the other.
Each color of the rainbow is a different fruit, start with red and work down to purple. Red: strawberries, orange: cantaloupe or oranges, yellow: pineapple, green: grapes, blue: blueberries, and indigo (or purple): purple pears, or deep red grapes. On one end of the rainbow put mini marshmallows and on the other end put a fruit dip in a "pot" and tint it yellow for gold. My favorite fruit dip is a small container of strawberry cream cheese mixed together with a small jar of fluff. Just stir together in a bowl, it does take a few minutes to combine...but it's worth it!

Welcome Friends

After a long winter, it's time to welcome friends one thousand times.


Welcome sign Irish Style!

Order yours at SewMuchToSay.com

Irish words of wisdom

March Madness continues....
A favorite Irish Proverb to ponder:"put silk on a goat, and it's still a goat".
A Favorite Irish Poem: "May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.”
Gotta love the Irish! Slainte! (cheers!)

St. Patrick Day Give Away

Join in our March Madness Giveaway!

We are giving a set of four napkins to one lucky facebook fan. To enter the giveaway simply become a fan at Wicked Stitches Embroidery (facebook) . Then guess how many stitches it took to sew the fabulous shamrock design on one napkin. Just post your guess on our fan page. The person who comes closest to the total stitches wins the napkins. Contest ends at midnight on Thursday March 4^th

Tell your friends! Join the Madness, it’s fun and easy.

See you there!

Slán agus beannacht leat

(that's Gaelic for "Goodbye and blessings with you)

St. Patricks Day!

Our thoughts are turning from Red to Green!
St. Pat's Day is just one month away. But, we're on it - our Signature Shamrock Garland is proudly hung in Boomerang Toys on Forest Avenue, Staten Island (a few doors down from Duffy's)...and just in time for Staten Island's legendary Parade (Sunday March 7, 2010). Check it out.

Valentines Day Gift Ideas

Valentines Day is Fast Approaching! How do we show our love .... Let me count the ways:

Our Favorite Hostess gift :-)...


Our Favorite mini garland - perfect to decorate the refrigerator, or interior door ....


Our favorite Tween Gift .... My 12 year old will be getting this sugar free valentine!

And last but not LEAST .... table decorations for our Valentine Dinner!

What sweet treat can we make for You?

Hugs and Kisses, Wicked Stitches!

New Year's resolution

New Year...New thoughts!
We have committed to make Wicked Stitches the best Gift Shop on the Web!
Stay tuned .... our top gifts for Valentines are on the way!