And another Christmas has come and gone

Hello Stitching Friends

Its hard to know where to start.  We had a great family Christmas with good food, and great times.  The best part is our family being together.  Mike was able to take a vacation day and have Christmas off this year.  I told him that was the best present of all.  He works at a job that never has closed days or holidays, and runs 24/7, 365 days a year, so when he's able to be home all day on a holiday, it's a treat.

I have been using up the remainder of my vacation time over the last part of December, which has been nice.  I will be back to work tomorrow, but then the library will be closed on January 1.  I'm sure there will be lots for me to catch up on there.

I have caught up with reading blog posts today.  It was fun reading about everyone's holiday celebrations.  

We took our tree down yesterday.  It was looking very sad.  The weekend before Christmas our daughter brought their kitten over to our house for us to keep overnight while they went on a short trip.  Well, needless to say, the cats residing at our house were not too happy with this small visitor that was filled with so much energy and mischief!  He thought the Christmas tree was his personal cat toy, and took delight making a running leap into the tree and batting at the ornaments, knocking down as many as he could....  I was not happy with him.

He looks sweet and innocent here, but believe me, he wasn't!  So after he went home, I repaired the tree as best I could, but it just didn't look as good as it did before.  Then to top it off 1 of the strings of lights went out the other evening.  So, it was time to take it down.

On Christmas morning, the kitten, Hendrix, came back with Holly and Joe, and then to turn the adventures up several more notches, our son David, and his fiancée Lauren, brought their dog with them. It made for a crazy morning for sure.  Our animals, for the most part went and hid from these four legged family members.  Hendrix was terrified of David's dog.  So, he made himself scarce as well.  After awhile everyone settled down and discovered they could tolerate each other.

I had hoped to get the Cardinal finished this year, but I ran out of the over dyed floss I'm using for the snowflakes and words.  I will call and order a skein tomorrow when my LNS opens.  

I'm sorry for the wrinkles.  I just have the words to finish along the bottom and it will be done.

So, last night I was looking through some charts trying to decide what would call to me the loudest.  Before I made a decision, Holly was asking me if I had any cute owl designs I could stitch for the baby's nursery.  She is going to decorate it in the treetop owl theme she fell in love with at Target.

So, I had her look and she chose this design of three little owls. We found the freebie on Pinterest.

 So I found an over dyed floss I had on hand along with some white linen, and got started.    I will finish it as a small pillow she can put on a shelf.  It's always fun to start something new.  The little owls should stitch up fairly quick.

I haven't pulled any other new project to start on January first.  I love the idea of a new start in the new year.  I will have to give this some more thought.  I do want to finish the book I'm currently reading to add to my list of finishes for 2014.  I've read 70 books this year.  

If I get ambitious I need to put away the other Christmas decorations from around the house.  But I don't think it's going to happen today....  

Happy New Year!  

Decking the halls

Hello friends!

I've been busy this week!  I went back to work this week after having the last 10 days off.  So there was lots to catch up on.  A flurry of emails, snail mail, book orders, etc. etc.  

Last Sunday Mike and I helped the kids get moved into their new house.  Holly was very sick with a stomach bug, so she was benched at our house on the couch.  But, we got it done, and I also got the boxes unpacked for the kitchen and everything put away.  Then I've also been busy helping do curtains for the kitchen and bathroom.  Best part was Holly finally felt better by the next day.  

Then, after the big move, and work, I've been trying to get our house decorated.  I have to share a few of my favorite Christmas stitches.

I have more Christmas stitching that I haven't shared.  I think it's so much fun to see pictures of your homes decorated for the holidays.  

I have a small collection of snow globes.

Here's a shot of our tree.  Many of the ornaments I've made but many others are from exchanges with our stitching group.  

One last snow globe, on our kitchen table.

I really like how this one was finished.  That is my sister's finishing efforts on my stitching.

A prairie schooler favorite.

I hope you enjoyed the Christmas tour of stitching on display at our house!  Thanks for visiting.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello stitching friends!

It's hard to believe it's Thanksgiving tomorrow.  This year is flying past it seems.  I have been doing some preparation today for tomorrow's dinner.  Both of our children will be here with their significant others.  We will be eating early since Mike will have to leave for work early afternoon and both kids will have to go to their in-laws for a second thanksgiving celebration.  

I made my favorite part of the meal earlier today.  My Mom's Cranberry Salad.  Every time I make it I think of her.  It is the perfect accompaniment to the turkey I think.  Would you like the recipe?  I will be happy to share it with you at the end of this post.

It will most likely be me and the animals by ourselves by late afternoon.  But, that won't be a bad thing!  I plan on doing some stitching.

I've been working on the cardinal Christmas piece since maybe the 13th or so.  I'm not good at noting the start date of projects.  I kind of rely on my blog as a way to keep track of projects throughout the year.  I realize I neglected to do photos of the ornaments I stitched.  But, it's just as well since I think at least one member of our stitch group reads my blog.  (Hi Cathy). I still need to sit down with some time to play with their final finish.  I haven't decided what that will be yet.  I will most likely look through some pictures of other finishes out there to help me decide.

I have enjoyed the crocheting project of the baby blanket.  I think it is about big enough to stop adding rows soon.  I will wait for Barb's next visit to help me with the edging.

 As soon as I laid this out on the couch for a picture, Annie jumped on the couch thinking I was laying out this cozy blanket for her afternoon nap....

Here's where I am currently on the Christmas cardinal.

I had to order another skein of the WDW Cayenne floss, since 1 wasn't enough.  I don't know what it is about this cardinal, but I've had to rip out rows a couple of times....  I guess I just haven't paid close enough attention to the chart.  I do really like this piece.  It's kind of funny because the last time I talked to my sister she told me she was stitching this piece as well.  We didn't plan that, but it happens more often than you think.  I guess we just like many of the same designs.

Our daughter and her husband recently adopted a kitten that desperately needed a home.  They named him Hendrix.  I have to share the photo she sent me last night.

 They were getting ready to go to bed and apparently he got there first!  He's just a tiny little guy. You forget how much fun kittens are until you are around one again.

Cranberry Salad

1 bag fresh cranberries 

1 orange

1 small package red jello

1c sugar

Chop the cranberries and the Orange in a food mill or food processor.  Meanwhile boil water, add 1c boiling water to the red jello and dissolve.  Add the sugar to cranberries and orange mixture, then add the dissolved jello, and 3/4c cold water to the cranberry mixture.  Refrigerate for firming up.  I always make it the day before. I serve it in her fostoria bowl.  

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Veterans Day

Hello Stitching Friends!

I'm thinking of all of you on this gray November day.  I have spent part of the afternoon deciding on my next ornament.  I have chosen one, from here:

Then found appropriate fabric and pulled flosses with some substitutions.  This may be the one for our annual ornament exchange in our stitching group.  I will have to see how it comes out.  I did finish this ornament last night.

The fabric is more greenish in color than it appears in this photo.  The design is an older one from Little House Needleworks.  

Our daughter and son-in-law will be moving soon.  They found a house they are buying.  It is in our town, just a few blocks away from where they are currently living.  The house needs some work, mostly painting in every room, and the downstairs bathroom needs a re-do.  But I think with our son helping them along with Mike and I, they will be able to accomplish most all of the work.  I see a paint roller in my hand before long.....  They are very excited about this, and not having to be renters any longer.  There's a perfect little bedroom upstairs for the baby!  

I've been enjoying my day off for the Veterans Day holiday.  The animals have been napping since Mike left for work.  

Here's Annie and Simon spooning in the chair.  They have it rough around here! lol.  

I did order fabric and flosses for this beauty from The Silver Needle last week.  They arrived on Saturday!  I am itching to start this!

 I've loved this design for a long time.  

I will close this post with a picture of a couple of my Thanksgiving pieces.

I don't have many things stitched for this holiday.  I do have "Be Ye Thankful" finished from the Cross eyed cricket.  But I leave it out all year, and don't necessarily think of it as a Thanksgiving piece.

Thanks for visiting my blog, and happy stitching friends!

Progress

Hello Stitching Friends!

I thought I would check in with an update.  I spent most of today taking it easy and doing some stitching.  I had oral surgery yesterday.  I'm very happy it's over.  I hadn't been looking forward to it at all.  I had tissue removed from the roof of my mouth, and then implanted in front of my lower front teeth.  My gums have receded there and this tissue implantation is supposed to be the solution.

But enough about that, here's an update photo on today's progress.

Sorry for the shadows.  But you can tell where I'm at.  I'm calling it quits for today.  It's probably one more day off work tomorrow.  

The weather is turning colder this week.  It is supposed to be a pretty chilly Halloween this year.  The leaves have really been falling as well.  The fall colors have been really pretty this year.  

Being home all day today I witnessed what the cats do when we are at work in the afternoons.

What a bunch of sleepyheads!  Ranger did wake up as I took her picture.  

I took this picture this weekend at the park while walking Harry.  

Hope you're finding time for stitching fun!

Thanks for visiting.

October nearly gone....?!

I don't know where its gone, but October is much closer to the end of the month than the beginning.  I have been busy!  My niece, was here for a nice long visit earlier this month.  We made the most of it and packed a lot of stitching and needlework into the time she was here!

Since I found out a baby is on the way this coming Spring, I wanted to see if I could remember how to crochet again.  Because a new baby needs a blanket from grandma!  So with some help from my niece, I got going again.  It's been a fun diversion.

The yarn is really soft, just what you think it should be for a baby's blanket!

There may be a few mistakes, but at least I've gotten the rhythm of it again.  I will need to get some more yarn this weekend.  I got it at Michaels.

Then I've been working on the Tortoise and the Hare...

Here's where I left off last night.  I always forget how much time it takes to do these Prairie Schooler charts.  I guess I'm just impatient to get it done.  I am thinking ahead to some Christmas ornaments that I want to do....  I haven't made final choices yet, but it's time to do some final choices.  

Then besides the crocheting, the cross stitching, my niece and I each started a patchwork and appliqué square!  Again, I was having to stretch out of my comfort zone.

We worked hard two evenings to get this far.  The designer is Bonnie Sullivan from 'all through the night '.  

Barb chose a different month for her project.  I still have to do the blanket stitching, vine, etc.  I am supposed to have that done before she returns in December, so we can do the finishing. I will finish it for a small wall hanging I think.  

So, that about catches you up on stitching projects around here!

But then I hosted our Rural Library Directors group at our library last Friday morning.  That entails coffee and breakfast foods, and after the meeting taking them to a local restaurant for lunch!  So, that is a full day since I finish off the day by working through the afternoon as well.

But, that wasn't the end of the entertaining!  I hosted our stitching group at our house this past Monday evening.  I made applesauce cake from scratch with my Mom's recipe for caramel frosting. It's perfect for Fall!  We had a fun evening stitching together as always.  We have a great group of women.

I better close for now.  Hope you are all finding some quality stitching time!

Finishes....

My future DIL stopped this afternoon with three of her finishes and some frames, so I showed her how to frame them.  I think they turned out nice.

I think this last one is my favorite.  That was her first piece.

I'm proud of her efforts!  Just wanted to share them with you.

Happy Stitching!

New start

Hello Stitching Friends!

I have been busy.  I have a couple finishes to share, and a new start.

I finished stitching up this little ornament.  It was unfinished from our finishing class with Mona at the Silver Needle.  It was my first attempt at sewing a beaded edge finish.  I found it challenging to count the stitched edge evenly to space the beads...

This was another one of the finishes from the same class.

Then this was the final one.

I received the new ornament issue this week.  I've made a quick pass or two through and found a couple that I may stitch.  

Then, my newest start is this

It doesn't look like much yet.  

I've always liked this design and have owned the chart a long time.  I have more of a reason to look at this now.....  Because,  we've been let in on a little secret.....

How about that for big news??  Holly and Joe are looking forward to a new arrival late next Spring.  Mike and I are pretty excited to say the least!  It will be the first grandchild for our family.  

I haven't located the pinking shears to trim the felt around the little tombstone ornament.  In case you can't tell I finished the top one as a flat fold.  I ran out of trim to put around it, so may find some when I have the chance to go to a fabric store and add some later.  I need to cover those edges!  

I do like the fabric I used on the back....

Well, thanks for sticking it thru to the end of this long post.  

I hope you are finding time to enjoy your stitching!