Deck the Halls....

What a busy season this is...I have been busy decorating the house.  We got our Christmas tree put up last weekend.  I have a few pictures to share.  Our tree is a mix of ornaments I've made and received through the years, along with some ornaments the kids made when they were little.  Each one makes me smile.  We place the tree in the corner of the living room near one of the bookcases.

We have also been putting up wreaths, garland and lights outside.  We had to take one of the garlands down today, because the lights quit working...so off to get another string of lights to wrap around the garland.  Our outside decorations consist of wreaths hung with red velvet ribbon in each of the large windows.  Simple, but pretty.  This Fall I picked up two small prelit trees at an auction.  I think I paid a whopping dollar for the pair.  So, we placed them on either side of the front door.  Can't beat that.  Then we ended up by doing lighted garland on the top of the railing around our deck behind our house.  So, all in all, not bad.  This year the house next door to us went all out with colored lights everywhere.  So, we're kind of living by the Grizwolds.

I have watched my absolute favorite holiday movie the other night to get in the holiday mode...National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation.  There are so many funny lines in the movie.  Our family loves to interject them into conversation for a laugh. 

Our Stitching Group is getting together tomorrow night for our Christmas party.  I've made the treats I am taking to share...  mini cheesecakes.  :) yum.  I've also got my ornament made for our exchange, I just haven't wrapped it yet.  It wouldn't be normal if I had it all done the day before...  At least the glue is dry on my ornament finish....  :) 

I haven't done any holiday baking except for a batch of rusks today.  However, these won't last very long around here.  If I want to do any for holiday giving, I will need to make another batch closer to Christmas.  For those of you that have no idea what they are, I'll share a picture.  They are a Swedish baked treat.  Best enjoyed with a cup of coffee.  The recipe is my Mom's.  She taught me how to make them when I got married.  They are a tradition our family enjoys.

 This is a picture of a Prairie Schooler Christmas sampler I did several years ago.  It's one of my favorites.  My husband made the frame for it. 

Next post I will share some pictures of other stitchy Christmas things around our house....

Happy Stitching everyone, that is if you have time for it this busy season.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

I have been busy doing some baking today in preparation for the big day tomorrow.  The desserts and salads are done.  So, that leaves the rest for tomorrow morning. 

We are planning to eat around noon since Mike has to work.  After the cleanup is over, I plan to relax with some stitching! 

I hosted our cross stitch group this past Monday night.  That is always fun.  I didn't seem to get much stitching done tho.  But, we all had a  good time.  I finished up stitching my ornament for our exchange in a couple of weeks, all that is left is the final finish work. 

We are experiencing some mild weather for a few days.  Mike got some of the outside lights up on our deck today.  They always look so pretty.  He put white lights around evergreen garland and affixed it to the deck railings. 

He is planning on doing the front of the house in the next few days.  Just hanging wreaths on the two big front windows and some garland with white lights over the windows.  Simple.  But I like that best. 

I do have something to share that I'm very happy about.  I recently (finally) got my two Hawks Run Hollow pieces framed.   *yeah!

The Village of Hawks Run Hollow was the first one  and then two years later I did,

Christmas at Hawks Run Hollow.  I am so glad to finally have them framed and hanging on the wall.  I am still thinking I might want to tackle the Shores at Hawks Run Hollow someday, and Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow.  But, for now, these are finally framed.

Hope all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving tomorrow! 

And, Happy Stitching!

11.11.11

Happy Veteran's Day.

Today I am thinking of the date 11-11-11. What a unique occurance.  Kind of makes you want to go out and buy a lottery ticket.  I was just reading online how many marriages are going to take place today.  I guess it would make it easy to remember!

On Veteran's Day I often think of my Dad.  He was a Veteran of World War I.  I was his last child born to him from his second marriage.  Dad was 58 when I was born.  I have lots of sweet memories of Dad.  He was so proud to walk me down the aisle at my wedding.  I suspect he didn't think he would still be alive to do that.  He shed happy tears that day. 

Monday..monday...

Hello Stitchy Friends.

I finally have some current pictures to share with you! They are even pictures of stitching! 

Wow, I know?  This can't mean I'm getting it together so early in the week can it?  Oh well, here goes.

Finally here is the picture of the completed Prairie Schooler Christmas piece I finished a couple of weeks ago.  Black is not my color of choice to work on, but it did look great with this chart.

Another view...  I haven't decided how I am going to finish this one...maybe a flatfold.

This is a current photo of my progress on the Winter band sampler by Little House Needleworks. This has been a fun one to stitch, and is going rather quickly.

Finally, another finish.  This is a sampler I started several years ago.  It's by Sheepish Designs.  It's been tucked away in a bag for awhile.  I dug it out after I finished the Prairie Schooler on black, and decided there really wasn't much stitching left to be done on it, so decided to finish it!  I'm not so sure of the color choices I had made with this one.  I'm thinking that is why it was in the unfinished state for so long.  But, for better or for worse, I've finished it. 

That about wraps up my photos of current projects completed.  And, since it's Monday, the dryer is buzzing and the grocery store is calling...  so best get on with it.
Hope you all have a great week and...Happy Stitching!

Pictures of winter band sampler...

Hi

Here is a picture of my progress on the Winter Band Sampler.  This has been an enjoyable piece to work on.  I will work on getting more photos taken of my other recently completed pieces soon.

Happy Stitching!

October's gone already?

Hello Stitching Friends.

I am finding it rather mind numbing it is the first of November today. 

I have such good intentions about posting more often, but the days seem to be flying by.  The only excuse I will offer is I think about posting, and tell myself I will as soon as I take some pictures to add.

Well, no current pictures for this post.  I will try to have some for the next one.  I finished the Prairie Schooler christmas piece on the black fabric.  It turned out great I think.  I haven't decided how to finish it, but I am thinking about doing a flat fold finish. 

I then moved on to 'Merry Christmas' by Shepherd's Bush.  I have done the stitching and back stitching, just have to press it and sew on the buttons.  I am thinking this should be a christmas gift. 

I then started the Winter band sampler by Little House Needleworks. 

I did find one picture that managed to get uploaded that I'll share.  We recently took a trip to Banner Marsh near Peoria.  It was a beautiful Sunday, and I got some pictures of some swans on the water.  I also managed to get some good pictures of a crane.  I will have to do some looking to find those to share.

I promise next post, I will get some stitching pictures to share.

Happy stitching!

Stitching progress..

I have been on vacation this week.  The weather has been beautiful, almost too warm for October in the midwest.  Low 80s.  About 10 degrees warmer than it should be.  I'm not complaining mind you.  The trees are really showing their beautiful autumn colors. 

I didn't have any goals I had to meet this week, just have done some jobs around the house that needed some attention.  It is just such a wonderful feeling to have time to putter around.  Today is my last day of vacation at home before Mike joins me.  He will be taking some days off also starting tomorrow. 

Mike helped me with taking some pictures this morning for my blog.  I had the autumn themed pieces in mind to change my blog header photo.  I actually have frames for two of the pieces, just need to stretch them and get them framed...

I have been enjoying some extra stitching time.  I have been working on a Christmas piece.  My friend Cathy handed it off to me at our last stitch group claiming the black fabric was just too hard for her to see to stitch.  She knew I liked the design also, so she just handed me her fabric and chart and said 'go for it'.

So, this is what I've been working on this week.  I finished all the gray at the bottom and I'm going to stitch the outside border next.  It will look good when finished I think.  Black fabric isn't my favorite color to work on but it does look really good with this design.

I recently finished up this Crows freebie.  I purchased some black and gold fabric for finishing.  I need to sew it into a long pillow.  I've seen photos of some of the finishes you all have done on this piece, and it's really cute.

This Jolly Jack piece was the last one I've finished.  I substituted some of the overdyed flosses from what was listed on the chart, but I'm pleased with how it turned out.  I need to press it, and decide on how to finish it.

I finished up this Silent Night ornament by Little House Needleworks recently also.  Again, it just final finish work needed....*sigh*  Can you tell this takes me much longer to get inspired to tackle instead of the actual cross stitching??? 

I got my favorite old quilt out for the photos I've posted.  I bought just the quilt top years ago at an auction, and then had the local senior citizen's ladies quilt it.  The local senior quilters have done many quilting projects over the years.  At the time I added my name to their waiting list it was like at least a year's wait.  But they do beautiful quilting.  I'm not sure if they still do this or not, it has been several years since I had this done.  I have one other quilt I had them quilt for me, it's a sampler quilt I pieced by hand.  My sister sewed the blocks and sashing together for me.  I will get a photo of it sometime and post it.  That is my total experience with quilting...one.  I do love quilts, I just love cross stitching more.

I will end this long post with one more cat photo.  Our daughter, Holly took this photo the other day, and I have to share.

Annie is pretty photogenic.  She likes posing!  LOL.  Holly caught her looking out the living room window the other day and got this shot. 

Well, guess that's the update from my neck of the woods...hope you are all enjoying some beautiful Fall weather.

Happy stitching..
Melody