Blogoversary!

Hello Stitchy Friends!

I've been writing this post in my head for at least a week....  It seems like something always seem to interrupt me from sitting down to write it. 

I checked awhile back and was surprised to see my first anniversary of my blog will be tomorrow....January 31.  I didn't get as many posts written over the year as I would have liked, but have enjoyed blogging.  The comments from all of you out there make it worthwhile.

I want to offer a giveaway.  So, I would like to have you become a follower of my blog to enter.  Repost it on your blog if you like.  I will keep the drawing open until Saturday, February 4.  I will draw a winner that morning.  Leave your email address in your comment so I will be able to contact you.

This Bent Creek Home in the Globe kit will be what I will be giving away.  So, if you are interested, please leave a comment on this post.  I will contact the winner on Saturday.

I have been stitching away on Shores of Hawks Run Hollow, I am nearing the finish line for the first block.

I am leaving for stitching night soon.  It will be fun as always to get together with my stitching friends.  I will try to remember to take my camera and get some pictures of what everyone is working on.  I hope to finish the waves on the water in my Shores block.

Happy Stitching!

Not the New Year's Start I'd Planned....

Hello Friends.

Well, my ambitious stitchy start to 2012 was a flop.  I did finish up Winter Wonderland by LHN.  Success. 

Then on to my first new start of the New Year....  Well I read the chart, measured my linen, and cut it to the size on the back of the chart...  Much to my dismay, I should have double checked the stitch dimensions and not just looked at the cut fabric size.  There is a misprint on the cut fabric size on my chart... only off by at least 5" in the vertical measurement....  So, my nice big beautiful piece of linen is cut too small for the piece now. 

I was so mad at myself.  I haven't had the heart to look at any stitching since then.  I will have to go to my nearest needlework shop and re purchase a hunk of linen for Shores of Hawks Run Hollow, and start again.  The original piece of linen that I cut too small for it, was purchased at the shop in Galena, when it was going out of business, and the shop owner sold me a larger piece than what I needed...so that is why I was cutting it down to size....

Well, I guess I will just find other uses for my cutting mistake.

Onto other business...  Thanks to all of you sharp eyed stitchers out there, the source of the Snowman freebie has been found.  For those of you that are interested in obtaining the chart, see the comments from my last post that Carol made.  She has kindly posted the address for you to find the snowman freebie.

http://gazette94.blogspot.com/2011/01/bonhomme-de-neige-2011.html

So, thanks Carol for finding the link for the chart for everyone.

Well, I guess I will let you know when I gather my stitching mojo to move ahead.

Hope your stitchy start to 2012 was better than mine.

Snowman Freebie .....

For those of you that left comments wondering where I found the Snowman freebie I finished...  I have done some looking at the chart, but the url at the bottom of the page didn't lead anywhere.  And I'm sorry to say I don't remember where I found it.

The best I can offer is to make a copy of the chart and mail it to those of you that would want to have it.  Since it was posted as a freebie, I think this would be o.k. to do. 

So, send me an email with your name and mailing address if you would like me to send a copy of the chart to you.

melodyheck@gmail.com

Ringing in the New Year...

Hello Friends!

Happy New Year to you all.  I have been busy today undecking the halls.  I still have the tree to take out of here, but most of the other things have been put away.  I still have snowmen around, but they will stay through January at least. 

We are having mild weather still around here.  It's rather surreal.  It's not normal for me to be able to run outside to the storage shed putting away holiday totes with no jacket...  We do finally have some sunshine this afternoon.  It has been gloomy outside for days.  It's nice to see the sun. 

I just finished up the book I have been reading.  Another cozy mystery.  They seem to be my favorite genre.  I think I am pulling the new Patricia Cornwell off the shelf to read next.  I enjoy using the Good Reads site.  If you haven't explored it yet, and are a reader, you should. It's a great way to keep track of what you've read, add friends and explore authors.  I've kept track of the books I've read since about 1975.  A few years ago I added them all into an excel spreadsheet.  (I know, I'm a nerd).  But what do you expect from a librarian??  I haven't entered all the titles from my spreadsheet into good reads, but have done a good portion of them. 

I am close to having a finish of 'Winter Wonderland' by LHN.  I have been thinking about a New Year's Day start....  I am strongly leaning toward starting the Shores of Hawks Run Hollow.  I have the linen, and chart, just need to pull the flosses.  So, I may be doing that tomorrow....we'll see. 

I'm sure most of you are familiar with Shores, but if you're not, here is a photo of someone's completed work.  I am contemplating some changes in my piece.  We will see what I come up with.  I usually most always follow the chart religiously, but there are about three blocks in this piece I'm not so fond of...I am thinking my piece may be 9 blocks in all, not 12.  I feel almost sacreligious in writing this...I am a big fan of Carriage House Designs....

Stay tuned to see what happens.  As always I appreciate your comments and insights.  If you're wondering which blocks I'm thinking of eliminating, they would be the three in a vertical row on the right side. 

For the first time in many years, Mike is not going to have to work second shift tonight.  He traded with a co-worker and worked first shift today.  So, this means he'll actually be home for New Year's Eve.  I'm looking forward to it.  We're planning a quiet dinner at home, and then maybe go uptown to the local hotspot.  Our children and their dates are planning to be there, so we'll join them for awhile.  It will be a change from my usual routine of staying home stitching and reading.... 

Happy New Year's to all my stitchy friends in blogland.  See you in 2012!

Christmas is past

Hello stitchy friends...I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. We had a very nice day at home. We did our traditional breakfast of egg casserole and homemade cinnamon rolls...yum. Our son brought his girlfriend to join us. We all opened presents together in the morning. Santa was generous to all. I was especially surprised to unwrap an iPad! I am experimenting with my first post from it this evening.

I started Winter Wonderland from LHN recently. It is coming along, then I've had some extra time for reading since I don't go back to work until Thursday....nice! We have been experiencing mild temperatures here for this time of year...and no snow yet. This is pretty unusual for Illinois in December.

I was going to include a picture of stitching progress but am still learning how to do this from the iPad. Hopefully I will figure it out for next time.

Happy stitching!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all!  And to all a Good Night! 
I hope you have a lovely Christmas full of memories to treasure. 

In the air there's a feeling of Christmas...

Hello Friends.

Christmas is rapidly approaching.  It's been two weeks since my last post...the days have been full with work, shopping, baking and getting ready for the big day.

I think the house looks it's prettiest when it is all decked out for the holidays.  I have been off work all this week, so I have enjoyed lighting the Christmas tree and enjoying the decorations around the house each day. 

I walked around this morning and took some pictures to share with you of other Christmas cross stitch pieces I've done through the years.  I love this Prairie Schooler Night Before Christmas piece.  This is the companion to the one I hung in the kitchen that I displayed on my last post.  Again, my husband made the frame for this one.  I don't remember where he found the molding, but would like to find it again, since the frames turned out so nice.

I love this little metal tree.  I found it at an auction this summer, so I chose some of the cross stitched ornaments to display on it.

This is my latest finish.  I worked on this little snowman for a couple of weeks.  I'm trying to decide how to finish it off.  I like the mini ball fringe I have laying beside it.  I just haven't decided if I should sew it into a small pillow ornament, or mount it on padded mat board.. Those are the two ornament finishes I know how to do best...  The pattern was a freebie I found online.  I'm sorry I don't remember where.  He reminded me of a Jim Shore design.

Here is another Prairie Schooler finish.  I did this one as a flat fold.  Love the houses along the bottom...

This little one is sitting in my kitchen windowsill.  I enjoy looking at these everyday.

Another little piece on my kitchen windowsill.  I have a collection of snowmen here as well.  And below it is a small wreath that a stitching friend made for me years ago.  She has done these cute small ornaments on paper.

This Winter band sampler from Little House Needleworks finally made it into a frame.  It was an inexpensive frame from walmart.  I was so happy to find it fit perfectly.  This is hanging in our kitchen.

This is another favorite Christmas finish.  I think I found this in an ornament magazine years ago. 

I guess I will have to add a picture of my assistant Joplin.  She loves to help with everything these days.  She was especially interested when I was wrapping presents!  I found her under the tree ripping paper from packages...So I had to do some emergency repair work.

I have some last minute grocery shopping to get done..now that I've checked the supplies and made my list.  We will be celebrating together on Christmas day.  Mike will be working Christmas Eve.  But I'm very happy to say he will have Christmas Day off.  That will be a treat. 

 I hope this wonderful Christmas season brings you joy with those you love.  Happy Holidays dear friends.