First Post in the New Year

Gosh, how can it be the sixth day of January already?

We had such a wonderful, relaxing weekend. We don't entertain on New Year's Day, we just relax. I made a pan of lasagna and we enjoyed some of the leftover snacks from the previous evening - we watched football and hockey on TV, and I stitched to my heart's content!

On Friday I had lunch with a friend followed by a road trip with Joan, Jill, and Jackie to Stitchville, our "not so" local needlework store (it's about a 40 minute trip in each direction.) Friday night was spent stitching at Joan's. On Saturday all the holiday decorations came down and returned to storage for another year. It was nice to get the house back in order. Sunday came and went far too quickly. Before I knew it, it was time for another work week to begin!

During the holiday weekend I did get some stitching in. Two dear friends celebrated birthdays recently and I wanted to send them something special. Both are fans of Mary Garry designs, so it was easy to decide what to stitch for them - the Mary Garry pinkeep from the 2000 JCS Christmas Ornament magazine. I replaced the word "Christmas" with their names. I used miscellaneous linen from my stash and ST Holly Berry and Pine.

Marie's birthday is on December 29 - unfortunately I didn't get this finished and mailed until the new year, but it is the thought that counts, right? I have so enjoyed getting to know Marie better through blogging and exchanging the past few years.

Lelia's birthday is on January 2. Lelia's blog was one of the first that I visited when I started getting into this blogging thing. Lelia is such a creative person - I enjoy reading her posts.

Here's another little project that I started on January 3rd -- I'm about halfway finished with the center design and then need to stitch the border. Perhaps you recognize Three Crows from Goode Huswife? (Thanks to Barbara for her enabling on this one; she stitched it recently and I fell in love with the picture on her blog.) I'm using sandstone linen and DMC threads. Also pictured is a recent eBay purchase; the price was too good to pass up. This is the Gingher Penelope embroidery scissors. I think it was available in 2002.
I also completed my HoE Lizzie Kate exchange last weekend; will post photos of this as soon as it is received. Tonight I'm working on the finishing for my Tiny Treasures scissor fob exchange. I know, I know, I was going on an exchange diet in 2009. I've never been very good at sticking with diets, but I'm still hoping to succeed at this one - I'm just putting off starting it until February!

That's all I have for tonight - until next time, Happy Stitching!