Year-End Wrap Up

Thanks to everyone who stopped by recently and left a comment. I'm embarrassed, because my visits to your blogs lately are just "drive bys." Allow me to answer some questions that some of you asked in your comments to recent posts.

Staci asked - "really, you don't have to pay as close attention with those???" (the Hardanger) Well, I guess I do have to sort of pay attention to what I'm doing, even with hardanger, but it's easier because I'm not changing thread colors very often (if at all) and particularly with these ornaments, I think I have the pattern memorized! LOL! Also, I have read the Monica Ferris books - love 'em!

Holly asked - "did you do something to stiffen them for hanging on the tree?" I stitched them on 22 count Hardanger fabric which is already kind of stiff. When I'm done stitching and cutting, I put them stitching side down on a thick towel, then I spray them with sizing, cover with a white kitchen cotton towel, and press with a hot iron. It's important to have the right side of the stitching face the fluffy towel so that your stitches are not "flattened."

Thanks again for all of your wonderful comments!

2008 Stitching in Review

This was the first time that I really kept close track of how many pieces I stitched. It helped me to keep a monthly list in the sidebar of my blog. I have since removed the lists to make room for 2009 finishes, but here's a summary (mostly for my own future reference!)

54 total pieces stitched (wowzers!)

• 36 for exchanges (including Fair & Square)
• 11 squares on Neighborhood RRs
• 4 gifts
• 3 pieces for ME

Like many other stitching bloggers have said, I'm going to be a little bit selfish in 2009 and stitch more for myself, family, friends and participate in fewer exchanges. Don't get me wrong, I love exchanging and it has been such a joy getting to meet so many new friends from all over the world. I have tons of stuff in my stash and I'd really like to complete some of the stitching projects I have purchased over the past few years. So we'll see how it goes, as you can see from my sidebar, I do still have a few exchange commitments for 2009!

Before I go settle in my stitching chair for the rest of the evening, let me wish you a

Happy New Year! Happy Stitching in 2009!

Couple More Things...

First of all, let me share with you a better picture of the tablerunner my SIL made for me for Christmas. She said that it's a "quilt as you go" pattern...

Also, I didn't blog much in December about stitching. It's because I was busy stitching these:


These were Christmas gifts for co-workers and family members. I need to do more hardanger; I enjoy it because it doesn't require me to pay such close attention!

Finally, I finished another book! I've been reading a chapter or two before bed each night. This series has been an easy read, I don't have to concentrate too much to follow the story. All these knitting books that I have been reading lately make me want to learn how to knit!

Thanks for stopping by!

Birthday Gifts

My birthday was in November after Thanksgiving, but it gets so hectic between Thanksgiving and Christmas that our little group of stitching friends did not see each other until last Friday night. Jill and Joan surprised me with birthday presents!

Joan made one of her famous project bags for me. I love this fabric, it has a stitchy theme to it. She also gave me a really cool wagon/basket which will be great for displaying needlework smalls. I apologize, I didn't get a picture taken of the wagon!

Jill stitched a scissor fob for me -- the 2007 Shepherd's Bush fob. Here it is pictured with the Julia Gingher (I think!) Jill noticed that the pattern/kit was on my wishlist and stitched it up for me. I love it! Thanks Jill!


I really enjoy stitching with this group of friends on Friday nights and am grateful to Joan for inviting me to join in the fun.

Speaking of Shepherd's Bush fobs, the updated post on their blog today indicates that their 2009 fob will be available soon -- I'm not sure which scissors it will be paired up with though, perhaps Roberta? The 2008 fob was designed to go with Bianca.

That's it for today....have a great week!

Missing Table....Found

Yes, it has been a productive day thus far...this morning I conducted minor surgery on an ornament oops (see earlier post - Joan's ornament); then after lunch I was on the hunt to find my dining room table. It was quite literally buried under boxes, bags and piles of stuff. Here's a before photo:

After emptying the bags and boxes and breaking down the cardboard for recycling, then putting things away, we finally uncovered our table which has been lost for about two weeks! Here's the after photo:

Looks much better don't you think? I have to remember to take a photo of the table runner - my sister in law quilted it and gave it to me for Christmas. It's really pretty.

Now I'm trying to conquer the clutter in the kitchen. Wish me luck!

Ornament for Joan

December was Joan's month with the Christmas Ornament swap group. I stitched my ornament early in the month but ran out of time and never got it finished. When we arrived home on Christmas Day evening, I pulled it out and finished it up quick because I knew I would be seeing Joan last night. I finished it up, admired my work and snapped up a picture. Last night I proudly presented it to Joan! Only, there was a slight problem; can you see it? Here's the before photo:

Needless to say, Joan's ornament came home with me last night so I could make a minor alteration. Here's the after photo:

Have you figured out what I did? Yes, I finished it with the reindeer upside down! How embarrassing! Ah well, good thing that there was no mailing involved. I will stop by Joan's today and drop it off (again!)
By coincidence, I received this little pretty from Lelia the day before Christmas. (The two of us have very similar tastes!) I love the color changes that she made. I am just thrilled to own a piece of Lelia's handwork!


My day today is going to be spent trying to find the dining room table. Yes, it seems to be lost amidst bags and boxes and piles of stuff. Wish me luck.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all!

The Fruits of My Labor

Just had to share with you that I did get some baking done yesterday...today I packaged up about 20 of these tins filled with chocolate fudge, peanut butter kiss cookies, Rolo turtles, and salted nut roll bars. Yum.

That's all I have for you! Stay warm (below zero temps here with lots of snow on the ground!)

A Wonderful Stitching Blog

So, last night I posted to my blog; first post in a loooooong time. A stitcher by the name of Melissa left a message and this morning I decided to check out her blog. Wow! How did I miss visiting Melissa's blog before? She's only been blogging since September, but has posted some lovely stitchy pictures.

If you have a few extra minutes today, please check out Melissa's blog. If you only have time for a "drive-by" then make sure you look at her collection of samplers on the post from September 22, 2008! Lots of beautiful BOAF and Blackbird Designs finishes, as well as other beautiful finishes.

I wish you all a wonderful day. The snow here has started falling; today we're expecting six to eight inches of that fluffy white stuff!

Bad Blogger

Dear Friends - I'm sure you're wondering where I've been lately. It seems like since Thanksgiving the days and weeks have just flown by. Not much stitching going on at my house; just busy trying to get things ready for Christmas. I might actually do some baking (my close friends will think I am ill when they read this - cooking and baking are not my favorite things to do!)

Since I have no stitching to share, let me share with you a book I just finished reading. The story is about a woman who learns to knit and relies on a weekly knitting group to help her cope with her grief after losing her 5 year old daughter to meningitis.

If tomorrow's baking is successful, maybe I'll share some pictures with you! Have a wonderful weekend!

Pictures

Well, when I told you to stay tuned for pictures, I didn't expect it to take five days for me to get them posted - sorry about that!

Here's a snapshot front and back of the wonderful scissors fob I received from Carol for my birthday. She has stitched many of these from her Prairie Schooler Christmas Alphabet chart and I've admired them; now I have one of my own! Thank you Carol! (As I was taking this picture of the fob modeled with Gingher Lanell, wouldn't it be gool if Gingher came out with a Christmas scissors?)



Carolyn was the recipient of this month's ornaments in the Christmas Ornament Exchange group. I stitched this LHN design called "Paix" or Peace. This design was designed as a fundraiser for Unicef. I stitched this on some 36 ct fabric in my stash; otherwise it would have been a bit lrge (IMHO); the hanger is some wire that I affixed in the corners. I'm going to have to stitch this one again for myself!


That's all I have for you today! Thanks for stopping by!