Christmas Cheer

I managed to get well enough to add a bit of Christmas around the house! It's nice to be catholic and be able to leave the decorations up while the rest of the world is busy taking theirs down. ;) If you can't get yours packed up, just tell people you are celebrating the 12 Days of Christmas!

I totally let the girls do the tree. Next year I might need my own...

My mom bought these houses for me and my sister. I love looking at the dates...

Taking a popsicle break

I have been very sick this week. It is not the flu, but it is pretty crummy nonetheless. And it is requiring a lot of popsicles.

Today I started a Mary Beale ornament, "Mary was espoused to Joseph." I have never been much of a snowman or santa Christmas stitcher. I usually prefer a religious or nature theme. Although I am beginning to like some of the Mary Beale repeated patterns too.

The ornament below was intense! There are a lot of stitches in that little ornament! I love bargello-style designs, and I can never resist Carriage House Samplings. If you remember this ornament from 2005, you know it was charted to say "Dec. 1804." In my sinus infection-induced fog this morning, I thought I would just freehand "Christmas" and see how it fit. I still cannot believe it fit perfectly - and on the first try!

Jerry has run to pick up pizza and calzones since I don't need to do any food prep! Pizza, stitching, "A Touch of Frost," (a mystery series) antibiotics, and then BED!

I have enjoyed looking through all the pictures with your Christmas decorating. I thought I would show you how much I have done this year. Hmmmm...I don't think this picture will win me any awards.... ;)

Have you seen this?

Another ornament done. Well, not quite. I suppose I need to do a bit more before I can hang it!

Speaking of ornaments, have you seen Linda Wallace's trees? Here are two links to a tour of her trees. They each show different things.

http://tennesseesamplers.blogspot.com/2010/12/decorating-with-samplers-for-christmas.html

http://www.marybeale.com/images/lwallace/

One day, one day.....

What a busy time of year!

Today was a snow day for the public school, and we took the day off here as well. There was the slightest dusting of snow on the ground, and powerful, bitter winds whistled around the house all day. Between loads of laundry, I finished stitching this ornament by Plum Street Samplers.

Yesterday, I kept my nieces for a few hours. This little sweetie likes to feed a bite to the doggies and then take a bite herself. I would have stopped her, but I was busy taking pictures!

Saturday morning, Nutmeg had a recital; she played the Nutcracker March.

After the recital, we raced home to get things ready for Nutmeg's 10th birthday party. The theme was Star Wars.

Last week there were 4 ballet recitals. This coming weekend looks a bit lighter with only a double birthday party and a neighborhood White Elephant Christmas Party...

First Finish in the New House

It's a small one, but such a cute one! I love adam and Eve designs, and this one is so sweet and quick! I used DMC because I want to display it as a small pillow or pinkeep. I worry about spilling something on hand dyed threads.

Here are some random shots: Carnations my parents brought the girls at their ballet recital.

A new rug for the "library." (from Tar-zjay)

And last, but not least, Buttercup's lastest fashion experiment.

What to stitch next?

I actually stitched!!

I have had the hardest time getting back into stitching after our move. There is just too much to do, but I could not resist startng Tanya's newest Adam and Eve design. I am using the DMC colors, and I was worried that the brown was too red. Then I realized I live in Georgia, and dirt IS red! ;)

I am usually very senstive to scent, but this year I have been enjoying various wintery scents throughout the house.

Did I already show you this picture? This sign was already hanging in the dining room of this house. I begged for it. There is just something about that sign... ;)

Maybe I will get in some more stitching this afternoon. My latest vision is of a basket of Adam and Eve smalls!

I do plan on stitching again soon...

But this will have to do you for now!

We moved....mostly

We are still moving, with no end in sight! This is our new home. I will upload some more pictures when I find the camera cord!

We went to the local fall festival. I sat on a bench to people watch, and my husband bought these monstrosities for our children!

The Square is always beautiful, and they go all out decorating for Fall.

Cross Stitch? Not lately. I look forward to a stitching day soon, but first I need to get the house more settled. I did start a new blog - African Violets....Again! Look for it on my blogroll. There are no pictures now (AWOL camera cord!), but I hope to upload some pictures from my glory days (300 plus violets!) soon. Always room for another obsession, right? ;)

Getting Ready...

Notice how I put the Halloween-y cross stitch BEFORE the Christmas one? Attention, business I saw on Green Street! Take down your Christmas wreath! It just looks plain silly in October!!! But this Raven design by Plum Street Samplers might stay up year 'round!

I just put the last stitches in Shepherd's Bush's "Far Away," that was published in the JCS December 2001. I might do a BBD Halloween next- if I can stay awake! Last night, Nutmeg had a friend spend the night - I can't imagine how little sleep they got! The little sisters did not get a slumber party, but they got bowling and vampire teeth and seemed pretty happy with the deal!

Question for Smart Needlework People

This lovely cross stitch and a companion piece of a partridge/pheasant/turkey/peacock bird were, until quite recently, hanging in my late great-grandmother's home. Ahem. I leave it to your imagination as to how they are now in my possession. ;) Anyway, they were done by my grandmother quite some time ago. My question is - what is to be done? I am sure there is not a single acid free product in the whole shebang. I do not know if the dark brown streaks are dirt or acid damage. I wouldn't put my money on the threads being color-fast anyway. With today's craze for vintage and shabby, I would not hesitate to leave them as they are except for 1. I don't want them to deteriorate, and 2. My grandmother would "have a duck" if she saw them hanging in my house looking "dirty." So - where do I go from here?