Finish and New Start

Jerry and I started watching Midsomer Murders on Netflix - again. This time, Netflix's instant viewing unpredictability was a good thing - they have added more Midsomer Murders. Last night I started stitching 'The Harvesters' by Little House Needleworks. I don't have the overdyed orange called for, but I have decided to use one of the dozens of overdyed oranges I have on hand. I also plan to change the little boy into a little girl to represent my daughter.

Cue the Count from Sesame Street: I have 1, 1 lovely Christmas ornament - Ha! Ha! Ha!

Only 11 more to go to meet my Christmas ornament a month goal! WhooHoo! ;) hmmm....

Colonial Stitching

I have big plans for this design by Little House Needleworks! I need to get some more acid-free foam board and get blocking!

I always set a goal of 1 Christmas ornament a month. So here is a start on my 1st ornament of the year in month 8. Hmmmm, I don't know if I will catch up! This is a design from Tristan Brook's 'Christmas in the Colonies.' I love the colors!

It is so difficult this time of year - I know I should be doing Christmas stitching, but the slight, very slight, nip in the air this morning makes me want to pull out the autumnal stitching. What are you working on?

Coffee & Stitches

Growing up, I was not especially keen on coffee. 14 1/2 years of marriage to Louisiana Man has done much to change that! Louisiana Man makes coffee so thick and dark it looks like pipe sludge. My newest start will look beautiful (one day) framed in my coffee nook with Paulette's coffee freebie.

I was feeling so confident after finishing a WIP, 'The Mermaid,' that I dug around and found 'Mary Queen of Scots' (sans alphabet) by Papillon. I emailed and requested the french version of Mary's motto. It is so pretty! Why, oh, why did I ever put it down?

I am itching to start both the above and the below designs from Brenda Keyes' Traditional Samplers. I checked it out from the library 2 weeks ago. I haven't started either yet, so I might need to recheck it or purchase a used copy somewhere! The colors in my pictures aren't great, but trust me, both have beautiful color combinations!

I am also working on kitting up some small travel-sized projects to take along now that the girls' activities have started. Nutmeg was asked to join her dance school's competitive dance team. One mom told me they spent 12 hours one day at competition. Sounds like stitching time for me!!

An almost-finish!

I suppose I should have finished it before I put it on the blog, but I wanted to let you know that I am still here! I was having trouble getting the photos off my camera!

This is a Little House Needleworks design from Just Cross Stitch. I picked it up a week or so ago at my LNS. It has been a fun and quick stitch. I think I should have done the chapter and verse in the darker purple, but I just don't feel like picking and restitching!

Poinsettia House finished

Ta Dah!

Poinsettia Progress

Here is a quick update on "Poinsettia House." That was a LOT of "Clay Pot" to stitch on the house - good thing I love to watch the subtle color changes! I messed up big time on the top poinsettia; I have not figured out how I will "fix" that yet. I hope to finish this up in a day or so and then go into ornament finishing mode. Of course, every time I post my big plans, I lose interest in them and start something else! Oh, well!

Did you miss me?

Wow! I have really neglected my blog lately! My newest neice was born the week of Thanksgiving, and it has been all go since then!

The girls decorated gingerbread houses last week with the friends they have been decorating gingerbread houses with for several years. They were on quite a sugar high!

I did manage to stitch a bit yesterday. It has been so long! I cannot believe I have not been stitching on all the ornaments I picked out!

Here is our Advent wreath. I could not find the purple and rose colored candles. We made the little clip-on St. Nicholas last Sunday in Sunday School. December 6 is St. Nicholas' Day. I have big plans for next Sunday for St. Lucy - we'll see. And don't feel sorry for me that I am not celebrating Christmas right now. It is Advent after all! And we party hard the 12 Days of Christmas. And I can celebrate Christmas 40 days if I want- until 2 Feb - Candlemas!

I am excited about Nutmeg's new piano piece she is working on! (I have been working on it too!)

Oh! And my little Nutmeg celebrated her 9th birthday this week! Happy Birthday, Nutmeg!

Whew!

I am now in ornament mode - I think

I finished up this little freebie from Paulette at Plum Street Samplers. If you have not downloaded him, hurry on over to her blog! Yours will not look quite like mine because you can probably read a chart without confusing the color symbols and making the letters different sizes. Ahem. I cannot tell his beak from his wattle; I stitched it both ways, and I am still not sure I got it right.

I altered "Visions of Sugar Plums" by Country Cottage Needleworks to reflect my own little girls. It turned out to be quite the PINK confection! This pattern is in the 2009 JCS ornament edition.

The girls had their fall piano recital last week. Here is a picture of the girls and Jerry.

Speaking of Jerry, I smell pipe smoke coming up from his office in the basement. That is not going to work. I don't want my big $$$$$ cross stitch linen smelling like smoke!!!! EEEKKKKK!!!!!

A Parent and Some Pinkeeps

Sunday, we celebrated my mom's birthday. I made my first (slighty off-center) pinkeep for her. This morning, I tried again and made another pinkeep for myself. I really like making them. I am off to find some unfinished Christmas ornaments with pinkeep potential!

Little House Day

I finished the 'Goodwill' thread pack this morning and then started on the 'Home is Where Your Flowers Grow' design also by Little House Needleworks. I may try to work on 'Against every Sin' this evening. I find it uncomfortable switching between 2 strands on 28 count and then to 1 strand over 35 count. I much prefer the latter. My husband took the girls to the park today, and when they came home my 6-year old drew me this lovely picture. I wish I could post pictures to show you how beautiful my girls are, but - you know how things are in this day and age - have to be careful!
I hope everyone got a lot of stitching done today!

Michele

Little House and Country Cottage

Last week, I visited the Dogwood Patch in Hiawasee, GA. It was the first time I had visited the new location. My husband frequently goes "over the mountain," and I often send a list with him in case he has time to go by the shop. The women there are amused to see this man in a suit come in and ask for particular overdyed threads and specific counts of linen.
The Dogwood Patch is large and open, with a long table set up for stitching near large, bright windows. The owner, Terri, is warm and friendly, and the selection of charts and fabrics is extensive. I went prepared with a list, but of course, there were some other items I did not know I needed. I bought the three charts in the bottom picture. Little House and Country Cottage designs seem to catch my eye everywhere. The top picture is a free Little House design I picked up at a cross stitch shop last year. The Crescent Colours were sold as a thread pack.
I would love to start one of the new patterns, but feel I must finish at least one of my works in progress before beginning another. Maybe I will have another cup of coffee and wait until that feeling passes!

Michele