Some Reveals

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas.  

Ours was very good.

I had the whole week off but, it went way too fast.  

Back to work tomorrow but, then another day off!

Since I have given out all the Christmas presents, I can post them.  

I did forget to take the pictures of tow of the Santa's I made....I just forgot and packed them up to be mailed.  Well Duh!

I did take pictures of the rest.  

The Polar Bear Santa went to my sister if Florida.  

The other Santa went to my sister-in-law in Georgia

These were the Sabta's do the stitching group based on what they typically work on.

Ann got the Cross Stitching Santa, Arttie the Quilting Santa and Patty the Knitting Santa.  

I also made a Knitting Santa for Katy.  

I didn't make any for me....someday.  

Made a Beef Wellington for Christmas.

It was spectacular.  

Katy wasn't home for Christmas but, she is home this weekend.

I'm making a Prime Rib.  

New Years isn't going to anything fancy......maybe PB&J since the food budget is blown.  

Not really but, there will be really good leftovers this week.  

I'm nearly done with the BBD Merry Christmas.  

I'm doing the side piece that will go around the drum.  

I

I have been watching the Tutorial on making a needle drum on the Twisted Stitcher Flosstube.  

I made a pin drum earlier this year but, really haven't been happy with the way it turned out.

It's kind of lopsided.  

I took that apart and will use her method when I'm ready to finish this one.  

I used Little House Needleworks Tree Lot to make a throw pillow for Katy.  

This is what I used the 7 count Klostern.  

It pretty much fills up the 11x18 pillow form I got.  

I did add and extra tree in both rows just to make it fit a little better.  

I'm delighted with how it turned out!

I may have to get more fabric and make one for me next year.  

I used six strands of DMC, stripping it for better coverage. 

Thought about doing a round up of all the projects I finished this year. 

Maybe I will get to it on Tuesday but, then again maybe not.  

Depends on how ambitious I am. 

Hope you are having a great Christmas and have a wonderful New Year!

Keep on Stitching!

Monica 

Buster and Henry Ford Say Merry Christmas

Buster and Henry Ford are all dressed for Christmas.

There are brass buttons on Buster's sweater.

His bandanna from the groomer goes so well.  

 Henry Ford is looking very sophisticated in his poinsettia bandanna.  

 Let me tell you, not an easy thing to do, get them in the same picture.  

Started working on BBD Merry Christmas needle drum.  

I am really loving this and the size of the linen  

Its on 36 count and it is really nice.   

I have one more project to finish but, it won't take me long.  

Its for Katy and she won't be home until the weekend.

She is spending Christmas with her boyfriend and his family in Indianapolis.

It is going to be strange not to have her home but, times a changing.  

There could be a hitch with her coming home....we may have a pile of snow.

According to the forecast now (which can really change), we could have 10 inches of snow.

All I can say is yikes.  

Will just have to wait and see.  

We booked our flight to Dallas for a wedding.  

I have a pair of palazzo pants and ordered a top in two sizes.

I will return the one that doesn't fit.

We have no place to buy something a little dressy.  

I ordered from North Style and have had great luck ordering from there.  

Nice cloths and not crazy priced.  

The sizes generally run pretty accurate.  

That about sums it up.  

Have a wonderful Christmas.

Next weeks post will be lots of pictures.  

I'll be able to show you what I have really been up to.

Keep on Stitching 

Monica

Just Had To Get It

I nearly have my Christmas presents done. 

I got the ones done that were going out of town and sent on Thursday. 

They should be getting to their destinations today or tomorrow!

I started seeing this one:  BBD Merrily, Merrily We Welcome Spring.

I'm always on the look out for pieces that are Spring or Summer.

I'm always drawn to Fall and Christmas but, Spring is different.  

The border is just awesome!

I don't have anything for it but, wanted to get it before you couldn't get it.  

The next time I'm at the Bee, I'll pick up the thread.  

I may dye my own fabric.

I have some natural that I think I can stain with something.....dye or walnut shells and achieve the same effect as the one on the cover.  

Sometimes it takes forever to get the fabric the designer use.  

I think this will be a really fun stitch!

Then I got the last and I mean LAST of the Ladies Prim Society installment.  

Dyeing to Stitch is discontinuing Ladies Prim and the Colonial Group.  

They are starting two new groups but, not sure if I'm going to join or not.  

I will have to hear more about it.

This really is a wonderful piece and may start it once the last gift is done along with the Christmas Sampler.  

Too many projects, too little time.  

Went to Joann's this weekend with Arttie.

I only picked up a couple of things:  gift bags, Fresh press and some sequins for next years ugly sweater.

It was a beautiful day, sunny about 30 but, still managed to find the black ice and completely wiped out and couldn't get up because I was still on ice,

Painfully got off the ice and Arttie and some nice stranger let me hang on to them so I could hoist myself up....ever so gracefully...ha!

Was a little sore but, the good thing was I walked around the mall and didn't have a chance to get too stiff. 

Not too bad today.

Hate black ice!  Moral of the story, DON'T WALK BETWEEN CARS!!

Have a wonderful week!

Keep on Stitching 

Monica

Fabulous Christmas Giveaway at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Took an hour off work to frost my Bailey's Irish Cream Cake for Stitching Group tonight,  I have a late client to will be working an hour later.  If you haven't done so, today is the last day of Nancy's  Christmas Giveaway.  You can connect to all the fun at.....
Christmas Giveaway at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Have a great day!
Keep on Stitching
Monica

I Should Be Stitching and Not Blogging!

I really should be stitching and not blogging  

I have a lot to do before Christmas.

But, just can't show a whole lot.  

I did come up with a few things.  

I have a terrible problem....I will buy thread for a project and then forget what I was going to use it for.  

I've come up with something to help with that  

I'm sure you probably do it already.

What I've started doing is taking a thread bobbin and write the project on it and put it on my thread ring.  

It seems to be working for me.  

These are the threads for some projects in the queue.

We all know that can change at the drop of a hat.  

The threads above are for BBD The Bell on Christmas Day.  

The other group of threads are for this Chessie and Me Strawberry Alphabet Sampler.  

I have the tray on order from The Attic.  

I know that the weather has been pretty bad in the South.  

We had a spectacular weather weekend.  

It was sunny and 30+!

We haven't seen the sun in like a month.

We got the outside Christmas decorations and the weather was actually pleasant.  

That about wraps it up.

I got stitching to do!

Hope you had a great weekend!

Keep on Stitching 

Monica

Bag O’Pleasure

Did some Christmas shopping yesterday in Green Bay.

No trip to Green Bay can go by without a trip to The Stitching Bee

Where I got the....

I placed an order in August  Attic Needleworks and Collectibles in Mesa Arizona. 

Their Newsletter is awesome and you can find it  HERE

Anyway, I ordered Chessie and Me Strawberry Alphabet along with the tray to finish it.  

Then they posted on their FB page an exclusive BBD that was way too appealing.  

This is the thread to work on the Chessie and Me, I picked up in the Bag O'Pleasure.  

The fabric beneath it is 7 count Klostern that I can't tell you what it is for.  

I will post it later....ssshhh TOP SECRET!

Thought this Plum Street was something that also had to go with me.  

As we headed home yesterday afternoon, the weather got worse.  

Knew we were going to have some bad weather but, really did beat it before it hit home

We got about four inches of wet, heavy snow.  

It did create a Winter Wonderland!

My Burning Bush with the little berries.  

Some of the trees in the area.  

More scenic trees!

Bob had to snow blow and shovel.  

Henry just keeps an eye on him.  

 I participated in the BBD stitch-a-long.  

I finished framing it and hung it the other day, completing the Christmas decorating.  

I can't remember if I told you about this book.  

I haven't exactly figured out how the patterns work but it is an excellent resource.  

In the back are stitches that are really spectacular.  

I suggested Katy look at them when she started a weird fingerless mitten pattern.

I am still working on some Christmas presents that I'm nearly done.  

I will need to "finish" them off.  

Hope you had great weekend and the weather wasn't too wild where you are. 

I would take the snow over the tornadoes that ravaged Illinois.  

Have a wonderful week!

Keep on Stitching!

Monica

A Balsam Hill Tree

Last Christmas our old pre-lit tree was down to one last string of lights.  

We just put more lights on.

We could have cut all the zip ties that held the old lights on but, the tree was probably 15-16 years old.  

Decided to buy a new tree.

Watching Hallmark, way too much, saw a commercial for Balsam Hill and the trees were on sale.  

I needed a tallish thin tree.

I think I got is 75% off at the time.  

Since  Katy was home for Thanksgiving, we put the tree up. 

Very happy with it!

He put most of the lights and beads up. 

Can't really see the ornaments well but, they are there.  

Festooned the lanterns on the china cabinet with wire ribbon and little clip on greens.  

Swags of evergreen, pine cones, berries with a little glitz.  

Found battery operated lights to put on the little trees on the mantel.  

Did my Shop Small yesterday.  

Picked up several Christmas presents.  

I do shop small whenever I can.  

Put the Snowmen and Santas out.

He use to go in the guest bathroom but, this year I found a moose.  

I just love his attitude and swagger.  

Started on part three of Little House  Farmhouse Christmas.  

Had a wonderful but, busy Thanksgiving.

It was great to have Katy and her boyfriend home.  

Not sure what the plans will be for Christmas.  

They have plans to see his extended family.

Not sure if they will make it here or not.  

Things get complicated and she is a little upset by it.  

It just is a matter of sharing and compromising.  

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving.  

Getting ready for Christmas.  

Have a great week!

Keep Stitching 

Monica

Hunting

It's been a week.

Deer season in Michigan, started on November 15th.  

The weekend before, Bob's brother came for a visit, to see their mom in assisted living.  

He left Tuesday morning and then Bob's friend got here that afternoon. 

Tom came to go to deer camp with him.  

The bed barely got cold.  

Let me tell you, hunting season really is pretty obnoxious.  

Men really start getting round up starting in September when bow season starts.  

My husband is no exception, buck fever has been running rampant.

I'm glad the ends is in sight.

Now we are hunting something new:  A MOUSE!

While the guys were gone, I started hearing  strange noises on Friday.  

I give the dogs a little snack around 10:30 and measure out Buster's food for following day.

I place the cup on the window sill in the laundry room.  

The next morning when I was feeding the dogs, half of the food was gone. 

I wondered if I was losing my mind.  

Then I noticed the little poops on the towel on the washer.  

Amazing the cup wasn't knocked over.  

I noticed a few days or a week earlier Buster's dental treats were going fast.  

I left one of the dental treats on the washer. 

When I got home from errands, it was still on the washer.  

Before I went to bed that night, I left a few more pieces of dog food out on the washer and the window sill.  

Sunday morning, all the food was gone.  

We put out the mouse traps last night but, haven't caught it yet.  

We have found evidence in the basement:  the bathroom vanity and the desk in Bob's office.

There wasn't anything on the desk a week ago.  

On the hunt again tonight.  

Hope we are successful!

Really couldn't happen at a worse time....just before Thanksgiving.  

I'm just going to wash stuff before I use it. 

I did finish the second piece of Farmhouse Christmas from Little House Needleworks 

Keep your fingers crossed we get that doggone mouse.  

He is driving poor Henry crazy.  

Buster is not so affected, he's lived through the first two mice.  

Hope you had a good weekend.  

Happy Thanksgiving.  

Keep on Stitching

Monica

Top Secret

Pictures are going to be slim until Christmas.

Top secret projects until then. 

I am working on a few things I can show.

I finally finished this pair of socks for Ed.  I love the self-striping yarn. 

I don’t exactly know why it took me so long to finish theses.

He has worn them already.

I have started the second in the Farmhouse Christmas series.

These I will continue to work on while working on Christmas presents.  

I downloaded this pattern last week from Ravelry.  

I'm just waiting for the needles to come from KnitPicks.  

Its called the Hitchhiker and uses a skein of sock yarn.  

I plan on using this yarn to make it  

The skein is a little less than the pattern but, I think I will have enough.  

Its an odd shaped scarf but, will be super cute with jeans, blues and greys.  

Had a productive weekend.  

It was been snowy for the last few days especially today.  

It was one of those pretty feathery snow.  

It was the perfect day to do a little stitching and watch Hallmark Christmas Movies.  

Hope you had a wonderful weekend.  

Keep on Stitching 

Monica

Be Thankful on Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

  A wonderful giveaway at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe  
   Check it out and tell Nancy I sent you😀

Stitching Retreat

Got back last weekend from the Stitching Bee Retreat. 

It has been a busy week.  

I did take last Monday off but, was very busy with all kinds of things.  

It was at Rowley's Bay Resort in Ellison Bay.

The rooms were a little dated but, overall pretty comfortable.  

We were really in our room to sleep.  

The fireplace in the front lobby was really beautiful.

Had to take a picture of the stack

This explains were it came from  

Some of the murals by the restaurant quaint and old.

It kind of reminded us of Holiday Inn

This miniature was in Grandma's Bakery.  

The desserts came from the bakery at dinner:  bars and cookies.  

The bakery was amazing.  

Breakfast and Dinner buffets were included.  

Let me tell you, the Pecan rolls were to die for!

Got a little picture inside the school house.

The little boy is sitting on a stool and has a dunce cap on his head.  

The view of the bay. 

We were on the Lake Michigan side of Door Peninsula.  

It was rainy all weekend.

Saturday more drizzly than rain.  

So we got out and did a little shopping in Sister Bay and had lunch there.  

We stopped at the Tannebaum shop in Sister Bay and the mums on the the way in were spectacular!

Cocktails before dinner

The Room we had for stitching was great.

There was a lot of room to move around.

Natural lighting during the day and in general good lighting.  

I didn't need to use my Ott Light.  

The view from my chair at our table. 

Since it was close to Halloween a prankster placed this cling on the toilet seat in the bathroom.  

It was pretty comical  

If you didn't know what it was, it looked real.  

I was working on the first part of Little House Needleworks Farmhouse Christmas.  

I'm now alternating between that and PS Santa's.  

It really was a wonderful weekend. 

It goes by way too fast.  

It is always good to see everyone.

I often head to the Bee and have Bob drop me off for a little free stitch and send him to Cabelas for an hour or two.  

I see some of the ladies there.

Hope you are having a good weekend 

It has been rainy, blustery and cold all day.  

I did all my errands and church yesterday, I didn't leave the house!

Have great week!

Keep on Stitching

Monica