The Year in Review

 Happy New Year ( or tomorrow)

I thought I would recap the year.  I thought I had finished more.  I did finish a lot, started a lot, kept working on quite a bit and of course, bought a lot.  There is no real order of finishes.  I always seem to mix large projects with the smaller squirrel projects.  

Just talking about the finishes here.  I finished Rest Thy Needle by Notforgotten Farms for my sister for her birthday

I finished Teresa Kogut's Pet All the Dogs.  I really love this project.  I stitched all the dogs to commemorate  the dogs we have or had:  Huck, Jake (the big black dog our first), Buster is in a sweater, Henry Ford and FD--Future Dog

October Sampler by Threadwork Primitives was another amazing sampler.  

This really didn't take long.  I worked on this at the Stitching Bee retreat.  

I do need to see if I have a frame to fit this or at least parts, or it may be a good one to see if I can order a custom frame online.  

Heart in Hand Tom Turkey.  Super fun, super quick I finished in a door hanger pillow for Katy.  She needed a fall, not Halloween piece for a new house.  

I also made her a Christmas/Winter display from Brenda Gervais Snow Ball.  The only one I didn't do was Fa La La....my least favorite one.  I was ecstatic that the bottle brush trees went so well!

For BBDweekend SAL I finished Rosehips and Ivy in the Sewing Club book.  While digging through my stash, I have this as a kit.  I still haven't decided to frame it or make a drum out of it.  

My January 1, 2021 start was HATS Martha Dawson.  I finished it in August.  This needs to get framed.  I may have a frame around here....just got to look but, I really want to stitch more than finish.  LOL.

BBD Pins and Needles.  It was a kit from a  Dying to Stitch Club.  Katy bought her buddy Bobby a scissors for Christmas and I stitched this up in two days and completely finished it. 

I don't do stuff like this, so fast for just anyone.  I really like Bobby.   

This was a Threadworks Primitive freebie I got with the October Sampler and really liked it's kind of quirkiness.  

I completely stitched and finished La D Da's Murder of Crows.  I love La D Da, and I especially loved the name of this one.  

This was a freebie from La D Da called Love Ya.  

Just a beautiful alphabet.  

From Sampler and Antique Needlework Quarterly Ann Pierce Brown that I changed the colors to match some beautiful egg colors in a dozen of eggs I got from a friend.  This I do have framed.  

Little  Deeds from The Scarlet House.  Just a sweet little sampler.  This was a very lovely stitch.  

I have several works in progress that I hope to finish this this year.  I get sidetrack by shiny squirrels.  

While doing this, I have heard Betty White has passed away. Rest well Betty, I have enjoyed your body of works!!!

Happy New Year!  Here's to a better and healthy 2022!

Keep on Stitching 

Monica

Christmas

It was a most splendid Christmas....well almost if Katy and Steve were here.  

We had them at Thanksgiving so we have to share,

Ed requested Beef Wellington.  I have my modified edition.  I use mushrooms rather than pate.  

The tenderloin was wonderful, melt in your mouth.  

We had homemade wine and mushroom sauce,  butter horn rolls, fresh asparagus, cherry jello with mandarin oranges and Molten lava cake for dessert.  

We ate early because Ed had to work at 3:30 but, I was glad we could do that!

Of course a little red wine.  

I have a Christmas start, BBD Christmas Garden.  

I've been adopted into a SAL called #christmasgardenbirthdaysal.  

Not my birthday but, it was Jesus'. 

I'm using VMSS 40 ct Parchment and CC Cherry Cobbler, Ye Olde Gold, GAST Heirloom Gold and Weeks Tarragon.  The Red and Green are substitutes, I wanted something a little darker.  The golds are designed colors.  

I needed to order a few more skeins, way more than I need because I'm only using one thread.  

Good colors, won't go to waste.  Since I was ordering, I ordered a couple of patterns....LOL  

 

I have a bit of a start.  I may not stitch the words so I can leave it up all year round.  

It is so beautiful.  

I have been a member of the Colour and Cotton thread of the month, I was able to get a fabric spot.  

I'm on the 40 count and this month was Tuscan.  

It is very beautiful.  I thought about using it for the Christmas Garden but, was afraid the golds would be lost.  So I went lighter.  

I better not go blind before I use up the 40 count fabric.  

I may have signed up for another fabric club but, never got a confirmation letter.  

Its okay if I did, I can always use fabric. 

My progress on Mary Oakley 1818, nearly a third of the way done.  

I really need to do a rotation  of sorts.  

My basket of WIPS.  

I figure I will work on Christmas Garden on the 25th of the month and BBD weekend SAL.  

Next post I'll figure it all out.  

Streaming recommendations:  Netflix:  Clickbait, Don't Look Up and Emily in Paris.  

I hope you have all had a wonderful, peaceful Christmas without too much controversary.  Stay safe, get vaccinated/boosted, things are going to be bumpy for a few months I'm afraid.  Best to have stash!

Merry Christmas

Keep on Stitching

Monica

 

Doesn’t Scream Christmas

We have run the gamut of weather in the last week.  

Last Friday night to Saturday morning we had 11 inches of snow on top of 10 inches.

Snow this time of year is a good thing.  

It helps insulate the water mains especially if the temperature starts to really drop. 

Then the temperature starting going up into the 40's-Tuesday 

Then it got so foggy on Wednesday it was very dangerous!

Then the rain started and the winds were 50-60 miles an hour, downing trees.

Thursday we didn't have power from about 4 am to 8 am.

Fortunately, the power came on so I could bake the Cranberry Orange Bread.  

The snow melted from about 21 inches to four inches.  

Its snowing now but, hasn't been too much.  

I got Snow Ball by Brenda Gervais and decided to make it for Katy as part of her Christmas.

What a fun stitch and really was a quick stitch.  

There was one I didn't do because I ran out of time but, it was my least favorite.  

I got them all stitch up, finished.  

I had picked a galvanized tray and battery powered candle.  

I found the cutest bottle brush trees at a local store Mully and Mo's.  

I don't think I have the tags from the trees.  

There were an excellent match to the colors of the floss.  

Had to put some cardboard to raise things up but, covered with tissue paper with gold stars on it.  

I wanted to start something that didn't scream Christmas but, still had a Christmas vibe.  

This Pineberry Lane Mary Oakley 1818 seems to fit the bill.  

Someone is also working on this on Instagram.  

I am using 40 count Heritage Sampler from VMSS and called for threads.  

I have made a minor adjustment in thread.  

The lighter color is suppose to be GAST parchment but,  it was too much like the fabric, it got lost.  

I tried a couple of different colors but, decided that whitewash showed up and didn't conflict with Pebble  

The Pebble is a grey.  

Shakespeare's Peddler just published Red Letter Day and collection of red samplers.  I had to get it and while I was perusing that, I also ordered Fanny's Flowers.  

I did get some red Au Ver a Soie when I was at Lynn's of Madison...just incase.  

Some really beautiful red samplers I think will be so much fun!

Not pictured, another stash acquisition, Butternut House Pinkeep came in the mail from the Stitching Bee.  

Bob picked up my 2022 Book of Days on his way to Milwaukee to the eye surgeon.   

I'm pretty much ready for Christmas.  

I would like to bake some cookies but, not sure if I will get to it....maybe Thursday or Friday.  

I'm not doing Christmas cards anymore.  That is the one tradition I really have never liked...to me its painful.  

I hope you aren't too stressed with the holiday season.  My house is a wreck...tomorrow.  

Get vaccinated, get boosted, be part of the solution not part of the problem.  

Keep on Stitching.

Monica

 

Top Secret So Christmas Display

I'm working on a Christmas present so I can't show what I'm currently working on. 

I should have taken a picture of my November Black Sampler but, just didn't get around to it.  

I will probably do it next weekend.  

I'll be able to show my super secret project before Christmas.  

It is going to be great!  

Instead I'm showing some of my Christmas pieces on display.  

It is only a few.  

I have more but, only showing a few.  

On the bookshelf in my sewing room.  

In the little basket is a Plum Street Sampler Bowl of  Merries, not sure which one and a Little House Needleworks from the Dyeing to Stitch monthly club from a few years ago.  

On my tiered stand a little tree, I think its a Threadworks Primitive (or I could be wrong). Behind is from a Christmas Ornament Just Cross Stitch from several years ago.  Bottome Is another Plum Street Samplers Bowl of Merries, Brenda Gervais Ho Ho Ho, There is a Chessie and Me behind but, can't see and another unidentified that says "And the Soul Felt Its Worth."

I think it all looks pretty cute.  

The hanging one, is from Prim Stitching and Punch Needle that a friend made me.  

There are some little trees.  I have more that are even smaller that I may place around there.  

We are having a snow storm and so far have 8-10 inches.  The wind is suppose to kick up and that means there will be drifts in the morning.  

I think we will have a white Christmas.

Ed came over yesterday and helped me with outdoor Christmas lights.  

Good thing, we wouldn't have been able to do it today.  

It was terribly cold yesterday and the wind was wicked.  It was sunny.  

That is about all I have to report.  

Thanks for stopping!

I know people are more interested in Flosstube  

I'm not ready to make that leap.  Seems like a big time commitment and would rather be stitching.  

Hope you had a great weekend! 

I can highly recommend Netflix Lost in Space.  We finished season three.  Also enjoying Ted Lasso on Apple TV.  

Get vaccinated or boosted if you haven't.  

"Keep on Stitching"

Monica

 

A Lot of Finishing Got Done!

It was a busy week.  I took the week  off  because of all the traveling and Bob's second cataract surgery.   The surgery went well and is getting better every day.  He is not wearing glasses except for cheaters.  This guys eyes have been good and broke since he was seven or eight with a really bad astigmatism.  After I took a day to recover, Friday I was raring to good.  

My first finish was Little House Needleworks A Farm House Christmas.  I used a plaid homespun for a border and just used some onasburg on the back.  I have to adjust the loops or may decide to take them off and use something else since they just aren't right.  I just have them attached with a button so, it won't be that difficult to remove.  

This really is a very cute project.  I don't claim to be a finishing expert but, it doesn't have to be perfect.  

Some close ups. 

I really do like it as a bell pull rather than all in a square.  

It pretty much took a whole afternoon to finish.  

On Saturday, better late than never, I finished La-D-Da's a Murder of Crows into pin pillows.  

I used a grey and black Civil War Fabric on the back.  I thought about adding some wool embellishment but, was pretty tapped out when I finished.  Needless to say, I didn't  

Had several other Halloween and Fall pinkeeps with Crows.  

I thought they looked awfully cute together.  

Had to take a picture.  

A picture of the boys together on the couch.  They both love that ratty old pillow.  It is the dog pillow.  When company comes, it gets put away since it is probably pretty to gross.  

I have also made some stellar progress this week on Emily Harben 1826 from Whilst Iris Naps for Black Sampler November.  The last rows of alphabet have been stitch intensive since it has been four sided stitches and now Smyrna Crosses.  I am making some progress though and have been enjoying the stitch!

Some close ups.  

Back to work tomorrow and should be a very busy week.  I was going to take Wednesday off to start cooking.  Katy and Steve aren't coming till Thursday so I don't have worry too much about Wednesday night dinner.  It is just too busy not to see a few clients on Wednesday morning.  I anticipate no one will really appreciate it....oh well!

Hope you have a great Thanksgiving.  Stay safe, stay healthy and get vaccinated or boosted.  

Keep on Stitching

Monica