There are 5 things in life you cannot recover: A stone...after it's thrown. A word...after it is said. An occasion...after it's missed. The time...after it's gone. A person...after they die. Life is short. Break the rules. Forgive quickly. Kiss slowly. Love truly. Laugh uncontrollably. Never regret anything that made you smile. Enjoy Life!!

Monday, December 31, 2012

A Little Stitching

I have some stitching to show for the month of December.  The first one I started around Thanksgiving and finished it about two weeks later.  I decided to include it in my December stitching since that is when it was finished.  I really enjoyed stitching this one. 

 
"Ornamental Joy"
Country Cottage Needleworks
32ct. Country Mocha Belfast
DMC & WDW threads
 
 This next one is a freebie I have had in my stash for a long time.  My oldest daughter has wanted me to stitch this for her.  I finally broke down and stitched it.  The picture is a little light.  I will have to use the new camera hubby bought me for Christmas instead of my phone next time.  Also pardon the wrinkles, I was not in the mood to get the iron out when I took these pictures.

"Sammy Snow cone"
Stitchy Kitty
32ct. Antique Blue Belfast
DMC threads

 The last two came from past issues of JCS ornament magazines.  The first I think is from the 1998 issue and the second is from the 2000 issue.

 "Christmas Joy"
Little by Little
32ct. scrap
Called for threads
 
 
I made two changes on this one.  I did not do the extra stitch of red/copper in the border and I changed the sheep's body color to DMC 3033.
 

"All is Calm"
Little by Little
36ct. Vintage Examplar (Lakeside Linens)
DMC threads
 
I think I may go back and finish the satin stitches and attach the beads/charms on my Lizzie Kate Halloween Mystery Sampler now.  If I don't get it done soon it will go into the UFO pile and may not see daylight for a long time.  I am going to be starting a new sampler  in the next couple of weeks by Historic Stitches called "John Foster" . A group of ladies in my Sampler Guild are doing this as a SAL so I thought I would join along.    Of course I have another sampler I am chomping at the bit to get started called "Francis Pool" by With Thy Needle & Thread.  Hubby let me order it as a Christmas gift from him (he refuses to order things online...LOL).  It has not come yet.  I am sure I will get that started soon also.  Nice thing is the John Foster sampler is being broken down into monthly assignments so I should be able to do other things in between.
 
Happy Stitching!!
 
Christie
 

Sunday, December 30, 2012

December

WOW is December really gone???   What a whirlwind it has been.  I thought, since I have been out of work, that things like Christmas shopping, wrapping gifts, cookie making, etc.. would be easier and I would be ahead of the game.  Guess what...I was more behind this year than ever.  I finished shopping, wrapping and made 5 different kinds of cookies and peanut butter fudge three days before Christmas.  I did have a lot of my shopping done before this but still had plenty to do the week before.  In the end we all had a wonderful Christmas.  I was completely spoiled rotten by my hubby, daughters and by the rest of my family. 

I did attend our annual sampler guild's Christmas party.  It was a very nice lunch with lots of wonderful surprises.  There is a general ornament exchange and a secret stitcher ornament exchange for those that participated in the year long secret stitcher program.  It is on the day of the party that secret stitchers reveal who they are.  One of my good friends, Marsha was my secret stitcher this year.  She really sent me some wonderful things.  Below is the last thing she gifted me with for December.  I was floored when I opened my package and saw the chart with all the threads.  Talk about being spoiled.   Unfortunately a couple of my good friends could not make the Christmas party this year and were missed terribly.  Marsha has some good pictures from the party here including a great picture of Linda in her Christmas headband and picture of some of us (including me on the right side on the end).  Lisa also has some good pictures here and here.

 
The Christmas party committee had some wonderful gifts for each of us this year.  We each got a stitched snowman jar with candy inside.  A packet of charts, some threads and the cutest little notebook for our stitching bags.  I also won one of the door prizes which contained a thread holder, some threads and a $5.00 gift certificate to Wasatch Needlecraft (a new to me online store). 
 


 
 
I also received some wonderful gifts from my friends. 
 
From Marsha (aka my secret stitcher) we received a cute basket, WONDERFUL smelling votive, mint tin and overdyed floss.
 
 
From Lisa (The Inspired Stitcher) we received a Whitman's tin (yes there was, key word on was, chocolate in the tin), threads and chart to make a fob and pin cushion to go inside the tin.

 
From Linda (my birthday buddy - we share the same birth date) I received this super stitched pillow.  I just love the way it is finished.

 
And last but not least from Patti.  Patti found these glass salt cellars in an antique shop over the summer.  She stitched each of our initials (over one and very tiny) and put them into the cellar as tiny pin cushions.  She even included a tiny counting pin.  How amazing is that.  That whole thing is probably about silver dollar size or maybe a little smaller.  I just LOVE it.

 
I have some wonderful friends and I am surrounded by such talent.  I am very proud to call them all my friends and look forward to yet another year of friendship, laughter and fun with each and everyone one of them. 
 
Thanks for sticking it out for this long post. 
 
 
Christie