The 2014 Wrap-Up

   It's hard to believe that 2014 is drawing quickly to a close.  Where did this year go anyway??!  It seems to have passed in the blink of  an eye but I suppose that's all relative.  I'm sure for some it was just creeping along!
   When I last posted, I mentioned that I thought I would have a finish for IH&SW but as you might have guessed, that didn't happen.  It got too close to Christmas and I just had too much left to do to be able to spend too much time in the stitching chair.  I did manage a finish the day after Christmas though and here it is!

Beggar's Christmas by Threadwork Primitives
called for linen and threads

   I found one of those dough bowls while on the mountain trip this fall and I want to fill it with the little pin pillows like I've seen on other blogs. I love that look but most people have quite a few of them in their bowls!  Since all of my 'little pillows' are made into ornaments, I'm starting from scratch but I think this makes a mighty fine start!
  After this finish, I dithered a bit not sure what to do next.  I have several other Christmas pieces kitted and ready to go and I don't mind working on them if they are already started but I wasn't really up for a Christmas start after Christmas.
   I finally decided to put a few stitches in some things on my UFO list for EGA.  As a way to encourage us to finish our UFO's we have a little challenge going where we made a list of 9 UFO's and each month a number is drawn and we work on that number.  This month's number is Mary Wigham on my list and I got her out but didn't accomplish much. (I'm almost embarrassed to show this since it has been started for so long and so little  progress has been made.)

40 ct. Lakeside Examplar
with HDF conversion

  My most recent WIP is LHN Winter Plaid.  This is also a long languishing UFO (did I mention I have bags and bags of them!?) and is on the Challenge list to finish this year.  I am making pretty good progress on it and it should soon be my first finish of the new year!!

34 ct. Legacy Plantation Linen
w/listed threads

I think this was originally a 'stitch group' piece but the plaid part required too much attention to detail and I put it aside.  It is just a darling piece and I am really enjoying working on it now!
  That's all I have to report on the stitching front right now.  I have been tweaking my Stitching Goals List for 2015 and I can't seem to make it look any less ridiculous than it really is!  I have signed up for 11 SALs on Facebook for next year!! ( I know, I have totally lost my mind!!!)  In my defense, 3 of those are carry-overs from this year so I guess I really have a head start.  I am going to have to stitch like it's a full-time job to come even close to accomplishing what I have on that list.  But, I state quite plainly that the list is a 'goal' so we'll just have to see what happens.  I have also signed up for the Stitch From Stash Challenge again this year so all the projects I have kitted or started already should help with that!
  On the birthday front, I do have a couple more things to report.  My son and FDIL sent me these lovely flowers so I had fresh flowers in my bedroom too!  Those roses smelled wonderful!!!

Then, my friend Tommye stitched a beautiful sampler for me!  I can't seem to get the picture to download so I will have to show that on my next post.  Gives you all something to come back for!!
  On that note,  I will sign off for the last time this year.  I'm looking forward to some magnificent stitching in the new year and am glad to be sharing it with all of you.

Happy New Year to you all, Laura

And the Winner Is....

   As promised, I drew a name from the comments on my giveaway post and the winner is Karen!  I have notified her through the email address on her profile page so I hope to hear from her soon to claim her prize.  Congratulations Karen!!
   I picked up some framing the other day too.  Well, actually, I had the Hubs do it for me since he was going to be in that part of town, and I am very happy with how it came out!!

   I put a purple frame on this Blackbird piece  and just love the way it looks!  I'm giving it to my FDIL for Christmas so I hope she likes it too.  Sometimes, especially when you don't know someone well, it's hard to tell if they really like something or are just being polite.  I like this well enough that if she doesn't like it, I'm okay to keep it for myself!!

 

    I put Cinnamon Stars in what should be a familiar molding to you all now since I've  used it on several of my recent finishes. (I apologize for the wonkiness of these pictures.  They are both under glass and I was having a hard time with the glare.)  This will reside in my LNS for a while and I'm hoping it will make up for me taking One Nation back out.  They've been making noises about not wanting to lose it as a shop model, big seller and all that.  But it IS my husband's Christmas present and he wasn't very sympathetic to their cause!
  Anyway,  I did manage to work a little stitching in while doing all the Christmas prep and I have a finish!!

Scarlet's Christmas Sampler
by Chessie & Me

I'm not sure what I am going to do with it yet but it is very cute and very Christmas-y!!
   Did I mention that today is my birthday?!  LOL  I have been swaddled in fresh-cut flowers and greenery which I just love this time of year!

My husband usually gets me an arrangement that I can use as a centerpiece for the dining room table.

And my SIL sent me an arrangement that I put on the breakfast room table.  Also full of greenery and when those lilies open, this will be heavenly!!
   Then just a few minutes ago, I received another arrangement from my son and FDIL.  I will save that pic for my next post which will be after IH&SW (probably tomorrow!)  I am going to go upstairs now and stitch away the rest of the day.  Hope to have another finish tomorrow!!

Hope you're enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura

The Giveaway!!

  In honor of my second Blogaversary, my birthday, and just because I am feeling it, I put a few things together for what I think is a pretty darned good giveaway!  I hope you think so too.

   For starters, I selected the latest scissor design from Sullivans.  Then, a beautiful handmade scissor fob made by my friend Tommye at TJB Designs.  Next, I included the latest needle minder from Kelmscott Designs, my favorite needles, Piecemakers, in my favorite size, 28 and a cute little heart- shaped waxer.
   Last but not least, since the end of the giveaway will be too close to Christmas to include a Christmas design, I have included a special little something in a winter theme instead.

This is a Limited Edition kit from Cherished stitches that includes everything to make the little pillow even the silk ribbon and buttons!!  Such a cutie!!
   So, not too many hoops to jump through, just be a follower and post a comment on this post indicating that you would like to be entered for the drawing.  On the 21st, in honor of my birthday, I will draw a name from the entries and someone will get a lovely package just in time for the New Year!


Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!  Laura

Crazy Christmas Stitching

    It's been crazy busy around here as I'm sure you all have been too.  I never count on having enough stitching time in December to plan a project finish but it's always fun to work some stitching in around all the Christmas prep.  I frequently have a cute Christmas sampler finish in early January because of this!
   I pulled out a few little holiday/winter projects I thought I might like to work on after I finished Cinnamon Stars.  The first one I chose was Scarlet's Christmas Sampler by Chessie &Me.  I managed to get this far before I realized I didn't have a Christmas ornament for the EGA ornament exchange!!

Stitched with the linen that came with the chart
and the GA special thread pack designed for it

   I gave serious consideration to just skipping the exchange this year.  I've done it every year since I joined EGA and one skip wouldn't hurt anyone.  Then I remembered that I had shamed one of my fellow board members into stitching one (I went so far as to provide her with a chart, threads, and the perforated paper required to make it) and after that, I really couldn't skip it!! So I decided to go big!
    I had seen the 3D ornament Nordic Needle designed for this year's JCS Ornament issue and fell in love with it!  I hadn't originally planned to stitch it and give it away but what the heck.
     Took me nearly a week to stitch it and I wasn't sure about the finishing.  Seemed kind of squirrely  to me but I took a leap of faith and it worked out in the end.  And the lady who got it today seemed very happy to have it so that is always nice too.

   I got my decorating finished yesterday so I will share a pic of my tree as well.  We got a new one this year since we were having such a problem with the lights on our last one.  My husband says he likes this one better even if we do have to string our own lights again!!

  I don't really have a theme, just a mix of handmade, Hallmark, and other ornaments I've collected over the years. I have way more ornaments than will fit on one tree and I have played with the idea of getting another one but so far haven't.
   I have been thinking about next year's stitching too.  I have joined several SALs on Facebook (which I promised myself I was going to rein in this year!!) and am now also in one I hadn't planned to join!!   I won a giveaway of the Mary Hurst Sampler by Scarlet letter (Thanks again Elaine!) so I am gathering supplies like a squirrel gathering nuts right now.  I will share more of those details in a later post when I have had more time to make a plan.
   Last but not least, today is my Blogaversary.  Add to that the fact that my birthday is the 21st and I think that calls for a giveaway!!  Yeah,  free stuff!!  I will try to get back in a couple of days with the details so stay tuned!

Hope you're all enjoying your stitching as much as I am,  Laura