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