New Year's Eve......

Wow....where has this year gone to?   I know many of you will be asking that very same question as I always ask myself that question every year too.

I got up VERY early this morning in hopes of ordering from The Silver Needle's New Year's Eve sale.  Yes....you have to get up early when you are on a different time zone than CST.  And once again...poor Lindy was having issues with her website because of such high traffic load from people ordering from all different parts of the world.  Or....it could be like in years past, where someone spams her website making it very difficult for us stitchers who LOVE to order from a great sale.  But for serious stitchers who love a great sale, I find it is WORTH the effort.  I just hope Lindy's computer issues get fixed, sorted out for others to be able to order from this sale also!

Thankfully I got up at 4:20a.m.  Yes....you too can call me a sick puppy as my husband does every year on this morning.  I ever so quietly get up and thankfully I woke up BEFORE my alarm went off so as not to disturb him and left him soundly sleeping while I crept downstairs to place my order.

I got on The Silver Needles website and tried to click on the things I wanted to order but to no avail...it would not let me.  I tried numerous times but could not get onto her website.  So I sat here and prayed that if I could get back online, I would "Order The Old Fashioned Way" which meant I just had to input my mailing address info, credit card info, special instructions, and then type in my order of the things I wanted to order in the last box.  I did that.  I clicked "Submit" and what do I see.....an error has occured.  It did not go through.  So I tried it again....still could not get online.  I kept trying and finally.....I got back online to where I could input my information....again....on the "Order The Old Fashioned Way" site link. 

I had just typed in "Please call me if you have any questions" in the Comments Box and was just about to type in my order again in the Order Section box when something happened and MY ORDER WAS SENT!!!  ACKKKKKK!!!  The order was sent with NOTHING in the Order Box area.  I checked my email and sure enough.....there was an email saying they had received it but it never lists what you order.  I went back to the website again....still trying to get back online when out of the blue......the PHONE RINGS!!!  It was Lindy from The Silver Needle calling to say they got my order but nothing was in the comments box and she would be happy take it over the phone!!!!  Now talk about GREAT SERVICE.....I definitely would call that great service.  I gave her my order which was for the SB Christian's charm pack, SB Anna Stocking complete supplies, SB Reed Stocking supplies but minus fabric for either of these.  Then Lindy said she would still honor the 25% off sale so I asked her if she would also include the SB Sadie's stocking supplies minus the fabric.  I was going to wait on the Sadie's Stocking but since she said she would still honor the 25% off sale price, I thought "why not?"!    I'm sure I could have ordered more but I'm REALLY REALLY trying to be good and only order now what I think I will really get to stitching this year.  Not to mention I want to be finishing up several large UFOs that only have a little bit left on them to do.  I will try to post my WIPs and finishes this coming year.

Tomorrow starts a new year and I will be starting it off right by starting a new ornament.  Hopefully this will be the start of many but I want to get a head's start on this next year's Christmas presents.  Hmmmmm wonder which one I will start with?  A Prairie Schooler one for my dad, LHN Baked Goods for my mom, or one from the 2010 as I only had 2 of them left to do before having to move back to the states.

My other goal for 2012 will be trying to get my UFOs stitched up as I mentioned earlier.  I hope to get a lot of stitching time in this coming year and use my time wisely to accomplish this.

HAPPY STITCHING!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Jesus is the reason for the season.  I pray everyone remembers this more than just on Christmas Day but every day of the year.

Merry Christmas!!!

Advent Day 25

Today is the last day of our Advent exchange from the Tranquil Stitches board.  I was soooo excited to get up this a.m. to see what my partner had sent to me......just like the other 24 days!  Jorja gave me 2 JBW charts, complete floss for each and fabric to complete each one but I received a bonus chart that wasn't on my wish list!  I can't believe all the wonderful things Jorja has gifted me with this during this exchange!!!

As always, it has been a very fun Advent exchange and I have loved each and every gift Jorja has given me!!!

Merry Christmas!!!

Advent Day 24....

Today's gift is one that I've wanted to do for myself for many years but never bought the chart to do it or else I kept forgetting til the Christmas time frame.  But now I don't have to as Jorja has stitched me this "Merry Stitches" and made it into a wonderful hanging pillow!!!  I love her finishing work and her sewing projects!  I love this soooo much that I may not pack it away with the Christmas decorations as it can just find a place to hang in my sewing room.......hopefully!

Ohhhh we're getting to the end of our Advent Exchange on the Tranquil Stitches message board.  We have one more day and that is tomorrow.......Christmas Day!!!  I hope you have enjoyed reading my daily thread of what my Advent partner has given me.

I will be starting Jan 1 working on my ornaments for next year.  I've signed up for a LHN SAL with Vonna.  You can find her link on my blog listing under The Twisted Stitcher.  We are doing an ornament SAL on our Tranquil Stitches board but there is no set theme there.  Most likely I will be doing both LHN, CCN, and PS ornaments at first but we'll see what else gets thrown into the pile!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

Advent Day 23.....

Todays gift was a packet of cross charms that I may make into earrings.....or use on some future cross stitch project.  The other gift that came with it was a photo holder that can be used as an ornament too.  So we will put our family pic in there this year and start a new tradition and hang it on the tree and the following years too and add the pics each year.

And thankfully my Advent partner is loving her gifts as well.  We all look forward to this exchange every year!!!

Have a great stitching day!  I hope too!

Advent Day 22......

Ohhhh I love notepads, stationery, cards to send, all that fun stuff.  Today's Advent gift was 2 small notepads for me to use!  I love it!!!  I have never seen anything like these.  The inside paper looks like the paper we all have used when we started elementary school with the rule lined paper.  TOO CUTE!!!

But this just shows the outside covers.

I've already started using the one on the right this a.m.!!!! 

Have a great day!

Advent Day 21

Yipppeee......I got new Mary Engelbrit sticky notepads!!!  I didn't have anymore and have had a hard time finding them lately so this is perfect!!!

Ohhhh I really needed these!!!  Now I should do a small xstitch project of hers to enjoy all the time.

Advent Day 20....

Oooooo I was soooo excited when I started unwrapping the xmas paper as I could see the box with the Mary Engelbrit decorated box!  I got a ME santa ornament for my tree!  I looooovvvvvveeeeee the ME papers, notecards, and stationary but to get an ornament is sooooo wonderful!!!

Jorja has spoiled me rotten during this Advent exchange.....but so have the other ladies as well in the past!

Advent Day 19 ......

Ooo how sweet and pretty a gift I got today!!  It was a pink bookmark that had an angel charm at the bottom. 

And the bag that it was wrapped up in is laying next to it!!!  HOW FUN is that bag???!!!

Advent Day 18

Oh my stars!!  I got the coolest gift for today's present!!!  I got a cup caddy which has 14 different little pockets to fill up and to hold stitching supplies.  This is soooo wonderful.  I'm definitely going to have to shop for sewing patterns where Jorja does!!!

Oh Thank you Jorja for taking the time to sew so many gifts for my Advent presents!!!    Now....to fill it up today!

Advent Day 17

Oooo today's present that Jorja gave to me was some pretty snowman napkins!  I just love using special holiday napkins and these have snowmen on them!!! 

Aren't they just wonderful!!!??? 


And I want to get around to posting my other Anniversary picture that our son took before leaving to go to that "mystery" dinner that Ted had planned.  He was very secretive of where we were going for our anniversary dinnere as we have been trying out different restaurants locally.  He took me to The Melting Pot where we had a wonderful 4 course meal that I must say was absolutely delicious.  Here is the picture that Daniel took though before we left.  I thought it turned out really nice!

Have a great stitching day!  I hope to!

Advent Day 16

Today's gift was a fun silly gift (according to Jorja)!  But I simply adored it!  We all need to have fun and be silly sometimes.  It was a Solar Dancing Flower and Jorja said they have 2 sitting in their windowsills!!!  I just LOVE IT!!  This flower moves from side to side just holding it so I can't wait to put it in a window to see it dance.......esp living here where we have so much sun all the time.

Sorry for the messy table.  I've been wrapping presents and just left this roll of paper out last night.  Oops.....oh well.  I'm sure there will be something else to wrap before too long.

A gift for a friend....

I xstitched up Vee and Co  design O Holy Night using Hand Dyed Fibers Motes of Night on 28ct White Opalescent lugana fabric.  I made the ornament into a stand up cube and displayed it next to my German muscial nativity for picture purposes only.  I really hope he likes it.  

Now I need to make another one for myself to have for display too!  But I think I will use 36ct white opalescent insteand to make it a little smaller.  We'll see. 

The instructions to make the stand up cube were found on The Twisted Stitcher's tutorials.  I've printed them off to have on my sewing room work table to refer to when finishing projects. 

I LOVE making Christmas gifts to give to special people!

Advent Day 15.....

Today, I got a flipchart full of borders to cross stitch on towels or small projects.  It's sooo cool as there are designs on the front and backside of each little slide with one main keycode at the end.

As my friend Rae from the Tranquil Stitches board, who was my Advent recipient this year, said she was happy ... yet sad too.... the other day because we were already halfway through the Advent Season.  Time seems to be going so fast these days and everyone seems to be "filling" up each and every day instead of slowing down to enjoy the season.

I know I am one who is usually done and over with a lot of things before now but it seemed like I kept waiting for my husbands family to draw names.  However, I did go ahead and buy other presents ahead of time and tried to get that all prepared up ahead of time as well and just waited for his family when they finally did draw names.  I just got that package to them mailed off the other day.  Hopefully they won't wait as long next year to draw names but we'll see.

Be sure to take the time this season to really enjoy the true meaning of Christmas and the birth of our Saviour and not get caught up in the holiday shopping, gift giving, and "retail" side of it.  Take time for your family and for renewing your spirit and let's keep Christ in Christmas!

Advent Day 14.....

Today, Jorja gifted me with a chart from Glory Bee called "Welcome".  It is very nice and will look nice when I can get around to stitching it and to hang it when you come in the door.

Happy Stitching everyone!

Advent Day 13

Today I got an Americana pillow which I've already set up for decoration in my Americana room.  It looks sooo nice in there with all the other Americana decorations. 

Thank you Jorja so much!

Happy Anniversary!!!

Today Ted and I celebrate 19years of marriage!  He is my best friend and my one and only true love!!!  Of course most of you may know that we did date for 4 1/2yrs before getting married and him coming onto active duty for the AF.  It has been a great, fantastic, exciting 23 1/2yrs years filled with love.....yes, I count those years of dating also.   There is never a dull moment in our lives but thankfully a God filled one! 

Here is a picture taken of us just this past Friday night at his squadron's Christmas party.  Nooooo...... that is not my tree but at the country club where the Christmas party was being held. 

I LOVE YOU TED ..... forever and always!

Advent day 12....

Oh today's gift came in this wonderful box.  I love decorator boxes and tins as much as the gift.  Today's gift was a star holding a little red candle!  Very rustic and country looking and perfect to go in our Americana room somewhere.

Isn't it adorable!!!????

Advent Day 11.....

Wow oh wow!  I got Santa salt and Snowman Pepper shaker for today's Advent gift!  I can't believe I've been decorating my house for xmas all these years and did not have any Christmas'y' salt and pepper shakers!  They are soooo cute too!!!!

How cute they are!!!  I just love to decorate for Christams!!!

Now I'm off to stitch on a Christmas ornament!  What are you xstitching today?

Advent Day 10

Today's present was a cookbook to make some yummy cookies, candies and bars!  I can't WAIT to have more time to look and read this cookbook that Jorja gave me for today's present!  And I can't wait to TRY making some of them!

I'll let you know what I end up making out of this cookbook!

New Christmas chart!!!!

Oh my stars!  My friend Carol of iStitch Designs has done it again!  She has designed up a new chart called Sew Gigi to stitch with the new Hand Dyed Fibers thread Gigi's Christmas silk.  You can find her chart at this link here!  I absolutely love this new design!  You can find the thread at the Hand Dyed Fiber link here.  However, it is not a regular stock thread at this time but there are ways you can buy this thread.  Just start a thread in the mini forum and get people to sign up for it in whatever size thread you are wanting to buy......SSR (single strand regular), SSP (single strand premium), 6SR (6 strand regular), 6SP (6 strand premium).

So be sure to go and check out the Sew Gigi chart at iStitch.

Happy Stitching!

Advent Day 9

Ohhhh Today's gift came from Jorja for me to use in my sewing room.  She made me an ORT (other remaining threads) basket that will twist down when not in use.  I place it beside my sewing machine and put those little snippets of threads that we all clip when sewing.  I might even have to use this when I'm cross stitching.  It is soooo professionally made and I think I'm going to have to get that pattern from her to make gifts of this for my stitching friends for next year!!!

Have a great day everyone!

Advent Day 8

Today I opened something I was really needing!   It is a card display holder!!  I love it because it says FRIENDS, FAMILY, FAITH with stars in between.  This is soooo wonderful!  Of course, I'll have it filled up in no time!

What a wonderful Advent gift!!!

Advent Day 7.....

Don't you just love giving and receiving FUN holiday gifts???!!!  That's the whole point about our Advent gifts......to be fun, funny, useable, exciting, and sometimes pertaining to cross stitching.

Today's gift was something useful, practical and PAMPERING!!!  I got some Bath Crystals, a Beauty Bar soap and and a pair of Spa Socks!  Oh my....these spa socks are sooooo soft and cozy!  I am seriously thinking of just sleeping in them tonight to keep my feet warm!!!

As you can see from the red tissue paper, I had to squeeze them before opening!!  haha

Advent Day 6.....

On the 6th Day of Advent, Jorja gave to me......this wonderful little notepad that has already been put into my purse!  It is perfect with it's magnetic closure!

I'm always needing a piece of paper to make little notes to myself on.....so I don't forget when I'm out running errands.

Looking for a Winter chart to xstitch up????

If you are looking for a cool and quick wintery cross stitch chart to stitch up, then you need to check out my friend Carol's blog for her iStitch Design Sew Frost.  You can find the link here!  I have already bought it and what a GREAT DEAL for only $5.  Just scroll down on the link I provided above and you can order it.  When Carol receives payment for the chart, she will email you the chart!  HOW COOL IS THAT!!!????

I love her designs and she LOVES it when you email her your finished project!!!

So head on over there and check out her website and see what other wonderful designs she has available!!!

Happy Stitching!!!

Advent Day 5

OOOOOO I can't believe what Jorja keeps surprising me with for my Advent presents.  Today was a pair of new PINK scissors!  And you all know what a scissor fanatic I am.  I blame Carol though for getting me hooked on collecting scissors!  She would always find the best and unique scissors.  I wonder if she has a pair like these or similar???!!!

Now I want to share a pic of a wreath I just made for our Wing Wives donation.  The other wing wives knew I was crafty so  I got to do the project!  Here is my snowman themed wreath!  I loved it so much when I originally bought the supplies that I had to go back and get more of them to make a snowman wreath for my house!  The one I made is a donation though!

I know you probably can't see a couple fot he ornaments because the green just blended right in but when it's hanging up, I have to say it really does look pretty!  Now....to go make the one for my house .... now that I've got all the supplies out!

Advent Day 4 gift.....

Ohhhhh Jorja gave me "Quilt a New Christmas" quilting book for my Day 4 gift!  It has soooo many Christmas Quilting ideas in there.  I hope to get some made by next year's Christmas! 

How FUN this looks to be!  Now to get some made over the next year for next year's Christmas!

Advent Day 3

Ohhhh how I wanted to open this package last night after midnight!  It felt like fabric and I was right... when I opened it this a.m.  Jorja made me not 1, not 2, now 3 but 4 GORGEOUS CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS!!!  I have just displayed them on my couch to get the picture but you can believe I will be hanging them up to show off and help decorate my house for the season!!!  These 4 stockings wer all hand made and they are sooooo professionally quilted that I am thinking I need to take lessons from her!!

You can see them here!

Have a great weekend everyone! 

Advent Day 2

OOoooo boy did I enjoy another wonderful present this a.m. from my Advent partner.  Jorja gifted me with these beautiful Christmas tree earrings in this adorable snowflake tin.

I love them!!!  In fact, I have already put them in to wear today!

Advent Day 1

Now.....on to the fun part of today's post! I belong to a message board and every year, those of us who want to participate do an Advent Exchange. Wish Lists are filled out, names are drawn and given to all participating. For 24 days, it should be some fun little thing that you might like to have. Don't give something that you yourself wouldn't want to receive. It might be a box of hot chocolate, a package of xstitch needles, a few skeins of DMC, an overdyed floss for xstitching with, a box of jello with cookie cutters, Post It notes, writing pens, small charts from your list, etc. You get the idea. Then on Day 25, you get something from your Wish List up to $25 from the person who got your name.

My kids help me open my gifts too. One opens on the odd days and the other opens on the even days. Today, Daniel helped me open my first gift. We unwrapped an quilted Advent Calender that my Advent partner made me!!! OH MY STARS!!! IT'S ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS!!! See the picture below.

I've seen Jorja give this as a gift in the past and have loved it!  In fact, I was going to sew me an Advent Calender this year but for some reason I never found the time to do it.  Good thing I didn't!!!  I love how she quilted this one!!!  She is such a great quilter!!!  Thank you Jorja for my Advent Calender.  This could have easily have been my Day 25 gift!!!  I LOVE IT!

I hope to show you some other xstitched gifts that I'm giving family in the next few days.  Which is fine because NONE of them have computers to see the stitched gift.

Happy Stitching and have a great day!

Updates

Ooooo I love this time of year! Where HAS this year gone to I'll never know???!!! Thanksgiving came and we spent it here together as a family and all had a great time. That evening the kids and I started a new tradition that Thanksgiving night. As always I look, and look and look some more at all the sale ads trying to map out what I am buying for the kids on Thanksgiving Day. Welllllll, the kids are much older now and I have a hard time remembering WHAT kind of toys/names that Daniel wants. So this year, we went to pick out some at Toys R Us for some Beyblades for him. Good thing as I would have NEVER remembered....and he changed his mind 3 or 4 times on some of them. Toys R Us opened at 9pm ON THANKSGIVING! Now...my degree is in retail....I love the WHOLE Black Friday shopping and in fact used to get some of my kids presents on that day.....or things we as a family wanted for Christmas on Black Friday due to such great sales. But it's not often that I've shopped on Thanksgiving Day. I have in the past but not usually. So this may be a new trend for the kids and I to go and do.

But this year the kids are getting older and just wanted money. Who doesn't want money for Christmas is a better statement but I told them they had to tell me some smaller things for them to open on Christmas. Now......do you see why I had to take Daniel with me??? I don't know all the names of these Beyblades but I told him he definitely couldn't have them til Christmas. After he picked them out, I wouldn't even let him read the back of the packaging. He has to wait. Grace found the other movie that goes with "How To Train A Dragon" ..... which I might add is an adorable movie!! But she's getting a little old for anything from Toys R Us. She did think about looking at the Nintendo games but the line to get INTO the electronic area was to the back of the store.  I do have other things in mind for her gifts though.

Grace's comment on shopping on Thanksgiving was that she was in "training" on how to do it for Black Friday for the future when she is out living on her own. Ohhhhh my baby made me sooo proud of even wanting to go! Both thought it was quite fun. Neither child complained about how long the lines were. They were just astonished at how long the line was to GET INTO Toys R Us to begin with.

But I still have some things they don't even know about to unwrap for Christmas. Then....we all get to go shopping again with their Christmas money after Christmas. I love...LOVE....shopping with my kids! Saves Ted's sanity too so he doesn't have to do that.

We did stop at McD on the way home Thanksgiving night to have McFlurry ice cream and share a large French Fry!! Even at 11pm!!

Ok....enough rambling as I have other things to post about.....