Last Post for 2015

I am writing this last post for 2015, and I want to share a photo of my LAST ORNAMENT with my followers.  As you know, I recently had to pull an ornament from my"stitched ornament box" to give as a last minute gift which I'm THANKFUL that I already had an ornament that needed to be finished.  So I gave the ornament as a gift, and it was greatly received and appreciated by our dear friends.  But I loved the ornament so much and wanted one for myself, so I thought that would be the best LAST ORNAMENT to restitch for myself this year.

So here is LHN This Is My Joy stitched ornament.  No....it is not "finished" but I will do that in January as I do not want to sew it up tonight.

As I reflect on this past year, it also helps me to plan and prepare for 2016.  I have signed up for the Smalls SAL again for 2016 which definitely helps keep me motivated in getting my ornaments finished as well as for birthday presents.  So tomorrow, I will make my 2016 CROSS STITCHING TO DO LIST for projects for this coming year.  First, I write down all the names of the people I stitch presents for and then I write all the names down for ornaments.  As each project is stitched, I cross off that name and put it in a "FINISHED" box to give to the recipient.  I buy those beautiful decorator boxes from Michaels and keep my "stitched ornaments" in one box to finish, and my "finished presents" in another decorator box.  That way no projects or presents go missing in my sewing room.  And you can look at your list to prepare for buying any needed supplies ahead of time so you aren't starting a project and missing any missing threads or fabric for the project.

I will be stitching all the way up until midnight tonight.  I hope everyone has a safe New Years Eve tonight, and Happy New Year for 2016!

HAPPY STITCHING!!!!

Last Smalls Post for 2015

Today is our last Smalls post for 2015!  Heather of Stitching Lotus is our host and I've already signed up to do this SAL again for 2016.  So if you are wondering how do I get those ornaments all done throughout the year, this little SAL helps keep me motivated in accomplishing those goals!!!

So for my last post, I would like to share some of my Smalls.  I can't show one as Kimberly has not gotten her present yet so that will be for January's post.

You have seen my mom and dad's ornaments "stitched" but not finished into the actual ornaments.  They are both a PS ornaments from the Summer and Winter chart.

The front and back of my dad's ornament.  I found the perfect fabric to match his design.

This is what I stitched for my mom.

Then I found 2 perfect ornaments to stitch up for my kids.  Grace fell in love with what I had stitched for her college roommate for Christmas so I hurriedly and restitched it for her a present.  It is a free cat chart from Happiness is Cross Stitching blog.

I found a Pokemon chart of Pikachu on Pinterest to stitch up for our son which I might add he was completely surprised!!!

I didn't finish DH's ornament to finish in time to give it to him "totally finished" for Christmas but I did finish stitching it during the days after Christmas.  This is LHN Town Church stitched on 32ct Natural Belfast as I thought the colors showed better on it.

And of course, my LHN Sweet Shop ornament did not get stitched but I hope to get it finished in January and FINISHED so that I can get it packed with all the other 2015 ornaments.  That's ok as it's mine and I would much rather have gotten the other ornaments finished first!

That's all I have to share for my Smalls post today.  I hope you have a very safe and Happy New Year and as always........HAPPY STITCHING!

SG Advent Day 25

This is the last day of our Advent Exchange for the Stitcher's Garden message board.  I have enjoyed opening my presents each day and sharing them with you daily!!!

Today's presents were all from my Wish List that Jana picked from.  I got SB Halloween Trifles chart and all the overdyed threads to stitch them in and a pair of Hillier Scissors!!!  I have new projects to stitch up for this coming year and have to display for Halloween.

I want to wish everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!  May you be blessed and have a wonderful day and upcoming new year!!!  I will be stitching on an old UFO that I want to get finished.  It is fitting for today since it is SB Road to Bethlehem and also starting the new SB O Little Town ornament!!!

iStitch Designs Advent SAL

YEAH!!!  My iStitch Designs Advent SAL is FINISHED!!!!  And if you ask me, I think it looks GREAT!!!  But then again, it's for me!  :)

I hope you are enjoying your SAL as much as I have this year.  Now the fun is to find a bellpull hanger for it and if not, try to make one out of cording!!!

HAPPY STITCHING!

SG Advent Day 24

Oh today I got another chart from my Wish List.  It was MBT America the Beautiful chart and 3 skeins of WDW to stitch it with.  It will definitely add to our Americana room as she says if you stitch it on 32ct fabric, the design will fit in an 8 x 10 picture frame.

I'm sure I've some 32ct fabric in my stash to stitch this wonderful design this next year.

iStitch Advent Day 23

Ohhhhh I just LOVE those hearts on today's band.  I started to make them red but decided against it.  Today's band stitched up very quickly!!!

I'm also kinda sad as I know that tomorrow is the last day of our Advent SAL!!!  I've had so much fun looking forward to seeing what the day would bring for our stitching "homework" as I told my daughter.  She looked at me and said, "Mama.  You are so cute having 'stitching homework'."  Well....I do!  LOL

How is your Advent SAL coming along???  I hope you are enjoying it as much as I have been each and every day.  Now.....to figure out WHAT to start or to stitch on Christmas Day after all the presents are opened and we've eaten our Christmas lunch.  Hmmmmmm I've got a "few things" in my stitching room that I can choose from!!!  LOL

HAPPY STITCHING Everyone!

SG Advent Day 23

Ohhhh I got some new highlighters for when I'm stitching!!!  I also got today BBD Cats on Parade chart from my Wish List!!!  I usually don't stitch scary Halloween things but these cats I think are just too cute made into a needlework pincushion drum!!!

I LOVE IT!!!  I can't wait to get started on it to have for decoration next year!!!

iStitch Advent Day 22

Today's part was a very simple yet beautiful band with the word GREETINGS on it.  What a nice part to stitch at the end of a busy day!!!

I printed my chart off this morning and wanted to get started on it but the family all wanted to go see the new Star Wars movie.  No spoilers here but I do have to say......GO SEE IT!!!  It's worth it!!! 

Ok.  That's all I'm going to write about it because I'm afraid I might let something slip and I don't want that to happen. 

So....HAPPY STITCHING!

SG Advent Day 22

Today's gift was in a small package!  But as we all know, great things can come in small packages too.  In fact, all my gifts have been GREAT from my Advent partner....same as in years past!  We do nice to each other in these exchanges!!

I got a Hummingbird magnetic pin!!!  He is GORGEOUS!!!

He's sooo pretty I'm almost afraid to wear him but the magnet on the back is really strong!!!

iStitch Advent Day 21

Not too much to do today for stitching!  Whew thank goodness as I had presents left to wrap!  LOL  And we got lots of color today as well!!  I just LOVE LOVE LOVE those hearts!!!!

And I didn't realize that the bottom of my sampler was crooked when I photographed it.  I really must be tired! 

Happy Stitching everyone!

SG Advent Day 21

I have been wondering what this "box" looking present has been in my Advent box.  I opened it today to find a cute "Button" box and boy did I need another one.  My button tin that I have them in is overflowing and will hardly close.  Inside of the box, I found 2 packages of buttons!!!  I LOVE to embellish my stitching with them!!!

I just LOVE it!!!

iStitch Advent SAL Day 20

I printed off my chart very early this morning in hopes of starting it before church.  Nope....didn't happen as shirts needed to be ironed at the last minute.  We all wore our Charlie Brown and Peanuts gang vests and ties today!!!  Everyone at church really liked them and I LOVED LOVE LOVED wearing mine!!! hehe

For today's part, I was able to stitch it tonight while watching some TV with DH and DD.  DS was over at a friends house today after church and lunch enjoying his Christmas break already!  I did do some finishing of ornaments today that I will share on my Smalls Post next week.

Here is where I'm at for the iStitch Designs Advent SAL.  I would take a closer picture but I'm soooo afraid of someone trying to stitch directly off my stitched piece.  Plus......then you get to see ALL of it together.  I am wishing though I had went ahead and bought the 40ct fabric so I could have just used one strand to stitch it in.  But....I had the 32ct fabric already so I keep telling myself I've saved money by using what I had on hand.  However, I did order more silks but they will be used no matter what!!

Until tomorrow's SAL post.....HAPPY STITCHING!!!

SG Day 20 Advent exchange

Today's package was a medium sized one!  I opened it this morning and it was a wooden Santa to count down until Christmas!!!  HOW CUTE!!!!  I can't wait to use it next year!!!

Oh I just LOVE it!!! 

iStitch Advent Day 19

When Carol sent out the files this morning, she said that today's part was a little more stitching than we have been having.  I printed it off but already had A VERY FULL day planned.  I did take the stitching with me when taking DS to tennis lesson this morning so I got a small start on it.  But we went to see the new Peanuts movie today as a family and then had DH's office Christmas party this evening, I did not get to stitch on the rest of the advent SAL until this evening.  Not to mention some other chores that had to be done around the house today.

But when I finally settled in for my stitching time tonight, today's portion REALLY DID STITCH QUICKLY!!!  So don't let this band intimidate you at all.  Once you get to stitching on it, I found my stitching rhythm flow and it went quickly!!  I did start at the right side and worked my way left.  Same way with the bottom of this band.  In fact, the bottom part of this band I thought stitched up WAY quicker than the top part of the Christmas balls.

I hope you are enjoying stitching on your Advent SAL as much as I am!!!

SG Advent Day 19

Today I opened a package containing a box of notecards with the letter B on the front and 2 small fat quarter fabrics.  What sewer can't use more fabric???  I have been really good this year in buying sewing fabric WHEN I really need it and it's not in my stash.  Now I have some more and I didn't even buy it!!

Oh I just LOVE them like all my other Advent gifts!!! 

iStitch Advent Day 18 SAL....

Wow where did the time go today????  I don't know but I had printed the chart off first thing this morning thinking that I would be able to stitch it right after breakfast.  But sadly....that was not the case.  Oh well.  At least I had time just after dinner tonight to stitch in my daily SAL part.  It went by very quickly once again which is another reason that makes this SAL sooooo enjoyable!  Quick parts to stitch on every day!

Now I need to be on the lookout for perhaps a bell pull hardware that is wide enough to fit this project.  If not, I think it will just have to be framed. 

I'm off to stitch a little more this evening before it's bedtime. 

Happy Stitching!

SG Advent Day 18

Today's package that I opened up for my SG Advent was "crinkly" sounding!  I told myself, "I hope it might be chocolate?!"  Sure enough it was!!!  WOOHOO  I got some Ghirardelli  Minis Milk Chocolate Covered Caramel!!!  WOW!!!  It is sooooo delicious that I almost hid it in my sewing room so I wouldn't have to share with my family, but I didn't do that.  I'd feel too guilty!

If you haven't ever tried these, splurge on yourself .....or your family.....and get a package to share and savor!!!  YUMMMMM YUMMMMMM

iStitch Designs Advent Day 17

Whew!  Today's band was relatively easy!  Which I'm SOOOOOO THANKFUL for as it stitched up quickly......like most every day's band are! 

Here is what I've stitched in for today's band!

I was running behind just a little this fall/winter time frame, and I was trying very very hard to not let it STRESS me out.  My rule of thumb is to NOT let it stress me as that is very bad for my MS and health.  So I've learned not to let things bother me.  But knowing that I'm usually very organized person and way ahead of schedule at this time of year is a little disappointing in my "organizational skills".  Oh well. 

I'm NOT letting it bother me though.  I do all my chores and errands first of a morning and through out the day so that when evening time comes, I can sit back and stitch in peace and relax to stitch on the day's Advent SAL. 

I'm back on schedule for this year.  Only a few more presents to wrap, and I'll be DONE!!!

HAPPY STITCHING EVERYONE!!!

SG Advent Day 17.....

I'm hoping to stay organized in 2016 with the presents I opened today.  I got a desk calendar book, a purse calendar with address book in the back of it, and Homespun Elegance Ewe Be Patriotic heart ornament from my Wish List!!!  WOOHOO

I love all my Advent gifts I've gotten this year.  But I'm pretty easy to buy for I think. I can't WAIT to pull threads and find some fabric for this new little heart ornament!!!

Thank goodness for ornament overflow box.....

I just LOVE to xstitch ornaments as most of you know.  Sometimes I get around to doing the finishing work for them and sometimes they find their way into my "Finished Ornaments Box".  This is a decorator box I bought from Michaels that I put my stitched ornaments in to be finished at a later date.  Sometimes, I put the finishing fabric with them, and sometimes they just sit there waiting to have fabric bought for them.  Then I have days where I just pull from the box and finish 2 or 3 at a time.

Here is why I'm blogging about this.  I was in need of just one more ornament as a last minute gift.  I dug around in my finished ornaments box and found an ornament with the finishing fabric.  YEAHHH  I didn't have to hurry and find a quickie ornament project and stitch it up.  So I did the sewing on it tonight and low and behold, I also had some cording left over (in another bag when I make too much) that worked perfectly as a hanger for the top!!!  Talk about being excited, I was!!!  Now I can wrap this little ornament up and send if off on it's way to dear friends of ours as a surprise Christmas gift to them!

LHN This is My Joy chart and CC Belle Soie Silk in the color Icing.

I just LOVE the fabric I had found for the backing!!!!!  I have enough of the blue linen fabric to stitch this again for myself as well as the snowflake backing fabric!  WOOHOO

Happy Stitching!

iStitch Advent Day 16 SAL

Well I must say it's definitely been a busy day here at my house.  I did print today's chart off early this morning but was not able to get to stitching it until this evening after everyone has gone to bed.....except for DD.  She's enjoying being able to stay up late without having to do homework and enjoying her Christmas break so far!

Today's portion was another quick stitch!  I did use another black bead for the bird's eye and went back to fill in the missing deer from early on.  I used the brown silk for the deer that I have the birds stitched in.  My NPI silk that I had ordered did come today.  I'm not disappointed in it as it would have worked had I not found this NPI brown silk.  It's one shade darker than the brown I'm using but not enough to really tell the difference unless you hold it under the OTT light. 

This is such a fun project and I'm soooo thankful I'm able to keep up with stitching it all.  I am loving all the others that are posted on Carol's iStitch Designs Facebook page!!!  What creative eyes we all have!!!

So until tomorrow.....HAPPY STITCHING!

SG Advent Day 16

I opened a package today what I had hoped would be some Christmas paper plates!  I WAS RIGHT!!!  WOOHOO!!!  I love using these at Christmas time to snack on and use for desserts!!!  Yes.... I do love using my Christmas dishes every day but on Christmas Day, I like using the paper plates as I said for those snacking time and desserts!  I also received the PEACE wooden decorator star at the top of the picture.  I hang these on the doors in my house!

What another fun Advent gift to receive!!!

iStitch Designs Advent Day 15.....

Today's part went really quick.  I printed my chart off this morning but I had to finish decorating the tree this morning with DD.  Then I don't know WHERE my afternoon went but I know this evening was spent wrapping gifts.

Then I settled in to stitch today's part and it went by soooo quickly.  I decided to make part of the wreath green with red for the berries.  I was going to make the candle flame yellow but honestly I did not feel like getting up to search for an NPI yellow.  Not that I was being lazy.  I was just too tired.

I like the added bit of color to the whole project.  I just don't have a lot of NPI silks to choose from so when I want to stitch a project with them, I have to make sure to order all the threads at once.

Happy Stitching!

SG Advent Day 15.....

For today's package, there were 2 small presents tucked into a nice little gift bag all wrapped up.  I opened the thin package and found the yearly PS 2015 Santa!!!  Then I opened the next gift which was all the DMC floss to stitch the Santa!!!!  Now.....to find some fabric in my stash to stitch him on!!!  I'm sure I've got some Summer Khaki somewhere in my stash and I don't even have to go pulling all the colors!!!!  Jana sent them so I could get started right away!!!

YEAH!!!!  Now....to hurry and get the chores done so I can stitch without guilt!!!  LOL

iStitch Designs Advent Day 14.....

Wow!  Where does the time go each day this Christmas season?  I don't know but I'm soooo trying to keep up with everything.

I did manage to dig around in other kitted projects in search of more NPI silks.  I found one that had 2 browns in it.  I know my other brown that I had ordered is supposed to arrive tomorrow but I really didn't want to wait that long.  I like the brown that I have pulled from this other project for today's portion on the redbird.  Tomorrow I will go back in and get those 2 deer stitched in upper in the bands.  I just ran out of time tonight.

I did add the black bead for the bird's eye.  I had thought about doing a French Knot but decided the black bead looked better.

I think this whole project is looking GREAT!!!  WTG Carol for another wonderful Advent SAL design for us to stitch this year.  Until tomorrow......HAPPY STITCHING!

SG Advent Day 14

Today I opened a what I thought would be a small Christmas plate and I was right!!!  This is soooo pretty.  I do have some extra plate stands that I just need to get of the closet to set this little plate up to display with all our other Christmas decorations.

I think this is soo cute and makes a nice addition to my Christmas decorations.

iStitch Designs Advent Day 13.....

Oh I almost started to experiment with more color today but changed my mind at the last minute.  I was going to stitch the ornaments in the order of one red, white and green with white at the top of each one.  But.....I didn't.  I think it still looks good with what I've done stitching it all in white!

I always enjoy seeing what Carol has planned for us for the annual Advent SAL!!!  I like a mystery and the bands each day give you such a sense of accomplishment for something little each day!

Happy Stitching!

SG Advent Day 13.....

Today's present had me soooo puzzled to what was in it.  I had no idea but thought it might be a box of floss.  I was wrong!  I got this little ornament that lights up by flipping a small switch on the side and a package of Bohin needles!  I ALWAYS need needles as I pack them in my stitching bags and small little zippered pouches.

I turned the camera flash off so you could see the light turned on the ornament.  There is s star behind the light!

iStitch Day 12 Advent SAL.....and 23yr anniversary!!!

Busy day around here.  Lots of little things to get ready for the upcoming Christmas season to keep me busy!!!

Here is my Day 12 of the SAL!!!  I managed to squeeze in a little stitching time to accomplish today's SAL part!!!

Dh and I are celebrating our 23 year anniversary also today!!!  Wow!  Yeah us!!!  I pray that we have many many more years to celebrate in the future!!!

Happy Stitching!

SG Advent Day 12

Today's gift that I picked were taped together!!!  OMS!!!  I got a notepad with a B, a notebook with a B on it, bookmark with my name on in, and a matching orange pen!!!  HOW ADORABLE is that complete little set!!!

And......it has polka dots on it!!!  Yes....I love polka dots on things!!

December ORTs

I almost forgot that today, Dec 11, was our TUSAL posting run by It's Daffycat.  Sharon is our lovely hostess of this SAL posting.

Here is what I had for this month.  I know I had more for this month but I just realized I had taken this picture before adding in what I clipped and snipped when I visited my parents.  I have an ORT catcher in my travel stitching bag.  Oh well.  Maybe I can add that into the BIG jar at the end of the month which won't be too much longer!

It's soooo pitiful looking.  But on the bright side, it also shows that I was stitching on something since our last TUSAL post! 

Until at the end of the month when I show you what my FULL ORT jar looks like.....or in just a few days.  HAPPY STITCHING

iStitch Advent Day 11.....

I printed the chart off first thing this morning before going grocery shopping.  After I got home and had lunch, I started right away but then realized I had a few errands to pick up some things I forgot when I went out this morning.

I also started to stitch the hearts in red and the rest of today band in white but didn't feel like ripping out the red if I didn't like it.  So I played it safe and continued to just stitch it all in white.  I know.....I'm a chicken but I really just didn't feel like ripping out tonight.

So here is today's stitched piece.....late after midnight I know!

Depending on what tomorrow's band will look like will determine if I want to add a little color to this piece!!!   Happy Stitching!

SG Advent Day 11....

Yes....I know I'm VERY VERY late in posting this.  In fact, it's just a few minutes after midnight but we had our family pictures made tonight and went out to dinner after we came home to change clothes. 

I got a lovely Yankee Candle today in Lavender Vanilla scent!!!  Yummmmmm ..... it smells soooo nice!!!

I think I will light it tomorrow while I stitch!

iStitch Advent Day 10......

I finally got around to stitching on today's portion after arriving back home with our daughter from college!!!  It was a fun drive to spend it with having my daughter to be back with us as a family!!!  Then after getting everything put away this afternoon, I finally settled in for my daily iStitch Advent Day 10 stitching!!!  I was kinda thankful that we didn't have very busy bands so that I could complete it quickly and still have time to blog about it before going to bed.

Hmmmmmm I do wonder what wonderful band Carol has for us tomorrow!!!

Happy Stitching!

SG Advent Day 10

I had to wait til I got home today to open my SG Day 10 Advent gift.  It was well worth the wait as I opened a little present containing a sled with the initial "W" on it!!!!  It is soooooo cute!  I've got to order me a sled, chart and perforated paper to try these out!!!

I just LOVE it as I love ALL my SG Advent presents!!!!

iStitch Advent Day 9 SAL

Yeah!!!  I am still up to date with the SAL.....even with coming home to pick up DD from college to bring her back home with me!!!!  Ok ok.......I stitch for sanity each day.  It's just something I do.  I love to xstitch if any of you know me very well.  Well.....you can realize that from reading my blog!

I did finish DS Christmas ornament this morning so all I have to do now is sew it up when he is in school on Friday.  I am working on DH's ornament some more tonight but his and my ornament might not get completed to hang on our tree this year.  We'll see.

Happy Stitching everyone!

SG Advent Day 9....

Today I opened another LK chart called Mothers!  Jana had tucked inside the chart the buttons for the chart and the 3 DMC pink flosses!!!  I just LOVE this little chart so it will be stitched just for me!!!  Don't get me wrong......I LOVE STITCHING FOR OTHERS but I don't tend to keep a lot for myself except small ornaments and the occasional B.O.P.s (big ole projects). 

I can't WAIT to start this in the new year!!! 

Until my iStitch Advent post later today......HAPPY STITCHING everyone!

iStitch Advent SAL Day 8......

Yeah!!!  I've had a great day today stitching on this SAL!  I started the band this morning when I first got up, but then had to run my errands for today.  I ended up having lunch with my daughter on campus and her roommate!  I was also able to print off our new updated chart from Carol for our SAL!!!  I like how Carol has moved the JOYEUX NOEL to be more centered on Day 7.  Yes.....I am one who ripped out my Day 7 JOYEUX NOEL to make it more centered like on the updated graph today.  I started to just move NOEL to the right 2 spaces to be flush with the right side of the whole piece but decided I really did like the way Carol had centered it better.  So.....I ripped it out and restitched it in like the new graph.

I did ponder about stitching the bottom of Day 8 "leaf" looking diagram in green but decided to just go with the white silk like Carol did hers. 

I'm so pleased with how this is coming out!!!  I am always wondering what tomorrow will bring for our SAL!!!! 

Happy Stitching!

SG Advent Day 8

Well.....shoot.  I went and deleted my morning post of SG Advent Day 8.  I can't believe I did that as I thought I was deleting a duplicate iStitch Designs Advent post.  ARgggghhhhh  Don't you love it when you are tired and trying to make a post and you goof up and then try to go fix it.

Anyway, I got from my Stitcher's Garden Advent partner LK Collect Moments chart and the WDW threads to stitch it with!  WOOHOO!!!!  I love this little saying and it will be perfect for starting in the new year.

I apologize to all my followers for you getting a 2nd SG Advent post from me with this picture.  Sometimes computers annoy me but for the most part, I do love blogging and sharing with you my stitching adventures!!!