Merry Christmas!

Candlelit Heart

Somewhere across the winter world tonight
You will be hearing chimes that fill the air;
Christmas extends its all-enfolding light
Across the distance...something we can share.

You will be singing, just the same as I,
These familiar songs we know so well,
 

And you will see these same stars in your sky
And wish upon that brightest one that fell.

I shall remember you and trim my tree,
One shining star upon the topmost bough;
 

I will hang wreaths of faith that all may see --
Tonight I glimpse beyond the hear and now.

And all the time that we must be apart
I keep a candle in my heart.

(Written by Mary E. Linton)

Finishes by Friends

 Had a stitching get together recently and my friends had some fabulous finishes!!!  Above is Karin's BBD ornament with a beautiful chenille trim!!

 Above is an ornament by Jeanette Douglas that was in this year's JCS ornament issue.  As was the Joy ornament below.  These are both stitched by Karin.  Can you imagine how beautiful her Christmas tree is going to be????

 Above and below are more ornaments stitched by Karin.  I must, must, must stitch them both!!!!  I love the color combo Karin used on the Faith, Peace and Hope ornament.

 The picture below does not do justice to the fabulous colors in Turkey Love by Plum Street Sampler.  Karin finished it and it is totally aces!

 Pat finished these two fabulous projects!!!  This BBD pin cushion is a true masterpiece!!! Love it! 

The Shepard's Bush ornament is sheer perfection!!!!!!!

Guess what?  Tomorrow is December 15th...that means that the first small will be announced!!!!  Check the smalls blog tomorrow!!!

Sunday at Home

 I have been working on and loving Christmas Typography by Pine Mountain Designs.  It it totally darling and the colors are so bright and cheerful. 

 I have also been thinking back to my Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow start (which was a long time ago).  I started it on 32 count linen and then I thought I was going to start it again on 36 count linen because I liked the look of that better, but then I decided that stitching on 32 count linen is just so much easier, and therefore, more enjoyable that I will just keep going on it.  So, I got it out today and was getting ready to pick it up again when I discovered that I love every single box of this pattern except for the last one!

 Here it is pictured up close.  I don't care for the reference to death.  I just think it kind of brings the happiness factor down.  I know I could just stitch nine of the designs, but I love every single other box except this one.


I am wondering....is there a box in Village of Hawk Run Hollow or Houses of Hawk Run Hollow that might be exchanged for this box?  Are they even the same size?  Let me know if you have any opinions.  Thanks!

As I was bringing out the Christmas decorations I finally found this issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine......I am so excited.  I have been thinking about this very design for months and wondered where my copy of the magazine was!!!!!!  

So much to stitch!!!  So little time!!  I guess that is a good problem to have, right????

Hope you all have a great week......

Thankful

"In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit." Albert Schweitzer 

Happy Thanksgiving to my dear friends.

Because we are stitching nerds

 A few of us "invaded" Inspired Needle tonight.  Well, four of us........as per usual we laughed, stitched very little, and mostly looked at fabric and fiber combos.  


Toward the end of the evening we came up with a new obsession....what new project are you going to start on Thanksgiving!!!!!!  Oh goody!  Stitchy stuff to obsess about!  


Karin is starting the fantastic Turkey Love as pictured above.

 Barb was running around with Autumn - Sampler of the Season by With Thy Needle and Thread in her stitching bag.  She just needed fibers and fabric.  She is ready for her start on Thursday (or will it be Wednesday???)   What a gorgeous piece this will be!

 I have two choices of new.....above is the most fabulous Christmas Typography.  What fun colors!

 Jayne is going to stitch Jingle all the way starting on Thursday.  I might start that one too!!  Both Jayne and I kitted it up with the called for fabric (Swamp) and the silks, Mahogany and Icing.  


Karin is doing it in Kudzu and with Sister Scarlett and Icing.  You can see her start on the left and our fabric and threads on the right.  


What new project will you start on Thanksgiving?  I think we just made a new tradition of starting a new project on all holidays.  Can't wait for Arbor Day!!!

Recent Stitching Sessions

I was lucky this week....stitching at the shop on Tuesday and Friday!  Here are some of the fab sights I saw.  First up is a fabulous sampler that Karin is stitching....I saw her progress on Tuesday and then on Friday I bought the chart myself.  Could not get it out of my system!

Sorry about the jumble of days....Teresa was working on this PS November project on Friday night.  I have LOVED this project for so long and have it in my stash...so I kitted it up on Friday night......

Back to Tuesday.....Barb is going to needlepoint this amazing canvas for her daughter.  Her daughter saw it in a shop in Port Townsend, WA and Barb ordered it.  That is so cool!!!!

Karin had a beautiful BBD finish!

We all went ape over this ornament from the current JCS Christmas ornament issue.  I think it is called Joy.  We are doing it with these threads and then some of us are stitching it again with Strawberry Shortcake and Icing Belle Soie silks!!

Masterpiece Alert.....This is the Turkey Sampler by Plum Street Samplings as stitched by Linda.  Now you can see why it is in my short list.  This is one amazing piece.

Karin did this darling ornament over 1 and over 2.  Love it both ways!!

Pat received her ornament back from the finisher!  Gorgeous!  My picture does not do it justice. 

Patti finished Merry Christmas by BBD.  It is so very Gorgeous!

Here is a pic of Patti's progress on this BOAF design.  This is such an amazing piece!  I need to put this on my shortlist too.  It is calling to me!

Candid shot of Friday night stitching.  Sorry, Barb! I got you while you were sipping on root beer...but you still look cute!

Terry joined us all the way from Richmond, IL!!!  That is far!  She had two finishes that were framed and were stunning!  Both by BBD!!  Wow!!!!

The thread colors in both projects were just so pretty!!!! 


It is now a bit past noon on Sunday....I wish there was a stitch store open somewhere!  I want to go play with supplies again!

The Big Announcement

Big Announcement:  2012 is the Year of Smalls!

I was daydreaming about having a basket of small pin cushions or little pillows like some of my friends have.  Over the years they have stitched darling little pieces and those pieces reside together in baskets.  Of course, some smalls lend themselves to a sweet little frame and that would be so pretty too!

There are so many cool "smalls" out there!  I thought it would be fun to have a special small project each month of the year in 2012.  It is kind of like having a book club with a new book every month.  I love the anticipation of finding out what the next book is; so I thought we could do that with the small projects.  

Here is a link to the blog:  2012 Year of Smalls

Each month on the 15th day the new small project will be announced.  My stitching buddies each picked a project.  On December 15th the January 2012 small project will be announced on the smalls blog.  That way you will have enough time to gather up the chart and stitching supplies if you would like to stitch it too.  If you like, you may order the chart, fabric and threads from the Inspired Needle.  Cathy will kit up the whole project for you.  

So, I hope you will join me on December 15th for the first project!

Green Bay

 Over the summer one of my best friends in the world moved from Illinois to Green Bay, WI.  I was lucky enough to be able to drive up there this weekend and spend time with Lorie.  


Now, usually when you go away to visit a friend you take a picture of you and your friend together....but no...we never thought to do that (possibly because we never felt like putting on real clothes and make-up!)...anyway, one of the most fun things we did was a visit to The Stitching Bee in Green Bay.  What a great little cross-stitch shop this is!!!

 There were tons of shop models!!!  The washroom is totally dedicated to Halloween models!  I am now officially obsessed with three of the charts in this post; the first being, 13 Owls!

 Love this little acorn in this gorgeous little frame.

 The woman who was working in the shop on Saturday was working on this Bent Creek beauty.

 Above, is my #1 current obsession.  I want to start this PS design ASAP!!!

 A finished Village of Hawk Run Hollow!  Stupendous!  Also, see the little Autumn PS finish?  I have that chart!! I can do that one too!

 My third obsession is Tom Turkey by Notforgotten Farm.  Love him!!!!

As you can see there is eye candy EVERYWHERE!!!!  I was so overwhelmed I got giddy!  This is definitely a shop to make a special trip for....and if you are near Green Bay; get yourself over there.  The shop has a retreat in Door County which Lorie and I hope to go to next year!

That evening Lorie and I went through my stash.  She found several projects that were about 20 stitches away from being finished.  She told me to get busy right that instant!  So, I have a finish!!!  I would like to have this finished into a pin cushion to start a little collection.  

All in all, we had a fabulous weekend full of laughing, crafting, brainstorming and wishing for lots more time together!!!  Thanks Lorie!

BIG ANNOUCEMENT - COMING ON NOVEMBER 15, 2011

These girls look like they have a secret!!!!  They do!!!!  We will all be in the know soon.  The big announcement is coming on Tuesday, November 15th!!!!  Stay tuned!!!

Tuesday Night Stitching at Inspired Needle

 The first and third  Tuesdays of each month are stitch night at the Inspired Needle.  Needless to say, they are some of my favorite days of the month.  Last night was another fun gathering.  Above are three versions of a Christmas design by BBD......I think there are about six of us all together stitching the same design; here you can see different levels of progress.  It is such a gorgeous design!  Last night I was thinking if I only had one designer to stitch forever (you know, if I was on a desert island), it would be BBD.

 Barb had to make some adjustments to a stitching project and ended up making a little stitching project holder.  So cute!!!  I'll take ten!

 Our group Winter project choice was the French Country Reindeer Stocking by JBW.  This is Barb's progress.  She is using Misty Rain linen and Evergreen Belle Soie.  Stunning. 

 Cathy finished her Morning Star by BBD.  There was a run on this chart last night!  It is just so great.

 Chris stopped by to pick up three finishes!!!!  Above is a piece by LHN....it is gorgeous and the frame is perfectly perfect.

 Above is another stunner! 

 Love the frame Chris picked for this piece!  All three finishes are stupendous!!

 Here is Karin's progress on Casting a Spell.  I am sure she is done by now.  Isn't it just totally amazing!!!!  Swoon!!

 Karin had a new stitch wallet from Natalia.  These are works of art in and of themselves!

 This piece was up at the counter.  Debbie stitched this to be a shop model.  Totally great.

Here is Patti's progress on her deer.  This is one stunning piece and I must do it for sure next year!!!!!!!!