New Year Planning

TGIF, my friends!
In between working on some Christmas ornaments, I have made some progress on the german sampler, SM 1678.  I think another week or two and it will be complete :)

SM 1678

My new favorite thing is doing these pic collages.  I had wondered how many of you did this on your blogs and finally have found a great site, PicMonkey, that creates collages without downloading any programs (I am always hesitant to download things, you never know!).  Nowadays you can find anything on google!   What did we do before Google?!?

And on to the exciting news about Nicola's challenge!

About a month ago, I started thinking about 2013 and planning which designs I wanted to work on and had quite a pile lined up... and then along came Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year Challenge!  

Soooooo, my original plan was put on hold when I saw all the wonderful designs that the Scarlet Letter has to choose from!   The challenge is to celebrate Nicola's special birthday year by stitching Scarlet Letter patterns, either a WIP or new start, throughout the year.  She is having AMAZING monthly giveaways to celebrate thru the year.  There are already 70 participants and each sampler I see is more enticing than the next!  It will be so much fun all of us stitching together and sharing, and meeting new friends with the same passion.  I hope you will join in on the fun, there is a link in my sidebar that will take you to the blog where all the details are posted.  Caution!  It is easily addictive when you see all the beautiful samplers the group will be working on!   I am jumping in with both a WIP and a new start!

My WIP, SDW Sampler, is coming along, it is a SAL project I dedicate time to once a week.

SDW Sampler

And then I have ordered up some new charts as well.... Dona Dorothea, Dorothy Walpole, and the first one I am planning to stitch, Ann Grimshaw 1818!

Ann Grimshaw 1818

What a GORGEOUS quaker!  It is charted with black thread, although I am thinking of switching that up and perhaps using a complimentary color from my Mary Wigham sampler.   I can't tell you the countless hours I have spent looking at colors!  Crazy, I know!  Around and around in my head, pick a color!, pick a color! lol!   If you have a suggestion, I am open to all!   What is easiest is to just stick to the instructions! :D

Today I received a package from Gabi!  I was fortunate to win her giveaway, it was a Little House Needleworks chart, The North Wind.  What a sweet design, I love anything with birds on it, so I will have fun stitching this one for sure.  Thank you so much, Gabi!!!

We are expecting some snow here this weekend, perfect for staying in and stitching!  And, I will get to the movies I am sure, another time at Skyfall, and I am too embarrassed to say how many that is!, but I have a BIG crush on Mr. Bond  :)    

I hope you have a fun and stitch-y weekend!  xxxxxx

This and That and Thanksgiving Wishes...

Hello Everyone!  

Can you even believe it is Thanksgiving time already?

The dish that I usually make for holidays is the green bean casserole, and I love the turkey too, but my favorite is apple and raisin stuffing.  It was one that Pepperidge Farm used to do, easy-peasy right in the box, but was discontinued (isn't that always the way??!), so now when I make it it is from scratch, but so worth it!  Do you have a favorite holiday dish??   

I have had a fun time the past week, I have continued my catch up with SDW.

I love all the colors in this one.  I really wanted to finish the lion but ran out of time yesterday.

My lion seems to be turning out a bit different from the rest in my SAL group, it seems that the dmc colors have changed a bit over time and it is giving it a bit of a gray color but I think it works well.  

I love his mane and that tongue... makes me think of... yep, the Rolling Stones :D

I will put SDW back into the once-a-week rotation now and get back to my flower sampler and work on some necessary Christmas ornaments as we are in the countdown!

This past Saturday, my family had it's 3rd annual soup contest.  It was the first one that I attended, and I got to be a judge.  There were 7 chefs in all, all with delicious soups. 

Soups included wonton, shrimp and dumpling, cabbage, spinach tortelloni, zucchini gorgonzola, and the two  winners - there was a tie! - beef bourginon soup and sausage and bean soup!  

That's a LOT of soup!

It was a yummy good time!

Earlier this week, I received a belated birthday gift from a special friend.

It was the Led Zeppelin Celebration Day set.  I was very excited to find this in the mail, I had seen the movie of this concert recently and it was fantastic. 

Yes, it's been a long time since they have rock 'n' rolled, but they still can!

Led Zep is a big fave and if you had ever wished to see them live this is possibly the best way. 

And, if you have any rockers on your holiday gift list it will be a big hit!

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I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving with your friends and family.  

I am thankful for the friends and family in my life, 

and that I will be able to spend time with my family celebrating this special holiday.   

I am thankful for your friendships.  Hugs to you all.  

Have a wonderful holiday and weekend!  xxxx

Take Two

Did you all have a great weekend?  Mine was quite stitch-y!

And also included some James Bond action, the new Skyfall was AWESOME!

Definitely, a must see if you like the action flicks!

A few weeks back you may have remembered I started a german sampler, SDW.

WELL....

I finally made a decision to start over.  I was not happy with the stiff Wichelt linen I was using, I could barely get my needle through the stuff!  I was breaking needles, stabbing myself, it was a bad scene!

There was no way I could continue with it on such a loooooong project.  

So after getting some awesome advice from my Sampler World fb buddies on linens, I went with 36ct flax Edinborough linen and it is like a dream to stitch on!  

So I have caught up and gone a bit farther, and will continue until I catch back up with the group.  

And, while waiting for the new fabric to arrive, I kept going on SM 1678.

The alphas are all done now. I REALLY love this one!

Today is Tusal time again... where did that month go??

And here is some new stash I have gotten from here, there, and everywhere :D

The wheels are already turning for the new year!

Have a great night!  I am looking forward to watching some Dancing with the Stars and stitching the night away.  Hmmmm, wonder who will be sent home tonight??  

Enjoy your evening!  

Happy Stitchings!  xxxxx

Wacky Weather!

Hi Everyone!  Hope you are all safe and warm and cozy!

It has been a crazy busy week, another storm after the big storm! 

Yesterday's Nor'easter brought some early snow...

i do love snow <3 just not so much driving in it!

this morning looked like a winter wonderland outside

with some traces of autumn still here and there

and this evening there was the most GORGEOUS sunset!

And then I came home to a package at my door, the candle I won from Shirlee's giveaway!  

The scent is Christmas Cheer, a little spicy and touch of pine, very Christmas-ey and comforting on this cold and windy night!  Thank you SO much Shirlee, I love it!  

So this is all there is for this week, no stitching at all unfortunately.  

I will be catching up on that this long weekend, along with the seeing the new Bond movie :D

I hope you all enjoy a long, relaxing and stitch-y weekend too!  

xxxxx

  

Today You Have A Say!

TGIF!!

My week started out with these beautiful flowers I received at work for my birthday.  

It was such a sweet surprise.  

And then came Sandy.  It was a terrible time here in the northwest CT area, lots of damage from wind and trees down and power outages, but we fared much better than most everywhere else.  The devastation, as you have all seen I imagine, is unbelievable.  It is heartbreaking to see all of these places that I know so well, that feel like home for me, in such a state.  I cannot stop the tears.  

I am grateful that my friends and family have all weathered the storm, and my heart goes out to all of those that have been affected by this horrific event.  

I hope that all of you and your families are all safe and sound too.

So, thankfully, I only had to deal with a power outage which is frustrating but inconsequential in comparison to what others are dealing with.  

I remembered I had a battery powered light and kept busy thru the darkness with stitching.  

It helped to keep me calm and pass the time quickly.  

I kept working on SM 1678 and I am still loving every moment of it.  

I love the alphabet, and actually, this sampler can be presented either vertically with the alphabet at the top or on it's side with the alphabet on it's side to the left.  

I believe I will keep it at the top but will wait til the end to decide for sure although then my crosses will be in the wrong direction from all my other pieces, that may drive me crazy!

And here is my start on the SAL of the SDW german sampler from last weekend.  The plan is to spend time on it once a week.  I am not so sure about that blackwork pattern at the top, it is to run the whole length of the top of the sampler so I will decide on it further along on the project.  

I am looking forward to stitching again on it tomorrow.  

So that is about all for this week.  Highs and lows... too many lows!

I am glad it is the end of the week.  

I am going to settle in to stitch and watch the special concert this evening for the Hurricane relief, what a great way to raise money for this cause.   I will be texting in for sure.  

I hope you enjoy your weekend and have fun stitching!

oh, and Nancy at Victorian Motto is having an awesome giveway, go check it out! :)

Hugs to you all!