Choose Joy

Well, hello there!  It's been quite a while! 

I have been busy stitching and look forward to the colder months when I can stay in, stay warm, and stitch, stitch, stitch!  I was inspired from one of my antiques to create a sweet ornament, a freebie gift to you, called Choose Joy. 

 I have chosen to make it into a perforated paper ornament but it would also be real cute done as a small pincushion.  The stitch count is 51 wide x 43 high. 

Here is a little sneak peek of some recent stitching.....  Lots of pretty colors, like springtime! 

I am looking forward to the New Year and working on my WIPs, and especially starting on the Ann Roberts Sampler SAL which I will be leading in the Our Sampler Years facebook group.  Each month we will be doing a part of it so I look forward to sharing it with you as we all stitch along!  

For more info about the sampler please visit Hands Across the Sea Samplers website here.

It seems like winter has already come out in full force here in the Northeast!  We are all covered in ice..... it is soooo very sparkly and beautiful!  but cold!!!

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas! and Happy 2020!!  

Happy New Year!!!

Wow, two posts in one week!  :)

I just put the stitches in one final ornament and finish for 2014...  this is from Little By Little.. Sleigh Bird...

Looking back on 2014 I was surprised at how many finishes I have accomplished!  While not all were started in 2014 these were all done in the year...... 

And already I have BIG plans for the New Year too!  Lots of SALs to join in!  

There are two for the Scarlet Letter.... Mary Gail...still not sure about the fabric choice lol - either Peanut Butter Pie YUM! :) or PTP Wren, and Jenny Bean with Lakeside Linen Tarnished Silver.  

And I will make a second attempt at Hannah Pepper!  I am going with 36 ct cream.  There will be a lot of encouragement with this SAL and the dedicated facebook group.  

And yet a fourth!  Ann Tarbox is another facebook SAL..... for this one I am trying out 35ct cream Floba fabric.  

So it looks like is should be a fun stitch-y year with like-minded stitch-y friends!!  

I hope you are having a fun time ringing in the New Year.  I am sitting cozy at home with my Gigi... here she is sitting on her Christmas monkey lol.  We are watching Rockin' New Years Eve and the Times Square Ball drop.  Tradition.  :)  

A toast to you ALL for a Healthy and Happy New Year filled with happiness and peace and lots of stitching!!  xxxxx  Krista 

Merry Christmas!

Christmastime is here!  Happiness and cheer!

Another busy month has passed, and yes, I have some bits of stitching to show this time.  It has been ornaments for a few weeks now, gifts for friends and family...

These are the Peace Pin Buttons I changed into ornaments featured in a JCS Ornament issue...

And a sweet bunny with a holiday wish....

And a peppermint holiday treat too!

I still have one more to go!!  Will show you next time!

As you can see, I stitch my ornaments on perforated paper partly because I love working on the paper and partly because I am very challenged when it comes to finishing!  lol!  

One of my New Year's resolutions is going to be to trying to finish an ornament the way I see all you in the blog world do so lovely with linen and trim and stuffing :)

Everyplace I go holiday is in the air.  I had a day out with my Long Island friend and we visited some of our favorite places here in Connecticut.  

Shakespeare's Garden was done up in wreaths and Christmas trees, it felt like a winter wonderland!

I could not resist snapping this pic with the scissors and twine....

After some shopping, we headed to Pawling NY to Daryl's House for an early dinner... and were lucky to hear some of the sound check for the performer slated that evening, Kasim Sultan. 

A toast to the holidays.....a Peekskill Brewery Eastern Standard IPA.  Grapefruit-y!

After the sound check the lights were dimmed and it was so beautiful with all the holiday decorations. 

I did get a bit of new stash :)  

A couple for the New Year SAL... Jenny Bean and Mary Gail plus a few extras, of course!

Even Gigi has gotten dressed up for the holidays!  

I have been watching many of the holiday classic movies the last few weeks... White Christmas, Holiday Inn, Elf!, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and more... Do you have a favorite?  

I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas filled with happiness, joy, and love!  xxxx

Peace

Hi Everyone!  I can't believe it has been a few weeks already since my last post, time is really flying!  I have felt like a hamster on a wheel trying to get ready for the holidays and finish last minute gifts.  And while I have not stitched a bit on my current samplers (so bad!) I have finished some ornaments finally!  Here is one that I can show you for now....

Peace Pin Button by Jeanette Douglas Designs, JCS 2012 Ornaments
on perforated paper w dmc 3856 and NPI 605, dmc 902, dmc 924

When I saw this ornament in this year's JCS Ornament issue I really loved it.... However, the tricky part was dealing with the over one parts on the perforated paper... so I did the over one as the regular cross stitch and then the white snowflake part I did over two as all smyrna crosses.  I love final effect.  In effect, it doubled the size of the pattern to about 4-1/2 inches, perfect for an ornament.   All of it is in dmc except for the purple 'Peace' which I pulled out some NPI silk I had.  Love working with the silk.  I will have to plan to do more in it.  

I love this time of year, with everything all decorated, and all of the holiday tunes and shows playing... it is all so cheery!  In the next week, I will share pics from my neighborhood, there has been quite a lot of decking the halls here.  Here is one for now, this is our living Christmas Tree on the Town Green where I work.........

Tonight I am settling in, stitching, and watching the special 12.12.12 concert, what an amazing group of talent for such an important cause.  And tomorrow I am off and headed to New Jersey to see the ROLLING STONES, woohoo!!  It's only Rock 'n' Roll but I love it!!  It has been a long 5 years since I have seen them last so I am SO excited!!   I hope to get a pic or two to share with you all  :D  

Enjoy your evening! and Happy Stitching!!  xxxx