New Year Gifted Gorgeousness!

Happy New Year!  I know I'm a few days late, but better late than never, right?  I remember a line from an Anne of Green Gables book...each day is a new beginning with no mistakes in it.  I like the idea of turning a page and beginning again.  Here's to a new year, with no mistakes in it.  Let's hope it's a great year for all of us!

I've been busy stitching!  And everything I've been stitching falls under Gifted Gorgeousness.  If you don't know what Gifted Gorgeousness is, you can head on over to Jo's blog, Serendipitous Stitching, and you can sign up here, or see what everyone is stitching for Gifted Gorgeousness here.  I have been stitching patterns that have been given to me and  projects I am giving to others.  This is our chance to dig through our stash and honor those gifts that have been given to us, either pattern, fabric, or threads, and to showcase what we are stitching for others.

I'm going to start with a gift of pattern, fabric and floss I was given for the 12 days of Christmas last month.  I started this on Christmas day...thank you again, Marcy.  I just need a little time to finally finish it...that will be soon, I hope!

My husband gave me 9 Mill Hill kits a few years ago that made up a nativity.  I had finished Mary, Joseph, Jesus, two shepherds and an Angel two years ago, I think.  I only had 3 kings left.  I have finished two so far this year.  Here is Balthasar and Melchior.  I hope to finish Gaspar this year and finally finish them into cubes to make up another nativity to add to my collection!  Watch this space!

For Mother's Day I was given all the patterns for Summer Schoolhouse Lessons from With Thy Needle and Thread.  I tried to keep up with all the projects as they came in.  I'm happy to say, I have finished all of them!  The last three were finished in December and January.  These are being stitched on 28 count over one. 

For my Birthday I was given this kit from Katie.  She had bought it months before my Birthday and had given it to Ben to hold for her.  She wasn't able to give it to me herself as she passed the day after my Birthday, but Ben gave it to me a month later.   I started this on New Year's Day in her honor.  I've been trying to work on it at least one day a week.  This is how far I've been able to get.  I love the pattern, and she knew I loved lighthouses.  She was such a thoughtful soul...I miss her, but she is never far from my thoughts, especially when I work on this.  I swapped the fabric and am stitching this on 40 count over two.

My husband gave me all the 12 Berries of Christmas for my Birthday last year.  I finished the first three last year.  I'm determined to finish the rest  this year.  I've decided to finish the rest backwards.  So last year I finished 12 Drummers Drumming, and so far I've been able to finish 11 Pipers Piping, and 10 Lords a Leaping.  I'm hoping to finish them soon, and a friend of mine who has stitched and finished all 12, has promised to help me finally finish them....I HAVE to get stitching!!  These are being stitched on 32 count over two.

I've been working on this project for years.  This is called Sweet Nectar, it is a Dimensions kit.  It's a gift for my Mom, if I can ever get it finished!!  LOL  I've decided this is a WIP I'm going to finish this year.  I had it on a scroll frame that was heavy and cumbersome.  I recently switched it to a Q-snap frame and it's so much easier to work on.  Wish me luck...I really want to finish it this year.  It doesn't look like much progress, but I've been working on it on Wednesdays (my own self-imposed WIP Wednesday).  Mostly I've been backstitching the flowers, and this takes time!!  It really does make the flowers pop though!  This is being stitched on 36 count over two.

For my Birthday and Christmas this year I was given a few SALs.  I've fallen in love with Tempting Tangles!!  I finished my first TT SAL last year, but the other three I've been given will finish this year and possibly next.  So far I've been able to keep up with them.  

First up is Wildflower Woodland Quaker.  So far the first 9 parts have been published and I am all caught up!  It is being stitched on 40 count over two.

Second is Springtime Easter Delight and the first 10 parts have been published.  I am all caught up with this one as well!  This is being stitched on 40 count over two.

Last is Blue Poppy Learning Sampler.  So far only three parts have been published, and I just finished this up yesterday!  This one is full of specialty stitches and I'm loving it!!  It's being stitched on 32 count over two.

Last is another SAL I was given for Christmas, this one is called Through the Window by Ship's Manor.  I haven't been able to finish all the borders yet, but I was able to finish the first part that was issued January 1st.  I am doing this one over one on 28 count.

The last thing I'm going to post are two gifts I was given for Christmas.  My husband bought the patterns, the fabric and all the floss.  I'm know, I'm spoiled!!  So watch this space!  Though I haven't started them yet, I will be starting them sometime this year.  These are Tempting Tangles patterns, Creation and Before the Fall.  I can't wait to get started!!

And that's all I have to report.  Thank you, Jo, for hosting this challenge again this year.  This really helps to keep me focused and blogging, so I really appreciate your hard work to keep this going!