A year in review...

It's been a wild year!  I had high hopes of finishing a lot of the UFOs I've had for  years circling in my stitching room...sadly that didn't happen...lol.  I took on the responsibility of a pen pal and my mind was wrapped up in stitching for her each month along with my British pen pal who was sadly neglected.  I've given up my Texas pal I was just too overwhelmed each month trying to think of new ideas along with my responsibilities watching little Miss A.  I've also decided once (or twice) a year will be enough for my Brit pal.  

I'm happy to report that I started and finished a few of the things I hoped to start this year.  Of the 12 I listed, I started and finished 4 of them...and started a 5th but didn't finish.  I was doing well until about September when things went sideways...lol.  

Of the 12 WIPs I listed, I finished 1.  Of the 3 SALs I started, I finished all three!  

Of the 9 actual decent sized projects I started, I finished 8 and entered one of them in the Maryland State Fair...which won second place in the category of things starting with the letter K.  

I finished stitching 122 items this year, most of them small gifts and Christmas ornaments.  I fully finished 55, mostly Christmas ornaments and pen pal gifts, though I did finish 4 that were entered in the Maryland State Fair this year.  

I participated in Christmas Ornament challenges this year, and while I dropped out of one category, I finished the other 4.  That made a total of 48 ornaments I stitched for the challenges, but made more that were specific to other people.  Not all of them were fully finished.  

Not a bad tally for the year, considering we did a lot of traveling this year.  I have listed some goals for the New Year, but may change them a bit as the year progresses.  I really want 2023 to be the year I finish up some of the UFO's I've had going for a long while, and also a true clean up of my sewing room.  With Christmas, I squirreled some things away to make room for decorations and now I can barely get into that room at all...haha.  Famous last words.  We will see what happens.  

So here's to looking forward to a New Year...as Anne Shirley would say...It's a new year with no mistakes in it...so far.  Here's hoping I can really get some meaningful stuff done.  I received some lovely stitching gifts this Christmas, and hope to stitch more of those bigger projects.  Fingers crossed I will be able to get more of that done in 2023.  So as 2022 comes to a close, my thoughts are looking forward to a productive stitching year.  Wishing all of you all the best in the coming New Year and as always ... Happy Stitching!

2022 Advent Calendar Blog Hop

Welcome to my contribution to the Annual Advent Blog Hop organized by Jo over on her blog, Serendipitous Stitching.  If you would like to see what others have been stitching for this event, please click here and it will take you to the Advent Calendar Page.  I've participated in this for a number of years now, always fun to see what others are stitching and to count down the days to Christmas.  

This year I'm posting a picture of a design I stitched in exchange for a winter scene painting with a lady who is the mother of a high school friend.  It came from a Leisure Arts book entitled Christmas Portraits and is called Noble Companions.  I love everything Christmas, but especially Nativities (I collect them).  It's been a while since I stitched one of those, I better fix that next year!  

Along with the picture we are to post, we are to share our "afters" which has been described as our desserts after our Christmas meal.  My favorite is pumpkin pie, but as the men in the family don't like that, I usually make a couple of our favorite desserts, Buckeye Balls (peanut butter and rice krispies rolled into bite sized balls and dipped in dark chocolate) and chocolate fudge...so creamy and literally melts when it hits your tongue.  Along with that we have sparkling cider or Egg Nog.  My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

It was always tradition in our family, when I still lived with my parents, to have another big turkey dinner and invite an older couple we adopted as our grandparents over for dinner.  There was always lots of food and good conversation...lots of laughs as well.  Our house was very small, and when we extended our table, you couldn't open our refrigerator or move around the table, so we had to make sure everything was on the table before we sat down.  LOL!!  Over the years our Christmas celebrations have gotten smaller, but now that we have Miss A around, I have a feeling they are going to be a lot more fun!  From our house to yours, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and abundant Blessings in the New Year!  Oh yeah, and Happy Stitching!

December Gifted Gorgeousness

Well, here we are...the last GG post of the year!  It's been a wild, crazy ride this year, and I almost hate to see it end...full of fun and lots of laughs.  Let's see....If you don't know what Gifted Gorgeousness is, Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching hosts this throughout the year.  Basically we post anything stitch related and gift related at the same time...either to us or for someone else.  If you want to know the technical rules, please visit the page on Jo's blog by clicking here.  If you want to see Jo's amazing stitching and what others are posting, you can click here.  You may be directed to the Advent Calendar she posts each December, but look a little further and you'll see the Gifted Gorgeousness post.

Where to start?  Hmmm...well let's start with the Linen & Threads 2020 SAL, I finally have a finish!!  The last two parts seemed never ending!!  I'm happy to have it finished.  That was the third large piece I finished that I started and finished within the year!  Yay me!  LOL  I'm thankful to the Linen & Threads folks for such a lovely sampler.  I wonder what they will do next year?  

I found this little Wonder Woman on the web as a free crochet afghan pattern that I adapted to cross stitch.  If you remember our granddaughter had a "one"der Woman party for her first birthday.  I thought it would be fun to make her this ornament to commemorate her year.  I still need to make it into an ornament, if only we could stay home for a minute and a half....haha.    

I finished this pattern from a JCS magazine Dec 2008.  My husband has gifted me all the magazines so I consider anything I make from them a GG.  I saw this way back in 2008 and wanted to stitch it then...I think I'll start stitching things for me next year, I have so many I really want to make!  Christmas Gathering is ready to be framed!  (I even have the frame...just need the time!  I sound like a broken record..LOL) 

This next piece is a Christmas gift for my DIL.  She loves anything beachy.  I haven't decided how to finish it but I'm leaning towards a block finish.  I have some beach pins I thought I would stick in the top...if only I had the time!  I'll get there (hopefully before Christmas).  It is from Barefoot Needleart.  I used what I had in my stash, so some of the colors are quite different...but I like how it came out.  

I have sent this next one through the mail...it's been taking it's time crossing the ocean.  She hasn't received it yet, but hopefully soon!  I love how this one came out and will be making one for me one of these days.  This is Wishing Ewe Christmas Peace by Homespun Elegance.  I found the little candle tray at Hobby Lobby.  I'll have to go back and pick one up for myself, I almost didn't let it go!  LOL!!  

I received my gift from my GOF (Gift of Friendship) partner from Canada since the last post.  I showed what I sent to my partner in England in the last post.  I'm thinking of all the fun things I can do with that linen...stay tuned!  

I received a lovely gift from Mouse ... it arrived after my birthday but before Christmas so she told me I could open it!  Yay!  It's always fun to receive a gift from Mouse, look at all the lovelies she sent!  She is such a gifted seamstress, and all the other goodies will come in handy!  I already have something in mind for the bellpull hardware!  

I sent this next framed piece to my pen pal (who I told I would have to stop sending things as I'm just too busy to keep stitching consistently each month).  I stitched this for her birthday but couldn't bring myself to make the needleroll...so had to find another way to finish it.  She texted to say she loved the package I sent (again I forgot to take a picture) which was full of patterns, a book, and a few stitched items.  

Here are some of the ornaments I stitched this year made into ornaments.  I was making them up even on the day we went to hand them out at Thanksgiving.  

I saw a post by Stitch Picasso on Facebook asking for volunteer stitchers.  I chose Bridge over a River to stitch, and finished it on this little thing I found at Hobby Lobby.  Not my best finishing, but I love the colors in the pattern...it's hanging in my stitching room now!

I found this little free pattern on the Living on a Rainbow blog.  It's called Stay Home Mitten.  I thought it would be cute for the kids since this is their first Christmas in their new home.  I really hope I can finish those last few ornaments for the kids...keep your fingers crossed!!

Last is something I made for my friend Lady M.  Her birthday was in November, but things kept getting in the way (mainly that I was sick and she didn't want to catch the creepy crud I had that lasted several weeks).  I finished The Winter is Past by Blackbird Designs and finished it on the last good box I had from Hobby Lobby.  I can't tell you how many of these I've made, and I finally stitched one for myself...now to find the right box to finish it on...wish me luck!  LOL  Lady M loved it!  

I guess that's all I have for this month.  I did hope to stitch a few more ornaments, I'll have to get busy (or not sleep) until Christmas is here...haha.  I still don't have my tree up!  Can someone order a few more hours in the day please?  Thanks for stopping by!  I hope everyone has a very happy, healthy holiday season!  Happy Stitching!

Busy, busy, busy

Another weekend of busyness...I'm exhausted!  But it was fun.  I'm thankful for the family that our son married into.  Living so far away from our own extended families has had it's challenges.  Since the big holidays happen during the winter (Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years and sometimes Easter) it was never a good time to travel to our hometowns in the north.  We adapted by having small, quiet celebrations just the three of us.  I will admit it could be lonely sometimes while friends around us always had family to celebrate with, but we made it work.  Our son's new in-laws find lots of ways to gather together for any reason.  They are a fun bunch... being an introvert it can be a bit overwhelming, but I'm getting used to it.  This weekend we all gathered in Hershey, Pennsylvania to see the lights in Hershey Park.  We went last year just the kids, Miss A and the two of us and had a wonderful time.  We stayed in a nice hotel near the park, spend a couple of meals together and had fun in the park even though it was REALLY cold (it even snowed the morning we left for home).  It was good to get away and have some fun!  Here are some of the sights!

Since we did this last year as well, I thought it was fun that we took their picture in the same place.  It was so cold, but they did let Miss A out of her little cocoon last year for the picture.  This year she was dressed as a reindeer...the lighting was a bit off so you can't see her face...but she's on her feet this year!  LOL!  Here are last year's picture and this year's picture...along with a better picture of Miss A's outfit...

I'm not sure what adventures will be had next weekend (I honestly hope we are able to put up our tree sometime this year...LOL!! ) but stay tuned!  I'll be back in a couple days with the last Gifted Gorgeousness update for the year!  Till then, Happy Stitching!

Getting in the Spirit

The last few weekends have been so busy!  I still don't have my tree up...do you?  Things sure make the holidays look different with a little one in the picture.  I seem to be seeing things through a child's eyes!  I'm not sure what Little Miss A thought about visiting ICE! this year, I think her hat covered her eyes most of the walk through the exhibit, but she didn't cry or complain much.  It was a chilly 9 degrees in there...brrrrr.  Still it was a fun day with the kids.  Little Miss A picked out her own souvenir and has been mesmerized ever since! We have made this a holiday tradition, even though it was cancelled a few  years in a row because of Covid.

We attended a Christmas reception given at our DIL workplace.  I'm not sure what I was expecting but it far exceeded my thoughts!  There was a lovely Santa with a nice backdrop for pictures, face painting, balloon animals, Buzz Lightyear and Encanto, and a meal that was sooooo good with salmon, crab cakes, chicken dishes, beef dishes, fruit and veggies and deserts to die for.  Not sure what one of them was, but it seemed to be cheesecake dipped in dark chocolate.  I need to know where they got those delicacies.  These pictures of little Miss A with the wonder (and sometimes fear) in her eyes just make those memories unforgettable.  (Why are some kids so afraid of Santa?  She loved Buzz who was several times her size...but sweet Santa was the boogie man!  LOL)  Her whole body language screamed... SAVE ME!  

Our adventures sure make the days leading up to Christmas so exciting!  I hope you are experiencing the joy of the season as well....and you are Happily Stitching!

What are you thankful for?

It's been a year of incredible blessings for this family.  We've had a year with our adorable Granddaughter Miss A.  We've had some special moments with our kids and our in-laws, and for the most part we have been healthy and happy.  What more could you ask for?  I'm thankful for our family and the love we share.  What are you thankful for?  Wishing all of you many rich blessings on this Thanksgiving Day. 

Finishing Frenzy

Hi Fellow Stitchers!  It's been a busy few days at DJ's Digs.  Since our new addition to our family, we now have more family (in-laws) than ever before!  We love our DIL, but it can be a little overwhelming when we have "family" gatherings.  We are used to holidays and celebrations being just the 3 of us since most of our immediate family live so far away...and now gatherings with the  in-laws is more of a boisterous crowd affair.  It's a little intimidating for this introvert...LOL!!  It takes some getting used to...but they are a fun bunch!  Anyway, I've been making ornaments for the closest ones and will be giving them out at Thanksgiving so they can hang them on their trees before Christmas.  Rather than bore you with the "stats" on each one, I'm showing them in two groupings.  If you are interested in the information on them, please check out the 2022 Goals page at the top of this blog and toward the middle there will be pictures of the finished ornaments with all the information about each one listed there.  I still have one more to stitch and finish (wish me luck...I probably won't make it before tomorrow) but they will have it before Christmas.  Anyway...here they are so far...  

I also have finished my Friends and Family sampler from Linen & Threads which was their 2020 SAL still available on their website.  It is stitched on 32 count Espresso over one with Manor Red Gloriana Silk threads.  I enjoyed stitching on this...and as I was posting different pictures of my progress, I found that some initials could represent more than one person (who knew my friends shared initials...haha).  Please don't feel left out if your initials aren't there.  I truly ran out of room...maybe I should stitch another one?  LOL!!  And just for the record, Jo (if you are reading this) of course those are your initials....(they are also the initials of  my MIL) but you know what they say about two birds, one stone...LOL!!  I'm sure she doesn't mind sharing that "space" with you!  And of course you should be included in the stitching friends.  Several of my online friends are on there, as well as friends I made in High School, and College....I tried to mostly include those who influenced my stitching, so both my Grandmothers are there and an Aunt who really encouraged my crafty side.  This was a work of heart for sure!  

And that's all I have for today.  I will be super busy tomorrow and can't wait to see family tomorrow for Thanksgiving.  I hope you all stay safe and healthy and have lots to be thankful for as we celebrate tomorrow.  Happy Thanksgiving and Happy Stitching!

November Gifted Gorgeousness

Can you believe it's time for Gifted Gorgeousness again?  That month just flew by!  If this is your first visit during a Gifted Gorgeousness post...welcome!  You can learn more about what the challenge is by visiting the Serendipitous Stitching page that describes what falls into the gifted category by clicking this link.  If you want to see what others are stitching, please visit the sign in page on Jo's main blog page by clicking here.  Basically we check in once a month to post about things we have been given, have given to others, or gifts we have used to stitch other projects.  I have a lot to show this month...so here we go!  

Whew!  I really need to write a New Years Resolution to blog more often.  I've been on a mission to finish up things I started this year, complete some challenges I set forth for myself, and get some Christmas gifts finished up well in advance to get them fully finished before the season so I can relax and enjoy all the things leading up to Christmas.  It's been a busy month as I've participated in some exchanges.  To start with, anything I stitch from Just Cross Stitch magazine I consider a gifted gorgeousness piece because I've been gifted all of the issues that have been printed from my husband...who supports my habit...haha.  

I have some catching up to do because I had stitched gifts but now that they are winging their way to their recipients, I can now show you what I made for them.  I am participating in an exchange through Gift of Stitching...I stitched three items for my partner and will show the whole package I sent to her.  First is When Cardinals Appear by Blackberry Lane Designs which I stitched only the bird and made into an ornament...  

Next is Count your Stitches also by Blackberry Lane Designs.  I love Marie's designs and have stitched some more than once!  This one I framed.  

Last is Down in the Valley by Blackbird Designs which I finished in a candle holder with a pedestal.  I was very tempted to keep this one for myself!  LOL  Last is all the gifts I sent her.  I hope she enjoys them!  

I received some lovely gifts for my birthday last month, my pen pal sure spoils me!  

I've been so busy with other things that I just can't keep up and didn't quite get everything together for my pen pal who's birthday is today.  I  promised I would make it up to her next month.  I sent My Stitcher's Heart by Hands on Design finished in this little "frame" I found at Michaels.  It was the perfect shape and size!  Now I need to make one for myself!  LOL  

I also sent this pumpkin I found at Hobby Lobby and stitched this freebie I found from Shannon Christine as her November gift for Thanksgiving.  

Her gift for October was this Pumpkin on Gingham by Sweetheart Tree that I found in a JCS  magazine.  I finished it into a frame I found at Michaels.  

Her gift to me from November  is below...she really does spoil me!

Sadly I'm going to have to give up stitching for my pen pal as I found it just too stressful with all I have going on with family and babysitting.  I will miss stitching for her and receiving all the lovely gifts she sends too!   

I've been working on this free SAL from Story Stitches since March.  My DIL loves Beauty and the Beast.  So I stitched this for her, but it may wind up hanging in my GDs room.  I really enjoyed stitching all the little scenes from the story inside the castle "frame". 

 

I finally finished up this Cottage Garden SAL by Wiehenburg Designs which the designer gave to me.  I felt the need to finish the pattern as next month is already full of activities planned by my DIL who is all about creating memories.  It's fun, but exhausting!  LOL.

  

I've been working on this free SAL offered through Linen and Threads back in 2020.  It's called Friends and Family sampler and I've been adding initials as I  go along.  I'm running out of room, so I sincerely hope I don't offend anybody.  I've mostly added initials of friends and family who impacted my stitching.  I love how this is turning out, and only have the December portion to finish.   

I finished up several JCS Ornaments to finish out some challenges I had signed up for through December.  Now that these are finished I can stitch pretty much whatever I want which frees me up to finish some gifts for friends and family.  

Here are...Snow Desert For Me 2021  

Twinkle 2011  

Holly Berries Mini Biscornu 2008 

 Just a  Little Flaky 2011  

Be Jolly 2021  O Little Town of Bethlehem 2021 

 Christmas on the Farm 2021  

I made the mistake of showing my hairdresser some of the things I've been stitching. When I showed her the ornament I made for an exchange she was speechless....so I decided to make one for her.  I stitched ... now to finish it.  This is When Cardinals Appear by Blackberry Lane Designs stitched on 32 count Nuthatch over two.  I hope she likes it!

Last is something I finished up for a friend of mine who's birthday is next week.  This is The Winter Is Past by Blackbird Designs.  I just need to get it fully finished this weekend.  Heading to Hobby Lobby for some inspiration!  

And that is all the news.  Sorry this was so long, hopefully it didn't bore you too much.  Next month should be a little lighter haha.  Happy Stitching and here's to fingers crossed you get all your holiday stitching done in time!  I'm still worried I won't get it all done, so wish me luck!  Take care!