Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!  This is one of my favorite holidays.  It's not about the food, or that most of our country has the day off.  It's partially about gathering with family and friends, but the best part of this day, for me, is the reminder that we should be thankful in everything.  I've had a wonderful life, honestly.  I've made some incredible friends along the way, I have a wonderful family that enjoys spending time together.  I have everything I need and practically everything I want...what more could I ask for?  While I've had some troubles in my life (who hasn't) they have always brought more good than bad, meaning that out of the trials of life, some blessings have come from them.  I think I have my Heavenly Father to thank for all of these things.  And so today (and everyday) I should count my blessings and be truly thankful.  Even if you don't have "Faith" in a higher being, I think every one of us can find things to be truly thankful for in our lives.  So today, I hope you can dig deep and dwell upon the things you are thankful for, and that you can remember that throughout the year.  May your day be full of blessings, love and laughter.  Happy Thanksgiving! 

 

IHSW International Hermit and Stitch Weekend November

I really lucked out this weekend!  I think it's the last weekend I have that I can just stay home and stitch!  We love our Daughter-in-law...she is a blessing to our family!  She is always thinking of ways we can spend together making memories!  It's hard, sometimes, though as I tire easily lately.  Fortunately for me, I was able to get some stitching done that I was hoping to finish, and continue working on Beatrix Potter.  I can't believe how much I've been able to get done on that sampler!  After having only worked on it for 2 1/2 months, I'm already halfway through!  In case you were wondering what the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend was about, we were to chose projects to work on at the beginning of the weekend, then show our progress on Facebook at the end of the weekend.  Here is what I chose and what I was able to finish...  

First up is Looking For Spring by Blackbird Designs.  This was published in the 2023 Nashville Market Cookbook.  There are a few fun patterns in there I hope to stitch up.  I don't know what it was about this pattern, but it spoke to me!  It was stitched on 40 count fabric over two using substituted fibers, as the ones suggested in the book really  didn't look nice on this fabric.  Now to figure out a way to fully finish it...any ideas?  Here are before and after pictures...  

The other project I worked on this weekend was Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler by The Stitchy Box.  This was a gift from my husband for Christmas last year.  I started it in September for Sampler September, so I think I've made some really good progress in such a short time.  It is stitched on 28 count Vellum over one.  I really do love how it's turning out!  I guess that's all I have to show for this post.  

I'll be working on some finishing today.  With Thanksgiving falling on Thursday of this week, I need to get the rest of those ornaments finished so I can give them out at the feast!  If I'm not able to post before Thanksgiving, I hope all of you celebrating will be safe and find many blessings to be thankful for this year and always.  Happy Stitching!     

November Gifted Gorgeousness

 

Hi and welcome to the Gifted Gorgeousness post for November.  If you don't know what GG is all about, please visit Jo's blog Serendipitous Stitching (click here) and see what everyone is creating for this post.  Basically we are talking about stitch related things associated with the word "gift".  It can be a gift to us or from us, it can be a pattern, fabric, floss etc.  It's a great way to thank those who have gifted us with something as well.  Thank you to Jo, who hosts this challenge!  

We are nearing Christmas so I do have a few things I am gifting to others that haven't been posted in previous GG posts.  To start, this one I am particularly proud of.  This is Summer Sea Ornament by Durene Jones and can be found in her Etsy shop.  She was having a sale, and I couldn't resist this for my Daughter-in-law who loves anything associated with the beach!  I have only done hardanger a few times, so even these stitches were new to me.  This was stitched on 28 count natural over two with a few substituted threads I had in my stash.  I attached the anchor charm to the tassel at the bottom when I finished it.  I sure hope she likes it!  

This next one is another gift to a friend.  This was also a learning challenge for me.  This was stitched on 28 count waterlily over two with substituted floss I had in my stash.  I used wool behind the openings when I fully finished it as I did with the Summer Sea Ornament.  This one is called Spring Sheep Ornament and is also by Durene Jones.  

Next is Christmas Cardinal by Stoney Creek.  This was stitched on 28 count mystic over two.  I have stitched this for a friend of my DIL who loves cardinals.  She has spent Thanksgiving with us the past few years so I thought I would stitch this for her to give on Thanksgiving.  She has become a pretty good friend.  

I consider this next one a gift as it was a freebie given by Ellen Maurer-stroh.  It's called Secret Visitor.  I have had this in my stash for ages and have always wanted to stitch it.  It is stitched on 28 count white over two.  I need to have a finishing day soon as Thanksgiving is fast approaching and I want to have them finished before then!!  

I have been trying to keep up with this next project.  It is called Wonders of the Hubble Space Telescope by Climbing Goat designs.  It is stitched on 40 count Gothic over two.  The final piece was just released on the 10th and I haven't had enough time to get to it...so many things to do this time of year!  Hopefully by next GG post I'll have it finished.  

The next one I'm going to show you is called Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler by The Stitchy Box.  This was a Christmas gift from my husband last year including the floss.  I started it in September and have tried to stitch a little bit each day.  It's stitched on 28 count Vellum over one.  I love how it's turning out!  

Next is a birthday gift from my birthday twin (we were born on the same day 20 years apart!)  She sent this cute little Stitch patch (he is my spirit animal...lol)  I found this bag and attched him to the front, so I have another lovely little project keeper!  Those little bags sure come in handy!  

The last, but certainly not least, are gifts sent from Ms. Mouse over in Merry Olde England.  She spoils me each year with a Birthday/Christmas package.  This year she even included a Christmas gift for my husband!  First up are matching Christmas stockings along with a lovely little ornament!  Aren't they wonderful??  

Next are two patterns, Blue Diamonds (hardanger) and Sew Blessed along with a wooden ornament to decorate and assemble.  

Last is a Project Keeper that she sewed herself!  It's hard to tell in the picture but there are pockets and areas for needles and floss, along with those fabulous vinyl covers so you can see what's in the pockets!  I'm sure I will get tons of use from this, she is such a fine seamstress!!  As I said before, she truly spoils me!  

I guess that's all I have to show for this GG post!  I hope you'll wander over to Serendipitous Stitching and see what everyone else is doing for their GG projects!  Thanks for stopping in...Happy Stitching!  

Fully Finished Gallery SAL November 2023

I guess you've noticed by now that I've been digging deep and getting a lot of things finished off lately.  I made a promise to myself that whatever I finish stitching this year, I'm going to go ahead and fully finish it off.  I'm not sure I'll make that goal, but I'm sure going to try!  I've been sorting through my craft room lately, and I'm finding lots of ornaments and other projects that have been left unfinished, either because I'm too afraid to finish them, or because I need a large chunk of time to work on them.  I'm finding that time is hard to come by lately, there just aren't enough hours in the day when it comes to family obligations.  Then Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching mentioned the Fully Finished Gallery SAL hosted by Rachel, the Ten Hour Stitcher.  You can find more about this and what others have been finishing by clicking here.  

I've been posting so many that I've fully finished that I won't bore you with them all.  I'm only going to add the ones you haven't seen so far.  If you want to see all of my finishes so far this year, you can go to my 2023 Goals page and scroll down to the fully finished posting.  They are all pictured there.

First up is Christmas Mandala by Passione Ricamo.  I have had this in my stash to stitch for ages.  It was a freebie offered by PR many years ago, I'm not sure if it's still on her website or not.  I stitched this in March of 2020 and just fully finished it last week.  I do love how it turned out!  The frame came from Hobby Lobby, it was in the clearance aisle as the glass had been broken.  

Next is A Little Christmas by Lizzie Kate.  I can't even remember when I stitched this one.  I attached this to a little wooden piece I found at Hobby Lobby.  It has a little twine hanger attached to the back.

Next is A Little Snow by Lizzie Kate, I think I stitched this around the same time as A Little Christmas.  Both of these were a fun stitch and finished the same way!

  

Next is The Three Wisemen by Marie's Garden from the 2002 JCS ornament issue.  Again, I can't remember when I stitched this, it was one of the challenge pieces I did a few years ago.  I don't know why this one "speaks" to me, it also sat in my "to do" pile for a long time.  I do love anything "nativity" related!  This was framed in a small from from Hobby Lobby.

The next one I made for my Daughter-in-law.  She loves the beach!  This is Summer Sea Ornament and was designed by Durene Jones.  I follow her on Facebook and love a lot of her designs.  When I saw that she had added these to her Etsy site, I knew that I had to stitch them.  I am new to hardanger, and wanted to give this a try.  The instructions were good, but I found myself on you tube looking for tutorials which were helpful too.  I actually had fun stitching this one!  Finishing it took some time, but I'm pretty happy with the results.  I attached the anchor charm to a tassel I bought at Hobby Lobby.  I still haven't quite mastered the art of making tassels!  LOL!!  I used a piece of complimentary colored wool and attached it to the back to cover the stuffing I used to finish this.  I sewed it in place using invisible thread.  This was one I stitched this year.  

The last one I'm going to post is Spring Sheep Ornament and is also by Durene Jones.  I also stitched this one this year.  I tried to use fibers I've had in my stash for both of these last two.  Some of the stitches should have been more of a green but I like how this turned out.  I also used a piece of complimentary wool to cover the openings.  This was also a fun stitch, I love learning new stitches.  

I guess that's all I have to show right now.  I have a few more lined up to finish, and hopefully I'll get to them soon.  With the holidays looming right around the corner I'm not sure how much more I'll get finished.  Thanks for visiting!  Happy Stitching!

Getting a little finishing done...again!

I've had these things sitting around for a while now.  I've been slowly cleaning and sorting my room and have been setting things aside for finishing.  I have so many, I really do feel a bit overwhelmed...but I'm feeling the nudge to fully finish some of the things I've neglected.  

I mentioned a while back I wanted to fully finish this piece on a board and hang stockings off it.  I even showed a picture of what I wanted it to look like.  This weekend I bit the bullet and got the hooks attached (I straightened some hooks you usually use on the wall to hang pictures) and used some tiny screws to attach them to the back.  I glued the stitching down and added a few charms ... I really meant to attach a bow too, but that's something for another day, I'll have to search my ribbon for that job!  LOL.  The stitched piece on the board is called The Stockings Were Hung by Rovaris from the 2019 JCS Ornament Issue which I stitched as a challenge piece back in June of 2020 (I told you I've been a slacker!!) and was never really sure how I wanted to finish it.  When I found these cutting boards from Hobby Lobby, and idea popped into my head.  I really do love how it's finished now.  Now to find a place to hang it!  

I've had this Little House Needlworks piece stitched for quite a while.  I finished stitching it back in June of 2020 and even had it stretched on the matboard.  I finally found trim for it at The Salty Yarn and as soon as I had a free minute I got this one mounted on this cutting board from Hobby Lobby.  I love it!!  Now to find a place to hang it in my dining area!  

Next I stitched this Baking Spirits Bright from the 2022 JCS Ornament issue again.  My cousin saw the first one and really wanted it, so I sent it to her.  I made this one for a lady who makes the most awesome fudge and shares some with us each year.  I thought it would be a perfect ornament for her this year!  I still need to add a bow...

Last I had this already framed a while back, but I never really liked it in that frame.  This is called Christmas at the Farm by Pickle Barrel Designs from the 2022 JCS ornament issue.  It's stitched on 32 count petite point over two.  So....as I was wandering through Hobby Lobby one day, this frame jumped out at me.  I thought it was perfect, so I mounted the stitched piece again, and popped it in the new frame.  I truly like it much better than before!  Whew!  

Now I need to sort through more boxes, I have a couple more ideas for things I know I have stashed somewhere.  Thanks for stopping by!  I'll be over here rooting through boxes and hopefully having a few more light bulb moments!  Happy Stitching!