More Christmas in July!

Hi Folks!  My package to my pal in England was delivered, and her package to me has arrived!  I couldn't wait to fully finish them, though I still have one I'm contemplating how I want to fully finish.  I love them all and couldn't really tell you which one I love more!  I don't know the names, designers, nor any other information.  She knows me so well!  I do love the little girl surrounded by violets (my favorite flower) and she was the first of them that I fully finished.  I have to say, being a pack rat comes in handy.  I had both frames and trim I used in my stash.  Being a former Girl Scout (always be prepared) comes in handy at times!  LOL!!  So...without further ado, here are the ones I fully finished...  

And here is the one I have to figure out how I fully finish.  I'm thinking a block finish...I'll have to check my stash again...haha.  

She also sent along these goodies... Lots of charts... 

Doo dads and bling... 

I've been meaning to show you my mantle with most of my Americana stitching.  There is more scattered around the room, but most of it is right here.  AND there are more to finish!  There are never enough hours in the day!  

As for Christmas in July I have stitched and fully finished a few more ornaments.  I always feel like I'm behind in my Christmas stitching, I'm always rushing at the end of the year.  I have a list of things I need to do (and sometimes add to the list) so I really need to get stitching.  I've been working on another ornament (and hopefully will finish today) that has taken way longer than it should have.  

With a little break in the craziness I'll have another update soon!  Anyway...here are the other ornaments I've been working on.  I found these adorable beach related ornaments for my son and his wife.  They love the beach!  The first is Gingerbread Man 

and the second is Santa Resting.  

These are from the December 2009 issue of Stoney Creek magazine.  I used a 32 count mystery blue hand dyed fabric I had in my stash to stitch them on.  They stitched up really fast, but then I had to wait for the buttons from Stoney Creek.  I love how they turned out!  The next is Patriotic Christmas by JB Cross Stitch from the 2025 JCS Ornament Issue.  How appropriate to have that to stitch this year!  So I finished it yesterday...I can't decide if I should add it to my mantle now or wait until Christmas?  It's stitched on 32 count Stormy Night two over two and fully finished as a stand up.  Now I'm wondering if I should take it to the fair this year?  Decisions decisions...  

Speaking of fairs, I went to a Christmas in July Craft Fair last week.  I found this little dish that is magnetized.  You can put your needles or anything else inside the dish, or you can pass the bottom of the dish over any surface and pick up metallic things you dropped.  I just loved the little ladybug!  I think I'll be taking this to retreats for an orts collector...haha.  

Ok, I guess that's all the news that's fit to print.  It's been a bit wild with weather these days (they have reports of a tornado or microburst 20 minutes from us eeek! and there was a tree limb in the road about a half mile from our house yesterday).  The smoke from the wildfires has been pretty thick around here too.  Not fit for humans to be out and about, but life goes on.  Stay safe everyone, and know that I'll be praying for safety for those in the path of the storms,  flooding, earthquakes and wildfires.  What a crazy world we live in right now!  Still...we have our stitching to keep our minds and hands busy.  Take care...   

Christmas in July

Goodness life is moving along at breakneck speed these days.  I thought I would have more time to get ready for the 4th but it snuck up on me practically overnight.  

The kids were at the beach the week before and the grandkids wanted to see us when they got back ... so we were swamped with doing things with them.  We stayed at a hotel on Ft. Meade on Thursday night to see the fireworks they had there.  They usually have an awesome display but it's been sooo hot, we really didn't want to sit in a car waiting to leave post.  So...we went for a bit in the sun, then Heather and I went back to the hotel with Miss Q because she was falling asleep.  Little Miss Sassy Pants stayed to watch the fireworks with her Dad and Pappy.  I could see them from the window so I really didn't miss anything except the heat.  It was a very nice display.  I hope everyone had a fun and safe Independence Day. 

The weather here has been really relentless lately.  Between the extreme heat (the heat index has been well over 100 degrees here for days) we've had some extremely rough thunderstorms.  Trees are down in neighboring towns (possibly in our area but I haven't been out for a few days), people are without power, and there has been flooded streets in low lying areas.  Last night we lost power for a minute.   To be honest it was a bit scary because the lightning was like a strobe light and near constant thunder.  For those who have been affected by the weather, flooding and wildfires, know that you are in my thoughts and prayers.  According to reports, we are due for more storms this week, including today.  Stay safe everyone!

I've been working on the Merry Moments collection that Hands on Design just finished publishing.  I stitched 4 of them and decided I would think about the 5th.  I even got the chance to fully finish them!  These were all stitched on 36 count Natural linen two over two.  You've already seen a Vintage Rocker...  

I also stitched Light the Way.... 

And Hark How the Bells  

and lastly Sweets for Santa.

I also stitched and finished an ornament by KiraLyns Needlearts that I recently found.  I think it came out really good!  This is Holy Night Ornament stitched on 32 count Antque Ivory two over two.  

Then I sat down and started some other finishing.  I have stitched 15 berries.  12 are from the 12 Berries of Christmas by Erica Michaels.  They have been sitting in a box waiting to be finished.  I dug them out, cut the interfacing necessary, then ironed the interfacing on and cut them out.  Now I just need to stitch them up and stuff  them.  I also stitched the Nativity berry and another small berry Christmas ornament found in a magazine.  All are prepped and ready to go...but I thought I would hand sew one and see how it went.  

This is The American Berry by Erica Michaels.  I think it might need something else for the top but I'm setting it aside for now to see what more I want to do with it.  

I still have more patriotic stitching that needs finishing but for now I'm going to try and get most of my Christmas stitching done and hopefully finished.  On that note I'm off to get more stitching/finishing done.  Some of the finishing I want to do is a bit tricky so please wish me well.  I'm really not professional and this sort of thing makes me really nervous!  Happy Stitching everyone!

 Ooops, I meant to add that I'm truly grateful for all the kind comments you leave.  I try to answer them all, but recently I've been getting them returned as undeliverable.  I'm not sure why, so if you haven't had a thank you from me, please know that I tried so I'm thanking you very kindly here.