Galivanting again...

I'm back, did you miss me?  Haha  The past few weeks have been a whirlwind lately.  

I had to look back to see if I had mentioned our anniversary.  We celebrated our 42nd Anniversary two weeks ago but didn't take our annual trip until last week.  We usually end up going to Lancaster area and take in a few shows.  So we saw Pretty Woman at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theater which was so much fun!  They really do put on a nice show, though to be honest, the dinner rarely changes much.  Still it makes for a nice evening.  

The next night we went to see Joshua at the Sight and Sound Theater.  What a lovely performance.  We sat next to some friendly people and truly enjoyed the show.  We learned a few things too, which is always good.  The people of Isreal were hard headed people...and I guess I'm just like them in a way.  Hopefully I won't have to wander in the desert for 40 years to learn my lesson though.  

Stitching has slowed to a crawl with all our traveling.  I started a SAL with my British pal before I left.  We are stitching Simple Gifts by Jeannette Douglas on 32 count Dirty Teacup and it's been quite a fun stitch so far.  We work on it on Monday's and try to finish one motif and the border on top and bottom the length of the motif each week.  Here is where I left off on Monday.  

I've also been working on a challenging piece for my pal in NY.  She is like a sister to me otherwise I wouldn't be stitching this for anyone else!!  I stitched this once on 40 count and still haven't fully finished it into an ornament.  Hopefully I'll be doing that soon!  I'm stitching this one on 25 count hand dyed tea fabric over one.  I'm down to the last 4 colors, but I will say...those wise guys and the little tiny Bethlehem are CRAZY to stitch over one.  LOL  She's lucky I love her like a sister, I tell you what!!  As I'm stitching I'm contemplating how to fully finish this piece.  She would like a stand up...but accomplishing that may take more brain cells than what reside in my head.  Luckily I'm giving myself a month or so to work my magic.  LOL  But first...I have to finish.  Here is where I am with The Three Wise Men by Blackberry Lane Designs.  Oh how I love this pattern!!  

Ok, I guess that's all the news that's fit to print.  Other than travelling and not getting a lot of stitching done...there isn't much going on.  Oh...well I did drop off a few things at the Maryland State Fair.  I'll be honest and say, after seeing some of the amazing things I saw being dropped off, I really don't have much hope of winning anything this year.  Still it'll be fun to go and see what other folks have entered.  Take care and Happy Stitching! 

Are you tired of Christmas Ornaments yet?

 Hold on to your socks!  LOL  I tried my best to get ALL of my Christmas ornaments stitched and finished in July.  Life kept getting in the way.  Today I fully finished all the ornaments I stitched (except two) then stopped to take stock of what I had.  I decided I still need to stitch 4.  I think I'll take a break from ornaments though, and start something I've been hoping to stitch for a while now.  I'll be honest and say, I really never thought I'd get tired of stitching Christmas ornaments ... lol!!  So I'll start where I left off last post...  

First up is Christmas Cardinal a motif from the Christmas Cardinal Sampler by Victoria Sampler.  It's stitched on 28 count Amsterdam Blue one over one.  This is for a friend who loves cardinals.  

Next is Joyful Mice by Stoney Creek from their Autumn 2017 magazine.  Stitched on 32 count Opalescent White two over two.  

A Vintage Rocker by Hands on Design.  This may look familiar.  I have stitched this one twice.  It's stitched on 32 count natural two over two.  This is for a little girl who loves horses.  

Busy Elves Making Gingerbread Houses by Living on a Rainbow stitched on 32 count mystery fabric two over two.  This is for a lady who always makes us fudge for Christmas.  

Busy Elves Making Toys by Living on a Rainbow stitched on 32 count mystery fabric two over two.  This is for the fudge lady's husband...haha.  

Lil Christmas Angel from the 2022 JCS Ornament Issue.  Stitched on 14 count clear perforated plastic two over one.  This is for my youngest granddaughter.  

My Sweet Angel from the 2025 JCS Ornament Issue stitched on 14 count white vinyl two over one.  This is for my oldest granddaughter who got ahold of my magazine and begged for this one...haha.  

Cocoa Snowman by Joan Elliott from Design Works Crafts kit stitched on 32 count white opalescent two over two.  

Hot Cocoa Snowman by Joan Elliott from Design Works Crafts kit stitched on 32 count White Opalescent two over two.  

I've been following Hands on Design for her Christmas ornaments on Patreon.  I finished the first Gingerbread House she had published.  I thought I'd show it here even if it isn't fully finished.  This is Single Family Sawtooth and is stitched on 32 count Chestnut two over two.  

For Christmas I sent a pattern to my pal in England along with the fabric and floss.  We decided we would do a SAL together on Mondays starting in August.  We both forgot, but she remembered and reminded me.  I don't have a picture just yet, but I'm doing a motif a week (got caught up over the weekend) and got caught up.  Next post I'll show a picture. 

So, my friends, that's all I have for this post.  I still have a couple of ornaments to stitch, once I decide what I'm stitching.  Hopefully I'll get them all finished this month.  The Maryland State Fair is coming up soon and I'm getting my items gathered together.  I'm thinking there will be some amazing pieces for the 250th anniversary.  Hopefully I'll get to take pictures while I'm there.  I hope everyone is staying safe from the heat and storms.  Happy Stitching!

Final Christmas in July

Well...as usual, things did not go as planned...It's been a wild and crazy month but such is the story of my life.  And I probably wouldn't want it any other way, variety is the spice of life, right?  

So I was determined to get all of my Christmas ornaments to other folks out of the way, done and dusted, and fully finished before the month was over.  Um...you can stop laughing now.  We all know we make plans, and God laughs.  The problem is, I keep changing my mind.  And now I've stitched quite a few things that will not be given to those I originally intended them for.  Scatterbrained.  That's me in a nutshell.  I think I've narrowed my list down to the final three I need to stitch, but I digress.  Let me show you what I did finish stitching since the last time I posted.  Just to be clear, I've been stitching like a mad woman, but not finishing much.  And I was soooo hoping to have all the ornaments finished by the end of the month...*sigh*  

Anyway...here goes...  

First up is My Sweet Angel by XFree Stitch from the 2025 JCS Ornament Issue.  This was stitched on 14 count vinyl evenweave canvas.  I HATED working on this crazy stuff.  But, I loved the pattern, and so does my oldest granddaughter.  This will be her ornament when finished.  She has already claimed it...haha.  

Next is one of the Cocoa Snowmen from a Design Works Crafts kit.  It's supposed to be stitched on clear perforated plastic, but I chose to stitch it on 32 count white opalescent fabric, two over two.  I thought I would stitch this for my youngest granddaughter, but have since had a change of heart.  I love how it came out though!  

Next is Christmas Cardinal from a design by Victoria Sampler.  It is just a small part of her Christmas Cardinal sampler.  Stitched on 28 count Amsterdam Blue one over one.  It's tiny, but made for a cardinal lover, so I hope she likes it!  

Next is another Cocoa Snowman from the Design Works Crafts kit also stitched on 32 count white opalescent two over two.  I almost hate to give this one away...so cute!  

Next is the one I chose for my youngest granddaughter and again, once stitched, changed my mind so this one is up for grabs...haha.  It's stitched on 32 count mystery hand dyed blue fabric two over two.  I was hoping to make all the folks in that family have beach like Christmas ornaments, but couldn't find one for my oldest granddaughter, so now will have to stitch ANOTHER one for my youngest granddaughter.  Told you...scatterbrained.  LOL!!!  This is Fa La Flamingo from the Autumn 2019 Stoney Creek Magazine.  

Next is Joyful Mice by Stoney Creek from their Autumn 2017 magazine.  Stitched on 32 count white over two.  I've stitched this for a friend before, love it...and now I'll have to stitch it for a third time because this is going to another friend.  LOL   

The next two are from the Busy Elves SAL I followed a few years ago.  These are by Living on the Rainbow and are stitched on 28 count mystery fabric two over two.  First is Busy Elves Making Gingerbread Houses 

and the second is Busy Elves Making Toys.  

I thought they were so cute, but won't be finishing them the way they were intended to be finished.  It looks a bit intimidating to me, and they are going to a couple so I really don't want to mess them up... 

And last is A Vintage Rocker by Hands on Design.  I am stitching this for a second time for someone who loves horses.  Stitched on 36 count Natural two over two.

I really wanted to keep the ones I stitched and finished from this group of ornaments so I'm making this one again.  There are some things I stitch and want for myself.  I don't think it's being selfish one bit.  I very rarely keep things for myself...I've given things in the past saying oh I can make another one, then never do.  So....and I know people really don't appreciate the gifts we stitch for them as much as we do ourselves...so I'm selfishly hanging on to certain ones that I truly love.  I will stitch a second one for them if I have time and choose to do so.  They can fight over my stuff when I'm gone...lol!!  So, at last count, I still have three more to stitch and a whole boatload of stuff to fully finish.  I never thought I'd say this, but I'm TIRED of ornaments.  I'm powering through...but I have a pattern kitted up that my fingers are dying to start stitching.  My husband says give yourself a break, but I know myself too well.  The problem is, I am losing my desire to stitch at all.  Here I go again...decisions, decisions.  

We had the grandkids over this past weekend.  Miss Sassy Pants came on Friday morning for a Gigi day.  We spent a lot of time making Diamond Painting stickers.  These are two that she made.  Mermaid tale and unicorn.  There were two others I didn't get a picture of.  I have to say the age they put on these were 6+ (Miss A is 4) but I showed her how to "wax" the wand and told her what she needed to do and she did all the rest on her own.  She loves crafts, takes her time, and will correct her mistakes all on her own.   She's going to be a wonderful crafter when she gets older.  And she spent several hours working on these paintings!

Then we attempted making a turtle with pipe cleaners and wooden beads.  We made a good start, but it was harder than we intended and set it aside.  Then we went to an indoor playground and ran around for 2 hours straight.  Had lunch, then waited for Pappy to come home.  We had dinner out and made a trip to Target for some girl time shopping.  She slept over and the next morning her sister joined us.  More indoor playground fun was had.  Then lunch out...and their parents came to pick them up.  Not much stitching happened over the weekend, Pappy and I were exhausted.  I love their energy, but I can't quite keep up these days.  Still they are a joy to have around...I have to say it's much harder when the two are together.  Besides going in different directions, they are jealous of any attention the other one gets.  My DIL said we would have to do this more often, I think they enjoyed their time together without the distraction of the girls...they certainly are a handful!!  LOL  

And that's all that I have for now.  Hopefully next time I'll have all the ornaments fully finished, and have started on that project my fingers are itching to start.  Thanks for reading this far!  I hope all is well in your neck of the woods!  Happy stitching!!