Happy New Year!!!

Hi All,

Decided it was time to check in with you all and share some family pictures and stitching pictures *smile*

Sunday, 12/23, Chris, Monica, Terry and I spent the day in downtown Seattle taking in all the Christmas lists and holiday spirits ... at the end of our day we took a ride on the Holiday Duck tour ... it was so much fun!  Here we are getting ready to board the duck ... it was a festive way to get started for the new couple of days.

We had a lovely couple of Christmases ... Christmas Eve at my dad's with everyone ... 13 of us!  So much fun having everyone around this year ...

Christmas morning at our house ...

I did get some stitching done in between all the Christmases we enjoyed ... I stitched these birds a few times but gave them away as Christmas presents and didn't take any pictures ... bad me!  Here are the last two finished birds ... they'll be made into ornaments later ... I just ran out of steam, and time ...

 Merry Birdies by Homespun Elegance

stitched on misc fabric using the DMC conversion

 Peace on Earth by My Big Toe Designs

stitched on a misc piece of fabric

using recommended WDW threads

And here's my last stitches for 2012 ... I love this pillow ...

2012 was a interesting year to say the least ... with my diagnoses of MS ... but it was also filled with lots of fun, friends and family ... a girl couldn't ask for much more really!  I'm very grateful for my family and friends and also grateful that my MS has settled down ... now if I could only get my energy back!!  I'm looking forward to 2013 and all that it will bring.  I hope for all my dear blogging friends a very very good 2013 filled with lots of stitches, laughter and love.

See ya next year *smile*


I hope you find your Joy in your stitches ...

I'm grateful for the start of a new year ...

Reindeer ...

You all know me pretty well by now and my love of Reindeer ... I like to share some of my favorites with you ....

I finished this sweet design last week ... love all the different reinder!

 Sweet Nothings Reindeer Parade by JBW Designs

stitched with suggested floss on a misc piece of fabric

The minute I saw this freebie I knew I had to stitch it ... love love love it!

 Red Christmas Deer by Laura Rimola of The Little Stitcher

stitched with Victorian Motto PL$ and Crescent Colours Toasted Marshmallow

on a piece of 30 ct RR linen

Decorating with reindeer is so much fun!  I really enjoy getting them out every year and remembering where I got them, who gave me one ... all the memories :)

yep I have a troll doll reindeer! lol

 these are all my Annalee reindeer ...

 this shelf has all my vintage reindeer/santas ... I think I need a few more ...

Here's our tree in it's natural state ...

and here it is all decorated ... so pretty!

I'm not sure when it all started but Terry and I have amassed quite a collection of stuffed Christmas animals .... most of them get to spend the holidays with us lined in our windows ... like this

 

some get to hang out in the niche ...

 or on a rocking chair ...

Terry puts the animals up every year ... looks like he really had fun with these guys ...

Well my house is ready for Christmas but I'm not ready ... still have presents to buy and wrap ... and I have a nasty flu bug to get rid of ... but I know it will all get done *smile*

My heart is heavy since the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy .... so hard to understand how or why it happened ... my thoughts and prayers are with the families and the community ... they have lots of healing ahead of them.

Thanks for stopping by ... I love hearing from you all.

I hope you find your Joy in your stitches ...

I'm grateful for the stitching friends ...

Crafting ...

Happy December!!  I've been stitching .. but nothing to share quite yet.  I do have some craft pictures to share though.  Monica (my daughter in law) and I have been crafting on Tuesday nights.  Here's a few pictures of some Christmas crafts we've been doing.

These ornaments we did this evening.  They were fun to make ... I think there's more of these in our future ... we got the ideas from Pinterest ... so addicting!

 Here's a shadow box that Monica made last week ...

 and here's a few more shadow boxes .... the one on the right is mine ... other two are Monica's ... I have a few more frames I want to do for gifts ... they are so much fun to make.

We almost have the house decorated for Christmas ... I just love this time of year ... and the smells of trees and candles burning ... decorating the tree with the kids ... wonderful memories tied up in all our decorations ... and lots of family time!

Hope all is well with all of you ... and hope you are having a stress free holiday time.  Remember, Don't Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle *smile*

I hope you find your Joy in your stitches ...

I'm grateful for the stitching friends ...

Pumpkins and Turkeys ...

I've been doing a bit of Thanksgiving stitching ... getting ready to start some Christmas stitching very soon!

First up is Heart in Hand's Thanksgiving Roundabout.  This was an kit I've had for ever ... the fabric came with the kit and is still creased badly ... guess I'll have to get out the spray bottle and try ironing it again.  lol, I didn't notice the leaf charm was not laying right when I took the picture!

Heart in Hand Thanskgiving Roundabout

this was kitted up already

I had so much fun stitching this next piece ... love the colors and the turkey :)

Bent Creek Thankful Quaker

stitched with recommended threads and fabic

I would be getting them finished before Thanksgiving, but I'll look forward to enjoying them next year :)

WOW, is everyone ready for Thanksgiving??!!  Can't believe it's already holiday time!  We'll be celebrating Thanksgiving with my Dad and Brother and his family this year ... 11 of us.  I'm really looking forward to family time ... I love this time of year!  We're having a very traditional Thanksgiving dinner this year ... we don't tend to try a lot of new recipes when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner.  Dad's doing the turkey/dressing and mashed potatoes.  My SIL, Monica and I will fill in with sweet pototes, fruit salad, pies, rolls, deviled eggs, green bean casserole and of course cranberries, olives and who can forget munchies before dinner lol

I hope everyone has a wonderful Sunday and a stress free week before Thanksgiving day.

I hope you find your Joy in your stitches ...

I'm grateful for the stitching friends ...

PALS Fall Fling - Part 3

I'm back with the last pictures from the PALS Fall Fling ... grab you coffee or your tea ... there's lots of pictures!

These pictures are from the ornament exchange ... such talented stitchers!

 Bert, stitched by my roomie Chris :)

 and here's Angle, stitched by Chris

 and Charlotte :)  Chris stitched these sweet birds earlier in the week in our room ... we had to name them!

This picture is the pillow I received in the Halloween exchanged ... stitched by Toni

 and here's one of the ornaments I received in the Christmas ornament exchange ... stitched by Donna

 Here's the other ornament I received from the Christmas ornament exchanged.  Stitched by my sweet friend Myra ... I love him!

and now for my purchases .... Amy invited some designers to join us this year ... it was fun shopping with everyone.  

These two charts are from Sue Hillis .... cute cute cute!

 Nouveau Encore Designs was there ... I picked up these lovelies ...

 I picked up an assortment of fabrics from Amy (Down Sunshine Lane) and threads from Nancy of Victorian Motto Samplers.  Nancy was unable to join us for the retreat, but sent along her threads to be sold ... yummy colors!

 Tanya of The Scarlett House joined us for the 2nd time.  Here's some goodies I purchased ...

 Tanya also brought along one of her new designs ... I feel in love instantly!!

 I was lucky to snatch up the last one of these that Sue had brought with her ... the kit comes complete with the spool, lace and button ... Can't wait to stitch this one!

 Isabella of The Primitive Hare joined us all the way from Italy!!!  It was just lovely to meet her!  I picked up one of her charts and a lovely pair of scissors, which at the time I took the picture I could find!  argh!!  I know they are here somewhere :)

 Marie of Blackberry Lane Designs joined us again this year.  She designed this beach ornament for the retreat ... I HAD to have it!

Stitchers are always so generous ... I received the gifts below from three wonderful friends.  The Chocolate Cherries pillow was stitched and finished by Charlene ... how adorable is it!  I received a journal from Linda (no blog), one can't have too many journals!  and Patti (no blog) stitched that cute little frog needleminder ... he's never far away from me.  Thank you all for your friendships.

 Tanya designed a freebie for us that I just had to start while at the beach ... I finished it up once I got home ... love love love it Tanya!!!

 I've been playing around with different ways to finish it ... I think I found it ... mounted in a shadow box frame with shells from Myrtle Beach ... how perfect is that!  It's not totally mounted yet ... was just playing around ... but like it lots :)

Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comments ... I do love hearing from everyone.  Next up, some actually stitching by me!

I hope you find your Joy in your stitches ...

I'm grateful for the stitching friends ...