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 ...