Goodbye 2016!

I don't know about you but I am ready for a NEW YEAR!

2016 was kind of a rough year for me. My husband, who had health issues for several years, passed away on September 4. Prior to that, he had been in and out of hospitals, transitional care units and nursing homes, for about 18 months. It went pretty fast in the end, which I was grateful for.

Needless to say, I did not get as much stitching as I would have liked. However, in the last month or so, I have gotten my stitchy bug back and have lots of projects ready to be stitched.

I have been watching quite alot of Floss Tube. Have you been watching? WOW! I, myself, have not joined in on that. I just watch them. There are quite a few floss tubers out there that have done some extraordinary pieces! Of course, watching these enables one and I have done quite a bit of purchasing. Thus, the "lots of projects" ready to be stitched!

I did manage to get 2 things stitched for this Christmas. My annual ornament for my Godson, Jacob, was this:

My good friend, Viki, who I have known my entire life as we grew up next door to each other, is Italian. When I saw this Rome pattern, I knew I had to make it for her. It turned out so good. I put the fairly new museum glass on it (from Michaels), as I knew it would go in her kitchen. She LOVES it!

Then yesterday, I finished stitching up this guy:

He was alot of fun. But boy, that feather trim is tricky. When you cut it, the feathers explode off! The glasses I made out of memory wire. The full supply list is included in the pattern. It is a Blackberry Lane Designs. I was going to make him into an ornament but I haven't completely ruled out framing.

So, as I set here on New Years Eve night, I am thinking about the new year. I always have started something new on New Years Day and yes, I will be doing that tomorrow. It will be a surprise. I do know that it will not be a large piece. I need to work on my WIPs.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and a Very Happy New Year!

Happy Stitching!

JillMN

Something Fun!

The other day, I wanted to stitch something fun and relatively quick. I settled on this.

Now I am not doing these cottages every month. But since I am building up patriotic pieces, I had to do this. I did not stitch the borders and I added "fourth of" and a couple of star buttons.

Here is what it looks like now.

July Cottage

Country Cottage Needleworks

28ct. Lambswool Jobelan

DMC as charted except #798 and 799/WDW Dolphin

Date started stitching: June 27, 2012

Date finished stitching: June 28, 2012

Date framed: June 29, 2012

Thanks for visiting and for all of the wonderful comments.

Happy Stitching :)

JillMN

Lots to Share

Now that Christmas has passed, I can share some of the things I have been stitching.

First, my friend Cathy, had a birthday. I made her something I had wanted to stitch for a very long time.



It is a "cotton wagon" and was in an old Just Cross Stitch magazine, I think 1996. Cathy does quite a bit of hardanger so I thought she would enjoy this.


Ornaments...
I made a few ornaments for Christmas this year. This first one was for my son. Last year I made him a set of 12 and will make one every year out.


This is from the 2010 Just Cross Stitch ornament preview issues. My friend, Joan, made this and I thought it was so cute. My son liked it too!


This next ornament I made was for my good friend, Viki. We have known each other all of our lives as we grew up next door to each other.


This is in the same magazine as the above ornament. It turned out very cute!


This last ornament is for my godson (nephew), Jacob. I make him an ornament every year. I stitched the Lizzie Kate 2010 Santa. Here is what it looked like after the stitching was complete.


I stitched it as charted and thought that it might just be a bit too big for the traditional square ornament. I got a little creative, as creative as I get, and came up with this.



I sewed some Christmas fabric to the ends, sewed up the side seam stuffed alot and tied ribbons on. I was very pleased with the turnout.


Exchanges...
I had a personal exchange with Kathy A. in which I posted what I received earlier. Here is what I sent her.



Kathy collects nutcrackers so I went with that as my theme. Here is a closeup of the scissor holder I stitched.



This is a freebie pattern from DMC. I used my own fibers though.


This past year I participate in a seasonal exchange on the Stitching Friends Through the Seasons blog. Winter was our last season. Karen D. had my name and I had Faye R.'s name. Here is what I sent Faye.


I stitched the Lizzie Kate 2010 Snowman and finished it as a pinkeep.


The knitted piece is a coffee wrap to keep your coffee nice and hot!

I put everything in the snowman tube, wrapped it in plastic and mailed it. I thought it would be such fun to receive it that way.


I just received my exchange today. Karen knows me quite well and really spoiled me. When this exchange started I had requested Shepherds Bush designs as I didn't have as many of them as I would like. All 4 seasons she delivered.


This is so cute! I just love it.


Karen also sent me some linen, a purple needleminder which she made, magnets, a frogging tool, an ort catcher (which she also made), a purple sock with lots of candy canes and the Recipes for a Cure cookbook that the Attic Needlework sold (which I really wanted!). Thank you so much Karen, for all my exchanges. You fulfilled my request quite well.


Last but certainly not least, I was one of the winners of the new fall line of fabrics from Blackbird Designs. I received them in the mail today.


These are just beautiful! They are going to make very cool pincushions. Thank you Blackbird Designs!

Well, I think that is it. That was alot. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Happy Stitching!

JillMN

Friday the 13th--Unlucky?

Not for me!

Yesterday, in the very, very early a.m. hours, I finished a WIP, had Friday off of work as I was awarded it due to outstanding audit reports, spent most of the day with my son at the Boys high school hockey tournament, and, it was topped off by receiving my first ornament from the ornament swap group I am in. WHEW! No wonder I slept in until 7:45 this morning!

I stayed up quite late on Thursday, actually it was early Friday, when I finished another WIP. What a wonderful feeling! It is "The Tea Room" by Country Cottage Needleworks. I started this at our MLK Retreat in 2008 and hadn't touched it yet. Here is what it looked like when I pulled it out on March 5.


And, here is what it looks like now--finished!


Isn't it lovely? I just love it! I love finishing WIP's. I already know which one I will be doing next month.


My first ornament I received is from my BFF, Joan! And, I got to receive it in person--even better! I had requested ornaments that had some kind of a pine tree on them. Joan came through with flying colors--


Isn't it beautiful! Even the button is a pine tree! Joan finished it like a biscornu, but it does have a hanger on it.

Here is Joan presenting me with my ornament--


Thank you so much Joan! I just love it! I better get my tree out so I can display them properly. I can't wait to see what comes next!


I did have one unfortunate thing happen to me yesterday. I was left in charge of my nephew's beta fish while my sister and her family are on vacation in Florida. My first trip to feed it was yesterday and it was dead when I got there. I know it is only a fish but I felt so bad. Well, I found out that it was 5-6 years old and it was not looking to good when they left. I felt better. It is kind of a funny story now.

I have nothing but stitching planned for today (and maybe tomorrow?), so I hope to get lots done!

Have a great weekend,