Last post for 2009

Well, the year is waning to a close and I just want to wish everyone a wonderful, healthy, happy New Year! I wish 2010 will be a year that is full of beautiful moments for all of you; and that you will be able to enjoy the upcoming year with friends and loved ones.

2009 has been a very hard year for me and my family. We lost the matriach of the family, my Mom, suddenly in March and since that time our family has been struggling to keep our chin up and honoring her memory by going on with life. She wouldn't want any of us to stop enjoying every moment but at times it is very hard to not look back with a tear in your eye and a ache in your heart. All of us has had a big adjustment and different challenges come up when we have had to depend on our lessons she taught us and forge a new path.

On the other hand, it is very true that a person finds their true friends in times of hardship. When my world felt like it was falling apart, friends came and helped pick up the pieces and was just there for a shoulder to lean on. For those who have been there for my family, I thank you.
As the song says,

"For old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot

and auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne."

God Bless you all and Happy New Year!

Fairy Ornament & UFO Stitching....

This is something that I am going to try and do every week in 2010. It is a chance to pull out one of those UnFinished Objects (UFOs) that is lurking in the project bag and make some progress on it. Come on! I know most stitchers have at least 1 UFO lurking in that bag and possibly more lurking in the back of their stash cabinets!!!! This is my UFO which has been pulled out and dusted off so I can be stitching on it and hopefully have a finish in 2010. Currently, I am stitching on this project to try and finish up March in 2009 and then I'll go back to my rotation between Kind Fond Love and Tiny Trees and Gifts for Thee. I think it will be a one week rotation between my 2 WIPS and still working on my UFO once a week so I can't feel guilty. Wish me luck.....

Before I started working on my UFO; I worked on finishing up a ornament for a family member. The cross stitching is done and tonight when I am sitting in my favorite chair with my Daylight overhead; I will work on the back-stitching. I am posting a picture of this now to be able to show how much back-stitching can make a difference. Check back in a few days and see for yourself!

Can you believe 2010 will be here in only 2 days? It seems like so much has happened and changed my life in the past year. One goal I have is to make a difference in someone's life and I decided that I would try and donate an ornament or more to a local nursing home next holiday season for some of the shut-in residents who don't have anyone to visit them. Last January when my Mom was in a rehabilitation center, I heard from the nursing staff about a lot of permanent residents who had been there for years with no visitors. How sad! Some had families that lived out of state and would sent in the payments for their care but never visited. Fellow stitchers from my on-line groups have expressed interest in this endeavor. I am going to check into it and post more information on my blog in January. Stay tuned!

Christmas 2009 & some stitching updates

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends this holiday season. Our family is looking forward to 2010 and hoping that good fortune will follow all of us and our friends too into the New Year.

Christmas was a day spent with George's family and we have a wonderful time. The kids enjoyed their Wii system from Santa and the Bakugan and Pokemon stuff from Mom and Dad. Grandma and Grandpa along with Aunt Berns spoiled them rotten and they still have Christmas to go with their Uncle Charlie and my extended family. I have to admit there was a few tears shed over missing my Mom this year.

My reading challenge was met this year. While there is still 5 days left in the new year; I have read the following books since signing up for the challenge earlier this year....

1. Death by Darjeeling - Laura Childs
2. Gunpowder Green - Laura Childs
3. Shades of Earl Grey - Laura Childs
4. The English Breakfast Murder - Laura Childs
5. Jasmine Moon Murder - Laura Childs
6. Chamomile Mourning - Laura Childs
7. Garden Spells - Sarah Addison Allen
8. The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown
9. White Christmas Pie - Wanda Brunstetter
10. The White Queen - Phillipa Gregory



My plans are to read the rest of Laura Child's tea series going into 2010 and then to start reading the series by Janette Oake. Hopefully, I'll find another reading challenge to join.

I finished the breast cancer ornament for my friend, Darlene's mother who is courageously battling this disease. Also I have been working on Kind Fond Love and my BRD Sampler, "Tiny Trees and Gifts for Thee".

On a side note, I will no longer be posting specific news about my children on this blog. Unfortunately, I have been contacted by a few of their biological father's family and friends and at this time I do not feel it is advisable to risk the children's well being in order to stay in contact with my friends and family through this outlet. So, please understand this will be a stitching and reading blog strictly for the time being. Thank you for understanding!

Stitchy Stuff...

Finally I have finished my Christmas stitching and it is time to return to the regularly scheduled stitching program........ I have picked up and worked on my Blue Ribbon Design today and here is what was accomplished. I stitched a little this morning while waiting at the post office to send a package. Sadly, more people stood there and complained about having to wait for the place to open (we only had to wait about 15 minutes) instead of just taking a few minutes to themselves. Tonight was my Heirloom Stitcher's group meeting and it has been a long time since I was able to attend this meeting. I loved catching up with friends while putting needle and thread to fabric! I actually worked on 2 seperate areas of the design and tried to work colors by each piece of thread so I wouldn't be rethreading the needle every 5 minutes. Hence why I was working around different areas of the fabric....

I am planning on working very hard on my Blue Ribbon Design, Kind Fond Love and a few other items this winter. Hopefully I will be able to come up with a rotation that I can stick to and really make a lot of progress on each of them. Wish me luck!

O Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum

Christmas is just around the corner and it is beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Here is a picture of my little tree which is my favorite since it has a lot of homemade ornaments on it and ornaments which mean a lot to me. Also here is a pic of the kids when Santa came around the neighborhood on the firetruck last week. You just can't help but smile when you see how excited the kids become when they see Santa coming on foot to hand out small gifts to everyone. Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful Christmas season with their family and loved ones!

Christmas Card Exchange

Another first this year...... a Christmas Card Exchange in my group, SIQ (Stitch It Quick) was a fun experience. I received this wonderful card from Teresa which turned out great. I love the stitched pattern against the red card and the penguin is just cute! I think the design is a Lizzie Kate and she did a superb job on the finishing!

I made a card for another member in the group and chose a Santa design for my stitching project. I left enough material in the card so that she can easily convert it into an ornament for her tree next year. I hope Cathy enjoys here surprise as much as I did mine. I definitely look forward to participating in more group activities in the future!

Surprises, surprises..... what wonderful friends!

This poem by Laura Strickland just sums everything up.......

Friends are little blessings,
Sent from above,
To guide and support us,
With all their love…

Friends are little blessings,
With a great big heart,
Sharing their wisdom,
And all that they are…

Friends are little blessings,
Angels in disguise,
Hugs straight from heaven,
Under the guise,
Of a caring friend,
But underneath you’ll find,
A loving gentle soul with a lot to give.

Friends are blessings indeed,
And I’m ever so grateful,
You were sent to me.

I have been really missing my Mom during the holidays. I know the first year seems to be the hardest and while I have tried to keep my chin up; somedays no matter how hard you try it just doesn't happen. What amazes me though is how little things happen, friends call, an email from someone just to say hi will show up to brighten your day. While I can't quanitify these, I do have some wonderful surprises I have received from friends across the country that has made my day!

Chris from ESC (Every Stitch Counts) sent me a beautiful Christmas ornie out of the blue a few weeks ago. It just really meant a lot because when I opened it, I had a tear in my eye. My Mom loved poinsettas and she always made over them when she saw one. When I saw what Chris had sent me, it really meant so much because everytime I see the ornie I'll remember both my Mom and a wonderful friend I have made from Indiana!

Cathy from SIQ (Stitch-It-Quick) made me a handstitched card for Christmas. I have loved every card I have received this year and enjoy seeing cards from my stitching friends from across the world; but I know that she put lots of attention to every stitch she she made. She was so thoughtful to send something out of the blue and really came on a day that brought a smile to my face.

Sue from ESC sent me a huge RAK that was something I have loved for a long, long time! She sent me Jeanette Douglass' Northern Lights with some Carrie Threads and a gorgeous piece of teal evenweave that should make this design pop! I am planning on working on this during 2010 after finishing up some my other stitching projects that are in progress.

I have been very blessed with some wonderful friends over the course of the past 9 months since the loss of my Mom that has been there as a shoulder to cry on, a person to laugh with or someone that helps remind me that no matter how bad the day, there is someone out there that cares.

Thanks so much to you all!

A Mini Finish

While I have been stitching pretty frequently, it has been for several Christmas presents which I haven't been at liberty to share yet. However, this one has been safely sent off to a new home. It is a mini ornie exchange from my one group, Every Stitch Counts. The ornament is about 1 1/4 inch square and is completely hand finished. The finish ornament was stitched on the sewing machine, reversed and stuffed and then I hand stitched the braid to the the sides.

My partner sent me a mini ornament as well of an angel finished in a platic hoop frame. My daughter loved the angel and claimed her immediately for herself. Thanks Colleen for the ornament and I hope you enjoy your ornament this year and for years to come on your Christmas tree!

Reading challenge wise, I have been veering off the list of books I originally planned. I have done over 10 books; however only about 6 of the ones on the original list so far. Currently I am reading the second installment in the Bridal Quartet series, called Bed of Roses. Very good book for the romantics of heart and as always a very well written, entertaining story by one of the leading fictional writers of our time ~ Nora Roberts.

Looking forward to finishing my Christmas stitching in the next week so I can go back to enjoying working on Kind Fond Love. I really miss working on this piece and look forward to finishing it so it can grace the wall of my home one day.