The year in review...

It is amazing that 2005 will be over in a few hours. By the time most of you read this, it will be long over. I am challenged to write my Finished in 2005 list by all the other lists I see on Stitching Bloggers...so here is what I accomplished this year:

Heirloom Homecoming Sampler by Victoria Sampler
Stitched for Thea, dark colors, appears in her leaflet.
All Hearts Come Home for Christmas, by Victoria Sampler
Stitched for Thea, choose thread colors for kits
For Always Wedding Sampler, by Victoria Sampler
Stitched for Thea, choose thread colors for kits
Christmas Treasures by Victoria Sampler
Stitched the ornaments for Thea for her class
Two Christmas Stocking tops for new son-in-law and granddaughter
pattern from CS&CC, 1985
Ring Bearers Pillow, my own unpublished design
for Alli and Chris' wedding in September
My Heart's Garden, my own unpublished design
Hardanger, pulled thread, silk ribbon
Sunglow Frame, (working name) my own unpublished design
Hardanger, pulled thread

I don't even want to think about my WIP sitting in my basket. Too many, too little time! My current piece in my rotation is My Child's Garden, my own unpublished design, meant to be a birth sampler for Alana.

Considering the huge changes in my life this year, I am amazed I accomplished as much as I did. Granted, 95% of my finished pieces happened BEFORE I started working full time in August. Then there was the wedding in September, our trip to Hawaii in October, Alana's birth in November and of course, Christmas in December.

Then there is my wish list. Currently, in my "I want to start ASAP" are the Christmas ornaments in the Just Cross Stitch ornaments issues by Shepherd's Bush....the series about the Christmas story. Also, I received G is for Grandma by Victoria Sampler for Christmas from a special friend, and I am longing to get it started too, since I am a Grandma now!!!

Happy New Year everyone!

Holiday Week musings....

We had a lovely Christmas. We are blessed with an ever enlarging family, and now our first Christmas with a grandchild. It was truly good. I decided to cut back on the actual number of gifts given this year, and concentrated on one "expensive" item (in other words, worth more than $50) per person. It was fun, as we had fewer gifts to open, so we took our time, and one person opened one gift and every one ooohh and ahhhed, then the next person, etc. I video taped the whole morning with my new DVD camera, and only realized later that I had no still photos of the morning, only movies!! I may have to try to capture a few frames on the computer for the memory books. Just need to figure out how!!! Then we joined the extended family at my parents house for dinner and more presents.

So I am taking this week off work. It is so nice to sleep late, and stay in my PJ's as long as I desire. My Christmas cards are churning off the printer as I type, and will be in the mail by this afternoon. So, actually, maybe they are New Years cards...but I am getting them done!!!

My granddaughter is coming to visit this afternoon. YES!!

I am leaving in two weeks for a weeks training in San Deigo. Computer training in San Diego. A week by myself in San Diego. Paid for by the credit union, in San Diego. Did I mention I get to go to San Diego? Not that I am excited or anything! Sunshine, blue sky and three needlework shops all in the same city!!! Is that heaven or what??? I hope to have a stash list when I come back! (of course, and know alot more about the computer stuff too!!)

I did find a couple of the Name Christmas trees by M designs in the Just Cross stitch ornaments magazine. Then there was a freebie on the website too, so I have three to choose from. I just need to get to a shop and find some good darker colored overdyes...everything in my stash is too light and spring like for a Christmas design.

Merry Christmas!!!

May you all have a blessed Christmas!

I can't believe how quickly the last two weeks have gone. I had such good intentions of keeping up with this blog, and baking cookies, and watching Christmas movies and here it is, Christmas Eve, and I am just now getting around to it. There's a batch of shortbread cookies in the oven, the pies are ready to be made, and I am finally sitting down to this.

In reflecting on the last 5 months since I started this blog, I am amazed at how dependent I have become on reading the blogs of friends and fellow stitchers. I check in at least once day for a few minutes to catch up on my reading, and miss it dreadfully if I don't. To think that 6 months ago I had no idea that a "regular" person like myself could even HAVE a blog!!!

Which leads me to the conclusion that perhaps I need a companion blog to this one just for talking about my new granddaughter! I sit down to write and she seems to be at the forefront of what I want to talk about!!!

On to stitching news, I actually was able to get Alana's stocking sewed together, but as you might guess, there is presently no name on it! I have plans to sit down in a few minutes and at least get her name stitched on, even if I don't have time for any further pretty things. Two new family members this year (Christopher in September and Alana in November) to stitch stockings for!!!

I have decided this week that I REALLY like the M Designs Name Trees. I need to put them on my list this year and get some done before next Christmas. http://www.m--designs.com/personaltrees.html. I think that somewhere I have one of the little freebies that she has done, I haven't had time to go searching yet. Perhaps one of the JCS ornaments issues? I can't remember. It would be fun to be able to done one for each family name, but I don't think that will happen in one year!!! LOL!

Well, it's time to prepare for my day. My big girls and their hubbys will be with their hubby's families this evening. John, Lizzie and I will have dinner with my parents and then go look at Christmas lights. Tomorrow morning all my kids will be here for presents, then we will all join the rest of the extended family (22 of us this year) for dinner and presents at my parents home. My niece also had a baby this year, and my unmarried sister has a new beau, who is bringing his 12 year daughter, so the table is full. We are thankful. Lizzie is quite delighted of perhaps soon having a cousin just her age. She was the one and only in her age group for the last 10 years!

Merry Christmas to all. And in the words of Tiny Tim, God Bless Us, every one.

Saturday Musings..

John and I slept in late this morning, it was close to 10 before we got up...very unusual for us. But such a nice treat. I cleaned and organized our bedroom and bath, and John did the dishes and vacuumed the house. Then I took Amy, without the baby, and we had our nails done and stopped for a latte at our coffee place. It's been a good day. John and I leave soon for my office Christmas Dinner...mmmh, prime rib I think. Of course any food is good when someone else does the cooking!!!

I've been busy this week trying to get into the Christmas mode. I actually got all the stocking stuffers purchased this week. I normally don't get that done until the 23rd, so I am feeling on top of things. Just wish the big presents were taken care of now. With working full time, I just don't have time to run all over town comparing prices and making decisions. I need one store, a good list, and even better prices. I have a place in mind. Hope I can take care of everyone there.

In the background I can hear the television...Dorothy is singing Somewhere Over the Rainbow. They must have the Wizard of Oz on tonight. We bought a great Christmas DVD this week, the Polar Express. Amy and Max watched it a couple weeks ago and said we MUST see it. It is very good. We are also looking forward to going to the theatre and seeing Chronicles of Narnia. Alli and Chris saw it last night and said it is fantastic. Lizzie and I have tickets to see The Nutcraker Ballet next Saturday afternoon. It has been about 11 years since I have been to the Nutcracker, so I am looking forward to it.

Well, as Thea said in the comments of my last post, we no longer have snow, but it has been very cold. If there were any moisture to come down, it would be snow. I am longing for the warmth of Hawaii!!!

Here is a picture of John and I with Alana this week! LOL. I am a besotted grandmother! until next time....

We have Snow!

I woke up this morning to three inches of beautiful snow! It is a perfect day for staying inside, drinking cocoa and stitching.

Too bad I have to leave for work in an hour!

This is really an unusual occurrance for Western Washington. Last year we did not receive any snow at all. I hope it stays until tomorrow!