It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving holiday.  One of our kids got to come home to celebrate with us and he brought along one of his college roommates.  I asked him later if his friend enjoyed his visit and his answer was that with all that food around, he really enjoyed himself. 

Speaking of food........

The "spread":

Cranberry Nut Bread (a new recipe I tried this year):

...and the pies:

I started something....baking cookies for every time I see the college boys.  Even their roommates have come to expect cookies.

My back pain is much improved although I still have to be very careful with how I move.  It's amazing how we take for granted moving without pain.  I'm so grateful to be feeling so much better.

I finished the model stitching and it has gone "home" safely.  I'll let you know when it's released.

I'm a little late on November's LHN Calendar Girl...and probably will be stitching a few Christmas ornaments so I'll probably continue to be late with this one as well as December's.  I'll eventually catch up.  I might even put Nov. aside and work on Dec. since I enjoy stitching seasonal items during the appropriate season.  (Sorry about the headless girl.  I started in the middle and like to work from the top down.  I like to pierce the needle from the back into a "clean" hole and then push it to the back in the "dirty" hole...if you know what I mean.)  I'll turn the piece upside down to work from the middle up towards the top.)

I'm also hoping to be able to crochet a baby blanket for our expected grandchild.  I'm a very beginner at crochet but a friend of mine showed me an "easy" design for a blanket just using single and double crochet stitches.  Wish me luck!

Speaking of the baby, here's the most recent profile picture of DD.  (She and her DH are visiting relatives in PA and OH this week and decided that's the last plane trip for her before the baby is born.)

We're enjoying a "cold front" (which in Gulf Coast Texas isn't very cold) but it helped put us in the mood to start decorating for Christmas.  DH managed to put up 3 trees and garlands above our windows.  I packed up both the Halloween decorations (that I'd piled up upstairs when I couldn't do much because of my back pain) and the Thanksgiving decorations and put out a few of the other Christmas decorations.  There's much more to do but we made a good start.  DH is having surgery tomorrow so I'll do the rest when he comes home.

We're expecting all 3 of our sons (including the one who lives in Denmark) to visit for Christmas so we're looking forward to it.

Happy stitching!

A Small Finished Finish and a Model Revealed

This will be for an ornament exchange.  I love these little sled ornaments;  they're so cute and you can stitch up something quickly to mount on them.  I hope to mail it to the recipient either today or tomorrow.

I'm on the home stretch of the model I'm stitching.  I love the design!

Speaking of model stitching, Nikki (Country Cottage Needleworks) released another design that I model stitched for her.  It's called "Merry Christmas, My Deer".

For more info on this (and other) designs:  Country Cottage Needleworks

My back pain is starting to improve but I'm still moving very carefully.  Hopefully I won't have another "bout" of this for a very long time.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Happy stitching!

Birthday Club at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is starting a birthday club.  Click below to read the details:

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Birthday Club

Happy stitching!

Prayers for France

I'm horrified by the carnage in Paris last night as are all decent human beings.  I pray for France, all families whose lives have been forever changed, for all humanity...and, most importantly, for peace.

Oh, My Aching Back!

I injured my back when I was in my mid-20's.  As a result, I periodically suffer from muscle spasms and back pain.  Since I started exercising regularly, these times don't happen as often, but I'm just "lucky" this week, I guess.  It started last Friday and by Tuesday I was feeling a little better so stubborn me decided to get back to my normal activities and exercising.  Not a good idea bc I've been paying for it ever since then.  I'm starting to improve by being more careful now and I know I'll be back to (my) normal before long.  It's definitely not "my first rodeo".

About the only good thing about these "bouts" is that it gives me lots of stitching time on the couch with the heating pad.  I'm making good progress on a model and was able to take some time out from it to stitch this little guy by Redbird Designs:

...and this little gem by Homespun Elegance that appears in the 2013 JCS Ornament issue:

This one will be mailed away for a block exchange but I like it so much, I might stitch it again to keep.

...and speaking of model stitching, I think one that I stitched is about to be revealed.  I'll post about it when it happens.

Our daughter and son-in-law found a house, bid on it, and their bid was accepted.  They've already had the inspection and will close later this month.  I saw pictures of it on the realtor's website except for the "Grandma Room" but I hear "my" room is very nice and has its own full bathroom...sans heater.  lol!  DD assures me they'll have a space heater in there for us when we visit...but I don't really care as long as it has hot water.  I'm so pleased that everything seems to be going so smoothly for them and they'll be moved in and settled before the baby arrives next spring.

I haven't done much at all of cooking this week because of my back pain.  We've been raiding the freezer of meals and have been eating pretty well.  I think we both like this new system where we prepare a full recipe of a dish and then freeze enough for a later meal.  It's come in quite handy many times already.

Happy stitching!