One More Christmas Finish

Angels by Country Cottage Needleworks

Happy stitching!

Busy, Busy Week!

It's been a hectic but fun week!  I went caroling with a group 2 afternoons this week with a group from Dow Chemical (current, past employees or friends). This was my first year to do this and was it every fun!  We had a couple of "rehearsals" in the past couple of weeks to prepare.  They took us from nursing home to nursing home in a bus and provided bottled water and Christmas treats for in between stops.  I hope the residents had fun (I think they did.)  I know WE sure had fun!  One of the favorite things was to sing The Twelve Days of Christmas with audience participation.  We had little groups for each "day" holding up a sign and singing when it was our turn.  Some of the groups really "hammed it up".

I'm in 3 groups that are singing for church activities today, choir, faith band, and a female trio and have had multiple rehearsals to prepare.  Our music at church this am went well.  We'll have another event tonight called Cookies and Carols where various musical groups in the church (choir, youth choirs, 2 faith bands, our trio, hand bells, and pianists).  We'll also have group caroling in between the performing groups.  Everyone will bring cookies to share for the evening.  We did this last year and it was a lot of fun.  I'm expecting it to be fun again this year.

By the way, it was 80 degrees yesterday (not very Christmasy weather if you ask this Buckeye) but last night the temp dropped 40 degrees.  Brrr!!  You really feel it when the temperature drops that quickly!  Needless to say, it feels a lot more like Christmas today.  I love it!

A friend hosted a lovely brunch for my walking buddies one day this week.  Her house had been flooded early last summer and she and her DH just got to move back in last month so she was anxious to show us the repair/renovations.  Her contractor did a beautiful job!  I took her a little sled ornament for her tree.

I've made a little progress on the Denmark Santa although I don't think he'll be done for this Christmas:

I'm also working on CCN's Angels:

The little needle minder is by Lizzie Kate.  I made the mistake of reading her recent blog where they talked about the kit that included the design, fabric, and this little needle minder guy...I HAD to have it.  I don't usually buy kids but as soon as it was available, I ordered it.  Isn't he cute?

I haven't baked even one cookie.  DH is in the kitchen now making pizzelles for us to take tonight to church.

  I made some cranberry shortbread cookie dough yesterday that is chilling.  I'll bake it off either tonight or tomorrow.  I plan to also make a Raspberry Ricotta Cake and probably some spritz cookies.  I usually bake a lot more for Christmas but it just hasn't happened this year.  (It's not like we need all that sugar and calories anyway.)

We're looking forward to spending Christmas with our kids and new granddaughter.

Merry Christmas!

Happy stitching!

Merry Wind Farm

Check out this blog with some beautiful samplers...and sign up for a chance to win one of the designs.

Merry Wind Farms

Happy stitching!

Last day of Nancy's (Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe) 12 Days of Christmas giveaways

For more info about Nancy's generous contests, see here:

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Beginning to look and feel like Christmas

We finally have some cold (for SE TX, anyway) weather.  I'm loving it!

We've had some unexpected things that required our attention this week.  Our computer monitor died, then shortly after taking care of that, my food processor died.  I just replaced it this am.  In addition, our cable and internet provider sent us a letter this week saying that they were severing ties with the company that does our email.  After having that email address for 13 years, you can imagine all the accounts that would need to be updated with a new email address!  We decided it was worth it to pay the other company a "nominal fee" to keep that email address....at least for a while.

I pretty much finished what Christmas decorating I'll do for this year.  It's just the 2 of us here this year so I just put up enough to make us feel like it's Christmas.

This afternoon I finished our 2016 ornaments....cute little Santa sled ornaments.  I love them because they're so cute and so easy to make.  (I'm not sure why the grouping is upside down...they aren't in my file on the computer.)

There's nowhere we have to go tonight and I'm glad of it.  We'll enjoy the "soup weather" by having some chili for dinner tonight.

Next week will be very busy but fun.  In addition from meeting my walking buddies in the mornings for our daily walks, I'll be spending 2 afternoons next week caroling with a group that will visit a bunch of nursing homes.  One day will be at brunch at one of my friends' house.  Her house was flooded back in June and she and her DH recently got to move back in after renovations/remodeling.  Then there's music rehearsals to get ready for church activities.

Happy stitching!

3rd Day of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe's 12 Days of Christmas Contest

Today's prize is a collection of Christmas floss.  Nancy's floss is gorgeous!

For more info:

3rd Day of Christmas Contest at VMSS

A Small Finish

I'm a member of the Facebook group Candy Cane Stitchers.  The designer Barbara Ana gave the group her design of Silent Night.  I'd had it started since she posted it in 2014 and finally finished it last night.  I love the sweet little reindeer!

It's been a busy week keeping up with my regular activities and adding a few more with Christmas coming up.  I joined a group that will be caroling to area nursing homes.  I was so tired last night and it dawned on me that I've had 4+ vocal rehearsals this week between choir, caroling group,  faith band, and rehearsing with a friend with whom I'll be singing a duet this Sunday at church.  (We just found out about it Wednesday after choir practice and sight read it for the first time then.)  I'm not complaining because I love to sing and I'm enjoying it so much.

After finishing Silent Night last night, I picked up the Denmark Santa wip.  I'm hoping to finish it this year...but I want to make a few of those sled ornaments and perhaps stitch a small stocking for our grandbaby.

We're playing cards with a group tonight so instead of preparing dinner, I'll prepare a snack to take and share.

We're hoping to finish putting up the Christmas decorations this weekend.  I think we're actually ahead of where we usually are in that department this year.

If only I didn't require sleep this time of the year!

Happy stitching!

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe's 12 Days of Christmas Contests

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is hosting her 12 Days of Christmas contest.  Each day there will be a contest for something she reveals on that day.

I'm a little late to the party....it started yesterday.

For more info : Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Good luck!

Happy stitching!