Gone....

I'm going to miss you.

WIPocalypse starts tomorrow!

And my first project? Well, naturally...it's Little House Needleworks' 12 Days of Christmas! It's the perfect piece since tomorrow will be the 8th day of Christmas (just in case you're counting...).

Here's where I left off today:

(sorry for the crummy photo!)

Who am I kidding? There are also 3 other WIPocalypse projects I'll have going at the same time--Sense and Sensibility (The Sampler Girl), Sew Peace (iStitch) and my New Year's Day start: Use It Up (Waxing Moon).

Look for the photo update on January 9!

hmmm....

It's hard to beat fresh-baked bread for breakfast!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas! Ours was magical, as it should be. We started the day by attending the TLM in our home parish. And this year we had a surprise when we arrived for Mass--MUSIC! For years the Christmas day TLM was a low Mass because the organist was spending the morning with her family and so the only music was at the 'main' Mass of the day. But we have a new organist and so this year we had music and the choir--what a treat!

Then it was home for breakfast and presents. My darling husband surprised me with these goodies:

Yep, I'm all ready to join the Prep and Landing team! (I love Prep and Landing...just love it!) Now I have the start of a cute Prep and Landing tablescape for next year's Christmas decorating!

The weather outside today is pretty crummy. But we're not complaining because it's a great day to stay inside while we watch this (our gift from my father-in-law):

Or maybe this, a gift from my sister-in-law:

Drinking hot tea made in this nifty new tea maker my brother-in-law gave to my DH and I:
The biggest treat yesterday was getting to meet my niece Summer for the first time. Here she is pictured with my DH:

All in all, it was a wonderful day. Today we'll visit with some of my family--a wonderful way to celebrate the 2nd Day of Christmas!

I hope your Christmas was just as wonderful, and that you have a happy and blessed 2nd Day of Christmas.

ET VERBUM CARO FACTUM EST, et habitavit in nobis

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

for Zulma

I made this banner as a present for my friend Zulma. If it looks like a Little House Needleworks design--you're close. It was designed by Diane Williams before she started Little House.

Stitched on 14 count Aida using DMC floss.

Quinton's tree

One of my 'George Plimpton' moments was when I ran a child care center. The best thing to come out of that experience was my friendship with a 3-year-old, Quinton, and his parents. Here's his Christmas present:

Name Tree

Nouveau Encore Designs

14 count Aida

DMC

finished as a wall hanging

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

I loe the way the colored lights on my tree look when you see them through the frosted glass in the front door! It looks like stained glass.



I bought this tree 5 or 6 years ago--it was the first Christmas after my father died, and I was completely bereft. I spent something like $35 on it at Wal-Mart, and the only decorations I had for it were about 10 strands of gold bead garland and a garish plastic star. But it made me smile every time I looked at it.

It's still my favorite tree. The star died, and was replaced with a beautiful angel from Madame Alexander. I've since purchased another tree--with white lights--that showcases my ornaments better. But last night I decided that it was time to return to the bright and colorful.

And if my husband doesn't object I won't add anything to the tree except the gold garland and the angel. Sometimes simple and colorful is best.

The unexpected joy of Aida

I've needed to stitch some quick little Christmas pieces recently, and one larger piece. I needed to use materials in my stash, and while digging round I discovered that I have some 14 count Aida in antique white, red, and green, as well as some in a color I can only call 'brown paper bag'. I have no idea when or where this came from, but I'm thrilled to have found it.

I have rarely stitched on Aida. In fact, before this project I've only used it twice. But I've got to say--I've overcome my prejudice toward it! These have all stitched up so quickly, and the name tree I started last night and I'll have it finished tonight. (A special thanks to Stephanie at Nouveau Encore Designs for getting the chart to me so quickly!)




I expect that I'll always keep a small supply of Aida in my stash from now on. In fact, I may just stitch all the name trees on it!

Our waiting is almost over!

Claudia's ornament

My friend Claudia has an ornament entered in a contest over on Sue HIllis' blog: http://www.suehillis.blogspot.com/ (if for some reason the link doesn't work just copy-and-paste the address into your browser).

If you have a moment, please hop over there and vote for ornament #3.

Thanks!

Happy Birthday, Miss Austen!

In honor of Miss Jane Austen's birthday, and the 200th anniversary of the publication of Sense & Sensibility I decided that I needed to start something new--here's my tiny beginning on The Sampler Girl's Sense & Sensibility sampler:




I'm stitching this on some 28 count mushroom evenweave from my stash, and I'll be pulling floss from stash, too. I've got to whittle down some of my stash, and what better way than by using it!

Hmmm...I think that one of my resolutions for next year needs to be to work on my photography skills!

PInk, for joy

We have a winner!

UKKA! You're the winner of the Lizzie Kate Snippet! I'll be contacting you by email to get your mailing address.

Thanks to everyone who entered. There will be another giveaway shortly, so stay tuned!

Prayers for Mike

My friend Mike is undergoing open heart surgery tomorrow morning. Please say a prayer for him tonight.

Mike at the Louisiana Succession Sesquicentennial

February 2011

Baton Rouge Armory

Mike was the first real friend I made when I moved to Baton Rouge. And every other person that I've met here who has become important in my life I've met because of having met Mike.

I'm not ready to lose my friend yet.

Teeny-tiny giveaway!

I'm in the process of organizing and reducing my stash. Today I came across a Lizzie Kate snippet that I know I've already stitched, so I think it needs to find a new home!

If you would like to win my Lizzie Kate Be Mine Valentine snippet chart, please leave a comment on this post only. I'll pull a winner on Saturday morning (December 11) at 8AM Central.

Please make sure that I have a way to contact you in case you're the winner!

Two candles lit...