The Peacock's Feather

Happy New Year!

I just wanted to wish everyone a very safe and Happy New Year!  I won't be doing anything special for the holiday--watching movies and stitching, which suits me just fine as I am not much of a partygoer.  I have two rows left to stitch on Toccata #1, which I am hoping to get in tonight.  I plan on pulling out Toccata #2 for 2008!  I will, of course, share a photo of my finish!  I had hoped to accomplish a bit more over my vacation, but I find I am amazingly slow on these Toccata motifs!  I am also in the mood to start something new for the new year (something with plain cross stitch, nothing fancy), but I am not sure what.  I had thought a LHN design, but now I am not sure.  I could work on one of my unfinished Hawk Run Hollow designs, but you know that thrill of starting something new.  I'll let you know what I choose.  All the best to everyone in 2008!!

A Very Little Finish

I mentioned this unfinished little ornament last month.  I finally got around to pulling it out and completing the stitching and finished it into a little ornament.  It is from the Prairie Schooler chart "Winter Wind".  I've been trying to work on my Toccata a bit each day as well.  I am concentrating on that one project as I'd like to finish it by the end of the year.  Not too many days left...   

New Christmas Stash!

I hope everyone had a lovely Christmas yesterday.  The run up to the holiday is always so hectic and then the day goes by so quickly!  I spent a nice day with my family.  I received a few needlework gifts, which I thought I'd share.  One chart is actually from another stitcher.  "Mrs Darby of Derbyshire" by The Sampler Girl is from Mary Kathryn.  I loaned a needlework chart to her, and she was kind enough to send this chart as well as a skein Belle Soie by Crescent Colours in Attic Tea to me as a thank you.  That was very kind and I send my thanks back!

My mom bought a couple of charts that I had on my wishlist.  Little House Needleworks recently came out with "Brave Hearts", which I saw and fell for.  It calls for Belle Soie floss, but I think I will use the regular cotton floss for it instead.  It is stitched on Natural Raw Linen, which I think I have in my stash.  I also have had my eye on Just Nan's "Bellemeade".  I have the other two houses in the series (as yet unstitched...).  I only asked for the chart as the silks and floss was a little too pricey to ask for all at once.  I love Just Nan designs, but they are definitely not cheap these days!  Since I probably won't stitch it anytime soon, I thought I could put off kitting it up for a while.  It's a lovely design, but I suppose I should try and stitch the other two first?

This is a nice little splurge, but I am hoping to not buy much new stash this coming year.  I've heard that a new Hawk Run Hollow design is forthcoming, so that may be my one big purchase.  I suppose I should try and make some progress on the first two however?...At the moment, though, I am working on Toccata #1.  It would be very nice to finish it before the end of the year!

Happy Holidays!

Happy Holidays everyone.  For those who celebrate I wish you a very Merry Christmas! 

I will be spending time with my family today.  We are generally pretty low key--turkey with all the trimmings, presents and just hanging out watching movies usually.  I've been doing a little stitching, and will be taking some photos soon and sharing.   Until then, I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday. 

A Little Friendship Cushion

I just checked the postal tracking and it looks like the package was delivered a couple of days ago, so it is safe to share my latest finish.  This is by French designer Au Fil de Reves.  I loved the little "Amitie" design, and I hope Leigh likes it as well.  It was enjoyable to stitch and I was pleased with the finishing.  I had a hard time deciding on what fabric to use--I also had a blue fabric, but it was a bit dark, so I opted for the lighter tan color to match the words.  I had thought of making this into a pinkeep, but as I am more comfortable making cushions, so a cushion it was!  I hope to finish a few other little things by the end of the year now that I am on vacation!

Vacation is Here!

What I might be doing for the next few weeks (but I make no promises)...

Although there is still the list (now down to three books left to finish, which may or may not happen at this point), I am really itching to start something new.  So, I think I am definitely going to read Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey.  I'll probably start Mary Elizabeth Bradden's Lady Audley's Secret and I'd like very much to squeeze in Sarah Bower's The Needle in the Blood, too.  Then there is Ada Leverson's The Little Ottleys, but I have a feeling I won't manage quite so many. 

Since I'll have lots of chunks of free time I'd love to work on some needlework projects.  I had hoped to finish my Toccata before the end of the year.  It would be great to make some progress on my reproduction sampler, Ann Kirby--so many strawberries to stitch on that border (it is quite large, though, so I am sure I'll be working on it for a very long time!).  I also have wanted to start working on a bookish design by Little House Needleworks called The Bookshelf.  I had thought of making author substitutions and choosing some of my own favorites, but I'll have to see how creative I'm feeling.  And then there is the problem of narrowing the list down to a very few. 

I have one more afternoon of shopping to get through (and fingers crossed the last couple of things I'm waiting for in the mail will arrive soon).  I might have to bake a batch or two of cookies (peanut butter blossoms and pecan sandies).  And I have lots of presents to wrap. 

I hope to go to a restaurant or two, will probably hit the library at least once.  I hope I can find some good movies to watch.  I might drag myself up to the gym on campus a few times.  No doubt I'll spend a little time daydreaming (I'm really good at that when the list I make includes things like dusting and laundry!).  Mostly I suspect I'll be very lazy!  As long as I have a book in hand I should have a very good break (and boy do I need it!).

A Christmas Meme

I found this Christmas meme at Stitch Bitch.  Since Christmas is now less than two weeks away, perhaps this will help put me in the spirit!

Wrapping paper or gift bags?  Both.  I usually wrap the things that can be wrapped and then put them into a gift bag and give the bag to the person. 

Real tree or artificial?  We used to buy real trees, but they can be messy and it was always a hassle to find a place to recycle them.  Several years ago I bought a nice artificial tree.  Of course it is the type where you have to put each individual branch into the slot, so it is a bit of a job to put it up.

When do you put up the tree?  Usually shortly after Thanksgiving or the first weekend in December.

When do you take the tree down?  Sometimes before New Year if I am tired of looking at red and green.  Generally around the 6th of January.

Do you like egg nog?  I'm afraid not.  The texture/thickness is sort of weird to me.

Favorite gift received as a child?  As bizarre as this sounds, I used to adore those paint by number sets.  They would occupy me happily for hours!

Do you have a nativity scene?  Yes.  I'm not really religious to be honest, but it would seem strange to have all the other decorations and not the nativity. 

Hardest person to buy for?   Male relatives.  All of them. 

Easiest person to buy for?   My mom and sisters.  Of course they usually say which stores they want gift cards from...easy!

Mail or e-mail Christmas cards?  I mail them.  Must get them addressed.  I'm a little behind (as usual).

Worst Christmas gift you ever received?  I honestly can't think of one in particular that I received and really disliked.  I'm pretty easy to please.

Favorite Christmas movie?  "Holiday Inn" with Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire, and also "A Charlie Brown Christmas".

When do you start shopping for Christmas?  Usually after Thanksgiving, though I always say I am going to start earlier!

Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?  No, but I've given gifts and had them given back to me the next year. 

Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?  Christmas cookies.  Also turkey with my mom's stuffing, and we usually get tiramisu at this time of year--yummy!

Clear lights or colored on the tree?  I have both.  I prefer to have the lights that don't blink, but inevitably someone comes along and messes with the lights so they blink.  Annoying!

Favorite Christmas song?  The music from "A Charlie Brown Christmas" or any of Ella Fitzgerald's Christmas music.

Travel at Christmas or stay home?  I always stay home.

Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?  I doubt it!

Angel on the tree top or a star?  Actually I have a glass ball sort of thing with pointy thing at the top, which slips over the top of the tree. 

Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?  We've always opened presents on Christmas morning.  We don't do anything really special on Christmas Eve--hang out and eat.

Most annoying thing about this time of year?  The rushed feeling.  Of course that's my fault for waiting until the last minute to do things!

Favorite ornament theme or color?  My ornaments are a  mishmash of colors, styles and designs!  I do have lots of snowmen and gingerbread sort of things.

Favorite thing for Christmas dinner?  Turkey with all the yummy accompaniments.

What do you want for Christmas this year?  Commercially speaking?  I know I should say no more wars and an end to hunger, but I don't think my little wish alone is going to be enough to achieve that.  But I suspect I will get a few things that were on my wishlist--some books, and a couple of needlework charts (JN's Bellemeade and a new LHN).   Mostly I just want everyone to be safe and happy.   

Another Surprise

In my last post I mentioned that I didn't expect any stitched gifts this holiday season as I hadn't joined in any exchanges, but once again I have been surprised.  This gorgeous ornament came last week from my friend Jodi (of Bloom Woodworks fame).  She is a very generous and excellent stitcher, and I just love what she made for me.  I'm sure this must be a Shepherds Bush design, but I am not sure if it is from a JCS issue or she found the chart somewhere else.  I love it and have it hanging with the other ornaments that I have displayed on my wall.  I will have to share a photo of my little display, as I have a lovely collection of stitched ornaments.

Many thanks Jodi!  (I owe you an email!). 

I am finishing up (finally) the project that I've been working on for a while now.  It is a birthday gift, which I hope to get in the mail by the end of the week or Monday at the latest.  I am pleased with the design and will be looking at fabrics now for finishing it.  I'll be sharing a photo of that soon as well. 

Christmas is two weeks from today and I have most of my shopping still to do, and have done hardly no stitching for the holiday!  I hope to at least finish the little ornament that I worked on last year but left undone.  Not sure what else I'll be able to accomplish at this point.  I am looking forward to the winter break from work, however!  I'll have nearly two weeks off from work and I need it!  I am hoping to get in lots of stitching and reading!

A Gift and a Finish

Many thanks to Jennifer (sorry--I can't find your email adress).  She sent me this lovely Christmas ornament as a thank you for loaning her a chart.  It is probably the only one I'll be getting this year as I didn't join any ornament exchanges like I usually do.  She also sent along a card and holiday post-it notes, which always come in handy.  It was a very nice surprise and totally unexpected and very much appreciated.  Again--thanks very much, Jennifer!  (And her finishing is absolutely perfect by the way!).

Finally here is a photo of my finished "Thankful Sheep".  I am still trying to figure out how to best take a photo that doesn't have a glare to it, but I am still not satisfied with the results.  I am always so impressed by how nicely other stitchers manage to photograph their work, but I am not sure how they do it.  Maybe they have better cameras that take better up-close shots?  In any case, this will give you an idea of what it looks like.  I have pulled out "Fa La La Sheep", but I have not yet started stitching on him. 

I think I am going to make a New Year's resolution to try and post at least three times a week in the new year.  I have been pretty hit or miss this year and I hate not being able to keep up.  I have also noticed many new stitching blogs--and thanks very much to those who have added me to your blog roll.  If you have done so, and I have not reciprocated, please leave me a comment and I will add you to my blog roll and add you to my bloglines account as well, so I can keep up with your posts.  I have not been keeping up with a lot of things this year!