Countdown to Christmas - December 18th

Hi Everyone! It has been awhile since my last post.  Time seems to be rushing by.  I have been busy stitching and celebrating. Last week I attended a holiday luncheon at my friend Kathy’s home along with a dozen friends.  Her home was beautifully decorated. She has a stunning, large artificial tree filled with ornaments that was gorgeous. 

“Jesus Is the Reason” above is a chart from Teresa Kogut as is the Santa below it. I love them both, but these star shape ornaments were a bear to finish. You place wrong sides together and then machine stitch an outline around the design before attempting to turn it right sides out. I think it would be easier if the pieces had been stitched on linen, but I stitch on Aida which can be stiffer. Because of that, it is difficult to get the points fully pushed out. I have a star shaped patriotic piece to stitch also by Teresa Kogut, and I will be sure to use a softer piece of fabric to stitch that piece. Though it was time consuming and ‘fiddly’ to finish, I think the result was worth it.

“The Magic of Winter” was a kit from Cardinal Hill Stitchers. The kit came with the pattern, fabric, floss, trim, and sled which had to be painted. I substituted DMC etoile floss for stitching the ornaments and in person it adds a bit of sparkle to the tree. For me, this was not a quick stitch, but it sure is cute! 

While in my boot, I didn’t expect to have many decorations up as lugging boxes up from the cellar would not have been smart, but then my godchild Kristin came for a visit the Monday after Thanksgiving. She had the day off from work and came to see what I would like to have done. She brought up this small tree which I placed on the porch and upon which I hung a few of my favorite ornaments. 

She also brought up my nativity set. It had belonged to my aunts, and it is older than I am. As a child, I would help my aunts decorate for Christmas, and I was allowed to arrange all of the figures. My favorite piece was the camel. :-) They displayed the set on top of their TV. In those days, TVs were housed in large wooden cabinets. This year I gathered my paints and very fine point brushes and touched up all the worn spots. 

Thanks to Kristin, my White House ornaments also made it out of the cellar.

It’s not quite the over the top decorating that I usually do, but the place looks quite festive. 🧑🏻‍🎄

Here’s the best news: after four and a half months, I am out of the my boot and I am back driving!!! Yeah!!! Not being able to drive was the hardest part of my torn Achilles tendon experience. Fortunately, I am blessed to have wonderful neighbors and friends who helped out.

That’s all for today. I have more to show, so I promise it won’t be long to my next post.

Enjoy the season, relax, and try not to stress about getting everything done. 🧑🏻‍🎄

Miss Liberty by Teresa Kogut FFO and Scenes from My Garden

 You know it has been two weeks of high heat and humidity when today’s mid- 80s feels like welcome relief. I sure haven’t accomplished much during this heat wave.

I had finished stitching Miss Liberty by designer Teresa Kogut before the 4th but didn’t have the ambition to fully finish it until the other day. The backing board was a small blackboard that I picked up on clearance probably at Hobby Lobby knowing it could some time be used to finish one of my cross stitch pieces. I used a light coat of burgundy acrylic paint on the blackboard which gives a cool appearance of barn board when seen in person. 

This pattern was in the Summer 2024 Issue of Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher, and I couldn’t wait to stitch it!

It’s far too hot for gardening, but things do still look fairly good.

I have not seen any fireflies for the past few years, but I have seen them a number of times lately when I take Emma out before bedtime. Also, I am amazed at the number of dragonflies this summer. Are you seeing them in your area as well?

I just came back from Lowe’s where I purchased some Rustoleum for a project that I hope to start tomorrow. Wish me luck!!! Fingers crossed . . . I may have something to show in my next post.

Keep cool.

Birds, A Book, and a Santa Star Ornament Finish

 Hi Everyone, Happy Wednesday! 

Early yesterday morning my neighbors called to alert me that there was a hawk in the woods beyond my backyard. They were concerned that I might let Emma out and the hawk might swoop down. The hawk would not be able to carry her off, but it could attack. I went out with her, and indeed, the hawk was watching us. It was a red tail hawk with quite a wingspan. He was back again this morning searching for his breakfast, and he is most welcome to all the tiny critters that he can consume.

When I returned from driving my friend to the grocery store, there were two turkeys in my driveway brazenly staring at me. I telepathically conveyed the message that it was my driveway and that I was indeed going to pull my car in. The message was received and they slowly moved on to the lawn. Well, those were my breakfast and noontime sightings; I wonder what dinnertime will bring???

These roses were from my godchild, her family, and her pets for Thanksgiving. Isn’t the color gorgeous!!!

Book Talk  :  A few weeks ago I read a book which you might find interesting.

The Secret History of Home Economics . . . How Trailblazing Women Harnessed the Power of Home and Changed the Way We Live by Danielle Dreilinger. Isn’t that a mouthful! If you only think about home economics as a required class in middle and high school that may have taught you a bit about sewing, baking, and child care, you have much to discover. The author writes a thorough history of the home economics movement. It is not a dry study but rather it is written with at times a light touch. Reading this, you will discover how women’s lives were enriched and changed by many aspects of the home economics movement. Truth to say, I did not read it straight through but rather a chapter here and there along with other books I was reading. I learned so much from reading this book, and I do recommend it.

Last up, a Teresa Kogut cross stitch design, Santa Star Ornament. The shape was challenging to fully finish, but the wonderful Vonna Pfeiffer, the Twisted Stitcher, offers a video on finishing star ornaments on her blog. I attached the ribbon hanger with a gold star button and added the year. (Helen D. who also offers cross stitching finishing tutorials on Youtube suggests coating the year charms with clear nail polish to prevent them from tarnishing.)

Well, that’s it. Now I’m heading down cellar to begin hauling up Christmas trees and decorations. :-)

A Project Bag and December ‘41

Did I need to make another project bag? No, of course not, but last week after our Crosstown Quilters Guild meeting, I took a quick trip out to The Quilted Crow in Bolton with my friends Laurel and Edith. There I spotted two fat quarters of Teresa Kogut’s new Halloween fabric. Honestly, who could resist this adorable fabric?

 If you are not familiar with Teresa Kogut, she is an artist and punch needle and cross stitch designer and has a wonderful flosstube channel, Teresa Kogut’s Creative Whims. She has a new line of fabric coming out, and heaven help me, I ordered two yards of it from the Fat Quarter Shop last night. (So much for my resolution not to purchase any new fabric.) Even worse, at The Quilted Crow I also picked up some luscious wool in autumnal colors for a project. (So much for my resolution not to start any new projects; I’m absolutely incorrigible.)

Our local library has recently had a number of interesting speakers. Author William Martin talked about his new novel December ‘41. I don’t know how anyone attending that talk could have left without purchasing a copy of this thriller. First of all, he was an excellent speaker. I’m not giving anything away by saying it involves a Nazi assassin seeking to end the life of FDR. The story starts out in Hollywood which was itself very interesting and then takes off on a cross country train ride.  Though I try to avoid cliches, I have to say that this is an absolute page turner!!!!! Spy thrillers are not a genre that I seek out, but I could not recommend this one more highly. 

 I have finished a few more things but I will save those for my next post.

It’s October so before I end this, let me climb up on my soapbox to remind you to be sure to keep up to date on your mammograms. The process may be inconvenient and sometimes uncomfortable but it is nothing compared to having chemo and mastectomies. I know this first hand as a two time breast cancer survivor. Early detection saves lives. Please if you have let this slip during the pandemic, call and make an appointment today.