12 Days of Christmas exchange 2013-14

I had signed up for a 12 Days of Christmas exchange in the i-love-cross-stitch group.  I will be updating this post almost  every day.  

 On the  First Day of Christmas (Dec25), Nancy gave Brooke's Publishing Books  Once Upon a Stitch Meg from Little Women chart and 2 candy canes.

 On the Second Day of Christmas(Dec 26), Nancy send me a pair of snowmen socks and glitter star buttons.

On the Third day of Christmas(Dec 27), Nancy gave Brooke's Publishing Books  Once Upon a Stitch Jo from Little Women chart and 2 candy canes.  Is Beth and Amy coming later in the days of Christmas?  I  don't know and you will find out when I do, lol. Stay tune for day 4.

On the Fourth Day of Christmas (Dec 28), Nancy gave me some gold needles, a nutcracker ornament and a Twix Santa candy, yummy!

 On the Fifth Day of Christmas (Dec 29), Nancy gave me some pretty DMC skeins in red and purple, and a lovely silver candlholder.

 On the Sixth Day of Christmas(Dec 30),  Nancy gave me a Christmas note pad and gold and white beads.

 On the Seventh Day of Christmas (Dec 31), Nancy gave me a Ornament Bake kit and silver trims.  I haven't seen one of these kuts since I was a kid.

 On the Eighth Day of Christmas (Jan 1), Nancy gave me Brooke's Publishing Books  Once Upon a Stitch Amy from Little Women chart and 2 candy canes.

 On the Ninth Day of Christmas (Jan 2), Nancy gave me some DMC threads, red beads, and some Lindt Chocolates.

On the Tenth Day of Christmas (Jan 3), Nancy gave me the Brooke's Publishing Books  Once Upon a Stitch Beth from Little Women chart and 2 candy canes.

On the Eleventh Day of Christmas (Jan4), Nancy gave me a piece of 28 count evenweave and some blue beads.

Christmas 2013 update

It has been about 2 months since I posted an update. It probably be long so bear with me.  first up is the last Halloween exchange I didn't post yet.  The exchange was hosted by Stitch, Create, and Exchange, formally Stitched with Love blog.  Barbara send me a lovely exchange she had made herself.  She is a designer in Europe so everything is from her, the pattern she stitched, the one she gave me, the threads, ric rac trimmings and buttons.  The thread holder is shape of a raven and very pretty.

 


My package went to Janet. I stitched her Happy Haunting by DMC. I gave her some socks, ribbon, a little plaque, material, threads, needles, a Mill Hill kit, (vampire) and candy.

 Here is a close up of the ornament.  It was stitched on  14 count Grasshopper aida from Charles craft,  using the DMC threads and a Carrie Creations thread, I forgot the name,  Its  been awhile since  I stitched it.  The  pattern  came from the Just Cross Stitch 2013 Halloween issue.

 The first Christmas exchange was Santa's Mittens exchange from  my Stitching Sisters yahoo group.  Ruthie send me 2 gloves, purple and black, a purple scarf, a purple candy can ornament, and the new set of DMC colors.  The ornament is hanging on the tree.  I love it and my favorite color.  Thank you Ruthie!

 In my i-love-cross-stitch yahoo group, my Sock It to Me Santa exchange was from Sharon. I got the socks, beautiful bobbins with a Victorian corset pictured on them, a colorful peacock thread holder and some floss bags.  Thank you Sharon.

 I made this little ginger woman for Katie S.  in the Stitching Sisters group.  The ornament was stitched on 16 count opalescent aida.  The pattern came from the Christmas Card magazine I got from Karin( in my last post).

 This is Country Cottage Needleworks Snowbirds for a friend.  The pattern was stitched on 28 count PTP Crystal Dwarf linen. I used beads for the snowflakes.

 We got some snow before Christmas but now it is gone.  A few days before the 25th, the temperatures hit over 60 degrees.  I had my bedroom window open, heat off and wearing shorts and tank tops. Now some Christmas pictures.  By Christmas it was in the teens.

 Anthony opening some gifts and here he is with the Nerf gun Grandpa got him.

 He was very thrilled with the XBox 360 NHL 14 game.  Anthony is a hockey player, so anything with hockey you can't go wrong.

 See his happy face!

 My Christmas tree, and you can see the purple candy cane.

 All the cards I got this year.

 I made a chocolate trifle for dessert plus there was a carrot cake, rice pudding, and tons of cookies and homemade fudge.  I made all of it too, from scratch except for the chocolate cake.

 I got these lovely towels from Lynda A from the pensandneedles yahoo group.  It is for pen palling but I am not very good at it.

 This ornament came from Kim C for the Stitching Sisters yahoo group. It came on Dec 24, right on time.  Thank you Kim!

This is a picture of me on Christmas Day.  My sister took the picture for me.  Next year I will not be looking like this, being obese.  On January 15, 2014 I will be having a double surgery, one being the sleeve gastronomy and the removal for my gallbladder.   I started the procedure in September, hit a brick wall due to insurance, but I climbed over it, and went to a bigger hospital.  I will be going to Yale Hospital to get it done and next Tuesday I will be see the anesthetist for the pre-testing of the surgery.  I am going to a support group meeting weekly to help deal with food emotionally.  Even though most had the surgery or in the process of getting it done, there a few who just come because they know they are addicted to food.   I am nervous, which is normal and wished the surgery was over, but I am excited too, wondering where this path will take me back to normal living and new friendships, providing there are no complications.

I had lost my stitching mojo.  I was stitching the Grumpy Cat freebie by Brooke Nolan,  I am not sure if you saw it on her website ( Brooke Publishing Books).  The person I am stitching for, I am irritated with that person.  Maybe I should just finished for me and stitched again later when I am more pleasant with this person.  I might have an update before my surgery, if not, it will be afterwards. I will have a giveaway soon.  I had reached 300 followers and just gather some items from my stash.  Be on a look out for it.

Until next time,
Vicky

Santa Nancy's Giveaways

I got really behind on Victorian Sampler Motto's 12 Days of Christmas giveaways.  I had stopped on Day 5 and Day 12 was announced today, oops.  I am listing them:

Day 6:  the giveaway was a surprise gift.  Click here or on Day 6 to get to the post directly.

Day 7:  The giveaway was pick your own present from trims or 5 skeins of floss. Click here or on Day 7 to get to the post directly.

Day 8:  The giveaway is $25 gift certificate at Victorian Motto Sampler ebay store and shipping included.  Click here or on Day 8 to get to the post directly.

Day 9:  The giveaway is a present for you and for a friend of yours you can surprise with the gift.  Click here or on Day 9 to get to the post directly.

Day 10:  The giveaway is you tell Santa Nancy what you want from Santa.  Click here or on Day 10 to get to the post directly.

Day 11:  The giveaway is some dyed fabric in various colors to choose from.  Click here or on Day 11 to get to the post directly.

Day 12:    The last giveaway is a $50 gift certificate at Victorian Motto Sampler ebay store and shipping included.  Click here or on Day 12 to get to the post directly.

I believe the drawings start on December 15 and you will need to go back everyday to see if you a winner.  Good luck!

5th Day of Christmas

On the 5th Day of Christmas, Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler is giving away some trims. Trims are so important to make those finishes extra pretty. Click here or on the blog's title to go to the post.

4th Day of Christmas giveaway

Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler,  is giving away a super duper prize for the 4th Day of Christmas. Your choice of 25 skeins of her 1795 Sampler collection.  Click here or on the blog's title.

3rd Day of Christmas Giveaway

Today's giveaway at Victorian Motto Sampler is skeins of new colors Nancy never listed yet.  I wonder what colors she came out with?  I have some of her skeins and they are beautiful.  Click here or on the blog's title to enter on her blog.

2 more giveaways

Nancy, from Victorian Motto Sampler, is having her 2nd Day of Christmas giveaway.  Today the giveaway is a choice of one of her patterns. I have one in mind if I win, lol.  Click here  or the blog's title and it will bring you right there.

Parsley, from Seasons of My Mind, is giving away Frosty Moments from Stoney Creek. It is adorable pattern.  Click here or the blog's title to get to the post.

Giveaway time!!!

Nancy, of Victorian Motto Sampler, is having another giveaway. She is giving away Quaker patterns.  Go check it out by clicking on here.  Tell her I send you!

Giveaway

Nancy, of Victorian motto Sampler, is having another giveaway.  Go check it out by clicking on here.

Another giveaway

Heather, from Heather's Stitching Story is having a giveaway.  She has a lovely blog and you can check it out here.

Another Giveaway

Nancy from Victorian Motto Shoppe is having another giveaway.  This giveaway is a nice fabric package. Go take a look at the lovely colors and tell her I send you.  The deadline is December 1. Click here.

Giveaway

Brenda from Time 2 Xstitch is  having a giveaway on her blog. She will do a drawing when she reaches 100 followers.  I am number 78, so go follow her and sign up on her giveaway. Click here.

Autumn, Stitching and Stash

It is November and in two months it will be a new year.  Anyone started their Christmas shopping? Not me. I am one of the weird people who likes the crowds and shopping in decorated stores.  One of my favorite things for Christmas.  Funny thing is I will be stitching Halloween for the next few months.

I did finish page 4 on the Fright Night Friends and on page 5.  I just finish the sign last night, all Kreinik thread.  Kreinik and I are just barely getting along, and as soon as I am done, the next time using the Kreinik again will be too soon.  I hate DMC Light effects more than Kreinik.  I have another sign to put on under the shoes and the E will stitched next week. I know I will finish it this year.  I want to do the Christmas banner too, but I think I will wait a couple months before starting that one.

I am doing this lovely sampler from a French designer, Jardin Prive.  I didn't show the first part so the above picture is part 1.  I am stitching it on a  6 inch stitch band.  It is a little tricky  to stitch on it by the edges.  I love the color of it but I notice under the lights in my kitchen, where I sometimes stitch, parts of the band gives a "dirty" look, like car grease was spilled on it through out the band. I know it is the lightening.

Last night, I finished part 2, just in time, since part 3 came out this morning.  I have decided to redo the hearts and flowers. The pinks are very light and almost whitish color.  I had order the threads this morning and when they come in, I will frog and restitch them.  There are mistakes on this section too, but they are spacing mistakes and I can't tell the difference.

 I got some lovely new stash this past month.  My friend, Karin, rak'd me these lovely gifts, Christmas mittens ornaments, a Christmas card magazine and some variegated threads.  I love the  gifts and I know I will be stitching from a couple patterns soon. Thank you Karin!

 I had signed up for the Kustom Krafts Stitch A Long and I am stitching Autumn Encounter.  I admit I haven't touch it in a couple weeks (no update) but will be working on it this weekend.  I was one of the winners in last months raffle and I was allow to pick a pattern from their site.  I fell in love with this tiger, called Blue Eyes. I am not sure when I will get to it, but it will be gorgeous when I do finish him.

Last June, I had participated a online retreat with one of my Yahoo groups.  I had won a prize was told I could pick 2 patterns from the X'x & Oh's site.  I picked Big Trouble and Shall We Dance.  It was the perfect treat for this stitcher on Halloween.  Thank you Vickie!

On the 15th every month, Nora Corbett releases at least one new pattern . The Mirabilia Minions (which they like to be called), stay up late to 1 am to see the new pattern.  Then the next few days, the talk is about what is the perfect fabric and who can get the pattern first, etc.  If I am awake around 1 am, I will check out the new patterns, but I usually don't go out right away to buy it.  When this mermaid, named Azure, came out, I said it was pretty but I can wait. so I thought,and when a friend, who model stitched Azure, showed some close ups of the model.  What I saw were beads and bling which I didn't see when seeing the whole picture.  My heart literally fell in love with her.  I actually had a physical feeling of my heart falling.  Needless to say, I brought the pattern and beads but will be getting the threads and fabric in a couple weeks.  I know when the rest of the stuff comes in, I will be stopping the rest of my stitching, because I want her on my wall.
 I will leave it here for now and leave you with some more Autumn scenes in Southeast Connecticut.

 This one was taken from the highway we were driving on.  My aunt stopped on the side for a minute and I snapped a few pictures.  We actually felt the bridge sway as the cars were whizzing by.

 This one is when the sun was blazing on the trees at sunset.

Love the blue sky!

Have a great week!
Until next time,
Vicky

Giveaway

Nancy, of Victorian Motto Sampler, is having a beautiful giveaway.  Please stop by and take a look. She will be drawing names on November 15. Click on the blog's name.

Halloween exchanges and Autumn

Double Double by Lizzie Kate

JCS Halloween issue 2013

14 count Grasshopper (left) and Potter Purple (right)

DMC threads

Past week, I send some exchanges and a few had reached their new home.  The Double Double  ornaments above is designed by Linda Elbright of Lizzie Katie in the JCS Halloween issue. The grasshopper aida was send to RavenSong in the Stitching Sisters group. The purple aida, called Potter Purple, was send to Jennifer in AZ from The Stutcherhood group. I used the DMC threads.

Halloween by Glory Bee

JCS Halloween issue 2013

28 count Delicate Teal by Silkweavers

DMC threads

Halloween is stitched by Glory Bee for Mary Louise in IN.  The design was stitched on 28 count Delicate Teal using the recommended DMC threads. I do need to center my pieces a little bit better and stay away from the binders clips.  They are leaving indents on the ornaments and I don't know why.

 I received a couple ornaments too.  This pumpkin was stitched by Jennifer from IN. She used a velvet ribbon for the inside trimming.  On the back she machine embroidered my name and hers.  Awesome idea!  Thank you Jennifer!

This beautiful ornament was stitched by RavenSong in CA. I loved how she put it together. I love it.   The thread she used for the lettering is gorgeous.  I won't be surprise if it came from her own hand dyed threads. Thank  you RavenSong!

Last week I showed my progress on Autumn Encounter by Kustom Krafts. Well it was the only piece I stitched this week, but I made good progress.  I am pass the  half way point. Page 2 is coming out on Tuesday, so I am hoping to catch up by the time page 3 comes out. I am loving the colors!

I did take a few pictures of my area. Part of a a highway route goes through some mountains.  I took some pictures as we were driving by and no, I wasn't driving.  As you will see a lot of yellows and oranges and lots of greens still. The reds are not ready to come out yet, very late this year.

I hope you have a great week!

Hugs
Vicky