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