We're having a Snow Storm

OK it isn't suppose to be a huge snow Storm.  We are only expecting a couple of inches of snow but it sure is beautiful.

OK there is no snow here.  This is a picture
of our front door with the C turned the right way.

Backyard patio

Backyard patio

Looking from the garage to the street

Looking up the street

Our mailbox

Front of our house

Down and across the street

Looking from the garage to the street

It is still snowing and I think we already have about 2 - 3 inches on the ground.  I plan on spending the afternoon stitching on my CCN Santa Village.  I hope to have the 1st house all done by the end of New Year's Day.

Have a wonderful Saturday.

2013

I am going to try something new for 2013.  I have decided to take a
pictures of my WIPs on the 1st of each month and post them here.  It seems to take me so long to complete each page of Bridge in Monet's garden that I think a monthly progress picture might be interesting and an incentive for me.

Merry Christmas

Last night we had finished our annual Christmas Eve dinner of Filet Mignon, asparagus, baked crispy potatoes, and shrimp cocktail when Bob went out on the back porch to get some firewood,  It was snowing.  What a wonderful Christmas surprise.

Doesn't this make it truly look like Christmas

This is the first time in a long time that I truly didn't care that it snowed for Christmas.  Bob and I will be home by ourselves for the day.  I am going to get him up shortly so we can have our breakfast.  We will then open our presents in front of a roaring fire with Christmas music playing in the background.  Then spend a lazy afternoon reading and just enjoying the quiet of the day.  Bob is cooking dinner tonight and we are having Roast Duck, Wild Rice with Pecans and Broccoli.  Bob is then making Crepes with blueberries for desert.

I will miss my family but maybe it is time to start some new traditions.

Have a wonderful Christmas whether you are spending it with your family or just that one someone special.  This should be a wondrous day no matter who you are spending it with.

Iris

Welcome to Christmas at my house

I hope you enjoy your visit to my house at Christmas.  I love Christmas and I know that I overdue my decorating but I love the way my home looks at this time of year.

Welcome to our house.  Mr. Snowman was a
present many years ago from my niece Kathy

The wreath on the door is hung incorrectly.
It is actually the letter C.  We have
since corrected it.

My MIL Water Bench decorated
with Byer Kindles and some cards
we have received.

My Advent Calender and ceramic tree

Salvation Army Byer's Carolers

This is a Santa Claus I latched hooked many years
ago.  It isn't Christmas unless he is sitting
somewhere in my house

My Byer's Caroler collection



The china closet in my dining room
decked out in Snowmen. The dining
room is my snowman room



Lizzie Kate Christmas cross stitch
and my ornament tree
decorated with mostly snowmen and
snowflake ornaments

The fireplace in our family room.  I stitched
the 2 end stockings.  The stocking in the
middle was given to Bob's Mother the
Christmas before he was born.  It says "Copes Hope"

Waxing Moon's Santa and some
of my Santas and Snowmen.
The book is Twas the Night Before
Christmas and was Bob's as a child.

Santas

More Santas

Of course there are more Santas

Just a few more Santas

A closeup of the stockings at the fireplace
My family room is decorated almost exclusively
in Santas.
The kissing angels were made for us by
my niece CJ.

Last but not least our
tree.  We have lots of
handmade ornaments and also
ornaments we have piked up in
or travels.

That ends the tour of our house.  The pictures before the ornament tree are all in our living room and dining room.  The rest of the pictures are in our family room downstairs.  We spend most of our time in the family room. 

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

My 2012 Exchange Ornament - KYKS

I received my exchange ornament the other day.  Thought I would post a picture. It is from Patricia.

Front View

Back View

I love it and it will be front and center on my tree when I decorate later today.

Thank you Patricia.

Finished the 2nd Wedding Sampler

I finished the 2nd Wedding Sampler I planned to stitch for weddings next year.  I plan on taking them both to get framed the week between Christmas and New Years.  There is a method to my madness as my LNS has a huge sale between Christmas and New Years.

The Chocolate Cat
Love Letters
Stitched on16Ct white Aida
DMC 820 Royal Blue

My last Christmas ornament for 2012

Miss Cresents Crowne - Jolly in Traditional Colors
Stitched on 16CT light grey AIDA using DMC Floss
I gave this to the woman I work with yesterday
at our work Christmas Lunch

I have 2 more ornament finishes

I finished 2 more Christmas ornaments today

Blueladie Designs
December SAL
Stitched on 14Ct Aida
DMC floss

iStitch Merry Christmas 2011
Stitched on mystery 16CT light grey Aida
DMC Floss
I think I am going to send this one to my oldest Sister, Barb

I am almost done stitching one more Christmas ornament and that will be the last one for 2012.  I am restitching JOLLY using traditional colors.  I only have the Y to stitch and then the finishing.  It will be for the woman I work with.

Another Ornament Finish

I just keep stitching ornaments.  I guess I get satisfaction out of quick finishes.

Miss Crescent's Crown
Jolly
2011 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue
Mystery 16CT Aida with DMC Floss

This one is hanging on my ornament tree and will stay there unless I need an ornament to give to someone.  It isn't traditional so I don't know how many people would really like it.  No one in my family.  Maybe that is why I stitched it, no one will ask me for it.

KYKS Ornament Exchange

Now that my partner has gotten her ornament I can post a picture.

Primrose Needleworks
Winter Song
from the 2011 Just Cross Stitch
Ornament Issue
Stitched on mystery Aida with
DMC floss

I need to make one of these for me.  I really like the way it turned out.

Ornament Finish

I have an ornament finish.  I am either going to give this to my best friend, Sue, or my oldest sister, Barb.  It will go go Sue if I can't get another ornament finished by the December 7th.

iStitch Designs
This is a freebie from a blog
Stitched on a soft grey 16CT Aida
using DMC Variations 4050 and 4210
I started stitching this 11/19/2012
Finished stitching it on 11/24/2012

I have decided that I am not going to let my Christmas holidays be ruined by she who shall not be named.  OK I am being childish.  Christmas is my favorite time of the year and I am going to enjoy it.  After spending most of the morning crying I am going to try not to cry again over this mess.

I gave this to my sister for her Birthday/Christmas present

Kitchen Sampler 2 by Lilia Studios

Of course it was all framed (I guess I forgot to take a picture of it framed.)  Anyway this is the thank you I got.  I paid over $150.00 to get the thing framed.

"Thanks for the gift and have a Merry Christmas."

I guess she was a little overwhelmed. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Feasting


When the Halloween pumpkins are gone,

And the leaves have all fallen to ground,

When the air has turned windy and cold,

Then Thanksgiving will soon be around.


Thoughts of loved ones all feasting together,

Pleasant pictures from past times appear

To dwell in each heart and each mind--

Then Thanksgiving is finally here!


The kitchen has scrumptious aromas,

The dining room looks oh, so fine,

Decorations with pilgrims and turkeys,

And now we are ready to dine!


First the napkins are placed on our laps;

Now the prayer for the meal to be blessed,

Then we stuff the good food in our tummies,

And we hope for it all to digest!

Bridge In Monet's Garden - Page 16 finished

I finished page 16 pf Bridge in Monet's Garden last night.  Only 1.5 pages to go and I will be half finished.

Page 16
Started 10/5/2012
Completed 11/19/2012

I have also finished my exchange ornament for KYKS ornament exchange but I can't post a picture until the recipient receives it. 

Wedding Sampler Finish

My Great Niece Kayla is getting married in July 2013.  I just finished stitching her wedding sampler this afternoon.  I like it and I sure hope she and her fiancee like it also.  It will be part of their wedding present.  The picture does not do this justice.  I also finished stitching a Christmas ornament this morning.  It is for an exchange so I can't post a picture until I know it has been received. Of course I still have to finish it into an ornament.

Love Letters
by The Chocolate Cat
made into a wedding sampler
18 CT Cherub Aida from Picture This Plus
Floss is ThreadWorx Very Berry

Two Ornament finishes

I finished stitching 2 Thanksgiving ornaments over the weekend and made them into ornaments this morning.  They are both hanging on my ornament tree as I type.  These are both stitched on mystery AIDA from my fabric drawer.

Blueladie Designs
KYKS November SAL

Blueladie Designs
from Cathryn's November 2012 Newsletter

White Willow Stitching - Tribal Santa Hat

I finished stitching this earlier today.  I think I am going to make it into a pillow but am still thinking about it.  I wish I had stitched this on a darker fabric but I didn't so it is what it is.



White Willow Stitching
Tribal Santa Hat
Stitched on 14 count white Aida
DMC floss
Finished 10/26/2013



A Retirement Gift for a Friend

I just finished making this no-sew cube.  It is going to be a retirement gift for my friend, Grace.  She is retiring on November 9th after working for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 40 years.

This is Lizzie Kate World's Longest Coffee Break. 
Stitched on 14Ct tea died Aida using DMC floss.  Yes I died the fabric and it looks much better in person than it does in the pictures.
I started the stitching on 10/2/2012 and completed the stitching on 10/6/2012. 
Today I made it into a no-sew cube.

Ott's Mum Hill

We have a garden center down the road from us called Ott's Exotic Plants.  Every year they plant a hill full of mums and it is just beautiful.  While I have taken pictures in the past I never thought to share them with anyone.  This morning on my way back from some errands I stopped and took a lot of pictures.  Thought I would share a few.