Thursday, November 14, 2019

Two new ornaments and cruising down the Danube (Part 5)

How is everyone doing on this mid-November morning? Have you had snow yet? We had a couple inches on Tuesday along with record-breaking low temperatures on Wednesday morning. Brrr... it feels more like January weather. But, the first snowfall is always so pretty, isn't it? I took this photo of my backyard yesterday morning--love the hint of yellow remaining in the trees behind our pond. Soon, all of the leaves will fall and it will look quite barren back there. As much as I dread it, winter is coming...

My backyard after this week's snowfall--I love the pond this time of year!
So what have you been up to this month? I've been spending much of my time giving the house a good cleaning (and at the same time purging items that haven't been used in quite a while--oh, that is such a great feeling)! Since Thanksgiving will be held here in just two weeks, it is a perfect excuse to enlist my husband's help in doing some deep cleaning--after all, it is his side of the family who will be coming. That's only fair, right? So far, we've done the basement, laundry room, one bathroom, and his den. Up next--the family room, living room, and dining room. We'll save the kitchen and sunroom until right before Thanksgiving as that is where everyone tends to congregate. And then, this winter, we plan on tackling one of our attics (we have two--one over the garage and one over the house). It would be great if we could downsize and just fit everything into one attic. Is anyone else feeling the need to simplify and thin out your belongings? I think it is just part of getting older and wanting to make life easier--there are far too many "things" that have been collected over the years!

But, I have had some time to work on a larger fall piece (which I'll share with you next time) and to finish two more ornaments--these are for September and October. I'm finally caught up--yippee! The September ornament was fairly quick to stitch up. Honestly, I often spend more time thinking about how I want to finish it than I do with the actual stitching! Anyway, here is my finish of Hands On Design's "Year In Chalk--January." Yep--another ornament stitched "over one" on 28ct. black Monaco! I used some blue Woolies Flannel fabric, handmade cording, and a blue satin bow along with a silver snowflake charm and some miniature holly trim. They don't show up in this photo, but I added four Swarovski crystals to it that simply sparkle when the sun hits them. People often ask how I finish the back of these flat mounted ornaments--I simply use spray glue to attach a piece of coordinating felt (in this case, I used black felt). I don't like leaving the backs unfinished, but don't like to waste good fabric on finishing the back either, so I go with the felt.

Hands On Design "A Year In Chalk: January" finish

Can you spot the four Swarovski crystals that I added?

My ornament for September is another Prairie Schooler yearly Santa--I never tire of stitching these fellows! This one is from 1989 and I was particularly drawn to him because of the cardinals. At first, I thought he was carrying a lantern, but then I noticed the few gold flecks falling from the left side of it so I decided he must be putting up a bird feeder for his feathered friends--I like that idea! I thought the green pine bough border was especially pretty, too. This Santa is stitched on 40 ct. vintage country mocha linen with the suggested DMC threads (although I changed the green to DMC 520 as I do on all the yearly Santas).

A Prairie Schooler Santa feeding his cardinals--I couldn't resist!

I finished him in the same manner that I've done for all recent PS Santas--just a simple handmade cording and hanger with a gingham bow at the top. If I ever live long enough to stitch every year, I plan on finishing them all in the same way. I like the Santa to be the star of the show and I think keeping the finish simple allows him to shine.

1989 Prairie Schooler Santa finish

Here are three all finished the same way--I wonder which Santa will be the next to join them?


Along with my pre-Thanksgiving cleaning, I've done some decorating for the holiday, of course! The corner cupboard in my kitchen is all decked out for our feast with some of my old favorites. Would you like a closer look?

My corner cupboard all decorated for Thanksgiving

Close-up of the first shelf--"Be Ye Thankful" by The Cricket Collection is one of my all-time favorites!

The second and third shelves... I stitched the pillow on the lower right after my dad died five years ago. It is also featured in my header this month and is called "Let Us Be Truly Thankful" by Heartstring Samplery. I changed the date from the charted 1827 to 1927, the year of my parents' births.

Over on the sideboard next to the kitchen table are some oldies, but goodies! Did anyone else collect Lizzie High dolls back in the '80s and '90s? I was never a doll person, but I was given one of these by my mom for a birthday one year. I fell in love with the quality and sweet details so I began buying them on eBay. This Thanksgiving set was a gift from my husband for Christmas years ago--just look at the tiny papoose peaking out from behind the Indian (I guess I should be saying Native American). Adorable! I no longer display my Lizzie High dolls except for the seasonal ones and I need to think about selling my non-seasonal ones as they are just sitting in a box in a bedroom closet taking up space. The cross stitch you see below is an old Sue Hillis design on the left along with a Prairie Schooler turkey on the right.

Even after all these years, I still treasure my Lizzie High Thanksgiving dolls!

This is what the entire corner looks like in my kitchen eating area on a bright November morning. Obviously, the photos were taken before the snowstorm we got on Tuesday!

Thanksgiving has come to my kitchen!

Giveaway time... In honor of Thanksgiving, I found this lovely chart in the November/December 1992 issue of "Cross Stitch & Country Crafts" magazine. Just look at the little creatures and the scenes of fall's harvest--so pretty. The farm scene at the top would make a lovely finish all on its own, too. If you are interested in winning this chart (two pages removed from a magazine--not the entire magazine / the pages will be folded and sent in a legal sized envelope to save money on postage), please let me know in your comments below.  Please, please make sure to include your email if I don't already have it and to make it more fun--I'd love to hear about your favorite stitching memory of 2019. For me, that would be stitching as I cruised down the Danube River. It was such a wonderfully peaceful place to stitch and relax while watching the world go by!  Now, it's your turn...I'd love to hear your favorite memory! I'll keep the drawing open until November 29th. Good luck to all!


If you are interested in winning this pretty Thanksgiving chart, please let me know in your comments below. Make sure to include your email address and tell me about one of your favorite stitching memories of 2019.

The Danube River Cruise concludes... I can almost hear a huge sigh of relief from some of you! Would Carol's posts on the cruise ever end? Thank you so much for indulging me and, perhaps, glancing at a few of the photos in my travel posts over the past few months. I hope you've learned a few things about the places I've shared with you and, perhaps, your eyes have been opened to some amazing destinations beyond your own back yards. So, if you're traveling along on this final portion the Danube River Cruise--come on board and let's set sail!

Today we'll be going to not one, but two new countries--two countries that I never imagined myself visiting. Our first stop will be in a city and country that I knew little about--in fact, I would have been hard-pressed to locate it on a map before I traveled there! Let's explore the city of...

Bratislava, Slovakia

One of the smaller capital cities in Slovakia, Bratislava has a population of about 430,000 people and has been the home to many historical figures from Hungary, Germany, Austria, and Slovakia. Because of it's strategic location on the Danube, it has always been a prosperous town and because of its smaller size, an easily navigable one, as well.

Santa checking out the Bratislava Castle from the Danube River. This is the same Santa with the cardinals that I showed you all finished up in the photos above.

Another rendering of Bratislava Castle in shown on this graffiti wall.

The massive Bratislava Castle dominates the city;  parts of it date back to the 13th century.

A row of pretty pastel homes lined this main road in Bratislava

St. Martin's Cathedral, completed in 1452, was the scene of coronations for 11 kings and 8 queens during the 16th to 19th centuries.

The interior of St. Martin's Cathedral

Of all the things in the Cathedral, these beautifully hand-carved figurines in the choir area were what truly captured my attention.  Just look at the detail in these animals which sat at the end of each pew! I tried to find out more information about them online, but wasn't able to. I've included some close-ups for you.

The lamb with the cross

The lion with a serpent in his mouth

An armadillo? Not sure of this one!

And my favorite--the fox reading a book. There are many more that aren't pictured. I would have loved to have had the time to study each one!

In medieval times, Bratislava was surrounded by walls and entrance was possible only through four fortified gates. In this photo, you can see Michael's Gate--the only remaining gate from those 13th century walls. At the very top of it is a statue of St. Michael and the Dragon put in place in 1758.

Many of the older buildings in Old Town Bratislava survived WWII as the bombing was centered more in the oil fields outside of the city.

Just look at the remarkable carved door and surrounding arch and pillars in this beautiful entrance!

Special plaques like these can be found on buildings throughout Bratislava. Of the 95,000 Jews in Slovakia during WWII, over 60,000 were deported and sent to concentration camps where most died.

The old Slovak National Theatre Building in Hviezdoslav Square. Christmas Markets are held in this Old Town square each December.

I thought this vignette of bakers was particularly charming in the window of a Bratislava bakery.

I would have enjoyed staying longer in Bratislava and exploring some of the "off-the-beaten paths," but we had to be back on the ship for a farewell dinner (they hold it the evening before the last dinner so that everyone has time to pack up their suitcases on that last night) and our overnight cruise to our final destination...

Budapest, Hungary

The cruise director advised us to rise early the morning of our last day so we could witness the ship's arrival in Budapest. I took her advice to heart and rose way before the sun was up. When it finally appeared, the peace on the river was something I wish could have lasted forever--it was so relaxing gliding down the quiet Danube watching the world slowly come to life!

The sun rises over the Danube as we cruise toward Budapest.

As we rounded the bend, we got our first look at Budapest, the capital of Hungary and the tenth largest city in the European Union. The three smaller cities of Buda, Óbuda, and Pest were officially unified in 1873 to become what we now call Budapest.

You can't miss Budapest's impressive Parliament Building looming in the distance.

Such lovely old buildings lined the shores of the city. And look at all of the other visiting riverboats--from countries all over the world!

The river boats fly the flag of the country in which they are cruising so that day the red, white, and green flag of Hungary was raised.

When we got off the boat, we boarded a bus for a quick ride up to Castle Hill which offers a number of  top tourist attractions and UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Looking up toward Castle Hill with Matthias Church (or The Church of the Assumption of the Buda Castle) in the center.

On the left is Fisherman's Bastion which was built in the late 19th century to replace a former castle wall. There are seven turrets which provide amazing vantage points to view Budapest and the Danube.

One of the seven turrets of Fisherman's Bastion. Why seven? They were built to represent the seven tribes of Hungary:  Jenő, Kér, Keszi, Kürt-Gyarmat, Megyer, Nyék, and Tarján. (Don't ask me to pronounce them!!)

The views from Fisherman's Bastion were stunning.

Statue of St. Stephen, the first king of Hungary. He is credited with bringing Christianity to Hungary in the early 11th century.

Matthias Church was built in 1255, but has undergone many changes since. When the Turks captured Buda in the 16th century, it even became a mosque! It fell into disrepair and very little remains of the original church other than a few columns. Fortunately, it was fully rebuilt and renovated in the late 19th century, restoring the church to its former splendor.

I love the teal and copper colored tiles of the roof. Such an intricate and unusual geometric pattern!

One of the prettiest statues was the Trinity Column built in the 18th century to celebrate the end of the plague (and protect the city from another plague) which had ravaged the citizens of Buda. Aren't the tiny angels on all sides of the column lovely?

The onion-domed spires of this beautiful synagogue are absolutely stunning. Dohány Street Synagogue, built in the mid-1800's, contains nearly 3000 seats, making it the second largest synagogue in the world. During WWII, the Nazis used it as a stable and a base for German radio. It was badly damaged during bombing and only repaired in the early 1990s after the fall of Communism.

A café filled with red and white topped tables awaits its lunch customers.

One of the very severe looking Soviet era buildings that our guide showed us. Everything was built to be utilitarian and nondescript.

Compare the building in my previous photo to these older ornate Hungarian buildings we saw as we rambled around town.

Look at these pretty embroidered linens and shirts I spotted in a shop window. Those blouses  remind me a bit of the decorated "peasant tops" that were so popular in the '70s! Did anyone else have one?

This massive car reminds me of something out of an old  gangster movie. It was parked in front of a lovely older hotel.

I spotted the House of Terror (notice how the cut-out letters shadow the word "Terror" onto the building's facade) on our bus ride. This is a museum dedicated to exposing the fascist and communist tactics that were used to torture and interrogate Hungarians and is also a memorial to the victims.

Heroes' Square is another UNESCO World Heritage Site that was built in 1896. In the center is the Millennium Monument with a statue of the angel Gabriel on top. Surrounding the monument is a colonnade with statues of famous Hungarian men (no women?).

One of the biggest surprises was to see a statue of former U.S. President Ronald Reagan "strolling" through Budapest! Apparently, Hungarians wanted to honor him for his role in the fall of Communism. Just a few months after he left office, Communism began to collapse, in part due to his efforts.

After our tour of historic Budapest, we had the option of going on a "Bites and Highlights" tour of the food and architecture. These were some of the yummy foods we tasted along our way.

Our final evening of the cruise was bittersweet, but we couldn't have had a lovelier farewell sunset. While eating our last dinner on the boat, we enjoyed this gorgeous view.

Budapest positively sparkles at night--I'm sure a night cruise would be breathtaking! I guess we'll just have to go back some day...

The next morning, we boarded our plane for the U.S. Bye bye Budapest--you are one beautiful city!

Whew! I did it--many, many hours went into putting together these Danube River travelogues, but I'm so glad I forced myself to sit down and write them as I've already forgotten so much from our July cruise. Thank goodness I have the internet to help me identify buildings and landmarks in each country as there is no way I could possibly recall the details of every site we saw or fact we heard from our tour guides. Many of you have asked me questions along the way about the cruise itself so I will be doing one more post to wrap up my final thoughts on the whole river cruise experience. I'll discuss the cruise line, the cabins, the staff, the food, among other things. If anyone has a specific question about river cruising, please just leave it in the comments below (or email me) and I'll be happy to try to answer you in my next "cruise overview post."

I looked out my kitchen window last night to find this flock of turkeys marching toward our bird feeder! Thirteen of those funny looking creatures. They are just a bit too early for Thanksgiving, though!
I want to thank you, as always for your sweet and supportive comments--they mean a lot to me and I enjoy reading them so much. Welcome to my new followers, as well--so glad you've joined us! What are your plans for Thanksgiving? I'm so sad to say that my youngest son won't be home this year... He has a work trip in Antigua that week (tough life, right--it's in the 80s there this time of year!). I'll miss him so much, but we'll try to Facetime with him at some point during the day.  I'm sure I won't be back until after Thanksgiving so I hope all of my friends here in the United States have a lovely day with family and friends. Bye for now...

Wishing you a blessed Thanksgiving!

47 comments:

Christine said...

Such lovely stitching and finishing - I love the monochrome ornament.
Thanks for sharing the pictures from your trip, Budapest is somewhere I'd really like to go one day

Robin Wylde said...

What a lovely post, Carol! Where to start? I love your backyard, it's absolutely beautiful with that pond and the bird feeder, and it looks magical in the snow! The sight of those turkeys made me smile, I love when animals wander through :)

I admire your cleaning zeal- personally I can keep things tidy and neat, but as for deep cleaning, just the thought of it sends me running! My husband and I live in a tiny apartment compared to our childhood homes, but we are both happy because it forces us to keep things simple- what you said about minimizing and simplifying is definitely true!

Also, may I say you are quite the queen of finishes! I love seeing all your cross stitch pieces because they are so tidy, cute and original, things I never would've thought of. You did a lovely job :)

And finally, I loved seeing your Danube cruise pictures. Slovakia is one of the most beautiful countries I've been to, and those animal figures in the church were stunning- how interesting and detailed! I may be wrong, but I thought the "armadillo" one looked like a chameleon, although I'm not quite sure lol. Hungary looked so beautiful as well... I've never been, but would love to go sometime. It looks like a beautiful trip, thank you for sharing with us! :)

Maggie said...

It must the time of year because I've been having a clear out too :-) I haven't got nearly as many rooms as you to sort through but things do seem to accumulate don't they, and I don't know about you but I feel so much better for having a sort out.
Please don't sell you dolls! they are beautiful, perhaps they could be passed on to someone else in your family?
Your ornaments are beautiful, as always. PS finishes are perfect and I love your seasonal displays.
Loved seeing your cruise photos, I'm not a fan of being on the water but I've thought recently that I might just be able to manage a river cruise so will look forward to reading about your thoughts on it.
It's colder here than it was this time last year, we haven't had snow though, just lots and lots of rain, I think I would prefer the snow, at least the days are bright then, most days it struggles to get light here with the weather! Have a great Thanksgiving x

Kate said...

I love your 'let it snow' - it is stunning!!

Vickie said...

Oh Carol! Your first ornament is just lovely! And yes, so perfect for us here in Wisconsin this year. :( It just keeps snowing and and snowing. We are breaking records ALREADY! Oh NO! Snow is pretty, but.... Yes, I recall you stitching that wonderful Santa with the cardinals. Love him! I too was surprised to see Ronald Reagan! How wonderful. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving my dear friend! I know what it is like to not have a son for the holiday. :( This year our Jacob has off! Hooray!

Anonymous said...

Carol - I so enjoy reading your blog and thank you for taking us on your journey of your river cruise. I have thoroughly enjoyed the photos. What wonderful ornaments you have finished as well. I have been working on Hands on Designs Cranberry Christmas and I am getting close to finishing the last piece (pillow) and I will be attempting to do the finishing on each. Wish me luck.

Leslie

Stasi said...

Another great post, Carol!!! Your HOD ornament is lovely, as well as the PS Santas. I too agree that often 'less is more' and that simple finishes allow you to focus more on the stitching than all the added doo-dads. All of the Fall/Thanksgiving pieces are fabulous--you have quite the collection!!!
I used to collect Lizzie Hi dolls, in fact I used to help make them back in the 80's when I lived in Bethlehem, PA. I was a "dresser" and would add hair, clothing and accessories. Sadly I only did it for about 6 -9 months before we had to move to OH. So before you sell any, check the labels and see if "Stasi" is on any. I did donate my collection in the end after selling a few on E-Bay...they aren't as popular as they were back then. The only one I kept was the cross stitching one!!!
Again, thanks for the trip summary--it was great tagging along. My question would be : did you feel you had enough time at your stops to really experience the area, or did you feel rushed?
Thanks for another great post and Happy Thanks giving to you and yours!

Sandy said...

I thoroughly enjoyed the trip down the Danube. Those animals are indeed lovely in the cathedral and I would have missed the angels.
Now, for the stitching in the kitchen. Just adorable. I love your sidebar. The dolls, that stitching, everything about it is wonderful. I love those curtains too. I am a lover of blue for sure. When we stitch things we love we never grow tired of seeing it out each year. The snow ornament is so pretty on the black and blue. I almost never stitch snow, but I am contemplating a snowflake this year for January in the kitchen. I am usually just ready for an empty house and snow just isn't a Florida thing, but I may do one this year. Just can't decide whether to do one on black or blue. Maybe I can incorporate both colors as you did on your finish. We definitely had January weather here in November as well. I don't think I remember it getting this cold this early. Enjoy Thanksgiving and call that son.

Linda said...

Congrats on the lovely finishes Carol. I have so enjoyed seeing your cruise pictures and info.

Linda

Robin in Virginia said...

Carol, I totally enjoyed this installment of your Danube Cruise. Thank you for taking us along! Your two ornaments for September and October are super. I always look forward to seeing what you choose each month. I love your Thanksgiving displays and those Lizzie High dolls for Thanksgiving are precious. The snapshot of your snowy backyard made me smile. Do you know anything special for your little pond back there? Great photo of the turkeys!

Natureluvr57 said...

What breathtaking photos! I love the carved pew animals too...so unique and beautifully done. I have one little lonely Lizzie Hi doll that was gifted to me. She's a gardener like me. I've been trying to find more Thanksgiving charts-it's truly gets skipped over and that's a shame. There's so much more meaning to the holiday than halloween and Christmas is so commercialized anymore. I haven't had time to go to Hobby Lobby, the one retailer that doesn't ignore Thanksgiving. I would be honored to get the chart but I'm a bit wary of posting my email-you never know what kooks are lurking about. Have a wonderful upcoming weekend.

Barb said...

I really enjoyed your trip photos! Those carved animals were so interesting. As usual, I love your ornaments and finishing. I just finished Miss Hannah's ornament as they put their tree up the day after Thanksgiving. I also stitched Be Ye Thankful. I wonder if I saw it on your post before this one. Have you shown the design before? I know that I admired it from a blog and that is why I stitched it. I had a frame that fit so it is up over my pantry door. I see it everyday! I hope you and your family have many blessings this Thanksgiving.

Susan Lankford said...

Hi Carol...as always your blog is so interesting. Love the Santa with cardinals! I have them all but am behind as behind can be.
and your home always looks son comfortable, charming and cozy. .... A perfect Christmas home, I'm sure!

The pictures of your travels are amazing....countries I've heard of, but never really hear much about them.
They are so full of history!

I heard it is going to be a very cold winter for those back east and I suppose mid-west....after our ongoing fires, we are glad to have cooler weather in CA.

Take care!
Susan Lankford

Meg said...

Hi, Carol! I think I missed commenting on your last post, so rather than missing this one, too, I’m going to write this now! I read all of your posts as soon as I get the email you have a new one, but I don’t always have the time to comment. (And then I plum forget.)

No real snow in Boise yet. Oct/Nov have been all about healing my broken foot so I’m not getting much done. Hyperextended my knee while wearing the boot, so now I have that to nurse as well. I am truly clumsy. I have been working on photo books and projects for family, as I want to make some meaningful Christmas presents this year. I get tired of giving gift cards. Also doing some “top secret,” meaningful stitching for my closest friends. By meaningful stitching, I mean original designs... something that only I can give.

Good job decluttering! Woot woot! Doesn’t it feel good?! The condo we stay in while on the Oregon Coast is so carefully decorated, with no clutter, that I come home inspired to make my home as beautiful. Not that it actually HAPPENS. That’s just crazy talk! 😊

Your ornaments are spectacular! I think you’d give Vonna some real competition if you ever decided to open your own finishing business. Thank you for the inspiration! I love “Be Ye Thankful.” I bought the chart after you first featured it on your blog. Someday!

Please enter me in the giveaway. That’s a fantastic chart. My fave stitching memory for 2019 was finishing Halloween at HRH. STILL waiting for the right frame to come in at the framing shop. Grrr. Can’t be helped, though. The framer put it in a plain black frame for the time being so we could enjoy it for Halloween.

Have a lovely evening!

Donna said...

I always enjoy reading your posts. I love your two new ornaments and your finishing is perfect. I enjoyed getting a peek at your Thanksgiving decorations. It’s also been cold here and we just got a dusting of snow. I love when the turkeys come to visit! It’s fun to watch them grow over the summer. Your trip sounds fantastic! Thank you for including all the pictures. I would love the chart. My favorite stitching memory is stitching on a piece that I gave to my niece. I loved sitting on our porch last winter stitching all the beautiful colors. I hope you and your family enjoy a lovely Thanksgiving.

marly said...

I always thought Santa was holding a lantern! I need to try a high count linen for these guys, yours are wonderful.

That sunrise on the calm water is breathtaking. What an amazing trip you experienced. Thanks for taking us along.

No need to include me but thank you.

Shelly said...

I enjoyed your travelogue very much Carol. Love your Thanksgiving displays. I always like the 'less is more' when it comes to FFOing smalls. The PS Santa's look great. I thought you had all the PS Santa's stitched up! Have a great weekend!

MartinaM said...

No, we have not had snow yet.
Oh there you were diligent, quite a lot already done.
Your new ornament fits perfectly to your snowfall and the finish is awesome again.
Next year I will also work from this Santas and the one from 1989 is already on my list.
I love your fall decorations, such a nice mood.
I do not tire of reading your travelogues, I enjoy it very much and I'm in every place with my thoughts. Thank you for always making such effort. It enriches me a lot.
Happy Thansgiving, Martina

Gabi said...

What a lovely post and wonderful stitching. The TPS Santas are my favorites and I stitched all the Kris Kringle ones. Not yet finished.
Tidying attic and cellar, congrates to you. Must also do it but ....
Your pics from Budapest remind me when I was there ... exactly 50 years ago, when I worked for the Hungarian Travel Agency. Not much had changed. Thanks for sharing.
No snow till now, don't need it. I am a summer person. Love light and sunshine.
Have a happy Thanksgiving.
Hugs

butterfly said...

Oh yes it's cold here and we did have some snow but high up over the moors .
I always love your sweet ornaments and your finishing , I must try using felt on the back on mine .
Wonderful holiday photos .
Enjoy your Thanks Giving.
Here I am still playing catch up .
So much to do so little time.
Have fun and stay warm.

Manuela said...

Hello Carol,
ein schöner Post.
Deine beiden Finishes sind wunderschön und perfekt gearbeitet, wie immer.
Danke für das Teilhaben an eurer Donau-Kreuzfahrt Mir hat jeder Teil sehr gut gefallen. Habe viel von den Städten gesehen, die ich noch nicht besucht habe und vielleicht auch nie besuchen werde.
I wish you a Happy Thanksgiving with your family.
Big Hugs, Manuela

Marilyn said...

Love the touch of blue, & the crystals on the chalk ornament.
Your PS Santas are all so nice, you will have a beautiful collection.
Your Thanksgiving corner is too cute.
I remember those Lizzie High dolls, they were a rage back then.
Not entering the contest, but my favorite memory was going to Mom's house at Thanksgiving.
Thanks for sharing your pics from the trip.
What beautiful architecture!
Marilyn

Carlie said...

Your trip looked wonderful, thanks for sharing with us. I love of all your Thanksgiving decor and stitching, The chart is lovely and would be great to win! Have a very nice Thanksgiving!

Jutta said...

Dear Carol,
that must be a great feeling, everything is clean and fresh, I admire that very much!!!!
I often do a radical house cleaning only in spring ;-)
I like both new embroideries very much, I can see the beautiful Swarowski stones very well, and the Santa with the cardinals is also beautiful.
You decorate your house so beautifully, it is all so lovingly designed and you have incredibly many beautiful embroideries for autumn!
Thank you very much for your travel report, again sooooo beautiful photos, interesting written and very exciting! It's a pity that the journey is now over for us as well, I have always enjoyed your reports very much.
I have a lot of work on my job at the moment, thanks for your last comment, I really didn't have time to answer you directly.
Have a nice weekend and many greetings to you,
your Jutta
. . . . . who would love to win the pattern ;-)
I like the American designers very much, but my favorite patterns are those of "Liebevolle Kreuzstichentwürfe"(translation: Loving cross stitch designs) here in Germany.

Pat said...

Thank you for "taking" us on your trip. I enjoyed each and every segment. Your newest ornaments are great. Your finishing is so well done.

Christel said...

De jolis ornements pour Noël, ils sont splendides tous les deux.
Votre décoration automnale (pas de Thanksgiving en France) est charmant.
Mon meilleur souvenir de broderie pour cette année, est l'avancement sur mon Abundance Of Joy de HAED. Il a bien avancé même s'il ne sera sans doute pas terminé pour Noël... Mais il sera terminé peu de temps après je pense.
Pas de neige dans notre région pour le moment mais certains endroits de France en ont déjà. Les températures sont très fraîches, dignes d'un mois de janvier comme chez vous.
Merci pour ces belles photos de votre croisière. C'est très gentil d'avoir partagé votre périple, cela nous permet de voyager.
Amitiés de France,
Christel
http://toilesetfils.blogspot.com

Martine said...

I love your finishing and I loved the report of your cruise on the Danube, and I wish you and your family a happy Thanksgiving.

Barbara said...

Your home is beautiful. I love your style. It reminds me of the years I lived in Northern Virginia.

Lizzie High dolls. I don't have any and I never did know what they were called, but I do remember seeing them out. Very sweet.

Your cross stitch ALWAYS inspires me and you finish the projects so well, too.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Sherri said...

As always, I love your stitches and finishes. You are my go to for inspiration. I look forward to parading my ornaments along the stair railing this year in our new home. Happy Thanksgiving!

Eva H. said...

Many thanks for all fantastic photos from your trip.I live not far from this towns-but I don´t visited them.
I love handwork very much.I´m embroidering style richelieu now.I embroidered this one sort which are on Hungarian blouses.We don´had magazines with handwork here(in old ages).
My best greetings from Czech Republic Eva

Julie said...

Your home will look so wonderful for the family who come along to celebrate with you. I bet those turkeys will be long gone by then though just in case they find themselves in your oven!
PS santas always get my vote, what a great collection your three are. It was fun to see Santa along the Danube enjoying growing as you sailed along.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving xx

Rebecca said...

Carol,
Thanks again for sharing the photos and memories of your trip. Such beautiful pictures!
We have not received any snow yet here just west of Harrisburg, PA, but I am sure we will get some soon.
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
And thank you also for sharing the pics of your stitching, they are as always, beautiful.
Rebecca C.

Leonore Winterer said...

I've been in cleaning-up and de-cluttering mode for a while now. It's slow going, though - I'm trying to throw away as little as possible, and finding good new homes for everything takes time! Now since grandpa died, a lot of his stuff has been added to the pile, we're currently trying to sell his car...but we'll get there, little by little.
I love your new ornaments and Thanksgiving decoration. It all matches very well.
I'd love to be entered in the Giveaway, but I have a hard time finding an actually memory - I did a lot of stitching this year that I really enjoyed, but I don't have any specific memory standing out, it all blurs together. But finishing the over one cross stitch on my Mermaid last week was certainly a very happy experience!
I actually enjoy how much time you're taking talking about the cruise. With how gray and cold it is outside now, it's nice to have some pictures of sunnier days to look at and dream!
You made good way in your last days of the journey. Hungary is a bucket list goal for me as well, although more for the Pannonian Steppe than the cities!


Sandra said...

Stunning cross-stitch seasonal samplers, Carol. Your kitchen looks such a friend place to sit and chat. I love the header for Thanksgiving. I wish we celebrated that here. It always seems such a beautiful holiday to celebrate with families getting together.

I can't believe how many photos you have taken on your tour of the Danube! Amazing. I guess you didn't want to miss a crumb! It is all so magnificent!

Katie said...

Another lovely Carol post. Lovely photo of your backyard. We got 3.5 inches from that snow storm and the same brutal cold. Now it's all mostly melted away. Love your two new finishes of course. The Let it Snow is gorgeous on the black with the blue finishing. Perfect as always. I agree with your finishing for the Santa's they deserve to shine themselves. I just LOVE your Thanksgiving corner. Perfect! Thanks for sharing all the details. Please don't enter me into the drawing. I wish everyone luck though. Now to your cruise photos. Gorgeous! Thanks again for sharing. I love sharing my trips on my blog. I enjoy looking back on past trips so much. I agree it's hard to remember. So writing it down really helps. I enjoyed all the photos and the information behind them. Have a great week!

Mini said...

Carol, I love winters but end up living in places where there is no winter season.
Lovely stitching and finishing.
I like that you are going thru your things and purging them.
I have always liked to keep minimum stuff in my house and now my relatives tell me how my house looks bigger as i don't have any extra stuff.
Your pictures from the cruise are so beautiful.

Have a happy thanksgiving.

Tricia B said...

Hi Carol, Great post! i see your stiching lovelies on instagram so I really enjoyed your travel photos here. Bratislava and Budapest look so dreamy and wonderful! We almost squeezed Bratislava into our Czech/ Austria trip last year but couldnt find one more day. Your photos make me want to get there asap! And where will be your next trip? I want to know what I have to look forward to! Thanks for sharing! xo, Tricia

Jennifer said...

While you were looking at the snow, I was walking on the beach in Puerto Rico! If you haven’t been there, you should add it to your list for a winter trip! Such an interesting little island with history and culture from many regimes. Love you ornaments and thanks for sharing how you back them - I may have to try the felt! Love your pictures from Slovakia and Budapest - what interesting places to visit and amazing architecture that you saw! Thanks for sharing about your trip - look forward to hearing about the cruise line. I am curious to know the average age of travelers....and whether a couple in their 40s would be a good fit for the boat! Your pictures sure make me want to try one of the river cruises!

Hamza said...


wow thats very nice post i really like it thanks for sharing and much appreciate your effort
Christmas Tree Ornaments

Mary said...

I love this post Carol!! I enjoy your travelogue so much and your visit to Budapest brought back memories of my trip there. Now I want to go to Slovakia too.
I never heard of Lizzi High dolls but they are certainly charming. Your corner cabinet is dressed beautifully for Thanksgiving. I agree, your PS Santa is holding a birdfeeder!! I like how you finished your Santa's the same with the simple cording and gingham ribbon. The Let is snow is darling and love the finish. I wish I could stitch on black like you can. I just love how the white pops on the black and so perfect for a snow stitch.
We had flurries but nothing sticking yet. I was more than ready for cold weather after the hot summer though. HOpe you have a Blessed Thanksgiving with your tribe!!!

Claire said...

Carol your posts always brighten my day! Your stitching is exquisite as usual and your kitchen looks so bright and welcoming. I'm sure your family loves coming to spend time there. Thank you for taking us along with you on your trip. There are some amazing photos and what a fabulous record of your holiday! I am amazed at the architecture and I think my favourite is the roof on St. Matthias church. It looks like a quilt! So beautiful! I hope you and your family have a very happy Thanksgiving and I'm sure you will make wonderful memories together.

Margaret said...

I enjoy your cruise posts! Of course, I love seeing your stitching and your lovely decorating for Thanksgiving too! But it's fascinating to do some armchair travel. :D Beautiful cities -- Budapest especially, blows me away. Wow! I'll be interested to hear your take on the whole river cruise thing. DH periodically teases and says we should do one. I am not sure we could afford one, but it's nice to think about. lol! Happy Thanksgiving!

Irene said...

Adoro il tuo angolo armadio, hai una casa bellissima!

Cathy H. said...

I'm really at a loss for words to describe your gorgeous pictures and informative words! Your trip was simply amazing. I was fascinated by the beautiful architecture. To see so much in one place must be overwhelming! I would certainly come home with a crick in my neck and a sore finger that kept pushing the shutter button on the camera! Your ornaments are lovely as usual. I like your idea of using felt on the backs of flat ornaments. I usually use fabric, but sometimes it's hard to find a print that matches well with the front design. I'll keep felt in mind for future finishes! I hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving. Ours was small, but wonderful!

Cindy's cross stitch said...

So glad I could catch up with you today. I am sure your Thanksgiving was a blurr. Did you make your cookies? The santas are so cute. Your pictures are so pretty of your trip. It's a good feeling to clean out things and purge. You feel lighter. Into December we go.

NevadaStitcher said...

We are going to take a similar trip in December. Starting in Germany. I am uneasy about overseas travel. However after seeing your pictures I want a similar experience for us so off we will go!

Anonymous said...

I love Prairie Schooler. Budapest is a place I’d like to see.