Still thankful

Good morning, everyone... I didn't intend to be away this long! I hope you are all hanging in there! I've read on a few stitching blogs that Covid has hit close to home for some of you. Things are really getting bad out there and I am staying put and keeping myself busy with the things I love here at home. Sadly, that means my family won't be here for Thanksgiving--this will be the first Thanksgiving in our 43 years of marriage that my husband and I will be spending alone. I'm sad, but I'd rather stay safe and see everyone for many Thanksgivings to come than risk getting sick. I've always been a very cautious person so this will surprise no one. But, it still hurts to not be with family, doesn't it?

Some of you long-time readers may remember the little bunny pouch that I created back in 2017 (you can read about it in this post ). Well, a little turkey pouch has made its appearance just in time for Thanksgiving. Isn't it adorable? This one is tiny--the pouch measures just 3 1/2 inches from top to bottom (not including the gingham hanger). 

Two tiny Prairie Schooler pouches

I filled the pouch with some shafts of wheat, but you could use dried bittersweet; I think that would be lovely, too. Bittersweet always reminds me of my dear mother as she used to send us kids up to the end of the street to pick some every autumn for her holiday centerpieces. I might just have to plant some in my yard next year in her honor!

The pouch measures just 3 1/2 inches high!

Both the turkey and bunny designs can be found in Prairie Schooler's Book No. 52 which is called "Prairie Year-Rounds." I may just do the Santa one in that same book at some point.  The gingham on the top border and in the hanger is from an old pair of slacks of mine that have received new life by helping to finish off my stitching! These were finished as round hanging ornaments on the front of the booklet--not sure what made me think they would look cute finished into pouches, but I absolutely love them!

Here's a close-up for you!

The little pouch is perfect for hanging on a cabinet knob. You know how much I love tiny things and this is right up my alley!

The turkey pouch will make a nice addition to my future Thanksgiving decorating.

 

And, after ten long years, one of my very favorite Thanksgiving pieces has finally been framed and is on display. Why, oh why, did I wait so long? I've even had the frame for nine of those years, but I just tend to procrastinate when it comes to finishing my larger pieces. In a way, I'm glad I waited as I've become much more confident in my framing skills. You might like to read about my finish from this 2010 post.  The framing tutorial that I use is from With Thy Needle and Thread and can be found right here. It's honestly much easier to frame things yourself than you would think--give it a try!

Finally framed after 10 years!

 

My Thanksgiving piece is stitched on a mystery fabric that I believe is 18 ct. cream Davos. I used the suggested DMC threads--don't you adore these fall colors! Prairie Schooler always gets it just right--the designs are so very timeless and classic. I'm thrilled to have it all finished up... better late than never, right?

Although stitching all those leaves got just a bit repetitive, I'm glad I persevered!

 

Prairie Schooler Santas are among my favorite ornaments to display each Christmas and my oval-finished ones are at the top of the list! A new blue Santa joined his buddies for 2020. I'm happy to introduce you to "Mr. August"--yes, this is my ornament for August (I told you I was way behind!). I did change the color of his robe as I wanted him to match his buddies in blue. All of my oval Santas are stitched on 40 ct. raw natural Newcastle linen.

Another oval Prairie Schooler Santa in blue

The Santa above is from Prairie Schooler's "Father Christmas," but the ones below can be found in three different PS booklets: "Father Christmas" (Book No. 43), "Kris Kringle" (Book No. 62), and "Old St. Nick" (Book No. 58). Do you have a favorite? I think I still love the light blue one carrying the ice skates with the swans on his robe. There is just such beautiful detail in that one! But, honestly, I love them all!

The whole oval PS family!! Which one is your favorite?

 

My September ornament is a tiny one and, surprise, surprise (!!!)--another Prairie Schooler design! This is from "Santa Moon" (Book No. 53) and is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco. I did change the color of the star from the suggested DMC ecru to DMC 738. The stitched portion came out to be a mere 1 1/2 inches in diameter so I decided to mount it on a red polka-dot covered round piece of sticky board and border it with ecru cording to make it stand out more on my tree.

 

P.S. Santa Moon finish

I kept the finish simple by just adding a gingham bow and a tiny button while leaving long pieces of cording trailing downward. What do you think?

Love how tiny he is stitched one over one!

My final three ornaments for 2020 are stitched, but I need to finish them before I can share them in my annual "Parade Of Ornaments!" I still can't believe this year is coming to a close, can you? 

I was the lucky recipient of two Random Acts of Kindness in the form of the two charts pictured below. Two Instagram friends, Marilyn F. and Deborah Y. sent me the cute Shepherd's Bush "Pumpkin Harvest" chart and The Drawn Thread "Christmas Cards" chart, respectively. Aren't stitching friends the best? I'll be sure to pass these on when I'm done with them--thank you both so much, Marilyn and Deborah. I'm enjoying seeing more and more of you on Instagram, too! If you'd like to follow me, please click here.  

 

Gifts from Marilyn and Deborah--thank you both!

GIVEAWAY WINNER... I'd also like to announce the winner of the giveaway for the 20  pieces of cording that I offered in my previous post. Drum roll please... the winner is...

GEORGIA  W. ! 

Congratulations to Georgia!

Congratulations to Georgia W. Georgia, please send me your mailing address, and I'll get the cording out to you sometime this week! I'll be having future giveaways, so be sure to keep an eye on this space.

Our yard has been filled with the usual visitors this fall...

Our  local deer family popping in for lunch on a pretty fall afternoon!

 

I took this photo of three turkeys eating fallen birdseed from our upstairs window. Hope they are in hiding this week now that Thanksgiving is upon us!

And then there's that unwanted visitor--that shadow that still looms over all of us--Covid-19. I do have hope that the coming vaccines will be helpful in getting this pandemic under control. I come from a long line of doctors and two of my children (my middle son and my daughter-in-law) are both actively working in labs to combat and do research on various diseases so this vaccine makes total sense to me. The science behind it is is incredible and I so admire all those scientists who have been toiling long hours to research and come up with a solution to help the world feel safe once again. It has helped to maintain a sense of humor over the past nine months, though, hasn't it? The thought below made me chuckle when I saw it on Instagram..

Never thought I'd see myself in the middle of a pandemic, did  you?

In spite of this crazy and upsetting year that we'd all rather forget, I still remain thankful. I was blessed with loving parents and siblings, a wonderful husband, and three amazing sons. Now, I have a beautiful daughter-in-law and sweet grandson in the mix. I miss my mom more than words can say, though. She has been gone four months today and I feel almost more pain than I felt when she died. I know the holidays are hardest after the loss of a loved one, but this year, with no family around for support, makes it even more difficult. How I long to hug my sons... I haven't seen my youngest in eleven months! But, I know we are all in the same boat, so to speak, and we just have to hang in there and be patient a while longer.

I stitched this Heartstring Samplery piece ("Let Us Be Truly Thankful") after my dad died in 2014 and added my parents' birth year (1927) and their initials on either side of the flower stem on the right. I keep this out year-round to remind me to always be thankful and to count my blessings no matter what is going on in my life. I hope you can do the same. Take care now, my friends... and Happy Thanksgiving to you! Bye for now...

"Let Us Be Truly Thankful" finish

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!