Christmas Stitching and Farewell to a Friend

It's December--can you believe it? And I've already finished the last of my 2021 monthly Christmas ornaments--can you believe that? Normally, I'm struggling to get that final one finished by mid-December, but this year I took the smart approach and chose a small, easy chart to stitch during this very busy month. This sweet design is a freebie by the talented Misty Pursel of Luminous Fiber Arts fame. If you are a subscriber to her newsletter, you'll be able to receive her charming design--you can sign up right here by clicking the red box at the top of her website. This is called "Joy" and is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. black Monaco. (Many stitchers ask me where I get the black Monoco. Unfortunately, it is no longer available and I'm still relying on the large one-yard piece I bought years ago). 

"Joy" by Luminous Fiber Arts

It's hard for me to get a good photograph on black, but, trust me--this is lovely in person! The silk I used is "Rubbed Magpie" by Hand Dyed Fibers. It's the prettiest variegated blue! In this case, I worked backward and chose the finishing fabric--a cute blue and black check--first. Then I chose the blue thread to coordinate with it. I had an idea in my head of how I wanted to finish this ornament from the very beginning and I'm very pleased with the final outcome. 

Love the long "tail" on this one!

I didn't add the stitches that were charted inside the letter "o" because it is stitched "over one" and it would have been too crowded. However, I did add three sparkling Swarovski crystals. I had the glittery blue and silver ribbon in my stash so I made a simple bow, attached a snowflake charm, and surrounded the outer circle with black cording and a long "tail."

Swarovski crystals add a fun bit of sparkle, don't you think?

How is everyone's Christmas decorating coming along? I've been enjoying doing a little bit each day rather than rushing through it and stressing out. I redecorated the small three foot tree that sits on our bookshelves above the television in the family room. It was looking pretty worn out after 20+ years so I removed everything and started from scratch. Red and white has been calling my name at Christmas for  the past couple of years, so I simply tied on some red and white gingham ribbons and added a few white lacy snowflakes from Target (which are years old).

A refurbished 3 foot tree in my family room

I have had the sweet gingerbread boy and girl ornaments for years, too, and I didn't want to part with them. So I removed their old hangers and attached new ones made of bright red ribbon printed with snowflakes and polka dots. The tiny, round glass red and white ornaments were purchased from Target last year. Love the stripes and dots--it's such a fun little tree for our small family room and casts a nice glow while watching television in the evenings.

Here's a brighter photo of the tree taken while I was working on it in my kitchen. You can also spot my snowman tree in the back corner.

Although our large tree is up, it is not yet decorated. I heard a ruckus in the room we now use as a nursery the other day and discovered that the Prairie Schooler Santas had had just about enough of being kept in that white under-the-bed storage box for the past year. They were not happy with me at all! So, my solution was to free them and display them in my Pottery Barn cubby! I can't tell you how much this display makes me smile--I wish I had thought of this years ago. 

Pure Prairie Schooler!

Do you have a favorite from these 29 handsome fellows? I think number 27, number 11, and number 18 are my top three. But, you know what? I truly love them all! Here are a few close-ups for you...

 

 

I always leave the middle cubby space for my mom's silhouette. This year I added a tiny white Santa to keep her company (along with those sweet ceramic shoes that were part of her childhood shoe collection). I miss her so much, but this time of year is especially hard...

 

So, what do you think? Should I leave them here in the cubby or move them to my tree? In all honesty, my tree is getting "just a bit" crowded with cross-stitched ornaments so I may move half of them and leave the others here... we'll see!

Thanksgiving was wonderful, although we were missing my oldest son, daughter-in-law, and grandson who went to El Paso, Texas to celebrate the holiday with her family. Thankfully, they'll be here in just two short weeks to spend some extended time with us. In my previous post, I mentioned that I only had to provide cookies, pies, and the strawberry-pretzel salad for our family feast this year. Here are the baked goods I made--nine kinds of cookies (of which I froze half for Christmas) and two pies. Can you guess what the favorite cookie is in our family? Why, it's those yummy Reese's Peanut Butter Cup cookies on the blue plate in front. This is the recipe I've used for years: Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookies.

I wonder how much sugar and butter I used to make these?!

 

Many of you asked about the mysterious sounding strawberry-pretzel salad that I made, too! Well, it is not really a salad, but that's how we've served it at our Thanksgiving feasts for over 25 years. Here is a link to the recipe: Strawberry Pretzel Salad recipe. With it's bright red strawberry top layer, this makes a great side dish for Christmas dinner, too. And yes... I'll be making it again in a few weeks!

A sad farewell... Sigh... now I've reached the part of this post where I know I'll cry. In fact, I already am... Many of you have heard about the passing of our dear friend, Meg, from Live To Stitch. Although we knew her death was imminent based on her final post in August, it is still hard to believe that such a kind and generous and downright decent person is no longer here on earth. Meg started writing her blog in 2017 and in her last letter to me in late September, she told me that I was the one who inspired her and gave her the courage to start her blog. I was so touched, but I have to say that you, Meg--you are the one who taught me (and many, many others) so much about courage. You faced your diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer with such dignity and bravery. You were the inspiring one--in fact you still are. 

Meg sent me this lovely Christmas ornament in 2019. Not only is it beautifully stitched and finished, but Meg designed it herself! Oh she was so extremely talented in many, many creative and artistic ways. She then generously offered this design to anyone who wanted to stitch it in  this post from December 2019. If you would like to stitch this in honor of Meg, I think it would be wonderful... you can find her chart and instructions right here. 

 

My Christmas gift from Meg--2019

I mailed a Thanksgiving card to Meg in very early November--I think something told me that she might no longer be with us on the actual Thanksgiving. She passed away on November 19, 2021 leaving her beloved husband and son. She was only 48 years old... In my final note to her, I thanked her for her friendship, her inspiration, and, most of all, for her all-round kindness. I told her I would never forget her--and I won't. May you rest in peace, sweet Meg...

Please visit Meg's blog to see more of her beautiful work and read her inspirational posts...

 

I think this is a good time to sign off for now since my tears are making it hard to see the computer screen clearly. I do want to thank you all for your well wishes for my rib injury. It's definitely on the mend and I can now sit reasonably well. I am still having trouble sleeping on my left side (which is, of course, the side I normally sleep on!), but I'd say I'm about 80% better. 

I also want to thank you for all of your sweet comments and emails. My mother always said that I had the kindest group of commenters--I have to agree. I love hearing from you and, even if I can't always respond, I hope you know how much your friendship means to me. I think my friendship with Meg was indicative of how close the cross-stitching community is on social media. She was nearly 20 years younger than I am, but we had the bond of stitching tiny x's in fabric to create something beautiful and lasting... something for our loved ones to remember us by long after we're gone. Wishing each of you a peaceful December. Bye for now...

Day is done... December 2nd, 2021

Coming Home and a Final Gift for Mom

Brrr... fall is definitely in the air here in western Pennsylvania! And I'm not sure I'm ready for it... My summer sped by so quickly that I didn't even have a chance to relax and enjoy it this year. But, on to a new season and crunchy leaves and fall decorating and all those spicy fragrances wafting through my kitchen. Today I'm making Molasses Crinkles (using this recipe) which always remind me of my dear maternal grandmother. Those were one of her signature cookies and she always fretted about whether or not they would "crinkle." She learned from experience that the humidity level was key and so today--a dry, cool morning, is perfect for baking. I wish you could smell the ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves in the cookies that permeate my house right now!

I've been thinking about grandma a lot since my mom died. Such a special woman in my life--she was so capable and could do just about anything with a needle and thread. One of mom's biggest compliments was when she told me how much I take after Gram B. Her talents went way beyond mine, but I love the fact that mom saw similar traits in us!

We said goodbye to my mother in a simple graveside ceremony in my tiny western New York hometown on Saturday--just us four kids and our spouses, a few grandchildren, one great grandchild, and the minister. It did my heart good to see her interred and resting in peace at last. I know my dad was thrilled to finally have her there beside him... Knowing them, they were up all night talking!

After the memorial service, my siblings brought me the boxes of items that I had given mom through the years and, of course, my cross stitch pieces were among them. Mom was, by far, my biggest supporter when it came to my cross stitching and blogging. She was always so interested in my next project or the way I had finished an ornament--she truly studied them and always said, "I don't know how you do it, Care!" with such an admiring tone in her voice. I can't even begin to tell you how much I miss hearing her comments about my stitching and blog posts...

So, today, I thought I would take a little trip down memory lane and share with you each stitched gift that I gave my mom starting with the oldest and leaving you with one final gift that I gave her after her death. I tend to tear up just looking at these photos as I picture where they were displayed in her home all these years. Now, I'll have to find the perfect spot in my home for each one.

All of my stitched gifts to mom have come home

 

My first gift was one I gave mom way back in 1985 soon after I began cross stitching. It was her Christmas gift that year and is framed with a mirror below it as you can see in the photo above. This sweet piece was from a cross stitch book called "The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady"--a truly beautiful booklet filled with the most charming nature designs. Mom kept it right by her door so she could quickly check her hair or make-up in the mirror before leaving her apartment. My mom--even at age 93--loved her lipstick and was applying a fresh coat each morning up to the final days before she died!

  

The Country Diary of an Edwardian Lady cross stitch

This Thanksgiving card, circa 1992, was one of a (very) few I did on perforated paper--it's not my favorite stitching medium, but it held up quite well after 28 years, I'd say! The chart can be found in a very old booklet (1988) called "Greetings Galore" which contained 24 designs for various holidays and special occasions. 

 

Gobble, gobble! Thanksgiving card from 1992

That turkey may have been the last thing I stitched before my "Great Cross Stitch Break" took place for an entire decade. Yes, between from 1992 and 2002, I was just so busy raising my sons, returning to work at the library in 1996, and supervising the remodeling of our entire home, that I gave up stitching altogether. I know... crazy wasn't I? Stitching brings such calm that I can't imagine exactly why I gave it up for ten whole years...

Anyway, let's flash forward to the next piece that I stitched for my mom and dad in 2003. For you long time readers of my blog, this will look familiar. This is the piece that brought me back to cross-stitching and, because of that, I've gotten to "meet" you wonderful stitching friends! I stitched this beautiful heart and flowers design for my parents' 50th wedding anniversary scrapbook album that I put together for them. I actually did an entire post on it in 2013 when they celebrated their 60th anniversary which you can read in this post. Be prepared to cry, though... it is a heartbreaking tale.

A heart filled with flowers stitched for mom and dad's 50th anniversary album

 

Here is a close-up for you... I've covered my parents' names, which are stitched at the top, for privacy. I'm sorry, but I can't remember exactly which old cross stitch magazine this chart was in. Their 50th wedding album has come home to live with me and will always remain one of my biggest treasures.  It is filled with letters and memories from friends and family, wonderful old photos, and so much love. I'm honored to be the caretaker of it for the rest of my life and then I hope my sons will treasure it just as much!

 

Love the sweet pearl heart buttons!

 

My mom even kept this simple little card that I stitched for her 80th birthday in 2007. I think this design was from a library book filled with cross stitch greeting card ideas. Mom displayed it on her bedroom dresser for the past 13 years and it always warmed my heart to see it there...

Mom kept even the simplest of my stitched gifts.

 

Mom's birthday was in mid-May, right around Mother's Day here in the United States, so I often stitched gifts for her. May 2008 brought this lovely Just Nan piece called "Robin's Wreath." As you'll notice, the gifts I stitched for mom often were of flowers and birds--she loved both. This hung on her bedroom wall until her death in late July. There are tiny robin's egg blue colored beads in the wee nest on the lower right--so dear!

Just Nan's "Robin's Wreath" finish

 

2008 was a busy stitching year for me as this one was also given to my parents for Christmas that year. This design is from the 2005 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue and is called "Outside My Window" by Lynn's Prints. It's always been one of my favorites and it, too, hung on mom's bedroom wall year round.

Love the peacefulness of this finish!

 

Mom framed this little Lizzie Kate card that I made for her for Valentine's Day in 2009 and she displayed it each February. She was always a seasonal decorator like I am and I've come to truly appreciate how she always made her home so warm and welcoming at any time of the year by putting out special decorations like this one. (If you are interested in the fabric and fibers that I used for "Be Mine Valentine," please check out this post).

 

I always stitched a lot of love into each of my pieces for mom!

 

Well, you knew I had to have stitched at least one hummingbird for mom, right? Actually, this one is a mystery as to when I stitched it, but I am going to guess that it was around 2010. Again, the chart was from an old needlework magazine and I have no clue as to which one. I framed it in this pretty pewter frame and she always had it sitting on her bedroom nightstand.

Mom kept this one by her bed for many years.

2011 brought one of the few Blackbird Designs that I've ever stitched. My mom loved violets and I've always associated her mid-May birthday with violets and lily-of-the-valley. So, this was a birthday gift and she loved it--again, it hung on her bedroom wall all those years. I changed the wording a bit on this one which you can read about in this post. 

 

♥ Violets and mom just seemed to go together ♥

 

Many of you recall mom's 90th birthday post (you can read about it here). What a grand celebration we had that day! To commemorate the occasion, I stitched not one, but, two pieces for her that month. The first was a With Thy Needle and Thread design called "Bluebird Out My Window." As I've said many times, mom represented home for me so this one, with the word HOME spelled out in the grass, will always have a special place in my heart. I do love the frame I chose, too. If you'd like to read more about this finish, please check this post. 

  

Mom = HOME

 

The second 2017 birthday piece is small, but it was one of mom's favorites as she kept it right by her bed until the day she died. The little freebie from Snowflower Diaries (which can be found here) was personalized to represent mom and her four children along with dad, who died in 2014, represented by the silver heart hanging from the tree branch. I think seeing this one, more than any of the things I've stitched, makes me cry the most. I'm not sure why--I guess it is just the depiction of a mother bird caring so much for her babies just like mom cared for us for so many years. You can read about "You Are So Loved" right here. 

 

Mom, you always will be so loved...

 

I think most of you will remember this next gift as it was one I shared with you just a few months ago in this post.  This sweet wren was stitched from a chart by Lucie Heaton which was published in the April 2018 issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine. Although it only lived with mom for a few months, she loved looking at the colors and little bird as it sat on a table in her living room. Her eyesight was so poor by the time she died that I know she had difficulty making out the design, but I know it was special to her just because I made it. 

The last gift that mom saw--her 93rd birthday gift.

One final gift... As I mentioned above, we buried my mom on Saturday, September 12, 2020, a brisk fall day with a bit of sunshine peeking out from behind the clouds. Mom was cremated and there was a small amount of room between her urn and the vault (that you have to place the urn into before it goes into the grave) for some mementos. I thought I would like to add a photo of the two of us playing Scrabble and decided to put it in a little tin that had once housed some mints (it was about the size of a mini Altoid tin). I added a pretty red and white flocked fabric to the bottom (fabric I had once made myself a shirt of when I was in high school) and stitched a border (from the Prairie Schooler February chart) to adorn the top. Some red cording and a bit of ribbon finished it off. 

 

One final gift for my dear mother

Well, I put the little photo in the tin and it looked rather lonely... So, before you knew it, I was adding all sorts of tiny remembrances to it! Would you like to see what I chose?  I added four Scrabble tiles spelling out L-O-V-E and a copy of a Scrabble-themed greeting card that I made mom years ago to represent our mutual love of playing the game. I included a Canadian nickel for our many family trips to Lake Kashagawigamog in Ontario; two tiny seashells for her love of Daytona Beach, Florida; a button from one of her favorite jackets; a bit of periwinkle floss in one of our favorite colors to represent me and my stitching; a piece of cardinal ribbon in honor of my dad; a brass hummingbird charm; a little embroidered pillow she bought for me in Europe in the late '60s with a lone opal earring attached to it that she and Dad gave me on my 16th birthday (the other earring is long gone); a copy of her favorite cookie recipe, Scotch Shortbread, written in my grandmother's hand; and a tiny white cherub to watch over her. On the back of the photo of the two of us, I wrote a personal note to her. Thinking of, and finding, the perfect treasures to add was actually quite healing for me...

Little tokens of love for mom

 

And believe it or not--all of these things fit into that tiny tin! They are now resting for eternity with my dear mother and it gives me some peace knowing that some special things chosen just for her by me are there with her...

A final look

 

Grief is such a strange journey, isn't it? This grief I'm feeling for my mother is much stronger than I felt for my dad. In his case, I know it was because he had dealt with dementia for so many years, and it felt like he had left us long before he actually died. But, my mom was lucid right up until the end. I found this article on grieving which really resonated with me as I've been all over the place since mom died almost eight weeks ago. I've cried more over the past ten days than I ever dreamed possible, but I think that helps in my healing process. Everyone heals differently and at different rates--there is no right or wrong path and, as this article states, grief doesn't just follow five stages as was the popular belief for so many years. I want to share the last paragraph of this article written by Suchandrika Chakrabarti which really struck a chord within me.  

 

"Mourning is so much more than an act of endurance. Really, grieving is the task of taking the love that was once shared between two people, and transforming it to fit inside one broken but still-beating heart. That’s why it takes time; that’s why it hurts."

 

Well, my molasses cookies are done--and they crinkled--Gram B would be proud! I hope your day is filled with happy, little times like crinkling cookies and fleeting memories that bring you smiles. I'm looking forward to my (almost) daily FaceTime call from my sweet grandson who I get to visit in person in just two weeks... That now two-month old baby always makes me smile! I'm not looking forward to going to get my flu shot today, but, with the current COVID crisis, it feels especially important this year. Do you have anything special that you are looking forward to today (or not looking forward to)?

Fresh baked Molasses Crinkles--a perfect cookie for fall!

 

Thank you all for visiting me today--I always love hearing from you in the comment section. As always, if you have a specific question please, please make sure to leave your email address so I can reply. Stay safe out there--there is just so much going on with the wildfires, the hurricanes and flooding, and that darn pandemic looming over us all.  Bye for now...

Thank yous and spring stitches

It's April! March zoomed by with just a single blog post from me--how did that happen? I try to post twice a month, but other things took precedence last month... More working hours on weekends, a long-overdue trip to New York to spend five days with my mom, a wonderful week-long visit from my oldest son. But, I have been stitching! Before I show you what I've been up to, I want to say a heartfelt "thank you" to each of you who commented on my last post or emailed me to congratulate me on the British Craft Award win. I couldn't be prouder to be a member of such a supportive community of needleworkers--we all celebrate each other's success whether it be for a new start, an amazing finish, or an unexpected honor! Thank you again, my friends--your kindness means so very much to me...

So, do you remember that sweet Prairie Schooler bunny stitched on black that I showed you in my March post? Well, he's all finished up and, I must say, I'm very proud of this one!! I made him into a little hanging pouch, filled it with some dried baby's breath, and hung it on the wooden knob of my corner cupboard. Oh, my--it just makes me smile every time I see it!! The bag is very small (just 3 1/2 inches from bottom to top (not  counting the hanger)--just my style.

Prairie Schooler bunny pouch

The back of the little pouch is a fun black and white polka-dot fabric and the gingham trim and hanger are cut from an old pair of slacks.  It took me an entire afternoon to figure out how to make this as I had never done anything like it before. It's not perfect (as I couldn't figure out how to line it), but it looks pretty darn good for my first attempt at sewing curves, don't you think? My ancient 40-year-old sewing machine rebelled, though, and it was all I could do to coax it to do "just a few more stitches, please!"

Love, love, love this little finish!

This next finish is one of the monochromatic designs from Little House Needleworks--Spring. I had the hardest time photographing it as it was a gray, dreary day when I took the photo. It is stitched "over one" on 28 ct. ivory evenweave so the finished size is just a bit over 3 inches square. 

Little House Needleworks Spring

For this piece, I worked backward and chose the floss color based on this pretty spring green piece of gingham I wanted to use (the gingham came from an old shirt of my husband's!). After auditioning all shades of green, the one that popped to the front was Anchor 214. Where I got this skein of Anchor thread, I have no clue as I only purchase DMC or overdyeds. It must have been a gift at some time or other. But, it worked perfectly for the fabric I had chosen! Here it is all finished up as a flat finish (the backing is simply covered with some ivory felt). I found a perfectly colored button and some green ric rak to jazz it up a bit. I'm very pleased with the final outcome...

A spring green finish

Here is another view straight on--I had a bit of trouble getting this one to photograph well. 

Little House Needleworks Spring--all finished up!

And my "A Walk In the Woods" sampler is inching along as well... I've added another line of letters and that gorgeous nest (which caused much anxiety as I kept having to rip out wrongly placed stitches time after time!). But, isn't it pretty with the lone egg resting there? My goal is to have this one finished by the end of April--fingers crossed!

It's growing!

Our spring weather here in Western Pennsylvania has been less than ideal. I think because our winter was so easy this year, we all hoped for a warm, sunny, early spring! But, that hasn't been the case... There has been lots and lots of clouds and rain. Luckily, all I have to do to get my daily dose of sunshine is to look over at my "yellow" shelf in my corner cupboard. I dare you not to smile when you glance at it--just look at all of the cute bunnies, chicks, and sunny colors. I love it! When I posted this photo on my Instagram page, there were a lot of comments about that little polka-dot bowl. I had just purchased that (as a set of three!) for a mere $7.99 at Homegoods. The other two are white with yellow dots and yellow with white stripes--so cute for spring decorating!

My cheery yellow corner shelf

March was my month to take in the treat for our department meeting at the library, so I spent a few hours in the kitchen making this plate of goodies. As you know, I love to bake, but with my three sons all grown and out of the house, I just can't bake as much as I used to when there were five of us living here. So, it was a real treat to put together this tray of Chunky Cheesecake Brownies and Outrageous Chocolate Chip Cookies for my very appreciative  coworkers. You can try baking some for yourself by clicking on the names of the goodies--I've linked to the recipes for you! Yum!!

Chocolate overload!

I really appreciate all of your thoughts on when to retire from my last post. I've pretty much decided that the end of 2018 will be it for me--right before I turn 64. But, there is a new bump in the road! My "new" boss who has been here all of one year, will be leaving at the end of this month... What a shock! Now we all have to adjust once again to a new manager and new ways of doing things. I'm getting too old for this! So, who knows... we'll see what transpires this year!

More advice needed... As I mentioned above, my old sewing machine (which was gifted to me by my parents as a college graduation gift 40 years ago!) is giving up the ghost. I have thought about purchasing a new machine, but the choice just seems overwhelming! There are so many bells and whistles now--do I really need them? On the other hand, I do hope to be sewing more in the future after retirement so I want more than a basic machine. Do any of you have advice for me? Any thoughts would be much appreciated!!

New Giveaway for this pretty chart... I have a lovely little Homespun Elegance chart which needs a new home. "Be Ye Kind & True" is from the May/June 1992 issue of "Cross Stitch and Country Crafts" magazine. An oldie, but goodie! If you are interested in giving this chart a new home, just let me know in your comments. This is just two pages torn from a magazine--not the whole magazine. If more than one person wants it, I will do a drawing.  PLEASE, PLEASE make sure to include your email in with your comment--I won't be trying to track anyone down if they haven't included their email address... Also, just so you know, I will be folding this up and mailing it in a legal sized envelope to save on postage.

I'm giving away this chart from an old magazine

GIVEAWAY WINNER from my last post... There were ten entries to win the Nora Corbett chart called "Gathering Eggs," so I did a simple drawing and the winner is:

JO (from Serendipitous Stitching) 

Congratulations to Jo! Please send me your mailing address and I'll get this pretty chart off to you as soon as possible (although since Jo lives in England, it may take longer than normal!). I hope you enjoy it... And for those of you who didn't win this time--please keep an eye on my blog for future chart giveaways...

Chart giveaway won by Jo

 

I hope some nice, sunny spring weather is finally here by the next time I post! Thanks so very much for visiting me today; it's always a pleasure to read your comments and emails...  Wishing you a lovely week ahead with lots of stitching time! Bye for now...  

2015 Parade of Ornaments!

Are there really only seven days left until Christmas?! As the big day approaches, I'm feeling better about things than I was when I last posted. I've definitely cut back on the decorating this year and, you know what... I'm okay with that. The house still looks festive, just in a more scaled back fashion. I still don't have the tree entirely decorated--my ornaments are sitting in their underbed storage box waiting patiently for their moment to shine. Hopefully, I can get them hung later today as I have to work tomorrow. I also need to sit down and catch up with all of your blogs--have to admit, I've barely had time to glance at them since we returned from Argentina. I will make a special point of visiting as many of you as I can today...

I know many of you are new to my blog, but each year I devote one post to the monthly ornaments I've created over the past twelve months. If you are interested in seeing previous "Parade of Ornament" posts, you can find them by clicking on the highlighted year:  2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2014. Once again, even though this December has been much warmer than normal (with NO SNOW at all!), we have had a serious lack of sunshine, so my photos are not the best. 

2015 Monthly Ornament Finishes

Yikes! That photo is worse than I thought!! How about some close-ups? You can click on them, too, for a better look...

January ~ March 2015 ornament finishes

April ~ June 2015 ornament finishes

July ~ September 2015 ornament finishes

October ~ December 2015 ornament finishes

I always enjoy hearing which is your personal favorite. I'll give you a closer look so you can make your decision...

JANUARY

Prairie Schooler Santa from "Christmas Past"

FEBRUARY

Prairie Schooler "Winter Wind" motif

MARCH

Country Cottage Needleworks "Snow Birds"

APRIL

"Joyeux Noel" French freebie

MAY

Little House Needleworks: "Joy To the World"

JUNE

Little House Needleworks:  "Deer Valley Inn"

JULY

Prairie Schooler's "Button Up" finish

AUGUST

Grandma Kringles: "Winter's Night"

SEPTEMBER

All Through the Night: "Merry Christmas" finish

OCTOBER

"Let It Snow" snowman finish

NOVEMBER

Prairie Schooler: "Prairie Birds" finish

DECEMBER

Homespun Elegance "Cinnamon Stick Christmas V" finish

Oh, I'm so pleased with this year's ornaments (I know I say that every year, but, I feel so happy when I see them all posted together). I love that they are all very unique and I can't wait to move them from my stair garland to my Christmas tree!  So, which one wins your vote? I hate picking favorites, but, if I have to, I choose February. It just invokes such a feeling of peace in me and, of course, the red cardinals remind me of my dad.  

Here is a final look of my garland at night...

All is calm, all is bright...

Amidst all of the decorating, gift buying, card sending, etc. that December brings, I had to make a treat for work. Our tradition is to bring a treat in during your birthday month. So, why, you ask, am I taking a birthday treat in during December when my birthday isn't until January? Well, we had several people who had birthdays during the same months so there was some shuffling done and I ended up with December. So, for three nights this week, I baked and baked and ended up with this large cookie tray to share with my wonderful co-workers. They were so appreciative and I froze the cookies that I didn't take in to have for Christmas. This year, I made Christmas Butter Cookies, Reese's Cup Cookies, Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies, Raspberry Almond Shortbreads, White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies, Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies, and Bombshell Brownies! Can you smell the butter and sugar? As usual, the Reese's Cup Cookies were gobbled up first. Which would you choose?

How many calories are on this plate? Oh, that's right--
calories don't count at Christmas, do they?!

I have received some lovely Christmas gifts from around the world, but am waiting to open them until I've sent out my own gifts. I am so, so sorry mine will be late this year, but I just couldn't meet the mailing deadlines having been away last month. I hope you'll be patient with me and I promise, I'll try to do better next year...

Well, I'm signing off now so I can go visit your blogs, head to the post office, finish decorating the tree, wrap a few presents, and address the last of the Christmas cards. Sure sounds like a busy day, just like I imagine each of you is having. Thanks so much for dropping in to visit me today--I know it's not easy at this time of year. Try to relax and enjoy this last week before Christmas... I know I'm going to!  Bye for now...