Good-bye 2014, Hello 2015!!

Hello everyone,

I know it's been a long while since I posted and I am not even sure that there's anyone interested in my blog anymore, but I thought I would at least put up a post and tell you about 2014.

This year was a very interesting year indeed. 

We were blessed with a new grandson in July.  Bryson Michael was born on July 28th! He's now 5 months old and is such a joy!

Our grand-daughter, Alena, is 2!

She is quite the busy little lady!

The DH took a job 3 hours from here and commutes home on the weekend.  So, I am managing the homestead by myself during the week and commuting 90 minutes a day for my job which  sure cuts into the stitching time.  It really was hard for about 6 months trying to come up with a rhythm. But, I am getting better at managing my time so I have picked up a needle.  Mainly, I've stitched small things, ornaments, bowl fillers and the like, I've stitched Little House Needleworks, Prairie Schooler Santas and some Lizzie Kate.  Time is such a premium during the week and I may stitch an hour or two during the week so I do find a little time during the weekend to stitch, usually Saturday and Sunday nights.  I miss stitching larger projects but I find it more gratifying to stitch smaller things that seem to show some progress.

The biggest thing I did during 2014 for my stitching is Stitching from Stash.  I was really good this year and didn't purchase too many things.  I challenged myself to stitch from my vast (ahem) collection and I was so happy to do it!  I have many beautiful things kitted up or purchased that got put aside because of shiney new patterns.  So  when I got that "itch" for a new purchase, I just went up and did some stash fondling and found many treasures that I'd forgotten about. Now, I will be purchasing some things in 2015 that I can't resist, thread, fabric and my Prairie Schooler patterns.  I also will keep an eye on my favorite designers to see what they have to offer in 2015.  So, I'm not turning in my stash horder badge just yet!

For 2015,  I will continue to Stitch from my Stash and I will once again mainly stitch little things.  I do have a couple of larger projects in mind,  I started Mary Gibson last year and will continue to stitch on her and I have Jane Harris and Seven Sheep waiting for me. 

Anyway,  I just wanted to say Happy New Year to everyone that continues to visit here.  I hope to post more this year coming and take pictures too.

Wishing you all the very best the New Year has to offer you and I hope that you are blessed beyond measure!

Joanie

Yikes, Stripes, Running Out of Time!!! The Stitching Bucket List

Melissa at Words and Blooms posted something that made me take pause and think.  She asked this question:

Paula and I were chatting about a stitching "bucket list". Let's say you have 20 good years left to do stitching and you could stitch one big thing a year. What would be your top 20 items? I would love to see this on your blog.

So, I got thinking about my Stitching Bucket List. And like Melissa, I went on a treasure hunt through my piles and piles of stitching goodies and came up with this list. I know it will change but many of these samplers have stood the test and stay right up there with the latest and greatest.  There are many more that I would love to stitch but these are on the "A" list.

Here are my 20 in no particular order. 

1. Ann Hull
2. Anne Grimshaw 1818
3. Rebecca Robinson
4. The Plantation Sampler
5. 1837 Crown Sampler
6. Ann Grant
7. The Seven Sheep Sampler
8. Anne Priest 1841
9. JoAnn Woodward
10. A Yuletide Sampler
11. Jane Harris
12. Jane Pattison
13. Mary Gibson 1824
14. Francis Eden
15. Hannah Pepper
16. Isabella Gray 1838
17. Isabella Fox
18. Weeping Tree Sampler
19. Lucy Redd
20. Ann Sims

Most of these samplers reside in my stash and some are WIPs.  I am hoping each of them will grace my walls.  It's been a dream of mine to have a whole wall of samplers.  I guess I better get busy!  I only have 20 good years left!

Drive-by Post

Quick post -my Stitching from Stash report from March.

I purchased one item...the Seven Sheep Sampler from The Scarlet House.  Grand Total 22.00.

Not too shabby since I could have spent a lot more..  ;)

You Know...I Really Hate To Pick Just One

The only downside to give-aways is that I can't give everyone the prize.  It actually bothers me to chose just one winner.  I wish I was rich enough to buy each of you this chart.  But unfortunately,  my name isn't Trump or Gates.  So I have to choose (which sucks big time).

SO, the big winner is The Queen Bee.

Please email me with your address and I promise I will get the goods to you right away.  Well, when the snowstorm stops...we are getting hammered with snow.  I think we are over a foot now.

Thanks for playing everyone...there will be another chance when the blog-o-meter hits 200!

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!!!! (Giveaway)

Well, in honor of the Arctic cold and the saying, "If you can't beat 'em, join 'em",  I've decided that I am going to hold a small giveaway.  Don't worry, when I hit 200 followers there will be another.

The cold just won't quit so I decided that I should just play along with it.  I'm offering "Baby, It's Cold Outside", the linen and the fibers (and maybe a surprise or 3) to a lucky someone in order to maybe warm them up a little.

I know that it certainly warms me up to share with you.

No strings on this giveaway...international stitchers are welcome to play.  Reply to this post only and leave me a way to contact you if you don't have a blog.

I will pick the lucky winner on Sunday, February 2nd, Groundhog's Day!  (The little varmit had better see his shadow THIS year as I don't think I could stand another 6 weeks of this Winter)!!!

STAY WARM!!!!

Blessings,

Joanie

Stitching From Stash - January Update

I've joined "Stitching from Stash" in order to curb my spending and well, stitch from my stash, doh!  We have a spending limit of $25.00 a month.  I've seen posts on other participant's blogs and they are doing so well.  Me? Not so much.

Here's my January update confession.
Bless me Father, for I am weak.  This month I spent 28.00 and change on stash.  Sigh.   OVERBUDGET.
I have been lusting after LHN's Snowman Trio for a while now.  I kept telling myself that I didn't need another snowman pattern.  I didn't NEED anything.  Well, a bad day at work and an equally bad day at home (the dog left me multiple stinky deposits throughout my house because she got into the garbage) prompted me to visit Anita's Little Stitches site.  Lo and behold, I purchased the pattern and a few things more since you must buy $25 from her site.  So...this is what I bought:

• LHN Snowman't Trio

• JBW's A Very Merry Winter.  

Yes, another snowman pattern that I saw on Stitching Dream's blog and fell in love with.

• Threadwork's Primitive's Beggar's Christmas (I love the tree)

• 2 balls of Valdani thread for a couple of With Thy Needle and Thread patterns and

• Piecemaker's needles (my fav)

Maybe next month I will be better.  Sigh.

I did stitch from my stash though, if that's a consolation.  I stitched Lizzie Kate's January Flip It's Bits but I'm gonna make it into an bowl filler.

I worked on A Needleworker's Sampler from With Thy Needle and Thread and I stitched up 2 Christmas Ornaments from the 2013 JCS ornament issue. I am happy that I stitched from my stash.  Now I just have to work on that spending thingie.

Other than that..are you staying warm?  It's brutal in Upstate NY.  Today the highs were in the 20's but it's going to be Arctic-like Monday through Wednesday.  It's so hard to work outside in this weather.  My horses are stuck in the barn, everything is frozen and it takes an extra 20 minutes to switch out water buckets.  I hate 4:15AM when it's this cold out.  Even the dog hates to go outside to go potty.  I'm ready for SPRING!

Heads up...if you stuck with me this long, I am going to have a give-away...I'm approaching 200 followers, so when I hit that number then I will be doing something special!

STAY WARM!! I'm off for hot cocoa and my afghan.

Blessings,

Joanie

Good Sunday to YOU!

Hello there!

I hope you are having a great day today.  It's been a nice weekend so far.  I went shopping and bought SHOES!!!  Yay!

I finished up another ornament.  It's Hot Cocoa from the 2013 Christmas Ornament issue.  It's cute, I stitched it with good ol' DMC on 28 ct mushroom lugana.  Now to finish it.  I really like how Vonna from The Twisted Stitcher finished her ornament but I'm not sure. I don't often stitch from that magazine but I have every ornament issue from 1998.  I will have to stitch more from past issues, really the ornaments are darling.  The photography and sometime the finishing doesn't do the design justice I think.  Just a tweak and a mediocre ornament can be elevated to something lovely. 

Tonight starts Downton Abbey!  How many of you will be watching?  I went out and got some of the "dirt" on this season.  It looks to be deliciously angst filled!

Well, I want to stitch this evening away, on what, I'm not sure.  I signed up for the Snooty Parrots SAL and I am waffling on starting another WIP.  I have so many going already that I feel so guilty starting another one.  What to do, what to do!???  Football is on TV...looks cold in Green Bay.  My Steelers didn't make it to the post season so I can just enjoy watching the game. 

I will leave you with a couple of pictures that I took this morning of our barn and yard and the views surrounding us.  The snow was so pretty.  It's raining now and I know that it's going to be brutally cold on Tuesday.  I keep telling myself only 10 more weeks and the weather will be getting warmer...I can last...right?

 

Well, my needle and fabric are calling.  Now to decide just what to stitch!


Have a great evening!


Blessings,


Joanie

Welcoming 2014!

Happy New Year everyone!

I hope that this year brings good things to all of you.   I can't say that I am sad to see 2013 leave the building, there were a lot of good things (my granddaughter, the Japan trip, meaningful employment for the David) but not so good things too (the usual financial burdens, my thyroid, David moving away during the week for his new job and losing my sweet Mother-in-law in October).  Most of all, it was a struggle interspersed with unbridled joy.  But such is life.

I did stitch a lot this year and I will take some pictures later.  I got on the ornament bandwagon a few weeks ago and stitched a few between Thanksgiving and the New Year.  I decided that I want a Snowman Tree for next year, I love those frosty fellas and I have thought and thought about putting up a special tree each year so next year, I'm gonna do it. I know that there is a clamor out there for a Prairie Schooler Santa Tree and I am tempted to stitch Santas too.  I have discovered that there is a lot of instant gratitude when you finish stitching up an ornament in a week or so.

I did decide that I would once again stitch from my stash.  I joined a stitch from stash blog that allows only a $25 purchase a month.  That's good for me.  I do binge around Market time and Prairie Schooler patterns are a must.  I am in love with Brenda Gervais designs, as well as, Plum Street Samplers too and I have made an effort not to just buy, buy buy.  I have a WHOLE room full of patterns which I love so why not let them see the light of day?  I filled a box full of kitted BAP patterns and I will chose one to do this year.  I will choose a Wip and fill in with ornaments.  That's my plan. For now. HAHA.

Anyway, today is low-key, David is heading back to his apartment early, there's a big nor'easter headed this way poised to dump a foot or more of snow on us over the next couple days.  He wants an early start and I can't blame him.  I hate to see him leave, we had such a lovely Christmas together. 

So...here's to the promise of  a New Year!