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!