A Touch of Spring

I got this belt back from the finisher last week and just wanted to share it with you. It really came out great. Looking forward to wearing it this spring and summer.
Most of my Christmas decorations have been packed away. All the decorations are off the tree but we have not taken the tree down yet. Probably tomorrow the tree and mantel will be put away.
I always have to start the New Year off with my house in order. I guess it is my OCD.
Linda

Christmas Gifts

I have always loved Whimsy and Grace's bees. When I saw the bee bag, I just knew I had to have. I then found the belt and had to have that too.
My husband said to order them and it would be part of my Christmas present.
I ordered them from Stitch by Stitch, my local needlepoint store and they arrived within a few days of ordering. I then picked out my threads, Vineyard Silk #C-008 and Kreinik #12 braid 002HL. They also came within a number of days. Now I had a really big problem, since I already knew about the gift do I wait until Christmas or start stitching it. I could not wait so I started stitching.
This is going to take awhile to finish since I have the Christmas Banner and then the Thanksgiving House but I figured that if I stitch for an hour every afternoon during part of Jake's nap I would feel like I was accomplishing something.
I received two absolutely wonderful gifts from my really good friends Karen and Melinda. Karen gave me a snap tray and a frame weight with my name on them and she also had a scissor fob made to match. They are just too die for. The scissor fob is such a perfect match. Karen also gave me a Vera Bradley hanging toiletry organizer for when we take our needlepoint trips. I guess she felt sorry for me since I put all my toiletries in ziplock bags.
My other good friend, Melinda, sent me the wonderful snap tray that says Stitching Stuff, I immediately snapped it together and put my scissors, thread pull, laying tool, etc. into and use it everyday. I just love it. Melinda also gave me cutest magnet, I saw this when I was Amy's and resisted buying it, I am now glad I did because now I will think of Melinda when I look at it. The magnet is a Queen stitching. Melinda also gave me the nicest stitch counters by Zecca.
I am the luckiest person to have such wonderful friends.
Today was Christmas again. My husband was hanging around and saw me looking at Amy's website and asked what I was doing. I told him that Amy was having a sale and I was looking to see if I wanted anything. He said order what you want. Now do you think I need to be told twice? I ordered two canvases with threads and guides. My box should arrive by the end of the week and I will show you what I bought.
Jake had a wonderful Christmas. Santa was very good to him. By the time he came to Nana' house he had the gift opening down to a science.
Jen and I both got him a Leap Frog computer. One is for home and one for
Nana' house.
Hope you had a great Christmas.
Linda

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas!!!
Linda

Anginetti Cookies

I made one cookie last night and today I will make shortbread cookies. I usually bake about 10 different cookies but having Jake all week does not leave me much time to get things done.
I have most of my prep work done for my Christmas dinner and will finish up today.
Very little stitching has been getting done. I am putting in the third step on the background of the Christmas Banner and hope to start the pear this week.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas.
Hope Santa treats you good.
Linda

What A Difference A Year Makes

Here are two pictures of my Jake. Can you believe the difference? He really has gotten to be such a big boy. When I picked him at nursery school this morning, the teacher was totally amazed that he knew all his letters. Not bad for a 20 month old. Jake not only knows every letter he also knows the sound for each letter. While I am bragging he can also count to eleven,
although he must have something about the number one since he starts with two.
Since this is a needlepoint blog, I felt I should post something needlepoint. This Christmas door is one of my favorite needlepoint pieces. I love it so much that I leave it out all year.
Hope you are having a great day.
Linda

Needlepoint Advent Tree

This is a picture of my Needlepoint Advent Tree. I still have a few ornaments to add to complete the 25 needed. The Nutcracker tree skirt was purchased.
We put up our big tree yesterday and I have to finish decorating it. All the gifts are purchased and wrapped. I just have to make the bows for the gifts. I am waiting for my cards to arrive from Shutterfly. Once the cards are written , I just have to do some baking and then I will be ready for Christmas.
I am progressing very nicely on the Christmas Banner. Step one of the background is almost complete, I will then do steps two and three around the first pear. I did not want to stitch the pear until all the background was done around it.
Hope you are finding some stitching time in your busy and hectic schedules.
Linda

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I love Christmas. No matter how much I gripe about being stressed & having too much to do & not enough time, I just love this time of year.

The trees are up; the little gingerbread tree my nephew & his wife gave us a few years ago, with Ashley's needlepointed gingerbread house under it. My needlepoint tree, which is now way too small for all my ornaments. And our big 12 foot tree in the living room, with all the pink ornaments that were purchased by my mother & grandmother the year I was born. My favorite part is unwrapping the ornaments, remembering the vacation we were on when we bought an ornament, or an ornament Ashley made, or one Frank bought for us.

Of course taking it all down is dreadful, but we won't think about that right now!

Hope everyone is getting the spirit!!

Wonderful Weekend

This weekend Denise, Karen and I took a canvas embellishment class with Tony Minieri at Edwardian Needle. We had a fabulous time. We were all happy with our stitch guides and threads. Tony is very funny and kept us entertained with his stories.
The women in the class were all wonderful stitchers and we had a great time with them and are looking forward to seeing them next year.
I was having such a wonderful time that I forgot to take pictures for the blog. So the only picture I have is of my Christmas Taxi by Raymond Crawford.
This is such a fun piece to stitch. Tony did some wonderful stitches and there will be a lot of bling. I am going to finish this piece as a card holder.
The Christmas Banner border is complete and it is now on the 40 inch evertites. I have to get use to working on such long bars. Tonight I am going to start the background.
Have a great week.
Linda