Final Finish (#37) of 2017

Designer:  Prairie Schooler

Project:  Button Up

Fabric:  16CT Country French Golden Needle

Floss:  CMC

1st Stitch:  10/24/2017

Last Stitch:  12/31/2017

For:  Me

Loaned to me by Dixie  Harden from a Prairie Schooler group on FaceBook

I loved stitching this and I am so happy with the way it turned out.

Happy New Year to all of my blog followers.  I hope 2018 is the best and healthiest year for you all.

Progress on Prairie Schooler Button Up and Family Room Decorated for Christmas

2018 Christmas Tree

PS Button Up.  Only one more block to finish

I am so enjoying stitching this

Another block finished on Prairie Schooler Button Up.

I am really enjoying stitching this project.  I can't believe I only have 2 more blocks to finish.

This project has been my salvation in the last couple of weeks.  We are helping my sister move and have been doing so since Thanksgiving.  She is moved into her new hone and settlement on the house she is selling is Monday.  So we are doing everything we can to get the last stuff out of her old house.  It has been complicated by snow 2 days this week.  This is a problem because the driveway is about 400 feet long, twisty and a sharp decline from the road.  My poor DH has been there every day this week, shoveled that driveway twice,  and hopefully for the last time is there today.  On top of all of this our refrigerator broke.  The door hinge broke and the door wouldn't stay shut so we had to go out and buy a new refrigerator.  Then we had new carpeting installed in our living room.  It has been a hectic month.  This next week I hope to bake some cookies.  I got the ingredients to make 5 different kinds.  Just don't know what we are going to do with hem as both of our freezers are totally full.  Oh well that will be Bob's problem.  😊 

I hope he has enough energy this afternoon to put up our Christmas tree.  We went Thursday afternoon and cut it down.  It is a little smaller than our normal thing but at our age maybe that is a good thing.  lol

I finally got the last three LHN Patriot Series designs now I just need to finish Button Up and then get back to stitching them.  I have also started stitching my first Christmas ornament for 2018.  I started a Carolyn Manning design and I think I am going to make all my 2018 ornaments one of her cute little snowman designs.

I  should go do something constructive but I don't know what that should be.  If I had gotten some butter out this morning I could mix up a batch of cookies.  But I didn't get any butter out so maybe I will just go stitch for a little while.  That's constructive, right?

One of my ornaments received

This is a picture of my Great-Great Niece, Aubrey, putting the ornament I made for her Mom, Kayla, on their Christmas tree.

She is so darn cute.  Unfortunately I have never seen her.  She is 2 1/2 years old.

My progress on Prairie Schooler Button Up

Only 3 more blocks to go.

Progress on Prairie Schooler Button Up

I am enjoying stitching this design and look forward to its completion.  My only problem is that I don't have a lot of time to stitch since I am helping my sister move out of her log cabin into her new small house.  Today B and I tore our living room apart as we are having new carpet installed on Wednesday afternoon.  Then we will spend Thursday afternoon putting it all back together.  Friday  I will have to go do some cleaning at my sister's new place before the carpets are installed on Monday.  I wonder when I'm going to get my Christmas shopping done and the presents wrapped and my house decorated and my cookies baked.  This is the 1st year in a long, long time I am not looking forward to the Christmas season.

OK here is a picture of my progress on Button Up.

It is so darn cute.  I am so glad that someone was willing to loan this chart to me.  I have wanted to stitch it for several years and just couldn't find the OOP chart.  Can't wait to finish the stitching and get it framed.  I think it will be hung in my office and kept out all year long.

Map of New York - Sue Hillis

Here is a picture of Map of New York all framed and ready to be wrapped for Matt's Christmas present.  Hope he likes it.

CJ  took it home with her and is going to wrap it for me.  

I hope to never stitch another of these maps ever.  Maybe if I stitched on linen or evenweave it would be easier but I don't and there are numerous quarter stitched in the designs.

Off to watch The Eagles VS The Bears and some stitching on Button UP.

Map of Scotland - Sue Hillis

I got Map of Scotland and Map of New York back from the framer yesterday.  Unfortunately I gave the Map of New York to my niece to take home and wrap for her son.

Here is The Map of Scotland designed by Sue Hillis all framed and ready to be wrapped and sent to Oregon for Jessi.  I hope she likes it.

I'll see if CJ will take a picture of New York for me so I can post it.

My progress on Prairie Schooler Button Up

This is my progress on Button Up as of last evening.  Now I think I will switch to LHN Paul Revere for a few days.

A little Thanksgiving finish

I printed this free chart out from a post on KYKS thinking I would never stitch it.  I opened my folder of free charts the other day and this one was sitting right on tom and since I have very few Thanksgiving ornaments on my tree I decided to stitch it.  Quick stich and I think it turned out really nice.  I stitched it on 16CT Antique white Aida and when I finished the stitching I felt the colors were really to bright for a turkey.  I had some used tea bags sitting in a dish so I tea dyed it.

Designer: Cheryl A. Smith

Project:  Turkey Cross Stitch Pattern

Fabric:  16CT Antique White Aida - tea dyed

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  10/9/2017

Last Stitch:  10/11/2017

For: Ornament Tree

Finish for this week

I can't believe this is the 32nd stitching project I have finished this year.  Now that this is finished I will go back to stitching LHN Paul Revere and PS Button UP.  Although I did start stitching a little turkey yesterday which I will make into an ornament for my ornament tree.

Designer:  A freebie that someone sent to me and there

was no designer listed

Project:  Little Red Truck - I changed the truck color

to blue as Bob is currently driving a blue truck

Fabric:  16CT White Aida

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  10/31/2016

Last Stitch:  11/06/2017

For:  Bob

Button Up by Prairie Scholler

I have made some progress on this.  Just love how it is turning out.

November 1st

WOW can you believe it, only 2 months left in this year.  Where oh where does the time go.

Just a little update.  Shirley called yesterday and her offer on the place in Willow Run was accepted.  Now she has a home inspection next Wednesday and hopefully everything will go well.  Then we just have to get her to make settlement on that place ASAP so she can get new carpeting and a new stove and we can get her moved in before settlement on her current house.  So much work that needs to be done.  I have no idea what she is going to do with all the stuff that she will not be able to move because her new place is LOTS smaller than what she has now.

Off to get dinner and then a quiet night of stitching on PS Button Up.

A stitchy Christmas card from last year

I received this as a Christmas card last year.  I finished making it into a little pillow this afternoon by finishing the blanket stitch.  I need to find a star for the top of one of the trees.  It must have gotten loose during the assembly of the pillow.  I really like the combination of green, burgundy and gold.

I think it will look nice on a bookcase or leaning up against 

something on a shelving unit.  

Shirley put an offer in on a house we looked at yesterday.  I hope things align and the offer gets accepted.  I honestly think her realtor is giving her some bad information.  We were told yesterday that there are 2 or 3 other people interested and he put in an offer $4,000.00 less than asking price.  I would have gone in $500.00 over asking just to made sure she gets it.  There is nothing else out there that she seems to be interested in.

Prairie Schooler - Button Up

I have wanted to stitch this for several years.  I finally found someone who was willing to lend the chart to me.  I want to get is stitched so I can return the chart to her ASAP.  After only a week of stitching this is what I have accomplished.

Stitched on 16CT Lambswool using DMC Floss

1st Stitch:  10/24/2017

I can't wait to get this finished.  I do think I am off to a good start.  I am going to rotate this piece with LHN Paul Revere and then hopefully Abigail Adams and then Patrick Henry.  I am still looking for backing fabric for the LHN American Patriots series since I am planning on finishing them as little pillows and displaying them in a basket.  I would also like to find a red, white and blue basket to display them in.

I did finally realize yesterday that I have a basket to display my Prairie Schooler Santas in.  It is a basket within a basket that I have had sitting in my dining room for years and I think it will be perfect for the 5 Santas I have finished.  I did sent another Santa to Vonna Pfeiffer, The Twisted Stitcher, to finish for me.  I have a couple of more stitched that need to be finished so I also need to get back to stitching the rest of them.  So much to stitch and so little time.  Makes it tough when I have to keep my stitching time curtailed because of  my sore finger on my left hand.  It does seem to hurt less since I have cut back on the amount of time I stitch.

I am off with Shirley later this morning to look at another house at Willow Run.  The one she really wants with a garage has been taken off the market.  No one seems to know what is going on there but every time there is an offer made the owner rejects the offer and then takes it off the market for a while.  Shirley has come to the conclusion that she will have to accept one that doesn't have a garage.  She doesn't have much time as settlement is scheduled for her log home on December 15.

I am off to get Bob up and have some breakfast.

Prairie Schooler 2007 Snowman Ornament

Designer:  Prairie Schooler

Project:  2007 Snowman Ornament

Fabric:  16CT Aida

Floss:  Called for DMC

First Stitch:  10/17/2017

Last Stitch:  10/20/2017

For:  Carlos - Emily's Fiancée 

They are coming home for Christmas and I couldn't give

Em and the rest of the family something and nog have

anything for Carlos.

Hope he likes it.

I strted stitching Prairie Schooler Button Up yesterday.  Got the 1st block stitched and that is the easiest block.  Now on to block 2.

Prairie Schooler 2015 Yearly Santa finished by Vonna Pfeiffer - The Twisted Stitcher

Beautiful finishing.  I have sent another Santa to her to finish.

These are the 2 PS Santas that Vonna has finished for me

this year.  I just sent her another on for finishing.

I really need to get busy and look for a basket I can use to

display them in.

I have started 2 more projects:  Little House of Needleworks - Patrick Henry and Prairie Schooler - 2007 Snowman ornament.  The ornament will be for Emily's Fiancé, Carlos, for Christmas since he and Em are coming to the States for the Holidays.  This morning I zig-zagged around the fabric for Prairie Schooler - Button Up and will start that as soon as I get the snowman finished.

Went to breakfast with the WOW gym group this morning.  We are suppose to go to dinner with Pete and Linda to an Indian restaurant.  Just don't know which one they want to go to yet.

Shirley's house is pending sale.  They are doing an inspection today so she should know soon.  She has also put an offer on a house in Willow Run.  Bob and I went through the Willow Run house on Monday.  It is nice but it is not perfect like Shirley had thought it was when she went through it a month or so ago.  She can make it nice but it does need a little work.

Joyful Expressioons - His Name is Jesus

I have stitched this for my oldest sister and will give it to her for her birthday next June,

Designer:  Joyful Expressions

Project:  His Name is Jesus

Fabric:  16CT Ice Blue Aida

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  08/02/2017

Last Stitch:  10/13/2017

For:  Barb on her 84th Birthday in June 2018

Halloween Stitching

I just finished the finishing on this little guy this afternoon.  Love this little guy,  Hopefully I will find some time to make more little fall/Halloween pillows to display in a basket at some point.

Designer:  Buzy Bobbins Blog

Project:  Ghost Coming Out of a Pumpkin

Fabric:  16CT White Aida

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  ?

Last Stitch:  10/07/2017

Made into a little pillow

For:  Me

Talked to my sister this afternoon and her house may be sold.  Actually there are 3 offers made but it sounds like one is really serious and she goes to talk the deal over with the realtor tomorrow morning.
And the unit she wants at Willow Run has not sold so we have an appointment to go look at it on Monday afternoon.  Looks like Bob and I may have a busy couple of months coming up.

Nathan Hale - Nathan Hale

This is my 28th finish for this year.  Now to be fair most of them have been smalls.

I have a big mistake in this but I don't think anyone but me would really notice.  This picture looks so washed out but the finished piece is really vibrant.

Designer:  Little House of Needleworks

Project:  Nathan Hale

Fabric:  16CT Dirty Auda

Floss:  Classic Colorworks

1st Stitch:   09/10/2017

Last Stitch:  10/04/2017

For:  Me

The next one will be Patrick Henry.  I would like to get His Name is Jesus finished before I start Patrick but I may not be able to wait.

Off to get the laundry done and to do a little cleaning.

The Cicket Collection - Boo For You

This is a freebie I got from their site.  I have stitched it twice and intend to give the little ornaments as gifts.

Designer:  The Cricket Collection

Project:  Boo Steps Out

http://www.cecricket.com/gift_design.html

Fabric:  16CT White Aida

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  09/29/2017

Last Stitch:  9/30/2017

For:  1 for Laura and 1 for Emily

There were a fun little stitch.  I just made them into simple little ornaments, nothing fancy.

His Name is Jesus WIP

I haven't posted about this WIP for a while so last night I took a picture and here it is.  Not a good picture but you get the idea.

This is a picture of how I am displaying some of my Fall/Autumn stitching.  I wish I I were as 

creative as some people are but while I am good at stitching I am not the best at decorating.

I have been decorating this morning.  I don't plan on getting everything out this year.  I have my left foot in a boot and it is hard to do a lot of things with east.  The reason for the boot is that I have had pain in my left foot for about 1.5 years now.  It doesn't get any better so the other day I went to the boot doctor.  There is a bone that goes across the top of the foot that has collapsed down towards the ou6tside of the foot and is now inflamed.  By wearing the boot and taking an ant-inflammatory medication he is hoping that the pain will go away. Bob and I are planning on going to France in September 2018 so I would like some relief from this pain for that trip.

OK off to do some more decorating.

Autumn is Peeking by Blueladie Designs

I stitched this little design which is from Cathryn of Blueladie Designs.  It was in her September 2017 Newsletter.  However I did take some changes to the design.  I redid the lettering to eliminate the quarter stitches since I stitch on Aida.  Then I had to add a couple of leaves at the top of the design boarder to fill in the gap because my lettering was larger than Cathryn's  I like how it turned out and it does look nice hanging on the tree at least it will when I decorate the tree for fall/

Designer:  Blueladie Designs

Project:  Autumn is Peeking

from the September 2017 Newsletter

Fabric:  16CT Aida Legacy

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  09/06/2017

Last Stitch:  09/09/2017

For:  Me  - I am trying to get more Fall/Autumn designs for my tree since

I have mostly Halloween right now.

Little House of Needleworks - Apple Pickin'

Designer:  Little House of Needleworks

Project:  Apple Pickin'

Fabric:  16CT Tea Died Aida

Floss:  Classic Colorworks

1st Stitch:  01/25/2017

Last Stitch:  02/17/2017

Finished into an ornament on 09/07/2017

For:  Me

Update - Progress on His Name is Jesus

I have been stitching on this in between smaller projects.  I think I am making good progress for only working on it a couple of nights a week.

Lizzie Kate - September Flip-It

I had started stitching monthly designs to hang on the top of my Ornament Tree.  I did 6 and then just stopped doing them because I got involved in other projects.  The other day I did an inventory of the months I need and one I needed was September and wonder of wonder I had this little Lizzie IKate design in my stash and I had all the supplies I needed to stitch it.  I now need February, March, April, May and June.  Unfortunately I don't have any of these in my stash.  I did put them in my wish list at 123Stitch.  That wish list is unbelievable.  Maybe I need to weed it out and delete what I know I will never stitch.

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Project:  September Flip-it

Fabric:  16CT Aida Legacy

I did not like stitching on this fabric and I didn't like

using it to finish this little ornament - Just to soft

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  08/26/2017

Last Stitch:  08/29/2016

For:  Ornament Tree

I am not pleased with the finishing of this but thankfully

it is for me and not a gift for someone.  No one will notice that 

that the corners are horrible and that I cut the felt wrong.  It was 

the Aida.  It was just so soft and very hard to center and keep center3ed 

on the cardboard.

Here it is hanging on the tree.

I will soon be decorating this little guy for Fall/Halloween ...

but not until I come back form the shore in a couple of weeks.

Here are sine pictures Bob has taken in the last couple 

of weeks.  The Goldfinch just love the Blackeyed Susans and the Sunflowers/

Little House of Needleworks - Martha Washington

This is the 3rd one of the Early Americans series that I have stitched.

Designer:  Little House of Needleworks

Project:  Martha Washington

Fabric:  16CT Dirty Aida

Floss:  Classic Colorworks

1st Stitch: 8/4/2017

Last Stitch:  8/25/2017

For:  Me

I eventually want to make little pillows and 

display them in a basket or bowl

Next Early American is Nathan Hale
I have to say I like the Dirty Aida I used for this project.  The white really stands out and the other colors don't get lost.  I may be ordering more of this for my Christmas ornaments for 20180

I am amazed that this is the 23rd stitching project I have stit6ched in 2017.  Of course most of them have been smalls so it doesn't take long to complete a project.

Brushstroke Butterfly made into an easel

I finished Brushstroke Butterfly into something I could display on an easel.  It will be much easier to store this way since I am running out of room for boxes of no-sew cubes.

Brushstroke Butterfly by Stitching the Night Away

Completed the finishing of my last 4 Christmas ornaments for 2017

I can't believe they are all finished.

Designer:  Les grilles de Maryse

Project:  Noel Ornament

Fabric:  16CT Antique White

Floss:  Six Strand Sweets Holly Berry

First Stitch:  07/20/2016

Last Stitch"  11/20/2016

For:  CJ

Back of Noel Ornament

Designer:  Keslyn's

Project:  Amazing Star

from 2016 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue

Fabric:  16CT Sage Aida

Floss:  WDW Holly

First Stitch:  04/20/2017

Last Stitch:  05/02/2017

For:  Barb

Back of Amazing Star

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Project:  Flora McSample 2011 Ornament Peace

Fabric:  16CT Tea Died Aida

Floss:  WDW

First Stitch:  11/20/2016

Last Stitch:  01/02/2017

For:  Matt

Back of Peace

Designer:  Glory Bee

Project Holly Berries

from 2016 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

Fabric:  16CT Aida

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  04/10/2017

Last Stitch:  04/12/2017

For:  Kala

I think this is my favorite ornament for 2017

Back of Holly Berries

I am so glad I am finished with the 2017 ornaments.  Now I can concentrate on other stitching and finishing.  I have a cross stitch card I received last year that I want to finish into an ornament.  I have the Brushstroke Butterfly to finish.  I did start the finishing on Brushstroke Butterfly but am waiting on some twisted rope to finish it completely.

I am currently stitching on LHN - Martha Washington and His Name is Jesus.  His Name is Jesus is going to take me forever.  I didn't realize how bit it was before I started it.  Oh well I will do one name at a time.

My latest finishing

I didn't stitch this so I can't tell you the designer of the piece or its name.  I received it from my friend, Cathryn, as a Christmas card last year.  I can't let these little gems go to waste so I make them into something I can enjoy.  I made this into a little pillow which I think will look nice tucked into a basket with the PS Santas I am having made into pillows.  I just need to find a basket.

Yesterday afternoon I was cleaning up the table in our family room from the finishing of Christmas ornaments when Bob came running down the steps and told me to look out the back door.  There at the end of our property were 2 baby deer.  They were so beautiful.