A Belated Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Where does the time go?!

We hosted several times in November & December and the months just slipped away...

I hope that everyone had lovely holidays.

I did get to the Christkindlmarket once this year.

And enjoyed it thoroughly.

Most of my stocking stuffers were purchased here.

The Christkindlmarket  feels so magical each year.

So many lovely treasures.

Such beautiful craftsmanship!

I am always so happy to put out my collection of miniature nativities.

And I enjoy the pretty sights in Chicago as I Christmas shop.

So pretty by day and night.

Leia was a big help in putting the lights on the Christmas Tree

And she is good at unwrapping gifts too! LOL!

 Meanwhile, as soon as Peanut's Christmas gift was unwrapped (a calming bed)...

he climbed right in and took a nap!

I did a bit of stitching through the holidays and have a few finishes to share soon...

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. 

An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, 

and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 

“Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. 

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

~Luke 2:8-11

Blessings, Patti

Happy Halloween!

Leia and I wish you a Happy Halloween!

This Rae Dunn mug is perfect for my house - it looks like Leia dressed up as a vampire :)

"Witches Night Out"

by With Thy Needle and Thread

my latest Halloween finish!

 I had to have this Rae Dunn mug too ;)

My favorite Halloween shelf.

The little silhouette in the upper left corner is an antique from 1913.

The Spells pillow on the bottom shelf is an original from Stacy Nash from 2007.

"The Goode Stitching Witch"

This was a Stacy Nash kit from a few years back.

 I just bought the black strawberry waxer that Stacy's daughter Taylor made and I think it looks perfect with this sewing tray!

It looks sweet with a few antique sewing tools.

And here is the full vignette.

Here is an oldy but goody by Blackbird Designs.

The linen color is truer in the first picture, but here you can see the frame better.

Another Blackbird Design from the same book, stitched in the same year.

and a teeny tiny vignette with a piece I stitched even longer ago.

The black spool of  thread is just a regular size spool to give you an idea of the scale.

This was back in the day when I stitched everything over one.

and my favorite Schneeman Folk Art pumpkin head doll sitting amongst some antiques.

He makes me smile!

Well here in Chicago we are having a cold Halloween with up to 6 inches of snow in the forecast.

I guess if we don't get many trick or treaters, we'll just have to eat the candy ourselves ;)

Happy Halloween!

and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry

    and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,

then your light will rise in the darkness,

    and your night will become like the noonday.

~Isaiah 58:10

Blessings, Patti

A Bonus Wool Project for March...

While I have been trying to focus on "Stitch from my Stash",

I did treat myself to a new wool project this month:

"Daffies in an Old Granite Pan"

design by Maggie Bonanomi

kitted by Blackberry Primitives

Mom and I decided to stitch this as a stitch along.

This is mine all prepped and ready to stitch.

And here is Mom's.

She used wool from her stash.

It is stitching up quickly and I hope to share my finish soon.

Last Saturday was National Puppy Day, so I thought I would share my pups.

They love their walks, but I think they love their naps even more.

Last weekend I was under the weather and took a little nap.

I woke up to this:

How is a person to move? And how could I possible get up?!

I think that they were trying to be "comfort dogs" ;)

Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

~Hebrews 13:1-2

Blessings, Patti

Stitch from my Stash - the beginning

On New Year's Day, I spent part of my day picking my two projects for #stitchfrommystash

I had such a hard time choosing, that I selected three lol! First up:

"Snow Day"

by Prairie Schooler 

from Book #177 January

I have been wanting to stitch this one since January 2016!

I started stitching Prairie Schooler designs in the mid-1980's

and they have been one of my favorite designers ever since.

If I was on a desert island and could only bring charts from one designer - this would be it :)

Sadly, I can't even remember the last time I stitched a Prairie Schooler?! 

So this will be the month! 

Little Red Barn and Grandpa's Pick-up

from the Farmhouse Christmas series

by Little House Needleworks

this is the bonus project that I kitted up :)

I've seen so many finishes of this series lately that I am finally itching to start!

I will only be doing these two charts in the series and want them to be for winter rather than Christmas. 

My wool project for January will be:

"Snowy Days"

by Heart to Hand

Believe it or not this kit was purchased back in 2013!

And I have not worked on it since January 2016!

I think that I need to finish it this month!

Here is where I left off three years ago:

I sure hope that I can get it done and enjoy it yet this winter...

I've made a little progress on "Little Red Barn" already this week...

So many of you have asked for pics of the pups.

Leia was thrilled with the new toy that they received for Christmas!

A stuffed log with three stuffed squirrels inside that can be pulled out through holes in the log.

She wouldn't sit still for a picture ;) 

Peanut wasn't quite as thrilled.

Although he did steal a squirrel once Leia had pulled it out lol.

Peanut's favorite activity is snuggling with his sister.

Even when snuggling, Leia usually has a toy in her mouth. 

She just can't let go!

Peanut just doesn't get it :)

And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

~Luke 2:16-19

Blessings, Patti

Nick of time

 

Buttermilk Basin's

"Year in Stitches Collection - June"

 

Phew! I finished just in the nick of time!

 

Buttermilk Basin's

"Basin Banner - June"

bound in gold velvet

 

If I was smart, I would start July right away!

 

This is just a quick post. I am getting caught up after my sister and I took a quick visit to see our parents. My mom has lots of wonderful new finishes for me to share...

but first I need to finish up and post my July offerings.

 

Of course, I can't close without a photo of the new loves in my life:

 

 

I love how Peanut and Leia love to snuggle and sleep together.

 

Don't let those sweet, "innocent" faces fool you. Now that they are really settling in, they are exhibiting their more mischievous side ;)

 

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me - just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.

~John 10:14-16

 

Blessings, Patti