Happy Holidays one and all

I am hoping all had a wonderful holiday season and I am wishing all a wonderful, healthy and prosperous new year.   

Here's a close up of two recent finished that are part of my tabletop collection of Lefton as seen above in my header photo.   On the left is a wool felt poinsettia I made at a class at a local quilting store.    So easy that of course I walked out with two additional kits to make.  And my Sampler Santa has found his place of honor.

As I close out the year and take inventory I find I still have a to-do list the length of my arm but I can also look back and be happy for all I have accomplished around the house, the yard and craft wise.    I just checked into my Goodreads accounts and I see I smashed my goal of 18 books by reading 35 this year!    I must admit there are a few audio books included in that count.   It is a good way to tick off those miles when I drive to western PA.  Favorite reads of the year, Where the Crawdads Sing, The Only Woman in the Room, Inside the O'Briens, The Great Alone.

I am not a resolution person for the most part.   I have the standard be a better person, don't fall behind on tasks, exercise, diet, volunteer more thoughts on my list......nah.....not going to do it.   Just going to try to make the most of each day.

I do have an overall long term goal that has nothing to do with New Year's.........I want to really pare down that list of half done projects......needlework or otherwise.    My 2019 EGA challenge has really helped me make a huge dent in that pile.  We are continuing the same challenge for 2020.   By year's end I may even be able to eliminate that basket of WIP's.....well at least make an even bigger dent in it.  Maybe I can target to complete one each month.   Now that is a fantasy for sure.

My current stitch is Jardine Prive's ABC on banding.  This is another project that I was gungho on and then it got pushed aside for something new and shinier.    But I am back at it.    When I picked it up earlier this month, I had this much done.

And now....

Wahoo!  Moving forward.  It is not a difficult stitch unless you are not a fan of one over one.

Also I close out the year, I have to be thankful for my wonderful family.   That includes my D-in-L who includes me in my grandson's life with countless Face Time visits between real visits.  Between work, classes at college and being pregnant, D-in-L never got to take Will to see Santa....once she was at my house for the holidays, I found local store that had Santa.   Thinking he would turn shy and not want to sit on Santa's lap, we were surprised he walked right up, sat down and told him he wanted action figures for Christmas.

We had fun making cookies for Will's daddy.

  Damma decorated his bedroom complete with Christmas lights and a few small trees.  He had his own wonderland.    What fun it was to scurry around Christmas Eve after Will went to bed and set all the presents out.   Christmas morning found Will having fun playing with his Uncle Miki and the magna tiles Santa brought.

My son had to work Christmas Day so he didn't arrive in NJ until 6 pm.    Will didn't want to leave his side once he arrived.  He really is a daddy's boy and my son loves being a dad.

And then we took Will skating at the Riverfront.   If daddy has his way, this is the start of Will's NHL career.

One other thing that Will did that all you grandmom stitchers will love.    He told his mom when he got to Damma's house he wanted to 'needle' with Damma.    So what's a Damma to do.....get out the DMC, a yarn needle and some large count fabric.     I will definitely have to frame this.

Life is wonderful!

As for tonight, I will be home in my pj's, under an afghan, stitching away.   I went out for New Year's Eve the first and only time about 7 years and ago and thought ....hmmm...what's the big deal.  New Year's Day always finds me cleaning the kitchen top to bottom.  (Why???....a fresh start I guess.)   Since I recently did the kitchen when we did the updates and the craft room was done with a I bought new shelves.......I am not sure what I will get into......maybe I will take on some much needed finishing.   Whatever you choose to do to start the year make is a great day and wonderful year.  Wishing everyone a fabulous new year with lots of family fun, great projects, much health, prosperity and happiness.   

Thanks for stopping by and indulging my grandson posts!  Keep on stitching.

Christmas is coming

and everyone is scurrying about with last minute shopping, visits with friends, Christmas parties and decorations.   But for me a bit of relaxing for me on this Sunday afternoon.  

I finally managed to get all the decorations done, inside and out, except for the tree.   I voted to start the wrapping of presents over doing the tree.   Sweet William will be here on the 19th.  If I can't steal  a few minutes each morning before work to get the tree done, Willy and I can do it together.   Much more important I get the presents wrapped and hidden before the wee one gets here.

 Even Mother Nature has decorated the trees and bushes with tons of red berries.

Inside, the carolers are all queued up.

As I count down until Christmas, I am also sure to count my blessings.

And I am counting down until my last day at work!    January 9th will be my last day so between holidays and a few vacations days I have to take, I have 8 more 'get ups!'.    It has taken until the last week or so to get excited.  I have a list a mile long of household projects, craft projects, trips and adventures of things to do once I retire and have been warned that I may start with gusto but will soon have my zest for accomplishing these tasks quickly be dashed as I learn to put off until the next day.

For a well deserved treat this afternoon, I have turned to Betsy Morgan's Pioneer School Girl project.   Until recently I had not picked it up since I took the class in 2016 at Salty Yarns.   I decided to suck it up and dive in.   Earlier this month I did all the backstitch outline for the smalls and managing to steal a few minutes here and there have been able to stitch through the smalls.

Close to finishing up the last of the smalls and then I will start the 'book'

I gave myself an early Christmas present.   Mr. W. and I decided not to exchange presents this year.   Not only have we enjoyed a new pergola on our deck this year, a new bathroom and an upgraded kitchen, we really don't need anything.   During the year, we see it, we get it.  And I want to be on the downsizing side of collecting stuff and to more actively get rid of things.    My present to myself, Betsy Morgan's  Willing Hands.    What a beautiful book, beautiful photos, great stitch diagrams, complete patterns and finishing instructions and background on each piece.   What a nice respite in the middle of the holiday crush.   I have enjoyed paging through it.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching

Down the rabbit hole again

I hope all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with family, friends and good food.  I think this was the easiest holiday dinner I even cooked.   I even had time to take a NAP while the turkey was in the oven.   I don't know what I did different than I have done the last 40+ years of holiday dinners but it seemed to be effortless.   I credit the new kitchen layout!

And then the opposite happened.  Ever have one of those days when a simple light bulb change leads to nine other things none of which were on your to-do list?   That was my yesterday.  It started with my husband wanting to change out the light bulbs in the ceiling fans which required the extension (cathedral ceiling) ladder.   That lead to my climbing up to clean the ceiling fans, and the exposed beams across the room.   Which was side tracked by getting the duster I use that was buried under too many things hung on the rack in the laundry room which led to a sort out of the grocery bags and plastic bags and not to mention all the lost bras that I hang on the rack to air dry.  While the ladder was in the house, I decided to wash the windows up in the a-frame peak.   Which lead to washing the other 8 windows and the sliding glass door in that room.  That lead to pulling out furniture from the wall, which lead to wiping baseboards.   Somehow sorting the paperwork on my desk, filing papers, composing some letters for my bother's estate and writing some estate checks came next.   No need to continue, you get the picture of how my day was spent taking care of things that were nice to get accomplished but no where near my to-do list of things I wanted to accomplish.   Just call me side-track Robin.

And remember my pledge to keep my workbench clean and free from being the dumping ground for all things?   Well I have kept my pledge.........but

don't look at the other side of the room where the things have landed.   Ugh!  I see an evening this week taming this mess.

but enough.....












I've got some stitching updates to share.   First, at my last guild meeting (Delaware Valley Historic Sampler Guild - DVHSG) one of the classes was with Janis Note of Notheworthy Needle.    We learned to drill foam pumpkins to later be cross stitched.    Here's my start.   I didn't get all the holes drilled during class......and work on it since has been sidetracked by other things.

At my November EGA meeting we made these neat wool candy canes.    We were lucky enough to have Sue Gonzales of SusanGonzalesDesigns.com  instruct us.   Sue provide the pre-stitched wool that was stitched with a channel where we inserted 18-gauge wire, we then scrunched, twisted, crimped and bent these into the candy cane shape.   These were so super easy.   We each completed three in about a half hour.    Sue has a ton of original, adorable designs and is a pleasure to work with.   If you are lucky enough to be in the Middletown DE area, you may be able to get her to come to your guild or you can stop at her shop.   

Stitching progress has been mediocre.    I have finished three of the smalls for the Betsy Morgan Poineer Girl Etui.    Next up, I will work on the pin cushion that makes up the spine of the book.  I am enjoying these quick finishes and working with the beautiful silks that are part of the project.

I'm off to start the holiday decorations.   Might even treat myself to take-outs so I don't have to stop and cook dinner.

As always, thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.

A Partial Finish, A Finish, An FFO, A Start

Just back from another week babysitting little William.   What fun we had.    Will enjoyed a milkshake when we went out to dinner just off the campus of Penn State.

 It was much colder than when I was out there in October so there was very little outside time.

 Using fruity Cherrios, we made Indian Corn, glued on with icing because I knew little hands would be grabbing those Cherrios.     We also made turkeys and caterpillars and a frosty the snowman gingerbread house but I didn't take pictures.



And one other thing that is coming together to William's house is.... William has little sister on the way.   She is due to make an appearance in February.   We are all very excited.

 We did take an afternoon to go to Bald Eagle Park.   It was cold and the snow fences are already up.

 We didn't last long in the brisk cold winds.

As for the renos at my house........old counter tops, appliance garage and breakfast bar

Part one consists of new appliances, new countertops, no breakfast bar, new lighting, crown molding,  and new backsplash.........

Part two will be me painting the cabinets next spring........one more job on my retirement to-do list.

And now to stitching, got a question.  Do you enjoy the last stitch as much as the first stitch of a new start?   I do!    I enjoy each part for a different reason.......the selection process of what I will work on......the beginning stitches when all is (so far) executed perfectly........the final stitched which adds another project to the completion pile!







This was an enjoyable and quick stitch.  I started it in October.   I used the called for threads except for one.   Since I changed the called for fabric to a soft gray, I had to change the lighter gray called for floss.   I was not particularly fond of the over one stitching of the words but I happy with how it came out.   I have plans for how I am going to finish it but........between now and January, that finish won't happen.

Stitch Every Day by Hands On Design

On my way to State College, I stopped in Strasburg, PA at Hodge Podge Cross Stitch Shop to pick up my Santa and the Santa of a friend.    I certainly am capable enough of a seamstress to finish my Santa but it was that all precious commodity of time that seems to always be lacking......

 Diane's is on the left, mine on the right.

 I added buttons instead of the called for cross stitch and added beads here and there.

I used whisper on his beard.

He was another quick stitch, starting him July 25th and finishing him September 25th.

For my new start, I pulled from my stash a class project from Betsy Morgan class, the Pioneer Girl's Book Etui.    I figured it was about time to work on this 2016 class piece!  Up to now, all I have completed is the pre-stitch and what we did in class.

 Near impossible to see but I now have all the back stitching in for the smalls to be completed and I ready to start the stitching.

 I don't know why class pieces scare me so much. Completing this project will give me further confidence in my stitching and finishing ability for sure!    I have an upcoming class with Betsy Morgan in the spring and it would nice to be done before then.  I am pretty sure I can make that deadline!

Thanks for stopping by.......Happy Thanksgiving all my American friends......keep on stitching.

Tying up loose ends

I am telling you what folks......it has to be true that once you retire you don't know how you had time to work......my evenings and weekends are booked week after week.   Switching to a four day week helped......initially.....but now the Friday off every week has been swallowed up with stuff to do.   Archimedes' Principle for sure or in layman's terms, open up a space or hole and it is quickly filled with something else.    Anyway, the countdown is down to 19 workdays.  Factor in three day weekends, holidays and vacation time, my last day is January 10, 2020 - my 20th anniversary with the company.   The on site bookmakers are laying odds I will 1) stay or 2) be back in the near future.
For now I am emptying my desk and finishing up projects and imparting my knowledge to my replacement.

So other loose ends are there's two Victorian Perforated paper Christmas pinkeeps or ornaments.    The tree could've been on a larger piece of paper but......I kept making mistakes with the cutting and the paper got smaller and smaller.   Quick and easy if you keep track of where you are in the snip snip snip edge to the paper.

 It may be quick and easy but it is messy messy with all the cuts and snips.

 Here is a better picture of the snowflake from last week. Lighting wasn't that good last time.

I attended classes at my guild yesterday.   The morning class was with Janis Note of Noteworthy Needle.   We learned to drill foam pumpkins to be later cross stitched.    I'd show you mine but it is still in the car, I am in my jammies, it is barely 25 degrees out and I am not about to tiptoe outside to get it. I will have to share next time.

For the afternoon, we had a class with Beth Seal of Summer House Stitche Workes.   We pre-stitched the crown and in class covered the box, assembled a velvet pillow for inside the box, assembled the crown and had scissor fobs made.  Both teachers were great and their classes were great.  And of course they each had a trunk show which we are not going to talk about here.  Add to that that the LNS opened early for us on Friday so we could shop before touring Winterthur.    Am I the only one that feels I HAVE to buy from little shops you go into?  I have bought more patterns and stash in the last month than I have bought all year.   I must be stocking up for retirement is all I can say.

Here is my finished class piece.

Box lid and scissors fob.

 

The classes were on Saturday but the teachers arrived on Thursday so.......I filled that Friday with accompanying them to Winterthur Mansion.    It was a great day.   The museum is awesome and it always reminds me of the treasures I have in my back yard.    We took our tours based on availability and a little out of order.  We did the architectural and antiques tour first followed by the introductory tour second.  For the Architectural and Antiques Tour, it was just the four of us.  

Our host, Henry Frances duPont, at age 83

This is two floors below ground.  Each wall is a different exterior of a different home - set for destruction, these home fronts were purchased by Mr. duPont and moved and reconstructed in his Winterthur Museum.

I think they told us there were 57 complete sets of china the family used.   Think that is crazy.   Mrs. duPont kept track of every attendee of every dinner party at Winterthur, what they ate, the table linens and flowers at that dinner, what room they stayed in  (there are over 150 rooms in the house turned museum)

We saw several of these looms throughout the tour.

 We also saw some examples of needlework.

Mr. duPont like everything to be symmetrical.

 The current hall above, and below how is appeared when the family lived here.

 Close up of stitching on a table cloth.

 Large collection of PA Dutch frakturs.

Two beautiful specimens of bargello.  Above left a wallet and right, a bible covering.

 The needlework on the bible is hard to see as it was coherent in plastic.

 A gift from the Shelbourne Museum.   Mr. duPont liked it so much, the owners donated it to Winterthur and then made a reproduction for their own museum.

The grounds are just as beautiful as well planned as the interior.

 The dining room above and photographed with the wedding party of one of the duPont daughters.

Six silver tankards crafted by the Paul Revere.

Original painting of George Washington; the Smithsonian has a copy.

Below, George and Martha Washington's presidential china.   Winterthurs boosts more pieces of this collection than are housed at Mount Vernon.

 Beautiful Chinese room.   Papered with hand painted mural with a no repeat scene.   The wall paper was found on rolls in a back room somewhere in France.  duPont had it installed at Winterthur.

Ever the proper host, cigarettes were offered to guests.

Our guide liked our enthusiasm and took us for sneak peaks at some of the areas we wanted to see but weren't on our tour.    We ran out of time and she was so sweet to offer to meet up with us after I introductory tour to show us more.      Did we ever feel like VIP's.

This is in the textile storage area.   These are the many sets of draperies and cornices that Mr. duPont would change out to match the seasons.

And if that is not enough, also currently on display at Winterthur  are the costumes for the Netflix series, The Crown.   So beautifully displayed with snippets of the scenes where each of the garments were worn were shown on the monitors.  Along side the description of many outfits was the photo of Queen Elizabeth in the outfit that inspired the costume.   The garden tram ride just about froze us to death but the guide was a wealth if knowledge.   Looking forward to a trip back in the spring to enjoy the gardens in warmer temps.

Back on the home front, the reno's are winding down.   Shower door, we are waiting on the glass man.  Linen cabinets, we are waiting for them to arrive.   Back splash, we are waiting for the electrician to do his magic first.   Entering Week 8 and I am getting weary of the dirt and the boxes and of things out of place.  I thought Mr. W. was jesting when he told the contractor in early September to start and be done by Thanksgiving.   Heck....it could never take that long I thought.    I am heading back to my son's for a week and I have my fingers crossed that it will be done when I return home.

 For my stitching progress, I am really happy with how much I have gotten done in so little time.  But since I am doing little on the household front, what's a stitcher to do?

There are 12 half triangles of the white and green across the bottom and I am just starting 11 in the series.  After that, there are the letters across the top.  Not much more to go!

That's all I've got folks.     It is hard to pare done the photos so thanks for hanging in.
Until next time, thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.