THE SMELL OF PINE

AWWWW Christmastime - How I love it - the music - the lights - the decorations - the festive occasions - seasonal stitching.

Here is something I have been working on for the past couple of weeks and am really loving how it is coming out. It is Poinsettias and Pines by Blue Ribbon Designs. I changed my fabric to the lovely Sugar and Spice linen from Australia - I ordered it several years ago and I think it is called Marble Crunch. I love how Naomi does her sparkly linen. The threads are Belle Soie as charted except I had to change the white to a pale silvery gray on the snowflakes so they would show up better on this linen.  In the new year I hope to get a real camera so I can take better photos - I am using my IPhone and think they should be better but alas they still look fuzzy and crummy.  My nice Canon digital got stolen when our house got broken into a couple of years ago and I did not ever replace it.  Anyway you get the idea - I am missing one tree there but I will finish it up today.

The other piece I worked on earlier in December was Merry Christmas by BBD from the Joyeaux Noel book.  I am shortening it up a bit from what was charted but I know the wording will fit.  It is on a leftover piece of R&R fabric with the called for Crescent Colors cotton.  It will be a cute pin pillow one day.

I am starting a new project tomorrow on Christmas Day - It will be a fun one instead of a serious repro sampler.  I am starting 6 Fat Men by Lizzie Kate.  I loved the bright colors she used - all overdyes and I am using some long stashed 28ct Antique Cotton linen by R&R - I thought using a larger count linen might make it more whimsical - of course for those who do beautiful over one stitching or on a very fine count - that also has the same wonderful effect to make some things very whimsical.

I'd love to hear what from you if you are starting a new project for Christmas Day or New Years.  Our sampler guild (Azalea) is starting Ann Dale as an SAL for 2012 (and maybe the rest of our lives LOL).  I hope my supplies will be here for a NYE/NYD start but most of our group has been wait listed along with the rest of the country for the vintage pear linen.  I managed to find a piece from Traditional Stitches - Janice is great to deal with - I had ordered the Mystery Sampler and several other things from her in 2011 and was extremely pleased with her customer care.

Well - I thank each and every one of you for visiting my blog this year.  I have new followers but it still vexes me as to why those followers don't show up on my side bar any more.  I see this same thing on others blogs so I know it's not just mine.  Anyway if you are new to my blog - welcome!

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas spent with family and friends and that you find time in the hustle and bustle of the holiday weekend to spend time with your needle.

Merry Christmas ~ ~ ~