Powered By Blogger

Sunday, December 2, 2012

'Tis the Season

Good morning everyone!  I hope this finds all of you feeling the approach of the holidays.  It's been a very full week for me between getting ready for a state audit at work, a trip to the movies yesterday, the arrival of a beautiful early Christmas gift, the appearance of 3 Santas....and a stitching finish! 

As a family, we tend to be very passive when it comes to seeing movies.  Sooner or later, just about any movie there's an interest in seeing tends to be forestalled until it eventually turns up on Pay-Per View or is released on DVD.  In all honesty, I do think the last time I saw a movie in a theater was one of the Harry Potter movies.  How pathetic is that?!  But having grown up in small town Illinois and being the avid history nerd that I am, I knew when Daniel Day-Lewis was first seen scoping things out in Springfield that Lincoln was one we'd have to go the extra mile for.  Jim and I took it in yesterday morning, and my head is still full of it. This summer, I listened my way through "A Team of Rivals", which is vast in scope.  Steven Spielberg's telling of Lincoln's last final accomplishment is even more compelling.

After dealing with craziness all week at work, it was so much fun to find a lovely early Christmas gift  from the amazing Faye at Carolina Stitcher waiting for me on Friday afternoon. I was so thrilled to be one of the winners of "2012 Giving Back Giveaway".  Here's what was inside the beautifully wrapped package:


  • One of Faye's signature fully lined project bags in warm cranberry shades and a tiny stork scissors suspended from the zipper pull.
  • A  holiday pillow, with Faye's lovely stitching and finishing details done to perfection.  Faye, I'm so in awe of your work!  When I grow up, I want to finish just like you.
  • A piece of Tree of Life hand dyed linen with the tantalizing name of Almond Creme.  Now to find the perfect project for it....
Thank you, Faye!  I feel so very fortunate to receive these pieces of your creativity.

Friday really did turn out to be a big stitching day for me, because after receiving this delightful package, I settled in for an evening of stitching and accomplished a finish!  Here is Jean Rattray, in all her glory:

 

 Jean was started as a New Year's project, with the goal of having her completed by January 1, 2013.  Well, I did make good progress on her through the spring and summer but was blown off course in  September when Atocha arrived on the scene.  With the end of the year lurking on the horizon and Nicola's Scarlet Letter Challenge making me crazy to start Ann Grimshaw, finishing Jean seemed like the prudent thing to do first.


This urn and a little bit of the ground beneath it was the only thing left to be done.  Yay!  Another finish for ther 2012 books, and I can get a start on Ann whenever the first chance comes along.

As for the visit from not one, but 3 Santa's, look who turned up in my stitching closet.


These guys were also stitched during my Prairie Schooler Santa days, but since they were done over 4 threads on 18 count Davos, I finished them as stand ups.   They're probably my greatest finishing accomplishment, which no doubt says something else about my skills in that area.  Still though, they make me smile and it's fun to pull them out each year after Thanksgiving is over.  Now it feels like the holidays are really here.

10 comments:

Margaret said...

Oh my gosh!!! What a treat for the eyes this post is! Congratulations on finishing Jean Rattray! Soooooo gorgeous! I so need to stitch this one -- have to find it in my stash now. lol! Love your 3 Santas too. I so used that Khaki Davos too! lol! That was so long ago, in my first stitching life. :D And I used whatever was recommended, even back then. lol! Anyway, great finishing! And lucky you to win one of Faye's giveaway prizes!

Krista said...

Congrats on a beautiful finish, Mary!! I am feeling the same way, trying to wrap up the flower sampler I am working on to get moving onto Ann Grimshaw with you! Those Santas are the sweetest, love Prairie Schooler designs. Have a great day!

Jackie's Stitches said...

Congratulations on your beeeeautiful finish! And for winning Faye's giveaway. I want to be a finisher like her when I grow up too!

I'll not be participating in Nicola's event for 2013 but I'll be watching from the sidelines cheering you on!

Siobhán said...

Wow, fantastic finish!! I love it! The A&E are so fun and funky. Congratulations on winning Faye's giveaway, too. She is a woman of many talents!

I love your PS Santas! Fun finishing, too. I think PS Santas are my favorite--they are timeless.

Faye said...

Congrats on the win and so glad you are tickled at the goodies!!!! Awesome finish and the Prairie Schooler pieces will always stand the tet of time!!! Blessings to you, Faye

Catherine said...

Congrats on the win from Faye! Her things are wonderful, aren't they?
Love all of your stitchy goodness! Your Santa standups look wonderful!

Nicola said...

Jane looks so pretty, I love the colours. Lucky you winning Faye's giveaway

Lynn said...

Congrats on a wonderful finish! Congrats on your win from Faye too. I'm amazed by her finishing skills too.

Carol said...

Lovely Santas, Mary!! Your finishing skills look excellent to me!! And what a great win from Faye...

We are the same way about movies--in fact, I can't, in all honesty, even remember the last time I was in a movie theater!! Lincoln does look well worth seeing, though, as does Argo... Still, I think I'll wait--they noise level in movie theaters really bothers me...

Beautiful sampler finish--congratulations!

Heidi Kuijer said...

Hi Mary! I saw your blog on Nicola's blog list. I just joined the SAL. All My Scattering Moments used to be my blog's name until I filled it. I then started a new blog this year. I was curious to see yours. Then I see we have some common loves...samplers and Santas. I started my married life wanting to stitch and stuff a Santa each year. I never did keep it up but seeing yours makes me want to stitch some again. :-)

Hugs from Holland ~
Heidi