Where Has the Year Gone?

WOW - this last 6 months have flown by! I can't believe September was the last time I posted......life has been busy, as usual. I sat for the CPS exam in early November. It was an all day affair - 3 parts. I'm praying I past all 3, but I will settle for at least 2. I should know the results within the next 2 weeks. I blame the studying for keeping me from posting here - and the crazy holidays! I have been busy getting the decorations up around the house, shopping and squeezing time in to see the family (which I'm sorry to say hasn't been as often as I would like).

Let's see I've been stitching ornaments of all kinds.......I stitched on perforated paper for the first time and love it. I love the effect you can get! It started with Elf in a Box by Brooke's Books (pattern found in the JCS Ornament Preview Issue July/August 2009). I fell in love with the pretty little elf and had to stitch her. Brooke Nolan has a beautiful eye for design on perforated paper - I can't wait to stitch some of her angels.

So then I found Rejoice by Imaginating, Inc. in the 2005 JCS Ornament issue - had to stitched this cutie up too.


Then there was Stitchy Claus, another Brooke's Books design - I just finished him up this morning. The finishing on Brooke's ornaments are so dimensional, I just love them (her instructions are very easy to follow too!)

In between all the ornament stitching I did this piece - Hannah Picket 1725 by The Sampler Girl. As soon as Marie released this design I knew I had to stitch it. Her finishing instructions were easy to follow as well. I love how it came out and now it sits under my Christmas tree in the kitchen which dear hubbie thinks its pretty weird. But he said it was pretty - which is all though matters to me.

And here is my Christmas Tree - I'm so happy with how it turned out. I love the look of homemade items on my tree! Each year I add more stitched ornaments. I'm hoping to eventually have nothing but stitched ornaments on the tree. I especially love my tree topper - it's one of those old fashioned tinsel stars. I found it at an antique store my Mom took us to over Thanksgiving in Salisbury, NC (It's one over her favorite place to visit on the weekends). My tree is kind of wimpy at the top so I needed something that was light weight and this barely fit the bill. With a little ingenuity dear hubbie was able to make it stand straight. I made the garland for the tree too - you can really see the garland in the closeups of the ornaments above (the instructions for the garland from the Lazy Girl's blog - she offered the free pattern last year around this time). Dear hubbies mother made the tree skirt years ago when he was a kid.

I wish all of my blog friends a Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! I pray that all of you stay safe & happy during the Holidays! Thanks for visiting my blog thoughtout the year! Happy Stitching! M~