Sorry.....I did it again......Long time between posts!

Since my last post.....DD got married, parents and one of my brothers came for a visit, I went to AZ for Thanksgiving and got back in time to do Christmas preparations for our Scandinavian family to come for a visit.  We also helped my In-Laws celebrate their 50th Wedding Anniversary!

DD and DH

DD and DSil

The wedding was absolutley beautiful!   Couldn't have had better weather for an outdoor wedding!  Everything went off without a hitch.....that is, until the wedded couple climbed into the Bently to take them to their Honeymoon Hotel!   The people at the venue decided to give the couple an opened bottle of RED wine to take in the car with them when they left.   They neglected to tell the couple that the cork was just barely in the bottle.    At some point in the 30 min drive to the hotel, the bottle became uncorked and the wine spilled all over DD's beautiful wedding gown!  I got a frantic and tearful phone call from DD on what to do with the dress as club soda was not taking out the stain.   I told her the only thing she could do at that time was to put the dress in the tub with water as cold as she could make it and let it soak over night and that we would take it straight to the cleaners in the morning and could only HOPE the stain would come out.   They emptied the hotels Ice bin on their floor into the tub with the dress and cold water!   By the time, we got the dress to the cleaners the next morning you almost couldn't see where the wine was on the dress.   The cleaners had the dress for six weeks and in that time, they were able to get the stain totally out!

Eagle Moon

Cherished Memories

While in AZ  I was able to give three of the special projects that I worked on last year to my brothers.   One of my brothers was not able to make it home for Thanksgiving or for Christmas, so he has not yet received his gift so that one I will hold off on showing you.  But here are the other three...   The Celtic Tree one is a conversion of a picture that my brother, Joe, drew.  He had no idea that I had taken his picture on a previous visit home with the intention of cross-stitching it for him.  I do believe this was the first time I've every seen him speechless when the completed piece was presented to him!

Celtic Tree Knot

 

 

Confetti of Hardanger

I've been quite busy on the stitching front too!   Have Continued to work on Confetti of Hardanger and have kept up with the steps.   The latest step has just dropped so I will be working on that this weekend.  I must say I'm really enjoying this.  I actually find it quite relaxing!

 

PR 2012 Mystery SAL

Passion Ricamo's Mystery SAL is also coming along nicely!  I've managed to keep in pace with this as well.  The next part on this will drop on the 1st.   I have modified it though.   I decided I didn't want to do the word that she charted at the bottom of the piece between the fairy and the scrollwork....so I have moved my scrollwork up to just under the fairy.

 

And Dance of the Graces also saw a bit of love.  I am hoping to get close to a finish on it this year.  Time will tell.  







HEAD Dance of the Graces

 

 

 

Last weekend was IHSW (Internatinal Hermit Stitch Weekend).  Last year I didn't participate, but this year I thought I would go ahead a do so.  Late in putting up my progress pictures due to blogger not letting me upload pictures until today (what's up with that?).   Anyway, I decided a new start was necessary for this.   So.......out came English Whitework Sampler.   I'm doing this on 40 ct linen which is a Silkweaver Sale Special that I got off their FB sales.  I'm loving this so far!   But I'm now going to have to put it aside for a little bit, cause I need to get started on a baby Afgan for my 1st grandchild that is due in August.

 

English Whitework Sampler

Well,   I think that's it for now my friends!  Enjoy your new year and keep on stitching!