So it has been quite a while sine I updated the blog. Boy I am a big slacker on this...lol  Allot has happened this month I had a birthday, yep another year older. And nobody knew it because I don't put it on Facebook   or in the internet groups I am in, just a personal choice.  The cake was good.                                                                                                                            

 I have a couple of stitching finishes . I put the back on some ornie's that have been done stitching for a while but they just needed the finishing touches.

I made my first Smocked Bishop's dress. It was a challenge but it turned out nice I think. Now I have 3 more baby outfits to make I have got to get busy.

Now the fun part, my daughter's baby shower was last weekend. Wow what a mess I had in my kitchen. Thankfully I had everything done but the cake. I had planned on making it the day before ,but I was out to late and got lazy. So I waited til the morning of. BTW NEVER EVER do that, because if it can go wrong it will. First thing the cake pan I bought was too big for the oven, why would anyone think the cake pan wouldn't fit. I only had this thing for 3 months never dawned on me it wouldn't fit. It's O.K. we will think of something different. O.k. change of plans I will make the bottom with the smaller pan and make 2 instead of 1. It's all good it is still early we can get r done. Oh no , I have one more cake to make and I run out of oil,everyone is asleep,aaarrrrrhhhh I have to go to the store . O.k. we can do this. Well it did finally get done, not what I had planned but it was done. I am late I have the key. So we load up and off we go. I get there about 15  ins. before the shower is to start and everyone was sooo sweet gave a helping hand to set up for the shower. We had a great time and my daughter was very happy.

And my dear sweet husband, A . put up with my stressed out mad woman fit ...lol.. B. helped get everything into the church.  C. Cleaned the mess I left in the kitchen, he soo sweet.

 This is the diaper cake I made for her, it was the fun cake. I finished it about a month ago so it was in the box ready to go.

This is a diaper baby my daughter's co-worker gave her. I loved it I'm going to have to learn how to do that.
But the main thing is we all had fun time, enjoyed everyone who came . My daughter received many wonderful gift, one thing for sure baby A.J. will not have a dirty bum, and will not go naked for a while...lol

First finish of the year

 Here it is finally done. The first two I finished way back in 2009. I started this one and got distracted , imagine that..lol Now all three are done. I am quite pleased with my self. So far I am doing good on my year of finishes as I call it.

 

Here are all there of the Gingerbread houses. One thing I did on these that is not in the directions I covered the bottom of the roof with felt I didn't like the way it looked when I finished it. I did really enjoy these little house's . This was my first time working with perforated paper and seed beads. 

Now on to the next piece, is the Hardanger piece. After that I have some smocking I need to finish. I took a class about  2 years ago. I have 3 Easter eggs to finish, well they are almost done. And I took a class for a smocked pincushion a while back I need to finish. All of these are really close to being done.

I have discovered that it is very hard to type while the dog wants to play on mommy's laptop...lol
 I hope you have enjoyed the picture's

Gingerbread Houses

I am making good progress on the roof. I didn't take a picture because it is white on white. So I don't think it would show up to good. I finally went out to the building and found the book I got the pattern's from. I got the book from Herrschner's. It is called A Cross Stitch Christmas Handmade Holiday, 2009. the designer is Linda Bird. I had a couple of people ask.

what a weekend

 It all started Thursday , It snowed. The snow was pretty, it was a heavy snow. Several people lost power, thankfully we didn't. When I got to work the first thing I heard was 15 people was getting laid off. Now since I have only been there for about 20 months I knew it mite be me. I tried not to worry about it, but that didn't work. So for 7 1/2 hrs. I worried. then about 6:30 they escorted 4 of my co-workers out. I hated to see them go. They are all good people, but was also thankful it wasn't me. If there is another lay off, I will get it.
 Then on Saturday we didn't have water all day. You know we take so many things for granted, such as flushing, and showering. I was in a bad mood all day .  When my MIL called the town to see when the water would be back on, they didn't know. But they told her to put snow in the bath tub so it could melt and she could use it to flush with. That didn't work for us, my hubby went down the road to the creek and we flushed with creek water...lol. Glad we have a creek near by. Then the mail came, Oh boy the kit I order, or so I thought til I opened it. WHAT a book, a book I didn't order, well I was HOT! Then when I called about the order the lady couldn't help me. Boy I didn't think that day would ever end. I guess I shouldn't have been so ill . Really I could have had it allot worst. Finally we got water, now we can flush. But still can't drink it. But I can shower,  yeah. I felt much better on Sunday. Silly how a shower can make you feel better.
  I have made progress on my stitching though. I have the house part finished on the Gingerbread house. Now I have started on the roof. You can't really see it in the picture but this is worked on perforated paper, and it has seed beads on it. I just love how these little houses work up, they are so cute.
   Thanks for letting me vent. I am very grateful for everything we have we are very blessed. I know so many have it allot worse than us.

A year of finishes

So since I have finally fished that stocking , I decided I need to finish up other projects I had began years ago. I am starting with the 2 closest to the couch where I sit n stitch. The first on is the last of a 3 piece set of gingerbread houses. I finished the second one in 2009, yes it has been that long.It is coming right along. Here is where I am now.

The second piece is the Hardanger I started in June at the retreat I went to. I am almost done with it. Hes is where I am with it.

I have several other projects. I am working on my name tag for my EGA group. It is also almost done. I have 4 smocking projects. 3 Easter eggs and a pin cushion. And we are doing an egg project in my EGA group next 2 months. and in March I plan on taking a smocking class on making a baby bonnet. 
 And there is also a stump work piece I need to finish. I also want to finish my Japanese silk embroidery phase 1, so I can begin Phase2-3.   I will have pictures later when I start each project. I hope to accomplish my goals for this year. We will see.

Stitching Studio Stocking

It only took 2 years but I finally finished the Stitching Studio Stocking. This a pattern from the Better Homes and Gardens magazine from the 80's. I worked up quite nice. But it was  changeling, the details are amazing. I believe this is the last one for a while though...lol    I finished it on Dec.9, 2012 I gave it to my mom for Christmas. She loved it

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