to all my blogging buddies, stitching sisters and fellows! I hope that 2012 is a year filled with health, wealth, happiness and many contented hours filled with your needle and thread. I always find this time of year poignant...things I want to forget, things I want to celebrate, things I want to improve, things I want to accomplish...but most of all I just get this overwhelming sense of I'm right where I'm supposed to be, doing just what I'm supposed to be doing and feeling very blessed and humble. I'm very thankful for what I have been given in this life and I try very hard to return that to the world by giving back the best way I know how and to open myself to God and his plan for me.
This week...
has been a super-fantabulous week of family. Ellie has been very ill (we were in the ER on Christmas morning) but she's rebounded, however not before infecting her siblings - we've had at least one fall prey and another that has symptoms (but no progression yet)...so since we've been a herd of sickos this week, its been pleasant just to be here at home with each other. Mr. Pfeiffer took the week as well so it was fun having Daddy here with us to play each day! We love Daddy! And Daddy being here gives Momma some time to do what she does best.
Here's the finale...
of my 2011 stitching. Please let me introduce:
"Poinsettia House"
by: Little House Needleworks ~ Diane Williams
copyright: 2009
Stitched with DMC and Crescent Colours as charted
on 25 ct. lugana Country Vintage Mocha one over one
Here's some...
detail on the stitching and finishing. Notice I changed "Poinsettia House" to "Christmas 2011" while stitching. Then while finishing, I rusched some satin ribbon and found the most perfect olive colored beads to use for the pin heads to accent the ornament.
As I was stitching...
this beauty (and let me tell you stitching it over 1 made it the most gorgeous finish) I kept thinking about that urn of poinsettias next to the house. What about those? They'd make a cute ornament, right?! So off I went to my scrap drawer and come up with these:
"Sister Ornaments"
motifs taken from Poinsettia House by Little House Needleworks
copyright 2009
stitched on 28 ct. unknown linen with Cresent Colours and DMC as charted
Before I...
even stitched these I had them envisioned as an oval ornaments. So I executed them as my vision detailed and finished them as the house ornament:
Last night...
I had a very productive finishing evening! These turned out fabulous and put the exclamation mark (!) on the end of our holiday time together and also of my 2011 stitching as the finale to a great year! It was a fabulous week and this set of ornaments will always remind me of this time together during our Christmas 2011. Plus a little side on this design: it was the first assignment over at 2012 Year of Smalls and I think I'm going to ask to join in the fun over there.
This Advent...I had a very wonderful thing happen for me in my religious life. A little "back history" is that none of my pregnancies were normal and everyone was delivered in an "emergency" situation. There were periods of time with the boys pregnancy and Ellie's pregnancy that I was on complete bed rest. During these times, I could not attend church. But I had this wonderful lady that came and gave me communion. It meant so much to me when she came and visited, prayed with me and brought me Jesus. I still can remember her rubbing the pyx on my belly (when the boys were still inside) and praying with me for a delay in their arrival (as I was in labor at 28 weeks gestation). This past November, our church put in the Sunday bulletin that they needed extraordinary Eucharistic ministers to the sick. I knew immediately that I had to help others as I was once helped. On December 14, 2011 I was commissioned by my parish priest and given my tools to take the Eucharist to those sick of our parish. I'm very humbled by this and hope that I will just be a flicker of light to those in need. Just like the lady that came and gave the Eucharist to me when I was in need.
So that...
wraps up our December and holiday season! Now for the 2011 in review...
I have had...
only 37 finishes this year, down from previous years. But this year I've had some fabulous firsts that I'd like to remember.
I created...
the embroidery hoop box. I don't own it as I donated it, but I sure did like it whilst it was here. I will definitely be stitching another of these for me someday.
Blackbird Designs "Summer House Pincushion"
mounted onto my embroidery hoop box
I taught...myself counted thread needlepoint. This first project turned out successfully. It was framed this fall and given to my Mom for Christmas. She loved it. I'll be doing some more of this in future.
"Amish Trip Around the World"
by Nancy's Needle
I went...
to my first Stitching Retreat! WHOO HOO! That was a super-great, good time and I'm going again in 2012. I look forward to seeing old friends and meeting new!
"Beauty and Grace"
retreat design by Tree of Life Samplings ~ Jan Alexander
My Mom...
retired in February and I was trying to think of something to interest her. I read Brenda Gervais' blog and found out about the Iowa Eagles and found the link. Gave it to Mom and she watched those birds constantly. She even would call me and we'd tune into the nest cam together on our computers and talk on the phone about them with each other for an hour or more each day. It was a non-thinker when Brenda advertised her "Soar Sampler". I got it and stitched it for my Mom. I'll be stitching it again for me, too.
"Soar Sampler"
by Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread, "Country Stitches"
I had...
always loved this simple design and its little prayer. So I stitched it up for me this year and it hangs right over my stitching chair. It sums me up pretty good, I do believe
"Stitcher's Prayer" by Little House Needleworks~Diane Williams
But I must say...
that my all time favorite finish for 2011 is:
"The Family Sampler" by Little House Needleworks~Diane Williams
The Family Sampler...
was my second finish of the year. It was the first thing I ever entered into our county fair, which I had wanted to enter things for years - but was afraid that I wasn't a good enough stitcher. But the stars aligned and my sampler won some really great ribbons! But how could you go wrong with a design so pretty and that fabulous frame from Valley House Primitives ?! Winner, winner, chicken dinner! I say...
2012...
I hesitate to even begin to acknowledge what I would like to stitch this year. Every year I make these grand plans (or delusions), and for the first month or so, I execute and then I move on to something else that I hadn't planned...to which the whole great debate I had with myself at the end of the prior year falls apart. Sound familiar? ;)
So...
with held breath I will say that I would like to focus on: The Elizabeth Hancock Adaptation , The Monthly Cottages , The ABC's and some Ornaments . In the grand scheme of things my only true goal is to stitch - which I'll meet because my life isn't complete without stitching. After that I would like to be sure that I stitch at least one ornament per month. Just like my Idol, Mistress Carol over at "Stitching Dreams" blog. I've been following her since shortly after her blogs inception and I just well, salivate every time she posts. I aspire to be just like her! period.
See...
I have no delusions (or allusions) of grand plans. No 500 starts in 500 days or whatever (although I probably would do a bang up job of that too!). None of that only stitching on what I have or what I've started. (That's like a diet and I suck at those already.) Nope, nope, nope. I'm just doing what Vonna wants to do when she wants to do it. Smile! Live Life! and Be me! Because I like me and I like what I can do when I put my mind to it.
But...
for inquiring minds....here is my grand plan for this evening and tomorrow. MY New Year's Start - let's hope this is not a delusion:
and here it is all ready to slip inside it's envelope in case I need to take it travelling with me:
Happy New Year...
thank you all for visiting with me all year long. I'm ready to see you in 2012 and see your stitching, read about your life, visit with your family, lend a shoulder to you when you need it, applaud you on your stitching and take my hat off to your fabulousness!
Until we meet again...
I'll be keeping my hands at work and heart to God, just like always.
Love and hugs,
Vonna
