Here's February....

 ~ Welcome Friends to my blog ~

It is a snowy and icy Thursday here in good ol' Bloomington, Indiana. They predicted 8-12 inches has been lowered to 6 inches and that's fine by me :) But pretty much we have ice and now it is snowing so - as can be imagined everything is pretty much cancelled and people are staying home. 

I love days like these. I got my lawn chair out this morning (it is before 7 am here right now) and I sat on our front stoop to just listen to the quiet. How I love the muffled stillness of a winter snow day! Magical! During those 15 minutes of just immersing myself in the still (and the cold) I gave thanks to God for my blessings and new day before me. It's one of my 3 positive things this morning..... I am practicing writing down 3 positives every morning and every evening before sleep...I used to mentally do it every night before bed as a sort of reflection of conscience and to remember all the good in my life. But I must say, writing it down is more reflective (in my own opinion) and gives it more importance (again my own opinion). I know that many people practice this and there are many ways to do the same thing, this is my way and I have enjoyed it as my "new" way to focus on joy, every day and try with all my might to remain and be: positive.

So let's get down to why you are here....

I've had a major uptake in my cross stitching life. I think it is because of what I am choosing to focus on this year: Christmas

yes, I'm pretty much keeping Christmas in my heart all year long. 

Christmas is my happy place.

This past week I finished: 

"The Watcher" ~ Camille Harrison

This is found in the 2001 Better Homes and Gardens "A Cross Stitch Christmas"

This sweetie is stitched on 32 count Belfast linen using DMC as called for and retro dated to Ellie's 3rd Christmas (because that's what she looked like back then) I think in my last blog post I shared why I stitched this a second time....because I missed it on my tree after giving it to Katie to put on her Christmas tree in her own home......I missed it as I LOVE this ornament. So I re-stitched it for myself and as I was stitching it I thought: Ellie looked like this too at 3 years old...so I put her name on it. However, when she's a big girl....it will be gone. I sort of lamented about this on an Instagram post and  some sweet person on Instagram said I should stitch it again with my name and year that I was three years old....you know what?! I am going to do that! So at some point you will see this again. :)

Then I also finished the sweetest little Santa... I loved him from the very first moment I saw him.

From: "Merry Duo" by Emily Call of Salt & Pepper Stitching 

It is an Etsy shop and you can find it HERE 

I stitched this little darling on 32 count black Belfast using DMC 2 over 2.

this was #2 ornament in the challenge that I decided to join (since I bought a 5th Christmas tree on the after Christmas sales) I have so many cross stitch ornaments that it was getting a little ridiculous (Keith's words... ha ha!) so I was going to stop stitching ornaments, but that made my heart sad, so....I bought another tree! Ha!

Anyway this was ornament #2 in Carol of "Stitching Dreams" 2022 ornament challenge. I know every one knows Carol's blog: HERE  Last year she lead a very successful and enthusiastic group of stitchers in Instagram stitching 12 ornaments in 2021. So successful that she was asked to continue - so this year I am participating in #12in2022ornamentstitchalong, but you know me....I've decided I'd like to do: #22ornamentsin2022

 because: goals.

~ I also got a lot done on my first block of "Fall on the Farm" by Little House Needleworks ~

I'm stitching this series as one piece, on 25 count lugana Vintage Country Mocha one over one using called for Classic Colorworks.

I also created my own "frame" and it is in the link in the previous post OR you can find the link in the tabs above under "Fall on the Farm" Frame.

I also worked on my "Oliver's Stocking" by Shepherd's Bush....

here's where I was....

"Keith" in the alphabet that Shepherd's Bush provides for the stocking was an odd number of spaces and the stylized alphabet is meant as a little wonky... I "centered" it with the" I "off center because that was closest to center of an odd numbered, spaced name.

I should have known after the first couple of comments that some-ones must have thought it was off center....but the coup de grace was last week when asked if I knew it was off centered publicly, on my Facebook page. I was embarrassed and I'll admit I was upset, so I deleted all posts about this stocking on Facebook and Instagram and took an afternoon to pick Keith out and I made sure to end the K and the H exactly on the beginning and ending leaf patterns and I just oddly spaced the E-I-T so that it appears centered - I hope that those concerned about it (and discussing it apparently amongst themselves, I was told) can feel relieved that I have fixed it to their discerning tastes. I don't mind being corrected, however I'd have preferred being contacted, if compelled to do so, privately. It's always disappointing to me when I give a lot of myself to the world and it seems like to me that people like to beat me up or point out my errors. I talk to my husband about this and really there is two options: take everything I have every done, written, given, filmed off and delete it - or roll with it because as Keith likes to say: "You are a nail head sticking up and there will always be someone that will want to hammer you down, because you stick out."

God love Keith, he has a zillion quotes to try to buoy my spirit that he repeats to me frequently. Another one he tells me is: "you can be nice to the lion, that doesn't mean he isn't going to eat you." Or when I'm so behind on everything he will say, "it's like eating an elephant, you get it done one bite at a time." 

😂😂😂😂

Whatever....it's centered now, I suppose - well at least to the eye it is centered. 

I also was compelled to start a pattern that I have long loved:

"Quaker Street" ~ by Marjorie Massey

I am stitching just 30 minutes first thing in the morning (if I can swing it) per day. I have only gotten 3 days in as you will see:

I am stitching this one on 32 count chalkboard by Wichelt 

using DMC floche 1 over 2. 

Floche is a fiber by DMC dyed in the same colors as regular DMC cotton embroidery threads (albeit they do not have the range of colors as the embroidery cottons). It's a lovely fiber to work with. AND if you love to work on 28 or 32 count fabrics over 2 it is fantastic as you only use one strand to stitch with. It has a lovely luster and sheen to it. 

One strand of Floche is equal - in my book - to 2 strands of embroidery floss,

 however DMC says:  1.5 strands embroidery floss. 

The photos above show the coverage. It's fantastic!

My bestest long-distance bud - Joanie Lintz from New York, is starting a new retirement business of painting - it's been a dream of hers to open a folk-art/decorative painting business. She and her husband are a dynamic duo - he cuts the surfaces and she paints them. You may remember my Jolly Old Soul from Christmas? Well this guy: Mr. Frostbite is Joanie's newest creation. 

Interested in owning one? 

Interested parties my contact on Facebook Direct Messenger:  Joanie Lintz 

or on Instagram: joanie1ny

to get on her list for these little guy(s).

Ellie is a skating queen every Thursday night at a local roller rink. Makes me smile - I loved to roller skate when I was a preteen and teenager....roller skating to all the 80's songs :) 

She loves to skate and she's really good!

and to end this chatty post....I am leaving you with~

 a beautiful sunset:

a snowy view:

and a kitty pile:

These are Katie's cats - my grandkitties and she sends me pictures every day of them. This was yesterday's :) Little darlings!

~ Until next time ~

I leave you with my favorite quote from a man I greatly admire and is sort of my life's motto ~

"By swallowing evil words unsaid, no one has ever harmed his stomach." - Winston Churchill

Why? because "sticks and stones" DO break bones. Be the change - I'm trying very hard to be. 

~ Always, always kindness ~

everyone has opinions and it's OK to share them, but not at the expense of others. It is also a plus if opinions can be communicated in a kind way. And if you can't think of a kind way to communicate, it's better left unsaid. This world....has a problem of beating each other down. Turn on the TV, go to the store, drive or walk down the street, heck even stay in the privacy and security of your own home and people will go out of their way to get their own point, their own agenda, their own way of thinking across to you. I prefer kindness. I try to share only kindness. And although I fail, I am blessed if granted a new day, a new hour, a new minute, a new moment to start over and try again.

All my love, 

Vonna xxxx