Happy New Year!

Every year it seems the tradition that we make New Years Resolutions... many of us do this only to set a goal too high in the exuberance of the moment.  It's wonderful to set high goals for ourselves, especially when we achieve them, but when we don't it only seems to add a sense of failure.  Now don't get me wrong... I'm not saying don't set high goals for yourself.  I'm just saying don't set unreasonably high goals for yourself!  I know there are some people who set their goals to never think of them again and are never bothered by it, but there are also those people who only seem to make themselves feel worse.
I have a Challenge Resolution for you.  I'm making it for me too.  Part 1: At least once a week do something for someone else that has no benefit to you or simply is a Random Act of Kindness (R.A.K.) Call a friend or a relative and let them talk... just listen, don't talk about you. (I tell my kids all the time: You have 2 ears and 1 mouth!)  Cook your husband or kids their favorite dinner or dessert for no special reason.  Make a batch of cookies and take them to your neighbor or to the senior home. Make a dinner and take it to someone who's shut in.  Pay for the coffee for the car behind you in the drive up or go down to the local cafe where the old boys have coffee in the early morning... pay for their first round!  Send a thank you letter or card to a serviceman or woman over seas or to Walter Reed Hospital.  Heck send a box of unused cards and a book of stamps so they can write someone else... I guess what I'm saying is there is some much that we can do to make our world a better place, and it's even better if we don't expect any gain from it! (but I do believe that good things happen to those who aren't expecting anything).  Part 2: Keep a journal... not to pat yourself on the back but to keep track of the positive things that happen or how it makes you feel about yourself)
I will post a weekly R.A.K. that I myself have done... We start next week!
Now, on another note... OMGosh! I woke to -23 degrees!!! It looks sooo pretty outside... clear, blue skies, frosty trees, sunny sparkly snow... and way too cold to go outside!  The guys think it's gonna warm up to go snowmobiling.  I have my doubts.
Our friends called to see if we want to come over tonight after dinner to play games, my husband thinks I should offer our house cause it's bigger... my brain is rebelling saying You will have to clean... my heart is saying what about all that stuff you just wrote! lol so, I'm thinking I'll call and offer... see what she thinks.
Happiest of New Years to you and yours...
KimV

Final Finishes for 2010!

YIPPEEEE!!!
My mom came to visit for Christmas... (which was awesome) and because of her I got stuff finished!  Things that have been in my cross stitch cupboard needing finishing (done stitching).
I had 2 that I had stitched for both my sis in laws from Montana... We turned into wall hangings.

I just finished the LHN ornaments when 
Mom got here and we finished them like little pillows with hangers.

And then lastly... my Quaker Girl Needle Case by With My Needle... that I stitched in 2008! is now FINISHED!!!! 

Wow... what a sense of accomplishment... closure... joy... oh, yeah... and now I can look at all my many whips and say... You're Next!!!!
Or... hehehehehe... more than likely... I will start more projects!!!  I'm thinking of more stockings... I have my sis in laws 2 older kids and my brother Phil and his partner...
and then the whole other side of the family! 
Ok, so here's the question... I want your opinion what's your favorite stocking pattern???
I have done 10 Shepherd's Bush stockings, I will do at least 2 more for Will & Nicole... but I'm thinking something different for this side of the family, there's at least 9 of them.

Christmas...

We all have Christmas Traditions and memories... what are yours?
I remember when I was really little we were staying with my grandparents in Pataha.  My aunt and uncle were also with their 2 boys.  I don't remember why... just that we were all there at Christmas and I remember that they had a blue tree.  I got a doll for Christmas, I think from my aunt and she was dressed in white and very pretty... I wonder what happened to that doll... I wish I still had her... anyways.   We had a blue tree for most of the time that I can remember... when Mike and I got married, I found blue lights and we have a blue tree.  I tried a couple of years ago to change to white lights, but my husband had a fit... and since we have a blue tree...

When Mike was little, he had an aunt who would buy each of them a Christmas ornament every year.  They are the hand painted, hand blown glass ornaments... they are so very cute and pretty and delicate...

What a great idea! If you have nieces and nephews, heck even your kids... get them a special ornament every year and when they are old it will bring back memories every Christmas.

The silver cross I bought used.  It's an old Barton Reed Sterling Silver ornament... I'd like to get some more... very pretty...

 These mittens are the quickest, cutest little gems to make... all you need is wool felt... cut out 2 sides.  You can bead or add ribbon along the top or whatever you want...



blanket stitch them together and add a little poly fill inside for padding... I attached mine together with some matching floss.



  CUTE CUTE CUTE and way too easy!





Merry Christmas...

Framed!

Here is a picture of the finished framed piece.  I really like it!
Kim

Long, long time...

Wow... has it been a while.  What have you all been doing?  We have been busy living life.  Summer flew by, which I knew it would... but that fast?  We had spring-like, cold, wet weather until July.  Then it was somewhat summerish and cool and wet again in August.  School started (my baby is a freshman!).  It warmed up a little and we had a lovely fall, then winter hit.  We have a good foot of snow on the level and have had snow since just before Thanksgiving.

Stitching... my there's too many projects!!! I have finished stockings for my brother and his wife.  I must say they are lovely!

 I am working on LHN ornaments now for my sister's family and my brother's little girl.  They stitch up quickly! Finishing might be another story but I do plan and finishing them myself.

 I did a quick fun BBD stocking swap!  How FUN!  I hadn't done a BBD stocking, but I may be hooked now!  I also have a Fair & Square Christmas Swap.  Again I chose a BBD.  It's not really in traditional colors so I thought it was different.

I have numerous WIPs  most of them are larger projects.
I really want to do a cover for my Bible.  Has anyone done that before.  I'm thinking of designing it a bit myself... Maybe some quaker motifs and verses and sampler stuff... I don't know.
We found out Corey is allergic to gluten.  So, there is my new challenge.  Which I don't think will be too difficult.  I found a flour mix and made pancakes today... they were good!  So, I should be able to do some Christmas baking.  Our whole family is going to try it (gluten free)
I'm dragging my feet getting my tree decorated.  I found a tree that I wanted... waited for my men to come cut it down... they never showed...  so I walk back to the truck and they decide they aren't going to get that tree... so ok, you pick one out then.  Oh, you should see this tree... it will be a challenge to decorate.  LOL... I guess that's what I get.
Well, I hope you all have a great week!

Kim

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Hope this day finds you all well and good!  It's a bit cloudy and dreary here... warmish... but grey.
I have been busy with so many different things.  I can't believe it's already March 17th... my brother's birthday was March 15th!  I texted him Happy Birthday the day before, but as usual... I didn't get his card in the mail!  That's me.  My other brother's birthday is next week... maybe I can be better... He'll fall over if he get's a card in the mail on time from me! lol

Well, I finished My Shade.  This design is by Erica Michaels.  I loved it when I first saw it.  There are some changes that  I made to it.  The trees in the 3rd panel had some specialty stiches that I didn't care for and I really liked the look without them... so I left them out.  I also changed a few colors, either because I didn't have the one called for or because I wanted too! LOL... she used a white for the flowers on the small tree at the bottom right hand corner... I used WDW Chablis... which is a pale to light pink.

I am currently working on my squares for Round 18 Fair and Square exchange... I am doing a design from Homespun Elegance on Vintage Exemplar linen... so pretty...  All I can tell you though in case Nicky (my exchange partner) was to check in.  Am getting ready to start "Resurrection"  that I posted earlier.

Well, I must be off! 

Good Morning!

I had visitors yesterday... momma and her twins.  It was nice, sunny, mostly blue sky...  Brandon and I watched the USA/Canada hockey game... Congrats Canada! Good job USA... nothing like a little excitement... and I don't even watch hockey!  Mike and Corey went snowmobiling, probably for the last time... it's suppose to be 50 today... we have an icey mushy melty mess... dreaming of spring!

Mouse (the cat) isn't she pretty?  and very cross eyed! lol

My Shade update... about 2/3s done! Yay! The words that I'm working on now are 1 over on 40... I'm going to look like my cat!!!

Oh check this out!

Hey everyone... you need to go to Jennifer's Feathers in the Nest blog and sign up for her St. Patrick's Giveaway!!! TRUST ME when I say that you definately want to sign up for it... yummy chocolate Klemscott scissors, fat quarter of beautiful plaid wool and a simply sweet chart from Sampler Girl... Irish Needlebook!  Go there NOW! lol... have a wonderful Sunday!

Your Shade update...

It's going along nicely... pretty easy stitch actually...  I'm really liking it!

I got more STASH!!! Yay! 

N.Hinde 1778 mini sampler... ya... 1 1/2" x 2 1/2"  1 over on 35ct... holy smokes!

OOOOHH.... Peaceful Paradise!!!  I have loved this chart from afar... just got it today!!!  I want to start it now... !  But NO... I will resist... I must finish WIPS!!!  I must have will power... I must... I must.. lol... well, we'll see...

and then there is Copper again... he's also my stitchin buddy!

Springtime... and Copper stories

Dreaming of spring... Ok... the flowers are not from outside... they are silk, but oh how they put me in the mood...  I looking longingly outside mostly because everytime we get snoow it gets warm and then we have a mess.  Granted it hasn't gotten warm enough to actually make the ice go away... just warm enough to melt stuff and then freeze to make skating rinks... however I don't skate.  It snowed probably a good 3 inches last night, now it's 40 degrees and thinking of rain... the water is running off my roof...  Lovely!

Picture 2 and 3 is Copper... napping on the couch... he does have it rough doesn't he?  I do love him to pieces though!  He's my 3rd child...

Ok, I have a "Copper Story" for you... Copper loves chocolate, he apparently never heard there was a health risk for dogs to eat chocolate because he will eat it by the pound!  (and I'm really not exagerating much)  His love affair with chocolate goes back to puppyhood when he "broke into" several Christmas baskets and ate the Hershey Kisses out of them... (very civilized... he takes the wrappers off)  Then Mike (hubby) came home from work (he sells hearing aids) with a 2 lb box of fudge (from a man who owned a candy store and bought hearing aids)  He gave it to me in our room while unpacking his work cloths... being side tracked I set it on our bed and forgot it.  Later that evening I went in my room to discover an empty fudge box... OMGosh!!! 2 POUNDS of FUDGE??? I figured he had expired somewhere or was on the sugar high of a lifetime... but no.  Later I found a brick of fudge in my dirty clothes... hmmm... and then hidden in Brandon's room... ahhh... we are stashing it away for later! Smart dog!!!  Yesterday I went in my closet and found a Candy Quick White Chocolate box with the corner chewed off... hidden under some clothes... we've been on a no candy diet so I guess he decided to raid the pantry... lol... what a mutt!