2018 ONLINE ADVENT CALENDAR - DECEMBER 3rd

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Merry Christmas everyone.

Here is Day Three of Serendipitous Jo's Online Advent Calendar

"'Twas the night before Christmas" by Prairie Schooler from Book #63 Christmas Samplers.

Jo always sets us a little task for our blog post; we have to answer a Christmassy question:

What is your favourite Christmas song?

That is an easy question for me to answer: The Little Drummer Boy. 

Here is Pentonix (whom you have seen many times on my blog), singing it 'a capella'.

Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone, 

Now, please don't forget to visit the Advent Calendar on Jo's blog each day up until the Big Day! 
hugs, 

P.S. Sorry that I have been absent from my blog for the past little while, there are lots of reasons:

1. We are moving house in sixteen days! (Wednesday, 19th December)

2. We have to go to Sydney for four days for a wedding the weekend before (very happy to be asked to the wedding but wish it was any other weekend but that one).

3. The utility companies (gas, electricity and telephone) are being *%$#  (you fill in the blank) about getting everything connected, so we will be moving with the possibility of no power or gas for a few days.

4. We have had four extra people in the house off and on over the past two weeks, which has meant lots of time socialising and (extra housework, too).

5.  We are using a portable modem at the moment which is going through gigs at a huge rate, so I have been trying to minimise my internet usage.

6. ... and I am still packing up stuff (how do we have so much???????)

P.P.S. To the winners of my last giveaway - I have not forgotten but see the reasons above as to why I haven't posted anything yet - lol!

Online Advent Calendar 2017 - December 1st

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Merry Christmas everyone.

Here is Day One of Serendipitous Jo's Online Advent Calendar

This is Mill Hill's Snowy Wonderland - which I stitched last year (2016).  It is one of my very favourite finishes.

Jo always sets us a little task for our blog post; we have to answer a Christmassy question:

How do you plan to spend Boxing Day?  Do you have any traditions associated with this day?

Well, normally, we all go to the movies for DS2's birthday, who was born on Boxing Day.

As, often, it is a bit flat the day after Christmas, we started to go see the blockbuster movies which usually came out on Boxing Day - all of the Lord of the Rings movies, the Harry Potter movies, and so on. And do you know, even though, DS2 is nearly 25, we still do it every year!

However, this year, TraderVic, DSister2, DD and DS2 and I will all be in Sicily for Christmas - so not sure what we will do with all of the Sicilian cousins but I am sure it will be lots of fun!

(Unfortunately, DS1 and DDIL will not be coming with us as they are moving to Brunei for two years instead! Yes, I said Brunei on the island of Borneo - my goodness!)

Here they are, all dressed up to go to a fancy dinner last evening.

Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone, 

Now, please don't forget to visit the Advent Calendar on Jo's blog each day up until the Big Day! 
hugs, 

February, January and last December Smalls SAL post_2017...

#1 - Finished in December, 2016

This is a very sweet Freebie design from Designs by Gloria and Pat on the Candy Cane Stitchers Group on FB, just scroll down to October 18 (although you do need to be a member of the group, I think, to see all of the pics.

I stitched it on 28 ct Ivory linen, using my own choice of floss.

#2  January - Frosty Friend

I am happy to say that I have finished January from Rainbow Gallery's 2004 Stitcher's Surprise Series.

I used an unknown Blue fabbie and mixed up all of the floss choices, plus I added a silver snowflake charm, courtesy of my dear friend, Sue.  I may still, if I can find suitable ones, add small black buttons for his eyes.

#3  February - Is Winter Done?

 I am also happy to say that I have finished February from Rainbow Gallery's 2004 Stitcher's Surprise Series

... and I am very happy to say it is a FFO as well.  I used on old frame I found when cleaning out my parent's house (I now have a box full of them) and I intend to rotate each month through it once I have them all stitched.  There was supposed to be a ground hog in the top left corner but he just looked like a blob to me, so I left him out and replaced him with the lace border and added the heart bell.  I am really happy with how February turned out.  Stitched on 28ct overdyed linen with my own choice of floss.

#4 A Spot of Winter

This is my "Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall, ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS CALL" SAL, which I am doing with dear Jo.

The design is part of a series by The Drawn Thread.  Stitched on 28 ct blue Lugana with my own choice of threads and the beads are also a design choice that I made - again, pretty pleased with how this turned out.  Now, onto Spring!

#5, #6 and #7 

 Days 1, 2  and 5 of The Twelve Days of Christmas by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery (stitched for the January and February themes on the Christmas Ornie SAL blog).

Where the piece is up to altogether, and as you can see I have finished Day 5 as well.

and lastly, #8

The Moon from Halloween Happiness by Imaginating (January's theme for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL blog

(Unfortunately, I am a bit behind on February's Witch theme).

Anyway, that is all my Smalls for now,  

Please click here to see lots of other great Smalls from other stitchers.

hugs, 

FINAL FNwF for 2016...

Hello lovely stitchers, 

Here is my final Friday Night with Friends post for the year... and it is a Happy Dance - Yay!

This is a very sweet Freebie design from Designs by Gloria and Pat on the Candy Cane Stitchers Group on FB, just scroll down to October 18 (although you do need to be a member of the group, I think, to see all of the pics.

I stitched it on 28 ct Ivory linen, using my own choice of floss.

Thank you, dear Cheryll, for hosting such a wonderful SAL each month.  Please click on the link below to see what everyone else stitched.

FNwF

Merry Christmas to all of the FNwFers.

hugs, 

Merry Xmas to you all....

"I wish you a Merry Xmas, I wish you a Merry Xmas, I wish you a Merry Xmas ... and a Happy New Year..."

This is Xmas stitchery which I made many years ago:

Lots of people love to decorate their houses for the festive season.....

Last night we had our Xmas dinner with our best friends and we actually managed to get all six grown up children together as well! There was lots of laughter and chatter all night long:

This is cute little Rupert:

After dinner we adults went for a walk to check out the locally Xmas decorated homes:

 ... and to finish, here are a couple more of my Christmas ornaments and stitcheries from Christmases past:

And lastly here is my tree with my Santa Sack from Jeanette waiting for me to open - haven't I been patient? Plus I have another Xmas exchange waiting to open from Lisa

I am going to have fun tomorrow, aren't I?

Best wishes everyone,

hugs,


Update: It is nearly time for bed - Christmas Day tomorrow.  The food is all prepared and the menu set:

Entree: Antipasto, nice cheeses and a prawn dish.
Mains: Barbecued Pork Belly, Beef Wellington, Roast Chicken, Wild rice salad, Layered Garden salad,   Hasselback Potatoes,
Dessert: Homemade Plum Pudding with Brandy custard, Pavlova and Fresh fruit with White chocolate and passionfruit dip

What a yummy feast!