Calendar Poodle SAL

Monday, December 3, 2012

Day 3, That's Me!

Good morning friends! Today is day 3 of the Advent Calender Blog Hop. Check in here to see who is up next!

This morning I am sharing with you a very old piece. I stitched this 24 years ago! I was 19 years old! =) My husband and I were dating. I had stitched two other pieces by Gloria Pat, all from the same book, God's In His Heaven. Brian suggested I stitch this one next.
It is simply titled 'December'. It is stitched on Aida with good old DMC. I have had it stored away for 23 years. I finally framed it myself last year. (I could not afford to frame it for years.) I gave it to him as a Christmas gift last year. He was surprised. I am glad it is finally out for display. =)

So, the theme for this year's Blog Hop is "Stocking, Sack or Something else?" I am quite happy to say I have carried on the tradition of filling the St. Nick stockings for our kids. Since Brian never really had this as a child growing up, we kind of came up with a compromise. They are "Christmas Stockings". ( Still given on St. Nicholas Day ;)

These are the children's, Brian's, Mabel's and Winky's stockings. My mother still has mine. And would you believe it is the same one from when I was a girl? My brother Michael and I have our's, my other two brothers have replacements. ;) My mother still stuffs all of our stockings, and I am 43!! No complaints here! =)
So on the night of December 5th after the kids are in bed, I will be stuffing the  people stockings with goodies. They tend to have quite a few chocolate items, not sure why? ;) The dog's and bird's stockings are just for show.

We have been giving each of the children an ornament in their stockings every year. There have been one or two that have broken. I have  been unable to replace only one. (  a glass Ernie from Sesame Street on a fire engine) I do have lists of every ornament ever given to them, so they can keep track through the years. Some are stitched, some are sewn, the rest store bought. But they were all given in love.♥

Speaking of ornaments the stitching for their XI ornaments this year has been done for days. Again, it is hard to get them pressed, cut and slipped into the little glass frames with them around. Will be working on that today. They will be ready. =)

Gave little Miss Mabel her hair cut the other day. Good bye fuzzy and hello pretty!
I really enjoy that about poodles. They have the fuzzy puppy look, and the pretty look. Neat. ;)

Thanks for stopping by. I appreciate it! I like making new friends. Leave me a message so I will know you stopped by. I would love to come visit you in your little world. I see some new-to-me names on the Blog Hop list. Oh and I love my dear, old friends too. ;)

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

36 comments:

Shirlee said...

How wonderful that you were able to surprise your husband with the G&P you were stitching when you were dating! I love stockings! A friend & I have exchanged stockings for years. She live in North Dakota. I have saved all the stockings from all the years we've done this & usually I hang them up around the house for decoration but not here. I look forward to being able to display them again one day : )

cucki said...

I really love this cute finish..it is so cute..
Filling up the stocking is always so much fun..
Love cucki x

Katy said...

Great tradition! And beautiful piece!

Unknown said...

Great story, and i like your stockings!

Hugs Yvon.

Vonna Pfeiffer said...

St. Nick...coming to our house too :) Soon!!!

Carol said...

I'm glad you finally got that pretty piece framed, Vickie--it looks so nice and I love the fact that you stitched it at age 19!

Mabel is looking "mighty purty" with her new haircut :)

Giovanna said...

That's a lovely piece, so sweet. Miss Mabel looks very smart in her new cut. Have a great week :-)

Janet P said...

Mabel is all spruced up and ready for Christmas. It's great you can still surprise your husband. I hope you are ok. x

Margaret said...

You have a lovely tradition with the stockings -- so cool that your mom still stuffs yours! Love all the stockings, and the piece you stitched before you were married. Love Mabel's new haircut too -- she looks so pretty!

Gray Bonnet said...

Hi puppy!:)

That is such a great idea that you keep a list of all the ornaments. I'm going to have to write that down somewhere!

It's so wonderful that you have a cross-stitched piece from when you and your husband were dating! Makes me wish I were more of a finisher!:)

butterfly said...

Beautiful stitching you did at 19.
Lovely stockings . I always hang up a stocking or two.
Mabel looks a real sweetie. hugs.

Poussy Stitches My Love said...

c'est tellement beau ! et le chien quel beauté ! bisous à tous !

Annette-California said...

Such a beauty from the past. December sampler is very sweet and pretty Vickie. Looks new:) Love your family's stockings. We do the same here every year - stockings are filled and opened Christmas Day.
I have to go hang them today:) love Annette

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Vickie,
You do a fantastic job on Mable. I love that name-it was my grandmother's name on my Dad's side. I couldn't groom a dog. I love Mable. I always wanted a silver poodle, but all of mine have been apricots. Pierre does have a little silver on him, but it doesn't show in the pictures.
Good job !!!
Marilyn

Dani - tkdchick said...

That piece you stitched when you were 19 is so adorable!

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Thanks for taking part, love the cute picture and the story behind it.

Your stockings are great, they actually look alot like the ones my sons have.

Unknown said...

Your picture is absolutely gorgeous and certainly deserves pride of place in your home.

Love your stocking tradition and the idea of giving them an ornament each year.

Anne said...

What a lovely gift you gave to your husband! It's so sweet and you did a wonderful job with framing! I love your St. Nick tradition of filling the stockings on the 5th with an ornament. I bet your children have a lovely collection already. Too bad about the Ernie ornament breaking :(. Little Miss Mabel looks darling with her new haircut!

Hugs

gracie said...

Very nice!

Maggee said...

Hello! What a nice blog post about traditions! Your piece that your stitched 'a while' ago looks great! And Miss Mabel is just lovely! You did a great job! My granddogs always look great after getting groomed. One is a silver like Mabel and one is apricot--both males tho! HUgs!

Minnie said...

A beautiful story for your adorable stitched piece. I'm glad your were able to frame it and have it on display. Look forward to seeing the kid's ornaments all finished.

Nicola said...

That's so nice that Brian takes an interest in what you are stitching.

I enjoyed reading your post.

Siobhán said...

Mabel is adorable!

I loved reading your post. That's great that your husband is supportive of your stitching. Mine is, too, and I am so thankful. I love your St. Nicholas Day tradition! How fun. We did that when we lived in the US but I have kind of forgotten about it since moving here. What a great idea about the list for ornaments, too. My kids are 22 & 18 now and I need to figure out what ornaments are done for the kids, etc. Eek. I've really fallen down on that--time to get with it! ;) You've really inspired me!

Chris said...

So great to see your early stitching! Isn't is wonderful to have it framed and up on the wall to be enjoyed?
I love the tradition for your kids too.
Hugs to you and Mabel!

Catherine said...

Aawww...sweet !abel looks all perfectly coifed!
Loved reading about your tradition, aren't Christmas traditions the best!
How fun that you finally framed that piece and surprised your husband.

New York State Of Mind said...

Hi Vickie,
I love all the work you do on here. I wanted to tell you that I didn't what to put on my blog is that my vet thinks that Pierre may have been stolen by the previous owner from the first owner. She can't prove it, but you just don't get a dog trained like this one from anywhere. The lady I got Pierre from didn't have papers-said she lost them. I went down and got his dog license in my name-so he is mine now. He was born in North Carolina, so I told him that is why God made it in the 60's today-he wanted it warm on Pierre's Birthday. LOL
Marilyn

Anonymous said...

Vickie,
What a cute finish and story. Thank you for sharing your family stories with us. It is true Families are Forever!

DJH said...

Hi! You have been awarded the Liebster Blog Award. You can view it at http://sometimesiamnotnice.blogspot.com/

Kathy A. said...

Sweet sentiment behind your choice. And I love the row of stockings. So different and so special each and every one.

Parsley said...

What a lovely piece! You stitched it so long ago but it shows such skill! I bet you are an 'expert' now, huh?

Love that sweet pup and her new doo.

Wendy said...

your stitching is wonderful, how lovely that you kept it all these years.

Wendy said...

your stitching is wonderful, how lovely that you kept it all these years.

Meari said...

It is so neat that you still have your stocking from childhood... and that your mom still fills it!

Melanie said...

It's a very sweet piece and I think it's great that you kept it all these years. Still holds up! :)

I adore the idea of stocking stuffers - wee little treats and bits and bobs that you pick up here and there while shopping? Fun to come up with! Sadly, men do not seem to get this concept so my stocking is woefully thin every year. Lol He goes for the big stuff instead. :)

Rachel said...

What a sweet piece...and I love the story!

Topcho said...

Gogreous stitching, and I love the story behind it <3