Happy, Blessed New Year!

Hi friends! I hope this New Year is a true blessing to you! I am hoping for excellent health.

I did it! I read the entire Holy Bible in 2015. I am so very glad I did it. I will do it again, just not this year. Brian and I do read from the Bible together daily as well. I WILL go back and read entire books from it again this year though. If you have never read the Holy Bible, I encourage you to do so. It is God's gift to us!

I would like to share with you a splendid gift I received from our friend Annette. Here is the beautiful card she sent me.

Here is the ornament she gave me all wrapped up still in splendid Annette-style. :)

The pattern  is called A Stitcher's Christmas, from the Purple Thread. I just adore it! Thank you Annette.

I received a surprise! Our friend Maria  sent me and the poodles gifts!

What a lovely Christmas card with European/English Robins! And a sweet ornament made for me by Maria. A few yummy poodles treats and candy canes. Last but not least, 4 sweet angels made by Maria's Little Miss. She made these guardian angels for the poodles, to protect them from harmful coyotes. Aww. THANK YOU SO MUCH LITTLE MISS! We hung one on Winky's cage (Madeleine's parakeet). The other three are hung up as well. I know our little poodles will be safe now! Thank you Maria. What a blessed, happy package I received. You and your daughter warmed our hearts.♥

Thank you my friends for stopping in today. I am so glad you did. I am so blessed to have made so many wonderful, special connections with many, many friends around the world!

Reading and praying,
Vickie

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Hi friends! I have been good for one week without stitching. I very much want to stitch, but I very much want to be out of pain in my shoulders and neck. I continue on with home exercises and stretches and pt twice a week.

This is the ornament I made our friend Michelle for Christmas.

I stitched this two over two on 32ct lambswool linen. The little bird pattern is a freebie you can find HERE.

The five of us are off shopping today. We are using our gift cards, and hoping to score great deals.

It is snowing! We finally got our first true snow storm this season.

Reading and baking and praying,
Vickie

Merry Christmas!

Hi friends! Star Wars! Woo hoo! Loved it!

I spotted this idea last week and could not resist. ;)

If  you would like to make your own Wookie Cookies click here. I used the Pillsbury Gingerbread Cookie Dough from the store.

Well we won't have a White Christmas. We will get a little snow soon though.

Have a Blessed Christmas my friends!

I am still being good. Three days without stitching. Don't know if I can make the two weeks without stitching as my physical therapist wants.

Reading and praying,
Vickie

The two boys are my physical therapy assistants.  Every evening when I head to the bedroom to do my stretches and exercises, they come along. ♥

Was The Pain Worth It? Yes, I Think So!

Hi friends! Are you ready?  Here is what you have been waiting for.

I have been wanting to stitch an antique floral pattern on a sweater for years. I saw this post by our friend Terri and told myself to stop putting it off. So I found myself a nice, black sweater on clearance for $9. Then I stitched up all my Christmas gifts. Once that was done, I searched Antique Pattern Library for the perfect floral pattern. This is the pattern I chose.

I used black broadcloth as a backing material. I basted on my broadcloth and waste canvas and away I went! Wow. Stitching on this sweater took a LOOOOONG time.

This was stitched with DMC.

I love it! I need to wear it to physical therapy, so my therapist Leigh can see what caused me all this pain. She told me I better wear this sweater A LOT! ;)

Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement my friends! I am now working on healing the pressure in my neck. I am getting there. I must be good for a while. I did not stitch at all yesterday or today. Let's see how long I can make it. ;)

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!" -Psalm 103:1

Baking and praying,
Vickie

Gifts For Friends

Hi friends! I am almost, almost done with my big project. I will be back very soon with that. Today I wanted to show you a few gifts I made up for friends. The ladies were kind enough to let me post their pictures, as I forgot to take pictures!

Here is the ornament I made for our friend June.

I stitched this on 28ct black Zweigart  Quaker linen, one over one with DMC. These are lily of the valley. On black, I thought this looked super as a Christmas ornament. Especially for June, my fellow gardening friend. I found this black painted, wooden tag last year at Michael's I believe. You can find this freebie HERE.

Here is the ornament I made for our friend Jacquie.

I stitched this precious, little bird on 32ct lambswool linen, two over two with DMC. This pattern by Luli can be found HERE


Once again Brian has gifted me BEFORE Christmas, as always. This too is a true winner. This gift is really fantastic. Just take a look.

 Yes, I know I made this picture huge, but I wanted you all to see the awesome, pink poodle with his spiffy, green bow tie and his monocle. L♥VE.

That is it for today. I will not be back until I am done with this special project. Never fear, I am persevering through the neck pain and will be done very, very soon.

Stitching like mad and praying,
Vickie

She Is The Perfect Gift For Me

Hi friends! So I have many of you interested and intrigued by what I am stitching for Christmas, do I? Yes, this is a big project I have wanted to make myself for years. It is not a Christmas item. I was inspired by something a fellow blogger spied while out shopping this year. More mystery, hey? ;)


I have been asked to give more clues. Let's see...... There are 21 colors of DMC floss I am using. This is being stitched on black. It is a free pattern I found while searching and searching Antique Pattern Library. I have finished 9 more of the colors now. My Santa here will show the 10 colors that are done being stitched.

I am stitching as much as I can! It is hard with this busy time of year and only being able to stitch for 20 minutes at a time. And yes, the pain in my shoulder and neck is high from all the needlework, but soon, very, very soon I will be stitching waaaay less. I think. ;) My therapist said that I needed to decide if this additional pain was worth reaching my stitching goal. She said the nerve has not had time to relax and settle. It is staying aggravated. I told her it was worth it to me.

Our friend Nienke  has received the thank you gift I made her for the abundant gifts she recently sent me. I forgot to take a picture, so she graciously allowed me to use one of hers. I made her a little bird ornament.

This free pattern by Luli can be found right HERE. I used 32ct lambswool linen and stitched two over two with DMC.

Brian always, always gives me my gifts ahead of time. Birthdays, anniversaries, Christmas, all gifts. So he and Madeleine came home after school Monday with this for me.

Is she not fantastic?! L♥VE her! Mabel however is not so very impressed with her. ;)

Have you noticed our sweet Cucki is back?!  Thanks be to God. She had surgery on her back and the pain is greatly reduced. She is feeling much better. I am so very, very glad!

Thank you for your sweet comments and your friendship. I appreciate you!

Stitching like mad and praying,
Vickie

Gifts For The Tree

Hi friends! We still have mild weather. It was 60º yesterday!! Crazy, but I love it!

I was chosen as the recipient of our friend Michelle's giveaway. She knit a stocking, crocheted a tree, and stitched a reindeer! :)

You can also see the precious, little sheepie button. Thank you Michelle! These are hanging on our tree.

Dear Maija! Please look at your blog yourself to see all of my comments, since I do not think they come through to you in your email. 

Yesterday we went to my in-laws home for lunch with some extended family there as well. My BIL is home for Christmas from Cambridge, England. He is getting his PhD in Theology. We had a great time. We attended church with my BIL the other evening and will be with the in-laws again on Christmas Eve.

I am still stitching away at my special, big project. I need want this done for Christmas Eve!!! All I am telling thus far, is that I am stitching on black and 922 pictured below, is the only color I have completed stitching with.

 ha! Try to figure that out. NOT.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Christmas Memories

Hi friends! We are having the mildest December I ever remember in my life! It was 56º yesterday!!

I want to share with you a RAK I received from our friend Marsha. She sent me two fantastic pink fabrics for the Epic Pink Tumbler Quilt.

Thank you Marsha! I squealed when I opened this package. I truly love both of these. :)

We have a narrow Christmas tree. Since the children get an ornament from us each year, and we of course have many of our own also, there is no way they all fit on the tree. I decided many years ago that there will always be time in the future to put all of our ornaments on the tree. So I decorate the back of the tree with some of ours. The children each choose a side of the tree or the front. They work it out and take turns. ;) Murphy helped me trim the tree on Monday.

When he is not taking naps during the day, Murphy sticks by my side. Except for being very naughty for grooming, he is a sweet, old man.

Aren't these neat?

I was given this box of handmade clothes pin reindeer by Esther, an elderly woman from our church that I visited many years ago. Ernie, her husband made them. I loved visiting Esther and Ernie. They loved talking with me and enjoyed Madeleine. She was only a toddler back then. Ernie loved all things Christmas. After Ernie died, Esther gave me Ernie's reindeer. Precious.

Would you like to see the very first ornament my parents gave me as a baby?

And here is a special felt ornament. Brian's grandmother made this spotted elephant many years ago.

She gave us a bag of her ornaments many years ago, not long after we were married. She is in heaven now. It is quite special to own about one dozen of her creations and a few store bought ones also. Like this jolly, hologram Santa she gave us.

Let me show you a special ornament I cross stitched in honor of my father, the year after he died.

If you are not Polish, you probably do not know this is the Polish Eagle. My father was 100% Polish.

I am still stitching up my "special project" I hope to have done before Christmas.

My neck is in quite a bit of pain. I have constant pressure at the base of my neck, plus the tingling in my shoulder, sometimes going down my arm. Isn't this STUPID that I went to the Orthopedic Surgeon for wrist pain help, and after his exam and my initial physical therapy sessions my NECK is now killing me?!? I didn't have this trouble before. The therapist feels the nerves are all "jazzed up" from the thorough exam. I have new exercises to relieve the pain. They are kinda helping. Deep massage by the therapist continues. yuck. I am also limited to stitching for 20 minutes at one time. Then get up and do some of the exercises and do other things about the house before returning to stitching. I am working on correct posture and positioning while stitching too. Not much fun honestly.

Thank you so much for stopping in with me today. I appreciate every single one of your visits my friends. Your comments brighten my day.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Just look at this precious boy help Mom trim the tree. ♥

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Hi friends! The weather has been so mild here lately. In the 40's and even up in the 50's. Makes me wonder if this will NOT be a white Christmas. Most all of my Christmases have been white. How about you?

I received a Christmas RAK from our friend Andrea. Just look at this gorgeous card she made me. And the finishing on this adorable ornament is stupendous! Wow! Andrea, you really finish well my friend. So meticulous. Thank you!

Our friend Jacquie sent me a surprise. I knew she was sending out gifts, but as the poodles and I were recently treated by her, I never expected an envelope from her! Look at the sweet, adorable ornament she made for me.

Thank you Jacquie! This is my first Christmas pudding. :)

I also received a Christmas gift from our friend June. I was good and waited one week to open it. ha! Look at this Christmas card. I really, really, really like it. And I was all the more fascinated by it, when I turned it over and found out this was painted by a mouth artist!

This pattern June gave me looks so much like our Mabel! I love it!

Another pink fabric for the Epic Pink Tumbler Quilt! And a precious, little bird. Great color! ha! Thank you June!

I received a surprise in the mail this weekend from our friend Charlene. She and her husband were at an estate sale and she found these awesome napkins from the 40's or 50's. The woman's mother used them when the ladies came for tea and to play cards. Aren't these darling? Thank you Charlene!

I got all four Murphy ornaments completed last week. The kids all found them in their Christmas stockings.

I found the perfect fabric to back these with in my own stash. You may recall I made Madeleine and I pajama pants from this flannel last year. Well it looks like our Murphy. :) I even snapped a picture of it right on top of his back while he once again laid in my lap.

The house is mostly decorated for Christmas. I still have a bit to do.

I have been stitching up a big  project I have wanted to create for years. I wanted to accomplish that Quaker Ball for years and got that done this year. I am now trying hard to get this done before Christmas.  I will share with you soon.

I hope you have a really great week my friends! Thank you for stopping by. Are you singing along with the Christmas music? I am!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

2015 Online Advent Calendar

Hi friends! I am taking part in Jo's Online Advent Calendar

The theme for the Advent Calendar Blog Hop this year is: How do you celebrate Christmas Eve? 

Well ever since Brian and I started dating as teenagers, we celebrate Christmas Eve with his family. This has always worked out for us, since my family comes together and celebrates on Christmas morning. I have never not been home/at mom's for Christmas morning.

We have always gone to church together Christmas Eve, then home for a dinner together. At first we had Christmas Eve dinner at my in-laws. Once we began having children, they thought it easier for us to have the meal at our home. And it was. As of the last several years, now that two of our three children are adults and grandma and grandpa are up in years, it is easier on them if we do their home for the meal. No matter where the meal has been, we have a ham with mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, vegetables, and rolls. We have a different desert each year. 

When dinner is eaten, and dishes are done, we open presents together. This has always worked out well for us also, as we open our family gifts(and used to be Santa's gifts as well) on Christmas morning before heading off to my  mom's for another round!

Here is the ornament I stitched up for Brian last Christmas.

Two of our three kids watched A Charlie Brown Christmas this week.  What a classic! 50 years old!! Can you believe it?! Here is my very favorite part.

Have a wonderful weekend my friends! I will still be stitching. How about you?

Stitching and praying,

Vickie

♥

Hi friends! I want to share with you a special package I received from our friend Nienke. But first look at this sweet card she has made me. It is just precious!

Now I will show you her most generous,awesome gifts!

Linen and ribbon and floss, oh my! Two patterns! The LHN "Blessed" pattern is one I have wanted for years actually. I RARELY purchase patterns. At this time, the money is just not there. So what a blessing this is!!  There are three rustic, metal ornaments that Nienke also gifted me. I plan to stitch sweet patterns to insert into these forms. Thank you Nienke! ♥

You know how pets are. While you set things up for picture taking for the blog, they have to come investigate. Well Murphy came and sniffed all these gifts out, then promptly hopped in my lap.

I finally got in to that Orthopaedic Surgeon. Of course when you wait one month, the symptoms almost go away, right? Well, he brought the pain in my wrist back with the exam!!! And my neck hurts worse than before. After x-rays and the exam, he has decided I have tendonitis (in my lower forearm) and a pinched cervical nerve. He prescribed physical therapy. So I have begun pt again. I went back to the same therapist who helped me so much with my SI joint. Basically my shoulders are tight and drawn forward, pinching a nerve that runs down my arm. I have a strong feeling I am going to need to reposition myself while stitching. We will see what I learn.

I am in the process of assembling Murphy ornaments. I made 4 total. The kids will take their Christmas ornaments with them some day. I wanted a Murphy also!

Have a super weekend my friends!

Stitching and praying,
Vickie