Stitching and Yummies

Hi friends! Thank you for your sweet compliments. You cheer me on. Thank you for your prayers and well wishes. You lift me up.

I can finally share my last finish of 2014 with you. It was a birthday gift for sweet Anne.  If you follow Anne, you will know that her and Lee are expecting their first child this spring. What a true blessing from God! I wanted to make up something special to commemorate this.I chose Family Pyn Pillow by Jeannette Douglas Designs. This pattern can be found in the JCS 2013 Christmas Ornaments Issue.

So frustrating! I must have deleted the closeups I took of this lovely ornament. I have "borrowed" Anne's picture from her blog. I used 4 of the recommended DMC flosses. I used Nancy's Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Hand Dyed Floss for the 3 remaining colors. I stitched this 2over2 on32ct lambswool linen. I finished this as a flat ornament.

I have had a request for the Challah recipe. Challah is a special Jewish braided bread eaten on Sabbath and holidays. I have been using this Jewish recipe for years, as it is adapted for the bread machine to make the dough.

Challah

warm water   1 cup
salt                2 3/4 teaspoons
sugar             1/3 cup
eggs, beaten  2
vegetable oil 1/2 cup
bread flour   4 1/4 to 4 3/4 cups
yeast             1 tablespoon

egg wash: 1 large egg & 1 yolk

Place ingredients in bread machine pan in order. Set machine for dough cycle and start.  When cycle is complete, remove dough to a floured surface and divide into 3 sections and then braid into a loaf. Grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place bread onto prepared baking sheet. Generously brush bread with egg wash (reserve remaining egg wash for later).  Place whole baking sheet into a large plastic bag.  Allow bread to rise 30 to 40 minutes or until almost doubled in size.  Brush again with reserved egg wash.  Preheat oven to 375º. Place bread in oven, and immediately reduce heat to 350º. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

Last week I baked more of the Grinch Cookies. I know Christmas is over and done, but the kids gobble these up! You roll these in powdered sugar before baking. I cannot seem to get them covered enough that more than only a bit lasts til after baking though.

Do you make chili? I make it fall through winter. I always bake garlic cheddar biscuits to go with it every time. I came up with my own chili recipe at least a dozen years ago. This is what my chili looks like.

Do you add noodles? What do you sprinkle on top? I sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese. =)

Finally, I must tell you I have one page of the six pages that make up the Theotokos pattern, completed!! That sounds weird after you have seen all my progress on that piece. The pattern pages lay out like this:
1  2
3  4
5  6
Well, I did not stitch them in numerical order. If you recall, I worked the outside border first. I have been slowly working my way around and in. So page six is finished! No updated picture today. Next time.

I hope you have a wonderful day my friends! I plan to. My pain is decreasing. I have a book on hold for me at the library. Yep! These are things to be thankful for. :)

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas my fellow Orthodox friends!

I did the finishing on Brian's ornament gift last week. Here it is out in the snow.

I read my first and second books of the year. Both by Ted Dekker. I read Hacker in 36 hours. :) An exciting read. Here is a little snippet for you: "Death isn't death. It's not the end because we aren't just our minds or our bodies. We're far more than just physical beings having a spiritual experience. We're spiritual beings having a temporary physical experience." He paused. "All I know is the reality that's beyond all of this transcends words and comprehension. The only way to grasp it is to let go of our own limited understanding."

Hacker is a modern-day parable that examines the staggering world around us-the seen and the unseen- and reminds us that there's far more to who we are than meets the eye.

The second book was a free,digital short story I had missed. It is a prequel to Mortal. This book was called The Keeper,from 2011. More good stuff. ;) Nope, you won't catch me complaining about Ted's writing. He has written 47 books. I have read 45. I am in the process of trying to acquire The Drummer Boy and The Promise: A Christmas Tale through our library. There is one librarian who works very hard to locate books for you from who-knows-where?!

This is what kept me busy Monday.

It's not easy being a poodle. Or the poodle's groomer. ;) Of course now that little 6 pound Henry is clipped, it is frigid outside. The high today will be -1º with a wind chill of -30º. blech.

Madeleine wrapped a tape measure around Henry's tiny front leg and got a width of 1.5 inches. He is so fragile.

I will be giving Mabel a haircut soon also.

Theotokos is coming along. Picture next time.

I have been baking chocolate chip cookies and breads.

Brian and I are off to Christmas Liturgy this morning. Then we will have a Christmas meal and fellowship in the church basement. I am wearing my long, red corduroy dress and sweater tights! ;)

Keep warm my friends! I thank you for stopping by. I love reading your comments and I appreciate you taking the time to leave one.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

The Last Two Finishes

Happy New Year friends! I took a short break from Theotokos to stitch up Brian's Christmas present. (No, this is not late! Our Orthodox Christmas is in 6 days. :) It is an ornament from this year's JCS Ornament Issue.

Home For Christmas by Gentle Pursuit Designs.

This was stitched on the recommended 40ct Light Examplar linen, two over two and a bit of over one also.

I used all the recommended DMC. I also used this.

This spool is approximately 20 years old. The pattern called for Kreinik very fine braid #4, but I just separated this silver thread apart. It is actually made of three thin threads. I stitched up the silver sections with one of these thin, silver threads. I like the delicate effect. It made me think of, and sing "silver white winters that melt into spring, these are a few of my favorite things." tee hee! It does not take much to make me sing The Sound of Music songs. ;)

So now I will make it up into an ornament and place it on the tree. Last night, after I placed the last stitch, I asked Brian how he liked it. He loves the trees the best. He wanted to know where this one is going. HA! Was he surprised when I said "Merry Christmas! It is yours! I made this for you."♥

The other finish I had last night was The Slumber of Christianity by Ted Dekker. It was the book I was reading and I wanted to finish it in 2014. This is a non-fiction book by Ted. A very good one. Here is an odd quote from the book: “The world’s bumper sticker reads: Life sucks, and then you die. Perhaps Christian bumper stickers should read: Life sucks, but then you find hope and you can’t wait to die.”

I have from the library the latest Ted book I did not read yet, Hacker. I will start it today! Can't wait. Ted has approximately 45 books. I have read 43. There are two more older ones I missed that I am going to try real hard to get through our library.

I read 40 books in 2014. I read 40 books in 2013 also. That's odd. :)

Isn't this sweet?

This is a PINK snowflake made just for me from dear Anne. The winter sun is shining on it very brightly, but I promise, this is pink. I already have a nice red one from her from last year too. :)

Here is where I am at on Theotokos.

I so wanted to take a picture of my 2014 orts for you out in the snow. It is so very odd. We have no snow. None.

Do you like my cast iron poodle bank? He is about 12 inches high. :) I will be putting these orts out for the birds to build beautiful, warm nests with them.

May God richly bless every minute of every day of this new year for you my friends!

Thank you for your friendship. I appreciate every single comment you leave me.

Stitching and reading and praying,
Vickie

The Top Five

Hi friends! I got my Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Issue a few days ago. I remember last year I posted my top five favorite designs. Why not show you my top five for this year's issue too?!

Home for Christmas by Gentle Pursuit Designs

Joy by Lindsay Lane Designs(1. above) and Faith by Nikyscreations (2. above)

Down Jinglepot Road by The Victoria Sampler-Designs by Cathy Jean

One More Stitch! by The Victoria Sampler (6. above)

The last one is my favorite. ;)

What are YOUR favorites from this year?

Reading and stitching and praying,
Vickie

I Did It! I DID IT! I DID IT!!!

Hi friends! I got it done! WHOOO HOOO! Take a look at these babies!

Yep! One. Two. Three. All three made it into the stockings for this morning, St. Nick's. We give the kids an ornament each year in their stockings. Not all are made by me. Each year the ornament has something to do with that year. Well we got Henry this year.♥ They have one for each of the dogs we have had.

I stitched each one of these on the same mystery light green 30 count linen. They are all OVER ONE. whew! That takes quite a while I must say. Especially when it is secret stitching and must be hidden a lot! But they were all surprised and happy. And yes, Jacob is 19, Emerson is 17 and Madeleine 15. So what?! My mom still gives us all St. Nick's stockings and I am 44!! I am NOT complaining. This is a tradition I plan to keep on with.♥ My mom has not given me ornaments. I just thought  that would be a real neat tradition for our children. And it is!! =)

I decided to add the date and a paw print on the backs. =) Look at that copper wire and some of the beads glow in the light. Neat! I decided to use the border and finishing instructions from monsterbubbles, Day One, found in the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2009 Issue.

A little inside story....... Henry's name before we renamed him when he came to us was Copper. The monsterbubbles ornament has 26 gauge copper wire used as the hanger.  ;)

Thank you all of my friends for your wonderful encouragement! You told me I could accomplish this on time! You were right! =)

I received this lovely Christmas card and Christmas tea from Michelle a while ago. Brian, Madeleine and I will be having the tea today. I made us wait until December. ;)

I may just finish up my Mary's Sampler today. We will see. I have so very little Christmas decorations in place. Those Henry ornaments have been all I have been doing. I need to get us ready for Christmas! Always something right?!

I have thanked God for you today friends! ♥

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

How About Some Henry?

Hi friends! Hope all is well in your world. Things are going pretty well around here. It is just cold outside.

I finished stitching the first of the Henry ornaments. I created little Henry in the center, but I used the 2009 JCS Ornament Issue for the border. This design is from monsterbubbles. It is called Day One. The pattern has a partridge in the center. It also has a huge pear in the upper left border. So I got out some graph paper and made the upper left corner of the pattern complete, without a pear. I also changed the dark pink to a pinkish red, and the pale pink to a peach. He may be little but he is a guy!!  I do believe I am moving Henry over to the right a few stitches on the next one.

I was flipping through the old issues of JCS Ornament Issues for ideas to finish off the Henries. I really liked the way this ornament looks. It has a cool finish to it too. You'll just have to dig out your old magazines OR wait til I get it done. ;)

I finished the little design I had planned for the other side of my snow globe. Here she is.

This sweet, little matryoshka is a freebie from Kissy-Cross. I stitched her one over one on  28ct white evenweave with DMC 815. And then I had the doh! moment. What a dope I am. She is 4 rows too high for the snow globe. =( I should have used 32ct. I thought I measured it out well.  That is classic for me. She will have to sit for a bit. I know how I would like to finish her now, but I must persist with the gift stitching. The other side of the snow globe will have to wait too for now.

Madeleine was sitting across from me the other evening at the table while I stitched the matryoshka. Madeleine was eating potato chips. THAT got Henry's interest. ;)

tee hee! He normally is laying flat out on my lap while I stitch. A lot easier to stitch without a little head in the way. ;)

I did finish House by Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti last week. Pretty good story. Got to say this is the first one of Ted's that I had figured out. That has NEVER happened before. Maybe because he didn't write it alone? Not saying Frank Peretti writes poorly. I enjoy his books also, but Ted is THE best!

Have a stitchtastic weekend my friends.♥ Thanks for your kind words.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

Holy, Holy, Holy

Good Morning friends! This is the other little stitch I was up to last weekend.

This great little pattern can be found in the JCS 2011 Christmas Ornaments Issue. It is called Holy, Holy, Holy by Summer House Stitche Workes. I stitched it one over one on 32ct mystery linen. I really like the colors.
I showed it to you with Emerson's Kairos necklace. This is a Jerusalem Cross.

Sometimes you just have to say, "Wait a minute!!!", and then you stitch something totally and completely for yourself! That's what I did here. I had plans of making up a snow globe for myself LAST year. Well, since I need a night time project to stitch in front of the kids(remember I am stitching up Henries during the day time?), I told myself this wouldn't take long and I was not going to wait another winter!!

I have other gifts to make up, yes. But, hey sometimes I want SOMETHING for me too! ;) So here it is in the snow globe all finished up.

Every time I look at it, guess what goes through my head? Yup!
Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity!

I started stitching up another small design for the other side. This pattern has nothing to do with the first. I didn't think it has to, since they are on opposite sides. A little variety. ;)

Jo recently asked what my favorite top five designs from the JCS Christmas Ornaments Issue are. So here ya go, in the order they appear in the magazine.

Peace by Blackbird Designs

Ewe-le Tide Greetings by Mosey 'n Me

Baby Cardinal by The Victoria Sampler-Designs by Cathy Jean

Not Even a Mouse by Little by Little Design Co.

The Golden Circle by Gentle Pursuit Designs

That was fun Jo! She got the idea from fellow bloggers. What are YOUR favorites from this ornament issue? =)

Well, off to stitch Henry #2. Wanna see Henry #1?

one over one on pale green 30ct linen

Sorry the picture is a bit washed out, I took it in the bright afternoon light streaming through the window. I think the second and third ones will stitch up faster, since I was tweaking my design and my colors as I went with this. I used six different shades of apricot for this little squirt. ;) I am pleased with how he turned out.♥

Have a wonderful, stitchtastic day my friends! Thanks for your kind words.

Stitching and praying,
Vickie

"Do you guys have any treats? They are putting me on a diet here! Help!!"

My Latest Work That Made Me Mental

Good morning my friends! So glad you are here. =) I have been working on a small piece for a few weeks now. It is from the JCS 2012 Christmas Ornament Issue. It is by Charlotte's Web Needlework, and it is called First Star. Death Star crossed my mind a few times during it's creation. ;)   A little Star Wars humor for you.

It calls for being stitched over two on 28ct Amsterdam Blue Cashel. I used my mystery blue 32ct. OVER ONE! Yup! Gotta say I love it, EXCEPT for the darn grey snow. It is supposed to be snow in the shadows, as the sun goes down.

  It is just a little too dark in my opinion. It is DMC 762. It was crazy how long it took me to stitch it really. I mean besides the delays due to busyness of the season and all that. Those backstitched trees over one on 32ct were actually fun to do. It was supposed to be a fawn, but, well, I haven't seen a fawn venture out on it's own. It is always near mama. I just like the look of a doe better.

I am noticing neither picture shows you the silver star well at all! Trust me, that is what is up there in the sky. I backed it with the same linen with the year and my initials. I used petite cluny lace. Now that part was not fun. It was difficult to get it done correctly with the sewing machine, so I hand sewed this little pillow together.

Peggy posted this:

I was one of her 5 to sign up. She found this Creative Pay It Forward here.

The first five of my friends to comment will receive a random gift from me sometime during the year...maybe something handcrafted, maybe a book, baked goodies, a surprise! Your gift will arrive whenever the mood strikes me without warning. Here's the only requirement: You have to post this on your blog as well and commit do doing the same for five of your friends. Please email me with your address if I don't already have it.

The first five people who leave a comment saying you are interested in joining me and who also posts about it on their blog will get a random gift me from me sometime during the year.  Sorry you must have a blog.

Want to spread a little kindness? =)  Leave me a comment and be one of the first five to do so! Remember,YOU HAVE TO TELL ME YOU WANT TO BE A PART OF THE CREATIVE PAY IT FORWARD, NOT JUST BE IN THE FIRST FIVE!

I finished reading Identity Book One of Eyes Wide Open by Ted Dekker. Fabulous read! Loved all of it. Cannot wait for more in this series. I am now going to start Illusion by Frank Peretti. Looks very good also. Two of my most favorite authors. Ever. ♥

Made two new recipes over the weekend. Lemon Sour Cream Bread and Cheddar Cheese Bread. Both for the bread machine. Hardly could tell it was lemon, but very good. A little too much cheese, but would make it again with less cheese.

 Here is Little Miss Mabel all snuggled up under Madeleine's quilt on her bed with her.♥

I hope you all have a beautiful day! It is going to be sunshiny and almost 50º today! Whoo hoo! 

Stitching and praying,

Vickie