Longwood Gardens

We had a great day yesterday at Longwood Gardens.  My niece and her daughter are here for a few days from Oregon and Carla, my niece, wanted to do something different so she ordered tickets for Longwood Gardens.  It was a blast!!

 Shirley, Carla and Jessi

 Bob, Me, Carla and Jessi 

 Carla and Jessi 

 Jessi, Carla and Shirley = Don't know why I took this picture

 Bob

 Carla & Jessi

 Shirley & Bob

 Carla and Jess

Carla and Jess being silly

 Carla & Jess

It was a fun day and I have never been to Longwood Gardens to see the lights at night so this was really fun and spending it with people I love was priceless.

Some Christmas Decorations

Someone  on Facebook asked to see a picture of my ornament tree so I took a picture of it as of today and then took some pictures of my Water Bench decorated for Christmas with Prairie Schooler Santa's, Beyer Kringles and Prairie Schooler - Button Up.  I love to decorate my house for any holiday.  I get so upset when people say "I don't waste my time decorating.  No one ever comes to see it".  I decorate for my enjoyment not because someone may come to see what I have done.  I will continue decorating as long as I am physically able.

My last finish of 2018

Designer:  Bent Creek

Project:  January Snows

Fabric:  16CT Country French Latte

If I had to do it over again I would have used

a darker fabric

Floss:  Gentle Arts & WDW

1st Stitch:  11/28/2018

Last Stitch:  12/10/2018

For:  Me 

 It will be displayed on my ornament

Tree for the month of January

January Snows was my 32nd finish for 2018.  I am currently working on the finishing for a Prairie Schooler Santa I stitched the other week but I am not planning on finishing it completely until 2019.

My plans for 2019 are to finish the months of the year I haven't stitched yet.  March, April, May and June are the months I have left.  I just ordered Bent Creek March and I have Lizzie Kate May and June.  Guess I will order Bent Creek April as I don't want them all by the same designer.   I plan on working on smalls on the weekends and larger projects during the week.  Lets see how that works out.  

I am currently stitching Arsenic & Old Lace and then I plan on stitching Prairie Schooler - May.  January is stitched and currently at Just Cross Stitch to be framed.  I'm only planning on stitching January and Mayas those are Bob's and my birth months.

Off to do some laundry and then this afternoon I plan on stitching a little and hopefully finishing the audio book I am listening to.  It is due back to the library in a few days and I don't want to have to borrow it again to finish listening to a few chapters.

Wishing you a Merry Christmas

Twas the Night before Christmas Poem

Make it Snow !

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads.
And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap.

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tinny reindeer.

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name!

"Now Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! On, Cupid! on, on Donner and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky.
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot.
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler, just opening his pack.

His eyes-how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow.

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath.
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly!

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself!
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread.

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings, then turned with a jerk.
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose!

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ‘ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night!"

Twas the Night before Christmas Poem
 

Clement Clarke Moore (1799 - 1863)

2018 Christmas Tree

Here is a picture of our tree this year.  It sure isn't the best tree we have ever had but it looks nice decorated.  We went to the same place as we went last year to cut down our tree and there was nothing we liked.  The tree would be beautiful for about 5.5 feet and then just all spikey.  So we went to a place where the trees were already cut and found this one.  Fortunately for us the tree had just been cut in the last couple of days.  Well according to the guy who was working there.

Susan relaxing beside the newly decorated tree.

$250 Cookies

Cathryn asked me for an explanation of $250  cookies.  Here is what I have heard.

The story is that a woman ordered these cookies for dessert at lunch at Niemen Marcus. She liked them so much and asked if they would share the recipe. They told her yes but it would cost 250. She thought they meant 2.50 so she took the recipe. She was told that she could not share the recipe which she agreed to. When she got her credit card bill the charge was $250.00. She called the store and wouldn't get ant satisfaction. So she started sharing the recipe with everyone. I don't know if this is true but the story had been going around for years.

Bent Creek - January Snows

Designer:  Bent Creek

Design:  January Snows

Fabric:  16CT Country French Latte

Floss:  Gentle Arts & WDW

1st Stitch:  11/28/2018

Last Stitch:  12/10/2018

For:  my ornament tree

This little tree decorated with many ornaments I have made

over the years us my great-niece, Emily's, tree in

Barcelona, Spain

Whipped Shortbreads

$250 cookies

Bob trying out the $250 cookies

Getting closer - he said they are good!!

My friend Susan is coming tomorrow and spending the weekend with us.  She lives in Western Virginia and was suppose to come this past weekend but they had a major snow storm so she decided it would be better to wait a week.  It is going to be a busy weekend.  She gets here tomorrow.  Friday morning we have to go get our Christmas tree and a tree for my sister.  Then we are going out to lunch with a woman we use to work with, Jackie.  Saturday we are either decorating the tree or Sue and I are going to Shady Maple gift shop as she needs to pick up a couple of Christmas presents.  Then Saturday night we are going out to dinner at Parc Bistro and then coming back here to exchange our Christmas presents.  Sunday we will decorate the tree if it didn't get done on Saturday and watch the Eagles lose.  Well they are playing the Rams and they are really good and the Eagles are really bad.  Monday we will go to Shady Maple if we didn't get there on Saturday.  Sue will leave early on Tuesday morning.

Next week I have to wrap Bob's presents and my sisters presents and then I will be ready for Christmas.

My progress on Arsenic and Old Lace

The top picture is my progress after about a week.

The second picture is my progress after 2 weeks.

I don't know why the fabric looks so different in these 2 pictures.  The 

color is somewhere in between the 2 pictures.

er

Arsenic and Old Lace by The Little Stitcher

I am also stitching on Bent Creek January Snows and should finish it tonight. Normally I only work on small designs on the weekend but I am so close to finish0mg this I'm not going to wait until next weekend.  I have about 6 cross stitches and 2 French Knots and it will be finished.

Only 15 more days until Christmas.  Can't believe how fast it is coming.  I am finished with my shopping .  I have some wrapping to do.  The house is all decorated except for the tree which we will get next weekend, well actually next Friday. I have baked 7 or 8 batches of cookies and have 2 more that I want to bake.  I have decided that this is the last year I am baking cookies.  If Bob wants cookies throughout the year I will bake a batch or 2 each month.  It won't be a variety but at least I won't have to do so many in a short time.  Wouldn't be so bad if he would help a little bit but he says he will help and then never comes into the kitchen while I am baking.

Susan was suppose to come up for the weekend on Thursday but they were getting a boatload of snow yesterday so she postponed coming until this coming Thursday.  We have dinner reservations for Parc Bistro in Skippack for Saturday night.  Bob and I have been there before but I don't remember much about it.  

2 more Christmas ornaments stitched

I've stitched two Christmas ornaments in the last two weeks.  I guess they will be for 2019 since I don't need anymore for this year.  I haven't FFO's them and I don't have any plans for doing so just yet.

Designer:  Country Cottage Needleworks

Project:  Merry Merry

Fabric:  16CT Plantium

Floss:  Classic Colorworks & DMC

1st Stitch:  11/13/2018

Last Stitch:  11/19/2018

This was a fun little stitch

For:  I don't know yet

Designer:  Prairie Schooler

Project:  I call it Santa - there is no name on the little card

Fabric:  16CT Coffee/Tea Dyed 

I stained it myself

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  11/24/2018

Last Stitch:  11/26/2018

I love these quick little stitches

For:  I don't know yet

I have made some plans for 2019.  My plan is to stitch on a large project on weeknights and then on weekends stitch on small projects.  That way I can have progress on both my main project and get my ornaments and other smalls finished.  Since I have 9-10 Christmas ornaments I stitch every year and I have some monthly designs I want to finish (January, March, April, May, and June)

I am currently stitching Arsenic and Old Lace designed by The Little Stitcher.  Something I saw a few years ago and since Bob likes the movie I thought I would stitch it for him.  I also started Bent Creek's January Snows Snapper on Wednesday at Just Cross Stitch Wednesday morning  stitch group.  While I was pulling the ornaments for December/January ornament tree I discovered I already have a January ornament for the tree.  It's OK I like the Bent Creek one better.

I'm starting to get ready for Christmas.  My shopping is done (I think) except for one thing for Bob.  Cards are all written out.  Packages ready to be mailed.  Now to decorate.  Sue is coming on Thursday 12/6 for a few days so I need to get her presents wrapped.  I've baked 2 batches of cookies and have plans for several more.  I want to get the house decorated and then after Sue leaves on 12/10 or so I will work on the cookies.  Tomorrow I will get my Christmas dishes out.

Well I am going out to lunch with the employees from Ridge Support Technologies so I need to go change my clothes and get on the road.

Till next time.

LHN Farmhouse Christmas all finished

LHN - Farmhouse Christmas - Farm Folks

All 9 completely finished and ready to display

Little House of Needleworks - Farmhouse Christmas - Ba Ba Black Sheep

All ready to join the other Farmhouse Christmas pillows.  One more to put the finishing touches on and then I will be finished with this series.  I don't plan on ding any more series like this anytime soon.  I know the bow is wonky but nothing I do makes it look right.

Little House of Needleworks

Farmhouse Christmas

Ba Ba Black Sheep

Two more ornament finised

I spent the afternoon finishing this afternoon while I watched the Penn State v Rutgers game.  Yeah Penn State.  I completely finished two ornaments and still have some work to do to finish the last 2 LHN Farmhouse Christmas ornaments.  I am hoping once I finish the last 2 Farmhouse Christmas I am finished finishing for the year.

This is a design I received in a Christmas card for 

Christmas 2017 from Leslie a friend from KY Kross Stitchers,

an internet group I belong to.

Designer:  Blueladie Designs

Chart:  Merry Christmas

Fabric:  16CT Antique White

Floss:  DMC

1st Stitch:  1/01/2018

Last Stitch:  11/12/2018

Finished into an ornament 11/17/2018

For:  ?

Lizzie Kate - Give Thanks

Lizzie Kate designed this freebie and posted it on her blog last week.  It stitched up really fast and I made it into a no-sew cube.  Love it.

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Chart:  Give Thanks

a freebie from her blog

Fabric: 18CT Antique White

Floss:  WDW

First Stitch:  11/09/2018

Last Stitch:  11/10/2018

For:  Me

I have3 more FFO's

I finished these three yesterday.

Little House of Needleworks

Farmhouse Christmas

Cock-a-doodoe-do

Lizzie Kate

Our First Christmas

for Matt and Jason

The badk of Our First Christmas

Prairie Schooler

Snow Day

From January Sampler

LHN - Farmhouse Christmas - Horsin' Around

Another FFO

Little House of Needleworks

Farmhouse Christmas

Lil' Red Barn

Two more FFO's

The Prairie Schooler

Button Up

This is an OOP chart that someone on a FB group let me borrow.

Thank you Dixie I have wanted to stitch this for years.

Framed by Carolyn DeLong from Just Cross Stitch in Limerick, PA

She is the best.

Little House of Needleworks

Farmhouse Christmas

Dairy Darlin