It's been a few days since my last post and quite a bit has taken place. We were graced with our very first snow of the season on the first of December. There is nothing so peaceful as a muffled, hushed, silent day of snow. I eventually found myself nestled amongst blankets, stitching the day away. I haven't taken a photo of anything yet, as I have been working on various pieces. At some point I know I did step away just briefly, only to return and find this gentleman in my chair basking in what sunlight did peek through the window...dear, dear Duncan Winchester.
It wasn't just a few days before he and I took a stroll through our neighborhood, as the final autumn leaves blew all around us and dappled our path. We spent Thanksgiving with my family and celebrated our eldest son's 20th birthday. As we lit the candles on the cake I made for him we realized that the flames of the candles were the same color as the candles themselves. I had simply picked up what I could find and what a surprise they held.
The season has found me in the kitchen baking more salt dough ornaments, drying orange slices, and crafting various things for my mother. She handed me a mug with sweet dogs on it and asked me to work my magic with it for my sister and her husband. Their Boxer, Reef, had passed away a few months back and this was a little something to remind them of him. Reef was such a gentle soul. He left us a few months after Schatz, my parent's German Shepherd had passed away. I pray 2026 brings all of us peace. I have slowly been working on decorating our house a bit at a time. The tree had been up for a few weeks, but this past Sunday I trimmed it with the ornaments I have collected over the years.
Beth Twist of Heartstring Samplery released her Jingle Ball exclusives the other day and it was the first time I had the chance to see two of the pieces fully finished after I had stitched them for her. The first is "Hymns of Joy," the fourth in her series of Joyful Carols (she combines Christmas Carols with the word Joy and Quaker style motifs). The second piece is called "Moon Gazer" with the rabbit gazing up at the moon. I absolutely enjoy stitching for her. I cannot think of a piece of hers I have not loved. I also had a finish mid-November for a new shop in my hometown called "Sunflower Stitchery." The piece I stitched for Julie Dean's shop is called "Friends Who Count" by Dawn Friske of The Mindful Needle Designs. The linen is 40 count, but an absolute mystery as to who produces it and I used the called for Weeks Dye Works threads.
In closing, I'll share one of my favorite books for the holiday season. I purchased it when our boys were itty bitties from a catalog that sadly no longer exists called "Chinaberry." The catalog always had wonderful suggestions and their children's books were beautifully illustrated. You begin this book on St. Nicholas' Day (our eldest son chose Nicholas as his Confirmation name), the sixth of December and continues on until Christmas Day. You read just a bit each day which is fantastic for littles who tend to have short attention spans. It is just enough..."The Christmas Rose" by Sepp Bauer and illustrated by Else Wenz-Viëtor. It is a German book and includes the author's notes regarding Germany's celebrations of Christmas. Each evening we would follow St. Nikolaus and a group of animals help two children find the cure for what ails their sick father as they head north.
Until next time....
