Mill Hill Santas finished

Just in time to put the ornaments away, I finished two Arctic Circle Santas--Nunavut Santa and Greenland Santa. 

I finished stitching Nunavut after um ... five years, started for Debbie's Crazy Ultimate January Challenge. I also want to correct my previous statement that the sable and pebble beads were in the same pack. The pebble beads were sort of gray-brown and I was using them as if they were two different beads because I can't read instructions. Once I realized my mistake I was too far along, so no sable beads appear in this piece. Oh well.

I finish-finished (um, glued on felt backing and cut out) Greenland Santa which I finished stitching in 2016. You all, there is some sadness in that craft room-cum-home office. A number of unfinished projects of all sorts. Now that I'm hanging out in there regularly (like many, I have been work from home since March 13) I'm feeling more compelled to get stuff done. I'll keep you updated about that vague goal.

Button Up Your Overcoat!

Hello, friends! Thank you for your encouraging words on my pathetic output of last year. You are a wonder.

Although the weather outside is frightful (Below zero in southeastern Pennsylvania? Crazy talk!), I haven't stitched quite as much as I might have sitting here bundled up on the couch like Bob Cratchit (stocking cap, scarf, fingerless gloves). I did continue to work on Nunavut Santa as promised. I think one more round ought to do it!

Speaking of ornaments, the tree is down and the little glitter lights that I love to watch in the afterwork hours (and dine by) have disappeared. I'll have to find another way to add some sparkle into these dark cold (cold cold cold) nights.

Stay warm; unless you're near the equator. And if you are, you might not want to mention it to people on the east coast of America right now.

Back to Stitching

Sunday is the traditional day of rest, and I rested the hell out of Sunday. Eventually, I also stitched. I worked on the Mill Hill Arctic Circles Santa, Nunavut Santa, the one with the polar bear. I started this for Debbie's Ultimate January Challenge back in 2015, but I made some good headway on this round. (You can see the start here.) He's almost starting to look like a bear! And I switched to color! I'll be happy to get back to this in the December rotation wherein I will try to finish ALL THE PROJECTS so that I can feel like I actually stitched this year.

Love that Dog

I took out Love Me, Love My Dog which hasn't seen much love since February 2011. The trouble with this hit and run one day stitching is that next time I pull it out, I will have to do as much thinking about this project as I did this time just to take a few stitches. I seem to have either lost or used up the blue grey floss for one of the dogs. So I moved to the chocolate lab, only to be completely perplexed by which color is which. I needed to confirm a few things with the DMC floss box. {Sigh} So only a few stitches. I should prioritize this one in the new year because it needs getting done. I started it for the 2011 Crazy January Challenge!

This sorry state of affairs is giving Miss Stella the vapors.

More Santas

This is one of the Starlight Santas by Sandra Cozzolino for Mill Hill. I have no idea when I started it; I found it in a bag of mostly finished Santas last January.

He now has the beginnings of a head. Unfortunately while I was working on his face, I seem to have lost the floss. It's got to be here someplace. I worked on it at home! (When I originally "refound" it, I had somehow lost the beads.) I think this piece doesn't want to be stitched*!

*There is also a distinct lack of that light green color which is used in most of the coat.

What Stitches We Can

I've never read Javier Marias, but I did find him absolutely fascinating last night. He talked about his books, but also about growing up in Franco's Spain. Very interesting. After the interview, we waited in line to have him sign the dude's book*. We got home with just enough time to walk the dog, stitch a handful of stitches, and go to bed. I know it only looks like one color, but there are two there. You can see proof if you click back to January 19, 2015.

*Tricia B, I saw your picture request after we were home. People were getting their photos taken but the dude was too shy to ask, and he's the fan.

Thin Red Line

I haven't worked on this one since I kicked off the Crazy January Challenge in honor of Debbie in 2015. But with meetings, dog walking, grocery shopping, and dinner preparation, I just didn't get that much time with it last night.

Unfortunately, I'm not going to get much done tonight either. The dude wanted to go see Javier Marias speak at the Free Library of Philadelphia tonight. I am accompanying him. Like now. See you tomorrow!

Greenland Santa Finis

Many of you had complete confidence that I would be able to complete Mill Hill's Greenland Santa. And we were right! Woo-hoo!

Not only did I complete my small with enough time to finish this, I started my next project--JABCo's Lovebird--with the "extra time!" Look for some incredible progress on that one. Of course, I started out rather weakly.

Okay, kids, keep on keeping on!

Greenland Santa, Nearly There

You might have thought you'd see a photo of my progress on Our Souls which was next up in the rotation. But I didn't stitch for three days (four, really) so it didn't see the light of day this month.

And that fourth day of not stitching means that I won't finish Greenland Santa in this round. So close! Just a few more beads in his boots and the ram. I love beading these things. So much!

It is time to move on to Cinnamon Stars, which is on this list because you chose it, so I am sure you don't want me to give up stitching on that just so I can finish this ornament. (And besides if I work really hard on my August small, I might have a spare day to return to this one.)

Finish Work

On Friday, I started a bit of cleaning in the craft room. I came across these Mill Hill Santas. I had chosen floss for hangers and felt for backing and it was all in a pile together, but that's as far as I'd gotten. I had a moment debating whether I should put it all away (boo!) or just finish it already. It went on the to-do list.

Last night, after Cookbook Club* and a quick tidy up, I flopped on the couch too tired to tackle her royal PITA, Mary's Stocking. Glue and scissors, somehow, I could handle. Now I have four new ornaments to add to the tree. Clockwise, from top left, Polar Santa - Glacier Santa; Woodland Santa - Frosty Santa; Olde Time Santa - Grandfather Frost (not Mill Hill); and Tropical Santa - Hawaiian Santa. As always, these are fun to stitch and easy to finish.

Looking at these, I realize how haphazardly I approach the sets. (I have all the MH kits, except Renaissance Santas, which just came out.) I've only stitched one Polar Santa, but two Woodland Santas, one Tropical Santa but 5/7 of the Olde Time Santas.** There are 19 Mill Hill sets.  I also have the first Yarn Tree series; some of the early Astor Place series, Bucilla series, and Janlynn series; one offs she did for magazines, and a couple of leaflets featuring her Nutcracker Santas from Imaginating. How does she do it?! (You can find a complete list through 2005 here.) (The Silver Needle has a comprehensive list--all available for sale--of the Mill Hill Santas after 2005.) (That's not clear. If you want a list after 2005, go there, but she has all--since 1998--for sale.)

Anyway, you know what I'll be stitching in my retirement!

*Sheila Lukins USA Cookbook, I made Lemon Zucchini Loaf and the dude made Laurie's Winter Lemon Ice Cream, which Lukins suggested to serve together, and oh.my.awesomesauce!

** Yarn Tree has several sets of the Olde Time Santas. Only the first series involved Sandra Cozzolino, even though she mostly designed the others (coughrippedoffcough) So they're the only ones I have. Except for the Santa Riding a Chicken from the second series. Because Santa. Riding a chicken!

Greenland Rotation

Slightly more sheep than there was in February, as projected.

Stella's having a bit of a time. She got her stitches out on Tuesday and has "resumed normal activities." Unfortunately, she is suffering from antibiotic belly (or that's what they're guessing). This has resulted in the dude and I being woken for bathroom breaks any time between midnight and five am. We aren't particularly good at well...much of anything when our sleep is interrupted this way. That's my story and I'm sticking with it!

Anyway, don't worry too much about the dog; she's getting probiotics and home-cooked food. She should be back to normal soon.

Hawaiian Santa

I finished Hawaiian Santa on Saturday morning!

 When I went to put him in the finishing pile I realized he'd have some company joining him on the tree this year. How did I lose track of these guys? They just need hangers, backing, and a couple of beards.

And when I was rooting around in the nearly-finished Santa bag, I found another one I'd started. This is Southern Cross Santa. Apparently it's very easy for me to lose track of things because I don't have the beads for this anymore either. (Don't worry, I'm sure I have something somewhere.) Not sure if I should slot him into Hawaiian Santa's spot or finish the ones I started last year first. No worries. I have two months to decide.

Round Five: Greenland Santa

I started Greenland Santa on January 2, 2015 as part of Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge. When I posted about him, I noted that I had yet to remove the dark grey stitching on the sweater, which had been stitched with the wrong color. Glad I wrote that somewhere because there are about 3,000,000 greys used in this piece and I never would have known.

When the rotation turned to Greenland Santa, he looked like this. Now don't get too overwhelmed by my progress...

LOL. I did skip stitching on in on Friday night in exchange for stamp night! I made some fun things.

 It's that time of year where I churn out masculine cards for the 9 of 11 boys and men in my family with birthdays before June. My plan is to stamp three each of four designs. This will make it easy for my BILs and their sons to get different cards (as well as the Sunday dinner crowd). (The extra card, if I play it right, can be a Father's Day card. So clever.)

For these, I was inspired by this card that I found on Pinterest. I didn't want it to be so patriotic, so I changed the colors to silver, island indigo, and gumball green. And then when I was combing through my friend's stamp collection, I found that phone booth and thought stamped in blue, it just might resemble a tardis (for my Whovian BIL). That's the only card of this set that will have the tardis.

The second card was a direct copy of another card found on Pinterest. (It was getting late.) Anyway, it's funny how you can be totally tapped out from lack of sleep and waking up in the total darkness, and still find a way to stamp with your friends until 11:00 pm!

On to my 2016 anniversary sampler... (I'll surprise you next time.)

Hawaiian Santa

Thank you for all your good wishes for my continued recovery. I am able to sleep on my side again, if I can remember not to push myself up with my elbow which has developed a spectacular bruise that, remarkably, goes all the way around my joint like a bullseye. I appreciate your sympathy and your advice. Now I know why so many newer homes have laundry rooms on the second floor! Anyway, I'm back to work and back to tidying up, if not carrying laundry to the basement!

Hawaiian Santa was next on my rotation. Unfortunately on Monday, with the weather turning so much colder, it was necessary for me to use my time sewing buttons on the dude's winter coat. Since that was also my first day back to work since December 23, I was a little sleepy and spent the rest of the night playing stupid computer games. I rebounded well on Tuesday and was able to put some time into beading the Santa. I will work on it tonight too, and I'm looking forward to that. I especially love beading these Santas because that means I'm in the home stretch! 

One Dog, Two Dog, Yellow Dog, Blue Dog

I guess that Crazy January knocked me out!

I have gathered up my stitches and photos and words and returned. Happily, I did keep stitching, and on the promised project, Love Me Love My Dog, a Mill Hill kit. I finished (except for beads) the yellow dog and started the grey dog. Below you can see the photo of the last time I worked on this in September of 2013.

I have been working on my birth samplers. Sissy sent a photo of Sugar Rea sitting up on her own. If I don't get these stitched and framed these kids are going to be off to college! Back to the coal mines...

Days 27 through 31

This last week of January flew by! Although I haven't had a chance to show you what I worked on Tuesday (or Wednesday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday!), I did manage to stitch five more patterns.

This is Christian's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush. I'm stitching it for Jersey. But I will say right now that if I cannot finish all four of this family's stockings, I will finish the stockings for the girls (even though I've stitched less on theirs at this point).

The last of the scheduled Mill Hill Santa starts, Lapland Santa. This one had six different browns in it. I think they do this on purpose so you can have a nervous breakdown when you are sorting the floss. Seriously. I worked on this while watching the last episode of Hinterlands. I hope when the second series airs in the UK this fall, we won't have to wait long to see it on this side of the Atlantic.

I am restitching Mary's Stocking for Sissy. It has to be done so her sock matches the rest of the family's. Honestly I stitched this so long ago the first time, that I don't think it will feel repetitive. 

These were stitched on Friday and Saturday for two special little twins. I think these will show up in my February rotation in the "new start" slot. Gotta get these done and in frames before the babies have their first birthday! I am stitching this on a 28-ct white Monaco with Belle Soie silks in Carnation.

My goals for this month were to start a new project every day (check), stitch every day (check), and finish a small (check). Not a bad outing.

February:

Week One: Love Me, Love My Dog (started CJC 2011)

Week Two: Oh, Baby

Week Three: Smalls project

Week Four: free stitch/craft

I hope to continue to work on my annual goals of stitching every day and finishing 12 projects for the year.

Okay, I'm way behind on commenting on your blogs and checking out the Grow Your Blog Party. Don't give up on me!