A Pilgrim

  Today's finish is a little Pilgrim Gingerbread Person

A Little Ddracula

I finished this little Dracula Gingerbread Person.  I don't normally like Halloween things, but he is too cute!

A Football Player Finish

  The Football Player Gingerbread Person is finished!

A Fireman Finish

The Fireman Gingerbread Person is finished

Kinderfasching!

 On Saturday, the Mardi Gras Prince and Princess with two members of their Krew visited German School.  They delighted the children with stories of how Karnival is celebrated in Germany and give each of the students a pin.

 On Sunday, Prinz Wilhelm and Prinzessin Darlene and their entire entourage celebrated Kinderfasching with us, and helped in the crowing of the new Kinder Prinz and Kinder Prinzessin!

 



Prinz Will and Prinzessin Mary were so cute!  There's me behind them.  

I was honored to receive the Prinz's Orden (on the left) as well as both the Prinz's and Prinzessin's pin.  I also received the Rheinisher Verein's Orden (Mardi Gras Society honor on the right)!  I felt quite special.  These medallions are quite an honor to receive.  The one on the right has a beautiful  and lovely, detailed Chicago skyline!

Crazy January Challenge Day 19

The 19 start of my Crazy January Challenge, and quite possibly the last of the starts for this month.....well, we will see....

This is part 9 of the Linens and Threads Mystery Sampler from 2017.....yes I am a bit behind....but I am enjoying stitching this one.  In case you don't remember, this is stitch on 25 count vintage mocha lugana, over on fabric thread with 1 strand of Valdani floss.  The floss is from the Autumn Quaker set, and came with 12 colors.  I love the rich Autumn colors, and am enjoying this one.....can't wait to finish it.....someday!

Crazy January Challange Day 18

On Day 18, I had an unexpected day off, so I spent it stitching!  I started and almost finished Bent Creek's Pumpkin of leaves.

Crazy January Challange Day 17

On Day 17 I started the very last panel for the SamSarah perpetual calendar.  It's called Snow Day.

Crazy January Challenge Day 16

Are you getting tired of seeing all me new starts?   I would love to go back and get some of them finished, but I must press on!  Day 16 start is The Candy Corn of Mischief by Bent Creek.    I stitched the Flag of Stars last summer and really enjoyed it, so here is another one in that series.....

Crazy January Challenge Day 15

Day 15 I started stitching on the second to last panel for the SamSarah perpetual calendar.  This piece is called Presents!

Crazy January Challenge Day 14

On Day 14 I started the Embrace the Journey bag by Shepherd's Bush.  I made good progress on it, and can't wait to finish it.

I have made all the little bags that Shepherd's Bush have put out, I think.  They are really cute!

Crazy January Challenge Day 13

Day 13 is another Handblessing Design, Smyrna Snowflake Ornament.  I started and finished this one all in the same day.  I received this kit at our ANG Holiday party, and used the center motif for all of those canning jar lid ornaments I did for Christmas.

Crazy January Challenge Day 12

  On Day 12 I started The Leprechaun Gingerbread Person, the last of the series.  It was a busy day, and I didn't get as much stitching time as I wanted, but at least it is a start!

Crazy January Challenge Day 11

On Day 11 I started the Jester Gingerbread person, but I didn't get very far, I didn't have the color needed for the other side of the hat!

Will be heading out to rectify that shortly!

Crazy January Challange Day 10

On Day 10 I started stitching Gingerbread Person #10, but I am attacking this one differently.  I have started the previous 9 by starting at the bottom, and it was working great, but when I pulled out the charts for 10 - 12, I noticed that the bottoms of the charts were cut off, so rather than go to something else, I started at the top.  By the time I get  to the bottom, I should have the replacement charts.

Crazy January Challenge Day 9

  On Day 9 I started the Christmas Elf!  He is coming along nicely.

I received the last three charts in this series, but the bottom of each chart was cut off, so I have to wait for new charts before I stitch them.....or maybe I should start them at the top?  Hmmmmm....... I will have to give that some thought.

Crazy January Challenge Day 8

 On Day 8 I started this little Pilgrim gingerbread person.  Not as much stitching time that day, but he will be finished soon!

One More Christmas Gift

 Even though it was after Christmas, it is still appreciated!  Marguerite stitched and finished this Little House Needleworks ornament, it is so cute and will look great on my tree!

The package also contained some hot chocolate mix and some Pfeffernuess cookies!  I will be sure and have the hot chocolate   and cookies now!  I will not save them for next Christmas !

Crazy January Challenge Day 7

On Day 7 I started the Dracula Gingerbread person.  I am not a Halloween fan, but he sure is cute!

A Christmas Gift

For Christmas 2016 and 2017, John got me this wonderful hand lotion each year.  The first year he got it for me, it was one of Oprah's favorite things and he thought I would like it.  He was right, I loved it!  I do love Citrus scents and the lotion is wonderful!  It is hard to get in our area, and is quite expensive in my opinion.  Since I like it so much, he got me another one the following year.  This year before Christmas, he asked me how long a tube lasted, and I told him that if I am careful, I can make it last all year.

He spent New Year's in Colorado, with his nephew and family.  His nephew's wife, Amy, works for the company that makes this wonderful lotion.  With her help, this is what he had shipped to me this year.  128 ounces of the lotion!   A full gallon!  I think I am set for awhile!

Crazy January Challenge Day 6

On Day 6 I started stitching this football player.  I got quite a bit done, but he needs a head.

Crazy January Challenge Day 5 and Yet Another Finish

 On Day 5 I started the Fire Fighter Gingerbread Person.  Didn't have as much stitching time as I would have liked, but he has feet!

I did manage to finish the Uncle Sam Gingerbread Person, love the way he turned out!

A Baking Post

We interrupt our stitching to bring you some baking!  You may not know this, but I usually bake every Friday during the school year, so that I can bribe the staff at German school with some goodies.  It makes for a happy staff that stays year after year even though the little heathens might be driving them crazy.  This week I baked crinkle cookies.  This is itself isn't anything special but....I baked the chocolate crinkle cookies with the help of my new kitchen gadget.  I received this attachment for the Kitchenaid for Christmas from my children.  It is this great little gadget that weighs the ingredients and then sifts them into the mixer bowl.







I found the chocolate crinkle cookie recipe on you tube while I was watching videos on how to use  the attachment, and these cookies were on the video, so I just had to try out my new little gadget and make the cookies.  And while I was at it, I remembered a recipe for lemon crinkle cookies I wanted to try. 

My youngest and her family stopped by on Friday evening and felt the need to taste the cookies, and just loved them, especially the lemon cookies.  The German School staff unanimously agreed that they both turned out great!  All the taste testers agreed!

I will be making them again!

Crazy January Chalenge Day 4 and Another Finish!

 On Day 4 I worked on this cute little guy.  Not much left to finish him!














I also managed to finish the Day 3 piece.  I did the blue hat, not the green and I am happy with how he turned out.

Crazy January Challenge Day 3 and a Finish

On Day 3 I stitch this Cowboy Gingerbread Person.  Just need to add the hat, but the chart says to use this green.....I don't like the green, so I think I will change it to the blue.  What do you think?

I also managed to finish the Day 1 piece.  Isn't he cute?                           

Crazy January Challenge, Day 2

On Day two I stitched the 2nd design of the Gingerbread People.  It is also my first finish of 2019!  It was a good day!

Crazy January Challenge, Day 1

It's January again, and time for one of my favorite events:  The Crazy January Challenge!  I read about this many years ago on the Wagon Message board, and have tried to do this for myself  most years.  The idea is to start lots of things in January (as many as one each day) and then commit to finishing them all in the coming year.  I have a long list, so I hope to get at least 15 of them started, 19 would be ideal.

This year Day 1 was spent stitching on one of Handblessings Designs' gingerbread people freebies.

December Progress and January Goals, and the Year in Review

Considering how busy December usually is, I am happy with my stitching progress during the month.  I finished 3 models for Sue Hillis and all the ornaments for my children and grandchildren as well as one band on the mystery sampler.  I also put some stitches into my oldest WISP!  I am also happy to report that I stitched 318 days in a row!  I stitched 354 days of the year, so there were only 11 days that I did not stitch.   I stitched for 1494.75 hours, and finished 69 pieces, some small, some large, two massive!  This is the most hours I have stitched in a year, ever!   I started the year with a total of 9 works in progress, of which I finished 5.   I ended the year with 6 works in progress.   It was a difficult year, I lost my mother, took care of John after his fall from a ladder and two surgeries, sold my house and moved in with my father to keep an eye on him.  I still have some renovations to do to his house, and then I can finally finish unpacking!  I look ahead to lots of stitching time in the year to come, as well as some new challenging projects. 

December 2018

WISPS:
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler worked on it
Oveture II 

In Progress

Merry Bells #1 
Hardanger Heart 
Diamond City Lights
Linens and Threads part 8 finished
Merry Christmas Red Truck ornament finished
Wagon without tree  finished
Pink snowflake  finished
Green snowflake  finished
Blue snowflake  finished
Blue snowflake 2  finished
Blue snowflake 3 finished
Blue snowflake 4 finished
Light blue snowflake  finished
Light blue snowflake 2  finished
Light blue snowflake 3  finished
Light blue snowflake 4 finished
Light blue snowflake 5 finished
Red snowflake  finished

Crazy January / Maynia starts

1.       Truck with trailer
2.       #8 (perpetual calendar)
3.       #9 (perpetual calendar)
4.       Candy Corn #2
5.       Ambrosia Honey
6.       Scissors case
7.       May flower of the month
8.       June flower of the month
9.       July flower of the month
10.   French alphabet page
11.   Hardanger runner
12.   Hardanger ornament
13.   Snowman Heart
14.   Marnee Ritter Heart
15.   Gingerbread heart
16.   journey bag
17.   Snow Sampler
18.   Foxy Fob
19.   Candy Corn of Mischief
20.   Pumpkin of pumpkins
21.   Smyrna Snowflake Ornament #1
22.   12 Gingerbread People

Future New starts

Large Bargello Ball #2
Small Bargello Ball #2
Winds of Grace (6 of them)
Towmater x 2
Lightning McQueen x2
Cupcake ornaments:
                Logan
                Natalie
                Owen
                Peter
                Justin
                Nathan
Spring
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge

..............January 2019

WISPS:

Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

Merry Bells #1 
Hardanger Heart 
Diamond City Lights

Crazy January / Maynia starts

1.       Truck with trailer
2.       #8 (perpetual calendar)
3.       #9 (perpetual calendar)
4.       Candy Corn #2
5.       Ambrosia Honey
6.       Scissors case
7.       May flower of the month
8.       June flower of the month
9.       July flower of the month
10.   French alphabet page
11.   Hardanger runner
12.   Hardanger ornament
13.   Snowman Heart
14.   Marnee Ritter Heart
15.   Gingerbread heart
16.   journey bag
17.   Snow Sampler
18.   Foxy Fob
19.   Candy Corn of Mischief
20.   Pumpkin of pumpkins
21.   Smyrna Snowflake Ornament #1
22.   12 Gingerbread People

Future New starts

Large Bargello Ball #2
Small Bargello Ball #2
Winds of Grace (6 of them)
Towmater x 2
Lightning McQueen x2
Cupcake ornaments:
                Logan
                Natalie
                Owen
                Peter
                Justin
               Nathan
Spring
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Walking on Water’s Edge