WIP Wednesday 2-19-2020

I am working on a beaded project today.  This is a sampler of beaded stitches for my ANG Chapter.  Almost done!

Stitching Happily and then.......

I ran out of fibres!   I suppose I shouldn't complain as I won this kit at our ANG meeting a few months ago.....but darn it!

I really wanted to just start and complete it in one day, but as you can see, there weren't nearly enough fibres in the kit.  I did have the white and red ribbon at home, but not the blue and all the shops were closed since it was late afternoon on a Sunday.  And I have too much going on to take a run to any shop on Monday or Tuesday!

I have ordered the fibre and it will be here in a few days.....but darn, I hate waiting!

Happy Sunday!

Another Hospice Heart Finish

I finished my second Hospice Heart for this year.  I committed to 2, and now have them both finished.....but if the guild is short, I will stitch one or two more....

A shout out to Marguerite Harrington who designed this one!

WIP Wednesday 2-12-2020

Just started Circle of Hearts by Margaret Bendig.  I am doing the red hearts.  Didn't get too far, but it is a fun stitch!

Beaded Christmas Present Ornament Finish

Finished this beaded and stitched ornament late last night.  It was given to us at our Needlepoint guild Holiday Party, and we get credit for two beaded stitches for our yearly challenge.   It was designed by Handblessings Designs.  Ornamentification will happen at a later date.

First Hospice Heart of the Year

Our ANG Chapter (American Needlepoint Guild) is again doing this Hospice Heart project this year.  We stitch the hearts and they are distributed at a camp for children that have lost a parent or sibling to cancer.

I committed to at least 2 hearts this year, and this is the first one stitched.

Trying to Remember

Many, many years ago, my Oma taught me to crochet.  But she taught me in German, and never taught me to read a pattern.

I used to crochet a lot, when I was in high school, I made vests and hats, and sold them.  When the kids were little, I crochet them scarves every year to match their winter jackets.  Over time, I stopped crocheting.  Oma was gone, and I couldn't ask her questions anymore.

I was determined to try it again.  I tried picking up a pattern and some yarn, but I didn't get very far.  The pattern might as well have been written in Greek.....it was all Greek to me.  You Tube didn't help because I didn't know what to look up!

The local yarn shop had beginner classes, but they weren't offered when I was available, and the classes were rather expensive.  I saw an e-mail from 2 Needle Chicks that offered beginner crochet classes at a time that worked for me and they were rather inexpensive, too!  I had met the crochet teacher at the county fair last summer and liked her, so I thought I would give it a try.  I called and was told I was the first person to register, and they needed a minimum of 3 to hold the class.  I wasn't hopeful that two more people would sign up in the next day or two, but they did!  The class was now set!  I had my first class a few days ago, and my fingers remembered what to do once I saw Susan doing the stitches, and now I know what they are called in English!  

I sat down last night to practice, and my brain forgot!  But I read the notes, and looked at You tube and tried it again, and it worked.  I do find that I will have to practice a bit each day, and now the You Tube videos even made sense!   Another class later this week...…….

My New Roommates

House sitting for my son for a few days....the house comes with these two exciting fellows....

Murphy   and JoJo

Foxy Fob Finish!

And another WIP bites the dust!  (down to 13 now)   A beaded piece by Nancy Cucci that was taught at our Guild about a year ago, I think....could be longer.....

Final finishing will happen at a later date, once I figure out what I want to do with it.....ornament, scissors fob, something else?

This one is all beaded and was hard to work on holding the stretcher bars and picking up the beads, but since I got my Lowrey stand, stitching on canvas has been much easier!

WIP Wednesday 2-5-2020

It's Wednesday again, blogging buddies!  Today I am working on a beading project:  Foxy Fob by Nancy Cucci.  I started this one last May and it is high time it gets completed!

Second Finish of the Evening!

 Here is the square I finished last evening.  This makes the 5th finish of the year, and brings the number of WIPs down to 14!

Here are the 5 flowers that I have done so far.  Only 7 more to go!

A New Start and a Finish!

Our Chapter of EGA (Needle's Nest) is celebrating our 25th Anniversary this year.  We are stitching this band sampler, and will be receiving 1 part each month all year long.  Here is my part 1.

Super Bowl Sale Stash Shopping 02-02-2020

Today, I went to Welcome Stitchery with my friend Marguerite, for their annual Super Bowl Sale.  Met lots of friends and fellow stitchers at the shop and got a bag full of goodies!

If you have never been to Welcome Stitchery, you really should stop in!  Monica and her staff are very welcoming and will help you find lots of goodies you just can't live without!

oh...and Monica and her husband are hoping to retire so the shop is for sale.....we need someone to buy it so it stays open....

January Progress, February Goals

Three finishes last month!  and another WIP that is very nearly finished!  So right now, it brings the WIP count down to 15.  Hopefully, after the eye doctor appointment later this month, my eyes will be better, and I can stitch longer each day!  Stay tuned!

January 2020

WISPS:
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

Merry Bells #1 
Diamond City Lights
Butterfly banner   finished
Walking on Water’s Edge 
One Nation finished

Maynia Starts
1.       Stocking for Eleanor
2.       Fine Wine 
3.       Pumpkin Harvest 
4.       Sweet Watermelon 
5.       Photobooth 
6.       Candy Corn #2 finished
7.       Foxy Fob 
8.       May flower of the month worked on it
9.       Snow Sampler
10.   Hope of Spring 

Future New starts
Eileen’s new ornament
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
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Ambrosia Honey
Scissors case
June flower of the month
July flower of the month
French alphabet page
Hardanger ornament
Snowman Heart
Marnee Ritter Heart
Marnee Ritter Gold Heart
Gingerbread heart
Pretty Little Chicago
A Stitcher by Cherrywood designs
Twisted Band Sampler
Tree of Ornaments
Redwork heart
Flower patch
Hex Symbol 

WIP Wednesday 1-29-2020

Pulled out this WIP a few weeks ago, and want to continue stitching it until this square is done.  This is a free series by Ellen Maurer-Stroh, the flowers of the month.  I am currently working on May, Lilies of the Valley.

Royal Visitors at German School and a New Medal

This year, the Chicago Mardi Gras Organization has no Prinz or Princess, but....the national group; GAMGA (German American Mardi Gras Association) crowned a 
Prinz and Prinzessin last weekend in Las Vegas, and they happen to be local to us!   So they came for a visit to German School today!  The students love these visits and love to have this type of visit every year.

The Prinz and Princess passed out beads and Gummi Baerchen to every student!

I was honored to receive an Orden from the Prinz this year!  

And We Have a Finish.....

This evening I finished the Butterfly Banner by Nancy Cucci.  The final finishing will come at a later date.  I have done a number of her banners, and I know I will be doing at least one more next year, or maybe even later this year.  Once that one in finished, I will do the finishing on all of them at the same time.

WIP Wednesday 1-22-2020

Hi there blogging buddies!  I haven't done a WIP Wednesday in quite awhile, but I hope to rectify that and do regular Wednesday posts.

I did not do the Crazy January Challenge this year.  It is not that I didn't have things I wanted to start, but that I had a number of WIPs left from the last Maynia Challenge.  In total, I had 18 WIPs on January 1st, and I decided that was just a bit much for my comfort.

So....I am trying hard to reduce that number.  I finished two already and this one is near completion.

This is the Butterfly Banner by Nancy Cucci.  I just have the top square to complete as of today.  Look for a finish soon!

Another Finish

Tonight I finished the stitching on this Candy Corn ornament.  It is the second one I have done.  Ornamentifying will commence at a later date.  I am now down to 16 works in progress.

First Finish of the Year

One Nation by ByGone Stitches, stitched on 25 count blue Lugana over one fabric thread with one strand of floss.  Started July 4, 2019, finished January 6, 2020, 204 hours of stitching.  

January Goals and December Progress

December is always such a busy time of year, but I managed to get some stitching done too!  I finished all 54 of the snowflake ornaments!  I finished the Gingerbread Person Ornaments for the Grandchildren.  I made really good progress on One Nation...it is almost finished.

I decided not to do the Crazy January Challenge this year....I still have 10 starts from Maynia that I haven't finished, and having 18 works in progress is a bit out of my comfort zone at the moment.  I never had an issue with that before but in my old age it is making me twitch!

That is not to say I won't have any new starts...on the contrary, I have a number of them I want to start soon, but I feel I need to put in some on my WIPs.

Edited to add:  I have managed to stitch every single day of 2019!   Every. single. day.   That makes 682 days in a row!  (since February 18, 2018)

January 2020 Goals

WISPS:
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

Merry Bells #1 
Diamond City Lights
Butterfly banner  
Walking on Water’s Edge 
One Nation

Maynia Starts
1.       Stocking for Eleanor
2.       Fine Wine 
3.       Pumpkin Harvest 
4.       Sweet Watermelon 
5.       Photobooth 
6.       Candy Corn #2
7.       Foxy Fob 
8.       May flower of the month
9.       Snow Sampler
10.   Hope of Spring 

Future New starts
Eileen’s new ornament
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
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Ambrosia Honey
Scissors case
June flower of the month
July flower of the month
French alphabet page
Hardanger ornament
Snowman Heart
Marnee Ritter Heart
Marnee Ritter Gold Heart
Gingerbread heart
Pretty Little Chicago
A Stitcher by Cherrywood designs
Twisted Band Sampler
Tree of Ornaments
Redwork heart
Flower patch
Hex Symbol 

Happy New Year!

Christmas Ornaments for the Grandchildren

 Here are this year's ornaments:  a hockey player for Peter

A Ballerina (in pink) for Natalie.

    A Baseball player for Logan

A Cook for Justin

 

And a Drummer Boy for Owen.

Merry Christmas

 From my house to yours...…May you spend this Christmas season with the ones you love!

  I am blessed to have all of my children and grandchildren home for Christmas!  This is my littlest guy helping me with my tree.  He took the job very seriously, and made sure all the ornaments that he likes are right at his eye level!














He lives the farthest away, so I don't get to see him as often as I would like, so I am especially blessed to spend this time with him.  He and Mom and Dad didn't make it home for Thanksgiving, so I was very happy to have them all home.

4. Sunday of Advent

3. Sunday of Advent

2. Sunday of Advent

Super Secret Project Revealed!

 Here they are!  54 snowflake ornaments finished inside of canning rings!  These were a gift to the members of the Needle's Nest EGA Chapter, where I am currently the outgoing president.

And here are the ladies and gentlemen at our annual Holiday Party!  What a great looking group!

October Progress, November Goals

The only thing I worked on in November was my super secret project.  It will be reveled tomorrow so check back!

December 2019

WISPS:
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress

Merry Bells #1 
Diamond City Lights
Butterfly banner  
Walking on Water’s Edge 
One Nation
Snowflake oraments

Maynia Starts
1.       Stocking for Eleanor
2.       Fine Wine 
3.       Pumpkin Harvest 
4.       Sweet Watermelon 
5.       Photobooth 
6.       Candy Corn #2
7.       Foxy Fob 
8.       May flower of the month
9.       Snow Sampler
10.   Hope of Spring 

Future New starts
Eileen’s new ornament
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
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Ambrosia Honey
Scissors case
June flower of the month
July flower of the month
French alphabet page
Hardanger ornament
Snowman Heart
Marnee Ritter Heart
Marnee Ritter Gold Heart
Gingerbread heart
Pretty Little Chicago
A Stitcher by Cherrywood designs
Twisted Band Sampler
Tree of Ornaments
Redwork heart
Flower patch
Hex Symbol 

First Sunday of Advent

The 5th Season Has Begun!

At the 11th minute of the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year, Karnival or Fasching (also known as Mardi Gras) begins.  All over Germany, Karnival Prince and Princesses are crowned.   During this "5th season", which lasts until Ash Wednesday, lots of fun events happen.  During these events, some of the "common folk" are honored for their work and participation by receiving special medals, or in German "Orden".  Once having received one, you MUST wear it to every event and activity, or you have to buy the Prinz a bottle of Snaps!  I received this year's Orden quite early in the season, so I have to be sure and keep it with me at all times lest I have to buy lots of bottles of snaps.




Over the course of the years, I have received quite a few of these medals.  They are quite pretty and I have been displaying them on the wall.  I now need a bigger wall.                                                        

Happy 94th Birthday Dad!

Today we celebrated my father's 94th birthday!  I baked this big cake....I actually tripled the recipe, making 3 layers in 1/2 sheet cake pans.  It turned out great, as did the celebration!






Here is Dad with my oldest grandson, his oldest great grandson!  He enjoyed the celebration.

WIP Wednesday 11-6-2019

No pictures, and I can't even tell you what I am working on.  It is a super secret stitching project.  I am making good progress.  In fact, I am more than 1/2 done...….

October Progess, November Goals

October is over, and only two more months left in 2019!  I worked on One Nation a lot, less than two pages left to go!  I also finished 3 small models for Sue Hillis, and started and made good progress on a super secret project.  I won't bore you with a long list....it really hasn't changed!

And just like that, it was over!

I was lucky enough to spend the weekend at a stitching retreat with 58 of my closest friends!  This was our view as we stitched, and laughed, and talked, and shopped, and ate, and drank wine......but it was over too soon!  See you all again next year!

One More Model Stitching Finish

Finished up the last of the Sue Hillis models I have been asked to stitch.  This was isn't big, but lots of color changes, shading and backstitching.  It is very cute!

Another Quick Model Stitching Finish

Second little model stitching finish this week.  This chart will also be in the Home for the Harvest leaflet, soon to be released.

Plum Cake, Version #9

In my quest for the perfect plum cake, I have now baked version #9.  It is with Quark and oil dough.  It was good, but the crust was drier that I want.  I will go back to baking powder in the dough.  Version #8 is the favorite so far.  Plum season is almost over, so we have to wait until next year for Version #10.....

Model Stitching Finish

I had to put One Nation aside to do some model stitching for Sue Hillis.  Her charts are always a delight to stitch!  This is the pie cart from the Home for the Harvest booklet.  It has not yet been released, but look for it soon!

WIP Wednesday 10-9-2019

Wednesday again, and this time I have 6 out of 8 pages done......

WIP Wednesday 10-2-2019

One Nation by ByGone Stitches, 5 out of 8 pages done!

September Progress, October Goals

I am not showing you the September Progress list because it is just like the October Goals list!  I just worked on One Nation all month long!

October 2019
WISPS:
Antique Map and Needlebook
Heirloom Christmas Sampler
Oveture II 

In Progress
Merry Bells #1 
Diamond City Lights
Butterfly banner   0
Walking on Water’s Edge 
One Nation worked on it

Maynia Starts
1.       Stocking for Eleanor
2.       Fine Wine 
3.       Pumpkin Harvest 
4.       Sweet Watermelon 
5.       Photobooth 
6.       Candy Corn #2
7.       Foxy Fob 
8.       May flower of the month
9.       Snow Sampler
10.   Hope of Spring 

Future New starts

Sue Hillis models
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
Summer
Winter
Crystal Violets
Peter’s stocking
Mark & Karen’s wedding sampler
Tony & Melissa’s wedding sampler
Carnival
Ambrosia Honey
Scissors case
June flower of the month
July flower of the month
French alphabet page
Hardanger ornament
Snowman Heart
Marnee Ritter Heart
Marnee Ritter Gold Heart
Gingerbread heart
Pretty Little Chicago
A Stitcher by Cherrywood designs
Twisted Band Sampler
Tree of Ornaments
Redwork heart
Flower patch
Hex Symbol