Merry Christmas! and a Happy New Year - 2012 here we come!

Tomorrow.... tomorrow the cruise gals are coming over for a visit and maybe even a stitch or two! I am so looking forward to seeing them all since the cruise seems like just too long ago! What a wonderful time we had. Now that I have had time to breathe and relax, well, really I have been a designing fiend, but nevertheless, still have had more time than I did and I can sort through my memories and pictures and enjoy them. I am baking cookies, listening to some Christmas music with the fireplace TV station! But yes, it has been a productive November running into December for me and I am thrilled. It's been so fun to design! It always seems like things are simmering on the back burner but I never get to go forward, lots of ideas but no time to put them to paper. Thankfully I finally had time. But I did get up to Edmonton to help move my daughter to a different apt. quite close in to  the Whyte Ave area. After we had lugged many many boxes around - she is an English major and history minor - so books seem a prerequisite- we went to a lovely little place and had a very late dinner and shared a bottle of wine and talked and talked.  I collapsed on the "foamy" and slept like I have never before. She has a lovely dear little apt. and I am happy if she is happy. My other daughter got her dream job at Mount Royal University as a graphic designer, we are so pleased for her...... and then when Jeannette gets to design.... all is well.

Did want  want to wish you  all the vey best in the new year -2012! already! Hope all is well and that you are enjoying some of the Christmas activities and will have some time to relax between Christmas and New Years and get some stitching done!

Merry Christmas,

Jeannette

Home Sweet Home

How lovely to be home even though the weather is not stellar and even though there is the barest hint of snow on the ground, it is home.  I loved my time away to the eastern seaboard, there were some awesome events, and I loved it. Mystic, CT is such a wonderful charming port mixing the seadays of yore with the amenities of today in Mystic Village. Shopping was fun and the event by Stitcher's Hideaway was terrific. Sue did an awesome job and we all had a lovely time. Time flies when you are having fun and fun we did. Thank you stitchers for your thoughtful gifts and to be able to visit with you all made the weekend for me.

Dyeing to Stitch's retreat at the beach in Virginia Beach was the next event. Wow again! so nice to see you all and although the weather turned for a few days Tina and Teri of Shepherd's Bush and Theresa of Shakespeare's Peddlar and I did get out to enjoy some of the good days and walk out in the surf. Always so refreshing.  Thank you stitcher's for making it such a wonderful event and for some of your lovely gifts, they are sitting in my office enjoying a good spot!

Now I want to rearrange my office and clean up from the whirlwind year I have had, I can't seem to work in a big mess. When I used to work shift work and I would come on for night shift at 1100pm, I would have to clean the whole desk area first before I could do the stuff at the nursing station we had to do on nights. It seems I am no different now, have to tidy up to get to work on the next designs! It's clear the space, clear the mind or something like that. There must  be a special verse somewhere for that!

I have a couple of pictures to share, one of them is Kimberly Prater who sent in the JCS ornaments she did and they look just awesome! thanks Kim!

I have also added a free pattern in the free pattern page but it won't load the picture, so I am going to attempt to do so here and then you at least know what it looks like! The pdf file should still load from the  freebie pattern page. Enjoy! Okay I just checked and it is not, so bear with me and we will get it done! also I updated the link to the 2013 Hawaiian cruise, so check it out!

Off to the eastern Seaboard

How come is it that I always post just before I go? Why can't I do it when it is not on the wire? Sometimes some things just need a deadline, and maybe this is one of them. Celebration of Needlework was terrific. We had a wonderful time meeting midwest stitchers, and got to spend time with friends and isn't that happy hour great! I was grateful for Lindy at The Silver Needle and Pam at Olde Colonial whom were both on either side of me for the little things, they get to drive to these places and have stuff for set up which I always seem to lack. There is only so much one can ship from Canada!

Now it is on to the next thing, the event for Stitcher's Hideaway in Mystic, CT and see the fall colours! and then off to Virginia Beach for Dyeing to Stitch's retreat at the beach! I look forward to meeting you all if not for the first time then as old friends! What a treat.Remember to bring scissors, your hoop or stretcher bars or the like and lighting or magnification if you need it. It really does help make the stitching time so much more fun when you can see it and when you have your stuff! When I was in Montana a few weeks ago I stopped at Joann's because someone in my class in St. Charles had this ott light that you clipped on yourself, so of course I had to have one! It's very cool for travel, thanks Polly!

Arg! I still haven't posted the picture of My Story and My Storybook.... I am sorry I haven't done it. Here it is, enjoy. It is mostly because my desktop doesn't run photoshop very well, it needs more ram and if you hold your tongue right the picture might come up for you and then you can crop etc. but if you haven't , it won't load, yes I need a new computer!! as I have added more memory etc. and still no luck.

There are also the last three of the Garden Secrets Series to enjoy too, so we have 9 in total. Five Ladybugs, One Sunflower and Two Rabbits.

So happy stitching and look forward to seeing you soon, jeannette