On the 13th day of December - Advent Calendar Blog Hop

Lucky 13!

Firstly – Seasons Greetings to you all, new and old friends.  Welcome to day 13 of the Christmas 2020 Advent Blog Hop so generously hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.

What a calamitous year we have had.  Here in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, we are now coming out of 7 months of Covid Lockdown.  As I do not have school-age children and remained gainfully employed during the whole time, the lockdown did not have a seemingly full-on impact to my daily life.  As the lockdown has lifted, I realise how little I really socialised, but now can enjoy those little things like going out to a restaurant or take part in Scouting activities at a hall. 

Christmas here in Melbourne is often celebrated with friends and family outside with cold drinks and salads, as it often quite warm and full of sunshine!  So much different than the northern hemisphere.

I’ll share with you a quick Christmas Stitch I have made this past week and one of my favourite Christmas Tablecloth squares. 

This is a Lizzie Kate tiny ornament from 2002.  Found it amongst my pile of Christmas patterns that had been piled on the shelf next to where I’ve been stitching all year.  I guess I’ll be looking through that pile a little bit more critically during 2021.

The 2010 Tablecloth square is one of my favourites, as it represents the year my Dad spent Christmas with me.  The Jill Oxton pattern of a Santa Head is so intense, it took rather a lot longer to complete than it should have, but it looks great.  There are 5 different whites and pale greys in that beard alone.  You can see all the other years celebrated on this tablecloth on this page, with the story behind them all 

What is your favourite Christmas Book?    Goodness – I really could not think of anything past Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. 

It was such a traditional story and I am fortunate to have been gifted my Aunt’s collection of Dickens novels.  Of course, like so many more people, I now tend to look at a filmed version, and you would have to know that The Muppets version is my favourite.

Thank you for inspiring me to delve into the box of memories, as my Aunt’s collection of Dickens had been packed away and I needed to sort them out for this picture.  They are both very old, the frontispiece of the green one shows the date as 1879. 

I have not read these for many years, but the illustrations of these books, well over 100 years old are wonderful. 
Although, having gone down the lazy way of watching movies – the best version HAS to be the Muppets by far.  Check out THIS review of the costumes by Abby Cox – she is so fun to watch…

While I was delving into the box of treasures, I came across a small hand sized book of the poetry of Robert Burns, owned by my Grandfather, which he signed his name in 1918.  I found a verse which has inspired an idea for a sampler.  Something I’ll have to follow up in 2021.

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today and follow along with all the other bloggers on this 2020 Advent journey.

JCS Ornament Competition - 2015

Hello friends - would you like to help me achieve a year's worth of ornaments? Would you be interested to stitch along?
You DO need to have a copy of the 2014 JCS Christmas Ornament issue.
 

Between now and say 5th January, one ornament from a selected display is chosen by popular vote. You then have until 5th February to stitch and complete that ornament and show it off....
By the 5th of February- the next ornament from the ornie issue has been chosen.
This is an idea that I think in 2005 gave me oodles of ornaments ready and plenty more for my tree.
Have I confused you?
I Like most of these- which should I stitch in January?

As each ornie already has a number issued it makes it easy.

 

Leave your choice of top 3 in the comments and I'll announce the winner on Monday 5th after work.

 

If this takes off - I might even work out a competition prize for December 2015.

11-12-11 - It's time for the Decem-baaaaa Sheepie

Frantically stitching tonight - I've stitched so much today - left it until the last 2hours 10 minutes of 11-12-11 to start, stitch and finish my Decem-baa sheepie!

I made it with a minute to spare (although, due to a 5 minute phone call - the beads on the tree were stitched just after midnight - but it was all stitched in time!!!!

These three sheep take it through to 94 sheep for the year - do you think I can make it to 100  ???

I was very busy this afternoon - If my boss or my workmates are looking at my blog.........turn away NOW !!!

You've not shown interest before.......why start now?

......................  go on.....  

I don't want to spoil your surprise....

All clear?????

OK - I was putting the last stitch into this Map Wallet, when I realised that most people nowadays use GPS.  Talk about a blonde moment!  Well, I hope my boss likes this anyway - drafted my own pattern (read: make it up as I go along....)  I'm really pleased how this turned out - I hope he can use it anyway.

And for somebody who's name begins with 'S' - While I was stitching this small sheepie design, I had always intended to finish it off as a tote-bag.  Once again, drafting my own pattern (read: as above..) I made this little bag up and I'm so pleased with it.  It is fully lined, with a small pocket inside, as well as the pocket on the outside with the sheep panel.  It's well and truly top-stitched and not likely to fall apart in a hurry.

Another project went flying - it wasn't working out at all well, the weight of the fabric was annoying me, so I've shelved that project for another time - I'll rescue the fabric and use it on something else.

Next, I grabbed some ornaments that were finished last year (or the year before) and got them ready to hand sew some embellishements on to be hung from the tree.

A very busy stitchity Sunday.  How are your stitching plans going for December???

A Boxing Day finish!

This is my 50th finish for the year - and my 16th and last Ornie for 2008.

It is Peace Tree, buy Praiseworthy Stitches from the 2007 ornie issue.

I didn't have the beads specified, but used sequins dangling from beads for the sparkly bits and a strand of white beeds with blue/purple bugle beads. The silver star at the top has no shank and is tied on.

I didn't sign this one in stitching -or date it - that way I can pass it on next year for any exchange.

In the meantime, it will live in my ornament bowl, along with all the other ornies from my tree, where I keep Christmas in my loungeroom all year.

This is my ornament tree - because the boys don't want to have my stitched ornies hanging from the tree. There are several ornies from exchanges, but the majority are ornies I've stitched for myself.

I'm looking forward to next year, when there will be even more ornies on the tree.

I trust you and yours will have a safe holiday season. I look forward to meeting more of you in 2009.