On Christmas day we had lunch with Paul and Margaret (and even managed to do some washing up, even though the planned departure (on M's orders) was between eating lunch and washing up - we sneakily helped out while M sorted out puddings). We arrived at my parent's just as they were having after lunch coffee and mints - they'd had so much to eat they skipped proper dessert! The afternoon was spent playing games (Carcassonne was my favourite, and I have to add that I woun't recommend the Eggheads game, it was dull).
Father Christmas was very kind to us (especially given I'd had clothes from Margaret when we went shopping in November - which I wore on Christmas day - and mum and dad gave us both money towards the car...). I did especially well on the stash front - Ed got me a the TW Peacock Majesty kit and the chart for Legends of the Spellcasters as well as and 3 lace bobbins (I'll share a photo of those later). Michelle and Julian got me Pommeganates and Pears by Jeanette Douglas, complete with the fibre pack - I'd seen it on Dani's blog when she completed it and fell in love, so made a request!
My mum bought me an anchor winnie the pooh kit called Pooh and Eeyore (3rd one down on the page I've linked to) - I'll have to change the fabbie though - Anchor designed backstitch on Aida is a nightmare - I know Lindsay agrees! Mum also put a random assortment of DMC, Weeks and Crescent colours in my stocking, along with a pair of stork scissors.
While I was away I worked on Peacock Firescreen (no photo sorry), and since I've been back I've been working on Phoenix (not photographed that either). I was hoping for a 2008 finish on the xs at least, but the transition from grey flames to red phoenix is proving very slow going!! Oh well, I'll earmark it for my first finish of 2009!
But now Christmas has passed I can share some ornament finishes:
JBW designs Christmas Keepsakes II 'Reindeer' for Michelle and Julian. Stitched on a scrap of fabbie in Weeks and Crescent Colours.
2 motifs from 'A New Beginning' stitched on unidentifed leftover fabbie in Weeks, for my mum (green) and Margaret ('noel').
Snowflake freebie from the Floss Box, on leftover fabbie, in variagted DMC. For Jane, Keith and Molly Emma.
Another snowflake by the Floss Box. I stitched this in silk (can't remember what - I did it in the summer) and Mill Hill Beads. I think I sent it to my German penfriend Bianca, but to be honest I can't remember now... too many parcels. Maybe all the chocolate has eaten my brain???
Another Floss Box freebie. Well sort of. I had a tiny rectangular piece of fabbie left over, and took 2 of the snowflakes from 'like stars quietly falling', which filled the space perfectly. This one was for us, and is now on our tree!
Yet another Floss box freebie snowflake - can you tell I love them?? - I gave this one to Ed in his stocking. I did another for him, but seem to have forgotten to take a photo.
I saw this ornie on Gio's blog, and she kindly sent me the link to the pattern - thanks Gio! It's a freebie by the Drawn Thread called First Snow. I had the perfect piece of grey linen, and most of the right weeks colours in my stash, although some is done in DMC. This was my first piece with smyrna crosses on (the snowfalkes). I finished stitching it the week before Christmas, but didn't get chance to make it into an ornament yet.
JBW designs Christmas Keepsakes II 'mini motif tree' stitched on a scrap of fabbie in Weeks and Crescent Colours. I sent this to Sally for the UK stitchers BB exchange.
Finally I need to thank Karoline for the ornie she sent me for the UKBB exchange - I wasn't sure who'd made it for me (photo in previous post).
Gosh, that was a long post. I need to start thinking about my sum-up for 2008 - after all that ornament stitching I've lost track of how many things I've finished this year - and plans for 2009. I'd also like to make a new start tomorrow, but I'm not sure what... Right, of to do some stash diving...
