Finally I'm in the mood for some Christmas stitching although it looks like anything but Christmas outside at the moment. It's a beautiful November day. The leaves have all dropped but the grass is still green and it's bright and sunny. Mr. Blue Jay has stopped by at our feeder numerous times this morning. There are lots of other things I should be doing but the day is young and I'll have plenty of time for them later. The need to stitch is waxing strong at the moment.
My new Christmas start I have to share is one by Jardin Prive called simply Christmas. (I've been trying to figure out how to add the french accent on the word Prive but I've had no luck!). I got started at this one yesterday afternoon and already I'm frogging. I've made a slight error on the word Noel but it's nothing major and shouldn't take much time to fix. DMC 3865 is the recommended floss for all the white bits in the pattern but I'm using a slightly lighter shade of linen and found it really wasn't standing out all that well. So I'm using B5200 instead. It's a fun stitch so far. I also paid for and downloaded the pdf for Jardin Prive Patchwork Hiver. I'm hoping to start this one after Christmas. 
And finally I have an update picture on Cast All Your Cares. This one is coming along slowly but surely. It's not a difficult piece but it's really not grabbing my interest all that much. Too much of one colour at a time I think. The picture really doesn't show up the colours all that well. The writing is a lovely shade of purple.
So that's it on the stitching front. I kitted up LHN Merry Skater ornament but only put in a few stitches and put it aside. I'll return to it later probably once my pumpkin stitch is complete. I also have to dig out the Christmas ornament I stitched for my granddaughter. It still has beads to be added to it and I haven't started stitching one for the youngest granddaughter yet. I have a funny feeling they won't be done in time for this year.
Besides stitching, today I have to drag out my winter clothing and put away the summer stuff. This should have been done weeks ago but I've been procrastinating and still haven't got around to it. I think it's always worse when you're bringing out the winter stuff as opposed to the summer attire. After all it just gives you an indication of what lies ahead. Could this be another reason why I dislike November so much?
This morning my DH dragged up all the boxes of sweaters and pants and left them for me in the spare bedroom to go through. Ugghh! I hate this job! It usually involves me trying on various pieces of clothing because my shape is never the same from one year to the next. Last year I'd lost some weight, this year I've gained some! I swear I'm going to start labelling the boxes as fat clothes and fatter clothes so I don't have to go through this each year. Maybe once I've finished work and don't have that stress factor in my life I can actually make a serious effort at losing weight and finally have a skinny box of clothes!!
Ah the joys of winter. On one hand you can look out and totally enjoy watching the birds as you stitch by the window then on the other hand there is always a DH who has other intentions for your time...Hummmm.
ReplyDeleteBe always in stitches.
Lynn, that "Christmas" pattern looks wonderful. And the other one that you bought as well. I'm just working on a very very small Heart-in-Hand "Winter Bird" and that Bent Creek "Cabin in the Woods". And of course the many other WIP's. I know what you mean about the clothes. Winter is not my favourite season. Too dark too early in the evening. Makes me want to hibernate. Hope you can make it on Tuesday. Lori R.
ReplyDeleteYour Cast All Your Cares is coming along well. The Kudzu really shows variation; mine not so much, so I was disappointed in it as well as the variations in the cross. But it's finished (yesterday) and ready to head to its final home tomorrow, and that's what matters! Happy Stitching!
ReplyDeleteHi there, I love the photo of the blue jay. They are a noisy bird but so beautiful. My hubby and I have had a lazy morning but we are on the move now. He is going out to pick up a dew groceries and I am going to stitch for a while. It will be an early dinner. He has to be up at 3:30 am for his job. Poor him! Talk to you soon. Have agood week end!
ReplyDeleteWhen I need a character like accents I find it written correctly somewhere and copy & paste ~ cheat...that's what I do!
ReplyDeleteYour WIPs look great. I'm jealous...I am exchange stitching and can't show WIP photos :(
You've got some nice projects going, Lynn! I really like that Christmas tree; it's hard to believe that the holidays will be here soon, isn't it. Great photo of the jay; we don't have that kind but rather a larger, darker one with no white or grey...just as noisy though!
ReplyDeleteI love Patchwork Hiver! And I know what you mean about never being the same shape year after year....
ReplyDeleteYour picture of the Blue Jay reminds me of one that sticks around my parents place. He sits on the patio outside the kitchen and puffs his feathers out, looks at you through the kitchen window and opens and closes his beak. He'll do it until we feed him peanuts! Once we set the peanuts on the railing, he will go through them, weighing them in his mouth and pick the heaviest ones first. Smart little guy he is!
I hope you had a good weekend!
Your Blue Jay visitor is so handsome, Lynn. That is reminding me to get my bird feeder set up for the winter. I don't like November either--it is such a gray and sad month...
ReplyDeleteLove all of your newest WIPS, especially the Jardin Prive one. Good luck with re-organizing your wardrobe for winter this week :)
I like the Christmas starts !!
ReplyDeleteI clicked on the link to see the finished Jardin Prive Christmas and it looks stunning. I can't wait to watch yours grow. Happy stitching.
ReplyDeleteHi Lynn,
ReplyDeleteNice picture of the Blue Jay at
your feeder. We don't get too
many Jays around here for some
reason. Which is just as well
really since they can make an
awful racket when they're
squabbling with one another.
I love your new Christmas project!
A nice alternative to Halloween
Quaker, eh? I love Jardin Prive's
designs too but don't have this
one ... yet! And when you figure
out how to add the accent in
Prive please let us know because
I don't know how it's done either.
You're right about those greens
in C'est L'Automne being rather
jarring together. Good luck
with the frogging and restitch-
ing of those annoying bits.
It is a pretty design though.
Cast All Your Cares might make
a good movie or TV show project
since you don't have to keep
switching thread colors. From
what I can see of the color in
your photo the purple used in
the lettering is gorgeous!!
I have my Winter clothes hanging
in one closet in one bedroom and
my Summer stuff hanging in
another closet in a second bed-
room. DH has the closet in our
bedroom for all of his clothes
... with room to spare. If I
had to switch out Summer clothes
to Winter ... packing and
unpacking ... I'd probably be
wearing shorts in January and
putting up with the frost bite.
Hope you have a great week Lynn!!
Cheers!
Some wonderful WIPs you have there. I do like the one with the Christmas tree on. Waiting on further progress. :)
ReplyDeleteFat clothes and fatter clothes... you crack me up!! I hate trying on clothes--I wish I could live in sweats. Or that being a large marge would come back in style. LOL
ReplyDeleteYour stitchy pics are wonderful! Nice progress.
Thanks for the pic of the blue jay. I know it sounds odd, but I miss seeing blue jays and cardinals SO much--they remind me of home.
Lynn as usual you've got some wonderful projects on the go!!!
ReplyDelete