Christmas Tidying's!!!

Hello friends! This month is flying by. I have a to do list in preparation for Christmas. Thank goodness I had put up the smaller tree "Candy & Gingerbread" when I did. Haven't put up our main tree yet and my stitcher's tree. Our son Nicholas celebrated his 24th birthday. Also ( holding my breath here and not sure if I should mention but WAY TO EXCITED) our son will graduate from college the end of this week. This week is his last finals. He has had us on pins and needles. He doesn't want us to even talk about it till his finals are over. WELL...... more on this later.... but I am so very very very very very excited for him.....

Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Blog has been drawing everyday winners for her 25 days of Christmas giveaways. An on the 9th day drawing - I WON!!! WOOHOO!!! I won a surprise and when I receive it I am saving it for Christmas morning to open. I think that the days which she has not drawn winners you can still leave a comment and have a chance to win still. So if you haven't been to her blog there's still time. Just be sure to scroll down on her posts to find the days she hasn't drawn winners yet! To shop her store on Ebay the link is HERE!

Okay moving on..... we had some unexpected bathroom repairs which turned out that we now have a new bathroom. A few days before Thanksgiving (oh good lord I didn't even cover Thanksgiving) it was brought to my attention that the flooring (linoleum) had a small bubble. Then after Thanksgiving it got to be a HUGE bubble. That was not good. I am not going to get into too many details but did you know there is whats called a ring underneath the toilet. The wax rings should be changed. If not then water leaks. YEP that's what happened. Turns out we had 3 layers of flooring. The most bottom one is the main wood floor, second floor is made of particle wood and thirdly your  most top floor. Our second flooring was all saturated. The most bottom floor was wet ( had heater on it all night to dry) but still the wood was hard and did not need to be replaced. Thank goodness. Now after 1 week of appts all has been repaired. Therefore -  we have a new bathroom. Very thankful but URG!!!!

All during this time of repairs, our son taking over the main table for his projects & photographs I managed to sneak in & take some photos all in between. Much to share....

 Hansel and Gretel FINISHED!!!! Haven't had  a chance yet to hunt for a frame.

OH MY GOODNESS!!! You may have seen on Lee's blog these gorgeous ornaments she made me for my Candy & Gingerbread tree. If you are now seeing them for the first time and would like to make some Lee posted how to make them HERE on her other blog "Other side of the mountain".
I absolutely melted when I opened them.  Lee's talent has no limitations. Honest to goodness everyday I have to touch them and make the tassels move to hear the beads clicking - LOL!!! They are so beautiful and fun!!! Thank you again from my heart Lee!!!

 Here they are on my tree. OH I almost forgot. Can you see the felt candy garland? I made it. I had some of the circles done but needed to make more of them. This was a project from about 5 - 6 years ago. I cut out the circles, used a blanket stitch, chose different colored threads on each felt circle. OH I cut out 2 same sized circles (1 1/2 inch) and stitched them together. After I made enough circles I strung them on one continuous Pearl #12 thread.

 After I had received the gorgeous ornaments from Lee,  a week or so later I get this in the mail from her. I am soooo blessed. She said she had started stitching the pulled thread piece before her eye surgery then had to stop. After she healed she stitched on this incredible gorgeous piece again and its my birthday gifts.  Oh yes I sure cried. The chart is Ellen Chester's "Elizabeth Wood" sampler. I can't wait to start this. Lee bought this in person from Ellen when she took a class from her earlier this year.

 I have never seen anything like this needlework before, let alone now I actually own a piece gifted to me by precious Lee! Thank you so very much Lee - you know I cherish all your needlework.

 Before Thanksgiving I received mail from my friend Hetti from the Netherlands. Hetti sent me a kit -  a design with roses to be stitched in memory of Nannie. The threads are scented of roses (DMC).  I was and still am so touched by her kindness. I am going to stitch/add Nannies name and Hetti's name and where it was sent from. I don't think the scented threads are sold here in the USA. Hetti said in her card that this was her sending me a bouquet of roses in Nannies memory. So loving. And Hetti also had a package & card for my Aunt! My Aunt received her package on Thanksgiving day. I had hosted dinner. I didn't get to take a photo of what Hetti made for her. It was a beautiful ornament & a blue delft tile bookmark. I will see if I can have my aunt take a photo so I can share with you.
Thank you Hetti for all your kindness!!!   Not only to me but also for my Aunt!!!

 Precious Miek sent me this beautiful Christmas card and gorgeous hand-dyed silk threads done by her. Miek is also from the Netherlands. Miek and Hetti are sisters. They now have an Etsy store and sell their silk threads and beautiful cross stitch designs. Thank you so much Miek!

Look what I got from Andrea and all the way from United Kingdom! I had been a very lucky recipient of Andrea's Christmas RAK. I love this snowman ornament she made. The name of the design is called "Frosty Snowflake" by Needle Bling Designs. It's already on my Candy tree:) And she also hand made this beautiful Christmas card. Thank you very much Andrea!

 Earlier this year Shirlee of  The Easily Influenced Stitcher and I had decided to have a Christmas exchange.   During our flooring repairs I was feeling a bit upset & down (yes about a bit of everything, missing Nannie & my mom) and a box arrived for me. When I opened it I cried!!
Talk about feeling loved. WOW WOW WOW!!! I contacted Shirlee right away and thanked her so much for such an abundance of love she sent me and asked if she wouldn't mind if I could open her gifts on Christmas morning. Of course she said yes. I assured her that her ornament will be displayed and left up all year round. Oh yes as soon as I get my stitcher's tree back up it stays up - LOL!!!
Thank you Thank you Shirlee!!!

 My one and only sister, who I say is my #1 and favorite sister -LOL hand knitted me this lovely candy colored scarf. Yep it compliments our Candy & gingerbread tree. How lucky I am!

 The yarn is from Hobby Lobby. I've been wearing it, it's so soft and warm. I love it!!

Thank you sweet sister!

And she also made me this.. Isn't it darling....and she even stitched on 18ct adia which she said she would NOT stitch on anything higher than 14ct - LOL. Bless her heart!
Hope your enjoying the holidays and are getting some stitching done - LOL!!!
Always with my love and Appreciation - Annette