Episode 25 Recent finishes and prepping for 2025

Hello!  Thanks for stopping by!  Show notes are below

Finished projects

Project Name: One Piece 

Stitch count: 9,049

Started: March 30, 2024

Finished: November 20, 2024

Designer/Source: Cross Stitch Bay on Etsy. Chart no longer available

DMC Floss: 310

Fabric: 14 Count Aida purchased at Walmart

Needle Size: 26

Making for my son. 

Previous update

My son was so surprised with this cross stitch, and thinks it's great. 

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Project Name: Bly Cardigan
Started: Sept. 3, 2024

Finished: Dec. 20, 2024

Designer/Source: www.Berroco.com

Yarn: My own handspun corriedale, purchased from paradise fibers

Colors: Grey

Needle size: U.S. 6 (4 m.m.) and U.S 7 (4.5 mm)

Previous update

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Project Name: Popcorn and cranberry crochet garland
Started: December 2024

Finished: December 2024

Designer/Source: Delia Creates

Yarn: Hobby Lobby "I love this chunky yarn"

Colors: White

Hook size: Size K (6.5 mm) and D (3.25 mm) for beads.

I purchased two skeins of yarn becuase I was unsure of how much I would need.  I wound up using half a skein for my size tree.  Beads were purchased on Amazon. 

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The porcupine box I gave my sister-in-law.

Project Name: Love and Prickles, #1 and #2
Started: Aug. 25, 2024

Finished: Fully finished December 2024

Designer/Source: LindyStitches.com

Floss: Called for DMC, B5200, 413, 3860, 415, 3816, 932, 21, except for 413. I used 415 for the face and quills, and 3799 for the body. 

Fabric: 18 count aida purchased from Hobby Lobby

Made For: Myself and my sister-in-law.

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Project Name: Sweatervest weather

Started: Oct. 30, 2024

Finished: Dec. 10, 2024 

Designer/Source: Lindy Stitches

DMC Floss: 434, 310, 801, 157, 22, 680, 3347, 3824, 316, 976, 435, 3346

Fabric: 32 count light taupe Lugana

Needle Size: 28

Previous update

Works in progress

Project Name: Blue stripe vanilla socks
Started: Oct. 31, 2024

Finished: 

Designer/Source: Vanilla sock pattern I use.

Yarn: Patons Kroy sock yarn

Colorway: Blue Raspberry

Colors: Blues and white

Needle size: U.S. 1, 2.5 mm

The above photo is what the sock looks like as of Jan. 4.  I forgot to take photos the day I recorded and kept knitting away.  I'm almost done! 

Previous update

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Another one where I forgot to take the photo the day I recorded and I finished the project. 

White Christmas 2022 ornaments - Snowman ornament

Started: Dec. 2, 2023Finished: Jan. 2, 2025

Designer/Source: Primrose Cottage stitches

Fabric: 14 count aida opalescent

DMC floss in called for colors

B5200, 310, 321, 435, 562, 722, 728, 761, 818, 898, 954, 3841

Needle Size: 26

Made For: Myself. 

Previous update

I kitted up a bunch of projects to start in the new year. 

Mother's Garden by Blackbird Designs

Bedelia Bunny by Artsy Housewife

Hope Song by Heartstring Samplery

One Stitch at a Time by La-D-Da

The SAL is being hosted in the Across the Pond - Stitch and Chat group on Facebook.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1354966635255405

Black-Bellied Whistling Duck Bird Crush Club Cross Stitch Pattern #2

Annabelle Shawl by Bag-O-Day Crochet

Other channels I mentioned during the episode. If you haven't heard of their channels you should check them out!

Redheaded Sticher

Jen's Fiber Web

Comfort Stitching

Ladybug Stitches

Disorderly Stitcher

Antique Needleworkers

Mudpuppy Stitchery

Shifting Roots

Gardening in Canada

Christmas and the next few days

 Christmas this year was a quiet one. As I got ready to write this I realized I didn't take any photos. Again. I felt bad for not taking photos at Thanksgiving. 

The last several Christmas holidays have been different.  At first, I thought this year felt different because of the weather.  The weather has not produced a typical white Christmas the last few years. 

A few days prior to Christmas we had some pretty snow ... 

The new holz hausen with the fresh layer of snow on it. 

Then the temps rose and the fluffy snow is now hard pack and rained on and ready to turn into an ice pack out there.  There has been no sun for a few days.  If there was sun, I know it would be bitter out there.  

Christmas feels different for a whole host of reasons, I've concluded. The biggest one, I think, is that my little man isn't so little anymore. He's a big boy now, and doesn't have the excitement for Christmas that he had three or four years ago. I'm wrapping my mind around this new insight and maybe mourning it a little bit. Back in November I asked him what he'd like for Christmas.  He said he couldn't think of anything. His needs are well-provided for, apparently.  Oh, that reminds me ... the cross stitch I was making for him.  He really liked it.  I got the "One Piece" done in time to give as a gift.  I'll share more about it when I record a flosstube/podcast.  

So, until the grand babies start showing up, Christmas's are going to be quiet, dignified affairs for just the three of us, except when there will be four or more of us because we have extended family celebrating with us.

Actually, Christmas Day I was not feeling my best.  When I started perking up yesterday I realized that I've been fighting off something. I've been feeling blah for a while.  It might have been stress, too.  Work has been kind of crazy the last several weeks. I've got a few things rolling around in my brain, and that doesn't help either. 

Christmas Eve my husband and I made one last trip to town, before the big day and I said "I need to get lights." When my mother-in-law passed away we inherited her Christmas angels. I think the lights worked the first year we had them.  Then they didn't.  It was okay, because where I had them I figured we didn't need the lights. 

Then this year I said "I have to get lights." Only I kept forgetting.  

Anywho, I finally remembered and took the angels apart to verify what bulbs I needed.  They called for bulbs that I was not expecting.  So glad I looked. 

They are beautiful. 

And yes, that's Furby up here, giving her stink eye with her good eye. Ha!

The last few days I've mainly bummed/puttered around the house. Still recovering from whatever.  The crafty bug has not been spending much time with me either.  Last week I finished my Bly cardigan (which will also be shared in my flosstube/podcast) and I only have a pair of vanilla socks on the needles.  I pulled a cross stitch piece out of hibernation and have been working on it, off and on. 

When I pulled "Christmas 2022" by Primrose Cottage out of hibernation it looked like this. 

After spending a few hours with it, it now looks like this:

The light blue on the background is kicking my butt right now.  I can't see the thread when there's just one leg on the cross done.

White Christmas 2022 ornaments

Started: Dec. 2, 2023

Finished: 

Designer/Source: Primrose Cottage stitches

Fabric: 14 count aida opalescent

DMC floss in called for colors

B5200, 310, 321, 435, 562, 722, 728, 761, 818, 898, 954, 3841

Needle Size: 26

Made For: Myself. 

I decided today was sort of a crafty retreat day. ... of sorts. I grabbed all the things that I wanted to get a start on in January.  Maybe. Okay, I kitted up a bunch of things and filled out the project cards for them, and scanned in any paper cross stitch charts so they can be imported in to Pattern Keeper. 

Yup, a mild mess.  This is also a bit of a preview of things I want to share about in my next video. 

One thing in particular I wanted to make sure was ready was the "One Stitch at a Time" cross stitch.

 There is a stitch-along for it in the Across the Pond -- Stitch and Chat group on the book of faces. 

Yeah, I know, I've said in the past that I'm an any kind of -along dropout.  This one looks like I might be able to keep up with it.  It's been broken down to 10 parts for 10 months. Fingers crossed and wish me luck! 

I'm still pondering what my next knitting project should be. 

The other day I saw this online and I thought it was so very sweet. 

That's been the last few days, in a glossed-over nutshell. We still have the wood project going.  Oh, wait.  We finished the first holz hausen. I didn't take a picture of it. (Story of my life!) All three of us worked on it.  Until my back decided it didn't like standing on the snow buildup around the log splitter and I had a fun flare up.  My body reminding me how old I am is not a fun thing. 

I have a grand plan of recording a video next week.  I would have done one today but I really wasn't organized enough to pull together snow now. There's a lot of stuff I wanted to pull together so I felt somewhat organized hobby and craft-wise, for starting the new year. No plans or goals. I made the point of doing that for this year and I think I jinxed myself.  So no more of that! This is reminding me that I should probably go through what I wrote down for 2024 goals, and update that.  

Until next time. ... stay safe! 

Christmas is just around the corner

I updated my tree. Just a wee bit.  Decided to go ahead and put some of my cross stitch ornaments on the tree.  To heck with them maybe being too big! 

This week I finally got my act together and got gifts wrapped and placed. Thanks to Amazon I have a few presents from family members that I wrapped up and I'm crossing my fingers I didn't label any incorrectly.  Wouldn't that be hilarious?

This week is a bit of a crazy one at work. We had a publishing day on Monday and I turned around and started working on the next issue because we gave ourselves an early deadline of this Friday to get out the Jan. 2 paper. 

Printer holiday schedule and the Christmas and New Year's holidays have made for a wicked early deadline this go around.  But you know what?  I think we need it.  So me and my coworkers and really enjoy the holidays and not have to worry about deadlines and publishing days. 

Over the past weekend the hubby and I decided to take advantage of the nice weather and cut, split and stacked some wood. 

There is a pretty decent dent on the wood pile already.  I want to say we took 12 row feet (is that even a thing?) from it already. 

Do you see that orange stick? We got a log roller tool and it's a real game-changer. 

We are around halfway done with the first holz hausen. 

The chickens came over, looking for tasty bugs.  

Yeah ... the girls know that tasty little morsels of protein can be found in some of the wood when it's split. We may have created a monster. Ha!

This day I opened up the coop run and the birds came out, with suspicion. 

Just wait until the snow gets really deep. 

Speaking of snow ... another clipper is set to go through the area tomorrow.  Currently the temperature is four degrees Fahrenheit (-16 Celcius) Tomorrow's temps should be fun. 

Oh look, what's soaking before being blocked? 

 All will be revealed, at some point in the near future. 

Snow is coming

 Snow is coming, or so *they* say.  I guess I'll believe it when I see it.  And maybe cry a little. Snow shouldn't happen until Thanksgiving, in my humble opinion. 

 "Where have you been?" you are probably asking.  Or not. 

Well, nothing to terribly exciting. Fall chores. Morning walks in the woods ... you know, the usual.  

I've woken up twice now to frosty mornings. 

Photos taken during one of my morning walks on one of the frosty days. 

I've had some beautiful morning walks.  The walking keeping me warmish, of course. 

You can't beat some of these sights. 

Yes, morning walks in the woods to collect/swap out SD cards for the game cams. The rut is on, but I haven't seen too much on the cameras.  I sat out last weekend and I didn't see anything but turkeys. 

So that was fun. 

The other big thing that has been going on is cutting, splitting and stacking wood.  

I can't believe the last time I wrote I didn't mention the wood delivery.  I think it was back in September my hubby said something like "Should we get a load of wood delivered?" I immediately said yes.  

Quite frankly I like the security of having plenty of wood for the winters. Yeah, it's work to get it prepared and ready to burn, and I might whine once or twice, but I know the work is worth it. 

This is the first year I've really shared the work load of loading the cut wood, splitting and stacking. I hate stacking.  I over think it when it's time for placing the wood in the round piles.  My husband doesn't mind it and he's pretty quick at it.  So we've got a system.  Cut and load wood in the trailer. Haul it to where we are stacking, and I split it.  Depending on where we are in the stacking cycle, I either help or I fill in the center.  It might sound convoluted while I'm explaining it, but it works.  We are tearing through the wood pile pretty quickly.  That may slow down now that the weather is starting to misbehave. 

One neat thing about splitting wood is seeing the interesting textures in the wood grains. 

This must be where a limb was.  I don't think I've ever seen such tight curling in the grain. 

This makes me think of staples of sheep's wool. 

This is the most recent wood pile we are working on.  I took the day off work yesterday and spent the morning splitting wood. 

A few weeks ago I took this video of myself.  Partly to get used to recording myself.  Which seems like a weird thing, all around.  BUUUUUTTTT ... if I'm going to get really comfortable making craft vlogs I figure I need to do what I can to get a good video presence, right? 

I also made the video on the off chance that it will help encourage someone who needs a bit of a nudge and a "Hey, you *can* do this," if "stinking thinking" might be holding them back from something they want to do, but were afraid to try. 

Fun things ... my son and his girlfriend carved pumpkins.  They turned out cute. 

After a few people sent me links to chickens carving pumpkins I decided to let my girls have a try at it.  It did not go as expected. Success in the end, however. Not to mention all the fun they had once they decided they were going to do it. 

There is something about seeing a toothless jack-o-lantern.

Yeah, those girls ... they sure know how to have fun and hold late night parties. Ha!

Last week I had a work thing to go to.  I wasn't really feeling it this go round, unfortunately for all those around me.  I was quiet and didn't speak much. 

I left the house around 6 a.m. and this is what it looked like most of the way. 

The sunrise was pretty.  I didn't dare try to take a photo. 

Thank goodness for knitting during the downtimes. 

Yup, that's my Bly Cardigan. I'm making slow progress. 

Let's see ... what else ... Oh yeah, the snow I alluded to in the title.  The weather people in my area are telling us we could have a snowy Halloween. As long as there isn't a Halloween blizzard like there was decades ago. 

I'm not really ready for the snow.  Am I ever fully ready?  No ... I keep thinking of things I should take care of and get done, out and about.  I've been watching videos of a gal who is living off grid in a camper up in Nova Scotia. The auto-played videos are of her dealing with the winter and I think it's sort of getting me ready for the idea of snow. One night one of her videos was of a snow storm and my hubby and I think it affected us subconsciously because we made a fire in the wood stove and then was too warm for the rest of the night. 

One of my Christmas cactus' started blooming.  Maybe it is a Thanksgiving cactus? 

Today I set it in front of the door and some of the babies came to the front door and one looked way too interested in it. 

Well, at the risk of making the blog entry *too* photo dense I suppose I better stop now.  I'm cautiously optimistic I will make a crafting vlog/floss tube this week.  I need to sit down and write some show notes because I have no idea what's going on. 

Oh, but I will leave you with this tidbit. Speaking of crafts and hobbies. 

Oh yeah.  One other thing.  If you look to the right side of the blog you will see you can now sign up to have blog posts sent to your inbox.  I used to have something on the blogher network, or something. Then it shut down and I've been keeping my eyes open for something to replace it.  Looks like blog posts get sent to you the next day.  If you don't mind the delay it works great.