A Few New Ornaments

Four ornament finishes since returning from our trip   : )

Designer:  Little House Needleworks

Design:  Cardinal Winter

Fabric:  Suggested 30 ct Cocoa linen

Floss:  Suggested DMC

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Flora McSample 2012 Ornaments

Fabric:  Suggested 28 ct Milk Chocolate linen

Floss:  Suggested DMC

Visiting London and Germany - A Condensed Tale

This post is going to be rather picture heavy so please bear with me   : ) 

Our flight began in Cincinnati with stops in Philadelphia and Zurich before arriving in London.  We then made our way via the train to St. Pancras station which was just a few steps away from our hotel.  St. Pancras station had several very long, very tall escalators.  About half way up one of these escalators John lost his footing and fell head over heels to the bottom.  It was quite scary!  I was trying to get to him but of course it was difficult to go down the escalator while it was still going up.  Thankfully it occurred to someone to press the stop button.  I honestly didn't expect John to be moving but I saw him lift his head.  Someone helped him up.  Amazingly he escaped with little more than a banged up knee and a wrist which was gashed but didn't bleed.  Someone had gone to fetch an attendant who came over to see if everything was okay.  He asked John if he wanted to fill out an accident report but he said no.  I was a little upset about this as I believed he should have filled one out in case problems occurred later (as it turns out his knee is still causing him problems), but I think he was quite embarrassed and just wanted to get out of there.  We made it to our hotel, the St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel, which was lovely.  Lots of amazing history there.  

The next day we made our way via the tube to Oxford and Regent Streets.  It was a very gray, very rainy day so it wasn't as much fun as it could have been.  I spotted a John Lewis store.  Someone on Instagram told me that John Lewis has cross stitch items.  They did!  I found these three little kits to bring home   : )

The following day (gray and rainy again) we met our tour manager and caught the Eurostar to Cologne where it was also gray and rainy.  We stayed at the Maritim Hotel which was very close to three of Cologne's five Christmas markets.  It was a gorgeous hotel!  I love that big bow made of lights!

This is a photo of the lobby when you come through the entrance.

This photo was taken from the fifth floor looking at that beautiful lighted bow   : )

And here is a photo from the opposite side of the hotel, looking toward the lobby.  That Christmas tree was nearly 5 stories high!

And look who was visiting the hotel!  Santa!  We became fast friends   : )

That evening we explored the two Christmas markets nearest the hotel.  These were not too far from Cologne's magnificient cathedral.  In fact, one of them was right next to the cathedral. This is shown in the last of the four photos below.  

The next two days (more rain) we explored the town and more of the Christmas markets.  We found the Angels Market which Edgar said was not to be missed and he was right.  All the markets had so many booths offering fun things to buy and good things to eat and drink.  I wanted to bring home at least one Gluhwein mug.  Gluhwein is a spiced wine.  Each market sells their own type of Gluhwein and their own special Gluhwein mug.  I couldn't have cared less about the spiced wine … I wanted one of those mugs!  I ended up with two mugs that I liked best.  One from the Angels Market …

… and one from the Cologne Cathedral Market.

The only other item we bought at the markets was a pound of delicious nougat.  We could have purchased many more things but getting them back home in one piece would have been a bit chancy.  I did, however, get a special package of Christmas teas from a department store called Karstadt   : )

Then it was back to London where we spent the night at a hotel near the airport and flew home the next day.  I had so much fun at Heathrow!  They actually had a satellite John Lewis store there and I bought these two delicious gingerbread cookies which are as big as my hands … and I have great big Herman Munster hands!

I also scored some British cross stitch magazines at a WHSmith shop   : )

And just before we left I spied this café created for people just like me!

We then got on our plane and flew to Copenhagen, then to Chicago, and then home where thankfully is was NOT raining   : )   We have been home for 2-1/2 weeks now and we are still exhausted, but all things considered it was a good trip filled with good memories   : )

Advent Calendar Blog Hop - Day 13

Welcome to Jo's whatever-number-it-is annual Advent Calendar Blog Hop!  Sorry Jo, I don't know how long you've been doing this, but it's been a while and we all love you for it   : )   After a much-too-long absence I am once again joining in, and my day is today, Day 13.

Jo's blog is Serendipitous Stitching.  I have linked to her 2018 Online Advent Calendar post and you will be able to connect to all the participants there.

Christmas is my favorite time of year.  In fact, I stitch Christmas things all year round!  I have a tree which I enjoy decorating with my own stitched ornaments and those that were gifted to me from my blogging friends, but alas, this year there is no tree, no decorations of any kind.  This was my decision for multiple reasons.  I will still cook good food on Christmas Eve … turkey and ham, stuffing, and potato salad.  I might make a pan of brownies and a bowl of Angels Delight as well.  I will make our traditional orange rolls on Christmas morning.  John and I will then spend a quiet day together eating and watching Christmas movies.  Next year we will have settled into a new home, life will be simpler, and I look forward to decorating then.  In the meantime I have no Christmas stitching on display that I can share with you, so I dug into my archives of past stitched ornament photos and decided to share the one below.  I stitched this little ornament a few years ago as a gift for someone.

Peace on Earth  - Pine Mountain Designs

Christmas, to me, is celebrating the birth or our precious Lord and Savior.  I recently learned that Christmas is celebrated this way by Christians in Germany.  December 6th, St. Nicholas Day, is the day when St. Nicholas brings gifts.  Christmas Day is the day you celebrate Jesus.  I like that custom   : )

This year Jo wants us to share our favorite Christmas song.  It has been really hard for me to pick just one as I love so many of them, but I decided to share the following song with you … Mary Did You Know.  The words are so beautiful and meaningful and they speak to the true meaning of Christmas.  I must admit that I cry without fail every time I hear it.  I hope you will enjoy it as well.  I wish you all a very happy and blessed Christmas!

  

Hmm Hmm Hmm, Hmm Hmm Hmm, Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm Hmm!

Subject line!  Do you know what I am cheerfully humming?  Yes, Jingle Bells!  It's cold!  It snowed a bit yesterday!  All is right with the world   : )

I've finished three more ornaments   : )   These are from The Prairie Schooler Book 202, Evergreen.  I would have stitched more of them if I had more of the 32 count sage Jobelan.  Does anyone know where I can find some?  I have been searching but have not had any luck.  I used the suggested DMC threads except I made a slight change on the snowman.  I used 900 for his nose and 976 for his broom.

  

I am now wanting to stitch more Prairie Schooler stuff   : )   I have a lot to choose from, but I have almost two dozen ornaments already kitted up so I will be good and postpone them until sometime next year.  I also have plans to stitch a couple more PS samplers.  Then of course there's all the other stuff I want to stitch.  I'm going to live for at least another 50 years, right?

John and I are going to be leaving the US in less than two weeks to visit the Christmas markets in Cologne and Wuppertal.  We will first spend 2 days in London, then take a train to Cologne.  When our time in Germany is done we will take the train back to London and then head home the following day.  I'm kind of freaking out … lol!  It seems there is so much to do before we leave and it's overwhelming me a bit.  I'd like to take some stitching with me but alas, I can't even see 28 count fabric, not to mention charts, without my magnifying light   : (   I will have to instead take something I can knit along with some kind of book to read.  Now I have to choose a knitting project, get it started, and choose a book!  AHHHHH!!!

I hope everyone is well!

A Couple More Finishes and Some Purchases

The weather is cooler here in northern Kentucky and I am, of course, thrilled!  Will it snow soon?  Will it snow at all?  I hope so!

I have finished stitching two more ornaments!  I love this first one, and yes, I was singing the song in my head the entire time I was stitching it   : )

Designer:  Heartstring Samplery

Design:  The Holly Bears the Crown

Fabric:  32 ct Vintage Examplar

Floss:  WDW as suggested by designer

I stitched this next design back in 2014 but gave the finished ornament away as a gift.  I've always wanted one of my own so this is it   : )

Designer:  Nikyscreations

Design:  Faith - from 2014 JCSCO issue

Fabric:  32 ct Examplar

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

As for purchases, I was watching a podcast recently (Mel's Travel and Stitching) and she showed a chart or two from The Drawn Thread.  She talked about how happy she had been purchasing from them directly.  There was a design or two that I've been wanting to purchase for a while so I decided to place an order.  I ended up purchasing six kits … lol!  I am very pleased with their service.  They shipped my order either that same day or the next and it arrived here in record time, and they wrapped my purchases in pretty tissue paper.  For a brief moment I thought it might be nice if I waited and placed them underneath the Christmas tree, but since I will most likely not be decorating this year I decided to open them now   : )   I purchased Snow Day, Welcome Winter, The Night Before Christmas, Good Tidings, Christmas Thoughts Sampler, and Christmas Cards.  I have no idea when I'll be stitching them since I am so focused on ornaments now (I just kitted another 21 ornaments!) but I'm looking forward to stitching each one   : )

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just two weeks away!  I'm toying with the idea of not making a Thanksgiving dinner this year.  Yep, no Christmas decorating and maybe no Thanksgiving dinner.  It's been that kind of year.   

The Road to Hell

Paved with good intentions it is.  I miss blogging, I really do, but ever since leaving the Devil's Playground my life has been, well, you really don't want to know.  And then there's Blogger which continues to provide utter confusion in the best of times.  I was always able to monitor my comments, choosing whether or not to publish them.  Now they just show up despite the fact that my monitor thingy is checked.  Argh!

I was aware that I haven't posted any photos of my finishes for a while, but I was surprised to see that I haven't posted any finishes or even talked about my projects since April!  I will remedy that now.  Grab yourself a cuppa, get comfy, and here we go   : )

I will intro this first one by saying that I had more problems with it than you can imagine!  I don't know how many times I frogged bits and started again.  And stitching the autumn part of the design was a special kind of crazy because despite carefully counting not once, not twice, but three times to make sure I started in the right spot, I started it one stitch too far to the right of the summer part and didn't realize it until I was preparing to start the leaves and acorns at the bottom.  I had to frog the whole of autumn and begin once more.  The finish was well worth it but I don't ever want that to happen again   : )

   Designer:  Lizzie Kate
Design:  4 Seasons
Fabric:  32 ct Amber linen
Floss:  WDW as suggested by designer

I changed up this next one just a wee bit.  It called for Mill Hill buttons to be used for the pine tree at the top and the birdhouse at the bottom.  I just designed my own tree and birdhouse to stitch.  It also called for turkey stitches to be used for the ends of the scarves and chain stitches for the mitten strings.  I used straight stitches for the ends of the scarves and a 2-strand back stitch for the mitten strings.  And here's a fun fact … there are 74 individual Smyrna stitch snowflakes in this design   : )

Designer:  The Drawn Thread

Design:  Generosity

Fabric:  32 ct Lambswool linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Nothing to add to this next one   : )

Designer:  Prairie Schooler

Design:  Winter Sampler

Fabric:  32 ct sage jobelan

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

On to ornaments!

 Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Flora McSample's 2014 Stockings -

Unto You Is Born; Silent Night; Reindeer Sampler

Fabric:  32 ct Lambswool linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Flora McSample Treats - Hark

Fabric:  32 ct Lambswool linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Flora McSample 2015 -

Love Came Down; Deck the Halls;

Joy to the World

Fabric:  32 ct Lambswool linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Flora McSample 2013 -

ABChristmas; Noel; Twas the Night

Fabric:  32 ct Lambswool linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Little House Needleworks

Design:  Pear Tree

Fabric:  32 ct Vintage Light Examplar linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Little House Needleworks

Design:  Six Little Cardinals

Fabric:  30 ct Cocoa linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Little House Needleworks

Design:  Hot Cocoa

Fabric:  28 ct mystery linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Country Cottage Needleworks

Design:  Let Us Adore Him

Fabric:  32 ct Amber linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

except for church which is the

suggested WDW White Lightning

Designer:  Little House Needleworks

Design:  All Is Calm

Fabric:  32 ct Amber linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Little House Needleworks

Design:  Frosty Flakes

Fabric:  30 ct Straw linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

(still need to add beads)

Designer:  The Trilogy

Design:  Cheer

Fabric:  32 ct mystery linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  My Favorite Time

Fabric:  32 ct Summer Khaki linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Tiny Tidings XIX -

Jingle Jingle and Snow Bird

Fabric:  28 ct Amber linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Deign:  Flora McSample 2011 Ornaments -

Peace and Joy

Fabric:  28 ct Milk Chocolate linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Tiny Tidings XXII -

Merry Christmas and Snow House

Fabric:  32 ct Light Mocha linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

Designer:  Lizzie Kate

Design:  Tiny Tidings XI -

Merry Chris-Mouse

Fabric:  32 ct natural linen

Floss:  DMC as suggested by designer

There are a couple missing I think, but otherwise this is it.  I will need to look into finishing possibilities for the ornaments.  Since Myra, the queen of finishing, had to give it up, and after having so many ornaments ruined by someone else, I'm thinking I might give finishing a try myself.  Not this year though.  Since I literally can't take more than two steps without tripping over a bunch of boxes or other clutter strewn around here, and I am still operating with hardly any furniture, it's a bit difficult to set up a sewing machine, cut fabric, etc.  Hopefully things will turn around for us in the new year. 

Thanks for visiting with me!