A long time coming....

Once again I am very tardy on my blog postings and reading.  For that I do apologize and I would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and prayers. Even though I have not been blogging, I have been stitching.   I look like I am killing it (by my standards) but most of the projects are small projects I can take along on trips. 

Since I last blogged I have been to the EGA National Seminar, to Philadelphia with a friend for a medical procedure (without a visit to the needlepoint stores), three major holiday's, and downstate every few weeks to check in with the family.  That is why I am kind of heavy on the ornaments and small projects but I do have one big one done that I will get to in a bit. 

National seminar was a great time.   I had some wonderful classes and teachers.  The hotel was far from a favorite but I understand EGA has to go where there is space to fit their unique needs for many class rooms.  My first class was with Tanja Berlin.  I have never done needle painting before this class so that was a great learning experience.  I have not worked on this since I have been back but my Guild picked this as my challenge piece to have done by next January so hopefully you will see some progress through the year. 

My second two day class was Cool Yule by Dawn Donnelly.  This has been fun and I am hoping to finish this one up this weekend so I can have my stretcher bars for a travel project for next weekend.  I have to finish the purple base and the background stitching and beading. 

 
My nightly project at seminar was a belt.  The canvas will be made into Eliza B flip flops once I get them out to the finisher.  This belt is complete with 20 shoes in repeats of 5. 

Once I had the shoes done, I started on a travel ornament for the plane ride home and this little cutie by Princess and Me is off at the finisher. 

Right before Thanksgiving a close friend had surgery in Philadelphia so I flew out with her because she had to have someone to be with her after the surgery.  I had plenty of free time so I worked on the Frog ornament from Princess and Me.  While he is not done in this picture, it is all done and also with the finisher. 

My time at home in December was spent working on my Windy City Santa so it could be complete for my Guild Challenge piece in December.  Well, I did not meet that goal but I did finish him up yesterday.  As you can see from the picture he still has some fold marks.  Not sure what to do about that.  You would think all the years on stretcher bars would have solved that problem.   If anyone has a brilliant solution to this problem, please leave me a comment.  I have not tried the most obvious of an iron yet. 

Finally, I found this little Fox at my mom's house.  My aunt bought him and she managed to stitch about an inch of basket weave in the corner before giving up.  She just did not have the patience for needle work.  Not to mention this was not a good beginning project.  It is a hand painted canvas but it was not needle painted.  I finished him up yesterday and I will take him to the finisher tomorrow.  Once he is all complete I will give him back to my aunt.  Her maiden name was Fox so that is why she bought him in the first place.  I will have him made into a stand up picture so she can use him on a shelf or on a table. 

This weekend is my monthly Guild meeting and a wedding shower for a friend.  It is going to be a full day tomorrow but hopefully, Sunday will be my day of needlepoint and I will be able to show you a finished Cool Yule!

We leave a week from tomorrow for Mexico.  It will be nice to be warm and to get some sunshine.  I did not go to my family's Florida home for the holiday's so I have not been on a warm trip in a while.  I am planning my needlepoint and my books with great care.  

I do have some nice stash enhancements but I will save them for another other day.  I hope all my Northeast friends make it through the weekend safely and keep warm.  It is not so bad to be stuck at home if you have all your needlework, provisions, electricity, and heat. 

Have a great weekend and I hope to visit many of your blogs soon!  Kelly