Strawberries in December

The only way to get local strawberries in December in this hemisphere is to stitch them.  So I did.

I had really hoped to get farther along with Morning Has Broken by now, but I've been getting ready for Christmas instead of stitching. Actually, we had our family get-together this week-end. Baby Girl arrived Friday night, and cooking and baking ensued. Then The Saint brought Mother up today and we feasted and exchanged gifts and then packed everyone up and sent them on their way home. After that, I fell over in the wing chair and have been staring into space ever since.

As I've been staring into space, thoughts of needlework have been dancing in my head. I've been trying to decide whether or not I want to work only on Morning until it's finished, or if I want to rotate among several projects in the new year. I have an ambitious list of projects I'd like to complete in the coming year. I always have an ambitious list of projects I'd like to complete in the coming year, which usually derails about the second week of January.  Much like the days when I made resolutions--I don't do that any longer. But I do still make lists.

And, since I have an entire week of vacation in which to play with my projects, and since we have had our family get-together so Christmas itself will be quiet (and since we have enough left-overs from today's feast to carry us for several days), I have nothing to keep me from spending the next seven days with a needle in my hand.

I just have to decide what project or projects to stick that needle into.

All the Leaves are Green . . .

(apologies to the Mamas and the Papas)

All the leaves on Morning Has Broken are now filled in:

 Wonder what has caused those big creases in the middle . . .there may be some judicious pressing in the near future.

I've been under the weather a bit lately, and that's the reason for the down time for the blog. Not much to talk about when you spend the week-end wrapped in a blanket being generally grumpy. I have been lucky in one way, though . . .I was supposed to have lunch with a dear friend, followed by a stroll through one of the local malls, admiring everything and buying just about nothing. However, Friday evening as I was pondering whether or not I could heave myself up and out of the wing chair without heaving otherwise, she called. Her baby boy arrived home from his first semester at college, bringing her all his dirty laundry (she's planning to burn his sheets) and a virus.  To be as delicate as possible, she had been spending a good deal of time closely inspecting one of the fixtures in her bathroom.  As we were both unwell, we did not do the mall stroll this year.

However, Dearly Beloved and I finally made it through Tree Trauma II (half the string of lights burned out--right in the middle of the tree--as soon as it was draped around the tree, meaning that the lights had to be redone--luckily before the ornaments went on). Dearly Beloved was not happy, but he was not about to argue with a crabby woman wrapped in a blanket and feeling unwell.

And the halls are decked. Most of the presents are purchased, but not wrapped. I start the baking tomorrow. Baby Girl is arriving Friday night for our early Christmas, to be held over the week-end, with Mother and The Saint arriving for dinner and presents on Sunday. Then I have a glorious week at home to sit by the tree and stitch. And stitch. And stitch. And sleep late. And watch old movies. I cannot tell you how much I'm looking forward to that!

Leafing out

I came back home with many, many things to stitch, but before I play with those projects, I want to finish this one:

I've started filling in the leaves on Morning Has Broken. Being the boring and methodical stitcher I am, it's very likely I'll continue filling in the leaves.

I had planned to work on that Christmas ornament, the one in the series I was working on while we were in Williamsburg, the one that I didn't have enough green Kreinik to finish. I still don't. I have that color, but in the wrong size. I think this is a sign. I think I need to set this aside for awhile.

I do plan to set up an assembly line on Saturday for the six I've stitched so they can go on the Christmas tree this year.

And that brings up the Christmas tree . . .

We drove home from Williamsburg on Monday. We didn't have to deal with snow or ice. We did have to deal with torrential rain. Lots of torrential rain. Gallons of torrential rain. On more than one occasion, Dearly Beloved was driving based on the taillights of the truck ahead of us since the visibility was so bad. We figured if the truck suddenly vanished, we should stop because it would mean it had driven off the road and into a swamp or something.

Anyway, our plan to get home in late afternoon and go to the tree lot to pick out this year's tree was eliminated. It took us a little over eight hours to do what usually takes a little over six, so by the time we got home, I needed to do some laundry while Dearly Beloved unloaded the car and went to pick up take-out for dinner. Actually I was surprised he was willing to get back in the car, even for food.

So we went last night after I got home from work. We found one that fits our corner and that has a nice shape.

Hence commenced the Tree Trauma.

We have a wonderful tree stand with a large water reservoir. Allegedly it is easy to use--you just put the tree in the center and screw four big screws up against the tree trunk. However, someone needs to hold the tree while someone else screws in the screws.

I was elected to hold the tree. Apparently I am not a competent tree holder since the tree seems to be crooked. I could mention that someone screwed the screws in farther on one side than the other, but I have learned when to poke a Grumpy Bear and when to let things go. This was one of those times when one doesn't poke the Grumpy Bear. At least we have it tilted toward the corner and not out into the room so when it falls over, it won't hit the floor.

After that, it seemed to be wise to not even mention dragging out the boxes of ornaments and the lights, especially not the lights.

So the house has a wonderful aroma and it looks like a Fraser Fir just grew up out of the floor.

With the water damage in this side of the room, it wouldn't surprise me if a tree did grow out of the floor.

It's over for another year . . .

Christmas in Williamsburg is over for another year.

It really seemed to zoom by this year. I know the teachers probably don't feel this way--they've been working hard--but it feels like there should be at least another day or two.

I still don't have any embroidery to show. I spent the day taking notes again.  Then I came back to the room, decided to work on the ornament I brought with me, thinking I could come close to finishing it tonight . . . only to find I didn't have enough of the green Kreinik braid to finish one of the motifs.

I think there is some of the same color and same size left over from one of the other ornaments. I'll find that out when I'm back at home.  I can always go stash diving. With years of Christmas stitching behind me, I'm sure to find something that can be used.

Anyway, in the morning we'll brave the weather and the interstate and head back to reality.

I'd rather stay in the 18th century with a needle in my hand.

Millions of stitches . . .

that I want to stitch . . .and this is what I have to show for two days of class:

I also have a small flower stitched on another piece of fabric, but I can't lay my hands on it at the moment.

This always happens when I go to a workshop. I never get much stitched in class because I'm usually too busy taking notes and listening to the teacher.  There are people who can both stitch and listen, but I usually want to write things down and I've yet to figure out how to write and stitch simultaneously.

There are also people who go back to their rooms and stitch after class. Dearly Beloved seems to think that, since he has had to entertain himself all day, I should go gallivanting with him. And we should go out to dine. I suppose that's only fair.

As usual, though, I've been so inspired by what I've seen and heard that my stitching mojo is on high. Despite the fact that we don't yet have a Christmas tree or the wreath on the door and we haven't done any Christmas shopping, I plan to plop myself down every evening for at least two hours during the season and ply my needle.

After all, Christmas is going to arrive on December 25th whether I am ready or not.

Early Bird Class (and some wretched excess)

Lovely Early Bird Class with Jackie du Plessis--a needleroll that will accompany tomorrow's Fair Maiden Etui.

And there are some extra goodies that go with the set:

Ok, I will admit that I really love prissy, pretty things. I tend to be very tailored and professional in attire in reality, but in my fantasy life I'm lounging on a chaise wearing ruffles and lace, sipping a mint julep, and drawling.

(If I ever tried that in reality, I'd sew one of the ruffles to the back of my needlework and spill the mint julep into my project bag. I'd still drawl, but that's due to living here all my life.)

Anyway this whole thing just jumps up and down and yoo-hoos at that prissy person, so I'm very happy.

Then there was shopping in the boutique, which was open only to seminar attendees this afternoon.

This is the wretched excess part of the title:

 and

These are the best pix I can get, considering dim hotel lighting and even dimmer, grayer skies outside. I was originally sort of sorry I had signed up for two classes since it means my schedule is too tight to go play in Williamsburg, but the weather is so dismal I think I'll be happier playing in silks and linens.

I do not believe I need to visit the boutique again. I believe I will probably do it anyway.

Christmas in Williamsburg

We're heeeeeeeere . . .

It's time for our annual trek to Williamsburg so I can attend classes offered through Christmas in Williamsburg. The events start tomorrow. I look forward to this all year and it flies by so fast, but at least I know I have the next four days to stitch my fingers to the bone.

I did bring something to work on in the room tonight before classes start tomorrow. It's the next to last ornament in the series I worked on during November.

And here you see the center, which is all that's going to happen tonight. We got up at five and walked out of the house at six and landed on the Jamestown side of the ferry ride at noon and have been walking and shopping and eating and touring ever since. Since I suffered from little-kid-on-the-night-before-Christmas syndrome last night (kept waking up to see if it was morning yet), I am about to go facedown on the keyboard.

I'd rather go facedown on the bed.  So I am.