2026 Finish #1

I need another shelf.

************

 

The alpha

Finally.  

I did chart this a while back but made changes that I no longer wanted.  Plus, the chart was in color, not symbols, and that made it even harder to adjust back to the original photo since the greens and rusts were not being used.  So I tried to work from the photocopy best I could.

The alphabet will be followed from the chart.  I wasn't able to get the flower stitches counted, quite blurred, so the shape is different.  Not a problem.  I may add a small motif to the top right of the bottom section to sort of balance it.  The heart interior is done with half crosses.  I like the texture.

Stuff happening this weekend.  I've had the days wrong for over a week, holidays shuffled me.  And my previous root canal is killing me so I'm hoping another will correct this and prevent extraction.  They only work three days a week as most around here.  Seems in order to keep employees, you have to make sure they don't have to put too much time into responsible productivity.

Hope your year started peacefully!

************

Tough

Working from a copy is slow going.  Trial and error as I stitch.

No way it will be a 2025 finish.  I had too many distractions and calls today to complete a good amount of stitching, plus the lack of chart issues.

Wishing you all a healthy and happy 2026.

Be careful!

*********

 

Tiny tiny lights

I found these at Kraynak's today, perfect for my two and three foot trees.

Requires 3 AAA batteries, beautiful light, almost invisible wires.  Never saw them before.  I may return and get a few more packs.  These are 100 lights on 33 feet, others are double lights, copper, silver, or gold wires instead of green, multi colors or pure white light.  Not bothering to add to trees this year.

Weather/wind is brutal.  Stitching more tomorrow, not making much progress.  

Using 3722, 221, and 355 for the reds on this.  Didn't realize it would be this wide, perfect little drum.  The bird is center, dividing band is to right side edge. 

Stay warm, safe, and well.

************

End of year finish?

Doubtful.  

What is that other color doing on the second floor?  Debated about following, but pulled 612 and will stitch it.  You can tell the stitcher worked vertically in that area and door.  I erred in the width of the house by two rows.

The situation I'm having difficulty with involves my nephew's (Carole's) house and the emotionally charged decision.  Well, the decision is a given that I made and am enforcing, it's what happens after that decision that will have repercussions.  None of them good.

Have a good day.

 **********

I think I've got it

This putz removed two completed houses except for the windows.  

I thought I would like something different than the label.  I did.  For a day.  Removed and stitched the trim three times, the house color three times, the door twice.

I gave up. 

And matched to the label.

Been a very stressful and difficult few days, which will only get worse.  Heartache situation that needs to be done.  Two months.

Hope you had a nice Christmas.

**********

Wishing you

 a magical Christmas

God bless.

 ************

An amazing card

Card maker Brenda sent me another handmade card that will be part of Christmas decorations for many years to come.  Beautiful!  Isn't it great?  

This looks quite complicated, yet perfectly constructed.

Thank you Brenda!

This is my handmade card, ashamed to be in the same post.

I couldn't find the wallet style cards for gift cards less than 3.99 (waited too long and others are gone).  I took basic card stock, cut it in half at 5.5", then folded for a perfect size to hold the gift cards (and their packaging).  Typed and printed a greeting ( ran out of stickers), tore the edges, glued to the front ,,,,, done.  Envelopes are the basic note card size found in craft stores.  I could have glued all the edges shut and sealed the card inside.

About that lekvar and prune filling.  We made pierogis with that filling along with baked goods.  The stores here all have it along with apricot, berry, and poppy.  The containers are set out at holidays and filled from the store's bakery.  They must purchase large quantities and package for customer's home baking needs.  As the older community passes, less and less is offered since the younger community doesn't bake as much.

Please keep hand sanitizer in your car and be careful.  The flu is spreading wide like the pattern on my leggings.

************

Mom's nutroll

Requested by Lisa B

Dough

1/2  cup of milk warmed to 105 - 110 with 1/2 tsp sugar

1 fresh yeast cake (2 oz) finely crumbled

Add crumbled cake to warmed milk, wait for yeast to proof and expand

If using dry yeast instead, add 3 packs (not quick rise) to the warm milk/sugar

Combine -

4 Tbsp sugar (I use 5)

3 large eggs

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp salt

1 cup very soft butter

Add  -

6 cups of flour

Easier to blend in butter using hands (I wear latex or nitrile gloves for mixing&kneading

Once blended, knead for 7 minutes

Add to bowl, cover loosely, let rise till doubled

Divide into six, keep covered as each piece is worked

Roll on lightly floured surface into rectangle

Spread 1 cup of nut mixture evenly, leave edge clean to seal, roll, pinch edges shut

Put two on cookie sheet, cover, let rise one hour, bake 350 for 30 minutes

Brush with milk when out of oven

Nut filling

1/4  cup butter

1 1/2 cup sugar ( 1 use 1 3/4)

1 cup milk

2 Tbsp honey

Heat the above mixture to blend and melt sugar, then add  ...

2 pounds walnuts, (8 cups whole/pieces), ground fine

Stir to combine 

I add 2 Tbsp maple syrup or omit honey and use 4 Tbsp but not in mom's original

 

Making another batch, this time two will be poppy seed.  Used to make from scratch but buy Solo canned filling now.   

Bolbalki!!!

***********

  

Tootsie's new husband

****************

 

The project I didn't expect to love this much

This one.  I love it!

OK.  Truth time.

I am having a difficult time.  Crying a lot.  To others I'm just making a face since it's twisted and no tears come.  I just can't stop thinking of bygone days ... my mom, my aunts, my sis, the gatherings.  The regrets.  Things I should have done.  I know this is normal, many experience this especially during holidays.  

My doctor has not updated me on my lung, it's tricky and he needed to speak with a few surgeons.  Still waiting.

Enough.

I want to mention an item that I am planning to order, thought it may interest you too.  I've been looking for a magnetic knife holder and still haven't found one that holds the knives straight.  Mine eventually slide down or sideways.  Then I realized what a great tool for my sewing room this would be.  A short one on wall above ironing board, another next to sewing machine or on cabinet.  Various scissors, the letter opener I use to poke corners, hemostats, sewing gauges, metal clip to hold pattern. 

 

A few of these bars also have a rod for adjustable hooks, hang a pouch of wonder clips, bag of candy, spray bottle, extra glasses, glue stick.  What do you think?

 

Smallest is 10", should be enough, maybe 12".  Keeping my scissors handy will be a great help along with other tools always misplaced.

 'Ya think?

First batch done.

Last weekend before Christmas.

Loads of sick people here!  Be careful.

**********

If I had any hair left

I would be ripping it out.

What a disaster.

I applied fat pom trim to my finish and it was perfect.  Until the end.  The poms are also the band's top.  Cut an end and the bump bombs.  Gluing before cutting was no help, the material pulls out when touching the glue to it.  Over and over and over.

Tried piecing the affected areas.  The same.  By now, glue is dried on the other three sides.  On the last attempt to add a touch of Tacky to the end pom with a needle, it stuck to the needle and pulled away, raveling ensued on the already glued trim.

This is an example of what happened.

So this tiny remnant of the pom trim, sort of ruffled looking, remained glued.

Not as nice as the original pom, and I haven't decided if I will keep, wet and remove the trim, or make another attempt.  Thinking ... let it be.

The backing fabric is perfect for this finish.  

Good grief.  What a fiasco.  I want to sit and enjoy a snack and soda right now.  But with my lack of saliva ... no chips, Doritos, crackers, pretzels.  Out of ice cream, which is so soothing.  But I'm piggy with no control and it doesn't last long.

Staying home tomorrow (friday).  Making nutrolls.

*************

2025 Finish #32

Love my berries thread choice.

Dark brown mini poms are perfect, but one is quite flimsy and the other can't be removed from the flange.

A few things ....

My favorite littles are hung on cabinets so I can enjoy them all day.

The tree I almost threw out is also a favorite every year on the fridge.

Freed from its frame, bows, ornanents and buttons, fringed the edges.  Looks like it needs pressed!

Hubs loves this wire tree, I purchased simple shiny bulbs and they reflect the lights very nicely.  

Missing Carole as much as the day we lost her.  Not up to hosting the family, will get together for cookies and the kids' gifts.  Last year, a simple get together, I made the poppy seed sliders and their favorite mac 'n cheese, took it to Carole's house.  Tracy had paper plates stacked, no napkins, no flatware set out, no cold drinks, no other food.  And she kept mentioning she wanted to take the kids to visit her dad, which they had all day to do.  I will tell you what I found out at Thanksgiving dinner, totally shocked, soon.

Have a good day folks.

************

 

Occident

After a two day break, back to Christmas to close in on a finish. This is lot of stitching for me.  Not for most, but when I want a project to be over it drags and feels like more than it actually is.  I do like the way the berries will finish with the overdyed thread.  

I found this old Occident flour baking book in family recipes.  Occident was a brand of flour and this little book has breads, tarts, muffins, cookies, cakes, pies, rolls, icings, and sandwiches.  Some sound a little odd but obviously popular many years ago.

I was surprised to learn this flour is still sold, mostly in Amish areas, and is highly rated for texture and freshness of baked goods.

,

Who knew?

Have a good day.  Stay warm and safe.

***********

The brighter the berry

It's time.  Do I follow the dmc 814/902 or change for a brighter berry? 

I have Needle Necessities overdyed red and it is what I'm leaning toward. The called for is on left.

How about keeping the 902 but changing to the brighter 815 with it (on left)?  The overdyed may not show variations in such a small area so I would cut short pieces of varying shades.  The red is like 498.

I just don't know if I would prefer the bright, or the rich deep.

And probably won't until tomorrow.

Or later.

Have a good weekend.

***********

Failure to align

Second time I had to pick the letters because of failure to align.  Not realized until the greenery met them.  Correction was also off, this is second time around.

Had no choice because of design of the letters, could not adjust.

I think it best to set things aside for now.

I received a call an hour after my lung CT.  Biopsy is needed.  I will check Pittsburgh after meeting with local doc Thursday morning.  I want the latest method.  My doctor is the only pulmonologist here and quite conservative.  

When I know more, I'll update.

Be safe, be well.

***********

Next

My linen inventory is mostly 36 count, I prefer 40 simply because of finish size.

This is Legacy from PTP, not the darker shade recommended, but I like it a lot.

I need to pick up the other starts to continue my WIP training.

 ***********

Pastels

These pastel bulbs and sparkling hearts and stars in this champagney shade of pink, are not my style.  Neither is shiny garland to match.  But I like them. 

Searched for larger plain pastel bulbs, so far have found none.  Metallic and brights, fancy shapes, patterns, nothing simple and pale.  I may not even decorate a small tree with these, not really into it again this year.  But if I didn't get them, I would regret it.  The sparkle on the hearts and stars is beautiful.

What's next in stitching?  Not sure.  Two docs today, therapy tomorrow, CT scan wednesday.  Hope to dust, sweep, finish decorating Thursday.  I use live outside, just stuffed into tubs and such, most are still in the garage.  Way too cold for any outside adventures.  As for my extremely painful mouth, several more weeks of lidocaine on my tongue injury before acceptable healing.

I was asked if anyone would be interested in selling their Goode Huswife's Pennsylvania Christmas chart.  Anyone?  She was outbid but oh so close!

If you have a Medicare advantage plan and missed the deadline to change, another enrollment for advantage plans only runs from 1/1/26 to 3/31/26.

Hope your week is swell.

***********

2025 Finish #31

 Sweet little stitch on 40 count with chosen dmc.

Red mini poms.

Yes I changed the birds a bit.

Don't be impressed.  You can't imagine my piles of smalls never fully finished.

Stay safe.  Be well.

************