Working on the last row...

Well I'm finally on the last row of Happy Christmas, I so want to finish this.. So I can start Ann Grimshaw from Scarlet Letter.

40 ct lakeside Linen Luna, Gumnuts Silks

 I have made some excellent progress on Jan Houtman's 9-11...

40 ct Ricamo, Gumnuts Silks

It really is coming along, really enjoyable when I'm taking a break downstairs.  The weather here as been really strange, it's been warm the past few days but this evening a cold front is pushing through with some strong winds.  They have assured us all that this will not be a repeat of the Derecho that we had last June that left us without power for 3 days.  Unfortunately it is suppose to hit around dinner time.  The temps will be back in the 40's with the hint of flurries.  Last week it was freezing here, and down in the teens at night. 

Im almost through my biography of Loretta Young, and we are down to last week of her films.  Starting February 1st we begin 31 days of Oscar, most the time its alot of the same, that they show but this year they are showing it by Studio, starting with Warner Bros, first. 

As far as Downton Abbey, I have a mixed feeling about it, having it for just an hour you really don't have a chance to get the meat of any story line, there are so many things going on at the same time.  But I'm still watching. 

I leave you with Lucy who was busy helping me with the grocery list...

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Getting closer on Happy Christmas....

 I'm getting closer to finally being finished with Happy Christmas...I'm getting down to the last row.

40 ct lakeside Linen Luna, with Gumnuts Silks

40ct Cream Ricamo, with Gumnut Silks

I also have been working away on my larger piece, Jan Houtman's 9-11. This piece is a little more slow going..  Lately though I have increased enthusiasm, I have been listening to my Kindle.  When I'm working on JH 9-11 I listen to Sherlock Holmes and upstairs I listen to Loretta Young bio called "Hollywood Madonna", I'm half way through it.  It has taken me some time get use to the Kindle, I had been using my portable Sony CD player, so this October when we were going to Florida I bought one for the trip.  I was able to use my Audible account with it along with buying books from the Kindle store.  I have always loved to read, the books between my mother and myself was a bit much when I went to settle up her things (I'm still working on it).  So the other problem I have is not possessing the physical book.  But I guess I'm saving a tree, and my library is now in the cloud.  I still have uses for my bookcases since some books aren't digital, such as stitching books and genealogy books.  The only thing that I do not like about the Kindle books is the when you put it on text to voice it reads everything, including footnotes if there are any.  But I do definitely get more stitching done while listening to a book, I guess because I have always enjoyed having someone read to me.

So as soon as I finish Happy Christmas I will be starting Ann Grimshaw, as part of Nicola's Scarlet Year Challenge.    You can read about here.  Its going to be big year for Nicola, but its also going to be a big year for me, I will be turning 60.  Anyone can join in to Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year.
Scarlet Letter samplers range from beginner to advanced, so a stitcher of any caliber can participate.
Here is my combo for Ann Grimshaw.

40ct Vintage Luna, with Gumnuts Mulberry

 

As far as TV viewing, we got the 4th episode of Downton and its not getting much better, still bland. But we have been enjoying Loretta Young as Star of the Month on TCM, and with them showing most of her pre-codes. As SOTM we are given a celebration of her body of work.  Last week's viewing was not a truly her films, such "Suez" which is really more about Tyrone Power and "Kentucky" which is more about other things but not Loretta, even though its one of her few color films.  This week are pre-war romantic comedies, one with one of my favorite male actors, Warner Baxter; the movie is "Wife, Husband and Friend".  So this promises to be interesting evening of films.

I leave with my stitching buddy Sasha..

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Happy Christmas Update and some surprises...

Max and I have been taking down Christmas decorations.. also I have been bothered with a sinus infection, but doing much better now.

I also have been doing some stitching but only on Happy Christmas, I'm really trying to finish it up.  I have done a little on JH 9-11, but not enough to show.  



Here's the update on Happy Christmas...Santa brought me some new charts and things, here's just a few...
 

Sorry for the fuzzy picture, sometimes I still get confused with this camera...  On the TV viewing front while I stitch, I'm really excited about Loretta Young being star of the month this January.  She was such a beauty.  Also we have gone through three episodes of  "Downton Abbey" and I'm I have been very disappointed..  I know others on the Facebook page are enthralled, but to me the punch and spark has gone out.  Mary comes off as a brat, and neither her nor Matthew seems to have a lot warmth for each other as they did in Series I and II.  All he does is moan over Lavinia and the money and she just is busy grabbing for the money.  The one bright hope was of Edith finding happiness, which faded last night when Maggie Smith made her comments about him so they would be over heard and he left Edith standing at the alter.  An this thing with Ethel wanting help, not wanting help, wanting help, is driving me nuts.  I know across the pond they see it with commercials, but we get ours edited and cut to fit the PBS time slot, to me its all a plot to get you the uncut DVD version.  I have my own grips with PBS, that's why my diet of TV viewing is mostly TCM.  PBS has alot of people getting rich, and they keep asking for more money and show even less and less of new stuff.  Alot of its repeats over and over.  All we get that's new is Sherlock and Downton Abbey, and every two to three years a Ken Burns and that's it, at least that's the way it is here in the DC Metro area, where we have 4 PBS stations which all show the same thing and are glamoring for the same bucks.    Anyway that's my rant, and don't get me wrong I will still watch next's week episode of Downton Abbey, maybe something good will happen. 

So I leave you now with Beau and Annie...

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Happy Stitching New Year!!!

Happy New Year to all my fellow stitchers....  Now that I have two stands so I can work on two stitching projects at the same time, on the big stand I have Jan Houtman 9-11 going..  I have only done a small amount through the holiday's as you can see..

40 ct Cream Ricamo, with Gumnuts Silks

Upstairs I have been working away on Happy Christmas which I started a year ago...

40 ct Cream Lakeside Linen Luna, with Gumnuts Silks

I'm so close to finishing, I'm so upset with myself for slacking for about 6 months, because I have some great little projects I want to get started on (wait to see what else Santa brought me, I will show you next time).  Thank goodness Downton Abbey starting this Sunday, I can some extra stitching time in.

For now I will leave with Max, who gets in my chair the minute I get out...

Max, you see his hair is slowly growing back from his surgery.

Thank you for stopping by. Your comments mean so much..