Happy New Year my friends!
Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays.
My first post of 2026 is going to be what
I have been stitching on in November & December.
A recap though before I get started.
In 2025 I started with 15 WIP's (works in progress)
I started 28 new patterns.
I finished 26 cross stitch items.
Leaving me with 17 WIP's now starting in 2026.
My goal is to try and get my WIP's
from 2025 finished this year...
but who knows if I will succeed...
there are so many wonderful patterns
out there that I want to start on.
Now let's get started with this first WIP.
Joyeux Noel.
This is what I first showed you.
This where I am at.
Almost to the finish line with this piece.
I would like to frame this once complete.
Next up.
I started Sarah Casey Unwin
back in February 2025.
Yes almost a year stitching on this piece.
This is where I left off the last time
After 2 months more of stitching,
I am almost to the finish line.
Once I have this puppy completed,
will send it off to get framed.
Then I need to pick out a new pattern
for my Saturday stitch.
Last but not least.
Feniscowles Hall.
I started this piece in July 2025.
This is my latest tribute stitch
for my paternal grandparents
and their parents.
Here is where I am at after 2 months.
This one is a faster stitch believe it or not.
Once I stitched the first color of the grass,
it is smooth sailing
on the second fill in color.
Am not happy though with this side of the grass.
The darker green I chose for this piece...
well even though I bought the floss all at
the same time...one of them was more variegated.
UGH
Not sure if you can really tell unless
I had not said anything.
It bothers me a bit...
but when I saw the change,
was not about to frog it all out.
Plus not even sure if I would
get the same variegations if I purchased
more anyway...so it stays like it is.
In other news,
when the kiddos came over for Christmas;
right after we ate,
Mikayla wanted to know
if I had hid the elves.
Yep. Sure did I told her.
Then her & Michael went to look for them.
She was first to find them.
With one semester of college in the books,
she made straight A's.
Am so proud of her.
She came home and went to work.
Before stating college, she worked at a chicken place.
The owner told her she could
work anytime she comes back home.
She has been working as many double shifts
as she can now.
She is a hard worker.
Am not sure if I told you that Michael
is back to work now too.
He hates his new manager and everyone
except for him have already quit.
He is also looking for another job.
Also learned a new word.
Couch Rot.
Its what we use to call a couch potato.
Guess each generation has their own words.
I took my mom back to my sister's
the night of January 4th.
While she was with us,
I was as patient as I could be with her.
When I asked her if she did her
exercises at my sister's and she told me no...
that was when I flat out asked her
if we were wasting our time.
She did not answer me.
However she did do them while she was here
with us...only because I supervised.
She still does not like using her right arm.
There were times I felt like her mom.
One time she wanted a Christmas cookie.
I noticed she started eating it with her left hand.
When I told her to us her right hand,
she shoved the rest of it in her mouth
with her left hand and just looked at me.
That was one of many instances of her
childlike attitude.
It is so sad seeing her like this.
She use to be a strong woman.
When I had finished unpacking my car
she started crying when I went back into
my sister's house.
My sister was not yet home and my niece was there.
Catlin looked at me concerned.
I asked my mom why she was crying.
She would not respond.
I told my mom everything would be alright.
Gave her a hug.
Told her I loved her.
I myself do not think
everything will be alright though.
My mom will never be the same.
She will never go back to living on her own.
Just so sad.
The countdown begins even more now
with only 30 days to my sabbatical.
Then after 6 weeks, I go back to work one week...
which I already know that I will do nothing...
because my portfolio will be transferred by then.
So just going in for that last week to comply
with the bank's requirement of coming
back after a sabbatical.
Looking forward to a new year of blogging,
so hope you come along with me on my continued
blog journey.
Happy New Years To All Blessings To All!
Janice