Let the New Year begin!

Happy New Year one and all. Rory and I wish you all a healthy, happy 2012. A year filled with love and laughter and dreams come true.

I look back on 2011 and even though the year had some sad moments. My Rosie going to the Rainbow Bridge in January. my Mom's sister passing in March and the awful break-in and robbery of my home. 2011 will always be remember by me as the year one of my dreams came true. A dream I had since I was 8 years old. (We won't say exactly how old that dream is!) When I showed Rory to his Championship in July. His huge show wins that began in January. Then again in April, May and finally July. So overall 2011 wasn't a bad year. And now to look forward to what 2012 will bring. Another Rory dream come true? A Best in Show win? We'll see and I will keep this dream alive.

My Christmas stitching this year was pretty busy. Below are some photos of some of it. Silly me I forgot to take pics of the two baby samplers and of the finished setter ornaments. Sigh. The first piece is Lizzie Kate's Life's a Beach. I framed it with a photo of my brother and sister-in-law as a memory piece of our family vacation in June 2011 to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. I love how it turned out. The next three are also Lizzie Kate. From her First Christmas pattern. I did three of these. And finally two photos showing the stitching of 6 Irish Setter heads. There were actually 7 that I finished as ornaments for my setter show friends.

Below is a photo from the December sit and stitch at the Lazy Daisy, my LNS. This was our annual Holiday gathering. For those who like to we stitch and ornament for a small grab bag. This is the one I stitched.

Christmas day was quiet. Rory was spoiled rotten of course and we spent a lovely slow morning being lazy while he checked out his new toys. Later in the day I went over to one of my niece's for dessert and gifts. Here is my adorable 10 month old great-nephew. Isn't he just the cutest? I love the way he was posing for the camera. He already has my number. Below that is my three nieces with their brother, who decided he was going to be Santa and spent the day dressed. Everyone had a great time. Especially my nephew, Santa Nick.

The weather between Christmas and New Years was unseasonably warm so I spent a lot of time outside with Rory enjoying it. And of course taking photos. I am having so much fun with my new camera and Rory is such a good model.

Catch me if you can!

One of his favorite new toys from Santa.

A late Christmas present from his "Aunt" Penny. This hat is adorable and will make a fabulous look to his Christmas outfits next year.

I always like to start a new project on Christmas day and another one on New Years. First up is my New Years one. Handblessings, Hooked on Dogs. Rather appropriate don't you think? And the second piece is my Christmas start. My Sunshine by La D Da. I sing this to Rory all the time. A perfect piece for me.

And one more bit of stitching. Here is one I finished during the Christmas break. The Raven also by La D Da.

I have a number of bird feeders in my yard and love watching the birds to see how many different ones come. For a long while now I haven't been feeding the birds. Why? The feral cats in the neighborhood stalk and kill the birds and leave the kills around my yard. Well, I really don't like having to chase Rory to get a bird wing or body part so to lessen those incidents I stopped filling my feeders. Christmas is my exception. I enjoy bringing a little Christmas Cheer to God's creatures as well as family and friends. This year Rory was absolutely intrigued by the birds but more so by the squirrels who also come to the feeders. And one feeder in particular. One I hang in a huge spruce tree and fill with corn just for the squirrels. Rory spent hours one day trying his darndest to jump high enough to reach the feeder where he had seen those squirrels. Of course the whole time Rory was jumping the squirrels were long gone and probably a block away! I laughed so hard I almost didn't get any photos.

I am really looking forward to this weekend. A nice three day weekend and no plans. The house is cleaned and all the Christmas things are put away so I am planning on stitching and stitching and maybe kit up a couple more projects to work on. I hope you all have a wonderful stitched filled weekend too.

Until next time.............................

Love and stitches
Kathy
and licks from Rory too

Merry Christmas to all! And stitching too!

First. I want to thank all of you for the wonderful comments to my blog. Especially the ones about my Rory. I try to thank you as I get each one but sometimes your email address isn't available. But I do love your comment just the same.
Second. I want to say sorry for being such a bad blogger lately. Sigh. Life just seems to fly by and before I know it another week has past. Now here it is almost Christmas and almost the end on another year. My oh my.Stitchers are such warm, kind and generous people. Not only are you all who read my blog dear to my heart but imagine my surprise when a package arrived from an address I didn't recognize. A fellow stitcher and blogger had gifted me with some jewelry to help replace some of what was stolen in the robbery. I can never thank Cindy enough. Such a sweet and generous thing to do and one that I will cherish always. This photo does not do justice to the lovely things she sent me. Thank you Cindy from the bottom of my heart.

Rory even tried to help with my stitching!

For the past month or so I have been stitching like crazy (when Rory lets me) but I can't show you any of it yet. I've stitched 8 ornaments so far and have two more to go by New Year's. I've also stitched two samplers and another piece for one of my brothers. I am never sure who looks at my blog and who doesn't so after Christmas there will be lots of stitchy photos. I am looking forward to Christmas Day and a new start. I have it all kitted up and waiting. What, you ask? I am going to stitch up You are my Sunshine by La D Da. A song I have always sung to my nieces and nephews when they were little and now sing to Rory.

I knew I had a number of things to get done before Christmas so I didn't sign up for any exchanges. I hope to get back to them in the New Year. I only have a few photos of the ones I did in October. Unfortunately the other photos were on the camera that was stolen. Here are some of the pieces I did before the Christmas stitching rush began. Including a finish that I did in October.

HOE Autumn exchange stitched by Edgar

HOE Words of Christmas from Meari

HOE Autumn exchange stitched by me.

I have had a very hard time getting into the spirit of the season this year. Even though it has been three years since my Mom passed I seem to miss her more each Christmas. In her memory I did put up the Christmas village. That was always her favorite part of decorating. I have many photos of her sitting on the floor both putting the village out and showing it to the grandchildren. Here is my version for this year.

Last weekend I finally put up the tree. It's for Rory. Really it is. If you look carefully you'll see that all or almost all the ornaments are dog related. So it is Rory's tree.
Until next time Rory and I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas filled with love and laughter. And may the New Year Bless us all with good healthy and many happy times.

Love and stitches
Kathy
and licks from Rory too