January Roundup and

January was a pretty good stitch month for me.    I had 4 finishes for me, and they weren't particularly easy finishes for me.

Summer House

Country Cottage Needleworks freebie

LNS kit up with suggested threads

 

 

This was an older freebie that I have had for a while and just decided to start over the Christmas holidays. I finished it on New Year's Day. It's pretty sweet and will end up a cube finish.

July Floss Tag

Needle's Content

stitched with called-for threads on 32 count evenweave

 

This is another one of those floss tag things. I really want to get this project done. I like these designs, I just do not like the physical process of stitching them.  Because 2/3 of it is a line border and I hate stitching those. There, I have said it. I don't know why I have felt so awkward about admitting that. But I only have 6 more to do, and then the finishing. The finishing isn't hard in and of itself, it actually maybe takes 2 hours to make this into a floss tag, but I also balk at that. I think these are things I can work on while the baby is napping or at lunch breaks, but I really do want to get this completed this year. I just have to get the tool that lets you put in grommets so I can get it done.

 



 How to be A Mean Mother

Lizzie Kate

stitched with called-for threads and fabric

This was a gift from a friend after I had Lolo. This is not the best phot I chose this as my January 1st start. I think this is the only January 1st start I have ever completed. I love it.  I am going to hang it between the kids' rooms. I just have to have it framed. I plan on doing her "Promise Me" as a gift to the NICU for the excellent care they gave to our family. It won't be ready for this year, but maybe next year's NICU reunion.

Winnie the Pooh blanket kit

 

 

I have talked about this one. I finished it and took it to the hospital last week. It's very comfy for him, just a light blankie he can use in the car or at daycare. Lolo enjoyed it in the way only small children can show their appreciation--he spit up on it. It's OK, though. It came out. I still love him, LOL.

 

 

 

And these are my finishes for Feburary.

 



Year of the Dragon

Dragon Dreams 2012 JCS Ornament Issue

stitched with called for threads on opalescent linen

 

 

I have been wanting to do this for Someone Small since she was born. I didn't want to do a Baby's  1st Christmas in the traditional pink and blue for either of my kids, since they have those in other materials. I already stitched Lolo's ornament, so it was time to get on the ball with this. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Dragon Dreams designs and I think this is the coolest one of the all the JCS designs. Someone Small is not that big of a fan of it yet, but she will. Hopefully . . . LOL If not, just leave it at my house.



Happily Ever After SAL (January Block)

Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery

called for threads on PTP Crystal Barnwood Lugana

 

First and foremost, I need to say that I am passionately in love with this fabric. I want, like, 20 yards of it. This has been a kind of challenging stitch. I didn't realize they were releasing the new parts on the first of the month, so I got the second part and had done very little on the first part. So I worked like a frenzied ferret this week, then realized I had miscounted the border and then had to pick out and restitch all that flower border. But I have finished the first block. I am going to try to work on the second block this week, and maybe try to do some of the March block border. I don't know though. I kind of want to work on that border when I get to March.

 

 

Other than that, it has been a busy week or so. After many attempts to get him to take a bottle, we finally decided it was in the baby's best interest to put him on a G-tube until he develops the ability to coordinate all his swallowing reflex. It was not an easy choice to make for him, but he turned 4 months old this week, and my insurance is not going to continue to pay for him to be in hospital. So he had the surgery on Friday, and he should come home this week. It was amazing to see him without his nose tube in. He has never not had some sort of tube in his nose. And I have seen him without it twice for maybe 5 minutes, so I am learning my baby's face. And I love it.

 

He did well. He didn't feel too well on Friday and not so hot yesterday, but this morning, he had a smile for me. He is just the happiest little guy. I went in the other night and he was lying in his crib, smiling. I mean, how awesome is that? He has such joy in life.  I know some of it is that he doesn't know this is not how most babies start their lives, and he doesn't know anything different, but he can choose to be fussy and unpleasant, and he chooses to be gentle and sweet. It inspires me. I can't wait to show him the world.