Day 16...

~ Greetings and Warm Welcome to ~

Day 16... Today I have a most special thing to share with you! I'm just tickled pink how it turned out! I hope you will be too. If you follow me and my blog, you will already know that I typically only stitch designs from a handful of designers. Not because I don't like other designers or their wonderful designs, only because I only have so many hours in the day, just like all of you I'm sure! Of course I'm a Christmas Girl and the Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue will introduce me to designers that I'm drawn to their ornament submission and I will stitch their ornament and then go and look to see if there is something I want to purchase from their design line. That's happened to me a lot! What about you?
Anyway.... in 2011 I somehow came onto the scent of Brenda Gervais because of her love of the Iowa eagle cam. I was watching the eagles myself and was totally enamored. See I'm a microbiologist and that kind of stuff dings my bell and toots my whistle. Brenda released a limited edition pattern dedicated to the eagles and a portion of the proceeds went to the eagle project. So I bought it and stitched it. And I began to follow Brenda on her blog. I love her work and admire her very much.
Since I found her those hand-full of years ago... I've stitched many of Brenda's designs.
The Soar Sampler...

J.M. Gardner...

"Snow Bird Pinkeep"....

"When This You See"...

Then I stitched "Snow Bird Pinkeep" over 1 on 32 count French Blue Linen and made: "Snow Bird Pocket Watch"... for my bud Marie P.'s birthday last year

This year... as I was looking through Country Stitches On-line (Brenda's on-line shop) I found her older ornament designs. So I ordered up and stitched and finished...
"French Hen"...

and finally my share with you today is another find from her older line:
"A Winter's Skate"...

Now what is... not to like about this cutie patootie? Totally cute as a button. This is ornament size or a little cupboard hanger size. But I've got intentions of stitching it over two on a larger count to make it a little bigger to make a skate for my winter (after Christmas) decor and hang it from a door. I decorate my home seasonally and for winter I do snow and evergreen boughs all over the house and this sweet "A Winter's Skate" would fit right in!
Now if you are thinking... I couldn't finish something like that. Have no fear! Brenda includes fabulous finishing instructions. I had ZERO problems making my "A Winter's Skate" in fact it took me like 30 minutes.
So there you go... Day 16!
Just a few words about... yesterday's post. I stirred up a cauldron of distress that I didn't mean to do. I received a lot of e-mails and comments from people thinking I was going to quit blogging. NO! I'm not going to quit blogging...this blog has made me - The Twisted Stitcher. Its sort of like my alter identity now, how can I quit that? Plus, I couldn't just walk away from all the friends I've made.
My point was.... Facebook and Instagram are impersonal, "quickie fixes". I use both venues to connect with friends and to view other's hobbies, etc. But I personally prefer to blog. You cannot get that "homey", "warm" feeling by clicking a heart or clicking a thumbs up that you can get from reading a person's heart in their blog posts - so I'm staying. I grieve over those bloggers - for what I am very sure is good reasons - for walking away from blogging and I miss them!
What I meant about not blogging... was that maybe I wouldn't do the 25 Days of Christmas with The Twisted Stitcher. I wasn't complaining that it was too much work or that I didn't have time. I enjoy it myself because if you haven't figured out by now: I LOVE CHRISTMAS! What my point about not doing it was: I wasn't getting the comments (or responses - many people e-mail me personal comments) that I had gotten last year. When you put yourself out there (like I do and I do!)...and you don't get a response, a person can't help to think: do they not like what I'm doing? what I'm saying? Am I boring them? Is this too much like last year?
From the response... I got yesterday, those that read my blog during the 25 days and all through the year, like what I'm doing and what I'm saying. So good! I feel better now! I know everyone is busy and cannot comment every single time. I understand, I'm the same and I'm as guilty as the next guy about skipping commenting sometimes. But I'm aware how it makes an author feel to get a comment and so I try very hard to leave one for the blogs that I follow. It makes a difference. Thank YOU for being my readers!
Until tomorrow... I'll be keeping my hands to work and heart to God, just like always!
Love in stitches, Vonna xxxx