Thursday, December 31, 2009

Christmas happenings and looking ahead to 2010

As 2009 quickly draws to an end, I thought I would write down my 2010 stitching goals and not procrastinate any more.

* Complete two WIPs (works in progress)
* Stitch Deborah Walker (from the Chester County Historical Society)
* Create 5-6 new With My Needle retail projects
* Create 1 new With My Needle teaching project
* Take at least one class

Many needleworkers like starting a new project on New Years Day. (It doesn’t matter how many they currently have in progress.) Knowing that I would be stitching Deborah Walker this year with my friend, Carol, I decided that I would make her a January 1, 2010 start if my linen arrived in time. I was delighted to receive the linen yesterday. Today I need to prepare the linen so I’ll be ready to start stitching tomorrow.

How about you? Have you made a list of your 2010 needlework goals? Are you going to have a New Year’s Day start?

Being southerners by birth, we fix a very southern dinner on New Year's Day--the main feature is black-eyed peas with ham hocks. The black-eyed peas are supposed to bring one luck during the coming year. Many southerners also fix collard greens, but since neither Tom nor I like them, we don't fix them. Tom always says that the black-eyed peas taste even better the second day, so a few years ago we started cooking them on New Year's Eve, but don't eat them until New Year's Day. (Tom soaked the peas overnight, and they are already cooking.)

With our children living out of town and having other plans, we had a belated Christmas celebration with them. In fact, we've had a full week of celebrating starting with our 39th wedding anniversary on Monday. Before a lovely dinner out, we went to see Young Victoria--the costumes and the scenery were exquisite! We also both learned many things that we didn't know about Victoria.

Carolyn, Greg, and Haiden arrived on Tuesday afternoon, so we let Haiden open his gifts and stocking then with us. (This was his third "Christmas" since he had already opened gifts at his own home on Christmas morning and then more gifts a few days later with his other grandparents.) Thomas the Tank Engine was certainly a very big hit at our house.
Stephen and Michelle arrived very late Tuesday evening (Haiden was already fast asleep), so we had another round of gift opening on Wednesday morning. In the afternoon, we headed down to the Conservatory to see the train display. I forgot my camera (I can't believe that!), but I took this photo on my phone. (Camera phones certainly will never replace "real" cameras, will they?) Then the young couples and Haiden went downtown to see a large train exhibit while Tom and I scurried home to put the finishing touches on our belated "Christmas dinner".
And lastly, here is my progress on Amy Eliza Herbert as of a couple of days ago. Since Tom and I were by ourselves on Christmas Day, I got lots of stitching done on her. (I haven't made much progress since then for obvious reasons.)

7 comments:

Nancy said...

Such a lovely vintage post card! Amy Eliza looks gorgeous! I look forward to seeing what new designs you will have for the New Year. Your Multiplication Table sampler is on my list of goals for 2010. I do have goals, but they are in my head rather than on paper. Maybe I should change that! I do have a New Year start - it's the New Year sampler by Blackbird Designs, and it will hang in our dining room.

A very Happy New Year to you Ellen! May it bring you days filled with good health and happiness!

Margaret said...

Ellen, I love that post card! Beautiful! I have a feeling you are a very organized person. I still don't know what my stitching goals for 2010 are! lol! I thought I wasn't going to have a New Year's Day start, but I may break down and start And All Was for an Appil. We'll see. Our New Year's tradition is to make Chinese Dumplings from scratch so that will take large parts of the day. :D I love the pic of your kids and grandchild! Glad you got to have belated celebrations with them! And Amy of course is gorgeous. You're so close to being done with her! I love the colors! Have a wonderful New Year!

Laurie in Iowa said...

Amy Eliza is gorgeous Ellen. I'm so glad that you got to celebrate a happy Christmas with your family, even if it didn't happen on the day. My goals for 2010 are to focus on And All Was for an Appil and Ann Medd. I'm sure I'll be stitching other things throughout the year as well.
Happy New Year!

beth said...

Your Amy Eliza is looking lovely. I stitched her many years ago when doing volunteer work at the DAR museum where she "lives". Hers is still one of my most favorite and satisfying stitching projects.
Happy New Year Ellen and best of luck with your stitching goals. You have inspired me to write down my own goals for 2010.

Karoline said...

Happy new year Ellen.

Haiden is such a cutie, lovely photos. Great progress on Amy Eliza, she looks gorgeous

Oude lappen said...

Hey Ellen,
What a lovely picture of Haiden!! I wish you a good 2010 with a lot of stitching and traveling.
Have a good Health and a lot of laughing!
Dikke knuffel vanuit het koude Belgiƫ

Karan said...

Looks like you had lots of fun. Happy 2010 to you & yours. :0)