Friday 30 December 2016

Soon Be The New Year.

Well it won't be long now before 2017 is upon us. Where did 2016 go? It is so scary as it hardly seems like 5 minutes since this time last year!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. We had a brilliant time with just the 4 of us for most of Christmas Day then DH's auntie came for tea. We laughed a lot, ate too much, didn't drink any alcohol and just generally enjoyed spending precious time together. On Boxing Day my sister and her husband came for dinner which was lovely as they rarely come. It was spoilt a little though by Jess having to work. I won't get on my high horse as I'm sure many of you know already how I feel about Boxing Day opening for retail and I think all shops should have to close. Anyway we made the best it though and still enjoyed ourselves but it wasn't the same without her. I miss the days of them being at school etc when they had 2 weeks off but time moves on and things change. Both girls are working New Year's Day.

I wasn't going to have anymore new starts until New Year's Day but I couldn't resist the temptation and started this on Christmas Eve.

I bought this last year so it's time I stitched it!

However I have chosen this for my New Year's Day start and my Dad bought me it ( with my DH's help ) about 5 years ago! I belong to a couple of groups on Facebook that are having New Year's Day starts so thought I'd join in. I usually do have a new start that day but it's nice to join in with others.

Just before Christmas I decided to get the rest of my ornaments from this year made up and on the tree. These are the last few and they are not very good as I did them in a bit of a rush! I still have my December one to stitch yet but I'll get around to that in January if I have time.

I haven't stitched on Mini Jolly Old Fellow since before Christmas but I did make some good progress on it with Barb and I stitching for a week on one thing. I am really pleased with what I have achieved on this as when I picked it up again at the beginning of the year for the first HAED challenge I had only stitched about 30 rows on page one and now I've almost finished 5. I'm aiming to get it finished in the first half of the 2017! 

Chris and I have been stitching away on our December SAL. It'll become a January SAL I think but I've got more done than I expected I would. It'll be coming out again this evening.

I have stitched a little more on Winter, which is my SAL with Barb, but I forgot to take a photo of it.

I received some lovely Christmas gifts from my stitching friends. They really are too kind to me and I can't say enough how stitching friends are simply the best. I feel very cut off and lonely sometimes ( partly my own fault ) so all those friends I've "met" via stitching and blogging are my lifeline sometimes.

First of all a simply gorgeous needle minder from my lovely surrogate sis Lisa. Just look how Robin sparkles! Thank you so much Lisa. I love it.

From my lovely friend June I received this beautiful Robin ornament which went straight on my tree! Thank you so much June. He is so sweet and I will treasure him always.

From my lovely friend Michelle this gorgeous wool to knit a snood, which will be lovely and warm, and a beautiful scissor fob/ key chain/ handbag charm with my name on and a sheepy! Thank you so much Michelle. I love them.


Last but by no means least from the lovely Christine a lavender pouch ( which smells divine ) and some Anchor threads. Thank you so much Christine. I love to have lavender on my bed side cabinet so that is where the pouch will be going. 

So soon I will be starting Stitch from Stash again and I am hoping to do well and only buy fabric and threads if I need them and NO CHARTS other than my auto ship for Snow Place Like Home. I've signed up for the first half of the year then I will see how I feel. I am really hoping to get through a lot of the charts I have in my stash. I didn't do quite so well with finishes this year. I had 32 finishes ( not many compared to other years ) and 11 of those were ornaments from the JCS mags and not charts from my stash! However I have worked on my HAEDs more so I guess something has to give. Maybe next year I will do better!

All that is left now is to wish you all a very Happy 2017. May it be happy, healthy, prosperous and stitch and stash filled ( unless you're doing stitch from stash like me!! ). Thank you for sticking me and see you all in the new year :)

With much love.

Sally xxx


16 comments:

gracie said...

Wonderful gifts and lovely new start. Happy New Year to you

butterfly said...


Love to see all your stitching starts and SALs .
Santa looks so jolly .
Happy New Year.

Carol said...

I can hardly believe we have ended another year, either, Sally! I swear they go faster as we age :)

Love seeing your Santa progress--what a darling piece! Hope you enjoy those lovely gifts and I wish you and your family every happiness in 2017!

Julie said...

A nice new start.
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year
Xx

Linda said...

Lovely finishes and new start Sally. You received some wonderful gifts.

Happy New Year,
Linda

Vickie said...

You received very lovely gifts Sally. I very much like your New Year's Day start. :D Happy New Year's Day!

Southpaw Stitcher said...

Great new PSS start--I love all of her designs. Your WIPs are coming along nicely' the HAED Santa is most impressive. Love all of your gifts--you're a lucky lady to have such good friends. Happy New Year to you.

Melanie said...

Happy New Year Sally to you and your family. Wishing you a very stitchy 2017 x

Brigitte said...

Your new start looks great, you have stitched a lot on it already. And wonderful to see these lovely five ornaments finished. It certainly was a joy to see them on the tree.
Lovely gifts from your friends.
Wishing you a Happy New Year! And happy stitching on many charts that are in your stash.

Justine said...

Happy New year to you Sally! I think your ornaments look gorgeous. Mini Jolly Old Fellow is coming along nicely and your planned new start is very pretty.
I plan to stitch from stash too next year, I have so many beautiful things in my stash that I really don't need to buy another thing!
Your gifts are lovely - stitching friends really are the best!

Christine said...

That is a lovely new start Sally.
Happy New Year to you and your family

Andrea said...

Oh Santas' face is nearly complete! All of your other stitched pieces are lovely too. Looking forward to seeing all of your new starts, WIPs and finishes throughout 2017.

Wishing you a very Happy New Year.

Mary - Lecoeurceltique said...

Your finished ornaments are lovely and you received some lovely gifts. I like the idea of a New Year start - maybe I'll join you :)
Wishing you all the best for 2017.

Von said...

How can it be that another year has come already?! Love your new start, Sally!
May this New Year bring you great happiness and joy!

Maggee said...

Well, Happy New Year! You finished a good number of charts, considering how busy your life has been! And you have made good progress on the mini Santa too! That is a LOT of stitching! I know how it can tear your heart out when your kids grow up, and are not around as they always were on holidays. Part of life, I know, but I STILL miss them, so there! Hugs!

gominam said...

Lovely stitches and very neat gifts from your sweet friends too!