It's almost over

2016 that is. I'm glad to see it go. I hope you all had a good Christmas - I had a good one (spoiled as usual) in spite of the fact that I managed to get pneumonia. I am still getting over it. I have been sick for over a month - started with a sinus infection that the doctor didn't think needed treated..... anyway, I'm glad to be feeling better. Scott and I went to the Christmas Ship Parade the pictures on the site are better than mine.

It was fun!! There were bonfires, hot chocolate and Santa

Then we went over to Peacock Lane. It is a street in Portland - the residents have been decorating their houses since 1929 "Portland's Christmas Street" The houses are all cute and it was fun. 

I didn't take many pictures though - it was just a fun little walk. Next we went downtown to see the Christmas Tree

It's a big one! For Christmas I got a stereo for the craft room, goats in trees calendar - Things happening in Portland calendar, perfume and chocolate

a Teavana Strainer

lots of teas

patterns

guardian bells

Saint Francis

I am not catholic but I love these hand carved saints from Guatemala! This is my second one!
I made our traditional Christmas morning bread - potetsa

Scott made prime rib, potatoes and french onion soup - mmmmm

We had a nice quiet Christmas at home.

I am hoping to go whale watching this weekend - so far no other New Year's plan.
 I have two projects that are almost done - they both just need white ugh! On Pomegranate Santa I had to order the thread that goes on the ground - I ended up using WDW Grits for the upper white portions. The Tis the Season I just waited until the end to do the white. These should be done by the end of the year!!

That makes 42 finishes (I counted all the ones I made more than once - like the 4 snowmen, 5 Santa,  6 tweets, three witches and two jar toppers) and one of those was a Teresa Wentzler - of course I only had to do three of the fruits. Not bad for a year. I start my rotation again Sunday. I am anxious to get some of the ones done because I have three more that I want to put into rotation. I was messing around with my fabric and saw this quilt. I don't know why but I decided to put it on the quilt rack. I had to draw 32 flowers onto golden threads.

It took forever to change the size of the quilt rack and put it on - should have asked Scott for help.

 one done and then I got sick and haven't worked on it since.

It's called 54 40 or fight - from when they were naming quilt patterns after political slogans. My Gram started it and I got a basket of pieces - some had been sewn on backwards - probably why she didn't finish it. I had the hardest time finding the pattern because I was looking for stars but when you look at the whole quilt it is circles. I finished it a few years ago and it just called to me - so I am adding 3 quilting days a week. I may end up changing the amount of time when I get a job but for now it's 3.
That is it. This is the last post of this year. Thanks for stopping by. Be safe but have fun and I'll see you on the other side.

Finally finished!

Hello!
Hope you are having a good Holiday season! We finally decorated our tree last night. Scott baked 4 kinds of cookies. I ordered gifts through the mail and they are coming in slowly! Seems like I am ready. Speaking of gifts... Ryder asked for a drawing desk - I found it for less than half price on Amazon. All the Amazon boxes show up without descriptions of what is inside - good for gift giving! Well, not this one. Guess it came from the company but on the back was printed the contents and on the front there was a PICTURE!!! Ryder doesn't answer the door often - but, of course, he answered the door and knew exactly what was in it. We just let him take it to his room and put it together. Big gift - 2 weeks early grrrrr.

Futura drafting table

We ended up cancelling our Canadian trip - boo - the tickets for the ferry and hotel were refundable. Guess it was a good thing after all - we had a winter storm and probably wouldn't have been able to drive the 4 hours north to catch the ferry. The Vegas trip is still on - since we only have to pay for me. That ticket is non-refundable so I am definitely going.
I am not going to be able to go to school. I am looking for work in dispatch again. I had forgotten how much work goes into getting a job in dispatch. I have two tests to take and a huge packet of background information to fill out. That is for two different agencies. Keep your fingers crossed - well when you aren't stitching.
I had some finishes - some stuff you have seen but now completed and some you haven't seen yet.

Jeannette Douglas Acorn Shaker Box

 I changed the variegated thread color - it's different on each. Somehow I stitched the first one on the wrong count fabric! Scott thought they would be cute on the jar tops.

Scary One - Plum Street Samplers

Witches Night Out - Branda Gervais

yes another bag

with a made by tag in it HA

Juggling Snowflakes - Brenda Gervais smaller one is Plum Street Samplers - Merry Two

I ordered the Juggling Snowflakes limited edition kit from Brenda Gervais - then I ordered more snowflake tealights.( to search for them you have to put in primitive snowflake tealight and make sure you get the ones that are 4 inches across the entire snowflake) Who knew there were two sizes. I ordered the "Tarnish" fabric from Picture This Plus and more of the right size snowflakes so the full kit will be on eBay soon.(I have some patterns on eBay that close tomorrow STB90125)  I tried to stitch the snowman over one on the 40 count but didn't like it. Scott suggested the Santa from my Merry Two pillow - good idea!! I changed some things about it to make it fit - and of course the color of his coat. While stitching it I thought it would be cute as a pocket watch

I ended up making 4 snowmen and 5 Santas!! I love the way they turned out!! Now I am working on Pomegranate Santa from Plum Street Samplers. 
We ate at a Diner from the Diner Drive Ins and Dives show  - me 91, Scott 98 It was Podnahs Pit BBQ - the meat was really good. They had a mac and cheese that isn't always on the menu - that was good. Potato salad and baked beans - eh nothing special. We shared a wedge that desperately needed tomato and onion.

Here are the potstickers I made - I made a million - well 90 something. They were so good. I tried frying them and steaming - I couldn't tell a difference. 
Thanks for stopping by - hope your Holidays are happy!!

Gobble Gobble

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving! My uncle Joel and Aunt Carol showed up Wednesday afternoon in time to go with me to the airport to get my mom and stepdad. We went to Fogo De Chao Brazilian steak house for Thanksgiving - so much easier than cooking!! The food was fabulous!

left side of the table towards the wall - Joel, Carol, Scott, me. Right side wall to camera-  Ryder, Mom (Diana) and Brian. After we went for a walk along the river and saw a crane - cool!

 I forgot to say it rained the entire time they were here - the ENTIRE time! Friday we went to Multnomah Falls - there were so many people there. We started at the Vista house and went towards Multnomah - Joel and Carol had a long drive back to Cape Perpetua Oregon so they had to leave before we got to Multnomah.

Even in the rain with all the people the falls are amazing! We went to the Bavarian deli - just like when Scott and I went! Mom bought me a German chocolate advent calendar. We lived in Germany for 5 years - army.

The next day we went to the ocean - still raining so there was hardly anybody there. It was beautiful and peaceful. I didn't take one picture! We walked on the beach and drove through some of the towns. Mom and Brian left on Sunday - after a trip to VooDoo Donuts! It was a nice visit!
Scott and I went to see Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them - 3D Imax - there were only about 20 people in the theater - it was great!!

I have a thing for noodle bowl restaurants. I have to try every restaurant in the area - we ate at Ei8ht Noodle (no website) - very good. We ate at Boxer Ramen in Portland mmmmmm

Spicy Red Miso and potstickers

Tonkotsu Shio

Oh that makes me hungry. Tonight I am making potstickers - time consuming but worth it. I usually make them once a year - oddly, it's always around the holidays. I have two finishes - 

Plum Street Sampler - Scary One

 Remember my ice dying fiasco? Here and here. Well I did manage to get the pattern between the splotches

Witches Night Out - With thy Needle and Thread

That is the Vintage Country Mocha  fabric I love so much - not hand dyed (or killed) by me! I wanted to stitch some Christmas things but I need some Classic Colorwork threads and some 40ct fabric for the ones I want to do - drat!! So,  I am currently working on Nora Corbett's Halloween Fairy - you can buy it from Herrschners. It is also in a magazine (Cross Stitch and Needlework Sep 2008) - one I got from Shelly at Arizona Stitcher Fun fun!! Speaking of Arizona Stitcher - I was one of the winners for her anniversary giveaway. Happy anniversary Shelly and thanks so much!! I'm thrilled! I almost missed her post - I try to look at blogs once a day but with family here and catching up on Monday after they left - geez! Did anybody notice the last issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework - winter 2016 is the last one ever - I am sad about that! Poop!
I registered for school this week - full time starting in January. My first semester is all online, we only have one car and the school is an hour away from Scott's work.  The next semester won't be though. That means that I get to go to Vegas in January because I can take my laptop and not miss school. Scott has a work thing so I will mostly be on my own. It will be school, noodle bowls and a cross stitch store - that's my kind of Vegas fun haha!
I can't believe it's 25 days to Christmas - I haven't bought anything, decorated or baked. We have a work Christmas party Saturday. Then we go to Victoria - I can't wait!!  I hope you are having a good holiday season. Thanks for stopping by - Jingle Jingle!!

some things

I am sad. A childhood friend killed herself this week - she suffered from depression. If you feel like killing yourself please contact the suicide hotline because somebody loves you.
I am sad - people I love voted against my rights. Moving away from the sad things.
 
I was the lucky recipient of a Wisdom with Needle and Thread RAK - I am a lucky girl!!

Beautiful hand painted napkin rings - thread - a pattern and fabulous fabric!! Thanks so much Kim!!
I have a finish - actually two.

Gardener Goode Witch - With Thy Needle

 I fell in love with this witch - her hooked nose and her hat. I made another one to make into a bag!!

 then I made matching little bags - to carry around my specialty threads

which I have been putting onto clothes pins - I saw a designer do this but for the life of me I can't remember who. I think it's so cute!!

Scott and I went to Multnomah Falls this weekend - there is a historic highway and 11 (I think) falls on this road.

Multnomah Falls

Latourell Falls

 see the man in the picture above - we went up there - it was so close the spray was making water drip off my chin and eyelashes and all I could do was stand there and laugh. It was wonderful

Latourell Falls

my dearest

Vista House

Columbia River

  We stopped by Edelweiss Deli - oh my I love that place!!

Scott has an intestinal infection - he is a copycat. He is finally feeling better - last day of pills today. My mom also has an infection - they just want to be cool like me.... she had to do two rounds of meds - stubborn little thing. That is all the things I have to say. I hope you are having a good week and thanks for stopping by!!