Happy New Year!!

Dear Blogging Friends:

I've actually made two posts in less than a week!   YAY!

If you have followed my blog for a while, you might remember that I stitched a few New Year's ornaments right after New Year's 2015!  I guess I didn't think about it until the New Year hit!  Anyway, this is my first time to display a New Year's tree!  I only have my four stitched ornaments, but I did buy some things to fill out the tree!  After Christmas last year, I shopped at our local WalMart, on the 90% off shelf and found some glittery things to use: Stars, Snowflakes, Ornaments, etc!

I used the really skinny tree I have, since I didn't have tons to go on it!

At the top, I placed some gold party horns from WalMart!!

This is from Trail Creek Farm Millennium 3, stitched on Hardanger 22 ct, using gold and silver threads.  I used snowflake fabric and buttons, along with silver metallic trim.

This is from Trail Creek Farm Millennium 2, also stitched in gold and silver.  The fabric has gold dots and I used gold lace for the hanger.

This cute freebie used Crescent Colors Apple Fritter, with red metallic fabric, rick rack, and ribbon.  I thought the little clock charm was so festive, and ready to strike at midnight!  You can find the freebie here.  

I love this cute reindeer with huge antlers!  It's an old freebie that I can't locate online now.  I used beads around it, along with metallic brown ribbon accented with a giant "gemstone"!!

What is this football player doing on my blog, you ask???  Well, this is Dak Prescott, the quarterback from Mississippi State~my husband and son both went to school there and are diehard fans!  We have season tickets, and I suffer through the MS heat for those games!  Anyway, they won the Belk Bowl so things are happy here!!!  You would not believe how pouty they get when things don't go right!!  Dak was also chosen MVP of the game, so we are all smiles tonight!

Thank you for visiting!  In 2016 I am going to try and redeem myself from my lack of posting!  Please check back and see how I'm doing!!

Happy New Year to all of my blogging friends!  You are the best!

Frances

Merry Christmas!!

Dear Blogging Friends:
I have not run away!  I have not been abducted by aliens!  I'm not in hiding!

I've simply been quite busy!

I know all of you are busy, too!  It's just that time of year, and starting a new job as a church organist/choir director on the First Sunday of Advent was rather daunting! However, it all came off without a hitch and our Christmas services were lovely!

Speaking of my new job, you may remember that I am now the Cathedral Organist!  It's been very exciting, and sometimes a little scary!  But all has gone well.  Everyone has been so nice and I think it is going to be a lovely experience.  Below are some pictures of my lovely workplace, all decked out for Christmas!

It is so beautiful!

The ceiling is gilded and stenciled.

 I love the poinsettia trees they use on the back altar!  

The plants are stacked on forms.

The two side altars are beautiful.  One has the antique nativity set.

This is the organ I play, and the choir loft in the back.

The music went beautifully!  I had a little girls' ensemble, a flutist, a brass quintet, and an operatic soprano solo!  Truly lovely!

My blog isn't the only thing that suffered during the holidays!  I did get decorating done at home, but not on the usual level!  I just ran out of time to get my 5 trees up this year!  Oh well, the two that matter most DID get done!

This is our family tree where we open gifts.  You can see that they've all been opened!  

 

We missed my mother this year, but we still managed to have a happy holiday and enjoy each other. The black leather baby shoe was hers.  It has been on my tree for years! The little frilly shoe was mine!  I'm told it was white but now yellowed!

 

My son and his wife gave me two lovely white cat ornaments, in honor of Omar!  I love them!

 

I'm very sentimental, I guess!  The little mermaid ornament is actually a fishing float that was in my father's tackle box!  We used to laugh at it as children, because she doesn't have on a top!!!!  The sweet ceramic Santa was made by my father not long before he died.  My mother loved ceramics and he would go with her, to talk to the husband of the ceramic lady!  He painted this for me and I treasure it.

This is my cross stitch tree in our foyer.  I love the angle where you can see both trees at the same time!

 

I love all my wonderful cross stitched ornaments!  I enjoy stitching and finishing!  I have a few left to finish for next year!  Isn't that always the case??  The beautiful Glad Tidings ornaments was a gift from Andrea last year--I love it!

 

Look closely at the beautiful heart ornaments!  These were a gift from our wonderful Jacquie!  I cannot believe she sent me these beautiful creations!  I was so touched when I went to the mailbox and found a package from England!  And if that's not enough, look at the precious little round felt applique holly ornament!  She sent that, as well!   Thank you so much, sweet Jacquie!  You really made my day and I admire these and think of you each time I look at the tree!

Well, friends, things will slow down dramatically now that Christmas is over!  I will not have to be at the church constantly, and I can get my world back!  In the middle of all of this, the designer has been coming and working on the house.  It's coming together beautifully, and I will show photos of that when it's done.  We finally got gas logs in our fireplace and they are beautiful.  But, it's been close to 80 degrees here, so we haven't enjoyed them yet!!!  We've had rain and hail and hot weather!

I have done some stitching, and intend to show that very soon.  

Speaking of Omar, isn't this too cute?  My husband had been somewhere and took a little zipper bag with him.  Of course, he came home and deposited it on the floor!!!  Well, Mr. Omar decided to check it out!!

I appreciate all of you, and in spite of my lack of activity on my blog, I have tried to keep up with yours and enjoy what all you have been doing!  You all provide sanity in a crazy world and you are most appreciated!  If you are still reading this long post, thank you for sticking with it and know that you are a wonderful part of so many lives online!  

Happy 2016 to everyone and I am looking forward to a new year!

Thanks for stopping by and please come back soon!

Frances