Christmas Signs, Stitching and a Look Forward To List

I've got the garbage put out. With the composting and the fires, I usually only have garbage to put out every three weeks but there is always lots of recycling. Realized my Gorilla cart does not do well in snow. It gave my arms quite the workout on the small hills from the basement back door around the house to our driveway.  And I wished at one point we did not live down such a long winding laneway either. But the air was so beautiful, cold and crisp, and I know a little workout is good for me. Then I went back out and used the old fire ashes to scatter along the tire marks where ice had formed overnight in the laneway, a very old use of ashes here in wintry Ontario. Two chores done. 

 I've set up a small table in this main area of the house and decided to use it for a hand quilting table. Don't know why I never thought of this before. I'm using my very large and old Ott Floor Lamp.

 I'm already noting that having it there in sight and very handy has encouraged me to continue the hand stitching. Apparently, I need all the encouragement I can get. First up is to finish this scrappy quilt with Prim Stars outlined in the black squares. 

I think I showed you before this bag of threads below I bought at a thrift store. Imagine 10 cents a ball and from KMart! Most of it is the thinner threads used to crochet doilies but I'm using the thicker in this quilt. It feels fine, not too nish...now that is a good old Newfoundland word for you, one I grew up with my mother using. We pronounced it "neesh". It means tender or delicate. Mom used it to describe fabric or skin. Being partly Irish, it was a given that our skin would be considered nish. 

I'm happy with how far along I've gotten the Autumn Quakers piece. Next time it comes out I should get it finished. Meanwhile, I've decided to indulge myself by stitching something completely in season, a Christmas piece, Redwork Noel, by Joan Elliott. I do love redwork of any kind and using the very cheery DMC 321, which we all agree is a Christmas red, is such a happy thing to be doing.

I'm using a white 24 count Evenweave fabric of unknown origin that I found in my drawer. 2 over 2 Very enjoyable stitching especially with no colour changes, which is wonderful after the Autumn Quakers which in my hands wound up with 20 different shades/colours! 

You can take a look at the pattern on the great 123Stitch site. Here is a close up of my scant beginning. With cross stitching, simple stitches can make a pretty edging.

Thanks to Brad, we have some signs of Christmas here. This is a real evergreen wreath, very well constructed and heavy. 

And this beautiful large poinsettia that I'm admiring so much. Every year I have to relearn how to spell that word...I want to call it Point-settia for some reason.

Things I'm looking forward to...getting out my wool, wrapping Christmas presents, cooking a turkey, a last minute shop in the local small town. What are you looking forward to just now with the big event getting so close? Hope your list is long!