Happy Happy Thanksgiving! And Winter Checklist Doodle

The big day has arrived! Gobble! Gobble! 

 

Happy Thanksgiving, to all of my sweet friends who celebrate this wonderful holiday and I wish  all of you  a day of peace, joy , laughter and love as we give thanks for all of the blessings in  our lives including the warm memories of those who are no longer with us. 

Mini Turkey Sampler

I feel so very blessed by this wonderful community. I truly cannot thank you enough for the warmth, friendship and encouragement that you bring into my life. 

Today my family will begin the festivities at my Mom's warm country home. By the time, that I arrive I am sure she will have been up since the break of dawn bustling about in the kitchen.  There will be the sweet aroma of fresh baked pies, the dressing will be piping hot in the oven and the turkeys will be a golden brown. 

We will have the sides in tow . The table will be set  buffet style. Of course , Dad always carves the roasted turkeys. It will not take long for the little ones to  run into the kitchen and grab their plates for the meal that we enjoy only twice a year. 

Each year I pull out my Giving Thanks Keepsake Journal  

By mid afternoon, I will take  our usual family photos. We pose in a certain place and in a certain order each year. It is so much fun to see how the kiddos have grown over the years. 

Warm memories of the day's events, menu and traditions are recorded along with photos. 

After eating we will, sit back stuffed as can be and watch Christmas movies as the children play. Then Mr. Pinker, myself and my daughter's family head to the next destination to repeat it all over again. 

I bet many of you have a very similar Thanksgiving. 🤗

For the last few years, I have always worked on a snowman embroidery on Thanksgiving Day. Today will be no exception. I plan to work on "Prim Winter Checklist" , the last of the seasonal checklist embroideries that I have been stitching over the last few years. 

Like the previous checklist embroideries, I am using  2 strands of  DMC 898 floss and using the back stitch.

                  

     

                         My doodles are hand drawn and are never perfect! 

Well Sweeties, I will not keep you any longer. Remember as the old saying goes- "Eat and wear stretchy pants!" Hee! Hee!  And have a very beautiful day! 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting,

 y'all

Melisa 

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. " - Melody Beattle

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy who brought love, laughter and excitement to all of our holiday gatherings. . Our 5th Thanksgiving without you. How can that be.  I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃 

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🌞Time to Dye-  2024 post on how I tea/ Coffee Dye my fabric. 

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Please keep the military, law enforcement officers and first responders in your thoughts and prayers during this holiday season. 

God Bless the USA! 

Dreaming of Turkey and The Maize House - A Fall Freebie

 The countdown is on! 14 more days until Thanksgiving- the most glorious holiday to give thanks for all the blessings in our lives and of course  to indulge and gobble till we wobble ! 

  Oh boy,  I just cannot wait for Mom's homemade cornbread dressing and the turkey breasts that she will roast.  And I must not forget all of the delectable  desserts that will grace the table. Hmmm, 🤔 I better start my diet a little early so I can have an extra helping of dressing. Hee! Hee! 

Gobble Gobble

 Sooo... I have started to prepare a menu for Thanksgiving. Mom used to make EVERYTHING!  But nowadays I give a helping hand along with my sister .  

What am I planning to take? Well here is my preliminary  list of yummies. These are some family faves.  I will provide a colored link for any recipes that I have shared in the past.  

 Cranberry Marshmallow Salad

Over the Top Green Bean Caserole

Candied Yams

Nanny's Cornbread Salad

Slow Cooker Ranch Mushrooms

5 Bean Salad

Potato Salad

Stuffed Celery

Cream Cheese Corn

Pumpkin Pie

Pecan Pie

No Bake Snickers Pie

Image from Pinterest. 

I am still pouring over recipe books for something new to bring.  Do you have any suggestions?  

There will be about 18 of us if everyone attends.  After we eat dinner, Mr. Pinker and "our crew" will truck on down the road  for a late night supper with his side of the  family. We will bring in tow sides for there too. It is going to be one grand day ! 

Did you notice my little house ? It is hot off the presses and finishing table and is called The Maize House. 

It is another grand but simple house flanked by cornstalks. The roof is adorned with a bountiful basket or maize just perfect for cooking for the holidays. 

There are only 6 colors used in this little ole' house. I am consciously trying to use as few colors as possible in some of my houses. Anywhooo... The Maize House is stitched on 14 count Aida that is coffee/ tea dyed. 

I used DMC floss colors :  422, 610, 844, 936, 3011, 3820. 

 SYMBOL       FLOSS COLOR           

      l 422 Light Hazelnut Brown       

X   610 DK Drab Brown

• 844 Ultra DK Beaver Gray

O 936 VY DK Avocado Green

U 3011 DK Khaki Green

Y 3820 DK Straw  

I thought I would give you a break down on where the colors are. 

BASKET of CORN: DMC 610, 3011, 3820

CORN: DMC  3011, 3820

HOUSE: 422, 936 ( roof , window & door frames, quilt border), 610 (door)

QUILT ON HOUSE: 610 936, 3011

GROUND: 844, 3820

LETTERS/ DATE: 844

DOOHICKEYS : 610

I outlined my house in DMC 936 as an afterthought to make the house pop on my coffee fabric. I did not chart this.

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If you are interested in stitching this piece,  just grab , the images. For printing tips, refer to the post Tips for Printing which has loads of tips from my sweet friends. 

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If you are interested in stitching this piece, you can find the letters for the initials in The Maize Basket Sampler which I shared last week. 

 

 Alright , Sweetness, I better get off here. I have recipe books to sift through and grocery lists to make. Like I said the countdown is on! 

Now tell me are you dreaming of turkey, ham and all of the trimmings? 

Have an awesome day! 

As Always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting,

 y'all

Melisa 

"Family dinners feed my heart. "- unknown. 

Hugs and Stitches!!!!🤗🧵❤

Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. I love and miss you so much.. Love you , Amo. 

🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃🦃 

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"Another turkey platter? " asked Mr. Pinker. 

"Yep! It is going in my cart, " I replied with a big grin on my face. "Being just $4, I cannot leave this grand ole' gobbler behind. Besides he can proudly join my flock of turkey platters. " 

Mr. Pinker just smiled and nodded his head. 

" I am one happy gal!" I exclaimed as I fluttered to the checkout counter. 

" Gobble! Gobble !  Hee! Hee! "

Happy Turkey Day and Mr. Snow Block 4 Waiting For Snow

Good morning , sweet friends . Welcome! Please join me on this fine beautiful  day.   May I wish you all a very warm and Happy Thanksgiving. 

Pumpkin Basket ( I haven't shared this one yet) and Thanksgiving 

I know not everyone celebrates this special holiday, but I think we all can celebrate being grateful for all of the blessings in our lives, and I certainly count you as a blessing in mine. 

Wool handprint applique of my grandsons' hands. 

I am so very thankful to all of you - for your encouragement, sweet visits , heart warming compliments and messages. Thank you for taking such precious time out of your day to spend it with me. I am so humbled and appreciative beyond words.

This year our Thanksgiving will be spent at my parents ; there will be   a total of 19 family members in attendance.

The Thanksgiving tree has lots of brown glittery fall ornaments and real turkey feathers on it. 

 This will be the 3rd Thanksgiving without my sister; but I am sure she is smiling down upon the family from Heaven.

 Mom will set up a large fold out table in the living room. Half of us will eat in the kitchen while the rest migrates to the living room where usually the parade is on TV or a Christmas movie.  Dad usually carves the turkeys which are nestled in a big pan of Mom's homemade dressing. Oh my , it is divine! Because we have so many eager to eat, the food will be set out buffet style along 2 tables .  Once everyone is stuffed, the kiddos usually scamper outside . I usually wrangle them up and take family photos on the swing. The grandchildren and nephew always have their photo taken together sitting in the same position each year. It is joy to see how they have grown each year. Once the photos are taken I am sure the kiddos will jump on the four wheeler and head for the woods or their favorite fishing hole while us adults gather on the porch or in the kitchen chatting away. 

  Last night Mr. Pinker and I were busy bees bustling about in the kitchen  . Pies were baking and side dishes were being created.  Mmmm the pumpkin pie aroma  smelled so yummy! 

Pumpkin Pie, Pecan pie and a pumpkin roll are just some of desserts that we will be taking to today's  festivities.

 Come evening time, Mr .Pinker and I  will make our way back to our home which is  just a hop, skip and a jump down the road from my mom's. I will settle down to working on a bit of embroidery for it is Embroidery Thursday for me. The next Mr. Snow Block will be in the hoop. 

This week's Mr. Snow Block is  called "Waiting for Snow".

Mr. Snow  and his cardinal friends are waiting anxiously for the 1st snow of the season. A few flurries have already begun to fall. Aah Mr. Snow is such a happy fellow! 

I colored the cap, jacket and cardinals  with a white and then red crayon. 

So far I have shared: 

Block 1 Snowballs,    Block 2 Winter Friends,  Snow Mitten

INSTRUCTION TIME !   Now remember , I am no expert, but am just sharing how I embroider mine. Please prepare your fabric, embroider in whatever manner that  makes you happy. The number one rule is to always have FUN FUN FUN!!!  

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Cut your fabric to 8 1/2 "x 11 1/2" . This will  be trimmed later.  

2.  Place the pattern between a light box or a window and center the design as best as possible. Trace the design onto your fabric using your favorite transfer fabric pen or pencil . 

3. Embroider the design .  I used a backstitch using 2 strands of DMC 498  on most of the design. A stemstitch would look  quite lovely if you prefer.  

4.   I used a French Knot on Mr. Snow's eyes. You do not have to include the French Knot;  you may want to add  teeny beads for eyes . How cute would that be!!!

5. Press and trim to block size 7 1/2 x 10 1/2". If you color tint your blocks, remember to place a paper towel over the tinted area and heat set with the iron.   The finished  block size in the  quilt will by 7" x 10" .

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If you are interested in stitching this piece,  just grab , the images. For printing tips, refer to the post Tips for Printing which has loads of tips from my sweet friends. 

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My little doodles are hand drawn so they are never perfect.

 Well , Sweet Friends I am off to enjoy today's festivities. There is a big plate of turkey and dressing calling my name!   

 Jean Farrish's Give Thanks .  Jean posted this on her blog in the October 10, 2020 post

How will you be spending your day? With family and friends? Or are you enjoying a nice peaceful day doing something that you love? I do wish you beautiful day no matter how you spend it. 

As always...

Happy  Stitching and Quilting, y'all

Melisa

Snowfall arouses the inner child to dream and play once more. - Angie Weiland Crosby

Warm Wishes and Snowman kisses! 

Hugs and Stitches!!!

Dedicated to my sweet Baby sister, Amy . I love you, Amo.  ❤

Thank you sweet friends. 

HERE ARE A FEW LINKS THAT MIGHT STRIKE YOUR FANCY.  ☃  

Frosty McChill SAL - This is a link to the 12  Frosty McChill Snoman blocks that I shared in 2021.

2022-Flurry & Flakes SAL  This is a link to the Flurry & Flakes Snowman quilt. It includes 5 embroidery blocks. 

Sweeping Snowman Trifle - A small cross stitch that I created to use as a scissor fob. 

 2023- Down Christmas Lane - A Christmas Parade of Previous Freebies    This is a link to Christmas freebies shared up to mid- November 2023.