Full Fledged Christmas Mode

Good afternoon, sweeties. I'm in full fledged Christmas mode . What about you? I have been bustling around the house like many of you getting ready for the big day. Amidst of all the hustle and bustle, I have been watching Christmas movies and squeezing in some last minute Christmas stitching. 

Last night I stitched "Joy" a freebie from Nebby Needle which is available on her Facebook.

 Today while watching Planes, Trains, and Automobiles , I was able to stitch this teeny freebie from Heart in Hand Needleart which was in a previous newsletter.  It is called "Merry". I used DMC white, 895, 3347 and 304 in my stitching. 

 I haven't pulled out tonight's freebie stitch to work on yet. Hmmm. I need to see what strikes my fancy. Are your needles on fire with Christmas stitching?  I sure hope you are doing something that makes your heart sing. 

 As for me, I better get on the stick and figure out something to stitch soon ( flying by the seat of my pants again. Lol)   

First, however,  there is a "rumbly in my tumbly" so I am fixing to pull out Lizzy , my Kitchen Aid mixer, and my  mixing bowls.

 It is baking time and White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies are calling my name. I have never tried this recipe , but boy do they sound yummy to my tummy. 

WHITE CHOCOLATE CRANBERRY COOKIES

YIELDS: 

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter; softened

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar; packed

1 egg beaten

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 3/4 cup of all purpose flour

1 teaspoon of baking powder

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

1 cup of sweetened dried cranberries

1/2 cup of white chocolate chip 

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl,  cream together butter and  sugars until well combined.Add egg and vanilla . Beat until smooth. In a separate bowl combine flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Gradually add to sugar mixture, beating well. Stir in cranberries and chocolate chips. Shape dough into  1 1/2 inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 14 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to wire racks to cool.   

I  also thought I would also share some Christmas around the house. Today is the foyer hall. 

Most of my  doors are adorned with my children's Christmas pjs and dresses from years ago as well as red long johns. I add little wreaths or even stitching to hang with the clothing. 

They always bring back such good memories. These long johns were my Papa's though I never saw him wear them. 😀 They definitely weren't his style. Lol. But I think they are oh so cute!!!

 This little stitch called "Merry & Minty "  is from Brenda Gervais of With Thy Needle and Thread  and was a freebie last year.  It can be found on her facebook.

 I finished mine on a little metal sign that I painted. 

The little tree is decorated in a Cowboy theme.

 

 

It is nestled in an old enamelware bucket gifted to me by my sister.  Beads , raffia and cowboy Santas adorn this tree. 

 

I just love collecting items for this tree. The child's cowboy hat was a souvenier from Buffalo Bill's  Ranch State  Historical Park in North Platte, Nebraska. 

 Lots of quilts and Dollar Tree signs adorn the shutters.

 I have 3 shutters of various sizes leaned against the wall. I drape my quilts on them each season. 

The shelf is filled with lots and lots of country Christmas clutter.

 It is usually decorated the same each year.

 Each of the shelves is crammed full of porcelain Santas that my mom and I purchased in the 1990's from Dollar General. I wish they still made items like this and of this quality.

Well that is my country clutter tour and ramble for the day. 

 I hope you are having a very joyous week and are able to spend the holidays with family or friends. Please, know that you are very special  to me ,and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas. 

Eeeh! tomorrow is a Frosty Redwork day!  I'm excited. See you tomorrow. Big hugs and as always...

 Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa

Remember " You are awesome!" 

All you need is love and Christmas cookies. 

Gingerbread hugs and stitches!!!

Dedicated to my sweet sister , Amy who embraced the Christmas spirit. Love ya, Amo. 

Prim Winter Church- A Christmas Freebie

 Good afternoon. Welcome, dear friends. Can you believe Christmas is just a few short days away? Are you getting in any last minute Christmas stitching? Yes,  I am stitching Christmas right down to the very day!

 I am so excited to share with you the last of 2021's Prim Winter series .  This  along with the Prim Winter Angel ranks as my favorites of the 5. I sure hope you like this one too.

 

 It is named Prim Winter Church.

          

 It reminds me of many of the country churches that bless the country roads around my neighborhood.  Let me show you one of my favorites which is just a hop , skip and a jump from where I live . 

This is one of the churches right down the road from me. It was established in the 1800's and was named after a young lady who lived where the farm is today. Where the chimney is which faces the road, is the now front of the church; it  used to be the back. People can come in  through the side of the church  or....

you can enter  the back of the church which used to be the front of the church. This side actually faces the woods now and has so since the 1930's. The old road that used to go through this long gone community has reverted back to cow pastures and woods. Gone are the  sorghum mill, the one room school house , the blacksmith shop and the homes from that bygone era. I may show you where they were located in another post. 

Just click on the names to go to some of these freebies pictured here. They are Plum Street Samplers freebie " 12 Days of Christmas"  The Scarlett House freebie "From Our House to Yours"  ,  Stonework Stitchworks The Lace Makers Cottage freebie,  Nikys Creations "Reindeer"   freebie  found on her blog in the  Nov 30, 2011 post, my Prim Winter Peace freebie. Also in the background is Bent Creek's "Holly Berry Sampler" (it's not a freebie. )

If you would like to squeeze this stitch in , right before Christmas or maybe stitch it for next year please check out the links below. 

 Many of you know , but I always like to leave this little disclaimer.  

I stitch my little designs for fun and to decorate my home. I feel very blessed by this community and love sharing my little charts, but I am not a professional designer. And I do not have professional software. Thank you for understanding that I  have to separate each page with different links because of the devices I use. I apologize for that.  And I am always grateful for your kind encouragement , your visits, and stitching my little designs.  

Click here for the instruction page. 

Click here for the Colored Chart.

Click here for the Black and White Chart. 

I always like to leave links to the previous ornaments too. That way it is a little easier for you to find them . Soooo....

The previous ornaments include: 

Prim Winter Love , 

 

Prim Winter Home, Prim Winter Peace   Prim Winter Joy ,   Prim Winter Faith  

and Prim Winter Angel 

  

and Prim Winter Hope 

Prim Winter Gifts

Prim Winter Cheer

 Thank you  for visiting me today. I am looking forward to adding 5 more Prim ornaments come 2022. You know me when I like something I take to it like a dog to a bone and I don't let go. Lol.  Have a beautiful day my sweeties and as always...

Happy stitching, ya'll,

Melisa

The beauty of Christmas is not in presents but in His Presence

Hugs and Stitches!!!

Dedicated to my sweet sister, Amy. Love ya!

A Stroll, a Quilt and a Stitch

Good evening, ya'll. Welcome. It has been a  beautiful warm day here in my neck of the woods . I have been sitting  on the  porch enjoying some stitch time with no intentions of posting today , but here I am!😀 lol

 Though it has been overcast with rain in the forecast , I thought why not take a jaunt into the holler and look for some "color" and explore . Then I thought you might want to join me.

 Let's go! It is just a short walk that we are going on . 

Up the hill ! Watch your step! The leaves are slick! 

              

We will pretty much see trees , trees, and more bare trees. 🌳🌲𐂷

Hmm. Look at this huge rock that has rolled down the hill only to be stopped by the tree.

           

 It is snuggled into the trunk , and the tree is growing around it. 

              

 Onward we go! 

A colorful little leaf . 

 Lots of bright green moss.

 Twisty twirly limbs .

 Even knotty twisty tree trunks. 

A tree growing at a perfect 90 degree angle. 

             

Here we go through what the grandbabies call Martian Tunnel because during the summer the limbs filled with leaves reach out to grab you as you drive by on a 4 wheeler.  No long Martian arms to wrap around you today. 

 Pearly white fungi growing on a rotten log. 

Yellowish fungi growing on limb. 

Aaah we have reached an opening and we can see the mountains off in the distance. 

Though you can not tell there is a river down the ridge too. 

  Let's continue on. 

                

A brown quilt of  leaves protect the periwinkle for the winter.

            

 Some deep purple privet berries. 

Oh, we are almost home! Duck your head as we head through the leland cypress tunnel .The house will be just beyond and then we will see a quilt. 

Well we made it!  

 I will try to take you on the same journey another day during another season so you can see the changes.  The little winter stroll was a refresher for my country soul. 

 Well now let's see what has been going on. Today is the last day of Pam Buda's Glad Tidings Sew Along. 

             

Many of ya'll know that I had forged ahead last week and completed the little quilt. It has been in the hoop this week. And Eeeeeh ! It is complete. 

                    

I have it hanging on my little mustard hoosier top. 

I loved every moment of working on this little quilt and am dreaming of creating a patriotic one in the future. 

                 

 On top of the hutch you will see some of my cookie jars and crocks. Don't look to closely - you might see some dust bunnies too! 

               

 Above the hoosier you can see my advertising tin collection . ( I know more country clutter, but it makes me smile.)  

Before you leave, I thought I would leave you with a little stitch called "Always Believe" .

                 

 It is a small that I stitched into a little pin pillow. I tore a strip of red shirting and created a ruffle around it. I just love simple stitches like this. 

Click here for "Always Believe" . 

 Thank you so much , my friends for stopping by for a visit and for taking a stroll with me. I know it wasn't the most exciting scenery, but it is what it is like in my neck of the woods.  Have a fabulous weekend and as always...

Happy quilting and stitching, ya'll

Melisa 

I am joining these lovely ladies' link parties. I hope you check them out; they always have so many wonderful projects going on and provide the opportunity for other needleworkers to meet. 

Alycia's of Alycia Quilts for Finished of Not Friday

Sarah at Confessions of a Fabric Addict  for Can I Get a Whoop Whoop-Friday

Michelle  at From Bolt to Beauty for Beauty Pageant  - Friday

Wendy at Wendy's Quilts for Peacock Party - Friday 

Frederique at  Applique Patchwork Quilting for Patchwork & Quilts     - Saturday

Angela of  So Scrappy  for Scrap Happy Saturday

Always be the bright happy little leaf shining  and smiling among all the others.

Hugs and Stitches!!!! 

Dedicated to my sweet sister, Amy. I know you would be in the woods right now enjoying every moment. Love  and miss, ya, Amo!