Just a Virginia Girl

Merry Christmas to all!  I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas with family and friends!  I am always sad when it's over.  So much work and planning for the big day, then it's over in a flash.  I enjoy taking the week after Christmas off so that I can really feel the season!

Several posts ago I mentioned that my SIL was in Paris.  I hinted to her that she might stumble upon a cross stitch shop there that I read about on Blackbird Designs blog back in May.  Hey, I don't get around so why not live vicariously through someone else!  Well, guess what?  She found it and that is where she purchased my Christmas gift!  Some might think it difficult to purchase xs items for a gift if they themselves do not stitch, but not my SIL!  With a few hints from me (love samplers, esp. ones with red houses), she purchased the following:

  

 

She thought is was a lovely shop and the owner was very friendly.  She saw models of the Christmas charts and thought they were adorable.....and they are!  She also picked out this piece of linen with a preprinted design on it.  I love it too!  I'm not the only one good at hinting.....lol.......she hinted that an ornament from the Noel chart pack would look nice on her tree next year!  She told me that she was concerned about my ability to get the appropriate threads for these charts but the shop owner assured her that DMC is DMC.  The charts are all European designs and the instructions on the two Christmas chart are entirely in French!  No problem!  Who reads instructions anyway?  Least I say that I was thrilled and believe it or not, this is the very first Christmas that I have received cross stitch supplies as a gift!!!  Very special!!

DH has never been big on giving me hobby related gifts.  Last year he really surprised me by giving me some scrapbooking supplies.  He had a little push from my oldest DD who is a Creative Memories consultant.  This year my gift was my new Viking sewing machine but he did have a few things for me to open on Christmas morning, including this big surprise:

I'm all set now to start AND finish a quilt! 

Another special gift I received was an addition to my Monopoly game collection:

My dear youngest daughter looked out for her Mama!  I've wanted this one for a couple of years now!

My oldest daughter gave me a beautiful silver photo tree from Things Remembered.  She filled a few of the hearts with photos and I will fill the rest this week.  I know me!  If I don't get it done this week, it will be this time next year and still not done!  My middle DD gave me a Vera Bradley tote bag and as a gag gift, a VB eyeglass case to keep my stitching/reading glasses in.  Ha Ha that I now need reading glasses to see to stitch on linen!  She also made me a photo calendar!  I am certainly blessed with three wonderful daughters!

I am on vacation next week and looking very forward to working on my quilting project and stitching during the New Year's Eve Twilight Zone marathon on the Sci-Fi channel!  One of my favorite new year's traditions!  I do have another project on my plate beginning today.  I have my grandson until Jan. 1.  My DD left this afternoon to visit a friend out of state.  This will be an adventure for me in and of itself!  Changing diapers, naps, mealtime, and playing toys for the next 5 days.  I am so out of practice! lol  He's up from his nap now so time for me to go.  Thanks for visiting!