I received two wonderful gifts from WendyJo. One was this beautifully stitched and finished BBD stocking from last year's JCS ornament issue. WendyJo tells me this is her first 'stocking finish' - can you believe it? It's absolutely gorgeous - I love it so much I don't want to put it away but leave it out all year! There was also enclosed a Quaker drinks coaster in my favourite colour blue. This I can leave on display and it's sitting on my desk complete with a hot drink as I type this.

Not only did WendyJo send me the beautiful stocking, she also remembered my birthday and sent this pretty Isabel Bloom ornament called 'Hugs'. I had not heard of Isabel, I understand she passed away in 2001, but her name lives on in her wonderful ornaments and sculptures.

Thank you WendyJo for these lovely gifts and for being such a kind and generous friend!

The draw for the Sew Peaceful chart closes tomorrow at the stroke of midnight (GMT) and will be drawn on New Years Day so there is still time to enter. All you need to do is leave a comment on the original post *here* saying why you would like to win this chart. Please do not forget to leave an email address if your blog is private or locked - there are a few comments already without any means of me contacting the person who left them. I blatantly stole the above picture from Andrea's blog (sorry and thank you Andrea) as her finish of Sew Peaceful is amazing! DRAW NOW CLOSED

I have been stitching these past few days on the Emblem of Love RR which belongs to Deb who chose a bright pink linen with multi-coloured threads. As you know I tend to use more neutral colour fabrics so it is making a change for me to stitch on such a bright colour. Maybe I need more colour in my life! I will continue to stitch on this one until my section is completed and then it's back to Beatrix.

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Sew in Love - a Valentine special available *here* or click on the CHARTS button on the sidebar. It is stitched 1*2 on white 36ct Edinburgh linen with AVAS 2925 and hem-stitched with white DMC.

I tried to incorporate as many hearts as I could and I have no idea of how many there actually are! Maybe someone would like to count them? This is my last release for 2009 although it is dated 2010 ready for you to stitch for that someone special for a Valentine gift.

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Eva has kindly allowed me to show her version of Sew Noel which she finished as a flatfold. It is stitched 1*1 on 32ct white evenweave linen with Mouline NCT, numbers 3392, 6872. It measures a very tiny 8 x 6.5cm! Very beautiful Eva and thank you for allowing me to show it here.

Sew Noel is still available *here*

Sew In Love will be released before the end of the week in time for stitching for your own special Valentine.

My blogoversary draw for Sew Peaceful is still open *here* and the 3 winners will be drawn on December 31.

No stitching for me these past couple of days as I spent Christmas Day at my daughter's house and Boxing Day at my son's house but today I shall stitch ... once I have worked my way through a pile of ironing! I have stitching gifts to show but need to take pictures first.

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Maria from Italy has allowed me to post a picture of her finish of the Christmas Greetings freebie which can be found *here* (scroll down). How pretty is this?

I stitched solely on Beatrix yesterday - I am amazed at how much I did! I wonder if she will be a 2009 finish?

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Sue of Berkshire Cottage blog *here* emailed me this picture of her finish of 'Sew Noel'. It is stitched on a pure white linen with Splendor silk thread S820. Not only is it beautifully stitched, her finish is amazing - just check out those gorgeous tassels! Thank you for allowing me to post this on my blog Sue.

Sew Noel is still available on my Charts blog *here* or click the CHARTS button on the side bar.

If anyone else has an iStitch finish they would like to share, please email me a picture and details of fabric and threads used together with a link to your blog if you have one. My email address can be found on my profile.

I am still toiling away on Beatrix - not only is the large top right-hand motif stitched but also the two smaller ones underneath that one. I have even made a start on another one skilfully avoiding the extra large one with the flower. I know it has to be stitched eventually and that I will regret leaving it until last but ...

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I was surfing blogs earlier this morning and was busy catching up on Danielle's blog. Reading her post of December 10 I was interested in the pictures of her stitching room and that of her very organised charts drawer. Clicking to enlarge the picture I discovered, much to my surprise, that amongst some very famous names in the stitching world, was a little tab labelled 'iStitch' - fancy little me being there - nestled between Helga Mandl and Little House Needleworks. Thank you Danielle - you have made my day!

No stitching pictures to show you. I am working on the dreaded Beatrix and I am determined to get at least 2 motifs done for December. Once I have done penance with this one, I will stitch my section on Deb's Emblem of Love RR which has to be mailed out on January 19.

Sew in Love will be released before the end of the year and stitching will begin on a new design.

I received a beautiful birthday gift from WendyJo this morning and will post a picture shortly. Thank you WendyJo for such a thoughtful gift.

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The forecast snow didn't arrive but it seems as though we had a visitor last night. Although we haven't seen him, we have been told that Mr Foxy has been seen to pay us a visit and I guess this is proof!

And for those of you who couldn't see the castle through the snow-laden trees yesterday - here's the same view this morning - do you see the castle now? As you can see, the snow is fast disappearing :-(

A big thank you to all those who sent emails, e-cards and posted birthday wishes on Facebook. The postman didn't make it through the snow so it was nice to receive virtual greetings and maybe the mail will make it through tomorrow. We didn't attempt to go out for dinner but ordered in Chinese food instead and watched a movie - very civilised - and of course I stitched the day away!

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I wasn't going to post this morning but I awoke to discover it had snowed overnight. It doesn't often snow in our part of the country and for it to snow on my birthday is a rare treat. This is the view from my bedroom window - isn't it pretty?

Thank you for all my emails, e-cards and snail mail cards.

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The last of my Christmas ornaments are stitched and finished. The last two are 'Believe', a 2008 freebie chart from The Sampler Girl. I know that neither Jack nor Tom read my blog so I think I am safe to post pictures now. I'm not too sure about the girls as I know that both Kirby and Meg pop in to visit occasionally, so I will delay posting pictures of their ornaments until they actually have them - I do not want to spoil the surprise. Both 'Believes' are stitched on 32ct raw linen with DMC 814 and have hangers made from gold or silver wire with the relevant gold or silver bells. I take no credit the 'wire' finish as I stole the idea from the lovely Staci - thanks Staci! I'm sorry for the poor photos but it's been very dark and gloomy here today and I just couldn't get a good picture.

And now for a sneak preview of Sew Pink! This is a companion chart to Sew Blue having the same stitch count and the same outer border. Not too much left to stitch on this one and as soon as it's finished I will complete the front chart cover with a picture and release it. I am not generally a 'pink' person but this pink silk thread by Dinky Dyes (103) is a really pretty variagated shade which looks good against the flax linen. Again not a great photo but enough to tease you with!

Enjoy the rest of the weekend.

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December 31 is my 2nd blogoversary! So what has happened in the last year? I have had 6,000 profile views with 66,475 visitors to date; I have read 62 books; had 2 surgeries; my first ever Round Robin returned home; a new Round Robin has been started; there have been giveaways both given and won; a few exchanges made; I re-discovered my love for miniature stitching; I've struggled to stitch on Beatrix Potter; I became an official member of the Sisterhood; there was a wedding in June and a July birthday made me realise I am now married to an OAP!! I have met new friends, one of whom I visited in Paris and she made a return visit to me. I started to design again - a few years back I dabbled in designing and even taught these designs but, as my hands got worse, I had to stop. Since my surgeries I am now relatively pain free and, on discovering the Macstitch program, I got the itch to design again. This brings me neatly to my blogoversary giveaway - did you think I had forgotten?

This year my giveaway is an exclusive, limited edition iStitch chart called 'Sew Peaceful'. I designed this chart as a Christmas gift for friends and others who have inspired me with their stitching, their blogs and their generosity. There will be three winners and all you have to do is leave a comment ON THIS POST ONLY saying why you would like to win. The draw is open to everyone but I do ask that if you have no blog, or if your blog is private/locked, please please leave me an email address with your comment. Feel free to advertise this giveaway on your blog but it's not compulsory - if you leave a comment, you have a chance to win. The draw will be held on my blogoversary date - December 31.

To everyone who has visited my blog this year and to all who have left such lovely comments - thank you and please come again.

I will, of course, be posting again before the end of the year. I have birthdays gifts yet to be opened (such restraint); two birthday dinners to attend - a family one and a Stitch-n-Bitch one; my Christmas ornaments are almost finished. Sew Pink and Sew in Love are both close to release. So there will be photos to be shared.

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A small Christmas freebie chart for you all to enjoy! I had hoped to stitch a model but I am struggling to finish the children's ornaments and to get Sew Pink stitched as my cold has not improved. I am not sure if it's the same cold or whether I have a new one but I don't seem to have had any respite! The colours I intended to use are a bright Christmas red for the diamonds and a green for the circular symbols but of course it's up to you to use whatever you like!

And now - a fabulous Christmas giveaway over on Tatyana's blog. Her stitching and finishing of this ornament are amazing.

This Workbasket design is stitched on 32 count Permin linen with DMC threads and all you have to do to win this beautiful ornament is to leave a comment on Tatyana's post and then link back from your blog to hers. The results will be announced on December 12.

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My darling grand-daughter, Kirby, is 20 today - Happy Birthday Sweetpea but ... where did those 20 years go? Have a lovely time at your birthday dinner tonight and a great time at the Uni Christmas Ball tomorrow. I can't wait to see you next weekend! Love you loads.

I received an email from Michelle of Heart in Stitches with pictures of her finish of Sew Noel as a delightful flatfold. Michelle told me that she and her mom both wanted to stitch this pattern so:

Michelle stitched with a green DMC thread and added a star charm instead of stitching the holly.

My Christmas ornaments are coming along - most of them are stitched so I need to put aside a day for finishing. I ❤ Snow Days (a Glory Bee freebie *here*) was a quick stitch and is now ready for finishing. The recipient's name is on the back - I wonder which little girl will get this to hang on her tree this year?