Hello!!!

It has been almost a month since my last post. I have been so busy working since I arrived in Aberdeen, I just haven't had time to post or much to post.

I have been working as a temporary employee at 3M and my hours ran out on October 30, also on that same day 3M offered me a regular full time position with them. So I have had the last 10 days off and will be starting work again today at 4 p.m.
Of course while I was off we went back home to Minnesota to spend sometime with family and friends. I got to stitch with my buds on Halloween. We had a great time. I was busy all week with catching up with our family and friends. I didn't stitch as much as I thought I would, but when we returned home last Friday I had to whole weekend to stitch and do some finishing.
Here are my results:

I finished the stitching on this stocking for my granddaughter. Now I plan on doing the finishing work this weekend. I am very relived to have this done.

These were two pieces I received from Margit in private exchanges we have done this year. I really like how they both turned out. The pin keep is from Prairie Schooler and the framed piece is a Little House Needlework design. Thank you Margit.
I received this from Nicky for the Summer Fair and Square exchange. It is a Little House Needlework design.
I just received this from Peg for the Fall Fair and Square. I decided to make it into a fob. I think it turned out great.
Here is a picture of all of my finishes I did over the weekend. It feels good to have gotten these done. I also finished off an ornament, but that was for an exchange so I will post it when it arrives at it's new home.

Thanks for taking the time to stop and Happy Stitching!!!

New Scissors!!!!

Today when I arrived home from work these were waiting for me. Thanks to Jackie I now have my newest Gingher Scissors---Mia. Plus Jackie sent me the purple and pink scissors to go with the blue scissors I all ready had. Now I have the whole set. Apparently they called Cotton Candy Embroidery Scissors.

You just can't have enough scissors!!!!!

Home again and back:

David and I were back home in Minnesota the last weekend in September for his 3M 30th work anniversary service awards dinner at the Convention Center in Minneapolis. We had a great time and were glad David is still employed with 3M even if we have to live in Aberdeen, South Dakota.

So while I was home I got to pick up my new Gingher Elena scissors:) I was very excited. Now I have found out about another new scissors-- Mia, and my good friend Jackie has found some and I now have another scissors waiting for me back home. I can't wait to get that one too.

Here are my new Elena's:

I also had these hand painted scissors waiting for me. A surprise gift from another good stitching friend Chris. She found the wooden scissors at Joann's and a friend of her daughters did the painting and personalizing on them. I just love them. A great reminder of my days in Aberdeen.

Here is a closer look at the saying, which is Life is good in Aberdeen. And that really is Aberdeen's motto.

I have not had much stitching time here in Aberdeen since I am working 7 days a week and sometimes 12 hour days. I really miss my stitching time. But I did manage to get these squares done. I am doing the Ackworth Friendship Book with my stitching group. These are Cathy B's squares. I am really enjoying stitching these. I have also finished a couple of exchanges but can't show them, as I have just mailed them.

Lastly I found this crop-a-dile in this case at Walmart for $25 and had to have it. I have used it once and it was great. It was the case that sold me. Another "toy" for my collection.

So until next time Thanks for stopping by and Happy Stitching.

Prairie Schooler Exchange from Margit

Yesterday I received a package from my stitching friend Margit. We have been doing personal exchanges for about a year now and I truly enjoy them. Here is what she stitched up for me:

Margit stitched my initials from the Garden Alphabet book. She even sent me the scissors. Which I really needed!!!!!
The little worm was from the book Garden Creatures. He is quite cute. Margit also sent the fabric, which is in the background.
Thank you Margit. Another wonderful exchange.

Long time since last post.....

I can't believe it has been over a month since my last post. Life has been very busy, as it seems to be with everyone. I have been working 12 hour shifts and just have had a lot of other things going on. Since my last post a lot has happened. We did have our annual retreat. As always a very good time was had. It was very nice to be back home in Minnesota for five days.

Our theme for retreat was snowmen. Here is Jill with a cute snowman hat her mom had made:

Here are all the goodies Jill gave us. Her mom made the snowman slippers.

Lori gave us all these goodies:

Cathy gave us these goodies:

Jackie gave us this mesh bag full of goodies. I apparently didn't take a pic of the contents. Not sure what happened. Sorry Jackie.

I also forgot to get a pic of the goodies I gave. But I did take one of some of the things I stitched. I stitched five of each. I made a pin keep, scissors fob and a pincushion/ort jar made from a canning jar.

Here is one of the reasons we have been busy. Our daughter Chastity got married on August 29. So we got to spend another week back home in Minnesota. This pic was taken on the night of the rehearsal. Here is Chastity and her dad.

This is a picture of David and I with all of our children. Since we don't get together as often as we use to we try to get a family picture whenever possible. Now all of our children except our youngest are married. He is the one in the back.

Here are just the children: Front row from left to right: Kyle--#3, Karissa--#2, Kelsey--#4,
Melissa--#1, Back row: Chastity--#5 and Tristan--#6

Yesterday I received my PIF from Cathy B. She stitched this cute ornament from 2003 JCS magazine. The design is by Nordic Needle. View of front and back of ornament.

Then the last three pics are treasures my DH found for me. He likes to go to antique shops and garage sales. Here are some frogs he found. I really like the colored ones. I have since found bases to put the two flat frogs in. Now I need some scissors to put in them!!!!

These are some silks he found at an antique shop. The tag says Belding Bros. & Co. I think they are old. My DH bought a box with miscellaneous threads in it. If you have any idea about these silks please let me know. I am just curious.

These DMC threads were also in the box. I thought it would be neat just to have these for display purposes.

If you have made it through this post congratulations and thanks for taking the time to read about my goings on. I do check all the blogs on my list, but I must say I am not very good at leaving comments. I do enjoy reading them.

And as always, Life is good in Aberdeen.
As my DH would say we are living the Dream in Aberdeen!!

Friends Through Threads Summer Exchange

On Saturday I received this summer exchange from Kerstin. This is an exchange through the Friends Through Threads blog. There have been four of us from the U.S. and four stitchers from Germany and we have been doing a year long seasonal exchange.

Kerstin stitched this cute little pillow with a summer motif. I will be putting it in my new stitching cabinet that I found a couple of weeks ago for all of the stitching I received and do while I am here in Aberdeen.

These are all the goodies Kerstin sent. Some German patterns, ribbon, buttons, ribbon flowers and a very cute tin bird.

Thank you Kerstin.

Can't wait to get back to Minnesota next Monday for our annual stitching retreat. It will be great to be home for a week to see our family and of course go to my LNS with my stitching buds and just plain stitching.

Finishing Update

I didn't have to work during the week, so I did some finishing.

Here is the Quaker pattern Margit stitched for me. I made it into a long pillow. I just love how it turned out. The fabric in the background is what I used on the back of the pillow. Thank you again Margit.

Then I finished my 4th of July Fair and Square into this pin keep. Sorry about the dark picture. This square was done by Bridget. Thank you Bridget.
My hubby and I went to a couple of garage sales and I found this flower frog for ten cents, and I found the bottom for fifty cents. Now I have a scissor frog here in Aberdeen for sixty cents.
We looked at this cabinet on Friday at an estate sale and I thought it would make a nice cabinet for all of my stitching smalls. They wanted $20 for it, well I didn't buy it but my dear hubby went back there today and got it for half price!!! I can't wait to get some stitching goodies in there. I needed something for my stitching smalls in my home away from home.

So there is a small update from Aberdeen. Thanks for stopping by.
And as my hubby says were living the dream in Aberdeen!!!!