December IHSW

This past weekend was the last IHSW (International Hermit Stitch Weekend) of 2012. I'm really hoping they continue it into 2013 because it really motivates me to see how much stitching I can get done in a single weekend. This month I decided to work on a UFO I saw while digging out my Monopoly board piece last month. I had forgotten I even started this one. It was a freebie called 'Magic Dragon' by Joan Elliott that came in a tube of Charles Craft Silver Dusted aida. I'm hoping to finish it before it gets put too far to the side again. I may work on other things also, but hoping to keep this in some kind of rotation. This is how far I was when I took it out on Friday.

And this is what it looks like after the weekend. I didn't get as much stitching time as I had hoped. Too many other things that 'had' to be done. :p

I did make some progress on Monopoly since the last time I posted also. Here's what it looks like now.

A close-up of the new part

Besides getting ready for Christmas, not much else exciting has been happening. I'm getting a new dryer delivered on Wednesday. Last weekend my other one decided to die. We've already had it fixed once and it's over 10 years old so it was probably time. We got a good deal on a new one. Oh, there was one exciting thing that happened! A few weekends ago Hallmark stores had an event going on. You could sign up to win one of 4 (in each store) countdown displays. Jerry and I put our names in. I was really hoping to win but of course not expecting to. Well last Monday morning they called to tell me I won!! I was so excited! Jerry was already in town so I had him stop buy to pick it up. Before we went there and signed up I had an email about it. I thought it was like ornament sized, to hang on the tree. I saw it in the store and realized it was bigger but until I got it home I didn't realize how big and how nice it is! It stands about 15 inches tall. You can set it anytime after Oct 1st. You just put in the date and local time and it figures out how many days, hours, minutes and seconds till Christmas. There is a button to light the screen up red but it only stays on for a few seconds. I absolutely LOVE it! The only way it could be better is if it was a snowman since my living room is filled with them! :)

Here's my snowman collection before I started pulling them all out of the tubs.

Here's another of my favorite decorations. It's our Wisconsin Badger tree in the breezeway.

Oh, another thing! My grandson Louie was Joseph in this year's Nativity play at church. He did a great job. I think before the play some of the CRE teachers must have given the kids light up rings. Louie stood in the manger playing with his and making it light up like a strobe light! Probably not something they had in Bethlehem! :)

Well, I think that's about it for now. Hopefully I'll get at least one more post in before Christmas. If not, I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday! If you don't celebrate Christmas, I hope you have wonderful days anyway. :) (((Hugs)))