Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Flutter, Flutter, Bye 2014!

Hello everyone!

The end of 2014 is at hand and with that I have thought back to my year of accomplishments, both in life and in stitching.   It has been a year of ups and downs but boy did it finish with an up!! Never in a million years did I think we would be having a child next year.  But the Lord blessed us with a little wee bean to cherish and love. It's been fluttering lately and kicking a bit.  The coolest feeling in the world!!!! Most likely, I won't be blogging as much next year with working full time, moving and preparing for little bean.  I hope to update at least once in awhile, but we will see how things go.  Not only are we blessed with a wee child, my husband's health has improved a bit.  He still is susceptible to colds and flues, but his pain in his thyroid is gone and that's a relief, for both him and me!! We just hope that his health continues to improve next year.

Onto stitching, since that's why we are all here.  Last night, when I was thinking about doing a post, I thought, oh...I didn't really stitch or finish much this year. Yet, as I looked back at my photos, I actually did manage to finish things! I added a few more WIP's to the mix and most likely, they will remain WIP's for awhile now.  New babies take up loads of time! Which is wonderful....stitching can always wait.  So I created a few collages for you to enjoy.  One is dedicated to stitching, the other to crochet. 





Crocheted loads more stars and mug cozies not featured here
After some thought about a making a baby blanket, we decided to use the big granny square blanket for baby.  I am trying to make a nice edging around the blanket but ran out of creamy white yarn.  I started making one with some beautiful silky cotton but the holes are too large and I think baby's toes and fingers would get caught in the blanket.  At least I will have one blanket finished for baby!

Stitching WIP's.  Well, I've carried two WIP's now into their third year: Knotgarden and Tea bath Fairy and added 4 more to the mix! Here are my WIP's.


All I did this year was add in some kreinik!

Made significant progress but it stopped in March
Now the samplers!


JCS started in January and last stitched in November

Sarah Chapple started April 27th and last stitched last night!
Had to include a close up of the 1 over 1 butterfly

Next up, my newish WIP's that I think I could finish one at least in January.


Bittersweet Flower

Sarah Emery
Well, there you have it, my stitching in a nutshell.  I'll leave off with some photos of my new camera, and some random photos.



My cool new camera photo of a blazing sky!
Trying to learn how to knit.  Boy is it complex!



No clue how to pick up stitches, decrease, increase, follow a pattern...nada.



Thank you all for your support this year, your love and prayers.  It means a lot to me to have such lovely friends all over the world.  I hope to continue our friendships next year too!

With love, from us.....



And Titus of course...no new photo but this one still kills me every time I see it!



38 comments:

Annie said...

Tons of lovely creativity on display here and one hidden creation in progress! ;-)

Have a very healthy, happy New Year!

Vickie said...

God bless all three of you Anne. I pray for you all each day.
Such exciting times ahead!

Annette-California said...

Super fabulous review for the year. I love getting to see all of your needleworks. Sarah Chapple is calling to me I must be strong - LOL! Having a good new camera makes a huge difference in your photos and especially for needleworks.
2015 is going to be life changing for you and your husband and so much happiness! Wishing you blessings for 2015. love Annette

Rhona said...

What a year you've had....and next year will be the best yet! Love all your work. Hope the knitting goes well!
All the best for 2015.

The Knitting Cross Stitcher said...

Wishing you health and much happiness in 2015.

marly said...

Best wishes to you, hubby, and baby in 2015. Great photo of you two.

Stitching Noni said...

Anne, I am so happy that 2014 has finished in an up for you both :) 2015 is going to be so exciting a year for you and very full on....
Your finishes for the year are great - well done :)
Happy New Year to you all
Hugs xx

Julie said...

A end of year post full of such beautiful creations.
Wishing all 4 of you, (Titus and the little bean included) the best of years with lots of happy times ahead.
Much love x

Carol said...

Your work is all beautiful, Anne, but the best is yet to come with the arrival of your little one next year. I can't tell you how happy and excited I am for you and Lee. I well remember the fluttering and kicking and just how much of a miracle it seemed. I know you'll be extra busy next year, but we hope you'll post baby updates now and then!!

Hugs to you and may 2015 bring you every happiness :)

twinpeakprimitives said...

2015 is going to be the milestone for your family Anne!

I wish you a wonderful year! Of course, looking forward to seeing the third member of the family impatiently :)

Titus is a real fluffy star ♥

All the best

Cindy's Stitching said...

Congratulations. Glad to hear your husband is gettin better. Very nice picture. Have a blessed new year.

Mouse said...

well after having a wee drool at all the lovely stitching ... love the idea for the blanket :)
stitching will wait but you will also need some you time too and an hour or two stitching/ creating a week will fit in just fine ....glad to hear DH is feeling better too :) wishing you a wonderful new year and can't wait to see baby bean ... and that photo Titus looks like a gremlin ..lol love mouse xxxxx

Margaret said...

ROTFL! That pic of Titus is still hysterical! So fun to see your year in review. So many beautiful pieces! It's so exciting about your little bean. I remember the first time I felt a flutter and knew it was my baby. Isn't it amazing? Just wait till you feel the little bean hiccuping or kicking you. It's wonderful! I loved being pregnant. lol! Enjoy! So glad your DH is feeling better these days. Happy New Year to you -- I know it's going to be a special one for you!

Linda said...

Beautiful finishes and great progress on everything Anne. Love the pic of you and hubby. Can't wait to see pics of the little bean.

Linda

Barb said...

Considering you are teaching, I'd say you have had a great stitching year!! Love the photo of you and your DH and of course, Titus. I think we are all anxious to meet little bean in 2015!!

Lillie said...

Congrats to both of you!
Lovely finishes and great WIPs.
May 2015 brings you both lots of joy and great blessings.

Maureen said...

Thanks for sharing your year and here's to a very exciting 2015 for you and hubby (and Titus if course!)

Jo who can't think of a clever nickname said...

Of course you are expecting a baby, it's the power of the Kokopelli. And the jelly babies too!

You have completed some lovely varied pieces this year and made great progress on the WIPS too.

Lovely photo of you and Daddy to be. One word of warning though. When the Small Boy was about four weeks old he developed a rash in his face. We took him to the doctor who happened to be a Sikh with a full beard. He looked at hubby's beard and stroked his own and said "I had the same problem with my baby, you are kissing him too much!" Yes, baby had beard rash LOL

Sarah in Stitches said...

Beautiful stitching and crochet this year, Anne! I'm so excited for you - it sounds like 2015 is going to be a wonderful year! Lots of hugs and kisses :D

Chris said...

Anne! What a great way to end 2014. So excited for you and your husband. I am so glad that he is feeling better.
What a wonderful stitching year too!
Hugs to you and Titus!

Angela said...

Love all your stitching and crochet finishes! Love all your samplers and the granny blanket too. Happy New Year :)

Melissa said...

Anne, I can just imagine what a down-then-up year it was for you. The strike was awful, but maybe the time off work allowed the baby to happen...didja think of that? ;-) Whatever miracle, glad the bean is fluttering away for you. Wait till the bean gets bigger and the "roll" thing happens!

Lovely stitching and crochet work! See what I mean about knitting - I am the same way, I can knit and purl till the cows come up but I have trouble reading a pattern then figuring out what to do.

I will answer your email shortly!

Nice photo of you and Lee, and of course crazy Titus!

Andrea said...

You have some beautiful completed projects along with some great WIPs. Along with your crochet and now knitting as well as everything else you are going to be one busy girl! Huge congratulations again to you and DH, glad to hear his health has improved also.
Wishing you all a very Happy 2015.

woolwoman said...

Nice going thru your year in review Anne - you did accomplish a lot I think! WIP's grew and now you are learning to knit - AWESOME! I think you will love it once you get the rhythm. Just watch lots of you tube videos and you can learn all you need to know for free. If you are able - try and take a beginner class at a LYS - they will be a great resource for you. Join Ravelry - it's a free online knitting/crocheting community - like an on line journal for your projects, patterns (lots of free ones) and you can join groups - in essence - a great tool but another big time suck like FB etc. Glad to hear the baby is growing and doing well. Incredible news about your husband - hope he continues to be better all the time - lastly - a very happy new year to you both. Mel

rosey175 said...

I second the recommendation for ravelry! SO MANY PATTERNS. It had a bit of a learning curve to navigate everything (I dunno how to knit and it took me a bit to figure out how to filter patterns lol) but so worth it! You already had a wonderful 2014 of crafty creations.

2015 is already looking to be an amazing year for you and I think you'll be happy to find time to eat and sleep let alone stitch and blog LOL. It's great your husband's health is improving too. :D

deb said...

(delurking ...)
I so enjoy all the stitching you share WIPs and completed projects. I hope your needles glide with joy through 2015!

What kind of kitty is Titus? The first time I saw him in your blog my jaw dropped - he and one of my kitties could be from the same litter, they look so similar.

Krista said...

Wow, lots of great finishes for 2014! Love your crocheting. So funny and I thought knitting was easy and crocheting was difficult, lol. For me anyway. :) Wishing you a wonderful New Year in 2015!!

Anonymous said...

oh my, Anne! I've only been away for a while and BANG! a little bean baby is on the way! I must say, I had to check with the blog url to be sure I was in the right place, I thought "surely if she was pregnant I would have known" ..yeah, you would have known if you had been reading her blog, silly!
CONGRATULATIONS TO YOU ALL!! I can't wait to read from you, all that baby stuff.. you knitting baby blankets and socks, Titus warming up the cradle, babysitting, etc. oh I'm so happy for you!
all the best for the New Year ❤️❤️❤️❤️
chiara

Veronica said...

Congratulations on the wonderful news. 2015 will be an exciting year for you. Happy to hear that things are going great. Looks like you've accomplished a lot for 2014 too.

Hugs and kisses to you and Titus ^^

Veronica.

Brigitte said...

I love this kind of posts and wow, Anne, what a lot of stitching and crocheting you completed in 2014. And also your WIPs are all so beuatiful that it's a pleasure to look at all the pictures. And yes, it's very probably that you won't be able to stitch and blog as much as you are used to. But this little baby is worth everything.
I wish you, your husband and your little baby a wonderful and healthy 2015!

Ann at Beadlework. said...

Enjoy your new camera, it will be fun using it when the baby comes. Titus is so cute and I enjoyed seeing all your lovely hand work. 2015 is going to be an exciting one for you Anne, enjoy every moment.

Maggee said...

Ha! That IS a hilarious picture of Titus! I am going to be chuckling every time I think of it, which could be a lot (I have no life)! You got plenty of stitching done... I have yet to assess my year of stitches. I will...eventually! I absolutely LOVED being pregnant each time, and feeling a little baby inside me, kicking, floating, poking, and so on! It is such a blessing and wonderful to behold! You and Lee stay healthy now, for the New Year of happiness you are entering! Big Hugs!

The Maiden said...

I am so happy for you and overjoyed at the news of a little one! I look forward to updates, the pile of cross stitch I have reserved for a "someday" nursery is obscene, so I cannot wait to see what you create this year!

The Inspired Stitcher said...

Congratulations on the bean! I love the picture of you and your honey. Such a cute couple! You did well on all those finishes. Happy 2015!

Kaisievic said...

Hi Anne, you did accomplish a lot last year but little bean is the most important, of course. I love your new WIPs and am so glad to hear that your DH is feeling better. Good luck with the move, etc. and Jo's story about the beard is hilarious!

Meari said...

LOL... That photo of Titus cracks me up, too! What a cute photo of you and DH. Wishing you all the best with the little one. :)

I didn't get many finishes in 2014 either. Hoping to get JG done this year.

Happy Belated New Year, Anne!

Karoline said...

You have still managed to finish a fair bit last year, they are all lovely.

I hope everything goes well for you all this year

Annette said...

A whole year with the best WIP ever!!!
I wish you all the best for 2015, with your baby coming!!
How awesome the idea..
I wish you teh best, and hopefully still many time to make all those beautifull things like you made last year!!