Merry Christmas Everyone!

It is finally Christmas! We seem to have gotten it last - most of my pals are as far away as New Zealand and Australia... ranging to Singapore and then Europe :-) At last, my US and Canadian pals, and I, are celebrating too :-) We had a nice day. It was 50F here today, which is unusual. No white knuckle driving in snow storms either to or from Massachusetts this year :-) First we visited Mike's mother and uncle for breakfast, and then we visited my mother and sister for dinner. We are so full! I even used my treadmill for a little bit tonight when we got home LOL! We got to talk to my brother and nieces on Cape Cod, and Roger is doing a little better. He is off the ventilator and now they are attacking his pneumonia. The girls got to see him for a little bit today. Although the prognosis is bleak, it is great to hear he is feeling better and got to see the girls :-) Now we will do a second Christmas later this week sometime when they get back home. It was really strange to spend the holiday without them.
Here is the one and only photo that was taken today... this is from our breakfast visit at Mike's mother's house... I am in the center, my mother in law Madeleine is on the left, and Mike's Uncle Bob is on the right... not a flattering photo of any of us... but the only one that was taken!

I recieved this absolutely gorgeous stocking from my friend Karen K. for Christmas! Is this just the best treat, or what? I think it is Tina's Stocking (??) I love the gardening theme! This is just beautifully finished off with burgundy velveteen as the backing and the gold braid around the edges is tied into a loop at the top for hanging! It arrived perfectly safe all the way from Australia in the same box as all those stunningly framed Just Nan samplers. I am truly spoilt! Oh Karen, you are so wonderful (thanking her personally via email!)... Mike wants one of these too, hint hint! LOL

And, here is the stash that arrived yesterday.... but I was too tired and lazy to post it... Shepherd's Bush's Fair Philomel kit (a Christmas gift for myself), two belfast linens - Silkweaver's Winter Breeze for Mirabilia's Winter Queen and Kiwi Illusions Paua (both from one of my favorite ebay sellers), and silks ordered from Victoria Clayton - the Konini (blue/purple/grey combo) is for Long Dog's Paradigm Lost, and the Dragon Blood (obviously, the very red combo) is for A Love Story by fouroaks designs... nice, aren't they? I love VC Silks!!!!!
I stayed up pretty late tonight working on Angel of Love, primarily thanks to a couple of cups of Starbucks Christmas Blend coffee.... I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine, it really keeps me awake. I worked a bit more on her first wing, and then really got into more of the beading on her skirt. I love this project. All the little designs in her skirt are wonderful for my OCD!

Stitched on today: Angel of Love