Wow, here it is the end of January already! Where does the time go so quickly? This year we already have good and bad things to look forward to... the bad includes sorrow for friends, as one friend lost a husband, and two others have been diagnosed with serious illness. I thank God every day that my family remains healthy and happy. Our problems seem petty and insignificant when we compare them to the struggles those around us are facing. We have a good life, and we are blessed in so many ways...

But I always think the start of the year is a time to count your blessings as well. The good things we have to look forward to this year include a visit with our youngest and her family in England in the summer. Our older DD (who works for us) is coming over to England at the same time, so X's & Oh's will be closed for a couple of weeks in August - but we'll give you lots of warning (wink). Work on the house continues - and I'm pleased to say we're getting down to the finishing in many rooms. I have wallpaper and paint for my master bathroom, and we've painted a wall in the library twice, but it's still not the right color (sigh), so I'm going to pick up some small sample tins and do a patchwork to find the color I DO want. We're trying to figure out where to move our exercise equipment to, so that we can add some additional equipment... but that's a challenge, as we don't want to give up any of our current space, LOL.

I somehow managed to get on 2 committees this year, for groups I've been involved with for a while. 'Cause you know I just didn't have enough to do (GBG), so those are exciting new challenges to be met. I have been working hard on designs, and am pleased to say that this years line-up looks spectacular... but that's business, so I'll tell you about that in my next newsletter...

So what else have we been up to? Christmas was good here - we were all suitably spoiled! Our oldest comes to stay over Christmas Eve, and my parents and my sister and her DH were here for the day, so we had a nice full house. Mom did a breakfast casserole, and I always put the turkey on overnight, so I don't have to cook on Christmas, and we open our gifts together. Funny story, our youngest (the one in England) was texting us while we were opening our gifts on Christmas morning, and she typed "Knowing you guys, I'm going to guess 20 books...", but she wasn't even close... Final tally Christmas morning was almost DOUBLE that (I got 20 all by myself), PLUS I got gift certificates for the secondhand book store which will equal 15-20 more books - and our oldest has come in at least 3 times with books that she ordered for me that didn't arrive in time... so that's 5-6 more! Bill sez the library will be full before he finishes putting in all the bookshelves, ROFLOL.

Bill and I went to dinner and a play at a local theatre on New Year's Eve, which we have done for the past several years, and is always a fun time. My sister and her DH have moved back to our area, and it's nice having so much family close by. We're actually getting together tonight to surprise mom with an early birthday supper, so I have to get a veggie lasagne cooking, and pick up some flowers. Our family likes to play board games too, so we'll probably play Mexican Train after supper (which is played with a 20-number set of Dominoes). Fun game, if you like that kind of thing, LOL.

I spent an evening e-mailing everyone who has stitched for me in the past 10 years (who I wanted to work with again, LOL), as its been getting harder and harder to find model stitchers recently ... I started hearing back almost immediately, and was suprised and gratified to hear from so many who were eager to work with me again - and some I hadn't talked to in 5-7 years! I was able to send out 5 models this week, and line stitchers up for several other projects which are still on the drawing board. I know this is almost business, (GBG), but I just wanted to mention how thankful I am for the support I've received over the years - not only from distributors and shops, and those who carry my products, but also the encouragement and delight stitchers (like YOU!) share with me.

Designing can be a lonely business - even with a family as supportive as mine ... just you and your ideas hidden away in the basement, LOL. As one designer friend sez "It's so hard to explain to the other mom's waiting for the school bus, what you do for a living!" Getting out to shows (like the Creativ Festival), and hearing from stitchers by e-mail is like a shot in the arm for me. I drink in your energy - make notes on ideas you would like to see in needlework - and generally come away revived and re-energized.

I'm also lucky enough to work with some fantastic artists! While these have evolved (and revolved) over the years, the list includes artists such as Catherine Simpson; James Lorimer Keirstead; Frances Tyrrell; Shelley McVittie; Anneke Lipsanen, Den Beauvais, and many others. I am honored that these special people trust me with their artwork, and hope that you have enjoyed stitching some (if not all) of their works - and thank you as well for receiving my own efforts with such enthusiam!

Till next month... happy stitching!