I was deleting a bunch of emails and came across one from Mary Corbet I hadn't read yet. It was a Christmas message and a link to an online jigsaw puzzle she had created with an 'I Spy' theme. I enjoyed assembling the pieces and then realized the app allows one to create their own puzzles for free. Here's the link if you're interested. Of course I sent the link of one I created to some of my friends who might be interested in frittering away some time on their electronic device.
Another thing I did was print some of the patterns from last year's Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue. They're not big projects and could be completed in just a few stitching sessions. One Floss Tuber I watch suggests having a separate Christmas bag/bin with projects ready to just pick up and stitch. My stumbling block is fully finishing (FFOing) the pieces I've stitched so will make an effort to get more of these FOs FFOd.
This brings me to what will be a New Year's start. Back in 2023 I started Winter Rose Manor on New Year's Day. Several of us worked on the project that year: Sharon, Jennifer (Jen1), Poppy, Marilyn, Barb, and I. I put everyone's initials on mine. I'm very glad I did that because Sharon is no longer with us, having passed away early this year after a lengthy battle with cancer. 
I mounted the piece and framed it with a custom frame I ordered online and it hangs in my dining room.
I've wanted to to what I believe is a companion piece called, 'The Light of Winter' by the same designer, Brenda Gervais, and have had it kitted up for a while. I even have fabric that matches Winter Rose Manor's fabric. The pattern is very hard to find in .pdf but it was in Sharon's stash so I was pleased to receive it. I'm sure she'd be happy I'm doing it in her honour.
I had planned to attend the Hobby House Retreat featuring Brenda Gervais outside of Rochester NY this June. However, a lot of US designers will be doing patriotic designs in 2026 for their semiquincentennial. I contacted the designer to ask if her exclusive chart for the retreat was a patriotic theme. She got back to me fairly quickly saying she hadn't created the exclusive retreat design yet but didn't reassure me that it wouldn't be patriotic. Not wanting to risk disappointment for a chart that has no meaning for me and shelling out a lot of money for the retreat costs, I asked for a refund of my deposit. One of my tasks next week will be to follow up on that refund.
Not to worry, though. I have several stitching events planned for 2026: my guild's spring and fall retreats, the April Stitch North retreat in Brampton. Our first night in the hotel is my birthday! There will definitely be celebratory spritzers and other adult beverages that night. When we get together this weekend we'll have to discuss signing up for the fall Stitch North retreat which will feature Theresa Venette, Kitten Stitcher of Shakespeare's Peddler.
The weekend before that is the Pastime Pieces retreat which I'm hoping to attend. Hopefully the food will be better than this year's.
So it will be a busy fall retreat-wise. I'm planning another SW Ontario stitcherly/quilterly road trip for sometime in the summer. This year we will venture even further west in hopes of visiting some or all of the following shops: Stitch-It Central in London, Pastime Pieces near Blenheim, the new Len's Mill Store in Chatham, the Little Red Mitten in St Thomas, The Cotton Harvest Quilt shop in Seaforth, and possibly Quiltatious and Quilting Confections in and near Windsor. Although we may have to leave the last two shops for another road trip.
Clearly my head is swimming with lots of ideas for 2026. Having these events to look forward to really keep me moving forward and give me a lot of joy - especially spending time with the people I enjoy them with.
This just in...
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