I want a octopus for Christmas! Only an octopus will do...

Here is the last piece of Thanksgiving! Yes-- after the stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy, the SOUP is really my favorite part. If you add in a can of diced tomatoes, you will get a beautiful broth like a rose wine. 

I warned you last time, that as an artist, NOT a cook, I can make things LOOK good-- this really was.

We ended up having a wonderful Thanksgiving while staying under the number of approved guests-- two grand-dogs and two kitties also showed up (notice there is no limit on furry friends). This made for a happy, little chaos that has been missing from our holidays for a few years since the kids grew up. I can tell I had a good time, because I'm having a bit of post-Thanksgiving depression!

On Black Friday, we drove up to Plymouth. Yes, although I'm from California, I am currently stranded on the East Coast. For those of you who were not paying attention in grammar school-- the pilgrims landed here in 1620-- yes, it was the 400th anniversary! There were so many plans this year for the parade, events, and there was even a rumor Prince William, Kate, and even Obama were going to make a visit-- all canceled! Imagine the disappointment-- this was all being planned for quite a few years by a special commission.

But life continues... here I am with my smarter, younger sister in Plymouth Harbor-- you can see the Mayflower in the background-- we were clever enough and had long enough arms to get this selfie with it in the background.

I have that happy, tired look-- don't you think?! 

Speaking of long arms, 

we then took these silly pictures of me as an octopus...

and then here I am as a lobster...

And all of this did NOT remind me at the time that I should have been home working on Stitches of the Sea! Yes, I am getting really behind on this, and since there are other things I wanted to work on for Christmas, so we're going to have to let this series go to be finished early next year.

I mentioned that I lost myself on the arms...

You may not know the pilgrims landed in 1620, but we all know an octopus has eight arms. I could probably "hide" some of the arms in back of the head, but that's just not the way we do things around here! So I've had a couple of emails looking for November's design-- just be patient-- we will wrap up this entire series as early next year as possible. And we still may have our octopus for Christmas... it would help if I had more than two arms!

So this is what I decided was most important this month... doing a free Christmas stitch-a-long. We need it. This one is a fairy tale theme-- yes, I am still hoping that they year still ends happily ever after-- I am simple-minded like that.

The charm size is 2-1/2" and is free the first week it is out...

The upgrade is 5" and is $1.49. I am promising at least four of these-- they are posting randomly, not so much weekly, so sign up for our emails if you don't want to miss any. And tell your friends. There will be at least four, but I'm hoping for twelve as in past years. Just trying to get my sewjo going-- it's been a little lacking lately.

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The fabric I'm using for both is from Brenda Riddle's Dover Collection-- my current fabric obsession.

Is anyone out there looking for this?

I mean, I know EVERYONE is looking for this, but it's actually our yearly motif... the mug rug and journal versions will debut today or tomorrow... not a minute too soon to put 2020 behind us!

As I was revising the instructions, I saw that at the end of them,
a year ago, I wrote,

"Have a wonderful 2020!"

and even I am not simple-minded enough to believe you did.

But I do believe in the human spirit and so we will pick ourselves up and try again... that is the only thing to do.

xox

Carol