Day 8 of the Advent Calendar Blog Hop

Unfortunately the Day 8 Door Host couldn't post on their day, so I am back-filling!

I have a peek of a piece which will hopefully be a December finish:

pa rum pa pum pum!

This is, of course, the final block for Joan Elliott's 12 Days of Christmas which I have been stitching all year!  I have started beading this piece and hopefully will have a finish by the end of the week.

The question I asked everyone for the Blog Hop is "How do you celebrate Boxing Day?" not realising that some countries just don't celebrate it at all.  Come on America, you are seriously missing out on another day off work!  Unless you are one of the unfortunates who draw the short straw and have to go in.  I've avoided it for the last two years as I worked on Christmas Eve instead.

When we were children, Boxing Day was sometimes spent with my Dad's side of the family but most often at my maternal Grandparents' house.  Sometimes this involved a bracing walk along the sea front first but not if I had any say in the matter!  We would often play card games for pennies, provided by my Grandad.  So if he lost, we kept the money, if he won, my Nana would say "share your winnings with the children then".  

Nana was a dreadful cheat too.  We played Newmarket (see here for a description) and she would swear blind she didn't have the Ten of a suit so the run would come to an end.  Then she'd find it in her hand later!  She also accused my Grandad of gloating if he smiled and sulking if he didn't.  Then she'd make him give us kids more pennies if we came close to running out!

As an adult it was a day of peace and quiet, watching a new film on TV, having friends over to play games and drink beer.  After my older son was born I started staying over at my parents for Christmas so we had an extended break, we'd all go out for a Carvery at a local hotel on Boxing Day.  My Mum liked a glass of sherry before the meal, a drink which is going out of fashion as one year the very young waitress looked blank and came back with a wine glass full of sherry!  Mum enjoyed her meal that year and we rolled her home afterwards LOL

Since we moved into a larger house at the same time my parents downsized we have them here on Christmas Day and then spend Boxing Day with my husband's side of the family.  Stitching-wise I shall be doing Day 2 of my next 12 Days project and then my spooky conversion of the Enchanted Alphabet as it is the 26th.  Not very seasonal I know!

Now I have a finish to show you all:

Virgo by Satsuma Street

stitched on 28 count black evenweave

All 12 of the signs are now released and Libra will be the next one to be started.  I love the colours in this one.  The only change I made was to her hair, she was charted as a blonde but I have dark hair.

I've also been making great progress on Dracula's Castle by Dam Good Crafts.  This has been my bath-time project and is coming to work with me for break time stitching.

stitched on 32 count Amorentia Belfast by Chromatic Alchemy

That trellis work was so much fun to stitch, I work it in diagonals and it grew so quickly.  Now I have a lot of straight black rows which are not so much fun.

Finally, a big Thank You to everyone who is taking part in the Advent Calendar Bkog Hop and to those who are following and commenting on the posts.  I hope you find some New To You blogs and continue to follow them into the New Year.