What I'm guilty of

Hello blog friends! 
I'm back (to blogging). It's been almost three weeks without posting. I missed you. Trying to catch up with the reading.
Frankly, I wasn't too keen with the changes in Blogger, still getting used to the minor changes.
So what have I been doing since Thanksgiving? Gift shopping, wrapping, mailing. Happy to say that all gifts for out-of-state have been mailed, the last batch sent last week. Had to rewrap two of them as the postage went up more than my budget ($46 just for one box going to Canada, oh no, don't want to spend that much on a single package, had to take out some of them). 
What else have I been up to? Hauling! Shopping for my own presents, LOL. Unfortunately, I had to email a seller as it has been more than a month without a word on the status. I got my answer after a week and said they'll be posting it today, well let's see. Why can't they just say out-of-stock on their website before you hit that order button. 
But I'm happy, for I received my Aida fabric order from reliable 123stitch (ordered some more this week):

14ct.vintage blue whisper (10x18), 16ct. pewter (18x21), 16ct. antique white (1yd), 16ct. country french cafe mocha (36x51), 18ct. vintage country mocha (1yd), 18ct. vintage smokey white (36x43)

What's unusual with this line-up? 18count! Yes, my first! Actually I've started stitching on it last weekend. Need getting used to it. 

I couldn't pass up on Joann's Black Friday sale either:

 

DMC - 4 for $1

Threads I bought for patterns I don't have yet, haha. I searched online for each sampler's floss list. 2017 will be a Sampler year for me. I bought books from Amazon as well (forgot to take a picture). Oh, and I also got the JCS Halloween DVD. I'm only drawn to 5 patterns, and started one with the 18 count (!), you'll see it later.

Having said that, let's go to stitching progress. My teeny weeny Christmas tree is now lit up,

and Reindeer is being backstitched,

 more blocks on Read Between the Lines,

 

 

 focused on these blocks,

 and my start from JCS Halloween DVD,

 Spells' Store

by Primitive Hare

JCS Halloween 2013 issue

18ct.. vintage smokey white aida

I felt it's okay to have a new WIP because...

I have a finish!!! But I can't show the whole piece yet for a reason. But here's a peek at the changes I made:

 

Darkened all the colors for the words to make it clear, here's a picture of the words from the leaflet (I changed Noel to Hope):

I'm also guilty of... not doing good on my 2016 goals. Ooopsy, I did great during the first half, had 4 finishes from that list... and was sidetracked with other patterns, haha.

To make up for it, I dug up an old magazine:

 Houses of Peace

Cross Country Stitching Dec.2010

14ct. black aida

I've already put in some red stitches, two shades, no picture. No expectations on getting this done by Christmas!

Lastly, here's the culprit of my blog absence...

After a long while, I was caught up again in the vortex of Korean drama, courtesy of Big niece. Legend of the Blue Sea (teaser on youtube).

Thanks for visiting. Happy Stitching.