I'm Back... And With Something to Show

So it's been quite some time since I've blogged.  Well, I have a good excuse.  I've been out of the country.

I spent the last month in Guatemala on business.  What an incredible place to visit.  This is the view from my hotel room, and yes, that is a volcano.  And it is huge.

 

Here it is again... above the clouds.

I was there during the earthquake on November 7th.  Luckily the area where I was in Guatemala city didn't sustain much damage.  We did, however, have to evacuate the 14 story building where I was working. 

 

Here we are waiting for the okay to go back inside.

Needless to say, there hasn't been any sewing going on around here.  I did finish up this little cross stitch piece right before I left for my trip:

 

This is called Secret Pumpkin Patch by The Trilogy.  It's a small design- 4" X 4" stitched in Gentle Art and Weeks Dye Works on 32ct natural Belfast linen.  

 

 It came with the tiny polymer clay bird...

 

 And the small, round black button that is stitched on with long stitches to resemble a fat spider.  I love the little broom and the black cat.

I began this little stitch right before my trip and finished it up in Guatemala:

 

This is Spooky Tree from Elizabeth's Designs and was featured in the Just Cross Stitch Halloween Collection book from last year.  The design is supposed to have two bat buttons on either side of the tree, but I don't have any.  I thought about adding backstitched bats, but I kind of like it the way it is- more autumn than "Halloween."  It's stitched on natural linen from stash using various overdyed threads also from stash.  I think the only thing that actually matches the called for materials is the gold floss used for the leaves.  Everything else is a substitute.

 

 This is Gather a Harvest from Lizzie Kate.  I used the recommended Sampler Threads, but substituted a "tea-dyed" linen from stash.

 

 I started this one and finished it while in Guatemala, so I added it to my "signature."

Now that I'm back, I figured I would start this one:

 

I'm hoping this will be a quick stitch.  The fibers are gorgeous and I found a pretty piece of linen in my stash.  I'm taking most of next week off from work so I plan to have a nice little "Thanksgiving stitch."

 

And once it's finished, I can think about starting something nice for Christmas.

I do have sewing plans, too.  There is a sheath dress from a recent issue of Burda calling my name.  I may throw a muslin together next week also.

How about you?  What are your holiday sewing plans?