Need Opinion on Ornament

I have been stitching this ornament for my friend Karin and I am not sure how I like the backstitching of the words "Peace on Earth". The chart calls for DMC 3371 (dark brown) but I am not sure how it goes with the silver Krenick on the dark blue fabric. Here are a couple of pictures...there is a the whole ornament and then the close up of the words. As you can see I only stitched the "PE" of Peace on earth. I was thinking of switching it to DMC 415 (light grey)....what does everyone else think???

Stitching, Quilting, and Round Robins

I am officially on Christmas Break!!!! I honestly didn't think I would survive the first nine weeks. I have LOTS to show off!! In my last post, I explained about the ornament exchange for my stitching group. This is the ornament tree of everyone's completed ornaments from the JCS 2010 ornament issue. Everyone was given a kit with the fabric, fibers and finishing trim. I was able to get 5 new kits!! WHO-HOOO!!!This is pretty panel of fabric I found at a discount fabric store on my way to Branson, MO one day. I just added the back, stuffing, border and I had a Christmas present for my secret pal at work.
I took a quilting class earlier this year and this was our project. Since we took the class in Oct, I made a Halloween throw. I just finished it because I really hate the binding part of quilting. Too me that is just tedious stitching and I don't like it. However, I wanted to get this out of my to be finished pile and I bit the bullet to finish it.I was in a RR in my Ozark Sampler group and I decided to have stitched these cute little cupcakes using Ozark Samplers threads. I have had these in my to be stitched pile for a while and thought they would make a cute RR design. The sprinkles are beads.

I have to add this to my To be Stitched pile since I still need one more cupcake to finish and it looks like I need to finish backstitching one of my wrappers.
This week I plan on finishing a RR ornament of Karin which is a Dragon Dreams pattern. I am hoping she likes what I have done with it...I changed the fabric and changed one of the Krenick threads because I thought they would look better. SHHH!!! We just won't tell her I did this...lets just keep it here between us!!

ornament finish

I have a small finish to show off. I finished Christmas Candy Sock Hop by Fresh Threads Studios. You can find this design in the 2010 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue. I love how it turned out. Now I Just have to finish it by Sunday. My stitching group is having a Christmas party where you finish an ornament from the JCS issue....then you kit it up for how many people are attending. This way you have a finished ornament and 6 more fully kitted ornaments to stitch up!! Isn't that a great idea??? There are 7 of us attending so I will have to kit up 6 ornaments.

Afghan, Yoga, stitching question and I must be crazy chart

Family Picture (cats refused to pose)

I LOVE being off work for Thanksgiving Break even if I haven't been home for each day! I swear there has been something going on since I got off work on Nov. 19. I had a Girls Night out since my friend got married today. (yep...I was in a wedding today!), birthday parties, trip to Branson and then one to Mountain Home (3 hours away)...Thanksgiving...wedding rehearsal and then today's wedding. I am tired!! Jammi and I at the wedding today.
I have managed to stitch on a few things. As you can see, I am working on a cute animal baby blanket. I have 7 letters completed and only 19 to go!! WHO-HOOOO!!! I am supposed to be making another blanket but I just can't find a design that says stitch me. So I am going to make her a lap quilt with dragon flies and then I am going stitch her a ladybug birth sampler that I found in a Just Cross Stitch magazine. I loved this design and I just know it is perfect for her. So...would you be disappointed with a birth sampler and a quilt instead of a cross stitch afghan?
I also finished page 2 of Yoga...only 1o pages to go!! I can't wait! Besides an ornament or two....this is the chart I am going to be working on until the end of the year...unless something just bites me like my 3 foot scarecrow I should be working on(not going to think about that UFO!)
Now...I must be crazy. I found this chart titled An Afternoon Embroidering (click link) and I just fell in love with it! I want to buy this chart ---did you see the price???---and stitch it next year. I know I have 10 other UFO's that i need to finish...but this chart is just calling me!!!!!! I just can't justify the price....or should I just bite the bullet and say..get it and stitch it???? decisions, decisions!

Historical Fashions is FINISHED!!!!!

That is right!!! I have finally finished Historical Fashions!!!!!! I am so excited!!! I was dancing and dancing! After 2 years and 1 month it is complete!! I can honestly say I met one of my goals this year! I was going to have a contest to pass the pattern on but I think I am just going to send it to someone I know who really wants it. That is all I am going to say. I am not telling who is getting this design!! I love my little secrets!!!
When this person gets the pattern, I do expect them NOT TO SELL IT once complete. I was given this pattern as a gift so I am gifting it to someone. The receiving person will have to gift it to a new person once complete!
Just wanted to share my news!!!! I am so happy to have it finished!!!!!

Historical Fashions

Check it out!!! I need to stitch the rest of her dress and the final border...then fashions will be finished!!!!! I am so excited! I thought that I would really work on it this weekend but life got in the way as it usually does. Friday, night I was exhausted so I didn't do much. Saturday I got up and played on facebook for awhile. My Island on Treasure Island needed to be dug!!! After that, I organized,..well..somewhat, organized my spare room. I went through my boxes of books. I sorted 9 boxes of books.. Put away five boxes and now have 4 boxes to give away or post on paperback swap. I might sell them on ebay..who knows..I just need to get them out of my house. Today, I went to the mall and bought 3 christmas presents and then off to Wal-mart with my mom. Mark asked me to make him some homemade Chocolate Chip cookies so I did that....Homemade..flour, sugar, eggs...etc. They turned out wonderful!!!
Mark told me to go buy the VERY expensive Christmas gift that I want...I am so excited!!!! I have to check out some prices but I am going to get a FABULOUS CHRISTMAS GIFT this year. I was in shock, I told him the price and he said..ok go get the one you want with the accessories. If it would make me happy and not so cranky, he is all for it!!!!! YEA ME!!!!

Santa finish and Fashions is almost finished!

That is right...I am so close to being finished with Historical Fashions that I can taste it!! I did take a small break from Fashions last week and worked on Sandy's RR piece. It is a cute little roly poly santa! I just want to tap him and watch him wobble!!!
Fashions is one fashionable lady with a big hat from being finished. I am so thrilled. I will be so excited to finish this one HUGE design! I will have reached at least one of my stitching goals! I guess that is better than nothing!