Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe - 8th day of Christmas give away!

Nancy is full steam ahead with her giveaway...check out her blog here for a chance to win $50 in a surprise package. Sign up and check out her wares while you are at it. Good luck!

Hugs from a very wet and muggy Miami

Christina

Third day of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Give away

Greetings, please visit Nancy's blog  site here to get in on todays give away! This is one is for a gift for a friend...am sure we all have someone that can use such a gift! Good luck!

More giveaways from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe!

Hi all, its that time of year again, when Nancy shares her hand-dyed and hand made items, including charts, accessories and floss. Check out her web site every day for the next 12 days to enter her drawings for gifts. Anyone can win. There are rules so be sure to visit her blog to learn more. Yay Christmas!!

Link to Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Give Away

Nancy over at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having another give away. Go check out..as she says, someone always wins and it might be you! Click HERE to go the the give away post on her blog. Good luck!

Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Give- Away

Hi folks, hope your October has gotten off to a fine start, and if not, hope it gets better quick!

Just a note to let everyone know about another of Nancy's give-aways. This time its for fabric. Click here to go to her blog to enter. Nancy dyes all sorts of things like chenille, cluney lace, ric rac, floss and fabric. She has also designed and carved some wonderful frames, designs Victorian styled mottos and samplers and makes some lovely sewing necessaires. Check out all her stuff and happy shopping!

Good luck to all.

Christina in Miami

SFSB- 2015 and another give away from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Greetings stitching friends, its time for my update on Stitching from Stash hosted by Mel from Epic Stitching Blog.

I ordered a piece of fabric for something that I want to start next year called Rose Quaker by Stickedeen van de Weihenberg. Isn't it gorgeous? 

Here is my break down:

September = $28.00 for fabric
August purchases - spent $20.
July - $ 0.97 spent

Not too bad but I am starting to fall off again and must get back on the no-spending wagon.

On a separate note, the awesome Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having another Favourite Things Give Away. Click on the link and check it out. 

Anyway, hope everyone's Autumn or Spring has gotten off to a great start!

Hugs, Christina in Miami

Over due Pictures of WIPs and new "hobby"

Greetings all, finally got my phone to work and upload some very over-due pictures. With no further ado...

My poor little screwed up Acron Needle Book. I started this last year and ran into major issues, as you can see. It was even more wonkier than this and then I ruined it with too much spray glue..yes, yes, I know...

 So this is the acorn cap. Stitched in "knit stitch" and tres adorable.

Outside and In. I have sewed it shut, leaving the ribbon closure out, purely by accident, so am thinking about a snap closure. And I am making another scissor pocket but I put it on so you can see what might look like. I might fiddle with it somemore...I figure I can't ruin it, can I???

Above is my latest knit creation, a cowl. I should have started learning with this but of course, I chose to learn with something more advanced.

To the right is my first knit "lace" pattern. Was this awful to stitch but I did it.

Below is a crochet mini-shawl...the yellow is just  a space holder until I can find my hank of the brown which is somewhere ...

This is a nother knitted shawl or wrap. You can see where my tension changed in the middle. This is what happens when I knit too long.

I am also spinning a bit every day. Below is pic of my yarn. I am still learning how to draft and spin and which hand does what.  Not sure what to do with this...my teacher says to roll it up and keep it on a display as a fond remembrance of my first yarn.

 You might recall that I started work on Elegant Pumpkins a while back...maybe earlier this year, I don't recall, but I have fished it out for more work this year. Below is pic from magazine and my current progress....have a long way to go!!

 A few Mill Hill kits  started last Christmas and to be finished before this one...well, that is my hope! I made a mistake on the snow man so I put this down but now must find a way of working around the error or frogging...decisions, decisions...

Below is progress on my tea towl. Probably won't work on finishing this until next year. I am in Autumn and Christmas mode right now.

And below is a Shephard's Bush sampler. I stopped because I was changing the font on it and then I got distracted with something else...but this is on my to do list...again, probably next year. I added buttons to the hill because the threads didn't come labeled and the greens were very similar that I mixed them up and you can't see the flowers on the hill too good. I also unleashed the lamb and gave the figure a curve on the back.  The figure is holding a posey which is done in French knots. I also did something with the hair, gave her a bun and a neck and thinned out her ankles..whew! Much nicer, in my opinion.

I started this on a whim a few weeks ago and I regret it...I hate AIDA! Will keep my eye out for a suitable piece of linen or evenweave. Its not white Aida, but a very pale aqua blue.

Well, that's it for the pictures for now. I should have a finish on "En Juin" by Grille de Maryse, very soon...yep, any minute now...

Hope everyone is enjoying the seasonal changes which may mean more cozy dark nights for plenty of stitching... Depending on which hemisphere you live in that is.

Christina In Sunny and Rainy Miami

Victorian Motto Sampler is having another give away...

Hi all, Nancy is having another give away! Here is the link: http://victorianmottosamplershoppe.blogspot.com/2015/08/favorite-things-give-away-enter-now_27.html?showComment=1440776342007#c1004131810200535640

Be sure to check out her eBay shop, too!

Good luck.

We are preparing for the worst here in Miami as storm Erika is heading our way.

Stay safe and dry my fellow Floridians out there.

Hugs, Christina

SFS-2015B Update

Hello stitchy friends...I am going to start with a SFS challenge update. I haven't been cross stitching too muchbut did go on vacation so I did have a Stash Enhancing eXperience! I stopped by Dixie Darlin' in Pigeon Forge and treated myself to a magnet scissor holder to put on my shirt and a piece of fabric. Yeah, I needed that piece of fabric like I need a hole in the head!

August purchases - R&R Reproductions  Kona Blend fabric - $8.00
                                Magnetic scissor keep - $12.00 Total spent $20.

Here is a pic of what I am stitching on sometimes in the evenings, it's a pattern from Les Grilles de Maryse entitle "En juin, delices du jardin." I will be done with this in a few nights!

The design calls for a light green fabric but I've put mine on a blue and white mottled fabric from my stash, so it looks very bright and cheery and also substituted the colors to work better with the fabric.

Hope everyone has managed to stick to their limits this month! And for those with kids that started school or will soon, good luck and happy learning!

Hugs, Christina in hot and muggy Miami. 

July SFS-2015 part B

Hi all,

Haven't done any stitchng this month. I am focusing on learning to knit  with real knitting needles - as opposed to a loom. I must admit that knitting on needles is easier than using a loom.  

Anyway, here is my break down for JULY SFS.

July - $ 0.97 spent.  I am working on stitching up some of my prefinished items and I found an old cotton towel in my stash so I purchased an embroiderie stamped pattern for it. Pics when I start it. I am still thinking about colors and what stitch to use for the outline.  I don't embroider so this is a new one for me. I guess this is the summer of learning new skills! 

Question: I don't use a hoop for cross stitching however, should I use one for embroidering on this towel? The fabric is very soft and drapey.


PRIZE WINNER! Below is a pic of the prize I won for May's SFS 2015-A challenge. The potential for this design is great. I love bands for decorating all sorts of things and am sure I will put these designs to good use.

This is "Ye Olde Sampler Bag" by Rosewood Manor. One of my favourite designers.

Thank you Mel and those lovely ladies that offer the prizes. This challenge wouldn't be any fun without the prizes! 

Thank you for visiting and hope everyone is having a good summer and staying cool. We are having airconditioning issues = (  You know what that means, cranky people in the house acting like they are the only ones with sweaty underwear!!

June Update of SFS 2015 - A

Hi all, not too much to report. I did do a little spending but still well within budget.

In June I spent $34.50 on fabric and few things from a de-stash that someone was having.  

May - $1.00 on floss.
April - spent $5 on a huck towel that was on sale at Michael's craft store.
March - spent 0
Feb - spent $19.99
Jan - spent 0

I will try for pics over the weekend.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far!

Hugs,

Christina

SFA-2015 May update

Just a quick update on this challenge...the first half will be over soon and I have been able to post every month and have saved tons of money!

In May I spent $1.00 on three skeins of floss that I needed - they were on sale at the Joann's.

Here's a break down of the last few months:

May - $1.00 on floss.
April - spent $5 on a huck towel that was on sale at Michael's craft store.
March - spent 0
Feb - spent $19.99
Jan - spent 0

I am also still working on the tea towel and hope to finish that sometime in June.

Hope everyone is safe this spring from tornadoes and floods = (.

Christina

Stitchy UPdate!

Hi folks, lot's of pics this time.

So to start, here's most recent finish. This was a little interlude, as I call them...you know, when something distracts you from a current commitment and you just have to dally a bit. The finishing idea was from Deb, a very creative and handy lady at one of the Yahoo groups of which I am a member.

Pine Mountain - a Smidgen called Spring

Below is pic of the heart I made for the  "Heart of Village" competition at The Stichers' Village. There is always stuff going on there so check it out HERE. And here is a LINK to another post with specific information on the heart, inspiration, materials, etc

Inspired by Threadworks Primitives - Cinnamon Hearts 

Here are pics of my prizes that came in Monday as a result of winning first prize for that heart. My Heart came back to me too, for which I am very grateful!

The prizes are all wonderful and as you can tell, I've already started on the little pillow...another interlude! This is my first win of anything like this.

Hope everyone is finding time to stitch and staying safe this spring...prayers go out to all in the tornado belt and those in flooding risk areas.

Hugs,
Christina In Swelteringly Hot South Florida

SFS 2015 Update for April

Hello all, I am sure that those of you living in the northern hemisphere must be very glad that winter is sort-of over. Now for the rains, flash floods and tornadoes that make spring such a lovely time in this region of the world. For me in Miami, it means the start of rainy season. Our traffic reports include flooding updates and roads to avoid..yay!

As far as Stitching from Stash goes - I haven't been stitching very much be here are a few pics and my update:

April - spent $5 on a huck towel that was on sale at Michaels craft store.
March - spent 0
Feb - spent $19.99
Jan - spent 0

Carrying forward I had the $55 and adding the $20 from April takes me to $75 dollars accrued for future spending...not planning on it though.

Following two pic are of an experiment tinting aida with crayon. Interesting textured effect...super for kids projects and cutesy stuff. I basically colored the unwashed fabric with crayon and pressed it with parchment paper.

This next pic is progress on my tea towel. Nothing impressive but haven't been stitching much at all.

And last, is latest quick finish from Pine Mountain - a Smidgen called spring. Completed using stuff from stash. Wish I could straighten the pic but no matter what I do to it, its always side ways!

To those of you planting and getting ready for spring, hope its a mild one for you! 

Hugs,

Christina

SFS-A 2015 March Update

Hello all my stitchy friends,

I haven't done much stitching the last month. I did start on a pattern that was showcased in Just Cross Stitch a few years ago, called Elegant Pumpkins. This was not part of my master plan but had some business travel and nothing handy to take with me so I took this monstrosity. Pic below from magazine. I bought this as a kit when the Martha Pullen web site sold JCS kits..and it was on sale! It's from my stash, of course.

As far as SFS goes:

Jan - spent $0

Feb - spent $19.99

March -  spent $0 from Budget amount of $25. 

Carrying forward I have $25 from Jan and $25 from March and the $5 from Feb for a total of $55. 

This is actually the most complicated pattern I will have ever undertaken. Slow and steady is the motto and count twice, thrice if necessary. I started with the green pumpkin and I have been plodding along and quite enjoying it.

Well that's it for me, stitching wise.

For those of you enjoying an extended winter...this shall pass...eventually...maybe?

Hang in there!

Hugs,

Christina

SFS 2015-A UPdate

Greetings all,

I have been diligently working on my WIPs and UFOs, all from stash! woo hoo!

So far for this year:

Jan spent $0
Feb spent $19.95 on a table runner.

That should leave me $25 from Jan and $4 from Feb, for a total of $30. Despite this, I really do aim to spend only the allotted amount of $25 if I do decide to purchase something.

Here is pic of my second finish from this year. I started this in 2013 but just got around to finishing it. Am not counting it towards my completed stitches as I can't remember if this was from stash originally.Still a finish!

Below are pics of WIPs. All of the stitching is done and now I have to put it together. This came from Stash, as its something I started last year.

I decided last year to work on some of my prefinished items. Below is a tea towel that I hope to have completed soon. It's been a quick enough stitch so we shall see when I actually finish it. This is also from stash and am using substitutions for the threads (DMC).

 

I hope to have these two finished before I start on anything else, and so far, so good. No bad joojoo to keep me from finishing these. yay! 

For those of you suffering the cold effects from this winter, all I can say is hang on. Stay sharp and don't let this cold numb your minds or spirits. I remember winters like this when I was living in NY and it takes all of your energy to stay focused. 

Hugs, 

Christina in Miami

WIP, future and crochet

Hello, managed to figure out what account I used to set this blog up with. The internet should be easier, somehow, yes?

Pics below are of my current WIP, a design out of the Jan 2010 issued of Cross Stitch and Needlework magazine. I started this in 2013 but should finish over the next few works. Sorry, can't get the stupid pic to upload right-side up.

I substituted with stuff I had in Stash but purchased the fabric especially for this from Silkweaver, its called Molino but not sure if that is the name of the fabric count or the name of color. Its a 36 count.

 These next picks of my new start, whenever I finish the Christmas one and a needle book that I am making. I just loved the colors on this sampler. Haven't decided yet what fabric to put it on. I substituted with some lighter colors as I thought the sampler was too dark and dreary.

Scarf I finished a few months along. I love this yarn. Its cotton but its a blend, so very light and a breeze to work with.  I added the flower on the loop to make it prettier. 

            

Well that's it folks. I have a new plan for pictures. I will bring the items to work, take pics there and upload. I have neither the time nor the dependable connection to do so from home. Hope this is a good plan. = )

Until the next time, keep on stitching!

Hugs,

Christina

First SFS 2015 Challenge Update!

Hello stitchy friends and Happy New Year,

I managed to get into the challenge this year and am grateful. Last year I saved beaucoup dinero with this challenge and hope to do the same this year. As importantly though is the opportunity to actually finish some things that I have kitted up from my stash. My plan for this year is to also work on some my pre-finished items, so I have spent time going thru my stash and figuring out which designs are going on what.

Alright so for January, I have spent $0. Good start, ha, ha.

On a separate note, I am entering a heart ornament into the The Stitcher's Village competition for St. Valentine's Day. The heart also counts as my first finish of the year as well as my first finish from stash.

The heart was inspired by Threadwork Primitives Cinnamon Heart. I deleted the words "keep a gentle heart", and deleted and moved some motives around to make it fit. This is my first heart-shaped finish. It was challenging but I think it turned out nice. 

Fabric: Polstitches - Marbled Rose.
Threads: Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe - purple with pink from the 1795 collection. I won five skeins of different colors a while ago.
Pattern: Threadwork Primitives "Cinnamon Heart" with changes.

Well, that's it folks. Hope everyone has gotten a good start their new year. 

Leave a message, its appreciated!

Hugs, Christina