Smalls Rotation

Yesterday was my final day in my Smalls Rotation, this rotation was VERY productive.  I'm sure my friends like Christin, Bonnie, Tracey and Leslie were a little tired of me iMessaging Happy Dance pictures to them this weekend!

Gift Tag Set

Cross Stitcher Issue 260

December 2012  

 Gift Tag Set

Cross Stitcher Issue 260

December 2012 

 Gift Tag Set

Cross Stitcher Issue 260

December 2012 

 Rudolph

Cross Stitcher Online Freebie

With one of my finishes I wanted to share to you the fantastic example it is for the difference backstitching can make!  Out there on the web I always see/hear a lot of complaining about backstitch.  I actually quite enjoy it and it must makes such an amazing difference on a piece!!!  Its like focusing your camera!

Michael Powell's Winter Cottage BEFORE Backstitching

Winter Cottage

Michael Powell

The World of Cross Stitching Issue 196

Stitch Of The Union Address and Crazy Challenge Day 1

Yes, you read it right!  This is my Stitch Of The Union Address... what I didn't get done in 2012, how it progressed and what I'm thinking for this year!!

In 2012....

I finished 40 projects!  Two of the 40 were large finishes, being Enchantment of Winter and Seasonal Mandalas, the other 38 were a combination of ornaments, small pieces, and exchanges.

2012 January 1st SAL

I participated in my annual January 1st SAL which has become a tradition with my stitching friends and myself.  Some years its just a few of us, and some years everyone gets on the boat!  Last year it was Ink Circles Seasonal Mandalas, this year its Alessandra Adelaide Designs Leaf.

2013 January 1st SAL

Last year I, for the first time I participated in the January Crazy Challenge, that's 15 new projects in 15 days.  The true challenge is to finish all 15 projects by the end of the year.  I ALMOST managed that!  I started 14 projects that I KNEW I would finish, but one I wouldn't.  That was The Big Red by The Silver Lining.  I just wanted to get this piece started so that I would get to work on it "soon".  I'm attempting the Crazy Challenge again this year.  Unfortunately this year I'm not as organized as last year.  Last year I picked, planned, and purchased supplies for all 15 projects.  This year I'm going to work from my stash, and what I feel like/have time to start.  Also all 15 are going to be smaller projects.

The Crazy Challenge that got away in 2012, the one I didn't finish

I have several projects that I did not manage to finish during 2012... In no paicular order, here they are where they stood at the beginning of 2012 and again at the end.

Kahty's ABC Christmas Sampler when I first got it 

 As of the end of December 2012

 The Accolade as of February 2012

 The Accolade as of the end of December 2012

Cirque des Circles when I started it fall 2012

 Latest progress on Cirque des Circles

 The Big Red, not touched since January of 2012

Finally here's Crazy Challenge Day 1 - AAN's Leaf, I took a bit of a creative jump with the fabric.  My hopes is that my leaf look like its lying on the top of a leaf strewn lawn!  What do you think of my fabric choice?

AAN's Leaf - January 1st SAL and Crazy Start #1

WIPocalypse For October

The full Moon has come and in a month and a half the world is ending!  So I've been stitching my little heart out.  How about you?  As usual there's too much stash and not enough time!!!  Here's my progress since the last full moon.

Good Things

cLizzie*Kate

Stitched on mystery 32ct evenweave from a Silkweaver grab bag

Stitched using recommended DMC

First of all, I had a Happy Dance!  On Monday night!  This is a travelling pattern though one of my groups on FB.  I needed to finish by Tuesday so I could pass it onto Kathy in person on Tuesday.  Kathy is heading South real soon, and it has become tradition that we get together for dinner at our favorite restaurant, The Lone Star.  This time she also joined me at my stitching group, so it was more than a meal together but a few hours of stitching too!  I think I'll finish this piece to hang on the wall near my stitching chair next to my "Don't Bug Me I'm Stitching" piece.

I had a couple of other finishes I've already shown you such as:

Delightful Dragon Fob front & back Teresa Wentzler

Sun Dragon - Teresa Wentzler

I have two ornaments and one larger piece I still can't share with you yet as they're for exchanges in the near future!  I'm also working on another ornament exchange, again can't share!

I've also been very busy finishing!  I've finished:

 Pomegranates & Pears Needlebook - Jeannette Douglas

Count Your Blessings - Shakespeare's Peddler finished as a flat fold

French Country Scardey Cats - JBW Designs finished as a pillow

And I've picked up a few things I've recently had done for me:

My Friendship Quilt

Enchantment of Winter - Dimples Designs Framed

Finally my current WIPs (that I can share!):

Kathy's ABC Sampler 

 Cirque des Circles, finished my first "Cirque"

The Accolade ... almost finished page 3!

Finishing & Framing

The finishing streak goes on!

First, last night I picked up my framed Enchantment of Winter and it looks awesome!  When we played with frames, there was really no other way to go then with gold.

Had Chrsitin with me, and we were also picking up her Earthdancer.  She did all the cross stitching on this piece, I did the fringe, beading, and dream catcher.  We played with a lot of frame corners until I pulled out the one you see here.  It was one of those hmmm not sure about this one when you see it on the wall but the minute we placed it with the piece.  Huge WOW factor!

Today I pulled out another piece I finished some time ago... back in 2007.  I finally turned Jeannette Douglas's Pomegranates and Pears Needlebook into a needlebook.  A new type of finishing for me and it turned out quite well.

Now that I'm done here, its time to ignore the rest of the world and stitch!!!

March WIPocalypse Report

The official Full Moon was on March 7th which means it is time for my WIPocalypse Report!  First I was going to do it Friday night but then I got so busy stitching that I didn't want to post... then on Saturday I had a magnificent Happy Dance and well I wanted to let that hang for awhile at the top of my blog!  Then I was going to do this last night, and well life got in the way... so its Monday and I'm finally getting around to it!

First I'm going to show you the only "in progress" piece I've worked on in the last Moon Cycle.

This is "The Accolade"  I haven't worked on it much during this last cycle as I was first of all busy and stressed out at work.  Secondly, I was fixating on Enchantment of Winter.

During this Moon Cycle I actually managed to finish up a couple of WIPs!  Kinda amazing considering what stitching time I had was precious!

Snowman '10 I finished up just a few weeks ago, a lot of it got stitched up during my time on the plane to and from the Dominican Republic.

These next  two were technically finished up AFTER the new moon but I did work on them both during this cycle.  I finished this biggie up on Saturday afternoon!  Enchantment of Winter.

Then on Sunday this wee guy was close to being finished so I decided to polish off Polar Friends - Day

So that's my WIPocalypse report for the month of March!

Big Honkin' Eggie Happy Dance!!!!

Last year, my Dad was turning 70 so I knew I would have to do something special for his Birthday!  When I was young he travelled a lot around the world for work.  One of the places he did get to go was Russia, and he's seen St. Basil's Cathedral in St. Petersburg.  My Mum had also mentioned once that he saw this piece stitched up in the LNS we used to have when they went there to pick up a gift certificate for me.

I had originally bought this chart to stitch for myself because its just so pretty, and I love Faberge Eggs!  Really, this was the perfect birthday gift for my Dad!  I thought I had started it with plenty of time (February 15, 2011) to get it done for November 2011, but as you know life often conspires against you!

 Enchatment of Winter

c2001 Dimples Designs - Terrance Nolan

Stitched on: 32ct Stoney Point Linen

Stitched with: DMC, Soi D'Alger, Kreinik BF and Mill Hill Beads & Treasure

So I finished it today!  One year and almost one month after I started it!  It is just magnificent and I'll be framing it... I'm imagining something gold and ornate! 

Here are assorted closeups of the piece:

Nashville Stash and Eggie Goodness

Saturday, Christin, Tracey and I had a great little road trip down to Knowledge and Needles in Brighton!  It was great to take my car out for a good long run, and yes its still love at first sight!  All three of us were polite on Saturday and bought some lovely new stash at Ann's.

Here's my wee, but costly stash haul!  I wasn't crazy over the new designs that were released in Nashville, a lot of primitive stuff which isn't my tastes as you all know from this blog I don't go there with my stitching.  I bought 4 fat quarters the colours are: bedazzled blue, butterfly blue, raw linen, and taupe.  I also bought a handful of GAST Limited Edition colours, great for motifs and ornament-like stitching.  Oh and I couldn't resist the pink ribbon stork scissors since I fundraise for The Run For The Cure every year!

Stitching wise, Saturday was not as productive as I liked... you know driving and visiting friends and all that!  But here's my egg as of tonight!

I'm so happy its March!  My stressful period at work is OVER what a relief!  Spring is on its way (though the -17c temperature this morning didn't really give any indicators of spring), which means I look forward to starting road running again.  Spring Break is almost here!!!  I'm off as of 3:30 PM on Friday for a week!  In just over a week I'll be at another Timberhouse Retreat hosted by Knowledge and Needles, and of course my favourite part of the month... my birthday on the 27th!!!  No wonder I love March right?