IHSW Progress

This past weekend was a lovely long weekend (Victoria Day here in Canada) and I was lucky enough to have the house to myself.  Which was good for making progress on Teresa Wentzler's Birth Announcement.  I also managed to spend time with family too, so all around it was a good weekend.

Here's where Birth Announcement stood on Friday evening... I didn't really get any stitching done that night cause I was pooped!

Here's my progress as of last night!  I've gotten in a lot more cross stitch, and making progress with the million miles of backstitch!!!

Its kinda nice to be really focused on one project.

IHSW Wrap-Up

Over the Easter four day weekend, which was this month's IHSW I didn't get in as much stitching as I had hoped/wished!  I did manage to enjoy some time with some great friends!

Here is my progress from the weekend, and what progress I could make over the last few evenings when I wasn't trying to sleep off the migraine I've been battling all week.  Teresa Wentzler's Birth Announcement is moving along beautifully AND I'm almost done all of the cross stitch in the border and I can't wait to hit the middle section!

I also stitched up two more ornaments from the Rosewood Manor Red Threads chart that I've done a few from lately.  A little while ago I've put a bunch of smaller off-cuts of fabric that weren't of much use for bigger projects aside.  So I've been using these up to make these ornaments with whatever overdyed threads I happen to come across... especially partially used skeins that were not bought for particular projects.  I've been also trying to use some of my Mum's beads in the finishing as well.  Of course I've not even put a dent in those!  I thought I had downloaded these off of my camera but I haven't so they'll have to wait for my next post.  I know, such a tease!

To top off this post, here's a super cute picture of Todd and Zeus chillaxing on the couch this past weekend!  These two are always as thick as thieves!  Todd dotes on her and she purrs like crazy the moment the two of them get together!  Its disgusting!

April Goals, WIPocalypse, IHSW... oh my!

Well we're half way into the month of April and I'm finally getting to my stitching goals.  I'll have to do better in May!

March Stitching Goal - Recap
Finish Page 8 on The Accolade - No
Start Page 9 on The Accolade - No
Finish PS Ornaments - Yes
Have a new start - Yes!
Do a little finishing - Nope!

April Stitching Goals
Work on TW's Birth Announcement
Stitch an ornament
Do some finishing

This month's WIPocalypse post is a pretty easy one, as since the last report I've been working on only one thing, and that's Teresa Wentzler's Birth Announcement.  So here it is since I don't have a before photo for you, since I started it a few weeks ago and since the last report.  I'm stitching this for my best friend from high school who had a son in early March.

Red Threads - Rosewood Manor

Last weekend I needed a wee break from gold, gold and more gold so I stitched and finished these two little ornaments.

This upcoming weekend is a four day weekend for me and its the IHSW so we'll see how much I'll get done on Birth Announcement!!!!

Post IHSW Wrap Up (Several Weeks Late)

Procrastinating to blog has certainly been my theme lately.  I can at least say I'm often just stitching, cause I want to stitch and I don't want to stop to blog.  I want to keep ontop of blogging but for some reason I just keep slacking off!  I have a few things to catch you up on but I will do that over the next few posts.  I've missed the Smalls SAL, TUSAL, and April Goals.  So stay tuned...

Now lets recap what I accomplished during March's IHSW which was March 21-23.

First of all I finished Heart In Hand's Snow Woes, this cutie is stitched on 40ct linen.

Next up I started Heart In Hand's Tall Snowman a second time.  I wasn't happy with his overall size the first time I stitched him, so a second stitch was necessary, this time on 40ct.  He looks much better on 40!

Earlier in March I got the most wonderful news, my best friend Claire had a little boy!  She's had the hardest time over the years trying to start a family, and I can't think of anyone else who DESERVES to be a Mother.  I knew exactly what I wanted to stitch for wee Zachary, since I stitched his Mom and Dad Teresa Wentzler's Wedding Sampler they of course deserve TW's Birth Announcement!!!  Here's my progress at the end of March's IHSW.  I am now focusing solely on this project.  I've got to get it stitched and framed by the end of July when I'm going to fly down to the Charleston area to meet wee Zachary!!!!

Belated WIPocalypse and IHSW

I did a lot of great stitching over the March Break, and then the tail end was one of my Timberhouse Retreats (pictures coming soon) and of course when you've been off of work for a week, it takes a bit to get back into the swing of things! (and its quite tiring)

This weekend is IHSW, and I have no plans but to stay home and stitch!  Well and do a little baking on Sunday, its my favorite custodian's birthday on Monday (we share a Birthday month, mine is this upcoming Thursday, the 27th!) he loves apple crisp so I'll be making one to take into work for him on Monday.

Here's my WIPocalypse progress which was due this past Sunday!  Since my last report I have focused most of my stitching time on The Accolade... until my little road trip to Stitcher's Garden two weeks ago.

I probably should work on my fair lady this weekend as one of my goals for March is to finish page 8 and as you can see, the end of this page is not far off!

I initially put down the Accolade to stitch up this beauty, Flowers in Black, White and Red.  I picked up this piece at Stitcher's Garden, and started it the next day.  This piece stitched up in just a few days.

Next up it was time to wrap up those Prarie Schooler ornaments I had started back in January, and I did just that while at the Timberhouse Retreat last weekend.  Here's all the ornaments all stitched up together, outlined in backstitch and backing pieces stitched and ready to go.  This is all ready to be pressed, and cut up to be whip stitched together.

Since the last WIPocalypse I finished....  The Poisonous Poinsettia (to cats)

The Pyromaniac Angel

Candy Cane Smoking Santa

The Cozy Cottage

Chubby Snowman

Finally The Scrawny Reindeer

Since I wrapped the Prarie Schooler ornaments fairly early on during the Retreat weekend, I pulled out another January start to work on, Three Little Maids which I ALSO managed to finish up on Sunday evening after I got home.

The rest of this week I've been working on yet another ornament, this guy has been calling my name since I picked up the chart in January.  I picked up all of the threads for Snow Woes by Heart in Hand at Stitcher's Garden and decided he was next, I haven't been in any rush to get back to my over one stitching.

So there you have it, this is where all of my recently touched projects stand!

IHSW - February

Well fair readers.... you know I'm in the sunny south so there will be no IHSW for me!

Saturday is our first full day in the D.R.  We should be wandering around San Pedro de Macoris and Consuelo

Sunday is our second day in the D.R.  I think we'll be in the Bateys learning about sugar cane harvesting and the conditions the migrant Haitian workers and their families live in.

IHSW and Ornament SAL All Wrapped Into One!

This past weekend was the IHSW (International Hermit and Stitch Weekend), I didn't hermit this past Saturday but I did get together with my friends Rebecca and Mylene we did some finishing AND stitching!  Julie, the lucky girl is off to a retreat in Myrtle Beach next month and she wanted to take with her for an exchange a biscornu and a flat fold.  She wanted my help to guide her through the finishing process.  To take advantage of a little finishing time, because as some people would put it, I lack "finisitive", I took one piece with me to Julie's to finish into a flat fold.

We had a VERY productive day!  Julie's flat fold and biscornu turned out beautifully and I finished up this little cutie, Lizzie*Kate's 2010 Snowman which has been sitting in my "finished bin" since 2012 (I'm afraid to admit, but I have much older pieces in there).  I'm just so how pleased with how he turned out!

French Country Teddy Bear

JBW Designs c2011

Stitched on 28ct Bluebell Joblean

Stitched with Caron Waterlillies Dark Shadows

After our little finishing frenzy, our stitching came out.  I started this little guy on Saturday and finished him up on Sunday.  Once I put name, date and weight on him, he'll become a baby sampler for a friend.  This JBW makes for a great and quick baby piece.

Flowers and Vines Dove - Christmas Doves I

JBW Designs c2012

Stitched on 28ct Black Lugana

Stitched with DMC B5200

Sunday night I finished up yet another JBW, this time another of my Doves that I've been working on all year.  That was 5 down, and 1 to go. 

French Country Dove - Christmas Doves II

JBW Designs c2012

Stitched on 28ct Black Lugana

Stitched with DMC B5200

Last night, I finished up the very last Dove!  As lovely as the Doves are I'm happy to see them done!  This set will become ornaments, Christmas gifts this year.  Sorry these doves just don't photograph well in artifical light.

So there we go, IHSW and Ornament SAL all in one post!

Post IHSW

The weekend is over and that means that the IHSW (International Hermit and Stitch Weekend) its was more of a IHNW (International Hermit and Nap Weekend).  I had a real good nap both on Saturday and Sunday!  Of course this really cuts into your perfectly good stitching time.

 Noel Freebie

c La Comtesse & Le Point de Croix

Stitched on 40ct linen using Gloriana Rosewood

On Saturday night I wrapped up my new start/small.  Its this great freebie I found online that once I saw it I knew I'd be stitching it on my next smalls rotation.  I've also been having the urge to work on 40ct.  Yes, the urge!  I used a lovely, deep, red silk, but I think I would of liked to use something a little brighter.  Also this ornament came out quite a bit bigger than I'd like, even using 40ct, it is almost 3" high!  Of course I was lazy and didn't use a fabric calculator, I just started stitching!  I may stitch this a second time in the future on 25ct over one with a brighter red.

On Sunday I decided to pick ABC Christmas Sampler back up and I started K is for King.

Doin' the Page Dance!

I did manage to Hermit properly this past long weekend.  I do admit I didn't get much done on Saturday we were out and about.  However, Sunday and Monday I didn't leave the house at all!  It was lovely!

It took until Monday night but I did finish page 5 of 12 on The Accolade!  Its looking awesome!

IHSW February Long Weekend Edition

First of all last night I wrapped up my rotation on Kathy's ABC Christmas Sampler.  Its quite a pitiful display of stitching for me!  Several nights this week I was falling asleep in my chair by 9PM so I just went to bed instead of making some big mistakes!  I also knew that this block, the dove was going to take awhile its one of the bigger ones so far (up there with the Angel).  I got the gold outline put in for this block and started on the dove.

Its the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend!  This month its falling on the PERFECT weekend!  Monday is Family Day, a stat. holiday here in Ontario.  So I get THREE days of stitching!  Today The Accolade comes up in my rotation.  So here it is before I put a single stitch into it this long weekend.  I imagine I'll be doing page happy dance at some point!!!

I'm not sure how much stitching time I'm going to have once the weekend is over, I'm getting ready to go away this Friday.  I'm off on my Dominican Experience with 14 new young minds to shape and expose to the realities outside of North America and just how good we have it here.  I think for the plane trip I'll be taking a long ignored project, Cirque des Circles by Ink Circles.  Working with one colour is just so much easier when you're travelling.

January K&N Retreat and IHSW!!

Wow what a great weekend!  Not only was it time for the IHSW, which I quite enjoy when I get to participate properly, stay home and stitch lots!  This weekend I wasn't at home, but I was with like-minded friends!  Stitchers at the Knowledge and Needles January Retreat.

The Ottawa Contingent

Lianne, Diane, Me, Jeannine, Sue & Leslie

We all gathered at the Timberhouse Country Inn outside of Brighton and stitched our little hearts out!  Oh did I mention there was also a lot of eating and a little sleeping!  Eat, Sleep, Stitch!  I was joined by some fellow bloggers such as our hostess Ann, Bonnie, Lianne and Fran.  I think I'll let the pictures do the talking!

Ann, our hostess and owner of Knowledge and Needles

Judie

Bonnie and I

Brenda

Sharon

Clare

Ann

Mary (no picture, sorry) brought this little box and said including the box and ribbon there was 52 items.  We had until Saturday evening to come up with our guesses.  It was a small box, and I got 28 out of the 52 items.  We  had a lot of fun with this!

As part of the retreat we are treated to a fantastic lunch at Chez Dan with his Sou and Sou Sou Chef.  I remembered to take pictures of the starter and dessert.  I guess I was so hungry that I forgot to take a picture of the main dish.

Sous, sous Chef Simon reading us the menu in his best military voice

Of course there are always a lot of fantastic finished pieces on display!

 Bonnie's Leaf

 Both of these are Lianne's first framed pieces for her home!

 Ann's fantastic Mystic Stitch

 Ann's Chatelaine

I'm sure you're dying to see my IHSW progress, and once I finally managed to settle down and stitch (because there is so much visiting to do!).  I mainly worked on two projects, The Accolade and ABC Christmas sampler for Kathy.

Accolade before the IHSW

After

Kathy's ABC Christmas Sampler, I had a little more red than this done before the weekend started

I finished A for Angel and almost finished B for Bells!