Months Of Silence

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I've recently received a few comments lately on my last post which was the end of July asking if I was alright, and a few e-mail as well.  I wonder if at this point after so many months if I have any followers left.  I haven't planned on abandoning this blog, it would be such a shame as I was one of the early bloggers in the stitching community.  I also think of all the time, effort and heart that has gone into creating and sharing this blog.  I just lost the desire to blog for awhile, however my stitchy-bug was not affected at all I've got quite a bit of stitching to share with you from the last months.

In my last post from July I was working on Lizzie Kate's Be Naughty

Be Naughty

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on mystery 28ct linen using recommended threads

In order of completion I've stitched the following pieces:

Ho Ho Ho Holiday - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

I've realized I've not photographed the following pieces and will do for my next post (I promise!).  Again this all in order of completion, I keep a little book listing all of my finishes since 2007!

• Just Nan - Gingerbread Angel Mouse
• Just Nan - Gingerbread Jingle Mouse
• Just Nan - Little Princess Snow
• Just Nan - Loreli Lamb
• Just Nan - Oakley Owl
• Hands On Designs - Year In Chalk : July

Here's a finish I'm sure you've been wondering about (unless you follow me on Instagram)....

 Fortunate Traveller

Teresa Wentzler

Stitched on 28ct Cream Lugana

Stitched with: DMC and Mill Hill Beads

Since finishing Fortunate Traveller I've worked on a lot of smaller pieces.

Wait 'Till Dec 25 - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

1st Christmas

Lizzie*Kate

32ct White Lugana

Stitched with DMC & Mill Hill Beads

Jeffrey's Christmas Ornament

Earth Threds

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue 2001

Stitched on 32ct Iris Garden Opalescent Belfast Linen

Stitched with DMC, Kreinik & Mill Hill Beads

Merry - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

FaLaLaLaLa - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

Joy To The World - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

Silent Night - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

Love - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

Joy - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

Let It Snow - Jingles

Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with Weeks Dye Works

 Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on 32ct Raging Storm Belfast

Stitched with Threadwork

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on 32ct Silkweaver Solo Wexford Linen

Stitched with Six Strand Sweets Blueberry Grunt

Reflections of Canada

Ink Circles

Stitched on 28ct White Lugana

Stitched with DMC 498

WIP Wednesday, Summer Holiday Edition

Thank you everyone for the comments wishing me a speedy recovery from my dreaded summer cold.  I'm almost over it which is a relief I was feeling pretty awful for awhile!  While battling this cold we've been dealing with quite the heat wave.  I'm so grateful we have central air conditioning!  I could just imagine how awful I'd feel not only battling a cold, but the extreme heat as well.

Stitching-wise I feel like I've had a pretty productive week, when I wasn't sleeping!

Bluebird Tweet

Just Nan

Stitched on: 32ct Linen from Silkweavers

Stitched with: DMC & Mill Hill Beads

I started and finished another Just Nan critter.  I now have two stitched up for the JN Critter finishing day Kathy and I are going to have in the fall.  This time at the top of the pile was Bluebird Tweet which I picked up at The Attic back in March.  I have pulled out and kitted up a third Critter but I've not started it yet.

Instead I started this Lizzie*Kate, Be Naughty.  I kitted this one up in early June and its been in my basket waiting to be started.  I've been stitching up one or two letters each day before I pick up Fortunate Traveler.  Except for yesterday, I didn't touch it at all.  When I first posted my start on this on Instagram, I thought it would be best not to hashtag the name of the chart like I usually do.  Imagine the traffic I'd get with the hashtag "benaughty"!!??  Though I do have some fun coming up with some creative hastags!!! (don't forget you can follow me @tkd_chick and see stitching almost daily!)

I finally hit a milestone with The Fortunate Traveler by Teresa Wentzler!  Last night I finally finished the cross stitching on the border!  Of course as you can see there are miles of backstitching to be done now.  I like to get areas completely done on TW's before I move onto the next.  There's always a lot of BS on her pieces, and leaving it to the end could be overwhelming!

As you can see from this close up of the corner I've got a start on the BS, there will be a lot of work putting in the netting you can see started here as well.  It took quite a few hours last night and today to get the outermost line of stitching on the borer and the inner most line backstitched.  I'm not sure what section I'll tackle next, probably all the writing both the "Fortunate Traveller" which I will spell correctly with the Queen's English and the story before I get to the fun part... the dragon!!!

Calabogie Lake

 Water's Edge at Calabogie

Drgonfly On The Rocks

I managed to get out for a bit on Monday with my brother and Dad, I have to admit half a day out left me pretty drained by the time I got home.  My brother and I went in his sports car and my Dad followed on his motorcycle.  We drove out to Calabogie, through White Lake, a stop for lunch in Arnprior, and a final stop in Packenham before heading home.  It was SO nice to get out!

 5 Span Stone Bridge over the Mississippi River in Packenham

Wimpy WIP Wednesday

Greetings readers.

Remember last week how I had said I was hoping to finish the cross stitching on Fortunate Treaveller's border?  Murphy's Law came for a nice, long visit.  Initially I had a quiet weekend planned, just a baby shower to pop into.  Lots of stitching time right?  Well I was pretty run down by the latter half of last week, so Thursday and Friday night were both nights where I sat and played mindless games on my iPad and went to bed early.  I didn't touch my stitching.  My quiet weekend turned into being out and about with my friend Christin Friday night, Saturday I went to that baby shower for about an hour, then drove to Montreal (2hrs each way) for a birthday party, spent the night, drove back at lunchtime Sunday, picked up my friend Claire visiting from out of town, spent a few hours teaching her finishing techniques then took her back into the city in time for dinner.  I felt like I never had a weekend!  I had also taken Monday off of work to spend with Claire and her son who were visiting from out of town.  Today I was off sick with a bad headache and sore throat... totally run down.  Surprised?  Me either.

After last week's Wednesday post, I didn't pick my stitching back up until Monday night.  Really that was just a token effort to stitch, not much got done.  I finally really got some stitching done last night!

 Jingles - Cheer

Lizzie Kate

stitched on: 32ct lugana

stitched with: Weeks Dye Works

I decided working on a TW wasn't a good idea with how I was feeling so I pulled out the Jingles ornament I started last week.  I managed it to finish it last night as well.

Strawberry Bunny

Just Nan

stitched on: 32ct Desert Sunset Belfast by Zwiegart

stitched with: DMC & Mill Hill Beads

With a nice long nap, today I was able to stat and finish the stitching on this little Just Nan critter.  I'm holding off on finishing it until the fall.  Kathy and I are planning on doing a critter finishing frenzy in the fall.  I've got more to stitch before the fall!

Hopefully next week you'll find I've been more productive.

WIP Wednesday, Rarely On Time

I have every intention of blogging last night, however my Internet Provider decided they needed to do maintenance on our network which could result in "reductions in speed or interruption in service"  well, my "interruption in service" last from 4PM to 10:30PM.  Awesome, just awesome.  So blogging just wasn't happening last night.

A Year In Chalk - June

Hands On Designs

Stitched on: 32ct Weeks Dye Works Linen, Gunmetal

Stitched with: GAST

Since last week's update I pulled out Hands On Designs - Year in Chalk series after finishing Mini River Cottages.  June whipped up really quickly from the small amount I had started.  I now have half of this series stitched up.  For the moment, I can't go any further in this series as I don't have July and August charts yet.  They're out, I just don't have them.

Stoneware Cat - Kit

Priscilla's Pocket

On Tuesday evening I went out and stitched with my good friend Janice, and I decided to work on this little cutie.  I bought this kit back in March during my trip to the Attic in Arizona.  I was a little disappointed with the kit because I ran out of thread.  I contacted the designer about this, it turns out it was supposed to be stitched over two with one strand of floss.  There were no stitching instructions at all included in the kit.  So like any good, experienced stitcher I stitched it 2 over 2.  Anyhow he's really cute, and he'll be finished into a little pillow with a nice blue pom-pom trim that came in the kit.

After some fairly straightforward/easier projects, I was still in the mood for more complex stitching.  Teresa Wentzler's Fortunate Traveler continues to hold my attention.  If I get in the stitching time I'd like to, I hope to have the border completely cross stitched by the end of the weekend.  I have I'll be sticking to this project to the end.

I have also started my July ornament.  I'm still working away on Lizzie Kate's Jingles series.  This month's addition is Cheer.  I love the wee cardinals!

Not only have I been stitching this last week, there's been more finishing!  They're all ornaments I've stitched up from the Rosewood Manor - Red Threads chart.  Again, rocking the beaded edging on all of these.

Update : Stitching

Once again I've become lax at blogging.  I keep thinking, I should blog but then my stitching seems to take precedence.  Also at work, the month of June is rather hectic as we're busy wrapping up another school year.  Sadly I'm not on summer holidays like may of my co-workers, I'm one of the "lucky" few that has a 12 month position in the school.  So I'm still working, I'm looking forward to 5-day long weekend starting after work tomorrow.  After that I won't be taking any holidays until the last week of July when I get to enjoy 3 weeks of vacation.  This year I have no travel planned, I'll be having a stay-cation or a few little day trips.

I'm going to update you on what I've done, been doing, stitching over the last month over a few blog entries.  First I'm going to start with stitching, my needle has certainly been busy!  I'll update you with all of my WIPs on WIP Wednesday, there has been a flurry of finishing, and a few little day trips that I've taken a few photos.  So, keep an eye out for blog entries every couple of days!
 

 Cirque des Carreaux (squares)

Ink Circles

Stitched on: 32ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean

Stitched with: ThreadWorx Foxy

Since the end of May all of my stitching attention when to one piece, Cirque des Carreaux.  Christin suggested that was the project I should work on during a weekend away, and I just never put it down.  I was on page 2 when I picked it up, I found I was easily stitching a page in under a week, there's six pages in this design.

This is the third piece I've stitched in the "Cirque" series.  There is just one design left for me to stitch "Cirque des Triangles" (triangles).  I'm planning on starting that one in February during next year's Dominican Experience trip.  I haven't decided on colour yet, I'll keep the fabric the same as I have with all the other pieces.  Right now I'm thinking either a nice purple or turquoise, something vibrant.

In May I decided for my monthly ornament to start stitching up the Lizzie Kate Jingles series.  Fun, colourful, and quick are a great way to describe them!

Deck The Halls

Jingles

Lizzie Kate

Stitched on: 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with: Weeks Dye Works

Noel

Jingles

Lizzie Kate

Stitched on: 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with: Weeks Dye Works

So that's it until Wednesday when I'll share with you how my latest WIPs are coming along.

Long Time... No Blog...

I guess I fell off of the blogisphere after my last post in... November I believe?  Not only did I not blog again but I've also not visited any blogs for months!  There's no one real reason why I stopped for awhile.  Life was busy, I'm trying to get my weight back under control (which can be quite time consuming!).  For most of December I was plagued by a headache that never really went away so many things suffered like working out, eating right, stitching, and so much.  I think also when I found time I just wanted to be stitching!  Though I was off of work for two weeks over the holidays I found we were just so busy!  Either we had company or we were company, there were also parties, get togethers and prepping for Christmas too!  On top of feeling like shit most of the time with that headache which persisted despite being off of work.

So lets get away from all of that boring and mundane stuff and get onto what this blog is all about, stitching!

I have been working away on The Accolade, but I'll save that for WIP Wednesday (yes I still want to at least do a once a week entry for you folks)!

December ended up being a flurry of stitching and finishing ornaments!  My fingers were just flying and the hot glue gun didn't get much of a chance to cool down!

 The masterpiece Todd and I collaborated on - our first ever!

My first Christmas party was a gingerbread house building party (it was a riot!) hosted by my good friend Marline and her new husband!  I love giving ornaments as hostess gifts instead of chocolate or a bottle of wine.

I decided barely a week before the party that I had to stitch Lizzie Kate's 1st Christmas for their tree!  A flurry of stitching and heartache over heart-shaped finishing here's what I produced and not only I but Marline was so happy to put it right onto her tree!  This is customized with their last name thus I covered it up when I took this picture.

1st Christmas by Lizzie Kate for Landon, Lucy, and Zach, Carter's did not get photographed

 The back of all of my 1st Christmas ornaments

Stitching the ornament for Marline started a crazy avalanche!  I decided most of the new babies I knew out there should have one!  Actually first it started with my favorite little man Zach who I stitched TW's Birth Announcement for back in the first half of 2014.  Then it just snowballed into one for the son of the little girl I used to babysit (I recently reconnected with the family on Facebook), one for the Chaplain's little girl at work , and one for my good friend Tracey's Nephew (which I stupidly forgot to photograph... I never do that!).  In all I stitched 1st Christmas 5 times!!!!

Roaming Reindeer

Blue Ribbon Designs

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

Stitched on 40ct tanzanite linen

I had also stitched up this lovely Blue Ribbon designs ornament since my last blog entry and did the finishing on it. I liked this one so much I kept it for my own tree.

I've done a lot of finishing since my last entry as well, in no particular order:

 A Merry Little Christmas

Lizzie Kate

Flat fold

 Merry Cats'mas

Freebie - unknown

 Peace Button

Jeannette Douglas Designs

Just Cross Stitch Preview Issue

 Ribbon Reindeer

Freebie - Daffycat Designs

Wreath Reindeer

Freebie - Daffycat Designs

In November/December I took part in an ornament exchange organized by Angela at Hooked on Stitches.  This exchange renewed my faith in exchanges as the last one I took part in did not go well, at all.

Bell Ornament

Jeannette Douglas Designs

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Preview Issue 2008

This is the ornament I sent out to my partner in the UK, and I was shocked that it arrived in under a week!

In return I got this fantastic ornament that I was just so pleased with and I want to learn how to do the ribbon trim!!!

Over the holidays there was one day the living room was off limits while Todd put together a new entertainment unit.  Its best to just stay away when he's putting something together.  So I de-cluttered my stash room and put together this little display area of smalls I've received, and my scissors in their scissor frogs.  Just love it!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on: mystery fabric

At some point I also had a small stitching finish... I can't remember when.  This will be finished into a bead edged ornament at some point when my finishative comes out to play!

Now finally onto this year, 2015!

January 1st saw the annual emptying of the ort jar!

I've also had two small finishes so far in January, I admit both of these had been started in December but they are my first finishes of 2015!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on: mystery fabric

 Fa la la la!

Freebie - Plum Pudding Needleworks

Stitched on: 40ct Natural Linen using DMC

Well, that's it!  I've been busy that's for sure!