WIPWednesday, Small Finishes and What's Next?

Happy Wednesday fair readers!  Which means its WIPWednesday and one of my blogging days!

As usual I like to start with the happy stuff, and I've had two small Happy Dances since my last post.

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched with NPI Silk

Stitched on 32ct Natural Linen

This first little guy, was already well under way, so there wasn't much left to do.  This has been my "purse project" and I've been dragging it around with me most places but not really working on it.  So I finally put the last stitches into it.

French Country Star

JBW Designs

Just Cross Stitch - Ornament Issue 2010

Stitched with WDW Garnet

Stitched Over One on 25ct Sand/Gold Lugana

Next up is this month's ornament, I had a hard time settling on which one I wanted to stitch.  I finally picked up this sweet little stitch by JBW which was in one of my Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issues.  If I can, and it may be rather ambitious I'd like to finish this star-shaped!

I haven't settled on a new focus project yet, and really that's okay.  This week I've picked away at two different projects.

I kind of have it in my mind to finish up my January 1st start from this year, Peacock by Alessandra Adelaide.  Christin and I started them together, but she's been done hers for awhile now. Usually I'm the first to finish!  I've had a hard time getting "into" this project.

When I haven't been able to get "into" Peacock I've pulled out an oldie, but goodie Arabian Woman a kit from Lanarte.  I fell in love with and bought this project a long time ago, and it cost me a fair bit.  A few years ago I put some stitches in it to make myself get back to it.  I've enjoyed working on it this week.  The fabric on this piece comes painted and there's a little "+" where to start so I've slowly worked my way from that start point, to my happy place, the top left hand corner.

As promised last week here are the other projects I have started in my stitching basket... Which project would you like to watch come to life?  Leave me a comment!

Mini River Cottage - Michael Powell

The Big Red - The Silver Lining

 Cirque des Carreaux - Ink Circles

Fortunate Traveller - Teresa Wentzler

Happy Dances and Road Trips

Happy Dance Alert!  Happy Dance Alert!

I had a happy dance on Wednesday night, but I wanted to keep it to myself until I could show the piece to the owner.  Which I did on Friday, so now I can share it with you.

How I received Kathy's ABC Christmas Sampler

Last September a group of us were stitching at Kathy's she was going through her pile of WIPs and made a comment wishing that this piece would just show up "finished".  I took it and put it in my stitching bag, there were immediately offers by others to help finish it up, but I had this little plan in the back of my head that I would try to finish it myself... or work on it until it ticked me off.  Either or.

ABC Sampler - Kit

cKrista Hamrick

Kit by Design Works Inc.

Towards the end I was getting a little tired of seeing it, but here we are!  I triumphed and can proudly say that I finished it for Kathy!  The last time she had seen it (the day I got the call that my Mum was in hospital) I was just starting letter "V".  In a month I managed to finish it off.

After visiting with Kathy on Friday for a few hours, to help her with some finishing I popped down the road to Ann's and Knowledge and Needles.  I spent the afternoon stitching with her "Friday Stitchers", Bonnie was able to take the afternoon off to come stitch as well!  Thanks Bonnie!

Chatelaine - sorry hard to photograph

Mystic Stitch

Ann had two new framed pieces to show off!  They are just awesome, a completed Chatelaine and a huge Mystic Stitch!

Ann's husband Dan also had something of his own to show off as well!  On Friday evening he threw me the keys to this.... and let me take it out for a spin on my own!

My shit-eating grin while driving Dan's 'Vette

It was a joy to drive his 50th Anniversary Edition Corvette ... convertible and he impressed me by having a 6 speed manual transmission.  A sprots car with an automatic transmission is just a waste of metal!  Oh my what a pleasure it was to drive!  It had a gorgeous purr/rumble, I didn't mind downshifting for a change, the power was there when I wanted it, and the transmission was nice and tight!  Thanks Dan for letting me take her out for a spin!!!

I worked on a couple of projects this past weekend.

I put in a little more on this travelling chart, Life's a Stitch by Lizzie Kate.  As you can see I'm working with my own colour choices.

Christmas Tags

Kit - Cross Stitcher Issue 260

I finished up these little "Christmas Tags" one of those little kits that come with the British Magazines.  I finished up the Candy Cane and the Red Mittens on Friday night.

Saturday that left me with a new start!  Yes, I had plenty of other projects to stitch up but I have this gift that needs to be done.  I can only show you a wee corner since the recipient is known to read my blog.  I'm now over 1/2 way done this piece, and its looking great!

So that's it for my wee road trip, I had a great visit with friends, and got a lot of stitching in!  Oh wait and I did get a little stash!  I picked up the latest JBW Wreath Charts and a piece of pretty fabric!

G.S.T.

G.S.T, and I don't mean the Goods and Services Tax that the Canadian Federal Government charges us on almost everything.  I'm referring to Goals, Stitching, and Tea!

First, G - Goals
We're now four days into June and I haven't shared with you what I'd like to get done this month.  I didn't set any goals last month so there's no review from May.

June Stitching Goals

• Finish ABC Christmas Sampler
• Stitch one ornament
• Maybe work on The Accolade

Next, S - Stitching
As you all know I've been plugging away at ABC Christmas Sampler and over the weekend I completed two more letters!  "T" for Tree, and "U" for Unwrap, now U was pretty darned small.

Here's the whole sampler at a glance, as you can see I've started "V" for Voice, one of the larger blocks.

Finally, T - Tea

On Sunday I went to one of Ottawa's landmark buildings, the Chateau Laurier... a swanky hotel!  The office girls at work and I have our own little lotto pool.  We've not won anything big, but throughout the year, instead of reinvesting our smaller winnings into more tickets, we put it into an envelope.  This year its allowed us to go out for brunch at Christmas time, and this past Sunday, we went for High Tea at "The Chateau".  Its not a cheap outing, but it was so lovely going for High Tea, something I've never done before.  The food was so good, and the tea fantastic!  Its something I'd love to do again.

Cute! Cute! Cute!

Have I mentioned before how much I've enjoyed the stitching/finishing of the little ornament critters Just Nan has been putting out since late last year?  Well I certainly do!  Each one has been a joy to stitch and the finishing has been almost downright easy, a little fiddly at times but the instructions have been fantastic.

This weekend I started and finished up Just Nan's latest critter, Barnabee in Bloom.  He's the cutest bee I've ever seen!

Barnabee in Bloom

c2013 Just Nan

Stitched on 32ct Natural Linen

I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Since I finished up Barnabee I picked up ABC Christmas Sampler again and I'm making good progress on "T" for Tree.

Just a word to those of you out there who love to stitch but are afraid of finishing... don't be!  Don't make that stop you from stitching some of the adorable, and creatively finished pieces out there.  Yeah its scary, but if something has good instructions its really not that hard!  Go ahead and try it, you have to start somewhere and the more finishing you do the better you'll get at it.  I can assure you if I show you some of my early ornament finishing pictures... downright scary at times!  So don't be afraid to try a new finishing technique!

May WIPocalypse

Its that time in the moon-cycle again, time for the WIPocalypse.  I've not done one since the beginning of April so I have no true comparisons for you from the last one.  I've pretty much just been working on Kathy's ABC Christmas Sampler and I stitched one ornament.

So no surprises in when I'm going to show you here!

 My May ornament, Glad Tidings by Bent Creek

Kathy's ABC Christmas Sampler up to the letter S completed.

After I finished the letter "S" for Santa I have taken a break for a few days, and I'm working on a small!  If I don't waste a lot of time today, I should have a wee, adorable happy dance to share with you!

Santa Finish and Glad Tidings Giveaway!

As I said the other day I worked on the Santa block on Kathy's ABC Sampler over the weekend, and my last progress report, you could see that I was getting close to finishing the "S" block.

I wrapped up the stitching on Santa late last night, and I wanted to go to bed more than blog.  I figured it could wait one more day.  So here it is, in all his Christmasy goodness!

Here's the whole sampler at a glance, as you can see I'm getting closer and closer to Z!

As promised last week I said I would give you until Wednesday to enter to win a chance to stitch the Glad Tidings chart I stitched up recently.  The winner is Andrea of the blog The Craft Room.  So the chart will be heading back across the pond where it came from!  Sally was kind enough to pass it on once she stitched it. I hope Andrea will do the same and pass it on when she's done stitching it.

Its spring here!  Finally!  Aren't the apple blossoms so pretty right now?

ABC-ing Along

So you're probably wondering what have I been working on since I went silent?  The last time I posted any stitchy related stuff prior to my silence I was working on Kathy's ABC Christmas Sampler, I was working stitching away on K for "King.  As you can see from the picture above, I've gotten King finished and more.

I finished "L", Lights and "R" Reindeer

Also "M" Mistletoe (N has been left blank O-Q have been stitched by others)

I've let my rotation drop for now as I'm getting the urge to finish up this piece.  I do have one new start to share with you, but that will wait for another post!

Speaking of Kathy, I'm off to visit with her this weekend and I can't wait!  When Bonnie came down for the weekend recently she also brought with her a belated birthday gift from Kathy (see what I mean about my birthday keeps giving?).  When she heard that this book was coming out, she just HAD to make sure I get a copy.  She knows I'm a huge fan of Michael Powell's designs!  I just love this little book and its got a lot of great little quick stitches in it!

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.

Moving On In My Rotation

Finally!  Today I get to move onto the next project in my stitching rotation, onto Accolade.  Its funny I've been chomping at the bit to get back to this piece for some reason.  Maybe its because I'm now on the bottom half of the page so I can see a finished page in my future.  Probably not this rotation though.

I added one extra day to my 4-day rotation to get Baby Jesus out of the way.  I have to say this was not one of my favorite blocks on Kathy's Christmas ABC Sampler.  So far the only blocks I've not enjoyed stitching have been A for Angel and J for Baby Jesus... hmmm could it be the fact that I see these two as religious objects and I'm not a very religious person myself??

Look at how much of the whole piece is done now!!!  Next time this piece comes up in rotation, I'll be working on "K for King"

Goals, Accolade Rotation, and a Little Thistle Info

We are about good week into the month of April now and time to update you on yow I did with my March stitching goals and what I'd like to get done this month.

March Stitching Goals - Reviewed

• Stitch one ornament - I stitched 6!
• Stitch Just Nan Gingerbread Mouse - Done and oh so cute!
• Finish D is for Dove - I actually finished D-G!
• Work on the Accolade - Yup

April Stitching Goals

• Stitch an ornament
• Complete at least 3 rows on page 6 of The Accolade
• Finish J for Baby Jesus on Christmas ABC Sampler
• Finish Winter Cottage by Michael Powell

I finished my latest rotation on the Accolade mid week and this is where it stands right now.  I'm enjoying the witnesses of this knighting appear out of the shadows!

I'm now onto my smalls rotation, as much as I enjoy my other pieces, this part is fun because I find I get so much done moving from one little piece to the next over a couple of days!

A number of you have shown interest in the Tartan Thistle Scissor Keep I finished up in my last blog entry.  There was so much stitching to share in that last entry that I didn't give all the details that I normally would!  So here's the details : 

 Tartan Thistles Scissor Keep - Kit

Textle Heritage c2002

Kit contains everything needed to stitch and complete scissor keep except stuffing