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, 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.

WIP Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!  I'm actually on schedule this week and I'm actually getting my WIP Wednesday post up on the right day!

 Mini River Cottage

Michael Powell

stitched on: 27ct eveweave

After last week's post I finally settled on a WIP to work on, Michael Powell's Mini River Cottage... well I finished it Monday night!  I just love the look of these and stitching them!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on: mystery fabric

Stitched with: Threadworx

I also had a small finish as well, I pulled out this little Red Threads motif by Rosewood Manor, one of my purse projects.  It had been started awhile ago, so it was nice to have that finished as well.  Its gone into my finishing pile, I've already picked the coordinating beads for when I'm ready!

Of course with the finishing of one focus project that leaves the tough decision of "what's next?".  A few texts back and forth with Christin and for the moment, I've settled on Teresa Wentzler's Fortunate Traveller.  I started this back on May 1, 2013 as a stitch-a-long with Bonnie, Beatrice and Christin.  Of course none of us have really made any serous progress since then.  I think we keep getting distracted by other projects!

I've also put a couple of more thread lengths into A Year In Chalk - June.  I'm planning on putting an hour into this each day until its done or I decide to put my head down and finish it.  Once this one is done, I'm caught up until I get a chance to buy/pick up July & August.

Tiny Tidings

Lizzie Kate

Over the weekend I also completed another ornament, and a floss ring tag.  I started a second ornament, but haven't managed to find the time to complete it yet.  I guess that just gives you something to look forward to next week!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Nothing exciting has been going on to share with you, I've been back to work this week after an extra-long, long weekend.  Just the stitching you see here!

Update : Finishing

So besides stitching like a mad woman, I've been doing quite a bit of finishing as well!

In early June Kathy and I made plans to get together to finally put together her Petit Sampling Etui.  Amongst my circle of stitching friends I seem to be considered the "finishing expert", go figure.  I think I'm just willing to dive in and give things a try.  I had never put together an etui before, but my finishing skills have been steadily improving over the years.

I have to say putting this box together was not easy and it definitely required two weekends, two heads, four hands, and a lot of reading over and over!  Though I didn't stitch the panels I'm certainly proud of the end result!  Kathy and I make a great team and work well together.

Of course neither of us are planning to put together or stitch another one for a long time.

I was motivated by helping Kathy with her Etui to do a little finishing of my own!  On weekends I've been home I've been pulling out one ornament after another out of my finishing box.  I've been quite productive now that I see it all here in one blog entry!

 My first attempt at a tag finish and I have to say it turned out great!

Fa La La La - Freebie

 JBW

French Country Star

JCS Ornament Issue

 Heart of Flake - Freebie

 Rosewood Manor

Red Threads

Heart In Hand

Snow Woes

 Ink Circles

Stained Glass Holly

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

 Stitchers Joy

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

The Stag

Freebie