Huge Happy Dance, Kathy's Labour Day Stitching Weekend and Sneaky Fobbing

First of all, lets get the important and exciting part out of the way... I've had my first BIG Happy Dance for myself this year!

 Cirque des Cercles

c2006 Ink Circles

Stitched on: 32 Queen Ann's Lace Joblean

Stitched with: DMC 4240

Isn't CdC fantastic?  You can't really tell from the picture but the floss is a gorgeous shade of blue/purple.  The fabric is supposed to be Queen Ann's Lace, one of my favorites but for some reason this piece I ordered on line (hadn't seen in person) had non of the lovely grey mottling that I normally see.  So it was the perfect piece of fabric to stitch design like this on.

I started CdC in September of 2012, I got a wee corner done between then and this past February when I last picked it up.  The almost all of this piece was stitched between July 24th- September 2nd (at 1:30AM!).  It was a great piece to stitch and perfect to work on while I travelled this summer.

The last couple of years Labour Day Weekend has become Kathy's Annual Stitching Weekend.  Christin comes into work with me on the Friday before Labour Day to help get the student packages ready for the first day of school.  Then we hit the road and road trip down to Kathy's where she has her guest room set aside for us.

Saturday (and Monday) was a rainy day, perfect for stitching!

We spend the weekend putting into practice our favourite motto with some really good friends: Eat. Sleep. Stitch (repeat).  Here are some shots from the weekend.

Fran showing Barb how to make a bullion knot

 Adriana, the most amazing 97 year old stitcher!!!

 Beth

 Christin

 Fran, Barb and Beatrice

 Kathy & Beatrice trying to put lavender in an ornament

 Julie was new to the group this year and it was a pleasure to meet her!

I wanted to show off Clare's amazing knitting!

A short while ago I was making a few scissor fobs, and I had the most perfect penguin charm, so I snuck it into a certain Penguin lover's belongings.  I know she's since found it but ... so far hasn't accused me of planting it!

A Long Awaited Update

I had another wonderful stitchy weekend, but this time no pictures were taken!  I think we were all too busy stitching, and I mean who wants to see the same faces again, and again?  On Friday after work Christin and I headed down to Kathy's for the weekend.  On Saturday we were joined by Beatrice for the day, and Bonnie who stayed until Sunday (like we did).

Zipper bag, with Kathy's help I made two from the same fabric

Oh boy did we stitch?  Also Kathy was kind enough to show Bonnie and I how to make the adorable zippered bags she had gifted us with some time ago.  It was my first time sewing anything with a zipper on it ever!  I made two of them at Kathy's with her close guidance.

When I got home this evening I also took the time to be creative in other ways, and made three scissor fobs.

Of course you want to see some stitching right?

I finished up this ornament last weekend, but had yet to share it with you.

A Nordic Mitten

c2007 JBW Designs

Stitched on 40ct Linen using DMC overdyed cotton

Here are my two current WIPs both, I'm really enjoying!

 The Accolade, page 1 finally finished and started page 2

 Enchantment of Winter, focusing on the over one portions!

January Stitching Goals & Small Finishes

Well I survived my first day back to work... barely!  By 10:30am I had a headache, and by lunchtime it turned into a migraine.  Which means I stayed home Monday night instead of going to Taekwon-Do (which I would of preferred).  I did spend a little more time setting  up my new laptop, gosh I've got so many files/folders to clean up from my old computer!

I sat down on Sunday night and jotted down what I wanted to get done for this upcoming month (stitching wise) and what I did manage to accomplish in December.

December Goal Review
Finish Air on Art Deco Spirits -- it was close, I finished it up before noon on January 1st
Stitch one ornament - Yes, Byzantine #2
Work on The Accolade - Yes!

January Stitching Goals
Work on Art Deco Spirits
Work on The Accolade
Stitch 1 Ornament

Since I didn't have the brains to work on any of my more complicated pieces I took the time to do the finishing on the snowflake I stitched up on New Year's Day.  Its a little goal of mine this year, to actually finish things in a timely manner!

Snowflake - Cross Stitch Gold

Stitched on 28ct Opalescent Lugana

Stitched with DMC & Kreinik BF

Then I stitched up this wee snowflake from the same pattern.  It was so small instead of turning it into an ornament, I made it into a scissor fob, it was just big enough to fit a nickle inside to give it a little weight.

Finishing Day

Today I had a finishing day!  I didn't really get to my ornaments like I probably should of but I was productive!

My friend Rebecca's Mom, Sylvia asked me to help her finish two fall pieces into flat folds.  We've not been able to cross paths for me to show her how to do it.  So I did the finishing for her.  Also because I'm picky about how things look they can be a bit of work!  I know many people glue-stretch their pieces and glue the pieces together.  I prefer the neater more seamless look using Judy O'Dell's instructions which involve actually stretching and stitching the pieces together.

The looked a little lost without anything on them so I dug through my stash to find the right floss colour, and I made cord to go around both the boy and the girl.

I also did the finishing on TW's Byzantine Ornament #1 I'm VERY pleased with how this turned out.

I made another floss tag as well!  I've got to hit Staples tomorrow and get some more rings!

I also made a scissor fob

And two ort boxes

It was a busy finishing day!