2010 Year In Review

It's inevitable, isn't it? The year winds down and out come the lists. I'm no different, as I LOVE the year in review lists. I find them fascinating. During all of the year end clearance and list making, however, I somehow managed to get sick. Yay. Go me :P. No last minute finish for me, but I do have one last WIP of the year. I should hopefully finish it soon after New Year's. Here's what I have so far:


Design: My Home design from the Loose Feathers Leaflet #38


Designer: Blackbird Designs


Fabric: 28 count linen in French Lace (DMC equivalent to 3024~ paler) by Wichelt


Fibers: Crescent Colours Belle Soie silks in Cranberry, Ivy League, Shale, Sweet Lavender, and Vanilla Pudding.


Note: Will be using Elegant Eggplant and Shepherd's Pasture to finish off the piece.

I had heard of Minna and her 2011 challenge of 15 WIPs in the first 15 days of January 2011. I toyed with the idea, but I decided instead of STARTING 15 new ones, why not FINISH 15 of the ones I already have started? I fully understand the concept of stitching what you have, however, like some folks, I have more started than one probably has a right to, and I really wanna have another year of the UFO as I managed to get about 30 pieces finished off last year, for a total of 52 finishes. That's one a week! :D

So I got out my Big Honkin' Box O' Shame and had at it. The rules are that I cannot start anything other than the Seafarer's Globe for The Hubmeister, Praiseworthy Stitches Winter at Beacon House by Praiseworthy Stitches in the latest JCS magazine, and one or two SanMan Originals for SanMan Sundays. Here is a picture of the Beacon House piece:

Design: Winter at Beacon House

Designer: Praiseworthy Stitches for the January/February 2011 issue of Just Cross Stitch.


Fabric: Zweigart 32 count Belfast linen in Pearl Grey (DMC equivalent to 415).


Fibers: Crescent Colours Belle Soie Silks in Bahama Breeze, Carrot Cake, Collard Greens, Fern Frond, Harvest, Mango, Noir, Old Crow, Peacock, Slate, Tree Trunk, Tulip, Tumbleweed, and Vanilla Pudding




I have chosen 21 projects instead of 15 as some of them are not gonna take that much to finish off and quite frankly, 21 is the lucky number here in Las Vegas. Here is what I have chosen for my pieces to finish stitching on:

1. Merry Christmas by Blackbird Designs

2. March Birthday needleroll by The Victoria Sampler

3. Fall Leaves Chart No. 3 by Country Cottage Needleworks

4. Checkered Love by M Designs

4. Pretty Posies by Dena's Closet for Bucilla

5. Ice Cream Sundae by Country Cottage Needleworks

6. Summer Heart Part 4 by Linda Culp Calhoun for Leisure Arts magazine

7. Season of Growth by Little House Needleworks

8. Joy of Christmas by My Big Toe Designs for Just Cross Stitch magazine

9. Love Letters by Papillion Creations

10. Noel heart by Bleu de Chine

11. Paris sampler by Novalee

12. February Heart by Cross Eyed Cricket

13. Cross of Christmas by My Big Toe Designs for the 2009 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue

14. Winter Side by SanMan Originals for message board members

15. Cherries by JBW Designs

16. Let's Go To The Beach by JBW Designs for Cross Stitch and Needlework magazine, July 2009

17. Christmas Chickadee by Valerie Pfeiffer for The World of Cross Stitching #118

18. Oriental Beauty September 2007 issue of UK Cross Stitcher

19. Devotion free kit Issue 223 of UK Cross Stitcher

20. Quaker Christmas Alphabet by Carriage House Samplings

21. My nephew's birth sampler. He's almost three, for cripes' sake!


Well, I must be off. Thanks for following along with me in 2010, and I hope to see you all in 2011! Happy New Year! :)


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Respectfully submitted,

C.

Merry Stitchmas!

Sorry for the lack of posting. Work has been busy and most nights I am too pooped to (cross stitch) party. It's been a long time since I had a physically active job, however, I love the work that I do and look forward to each new day.


Here is what I have so far:





Design: Merry Christmas from the Joyeux Noël design book


Designer: Blackbird Designs


Fabric: R& R Reproductions 30 count overdyed linen in Witches' Teeth


Fibers: Crescent Colours cotton flosses in Antique Lace, Clay Pot, Four Leaf Clover, Spinach, and Wild Berries

I'm taking this with me to Stitcher's Paradise tomorrow for the Wednesday stitch in. I look forward to this every week, as it's my true me time. I am looking forward to spending time with "The Girls" and stitching my little heart out!




Hope everyone is having a wonderful week and a very merry Stitchmas!


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Respectfully submitted,

C.

Blackbird Designs Update

Managed to put some more time in the Merry Christmas sampler from Blackbird Designs. I am so, so happy with the color choices I made with this one. The floss just *POPS* off of the fabric. The chart called for Crescent Colours Pea Pod and Gentle Arts Endive. The colors were so far off and quite frankly, not to my taste that I had to substitute. I am substituting Crescent Colours Four Leaf Clover and Spinach and I love the way it looks.


At any rate, on with the stitchy notes and pictures! :D (Please note that the fabric is actually quite darker than in the pictures!)




Design: Merry Christmas from the Joyeux Noël design book


Designer: Blackbird Designs


Fabric: R& R Reproductions 30 count overdyed linen in Witches' Teeth


Fibers: Crescent Colours cotton flosses in Antique Lace, Clay Pot, Four Leaf Clover, Spinach, and Wild Berries

Well, time for work! Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend! :)


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Respectfully submitted,

C.

Startitis

Got to go to Stitcher's Paradise yesterday for the Wednesday stitch in and had a marvelous time catching up with the ladies over the post Thanksgiving holidays. DH had also told me that prior to leaving for the stitch-in, I could take some of our extra cash and get some supplies! Wahoo!! I picked up floss and fabric for my Bleu de Chine Noel heart that DH purchased for me last year, plus I picked up the Joyeux Noel book from Blackbird Designs, plus the fabric and floss for one of the designs inside the book. Woohoo!! I couldn't decide which one to stitch, so I started both, LOL! :)


Here is what I have so far:


Design: Noel


Designer: Bleu de Chine


Fabric: Zweigart 28 count Cashel in Opalescent Raw


Fibers: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger in Blanc, 542, 942, 1836, 1842, 1844, and 2926. Kreinik #4 braid in 002 Gold.

Close up:

It's a bit of a bummer that the sparkly bits are picked up very well in the pictures, but what are ya gonna do?


Here is the Blackbird Designs piece:


Design: Merry Christmas from the Joyeux Noël design book


Designer: Blackbird Designs


Fabric: R& R Reproductions 30 count overdyed linen in Witches' Teeth


Fibers: Crescent Colours cotton flosses in Antique Lace, Clay Pot, Four Leaf Clover, Spinach, and Wild Berries

The stitching is sort of all over the place, as I wanted to see if the colors truly looked good together with the fabric I chose. After this happened, I am finding myself second guessing myself and I never used to do that. I will get over this eventually, and hopefully soon, as I consider myself fearless in color changes and even the changing of the design itself! :P


At any rate, I need to get some stitching time in before work. Time's a-wastin'!


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Respectfully submitted,


C.