An Accidental Finish

As my partner in stitching crime Barb says, 'Whoopsies!'. I really did not think that I was going to finish this one up before the month was out. How could I? I was faffing about on it. 20 minutes here, 30 there. Not a big deal. Just taking it nice and slow so I don't hurt my hands and arms so much. Then, when I moved the Q-Snaps, it suddenly occurred to me that part of the design was too large to fit on the fabric that I had stitched this finish on. Not that I am complaining mind you! I take my finishes where I can get them! :)

Well, here it is. The absolute last of the finished for the month of March 2016:

Design: Crow on a Pumpkin

Designer: Kimberly Nugent of Samplers Not Forgotten

Fabric Used: 32 count Cashel linen in Legacy  by Picture This Plus

Fibers Used: Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Collard Greens, Harvest, Old Crow, Pumpkin Carriage, Tulip and Vanilla Pudding

Beads Used:  Mill Hill glass seed beads in size 11/0 Frosted Autumn #62044

Stitcher's Notes: Design taken from the 2015 Just Cross Stitch Halloween book. Design located on page 80. Left off sunflowers on right hand side of the design due to fabric constraints. Substituted the Mill Hill glass seed beads in size 11/0 Frosted Autumn #62044 for the stitched bittersweet. Checkerboard stitched in all cross stitch and not the called for cross and Scotch stitches. Substituted Crescent Colours Belle Soie silks for the called for The Gentle Art Sampler Threads.

Well, I had best be off. I need to clean up the work area and get out the next one. This time, it's for DH and it's one I have wanted to do for the longest time. Yay for two birds with one stone!

Hope everyone has a fantastic weekend! :)

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Thrilling Thirty!

I can't believe I managed it, however, just a bit ago I managed to finish stitching the 30th project out of the Bin O'Shame.  The journey began Tuesday, February 24, 2015 and officially ended Saturday, July 25, 2015 with the finish of the flag that was stitched for my beloved father. I added 5 more projects on just to see fi I could finish them before the end of the year. The official goal of 25 having been met a mere 5 months after I started was none too shabby a showing. I figured 5 more could conceivably be finished in the remaining months and I am so happy that I was able to achieve that goal with this latest finish. 

Well, on with the show! :)

Design: Mandy Cat In Witches' Hat

Designer: Eileen Gurdak of Handblessings

Fabric Used: 40 count Newcastle linen in Crystal Meditation by Picture This Plus 

Fibers Used: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger  in Noir. Kreinik metallic thread blending filament #1 HL Silver and #003 Red. Caron Collection Waterlilies in #201 Budding Leaf (Dye Lot #CS201613).

Stitcher's Notes: Design is located on page 16 of the Just Cross Stitch Halloween Special Collectors' Issue. 

As Of Wednesday, July 29, 2015:

As Of Monday, August 10, 2015:

Well, I had best be off. I have to clean up my stitching area and then it will be dinner time. I hope everyone has a wonderful week!

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Respectfully submitted,

C. 

Quick Finish

Managed to get a quick finish under my belt before the end of the year. I have no idea if I will manage to get another one, but we shall see. I'm not *quite* ready to do an "End of the Year' post, however, I am pretty sure that next year will be another Bin O Shame year. I'm ready to get back to that, and I also have one or two new starts to do. :)


At any rate, here is what I managed to finish up around 12:30 AM last night. It was quick and fun, although, I wish I had had some Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Tulip, rather than the Cranberry that I used. (For those of you who don't know, Crescent Colours  will now be manufactured by Classic Colorworks, according to Sharon's post here). 

Design: Hot Cocoa (in the 2013 Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue, page 39)

                        Designer:  Mary McLenon-Turley of M Designs

Fabric: 40 Count Newcastle linen in Doubloon by Picture This Plus

                 Fibers Used:  Crescent Colours Belle Soie silk in Cranberry,                                              Harvest, Icing and Malted Milk. 

Welp, I best be off. Tons to do today before work. Hope everyone has a great week! :)

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Respectfully submitted, 

C. 

The End of Fall

It's not really the end of fall, however, I think I have hit Fall Stitching Fatigue. My current project is probably the last of this years' fall and Halloween themed stitching, but I never say never. I have one or two UFOs that could stand some stitching on, and I may drag them out and work on them a bit, but for now, I think I'm done and I'm ready to move on to Christmas themed stitching. I've gotten out six, yes SIX Christmas projects to work on, but to be fair, a few of them are WIPs and UFOs, so I will get them off the list this year. Woohoo!



At any rate, here is the latest WIP:




Design: Witchy Kitty as featured in the September/October 2011 issue of Just Cross Stitch

Designer: Brittercup Designs


Fabric: 32 count Cashel linen in Periwinkle Prism


Fibers Used: Crescent Colours in Black Coffee, Lemon Lime, Pansy Purple and Spinach. Weeks' Dye Works in Marigold and Pumpkin. The Gentle Art in Banker's Grey.

I've made a promise to myself that the WIPS and UFOs get stitched first, before I get to start the new ones. It *seems* like a reasonable compromise, however, I suffer from Chronic Startitis and knowing me, I will start something new just to start it. At any rate, the six project I have chosen for this years' Christmas stitching are the following:


1. Christmas Tea by Plum Street Samplers (WIP)


2. Noel Heart by Bleu de Chine (WIP)


3. Companion Quaker Christmas Tree I by Carriage House Samplings. This is actual a redo from last year. I decided I didn't like the fabric that it was on, and since I had put a scant 10 stitches in it, I just decided on a reboot for later. I am not sure if this is a WIP or if it's just a new start, so I'm labeling this one as both. :P


4. Christmas Sampler by The Prairie Schooler, Book No. 73. I want to stitch the whole sampler this time, not just the cabin. Although, to be honest, I am still waffling over that. Do I stitch the whole thing, or do I just stitch the cabin like I did last year so that I can hang it up from Christmas until a February? Things that make you go "hmmmmmm...'. Quoth the Hubmeister, however, "Go big or go home.".


5. Souvenir of Paris by Blackbird Designs from the Joyeux Noel book.


6. Gingerbread Quaker from SanMan Originals for the Merry Members group. I've yet to kit this one up, and it is the only one out of the 6 that isn't ready to go. I think I am going to stitch this in my beloved Au Ver a Soie Soie d' Alger 7-strand silk floss that I am oh, so addicted to.


The really cool thing about all of these projects is that they are stitched all in silk threads! I love, love, LOVE stitching with silk and if I could afford it, that is all that I would stitch in, I think. I love the sheen and the feel of it. It is very luxurious and I so wish I could afford more.



Well, I've bored you all enough for one day. Thanks for stopping by and I hope everyone is having a great day! :)


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Respectfully submitted,


C.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Christmas Ornaments

Every crafter that I know of, of any stripe and/or caliber, has that *one* project that they want more than anything. Be it a knitter, a quilter, a cross stitcher, or a sewer, there is always that one rare project that is lusted and coveted by the crafter. There haven't been a lot of those for me (thank God!), however, there have been one or two. And yesterday, one of my quests has finally ended. I have always wanted to have the 1997 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue. I didn't get it the first year that it came out (1997) as my father had died that October and all stitching in any form went out the window. By the time I got around to collecting the back issues, this one was always going for a king's ransom, and then some. However, I found an auction that had this issue listed and I decided to put in my two copper and see what happened. And this time, I won! Woohoo!!!! It came in the mail yesterday, and I spent last night with a cuppa and some lemon scones and just perused at leisure. It was a fantastic time and there are more than a few that I want to stitch out of this issue. This also means, that with the exception of this years' issue, I have all of the ornament issues, including the 10 year anniversary issue. YAY!!! Now I just need to find the UK Cross Stitch Collection Issue #101 and I will be in heaven! :)


Here are some pictures that I took:


Front Cover:

I find it ironic that the issue I missed the year my father died, is the one that shows up at the door the day before Father's Day 14 years later. Happy Father's Day, Daddy. I love you, too. :)


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Respectfully submitted,


C.

Stash Aquisition and a Rant

Had an absolute blast of a weekend this weekend. Weekends like this are rare, so I enjoyed and savored every moment of it.

Friday: SPA DAY!!! :D Got my hair cut, manicure, pedicure, and had a one hour aromatherapy massage. Absolute heaven.


Saturday: Napped and shopped for stash. DH Gave me a bit of spending money and I had the hardest time choosing what exactly I wanted! :P


Sunday: Yoga class in the AM and a hike in Red Rock Canyon with DH in the late afternoon.


Here is what I purchased on my stash spree:


The July/August 2009 Just Cross Stitch magazine, Blueberries kit by Little House Needleworks, Bee Sampler also by Little House Needleworks and the two Crescent Colours needed for the Bee Sampler, Bean Sprouts and House Wine. I can't wait to get started on the Bee Sampler, but it will have to wait, as I seem to have gone on a starting free for all spree again, and I'm not completing a damn thing. While I enjoy the process of kitting things up and starting things fresh, not finishing sometimes pisses me off to no end. Not completing due to bad charting, horrid directions, crappy floss/fabric, mistakes that cannot be found, multiple froggings, etc are all very valid reasons not completing a project.


However.


I would guesstimate that a good half of my WIP/UFO pile is due to just plain not wanting to finish it, laziness, and/or being seduced by the shiny.


/sigh



I really do need to stop that crap. Honestly. I hate that about myself. If I make commitments to my family and friends, why do I not do that to myself, even if it's just finishing a stupid project that's been sitting around since God was a child? No wonder I can't make any dietary lifestyle changes for any length of time! (In case you were wondering what brought about this rant, it's my big bins o' shame. )


FFS. /grrrr




At any rate.....



My newest start.

Design: The Joy of Christmas

Designer: My Big Toe

Featured: July/August 2009 Just Cross Stitch magazine Ornament Preview issue

Fabric: 14 count ivory aida

Fiber: Access Commodities Soie d'Alger number 2936 (DMC equivalent 816).

There are times when I loathe my lack of discipline in following through on my projects. Mind you, I have probably completed about 200 projects in my 13 years of stitching, however, I have way too many WIPs to feel comfortable about having that many.


I suppose if I wanted to be kind to myself I would tell myself that as the Buddhists say: Chop wood, carry water.


After enlightenment... chop wood, carry water.


Guess it's time to chop some wood and carry some water.


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Respectfully submitted,


Cindy

Cottage Garden Update

Here is the update as of last night:

Design: Cottage Garden

Designer: Nikki Lehman of Country Cottage Needleworks

Source: August 2006 Just Cross Stitch Magazine

Fabric: 28 count white Monaco

Fibers: DMC 153, 155, 156, 157. Weeks Dye Works thread in Pecan. Crescent Colours Joshua Tree, Tomatillio and Summer Spray.

(Progress picture removed from Webshots 12.01.2012 and no copy found in records)



I chose to change the colors of the wording, as I thought the original had too much green in it for my taste. "Cottage" was stitched in CC Summer Spray and "Garden" was stitched in CC Joshua Tree.




Here is what the original is supposed to look like:

Please post comments if you like or even hate the changes I've made. :)




Hope everyone is having a good day!


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Respectfully submitted,

C.

FINALLY! A finish!!

WuWu!! Go me! Finally have a finish under my belt. This is Country Cottage Needleworks 'Peace' Ornament from the 2007 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue:

I rearranged some of the colors on the final design. Done on strictly on whim, as is my custom. :P


Time for Kitteh pics! This time, it's Mandy. He *was* under the big Christmas tree downstairs, but he heard the camera come out and all bets were off after that. /sigh. He's such a ham....





Well, apparently, the FH and I are going out tonight. So I guess I need to shift booty and go make myself look presentable.

Holla!!!


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Respectfully submitted,

C.

Getting there

Haven't really gotten that far with my Peace ornament. I was down for the count yesterday with the most wretched of sinus conditions. My head was torn up most of the day, and I won't bore you with the nausea that I had. I laid in bed 3/4ths of the day yesterday watching the CSI marathon on Spike.

Suffice it to say, I haven't gotten much accomplished on it. I am hoping to get more done today on it. The headache is gone, and I just have a bit of lingering nausea. Doing laundry today, as I am planning a trip to the DC area. I will be gone from the 20th until the 30th. I cannot WAIT!!! I am so excited. I have found some cross stitch shops to go to as well, so I am hoping to get to at least one of them. We are also planning on going to Philadelphia, so I am hoping for good times there as well.

Here's the updated WIP pic. Stitchy notes: Country Cottage Needleworks design as featured in the 2007 JCS ornament issue. 28 natural pearl linen. DMC flosses.




(Progress picture removed from Webshots 12.01.2012 and no copy found in records)


Hope everyone is having a good day out there in cyberland. And may the Needle be with you all!


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Respectfully submitted,

C.


And

Xmas Ornament #2

I seem to be on a roll here. I have 5 or 6 more to do, but I will cross those bridges (or is it stitches?) when I get there. I'm trying not to push myself or get myself into a bind. I started *kinda* late, but then again, I stitch according to whim and mood, not when something HAS to be done.

Had to make a run to Michael's yesterday for some DMC floss. Wow. Do I miss Wal-Mart. It was 35 cents per skein. Now, I know I have no right to complain really, seeing as how some of my overseas ladies can spend upwards of almost 2 DOLLARS EACH for the things, but really. Things are getting to be expensive all over, this I know, but I would truly hate to be priced out of my hobby. But damn Murphy and his laws that have me wallowing in floss, right up until the point I begin a project and I am missing at least one skein, if not more. Case in point: I chose LHN's 'Queen Bee' for my Just For Me SAL. 4 skeins of DMC and 3 of Crescent Colours. Now, I knew I would have to purchase the CC, as I have no where NEAR a complete set, but I'll be damned if I didn't have all FOUR of the DMC flosses. Yes, I had to buy all four. Then, I check my current project, an ornament for my mother, and here we go..... I am in need of 761.

Queue the swearing.


Queue sigh.


Make a list.


Google map the nearest Michael's.


Grab the car keys from FH who had the day off and is in the middle of playing Fable 2. He pauses long enough to shake his head at me.

Kiss said FH and head for the door, muttering about the square footage of the Mojave desert and finding this Murphy character.

Drive 10 minutes one way to the Michael's.

Rifle through the DMC bins for the correct numbers I need.

Swear at the unknown person who put the incorrect colors in the bins I was looking in.

Find the five skeins I need and check out with a very pleasant cashier.

Drive back home.

All of this is probably more than you needed to know, but since I am unemployed, I have a lot of free time to kill, and right now I'm waiting on the aspirin to kick in to quash this minor headache that I have. :D


At any rate, here is my latest WIP. It's an ornament for my Mom. It's from Country Cottage Needleworks from the 2007 JCS ornament issue. The design is called 'Peace'. I am stitching it with the called for DMC flosses and on a 28 count natural pearl linen. (I am a sad panda in snow because the yard that I purchased a few years ago, is almost out. I love stitching on this fabric as it is a nice neutral, but I just do not have the 65 bucks to replace it with another yard. /sigh)


I hope everyone has a good day. And may the Needle be with you all!


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Respectfully submitted,

C.

First ornament of the season finish!

Woohoo! Go me! And not only is it finished, it's FINISHED finished! LOL! The stitching part was finished at about around 11:30 AM PST this morning, and the finishing part of it was completed a half hour after that. It's a bit large for an ornament, so I'm thinking it might be a mantelpiece ornament or something like that. Just find a stand for it, and call it done. It's a no sew finish, because while I *can* sew, I just suck at it. :P

Stitchy notes: Little House Needleworks 'Home for the Holidays' ornament from the 2005 issue of Just Cross Stitch Ornaments issue. DMC flosses. Unknown count of gold and cream stitch fabric. Back with pine green velvet. The numbers were taken from LHN's 'Home of a Needleworker'. JCS didn't include an alphabet of Diane Williams' in that issue, so I had to fudge the name and the numbers. Ah, well. I am lucky enough to own a lot of her things, so it was easy to workaround. (My only worry was there wasn't going to be enough room on the fabric!)

Hope everyone is having a good day!


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Respectfully submitted,

C.