Sunday, June 30, 2013

Quaker Moon chart winner!

Thank you to everyone who was interested in the Quaker Moon chart by Bent Creek.  I wrote down all the names on slips of paper and folded them up.  I couldn't get any of my dogs or cats to pick a name for me (like Meggie's cat), so I chose one myself.

Quaker Moon - FINISHED!
The next stitcher to stitch this adorable chart is:  



Blogger Marcy said...
Lovely projects! Please include me. I would love to stitch the Quaker Moon and pass it on.

I'm a new follower of her blog, Stitching Plus.  Be sure to visit and see all of her beautiful cross stitching!

Saturday, June 29, 2013

Gravestones and Coffee!

I have finished stitching all the green grass on Halloween House and started the gravestones.  It looks like this will certainly be finished before Halloween!
Halloween House update #36
I'm making great progress on Let's Do Coffee.  I hope to finish it by next week, get it framed and sent to my friend for her birthday!
Let's Do Coffee update #1
I really like how all the different fonts fit perfectly!  This is such a well-designed chart by Ursula Michael!  I'll have to switch to bigger Q-snaps soon.  I don't want to mess up the backstitched letters by squishing them into the clamps.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Cut Thru' Igloo update #12 and a new start!

This week I slowly stitched more pink and purple Northern Lights using DMC Light Effects floss.  I have to go very slowly to keep it from twisting and knotting up, but so far, so good!  I hope you can see the sparkles.
Cut Thru' Igloo update #12
We're up to 20 members in the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Monday SAL now!

My new start is Let's Do Coffee, an Imaginating chart by Ursula Michael.  I won this chart in a giveaway from Regge at You Got Me In Stitches.  I'm stitching on 18 ct Aida, so it will be 7" x 7" square.  I think the color is cream or ecru or off white, and I'm using DMC 3857 (Dark Rosewood) since I didn't have 814.
Let's Do Coffee
This will be a birthday gift for my friend.  Her birthday is in two weeks so I better hurry!

I bought the kitties Q-snap cover from Christine's Q-Snap Huggies.

Monday, June 24, 2013

June WIPocalypse update and a finish!

It's another full moon (did you see the super moon?) and time for the WIPocalypse SAL update!  The focus colors this month are black and green. You can see current pics of all my WIPs on my WIPocalypse page.

I finished Quaker Moon during the GTG (get-together) on Saturday with seven women in the SoCal Cross Stitchers Yahoo group.  We stitched at the food court in the mall for almost 8 hours!
Quaker Moon - FINISHED!
"Quaker Moon"
Bent Creek
Started 1/28/2013, Finished 6/22/2013

I'll pass this chart onto another stitcher (worldwide) and hopefully the winner will give it away when she's finished, too!  Just mention in the comment if you're interested.  I'll draw a name on Sunday, June 30.

I started the next part (7 of 12) of Boo! Club by Lizzie Kate by stitching the word Pumpkin in green.
Boo! Club (Pumpkin)
I stitched the black jaw line on the Day of the Dead skull from the Twisted Stitches book.
Day of the Dead update #7
I stitched the black letter P and some of the border on Picnic Area by The Prairie Schooler.
Picnic Area update #3
I finally started stitching again on Santa Hang-Up, which I started for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge and haven't touched it since the first day.  I'm stitching on sparkly 20 ct Valerie fabric, 2 over 2, so the X's are pretty big (10 ct size).  This is an every other weekend SAL with Linda.
Santa Hang-Up update #1
Remember to check in on Measi's blog with a link to your WIPocalypse update, too!  Next month's theme is Designer - Glendon Place, Project Theme - Animals, and Focus Colors - Red and Yellow.  I'll try to do some stitching in those categories, too!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Cut Thru' Igloo update #11

I finished the smoke coming out of the igloo and stitched some purple and pink Northern Lights using DMC Light Effects floss.  We're up to 19 members stitching 14 different designs in our Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Monday SAL!
Cut Thru' Igloo update #11
Have any of you been lucky enough to see the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis in person?  I certainly want to see them someday.

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Another giveaway!

Lija of Stitching in Crosses and More is celebrating since she passed the 100 followers mark!  Check out her blog HERE to comment and be entered to win some wonderful stitchy prizes!  Isn't that fabric pretty?

Kaye of Kitten Stitching is also celebrating her 2-year blogoversary and passing the 300 followers mark!  Check out her blog HERE to comment and be entered to win a great prize package!

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Stitching crows, ravens, and bats!

Just for fun, my blog post has a theme today!  I worked on some of my WIPs with crows, ravens, and bats!

I stitched two crows and the tree on the Lizzie*Kate Very Scary Mystery Sampler, then rewarded myself by stitching more crows/ravens/bats on my other WIPs instead!  I'm stitching over 2 on 30 ct Weeks Dye Works Tin Roof linen.
Very Scary (Part 1) update #6
I'm stitching this Edgar Allan Poe inspired design, Quoth the Raven by Kincavel Krosses for my nephew.  This is a free chart.  I finished the word "more" and now all that is left to do is the border.  I'm stitching on 14 ct red Aida.
Quoth the Raven update #3
I stitched the bats on Quaker Moon by Bent Creek.  Isn't this one cute?  I'm stitching over 2 on 28 ct tan linen.
Quaker Moon update #4
There are also some crows flying around Picnic Area by The Prairie Schooler. This is on 14 ct dark green Aida.  The flash makes it seem brighter than it actually is.
Picnic Area update #2
Here are a few more bats on I'll Get You My Pretty by Sue Hillis Designs.  This is a free chart.  I'm stitching over 2 on 32 ct Voodoo Belfast linen by Picture This Plus.
I'll Get You My Pretty update #2
I finished all the backstitching on the top window and stitched the bats on Halloween House.  Check out the Halloween House SAL page!
Halloween House update #35
This sure was fun to get a little bit done on lots of different WIPs.  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Thursday, June 13, 2013

Turtle Trot SAL - June

Check out the Turtle Trot SAL started by Claudette from BAP Attack.  We stitch at a turtle's pace and hope to eventually get to a finish!  Here is my progress on five of my WIPs.  You can click on the picture to see it bigger.

Stained Glass Nativity:  I finally picked up this old needlepoint project and stitched more black outlining in the third panel.  I'm amazed that the yarn hasn't rotted away, since I started this in 1980!  LOL.
(before) 
Stained Glass Nativity update #3
Universal Unity:  I finished the tiger's neck and started one of his front legs.
(before)
Universal Unity update #9
The Sorcerer:  I stitched a few tan stitches in the center of his cloak.  When I finish this one, I would like to start The Sorceress, and frame them both together!
(before)
The Sorcerer update #5
Merry Christmas:  I added the letter "r" to Christmas.  This design is from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe.  I'm using DMC 115, variegated garnet.
(before)
Merry Christmas update #4
Majestic Eagle:  I added more onto the eagle's wing.  Most of the colors are tweeded, using 2 different colors of floss together.
(before)
Majestic Eagle update #4
Happy Stitching, everyone!

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Cut Thru' Igloo update #10

Now there are Christmas presents under the tree!  What a cozy little igloo!
Cut Thru' Igloo update #10
I'm using DMC Light Effects floss for the Northern Lights in lavender and pink, E211 and E818, instead of the Madeira Super Twist listed in the chart.  The E211 is just about the same color as the hand-dyed fabric, but I hope the sparkles will shine through!

Everyone in the Cut Thru' SAL is making great progress!  These are such fun designs.  I'm looking forward to stitching another one after this is finished.

I finally got back to stitching on Santa's 12 Days of Christmas!  This is a SAL with Linda and Kaye that I'm supposed to be stitching every Sunday, but I have missed the last 11 Sundays in a row and haven't touched it since March!  Linda has finished Days 1-4 and Kaye has finished Days 1-3.  I'm about halfway done with Day 4, so we're all pretty close in our progress.

Here is how I left it in March:
Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 4) update #4
And here it is today:
Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 4) update #5
Santa needs a head and three more birds!

Sunday, June 9, 2013

VMSS giveaway for a friend!

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having a very special giveaway! Just comment on her blog HERE with the name of a friend who you would like to win 10 skeins of her hand-dyed floss!  She will ship worldwide.  Three winners will be chosen on June 30.

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Halloween stitching and June TUSAL post!

I'm halfway done with Boo! Club, six down and six more to go!
Boo! Club (Creepy) - FINISHED!
"Creepy"
Boo! Club series
Lizzie*Kate
Started 4/14/2013, Finished 5/29/2013

I finished the black fence and more grass on Halloween House.  Check the SAL page on Linda's blog to see everyone's progress!
Halloween House update #34
Is it another new moon already?  My ORT jar is filling up nicely.  Check in on Daffycat's blog with your June TUSAL blog post, too!
TUSAL 2013 #6

Thursday, June 6, 2013

Cut Thru' Igloo update #9

This week I added the igloo wall on the right side.  I love doing little sections at a time with all the backstitching!  Next week there will be Christmas presents under the tree and maybe I'll start stitching some of the Northern Lights!
Cut Thru' Igloo update #9
Be sure to check everyone's progress pics on the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Monday SAL page!  There are 16 of us now and you can join at any time, if you like!

Giveaway links!

Cross stitchers are such wonderfully generous people who love to make new friends!  Kim is celebrating passing the 25-follower milestone on her blog, Wisdom with Needle and Thread.  She is having a giveaway of this gorgeous little Limoges box, and she will paint the winner's initials inside with 24 kt gold. You can enter HERE.

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is also having a giveaway of five 20-yard skeins of her hand-dyed floss.  There will be 10 lucky winners!  You can enter HERE and tell Nancy that I sent you!  Drawing on June 15.

Donna of By the Bay Needleart is offering this free chart, Send Hope With Prayer.  You can download it HERE.

Good luck, everyone!

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Stash enhancement! (picture heavy!)

Last month I won Kate's Easter Giveaway on The Flying Needle blog of a $50 gift certificate to 123-Stitch! I finally made my choices and all my goodies have arrived!  The Ink Circles chart, "99" has been on my Wish List since the first time I saw it, and now it's mine!  Some other ladies in the SoCalCrossStitchers Yahoo group and I will have a SAL of this chart and get to watch each other's progress.  I also got The Final Frontier booklet by Stoney Creek and black linen for this.  I also got pink opalescent fabric for a Disney Princesses chart and glow-in-the-dark and metallic Kreinik floss for a Halloween chart.  Thank you so very much, Kate!

I also won these two charts and six skeins of GAST floss from Nancy at Pickle Barrel Designs!  Thank you, Nancy!

I won the Let's Do Coffee chart from Regge at You Got Me in Stitches blog. Thank you, Regge!  I traded two charts I had finished for some floss from someone who contacted me after seeing my blog.  I only expected 3 or 4 skeins, but she sent me a whole pile!  Thanks, Shelly!

I won this DMC linen floss from Brenda at The Dropped Thread in her "From My Hoard to Yours" Giveaway.  Thank you very much, Brenda!

I won these two charts from Darlene Lara, the designer from The Marking Samplar, when I stopped by her booth at The Online Needlework Show!  Thank you so very much, Darlene!

I've also been buying charts and kits here and there, all over the internet! These two Wizard of Oz designs will go nicely with the chart shown in the header on my blog, which I bought on eBay.

I fell in love with these charts from Sue Hillis Designs and the Polar Bear pulling a sleigh Dimensions kit:

I bought these kits and charts from Christine's Stitching Stash on Facebook. The Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter needle roll kits from Dinky Dyes Designs came with floss, ribbon, and beads for only 50 cents each!  The Chickadee and January charts were only 25 cents each, Halloween Cats and Max in His Birthday Suit were 50 cents, and the Frank-n-Stein kit with fabric, floss, and charm was $1.00.  Thank you, Christine!

I always look for stitchy stuff at the thrift stores and found these goodies recently: a cross stitch book, Santa's Cuisine cross stitch kit for $1.50, a 15" x 18" piece of orange 14 ct Aida for $1.25, and a fat quarter of flag fabric for 35 cents that I could use for a patriotic ornament some day.

What do you think about these director's chair replacement covers?  They look like they could be used for cross stitch or needlepoint!  I bought some for me and the others in my SoCalCrossStitchers Yahoo group for $1.99 each.  One of them goes to dog shows and will stitch the name of her kennel club on the seat backs.

About six members of the SoCalCrossStitchers Yahoo group went to a stitchy garage sale together and I was lucky enough to add all of this to my hoard stash, too!  I bought an afghan to stitch (someday), 3 big pieces of Zweigart 14 ct E-Z Guide fabric, 32 ct white Belfast linen, 20 ct black Valerie fabric, 14 ct brown Aida, 14 ct white Aida, gold and white perforated paper, and a bookmark.  I only bought 2 spools of gold Kreinik, even though there was a lot more in the basket, a spool of multicolored thread, Mill Hill beads, and 200 skeins of DMC floss!  I also got a new 8x10 picture frame and a tote bag, all for $30.

I also rescued these four finished cross stitch designs at a thrift store and will donate them to World of Charity Stitching.  They can be sewn onto a tote bag, walker bag, pillow, or used to start a new quilt theme!

Happy stitching and stash enhancement to all!