End of the Year New Starts

The end of the year always finds me making plans and trying to get a jump on the new year.  Why?  Who knows.  It isn't like I ever get ahead....except of myself sometimes.

NEW STARTS

But Happy They, Cherished Sitches

I started the wedding sampler for my friends that is due in March.  It should not take long because it is mostly wording..  Lots of open space that is supposed to be filled with motifs that are personal to the couple.  Well, I am sure that will not happen.  I does have a lot of emply space, and I am a little nervous about adding the correct date.  I may just see if they are registered on-line anywhere and forget it altogether!

Alice Merryfield, Pineberry Lane

Not sure what it was that appealed to me, but I am giving it a go.

Evergreen Sampler, Good Housekeeping Christmas Book

This is my thrifty answer to And A Forest Grew that everyone is stitching.  I may still have to do it one day, but.....trees......

WIPs

Dancing Deer, Cherished Stitches

I was thinking I would put this away for a while, but I am so loving the colors that I am going to keep going.

I have a stack of other WIPs, but have not touched them this month at all.


And I worked on getting some old (and a new one or two) ornaments fully finished while I was in the mood.  Doing it quickly got me out of the mood, but they now have all been stuffed.  Just need to inspire myself to get them embellished so I can pack them away until next Christmas.

Oh, my wonderful cousin in Canada had the sampler I did for her framed and hung it in her kitchen.....she did a great job picking the frame and I am kind of amazed that I actually did this!

That wraps up 2016.  I am really looking forward to the new year and looking forward to what I can create in 2017.    I will post my plans after the first.

Thanks for visiting and sticking with me this year.  It has been a wierd one.

A Very Productive December

First things first, I have to grumble a little.

I have had this floor stand for my stitching for years and am not even sure who makes it or what it is called.  I have struggled with it and suffered with it the entire time.  As you can see, the two "arms" do not line up because the top cross bar is warped or something.  I have tried a thousand time to "fix" it and have not been successful.  I am sure it was not very expensive and it is terribly wobbly.  I have finally given up on it.   I was going to donate it (as I do most things) but I changed my mind and decided to take it apart and hold on to the hardware for later use.  I do not want anyone else to suffer through this awful thing.

I have a Just A Thought stand that I got over a year ago that lives in California but for some reason I have been using it in a different place.  (Hard to explain)  At any rate, I moved it into my utility/craft/laundry/computer room and use it.  Whew, what a difference.  I may get this HAED piece done yet!

Please excuse the mess!



On to stitching stuff


FINISHES

 Nora Corbet letters for my grandgirls.  They are framed and ready for Christmas delivery.

I did a flat fold of Hatching Christmas for my Daughter in Law...she loves it!  Woohoo.  Another Twisted Stitcher tutorial finish.

MORE FINISHES

I am thinking of 12x12 pillows for these two finishes.

Share the Joy of Christmas, Abbey Rose Designs

I am really pleased with this.  I thought the colors were going to be a problem, but I really like it.

Reindeer Games, Kathy Barrack

This turned out cute, but I did not use the suggested threads so I did not do the large black "vase" that is at the bottom.  I will probably do it again next year with the recommended colors.

Woodland Wonder, Glendon Place

The photo does no really show the opalescent fabric very well, but I am pleased with it.  I did not use the kreinik on the snowflakes because I could not get them to come out right.  It looks wierd to me because I did not start in the middle of the fabric, but 3" from the corner instead.   I will try to find a frame for it.



All in all a very productive couple of weeks....of course I have done nothing else!  No housework, no cooking, no laundry.......HA  I have to get to work now and get some cleaning and baking done.

I am trying to get these WIPS done so I can begin my 2017 planning.    I think I am down to 6 if I don't count the ones that I have given up as lost causes.  Who knows, perhaps I will drag them out next year for the Stitch from Stash 2017A.

I am planning to firm up my 2017 stitching plans the week after Christmas while things are winding down for the year.

Thanks so much for visiting.

Have a wonderful Christmas and Holiday Season.

Suddenly It Is December

Again, I am surprised when December arrives.  I am not sure why, but I never feel "ready" for the Holiday season and the year to end.  I am not all that wild about this time of year for some reason......

At any rate, lots of stitching going on.

FINISHES

Mermaid Letter "M", Nora Corbet

I picked up the frames for these two letters this week at Michaels (that was a nightmare I must say) and will post both of them as soon as they are framed.  

 I framed the two finishes I had oveor the summer.  They are not perfect, but they will have to do for now.

I do not know what I was thinking using orange foam as a spacer for this.  It certainly shows up.  I will re-do it one day.....or not.

This frame asctually had glass in it that I managed to break, so I may pull it out and pad it one of these days.  Hard to say.

Miscellaneous Ornaments Fully Finished

And speaking of finishing, I found these little plastic containers at the Dollar Tree.  I thought I would use them in my fridge, but they fit the spools of trim that I have perfectly.

A Huge Thank You to Vonna, The Twisted Stitcher.  I watched her videos and read her tutorials and have done some finishing work!

My first flat folds.    I am so impressed with myself I can hardly stand it!
I think the key is being patient and taking the time necessary.   No my strong suit....patience I mean.
They could probably use some embellishing, but I probably will never do it!

Little pillow ornaments.  


I am starting several new projects this month that I will report on as I have enough to report.

I hope your December is going well.  Thanks for visiting.

Back in California

Other than fighting a cold all the way back we had a very pleasant and uneventful trip.  Those are the best kind.  We managed to hit a nice weather window other than some minor dust storms coming across the desert.

I got a little stitching done.  I worked on some Christmas ornaments since I got totally frustrated with the needlepoing project I had planned to work on while we were driving.  Somehow I managed to get the count off so I am having to fudge it quite a bit.

I gott the threads for Woodland Christmas all on bobbins.  Everyone has been doing the "Forest Grew" by Rosewood Manor.    I found this one in the Good Housekeepig Christmas book (do not remember the year)  I hope I copied it correctly because I did not bring the book with me.   Winding bobbins is very therapeutic while we are riding along and I do not have the concentration to stitch.  I am looking forward to starting this one after I finish the Nora Corbet letters for my grandgirls.

WIPS

Mermaid Letter M, Nora Corbet

Had some decent progress.  Have the beading to do before I start the other one.

The Bee Keeper, Plum Street Samplers

Managed to get quiet a bit done and and I am not sure how because I tried to work on it while Jasmine had my seat in front.  Kind of bumpy but at least this is just for me and not for a gift so I can forgive myself some of the errors.

Winter Wonderland, Glendon Place

So much beading.  I am really enjoying seeing this come together, however.  I hope to finish it this month and move on to another one of the Christmas Projects I have in the wings
.

NEW STARTS

Reinderr Games by Kathy Barrick

Dancing Deer by Cherished Stitches

For some reason the photo of this project is hiding from me. So I will post it later



Happy Thansgiving to all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving this week.  Thank you for visiting.

November News

I hae been concentrating on Christmas stitching this month.  I have several things I want to do and a couple of gifts in the works.


FINISH

Comet, Nora Corbet

Interestingly, I did not enjoy stitching this and I am not that happy about how it turned out.   I have another one of the reindeer but I doubt I will do it this year.  Perhaps the fabric is the problem.......and that "Whisper" thread (used on the tail to supposedly make it fuzzy)....I am not impressed.

WIPS


Woodland Wonder, Glendon Place

I am truly enjoying this piece but the counting has given me fits.  I should have gridded at least the top portion because there are some errors in the antlers.  No one would notice.  Also, because the fabric is so sparkly, I do not think I an going to use the Kreinik on the snowflakes.  I will decide once I start beading it.

The BeeKeeper, Plum Street Samplers

Coming along nicely though not very quickly.

NEW START

Mermaid Letters, Nora Corbet

I did the grandgirls' first initials in Nora Corbet Fairy Letters for last Christmas, so this year I am doing their middle initials in the mermaid letters.  These are really nice to stitch.  They go pretty quickly and the charts are very well done.  Of course there is alot of beading, but it is so worth it once they are done.

Beautiful Sea SAL, Ship's Manor

I got the threads for this SAL but have not started it.  I am in a delimma about the fabric.  I am leaning toward the darker color because it would be a change of pace for me.  I am waiting, however, for the third and possibly fourth portion to come out before I start it so I can see what is going to happen across the top.  I am not sure why I joined this.  I do not really like mystery projects at all.

 The weather has been so amazing here and all the critters are out for their final escapades before winter hits.  Jasmine enjoys chasing the deer that like to visit us.  It gives her a good chance to run and I enjoy watching her.  Today, however, she surprised me by coming in covered, and mean covered, with goose poop.  At least I caught her before she crawled up in the middle of the bed!

Today I had to turn on the heater, so it is time to get back to California.  We are leaving Tuesday and heading West, so I am getting things packed and getting the house ready to go.  No too much stitching going on for a next few days.

I have decided to Stitch from Stash for 2017.  I have about 50 project kitted and ready to go so I certainly do not need anything.  That is my plan anyway.  There is a group of  stitchers doing the same thing.  If I can not careful things get totally out of control!  Internet shopping is WAY to easy.  This really becomes obvious when I pack up all the stitching stuff because I cannot leave it here!  It is two HUGE plastic totes full.  Kind of silly.  And, I am leaving summer stitching here at least.

Change of Plans

As is usually the case, October comes to Texas and I cannot bear to leave.  So, I will stay on the bend until some time in November.   We had such a great time with our visitors.  I forget how I enjoy having them.

The fall is so terrific.  The deer are out and all the critters are getting ready for winter.  This is a year for pecans so the squirrels are staying busy.

I have made a little stiching progress this month.

Hatching Christmas, Good Housekeeping

Just have to work on the border.  I am considering changing it to a more Christmas themed border.....perhaps holly leaves.  Turned out pretty cute for my chicken raising DIL.

Home is Where You Hang Your Needlework, Homespun Elegance

Once I got the lettering done I just winged it on the motifs around the outside.  I think it is finished.  This is a project that I may stitch again and follow the chart a little more closely.

Books Reading Books, HAED

I just started Page 15 so I am almost halfway done.  I will not bore you with another photo.


Woodland Wonder, Glendon Place

I am thinking that perhaps this fabric is a little too sparkly (if that is possible).  Interestingly, this fabric is a little more difficult to stitch on that I would have thought.  However, I still love it and will keep going.  The pattern calls for combining 2 strands of white and one strang of the Kreinik metallic but I don't know.  Seems like it will be bulky.  I decided not to put the metallic on the snowflakes around the border (since the fabric is so sparkly) and am still pondering the snowflakes inside the border.  I may wait until more of the reindeer and trees are done to make a finaly decision.

Bee Keeper, Plum Street Samplers

I am enjoying this project in spite of myself!  Alternating the large blocks of color with the other details and border.  It is going well.

Comet, Nora Corbett

This project is kind of interesting.  I like it, but not as much as I thought I would (and I ordered 2 other reindeer.......I cannot imagine that I will do all of them)   It may be one of those projects that I like better once I get it done.  Who knows.

A FINISH!!

O Canada, Jeanette Douglas

Although this project has proven to be far more tedious than I would have thought, I really enjoy doing it and it has given me a new appreciation for samplers in general.  There are so many errors in it I cannot even remember most of them....but it will be off to it's recipient in a couple of days.  I have not "signed" it and am not sure that I will.  So I am hanging onto it until next week.

Planning a Busy October

Lots going on this month.....I hope I get my stitiching fixes!

Two sets of company and the trip back to California.  I have a tendency to plan, replan and overplan before I even start packing things up and getting the house ready to leave.  It makes me a little sad to leave the bend, but after a day or two on the road I will be looking forward to getting to the West Coast for the winter.  We have alot of plans for the months that we are there so the time should go by rapidly.

WIPS

Books Reading Books, Heaven and Earth Designs

The never-ending wip.  Making progress, but it is slow.  About 500 stitches left on this page.

Bee Keeper, Plum Street Samplers

Enjoying this in spite of the awful fabric.  I did her face 1 over 1 and it makes her look like she has a big long nose.  I am not sure I will re-do it.

O Canada, Jeanette Douglas

I have still not received the thread I need to finish this.  It is kind of depressing.  I am going to look for a replacement I think.  I have ordered it from two places (ABC Stitch Therapy and Stitching Bit and Bobs) and have heard nothing so I broke down and ordered it from Canada and they are waiting for it to come from the supplier.  Grrrrr.  This may not be completed by Christmas after all.

Hatching Christmas Cheer, Good Housekeeping

This is turning out really cute.  The fabric came in a Stitchy Box a few months back.  It is a cream color opalescent by Fabric Flair.  Lots of back stitching should help make it really pop.  It is a pretty easy stitch.

NEW STARTS

Woodland Wonder, Glendon Place

This is on 28 ct. Lugana,  a solo from Silkweaver.  It has gold flecks in it....I love this fabric.
Just barely started the border.  I am not so happy with the border snowflakes (white DMC....), but they are OK for how.

Comet, Nora Corbet

I ordered the fabric called for but did not like it, so I am doing it on 28 count Dwarf Twilight opalescent by Picture this Plus

The border of this piece is in white DMC but it is so unforgiving  I ordered pearl cotton #3 and #5 and will use that when it arrives.  Not to file:  Never do a project that has alot of white stitches on it....!  I am not sure if I will do all 8 reindeer and rudolph, but I am watching anotherh stitcher doing Santa's sleigh and it is amazing.

Home is Where You Hang Your Needlework, Homespun Elegance

I just could not resist this sampler pattern.  I had purchased a bag of silk threads Waterlilies from Caron) over a year ago and had not figured out what I could do with them, so I used them on this sampler.  I am really pleased with how it is turning out.  It is on 28 count Prairie Grain linen.  It is a little stiff, but not too bad.  I am really liking the "homespun"  rustic look of the sampler.

Months ago I ordered the Coloris set of DMC.  It finally arrived today.  I am not sure if I will do the sampler that is included but the colors are really nice.  It is odd to me that the sampler says "Sweet Home"  and not "Home Sweet Home".  Just kind of sticks out to me.

I also took advantage of the month end sale at the local quilt shop and loaded up on fat quarters for finishing.  I think I have all the fabric I could ever use for finishing!

It dawned on me that for the first time in years I do not have a Chatelaine going.  Seems odd.  Of course there is Gardens of London but I have completely lost the love for some reason.  I have several kitted and ready to go, but will try to wait until 2017 to start a new one........maybe.


I will probably not post again until we are on the road.  Depends on if I get anything accomplished.

Thank you so much for visiting.  I hope you enjoy visiting as much as I enjoy creating the blog.

September Fades Away

It has been a busy month heading into an even busier month.  Good things, however; grandgirls are coming from California for a visit and some dear friends from California are coming for a visit, then we are off to California for the winter.  This is the month of California I suppose.

I did make a little progress on stitching:

FINISH

Mini Mandala 05, Chatelaine

All done.  As it turns out, I ended up enjoying the specialty stitches and beading and even the subtle color pallette.  I wish you could see how shiney it is...you will have to use your imagination.  I am really happy to have this finished.

I probably will not have a chance to frame it before I leave so it will go with me I suppose.

WIPS

Books Reading Books, Heaven and Earth

This is still going slowly.  I try to work on it a little every day, that way all the confetti does not get so overwhelming.  I decided only to post photos of page finishes.

O Canada, Jeanette Douglas

I am still really, really enjoying this piece although it is somewhat tedious.  I think because I am gifting it I am attempting to be extra careful.  Or perhaps because it is the first thing I have done using only one thread.  It is pretty different and has inspired me to do more samplers.  I am still waiting for the thread to complete the lettering, then I think it will go really fast and will be off to its forever home before the end of the year.

I did a couple of NEW STARTS this month

Hatching Christmas, Better Homes and Gardens

Am doing this as a gift on 28 count Opalescent  from Fabric Flair  but I am not sure of the color (looks ivory to me) using DMC threads.  I may or may not put all or part of the lettering but I do like the border even though it may take a while.    I am planning to do this as a flat fold so I will consider the size before I make a final decision.

Bee Keeper, Plum Street Samplers

I really HATE the fabric that came with this, but I am afraid if I do not use it, I will never use it for anything else so I am going with it.  It is very, very stiff.  I am, however enjoying it. The sample was stitched on 35 count Natural Northn Cross Linen  but I am not sure if that is what came with the chart.  It uses Weeks Dye Works threads.  I picked this up while we were in Canada over the summer from Traditional Stitches in Calgary.

I have not picked up any other WIP in the past couple of weeks.

I will be moving into Christmas projects in October  (hence the Hatching Christmas start) and I have several that I want to do so I am trying to get them kitted up and ready to go next week.

While I was picking up some missing DMC for my projects I ran across these two Kreinik sets and simply could not resist.  They are so colorful and sparkly!  They reduced them to half price so how could I resist 18 spools of kreinik for $25.00?

I have whittled my current WIPS down considerably (I am less than 10 now) so I am planning on more new starts.  I also decided that I am going to leave the Americana projects and Halloween projects (as well as some others) rather than taking them back and forth with me.     I typically work on those two types of projects while I am in Texas, so I will see how it goes this year.

Yes, I am already planning the trip West.  At least my needlepoint projects will get some attention!

If you have comments or questions do not hesitate to post them.    The blogosphere is becoming more and more sophistaced and I am still not that good at it but will do my best to find and answer your comments and inquiries whether they appear here or not.

Thank you so much for visiting.