Time to check-in!!!!

I don't know where the time has gone. All I know is that I haven't posted in quite awhile. Part of the reason for this is that I decided to do more exercising which has naturally eaten into my stitching time.  Not that I am complaining.  It was something I really needed to do.   The looooooooooooong winter was really getting to me and getting more active really lifted my mood.  Another benefit was to my left knee.  It was starting to give me pain and going up and down stairs was difficult but just after a week of using my stationary bike the pain had almost disappeared.

But now to my stitching.

I have managed a few small finishes.

Good Tidings © 2011 Little House Needleworks

Katie Kitty @ 2014 Brookes Books Publishing

St. Patrick's Day Cat © Lynn B (www.crossstitchingishappiness.blogspot.com)

and finally (an UFO from 2013).

 Little Sheep Virtues - Peace © 2013 Little House Needleworks

I missed the WIPocalypse check-in on April 15th so here is my laaaaaaaaaaaaate report.  As I mentioned above I finished the Little Sheep Virtue - Peace.  I still need to finish the back stitching on the 3rd Bear from Beary Merry Christmas and I made some progress on the Little Sheep Virtue - Simplicity.

I also pulled out a couple of UFOs from previous years and added a few more stitches to each.

It's Berry Time - Blackbird Designs - Loose Feathers Pattern 37

Home of a Needlework - Little House Needleworks

 

and I started on the 2nd part of Just Nan/Charland Designs - Side by Side.

Last month's Wipocalypse topic was How do you keep your stash organized?  The organization of my stash is currently a work in progress.   I have a craft room that I am currently reorganizing.   It is in a real upheaval right now so no pics.   I have 4 or 5 binders in which I keep all the freebies I have accumulated over the years, full size leaftlets are stored in plastic file boxes and small charts and kits are stored in basket.  I have other storage boxes with fabrics, ribbons and trims, buttons and charms.  Floss is either stored in floss boxes, plastic baggies or hanging on peg board.   When I have completed the reorganization I will post a pic.   Below is a pic of some of sorting that I had on my DR table before Easter.

Lastly here is the TUSAL report I missed on April 29th.  It is not as much as previous months but it is still something.

Well that is it for today.   I will try to make it back sooner.  Take care and happy stitching.

Thanks for visiting!!!!!!

 

Final Christmas Ornaments for 2013

A few weeks before Christmas I realized that I didn't have enough ornaments stitched to give out to my family so I had drop everything and start stitching ornaments. It has become a tradition for me pass a basket full of ornaments around to my family for them to pick one from and I didn't want to  disappoint them.

I stitched up several Little House Needleworks Ornaments:

Baked Goods 

Country Christmas 

Gingerbread Cookie

Season of Love 

Tree Farm

 

One of my nieces loves penquins so I am always on the lookout for penquin charts. (Her grandmother picked this one but my niece did get one that I stitched earlier this year - Penquin Hugs.) This one - Red Penquin - is by Casey Buonaugurio from the JCS 2013 Christmas Preview Issue.

When I saw the following freebie chart - Grumpy Kitty - from Brooke's Books Publishing I just had to stitch it.

I thankfully ended up with enough ornaments for everyone with one to spare which ended up on my tree (Gingerbread Cookie by LHN). I had also stitched up LHN's Silent Night and 2 Nutcrackers for my girlfriend and her 2 children, but I forgot to take a picture of them before I gave them away. I will be back over the weekend with my progress on the iStitch 2013 Advent SAL (I had to stop stitching on this after Day 7 in order to get my ornaments done) and some ornaments I have stitched already for Christmas 2014.
 
Take care and Happy Stitching!!!!

 Thank you for visiting!!!! 

 

'Old Man Winter' made one last attempt.....

and we woke up to this beautiful (not!!!) sight in our backyard last Saturday. Thankfully it melted away by the end of the day and hasn't returned.

There is a barbecue buried under that mound of snow on the left.

Now on to more pleasant topics. As I mentioned awhile back I decided to join the Spring/Easter Exchange hosted by Elaine of Lainey's Stitching Hoose. She has set up this blog - Stitched With Love Exchanges to display all the lovely packages everyone sent out. The following is what I received from Nataly.



Isn't the pin cushion she made just darling. The beads at the corners are shaped like the flowers in the design.


I am using the pail that originally contained the chocolate eggs, jelly beans as an ort collector.

This is what I sent Nataly.


I made a scissor case using a pattern by Marie-Anne Rethoret-Melin. I had the butterfly button in my stash and I found the butterfly scissors at Anita's Little Stitches.


Wednesday evening I put the final touches on the Bluebird's Message (Loose Feathers Pattern #23) by Blackbird Designs.

It is stitched with WDW floss and on 30ct French Vanilla by R & R Reproductions.

I decided that even though my neice is not getting married until September of 2012 that I had better get started on the Bride's Tree Ornaments in order to have them done in time. This is my progress so far.


I have started the box top first. (I haven't decided yet whether or not to purchase the wooden box used in the leaflet or to use a decorative cardboard box I already have in my possession.)


I am currently collecting the Bride's Tree Ornaments form Brooke's Books Publishing. I have 3 out of the 4 currently available. I figure I shoud be prepared if my other neice gets married.

On a final note I thought I would mention that I have decided to take on another Mystery SAL. It is called Birds of A Feather by With Thy Needle & Thread designs by Brenda Gervais. It starts in May and I can't wait. It looks very intriquing.

Take care and have a good Easter!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!