Smalls SAL January update

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Stitching Lotus

Oh dear... another late catch up post!  January was a good Smalls stitching month... prepare to be blown away by my finishes for January!

Finish #1/2018
Rubber Ducky - Mill Hill kit
Started: 15 September 2016
Finished: 15 January 2018

Finish #2/2018
Holly Jolly Xmas - Emma Congdon / Stitchrovia
Started: 23 January 2018
Finished: 26 January 2018
Fabric: 28ct evenweave (tea/coffee dyed on a light green base)
Thread: "Aussie Plum" Jodyri Designs & Petite Treasure Braid PB10
Source: Cross Stitch Crazy

Finish #3/2018
L-O-V-E - Hands on Design
Started: 26 January 2018
Finished: 27 January 2018
Fabric: 32ct Jobelan "Hot Pink" - Colour Cascade Fabrics
Thread: "Oink" & "Parisian Chic" Jodyri Designs
Source: Freebie from Hands on Design website

Finish #4/2018
Snowy Days - Little House Needleworks
Started: 6 January 2018
Finished: 29 January 2018
Fabric: 32ct Belfast "Antique Ivory"
Thread: DMC, Classic Colourworks "English Ivy"
Source: Just Cross Stitch magazine Christmas Ornament Issue 2014

So how's that for a great stitching Smalls month!  I am so pleased to have so many finishes in one month.... but don't worry I am sure that the momentum will probably not continue much past February!!

Til next time... happy stitching!

Gifted Gorgeousness May 2017

Guess what.... Finally I have some GG stitching to show you!! But first up let me show you an exchange gift that I received in the mail last month (after I posted my GG post).

Recently Kaye (Kitten Stitching) organised an Easter exchange, which I joined.  You have seen the card I stitched for the exchange.  Unfortunately my exchange package was a bit slow getting down under...   I suspect that with all the public holidays (Easter and Anzac Day) that we had in April the mailman decided to go on a bit of a slowdown! But it did finally arrive and was definitely worth the wait!! :o)

My exchange sending partner was Tiff (Tiffstitches A Blog).  Below is a pic of what Tiff sent me....

Was I spoilt or was I spoilt??  I love the card she stitched for me.  Also in the package was the lovely "Dream Big" chart from CCN, some gorgeous fabby from Chromatic Alchemy and all of those naughty chocolates!  Unfortunately the choc bunny had an accident on the way and didn't survive the journey... and the yummy maple bunny was so distraught at not making it in time for Easter that he lost his head!  Thanks Tiff - I love my package of goodies and I can confirm that there is no yummy goodies left now!

So that was my lovely gift story... now onto the stitching story....

Since Tiff was so lovely to send me such a gorgeous chart I just had to start it for Stitch Maynia on 1 May!

I didn't have all the called for over-dyed threads but I have substituted with Jodyri Threads for the sun, carrot and rabbit - I think they will work.  The other threads are DMC, which I had in my stash as well.  As luck would have it.. my Jodryi April Mystery fabric arrived around the same time so I decided to stitch it on that fabric - the name is very appropriate for the feel of the chart!  It was destined to be started in May :o)

New Start
"Dream Big" - Country Cottage Needleworks
Started: 1 May 2017
Fabric: "Dawn of Spring" Jodyri Designs
Threads: DMC & Jodyri Designs

And so it was started... albeit a very little start! Thanks Tiff - I love this cute design :o)  I have plans for the Chromatic Alchemy fabric for a new start later this month so stay tuned for next month's GG post to see what I have picked for that new start!

New Start
Eightsome Reel - Papillon Creations
Started: 6 May 2017
Fabric: 28ct green/brown linen (stash)
Threads: Jodryi Designs

Last month I told you about the chart that I was gifted from a fellow "Stitch from Stash" stitcher. Well ... I started it for Stitch Maynia as well...

The Jodyri Designs colours that I am using so far are: Beetle Shell (small blue & black motif); Argentine Tango (large motif) and Nevermore (the rabbit).  I have also pulled out Flamenco which is another pink and black thread for the alternate large motifs.  I really enjoyed stitching this one the other day so I think I will have to give it some more love again soon!

New Start
Free Mystery SAL - Linen & Threads (Part 1 - Jan)
Started: 7 May 2017
Fabric: 14ct white Aida (stash)
Threads: Jodyri Designs

As this is a free design it qualifies for the GG post....
Note though I did start this one back in April and attempted to do it 1 over 1 on 28 ct fabric but didn't like it... so I re-started it again on some 14ct Aida that I had in my stash.  Not my preferred choice but I was so keen to start it that I just decided that it would work no matter what!!!

I am using all Jodyri Designs threads in this project.  The main part for January is being stitched in "Hocus Pocus" and the bird (which I have just started) is being stitched in "Robin Red Breast'.  I am really pleased to have finally started this... hopefully now that I have chosen to do it on white the colours will really pop off the fabric!

New Start
Dogs Leave Paw Prints - Lizzie Kate
Started: 14 May 2017
Fabric: 28ct Jubilee "Sugar Cane Crunch" - Stitches & Spice
Threads: Weeks Dye Works

I bought this chart when my sister's Golden Retriever  (Rosy) passed away in October 2016 with the plan to stitch it for her and the family as a gift to remember Rosy.  Rosy died a couple of days after my sister's wedding anniversary and a few days after my brother-in-law had been told that there was another cancerous growth in his lung (after being 10 years cancer free).  Rosy had been staying with my parents and wasn't eating much and a bit slower than normal (she didn't seem particularly unwell though)... at least not until the night the family got home.  The next day she passed away at the Vets.  Unfortunately my sister wasn't with her as the Vet didn't know she was going to die that day - she was only in for observation!  At the autopsy they discovered that she also had lung cancer and the cancer had spread to her heart...  it was like she was waiting for them to come home before she went to the Rainbow Bridge...  It has been a struggle to start this piece as Rosy's passing reminds me of Daisy's passing - they were puppies at the same time and they always had such a wonderful time playing whenever they got a chance to spend some time together.... I think that I will end up stitching this one a second time for us....

So that's it for this huge GG post... I have certainly made up for the lack of GG stitching over the last few months, haven't I?

Have a great week... and

Til next time, happy stitching

Jo from Serendipitous Stitching hosts the Gifted Gorgeousness SAL.  The GG SAL is about stitching charts/kits or using fabrics & threads that we have received as gifts, won in giveaways or anything that is intended be a gift or giveaway prize... or anything else that you can loosely use the word "gift" for!!  If you wish to sign up for this SAL, click on link here, or the button on my sidebar and you will be re-directed to Jo's blog.

Whipping those WIP's to the finish line!

WIP update
Isn't it a great feeling to get those long time WIPs (not going to say UFO's!) out and start showing them some more love?  If you saw my last post then you would have seen that I stitched on a 2015 WIP recently.

The other long lost WIP that I have been stitching on recently is Nora Corbett's "Christmas Eve Couriers - Comet".

The last time I showed you "Comet" was way back in June 2015... I have just re-read that post where I rabbited on about a stitching rotation... no, that never really happens in my stitching life no matter how much I try to do it!!!

June 2015....

Comet now looks like this:

July 2016

Over the last couple of evenings I have managed to finish the antlers of "Comet" and I am starting on his head.  As he is still on the q-snaps I might stitch on him again today...

New starts:
I can't believe it... I forgot to show you 2 other new starts that I had in June....

First up is another of those old kits that I had languishing in the bottom drawer of the craft room.  I have no idea when I bought this but it would have been in the late 1980's or early 1990's.  I pulled it out last month to start stitching it for the Vintage SAL on one of the FB groups.  This is as far as I got....

This one is called "Honey Do" and is stitched on 14ct vinyl.... very strange medium to stitch on but, I do like the design so I will get back to it again very soon and get it finished.  The kit came with the magnetic notebook accessories to put it all together.  Once done it will be a nice little addition to the fridge or even a nice little gift for someone... :o)

The other new start that I had in June was the "June" design for the Snowflower Diaries "Joyful World SAL".  I don't have some of the threads for this so I started with what I have got... It is stitched on a pale blue 28ct linen from my stash.

So that's new starts and WIP's covered....onto finishes! :o)

Finishes Update:
First up on the finishes list is a mini finish....

Most of my stitching time over the last week or so was dedicated to the new Durene Jones / Lakeside Needlecraft Fantasy SAL.  When I last showed you the border stitching it looked like this:

5 July 2016

Well, surprise, surprise, I have finished all the circles...

11 July 2016

... and I have now put it away until the first character is released in August.  Depending on how much stitching is involved in each character I may start/stitch the border each month when a character is released or I may leave the border til the end.... who knows!

The fabric I am using for this one is "Silver Springs" 32ct Jobelan from Colour Cascades Fabrics using a variegated thread from Cottage Garden Threads called "Heliotrope".

Finish #26
"Stitching Witch"
Designer: Maria Warmke (The Stitcherhood)
Started: 7 July 2016
Finished: 8 July 2016
Fabric: Name unknown (cardmakers pack) - Colour Cascade Fabrics
Thread: Nevermore - Jodyri Designs

This design is called "Stitching Witch" and is designed by Maria Warmke from The Stitcherhood.  How perfect is this design for my Halloween Ornie Blog July post?  This month's theme was "witches accessories" and this design has a hat and a cauldron - tick... and then needle and scissors!!  It was published in the October 2014 issue of the Just Cross Stitch magazine.

I stitched this on a piece of fabric from Colour Cascades Fabric - no name as it was in a cardmakers pack - just love the colours!  The thread I used was "Nevermore" from Jodyri Designs.  The design called for all black thread but I decided to try something different for a change!!

I think I am now up to date on all my WIP stitching... it's time to sign off now and get back on the couch with my stitching in front of the fire (we have rain with storms forecast today... oh well it is winter!).

Til next time, happy stitching
Hugs xx

TUSAL.. Bling... Stash...

As they say a picture paints a thousand words.... so who wants to see lots of pictures?

I have a rather boring TUSAL photo... then some bling... and then some stash acquisitions!

TUSAL
Well here they are... my ORT's for the last month.  Lots of gorgeous colours in that tin!

Essentially TUSAL posts are all about stitching and saving our ORT's (Old Raggety Threads) and every New Moon those of us participating in the TUSAL post a picture of our ORT's, and then leave little msgs for Daffycat on her blog to show that we have been stitching and have posted our wonderful pics. 
Next New Moon - 4 June 2016

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As my credit card will reliably inform you I have been on a bit of stash/bling buying frenzy!  And slowly all my purchases are landing in the the mail box!

First up I have Bling...

Gina (Gina's Unique Boutique) was having a moving sale so I just had to indulge... to be honest I do not know what I will do with them all (except have them in the craft room collecting dust) as I tend to only use them when I am stitching on large projects!  But they were so pretty.... :o)

I have a couple more coming from Julie (Nifty Needle Nannies) and once they get here I will show you a pic...

Next up I have some new pretty Stash Acquisitions.....

I am the first to admit that I am normally very boring when it comes to threads... DMC all the way! Occasionally I will branch out to Weeks Dye Works or NPI Silks or Caron Waterlillies as required by a specific chart but I haven't ventured very far into the world of hand-dyed variegated threads before! Until now that is!

Have a look at these stunning threads that I ordered from Jodryi Designs in the UK.  I also bought the April Limited Edition Fabric (Cairn's Birdwing Butterfly) and the matching thread (thread is the one on it's own on the right).  It helps that she was having a sale which meant that I could order twice as many as I might have normally ordered!

Next up we have a Mira added to my stash....

One of the many Mira groups that I am in on Facebook is having a "Queen of Peace" SAL and I have always wanted to stitch that gorgeous design.... but as it is an Out of Print chart I was not able to find it in Australia.... so I when I did find someone (Hawkins Hobbies in the UK) who had it for sale I just had to buy it (along with the Krienik, beads and treasures).  The kit also came with the fabric but that went into my stash as I am doing this on something else.... as you will see very shortly!

I am hoping to have this stitched and ready to take with me to the Mira Retreat next May (yes I did say next May - 2017!) in Katoomba.... after all I don't want to be the only one without a Mira lady to show at the retreat!! :o(

So that's it... my credit card has melted now from overwork!

So til my next post, happy stitching
Hugs xx