I don't have fireflies in my garden - which is a shame... only cats, bees, a dog and the odd dragonfly!! So please settle down with a cuppa, put your feet up and enjoy!

Saturday, July 2, 2016

Whine and WIP's update

June is done and dusted... July has begun so it's time for me to show you the rest of the WIPs that I worked on during June for the Stitch Maynia "Whine and WIPs" SAL.

My last WIP update post was on 18th June where I showed you my "Witch and Friends" finish as well as an update on "Jingles" and "Prancer.  My Smalls post that I posted on Friday showed you the 4 x June starts and finishes, but there were also lots of other stitching going on as well during June.

So here goes....

Nora Corbett's Christmas Eve Couriers - Prancer
as at 17 June 2016

as at 26 June 2016

Prancer is now ready for beading.... and then he will be finished!

The Little Stitcher - Red Christmas Deer
as at 21 April 2015

as at 19 June 2016

I am using waste canvas on an Ikea tea towel for this one....

Faces of Joan Elliott - Holly Fairy
as at 6 June 2016

as at 23 June 2016

Managed to stitch a little bit more of her hair,,,,

Mirabilia / Nora Corbett - Queen of Peace
as at 31 May 2016

as at 24 June 2016
"Queen of Peace" was my "Pretty In Pink" piece for the colour-a-day SAL on 24th June and I managed to get quite a bit of the pink in the bouquet stitched.  I have stitched some more of her ribbon but forgot to take a photo....

Nora Corbett "Queen Anne's Lace"
as at 9th April 2016

as at 30th June 2016

So that's it for my WIP update.  I do have another 2 starts for June to show but I will leave them for another post.

Til next time... happy stitching
Hugs xx


Friday, July 1, 2016

June SAL Updates.... July Stitching Goals....

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Hello! Another month has flown by and now we are into July, so it's time to do a SAL update post.

June SAL Update:

**JCS SAL (FB Group)"Joyful Santa" (Designer: Homespun Elegance)  

**Christmas Ornie SAL Blog Theme: Christmas Animals/Pets - Penguin Christmas Card (free gift)  

**Halloween Ornie SAL Blog Theme: Free Choice - "Witch and Friends" (Designer: Donna Giampa/Vermillion Stitching)  

**Lainey's Christmas Ornie SAL: posted 
**Smalls SAL: posted 

**Stitch Maynia (FB group)
Monthly SAL's:
Monthly SAL: "Whine & WIPs" - work on those pieces that make us whine!:  
Stitched on multiple WIPs - even managed to get a finish!

Colour-A-Day SAL (24th of month) "Pretty in Pink"   
Stitched on Nora Corbett's Queen of Peace - pink flowers in the bouquet

Year Long SAL's:
Year of Starts! (at least 1 start/finish each month): 
I had 4 starts and finishes in June

Brooke's Books Year Long SAL: no progress on the Advent Animals....
2016 Chatelaine Shenanigans SAL: stitched on Mini Mandala II (C)  

**Cross Stitch Finish Line (FB group) 
"Vintage SAL" - started 4 vintage/old designs - finished 3!
"Summer Solstice" (June to Sept) - started "June" Joyful World SAL - Snowflower Diaries
"Now I know my ABC's" (A) - using ABC Chats as my design choice for this one - "A" already stitched
"June Monthly "Month" SAL" - started "June" Joyful World SAL - Snowflower Diaries

**Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge 2016 (DUCJC2016):
Modified to 31 starts & finishes 2016: as at the end of June I have 25 finishes for 2016 of which 20 are new starts for 2016 

**Miribilia, Nora Corbett Designs SAL: (Nora Corbett Passions FB group) - stitching on Queen Anne's Lace and Queen of Peace where they fit in with each weekly SAL theme.

July SAL Plans:

**JCS SAL (FB Group): "Pure Love" (Designer: Snowflower Diaries)

**Christmas Ornie SAL Blog July Theme: Free choice
**Halloween Ornie SAL Blog July Theme: Witches Accessories

**Stitch Maynia (FB group) 
"It's a Sunshine Day (month long) - stitch on any piece that has a summery, sunshine, or tropical theme)
"Colour-A-Day SAL" - "Back in Black" - work only on the black sections of a design on 24th July
"Winter Holidays in July" - celebrate Holidays/Christmas in July - 25th July

**Cross Stitch, it's Fun (FB group) 
"July Monthly SAL - stitch 100 stitches per week on your most challenging piece
"Around the World" SAL - stitch on any design relating to where you live or where you would like to visit

**Cross Stitch Finish Line (FB group) 
"Monthly "Month" SAL - July " - stitch on something with July in it and/or something that has to do with July
"Mill Hill SAL" - stitch on any Mill Hill kit/design
"Christmas in July" - get a head start on Christmas cards and/or ornies
"Now I know my ABC's" 26th July - "B"
"Summer Solstice" - (June to Sept): stitch any summer piece you want through to Autumn Solstice (Northern Hemisphere Solstice)

**Miribilia, Nora Corbett Designs SAL: (Nora Corbett Passions FB group) 

**Remember to post for:
Lainey's Christmas Ornie SAL
Smalls SAL

**Lakeside Needlecraft / Durene Jones Fantasy SAL
I have also joined another monthly SAL.... this one is being hosted by Lakeside Needlecraft in the UK and is designed by Durene Jones.  It is a monthly fantasy SAL starting in July with the border release.  I had to join it as the border colours are gorgeous and I do love Durene's designs... so what's a girl to do!!

So that's it... another good month of ticks on my monthly goals....

Til next time...


Take care and happy stitching
Hugs xx

Smalls SAL June 2016

Hosted by Stitching Lotus
And before we know it.... another month has gone by!  June's Smalls posting day was 30th June but as you can see I am a little bit late posting (it is probably still 30th June somewhere in the world though!)

I have quite a few smalls this month to show you... much better than last month's effort!!

Earlier this month I showed you my finishes #17 & #18.  I finished these 2 after posting May's Smalls penguin card update... so here's a recap of them:
Finish #17: Mosey n Me - Christmas Test Drive
Finished 27 May 2016
Finish #18: Penguin Christmas Card (freebie)
Finished 29 May 2016
Now onto June's Smalls...  these are all June starts and finishes :o)

Finish #22
Tartan Stocking Decoration
Free gift - UK Cross Stitcher magazine December 1995 issue
Started 26 June 2016
Finished 26 June 2016
Finish #23
Punched Needlepoint Christmas Card
Free gift - UK Needlecraft magazine December 1992
Started 26 June 2016
Finished 26 June 2016
Finish #24
Noel Decoration
Free gift - UK Cross Stitcher magazine Christmas 1996
Started 26 June 2016
Finished 28 June 2016
Finish #25
"Joyful Santa" - Homespun Elegance
Just Cross Stitch - Christmas 2015 issue
"Joyful Santa" - Designer: Homespun Elegance
Started 19 June 2016
Finished 29 June 2016
Stitched on Sugar Cane Crunch (Stitches & Spice) 28ct linen using the called for DMC threads.  I am hoping to finish this one off as flat fold in the next few days.

So that's it for my June Smalls update... not a bad effort even if I do say so myself :o)

I have a number of WIP updates to show you so I will be back soon with an update post.


Til then, happy Smalls stitching...
Hugs xx

Saturday, June 18, 2016

Whine & WIPs = Finish #20!!

Guess what...

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"Witch and Friends" is finished.....

I started this way back in 2014 for the Hallowe'en SAL Blog.   When I left it at that stage it looked like this:
October 2014
I then picked it up again on and off during the last couple of months of 2014;
End of 2014
and then again for the Crazy January challenge in January 2015;
January 2015
I was so close to finishing last year but unfortunately I got distracted... and as I heard someone say on Flosstube earlier.. I fell down the rabbit hole with this one!! :o)

So on 8th June I picked her up again... and stitched and stitched and stitched.... each night over the last week I kept thinking I will stitch on something else, but then I kept thinking "no, she is almost done!" so I kept going... and now she is done.... :o)

Finish #20
"Witch & Friends" - Donna Giampa (Vermillion Stitching)
Witch & Friends.... finished 16 June 2016
This lovely lady and her delightful friends is stitched on a Stitches and Spice fabric with DMC threads.  The design was published in the Just Cross Stitch Halloween 2013 magazine.

Besides stitching and finishing "Witch & Friends" I also finished a block on "Jingles"... and I have picked up "Prancer" again.

Finish #21
"Jingles - Joy to World"


There is only a couple more blocks left on this so I would like to try and get back to it again soon... but who knows!

Nora Corbett's Christmas Eve Couriers - Prancer

I have now finished the Krienik at the bottom and started on the border.... then it's the tail and onto the beading!!

So that's it for this update.... The "Whine and WIPs SAL" has certainly helped me touch some of these old and much neglected WIPs... not sure which WIP I will stitch on next... I certainly have enough to choose from. :o)


Til next time... happy stitching
hugs xx

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Gifted Gorgeousness SAL 2016 - Update #6

I am not sure where yesterday went.... but I am now a day late posting for GG ;o(

First up I have to say that I have no GG stitching to show you this month.. sorry... but I do have a gorgeous gift that I received to show :o)

Most of you probably know all about KimM (Wisdom with Needle & Thread) and her birthday RAK's... but for those of you that don't know her, Kim decided that to celebrate her big birthday this year she would send out 60 RAK's to anyone that said they would like to receive one! :o)

I said yes please..... and low and behold this is what I found in my mailbox a couple of weeks ago.... I have been hanging out to show you but I wanted to save this gorgeous gift just for my GG post :o)

I just love these gorgeous stitched gifts....  a needle book with a cute puppy and bone button... a pin cushion with a puppy button, floss, ribbon and a lovely piece of red/gold fabric which everything is sitting on in the first photo.  She also included a lovely card.




I am so happy to receive such a beautiful gift from Kim... she picked the perfect design for me!  I love the idea that Kim plans to send out all these RAK's for her birthday and I do feel so lucky to be a recipient of such a beautiful gift.... thank you Kim :o)

If you get a chance, pop over to Kim's blog and see all the gorgeous gifts she has been sending out. She has a page on her blog showing all of the finished gifts and who she has sent them to.  They are all just gorgeous :o)

Hopefully tomorrow I will be back with a finish..... whoo hoo!!


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 the button below or the button on my sidebar and you will be re-directed to Jo's blog.