Hallowe'en Trick Or Treat Blog Hop 2016

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Today is 31st October... and it's Halloween..... 
As you know (or may not know), Jo (Serendipitous Stitching) is hosting her annual Hallowe'en Blog Hop!

Trick or Treat anyone?
This is where the treats come in - a sweet hop around the blog-sphere collecting letters to make up the mystery phrase.  Can't guarantee that there won't be any tricks awaiting you, but we can guarantee the treats!

This blog hop is no different to any of the others that Jo does - all you need to do is visit each of the participating blogs in order (full list is on Jo's blog - link below), jot down the letter displayed, then return to Jo's blog post (link is here) and leave a comment telling Jo the Mystery Phrase.  Simples!

Now for my part of the blog hop.....  I need to show you something that I have stitched for Halloween (either new or old) and leave you with my letter of the mystery phrase.  So here goes!

I couldn't decide what to show you... so I decided to go with a bit of a theme - Blacks cats and pumpkins....

and now for my letter of the mystery phrase....

Ok.... its all up to you now - write down the letter "C" and hop on over to the next stop.... and say hello to Lisa at Wyrd Needles.

That's it from me..... til next time...
Happy Scary Stitching
Hugs xx

Smalls SAL October 2016

Hosted by Stitching Lotus

Hi there! Today is the last Thursday in October which means it is the day to post our Smalls finishes for the month, so let's dive right on in! ☺

Lakeside Needlecraft Fantasy SAL
September - Wizard
Designer: Durene Jones
Finish #34 (5 October 2016)

Lakeside Needlecraft Fantasy SAL
August - Pegasus
Designer: Durene Jones
Finish #35 (7 October 2016)

Stitched on 32ct Jobelan fabric "Silver Springs" from Colour Cascades Fabric  - DMC threads

Peacock
Designer: Kate Knight
Freebie Cross Stitch Crazy Magazine
Finish #36 (7 October 2016)

Really pleased to finish this little one... I started it back in January for the DUCSJC!

Autumn Harvest - Plaid Pumpkin
Designer: Mill Hill Kit
Finish #37 (16 October 2016)

You saw this one earlier in the month... so cute! I just need to cut it out and put it together now.... something else to add to the final finishing day that I keep promising myself I will have one day!

Halloween Portraits - Black Cat
Designer: Blue Ribbon Designs
Just Cross Stitch Halloween 2015
Finish #38 (18 October 2016)

This is my Halloween Ornie Blog entry for October - theme is black cats.  I have stitched 3 of these Halloween Portraits so far this year for the Halloween Ornie themes.

Christmas Bunny
Freebie from Cross Stitch Collection magazine (1990's...)
Finish #39 (21 October 2016)

This is my Christmas Ornie Blog entry for October - theme is presents/toys and she is carrying a Christmas present!

Merry Christmas (2015/6)
Designer: From the Heart ~ Needleart by Wendy
Just Cross Stitch Christmas 2015
Finish #40 (25 October 2016)

Stitched on 32ct Belfast "Fairy Tales" from Colour Cascades Fabric using Dragon Floss "Stem Green" for the tree foliage; Dinky Dyes "Pilbara" for the lettering and DMC for the star and tree trunk.  I re-charted the year and my initials as the original chart was for 2015 and had the designers initials :o)

So that's it for today's Smalls post!  I am feeling quite good about my Smalls finishes this month... I will try and pop back again later today with a new start and a WIP update.  Have a great stitchy day....

Til next time, happy stitching!
Hugs xx

IHSW October 2016

International Hermit & Stitch Weekend (IHSW).... 

held on the third weekend (Fri - Sun) of every month

hosted by Joyce (Random Ramblings).

Back again.... this time I am here to show you what else I stitched on over the weekend for the October IHSW.

I always keep forgetting to post my weekend stitching these days (bad blogger!!) but today I have remembered!

So here we go....

Friday night's stitching you have already seen but here's a recap:

Merry Christmas (2015)
From the Heart ~ NeedleArt by Wendy
Just Cross Stitch Christmas 2015 issue

Saturday was another new start...

Autumn Harvest - Plaid Pumpkin
Mill Hill Kit

I was debating whether to hold this one over for the Smalls post at the end of the month, but if I did I would have nothing to show now because Saturday's start was a Sunday finish!!

Sunday's stitching was a finish on the Plaid Pumpkin

Autumn Harvest - Plaid Pumpkin
Mill Hill Kit

Not a great pic... I now just need to "finish" finish this one which I might try and get done by the end of the month (hopefully!)  This is my very first Mill Hill kit finish... and I absolutely love it! I have two more started (Scottie Dog you have seen, the other one is below) and have become addicted to buying them on 1-2-3 Stitch website! Danger Will Robinson!!

So that was Sunday afternoon... after tea on Sunday night I went back to my little Christmas Bunny card (which I haven't shown you before).  I am stitching this one for the Christmas Ornie Blog as the theme is presents/toys.

Before pic:
Christmas Bunny Card - freebie from UK Needlecraft magazine (1990 something....)
Started 8 October 2016

before Sunday night stitching

After pic:

after Sunday night stitching

Bit more progress last night on this one.... completed all the red and white in her dress, stitched her feet and the white tail, as well as the white in the present and on her hand (not that you can really see that white at the moment!)

So that was my IHSW stitching for this month.  I'm not sure if Joyce is going to do a second one next weekend.... we shall have to wait and see!

New Starts:

Now while I am here I might as well show you my new starts that I have on the go at the moment...

Rubber Ducky - Mill Hill Kit
Started 15 September 2016

Dog House Sampler - Little House Needleworks
Started 26 September 2016

If You Don't Believe - Sue Hillis
Started 28 September 2016

Endless Knot II - Ink Circles
Started 1 October 2016

I do have a couple of finishes to show but I am going to save them for the Smalls Post at the end of the month - just to keep you all in suspense a bit longer!!

So that's it - think I am relatively up to date with all the pics of what I have been stitching lately.  Lots of new starts, couple of finishes and numerous WIPs to tackle!  Oh well... you can't say I'm not trying hard enough!! :o)

Til next time, happy stitching
Hugs xx

Gifted Gorgeousness SAL 2016 - Update #10

I am a tad late for my GG post this month.... but I do have something to show you!

The photo below is what I have also used for my Friday Frolic post on the FF blog so apologies if you have seen it before!

Just Cross Stitch Christmas 2015
Merry Christmas (2015)
Designer: From the Heart ~ NeedleArt by Wendy

So why am I showing you this for my GG post.... quite simple really - the variegated green thread that I used on the tree foliage is a gift!

I received this thread many, many years ago in an exchange (before my blogging days) - think it might have been a Craftbubble Exchange but can't quite remember (sorry).  The floss is a hand-dyed variegated thread from Dragon Floss and is called Stem Green.  I have never used it before and it has been sitting in the floss box for so long just waiting for the right project!  And I must say it is gorgeous to work with.... wonder if they are still around....

And in case you're wondering... the red lettering is in Dinky Dyes "Pilbara" and the star and tree trunk is good old DMC!  

That's it for this month...

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.

Progress Reports on my WIPs

Hi there! I'm back with some updates on my WIPs that you haven't as yet seen.  I have some new starts as well but given that this post will be quite long I think I will leave them for another post!

Advent Animals - Peter Polar Bear
Designer: Brooke Nolan (Brooke's Books)
Freebie - Brooke's website
Fabric: 32ct Belfast "Moonbeam" from Stitches & Spice

Then: I started stitching on the Brooke's Books Advent Animals for the DUCJC2015 and unfortunately not a lot has been done on these cuties done since then.... (25 designs - started 3, finished 1)

Yesterday I decided that it would be a Brooke's Books Sunday and Peter Polar Bear came out to play...  I last stitched on him in April 2015 and left him looking like this!

Peter Polar Bear - April 2015

Now: After a day/evening of stitching while watching Flosstube he now looks like this:

Peter Polar Bear - Oct 2016

Nora Corbett's Christmas Couriers - Comet
Designer: Nora Corbett
Fabric: 32ct Belfast "Arabian Nights" from Stitches & Spice

Then: Comet has been getting a little bit of love over the last few weeks.  I stitched on him during the Olympics and left him looking like this:

as at August 2016

Now:

as at 26 Sept 2016

Lakeside Needlecraft / Durene Jones Fantasy SAL
Designer: Durene Jones
Fabric: 32ct Jobelan "Silver Springs" from Colour Cascades Fabrics

Pegasus is not quite finished yet....

as at 30 August 2016

But I just had to start the Wizard as soon as he came out.....

as at 28 September 2016

He is nearly done as well.... the latest design has now been released but I will try and finish these 2 before starting the next one!!

Disney's Tigger
Designer: freebie UK Cross Stitcher Magazine

Then and Now: For Stitch Maynia Colour A Day (Orange Crush) on 24th September I found a poor little WIP sitting in the box that would be perfect for this day's stitching challenge.  I started him for an ABC Challenge in 2015 and did manage to do a little bit more on him in between April 2015 and September 2016... which I had to frog before I could restart the orange stitching again!

as at 24 September 2016

Queen of Peace
Designer: Nora Corbett
Fabric: 32ct Belfast "Hole in the Sky" from Colour Cascades Fabric

Then:

Now:

Merry Christmas Grumpy Kitty
Designer: Brooke Nolan (Brooke's Books)
Freebie - Brooke's website
Fabric: 32ct Belfast  "Arabian Nights" from Stitches and Spice

Then:

as at April 2015

Now:

This was supposed to be my Sept TUSAL photo but I forgot to post it... so you are seeing it now! (And I forgot to do my Oct photo.... oh well there is always next month!)

Mini Mandala II - C
Designer: Chatelaine Designs

Then:

as at June 2016

Now:

as at September 2016

So that's it for the WIPs for now!  Lots of stitching has been done recently... but not a lot of blog posting so this post is a little bit picture heavy... sorry...

I'll come back and show you my new starts another day - with a little bit of luck some of them might even be finishes by then!

Til next time, happy stitching
Hugs xx