Smalls Check In - February 2017

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Stitching Lotus

It's the end of February... goodness that month flew by!  I do have some finishes to show you!!

First Flowers of Spring card (Free gift from Cross Stitcher Magazine)
Started: 21 Feb 2017
Finished: 22 Feb 2017

Winter Bird (Mill Hill Kit)
Started: 17 Jan 2017
Finished: 25 Feb 2017 (FFO'd)

Pig Fridge Magnet (Free gift from The Cross Stitcher Magazine)
Started: 25 Feb 2017
Finished: 26 Feb 2017 (FFO'd)

I also have one other finish... technically it's not a small but it is a mini finish!

Halloween Happiness - Witch and Friends
I am stitching this piece for the Halloween Ornie Blog - February's theme was Witches.

So that's it from me for this month....  To see everyone's Smalls posts for February, pop over to Heather's blog and check out the link up post.

Next Month – The next Smalls SAL check-in will take place on Friday, 31st March 2017.  

See you next month! Happy Smalls stitching

Hugs xx

Leaving my comfort zone....

Floss Tube!  Most of us have by now heard all about Floss Tube.... I love watching Floss Tube!  I generally watch it on the train going to and from work during the week, and on the weekends either Stitcherista, The Stash Queen, Vonna, or one of the many others of FlossTubers on my watch list, are my companions during my Sunday morning ironing sessions and stitching time!  Floss Tube is certainly a great way to while away a few hours, and it really should come with a health warning for my credit card!

So why I am going on about Floss Tube, do I hear you ask? Well... on Saturday I stepped out of my comfort zone and finally made a video and uploaded it to Floss Tube (Youtube)!

What a marathon effort.... I have been thinking about doing a video for quite some time now, and in January I nearly did get the courage up to do it but faltered at the final hurdle!  But on Saturday while hubby was out I thought it's now or never! Never it nearly was too.... I don't know how many times I started to record and stopped because I tripped over my words... said something ridiculous or my mind went blank!  I didn't think I was a perfectionist but it would appear that maybe I am!  Finally though I got going and once I got going... it was hard to stop talking!  Luckily I had planned to only talk about a couple of things otherwise I might still be recording!! :o)

Anyway... enough chatter.... If you would like to see my very first Floss Tube video - the link is here. If you do happen to watch it I would love to hear your thoughts :o)

Now that I have survived the first one... I think I will try and do another one again soon, after all I am pretty good at talking the hind legs off a donkey!

Til next time... happy stitching
Hugs x

GG 2017 - February Update

I know late again!!

The GG post check in date was 15th February... and that day just slipped right by me - before I knew it was 17th Feb and now it's the 20th Feb... 5 days late and not a lot to show you either!

Last month I had my lovely giveaway win from Julie at Nifty Needle Nannies, this month I meant to take a photo of some threads that I received from Michelle at Jodyri Designs as a prize for coming 3rd in the Advent Competition she ran during December - but I forgot to take the photo.... sorry!

So what am I going to show you?

How about a pretty pink piggy??

"Piglet" fits into the GG category as he was a Free Gift from the World of Cross Stitching magazine many moons ago!

I needed to stitch on something pink for the Cross Stitch It's Fun / Stitchwats (FB Group) weekly challenge earlier in the month - Piglet was perfect for this challenge - so after many years of hiding in the stash file he came out and was started.  As per the challenge requirements, more than 300 stitches were stitched and now he is waiting for a bit of love again in the next few weeks and he will be a finish.

So that's it - must try harder next month to have something a little bit more exciting to show!

Til next time, happy stitching
hugs xx

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.

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

It's Valentine's Day which can only mean one thing... Time for Jo's (Serendipitous Stitching) very special Valentine's Blog Hop...

The idea behind the blog hop is that we all send a photo of our Valentine's or love inspired stitching to Jo; she then sends the photos out to everyone who has joined in the blog hop... but only Jo knows who got what stitching pic!  It is now up to us to go hopping around blog land and see who has our pic - we then reveal ourselves as the Secret Stitching Sweetheart!

Below is the gorgeous Stitching Sweetheart pic that Jo sent me:

I love this heart... It is so pretty.  Can't wait to see who the clever stitcher is that made it. :o)

To start the blog hop and to also see who received my Secret Stitching Sweetheart picture, please join us all over at Jo's blog - link is here

Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or not.... enjoy your day... and feel the love! ♥

Happy Stitching... And Happy Valentine's Day

A wee progress report....

Happy Monday everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful stitchy weekend :o)

I thought I would drop in and do a bit of an update for you on what I have been stitching on this past week or so.

Friday's night frolic piece
Happily Ever After - Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery
Started: 26 January 2017

I started this piece on Australia Day... and managed to get quite a bit done over the long weekend. On Friday night I did a little bit more of the border and the cute little pussy cat.

I decided to go out on a limb with the fabric.... this is 32ct Belfast "Dark Fantasy" from Colour Cascade Fabrics.  The model piece is stitched on a lighter fabric but I love this fabric and when I did a floss toss everything seemed to work ok.. but time will tell I guess!  I am using the called for DMC floss except for the border (Dinky Dyes "Kalamunda" and centre piece (when I get there I have picked out a Jodyri thread!).

Here's an aside for you.... there is a sentimental reason why I using "Kalamunda" on this piece...   I used to live there! It is a suburb in the Perth Hills and sits between the suburbs of Lesmurdie and Gooseberry Hill.  I was living there when I met hubby - he lived in Lesmurdie and we used to catch the same bus to and from the City every day for about 6 months.  So I just had to put the thread somewhere into this piece :o)

17 A Day Update
Deer & Grapes Mystery SAL - Jean Farish

10 A Day Update
Dog Park - Satsuma Street

These 2 are ticking along nicely now... I am now sticking to the 17 and 10 stitches a day except on the odd occasion where it makes sense to finish 1 or 2 extra to finish a row or where a 1/2 stitch won't work.

2 New Starts! There is always going to be new starts!!
Autumn Bird - Satsuma Street
Started: 4 February 2017

Love the colours in this design.... I have been meaning to buy it... but on Saturday when I was going through my old magazine charts looking for something else I found it!! It was published in Cross Stitch Crazy (I think) a few years ago... So how's that for "Stitch from Stash"?  So pleased that I didn't buy it a couple of weeks ago when I bought her new one! I am missing a couple of thread colours but that is easily rectified.  Fabric is just a pale light blue 28ct fabric that I had in my fabric box.

Kitty Litter - Dimensions Gold Kit
Started: 5 February 2017

I think I have probably given myself another UFO with this.... that little bit that I did yesterday nearly drove me crazy... blended threads... yuck!  I have had this sitting in my stash drawer for a number of years and finally decided to start it as my one and only full coverage piece!  If I ever finish the stitching it will go into our spare room which already has kitty pictures on the wall :o)

I did stitch on a couple of other projects but just realised that I haven't taken photos!  Will rectify that on the next update (who knows one or two of them may be a finish by then!)

Til next time, happy stitching
Hugs x