ort report and catching up

First off happy July 1st!  Living in Canada, that means it is Canada day, or Canada's birthday!

 

Happy 147th birthday Canada!



Next off is June's ort report!  I took the picture in time, I just didn't get a chance to upload it on time, but here it is, all nice and full!

I have been busy stitching away... I worked on my Summer Bouquet by Lanarte

I also finished another block on my Home Sweet Home piece by Les Grilles de Maryse

I've also put in some stitches into Red Riding Hood by The Primitive Hare

I actually have a bit more done, as I am not working n the border, but I didn't want to take it out of the qsnaps for a picture...

And the best of all, I managed to finally finish Humboldt Coast by Silver Lining

Barbi and I have already picked out our next Sunday SAL - Cornwall Cottage Sampler by Rosewood Manor.... we don't have anything set for it yet other than the pattern is picked.  We would love it if you would join us in stitching it! 

That's it for now... till next time... Happy stitching!

ort report, wips, dancing and a pay-it foward

I have a few things to show... I know I've been neglecting my blog lately, but as I've said before that doesn't mean I'm not stitching!

First of here is this month's ort report...

Nice and full!

I started a new project this month... Rosewood Manor's Autumn Quaker...  Here is where I am... I don't follow instructions all that well, so I started in the middle... not the top left corner...

I am loving the valdini threads that the pattern calls for... I can see more of those in my future!

I've also been plugging along on Humbolt coast... still not done, but each stitch is a step closer!  I've really lost my stitching mojo with this one... I just don't want to work on it anymore...but it's such a great piece, that it would be a shame not to finish it very soon!

I also have a finish/happy dance!  I finished this one last night... so it is hot off the qsnaps!
It's Cardinal Sampler from the 1994 Nov/Dec issue of BH&G CS&CC magazine...

Please excuse the picture.. I forgot to edit it before I uploaded it... *blush*

There is a ton of backstitch on this thing, literally everything is backstitched!  I added beads in the border for the holly berries so spruce things up a bit as well... I didn't want to add my initials or anything, so I just added the 2014 in the blank spaces.

And last but not least... I am having a pay-it-forward, give away... I was gifted the pattern for the Cardinal Sampler design by another stitcher - the pages are from the original magazine, so if you are interested in stitching this, please just leave a comment on this post, and I will pull a name if there is more than 1 person interested and send it off to you... My only request is that once you stitch it, you pay it forward as well.  I will take comments until Sunday night June 1st.

ort report and coming up for air...

Yes, yes, yes, I am still here!  Just somehow my blogging mojo has gone out the window...  I'm still stitching, and now still crocheting... and yes I do have some progress pictures to show...

Okay they are not the best photos, but you will get the idea...

First off this month's ort report...

I did get stitching in, but not as much as I would have liked. I can't complain about it as I did make good progress on things, including a happy dance.

My happy dance was/is my map of Hungary... I finished it earlier this month, and just never showed you all a picture!  Some of you may have seen it on facebook.

It is from a Hungarian cross stitch magazine - Keresztszemes magazine, and is originally supposed to be a clock, however I made it into just a picture as a birthday gift for my husband.

Next up, I made a little more progress on the Cardinal Sampler...

It's coming a long nicely however too many distractions are keeping me from it... like looking at all the other things I would like to start stitching!

Barbi and I have decided that we would now make Humbolt coast our "focus" piece, so we can finally finish it.  We are both enjoying it, but are tired of it not being done.  We really want to get started on our next Sunday SAL pattern... Cornwall Sampler by Rosewood designs. So I have been working on Humbolt whenever I can in the last few weeks...

and last but not least... my crocheting... my second attempt and my first project... a blanket of some sort...

we'll see what it actually turns out to be once I decide it is actually done! 

another week gone by...

I'm trying to get back into the habit of blogging more often or more regularly, and seeing that it is Monday, and yesterday was Humbolt Coast stitching time, I thought I would give an update.

 

Here is my progress... not much to show, but I didn't stitch too much yesterday, I kept falling asleep!

 

Since I was so tired, thanks to a late night and the time change, I didn't notice that the frog struck, and I made a mistake in my stitching... I totally stitched that tree on the left in the wrong spot... so that will have to come out before I continue...

 

Last week, I started a new project, Red Riding Hood by The Primitive Hare... here is my progress so far...

 

 

I changed a couple of colours... I am using straight DMC for this... I changed the red from DMC 347 to DMC 815, as I prefer darker reds,  and the skirt colour from a blend to DMC 3781 - on my screen it looks closer to what the GAST thread looks like.

 

That's it for now... till next time happy stitching!

sunday sal report

just a quick drive by posting to update you all on my progress on Humbolt Coast.  I have finished another page!  Only 2 and a little to go.  But those two are very full pages!  I think Barbi had the right idea to finish that side of the project first, and leave the "smaller" pages for the end! 

Oh well, that's okay. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, we are one more Sunday closer to finishing, and picking out a new project to work on!  How exciting!!!  I wonder what it will be?!

I started a new project Saturday, as I finished the second block on the Home Sweet Home pattern...

Here is my progress on both...

My new project is Red Riding Hood by The Primitive Hare, and as you can see I started with the wolf.  I thought I would give Anchor black thread a try as I had a few skeins in my stash.  A lot of people say its better than DMC black... well I'm not sure... I'm not liking the coverage very much, but I'll just continue, as I'm not going to frog all that... hopefully when I give it a rinse when its done, it will help.

popping in to say hi!

Sorry, I know it's been a while, but I just haven't been in the mood to blog... not even reading that much... I've been in the mood to stitch, so that is good, I just miss visiting all of you, and seeing what you all have been up to!

I'll also admit, that I have tried to update a couple of times during the month, but blogger was being such a pain that I just gave up.  But regardless of how it's working today, I'm going to post!

I have wips to show, a new start as well as a happy dance!

Let's start with the happy dance...  many of you may have already seen it on facebook, but I want to show it off here too...

 

Midnight Watch by Blackbird designs.  Stitched on 28ct Jurassic sands jazlyn by the crafty kitten. Great fabric! I'm definitely going to order more, as I still have the companion piece to stitch up!

As you can see I did modify it a little, as I didn't want my initials or date on the bottom... I think it turned out ok, and I will admit, my favourite part to stitch was the moon and the kitty!

Next up are my wips...  I pulled out Humbolt Coast this past Sunday after not working on it for a couple of weeks...  here I am with it...

 

I apologize for the sideways picture, but no matter how I tried to fix it, blogger would only upload it this way... only a couple of pages left to do and its done!

It was also sunflower bouquet's turn in the spotlight, so that one got some love, and here I am with it...

And last but not least, I started a new project on Monday... it is the home sweet home sal 2013 pattern by Les Grilles de Maryse. I'm stitching it on 32ct mulled cider jobelan by Hand Dyed by Stephanie, and using dmc ecru.  I'm really enjoying it so far.

That's it for now... till next time happy stitching!

dancing the two step...

As I mentioned in my previous post I was off sick from work with bronchitis, and those three days I mentioned turned into a week and half... today was my first day back since Jan 7th... Thanks to being off, I managed to get lots of stitching time in, between naps and snuggles with the kitties of course... so I managed to finish another project!  Here is my second happy dance of 2014...

This is Winter blackwork from issue 66 of Jill Oxton's Cross Stitch and Beading magazine. She is stitched on 32ct Queen Anne's lace jobelan with dmc 844. I apologize if you have seen her all over facebook, but  I just love her to bits, and am both happy and sad that she is done.  She was on my want to stitch list for such a long time!

I also forgot to show Humbolt Coast last week, so here is my progress on that one...  it's coming along slowly... but we are getting closer and closer to the finish line with it!  Soon Barbi and I will have to pick a new project for our Sunday SAL!

Next up in the qsnaps and rotation for this week is Poppy! 

I also would like to mention that I am still looking for Sofie to email me from my giveaway... as she doesn't have an email attached to her profile!

till next time... happy stitching!

back to the rotation...

As you know I started a new project on New Year's day - the Cardinal Sampler in the Nov/Dec 1994 issue of CS & CC.  This is my progress after 4 stitching sessions...

And considering how much backstitching there is on this project, I am quite enjoying it!  However, it's back to business and the business of rotations as I have a number of other projects screaming at me to stitch them!

Since we are back in business, and yesterday was Sunday, it was time to pull out Humbolt Coast, which sad to say hasn't seen any stitchy time since October!  Here are my "before and after" pictures...

 

 I am also going to reorganize my rotation a little, in that I am putting the houses on hold for a little bit longer, as I want to join in on an ongoing SAL with some stitchy friends... they are working on the 4 season patchwork from Jardin Prive.... they are ahead of me, in that they already have spring and summer finished and are half way through autumn... so I definitely have catching up to do... I am jumping in with autumn to start this week...  we will see how far I get, as I haven't even picked fabric or pulled any threads!

Till next time happy stitching!!!

the stitching bug...

Again my apologies for not posting sooner... I seem to have ever intention a couple of times a week, and yet nothing happens... I've been so neglectful of my poor blog, and will definitely have to rectify that soon!

I've been keeping busy with life in general and of course my stitching... the bug has really seemed to have bit me and his pal startitis as well... I have this urge to just start project after project after project...

 

Soooo....what do I go and do... I give in and do start multiple new patterns... You've already seen my start on the Winter Blackwork, and a little of Poppy...  Here are some more pictures of what I've started and a more up to date picture of Poppy from where I left her last...

 

Poppy as of September 8...

 



 

Then the week of Sept. 9, I started Blackbird Designs Midnight Watch... 

 

Here is my progress on it as of Sept. 14





 

Then on Sunday, I actually pulled out my Humbolt Coast SAL with Barbi and made a little progress on the beach...

 



And Monday this week I started my 4th new project... Lanarte's Summer Bouquet...

 

This is after Monday night's stitching session...



 

 

 

I have three more all lined up, but I think I will just start one more and save the other two and just slide them into the rotation when I finish one of the ones above... otherwise things will really get out of control... 

 

 

Till next time... happy stitching!

drive by update and tusal

Wow, where has the time gone!  I've been missing in action for almost a month!  Okay, part of it has been because I just haven't felt like blogging but the other reason is that I've been stitching!

Before I show off my progress pictures, I will post my TUSAL as that was due yesterday!  Here is my ort jar for this past month's stitching...

Lots of whites/light colours and purples in there, with just a hint of brown tossed in for good measure...

I finally managed to stitch a little bit on a Sunday, so I pulled out my Humbolt Coast and made a little progress on it!

I've also been focusing on two other pieces lately... a new start that I mentioned before and of course Fairy Moon!  Fairy Moon is close to the finish line as is the other piece, so I'm pushing both for two nice happy dances in the hopefully near future!

Here is Fairy Moon... I've already started beading her... I have some swirls and the moon left to do...

I'm just having a bit of a problem with her as her frame is huge! My hubby "fixed" my 17x17 qsnaps to make them just a bit bigger... they are closer to 19x19 now... and a bit unwieldy to use... but hopefully not much longer before she is done!

My new project is a freebie from AAN - friendship heart, except instead of just stitching it, I'm doing it all in beads... Here is a progress picture and a close up of the beads...

Anyways, that is it for me for now... I will try and not be such a stranger...

till next time... happy stitching!

stitching and such...

Where to start.... let's start with my newest aquistion... a new glass container for my scissors... I had a much smaller one and they were pretty crowded in there...  Here is my new one, and they all fit nicely in three rows...

Not all of my scissors are pictured, there are about 3-4 missing as they are with various wips at the moment...  As well not all my scissors have fobs, though I am quite close, I believe only 2 are missing fobs right now... my candy cane ones and a silver pair not pictured.

Next up, my Sunday SAL with Barbi... Humbolt Coast... I am happy to report another page has bit the dust!  Here is my wave so far...

I've also making lots of head way with my Last Supper... it helps that I'm in the mood to work on it and have also found a rhythm in stitching it with all that back stitching and colour changes! 

I will continue to work on the Last Supper this week, and we will see how far I get...  I'm not quite there yet but the end is in sight... it is getting closer and closer with each stitch...

Also keep watch as I will be putting up a giveaway in the next day or two...

Till next time... happy stitching!

plugging along...

Well yesterday was our Sunday SAL day with Barbi, and I made great progress on my Humbolt Coast... I didn't want to put it down... to the point that I didn't go to bed till fairly late... much to my detriment today!

Here she is... not sure why but to me, my wave is a girl... go figure!

Did you know that this pattern is part of a lovely trilogy by Silver Lining?? The three seascapes in the "series" are Humbolt Coast, Jonathon and Seascape... each one more lovely than the next... I'm already planning my next start, once this is done of Seascape... I think it will make a great pair for Humbolt.  Not sure if I'll stitch Jonathon, but definitely the other one once Humbolt is done!

This past week I also picked up my long standing WIP - The Last Supper... and here is my progress so far on that one...

I managed to get the food on the table in front of Jesus and the apostle next to him done, as well as their feet... I also did the back stitching on the part under the table as well.... you can see where I left off, as my thread is still hanging there...

This week, continues with the Last Supper as I have found my groove with it and we will see how far it takes me!

Till next time .... happy stitching!

another month gone...

Wow... May went by quickly! I can't believe it is June 1st already!

I'm just doing a quick post... I forgot to post my progress from last Sunday's SAL... I put it up on facebook but not here...

Here is my progress from last week on Humbolt Coast...

My wave is coming along nicely! Definitely looking forward to stitching on it tomorrow! This week I've been busy with the Last Supper... I picked it up again and had a hard time getting into it, but by Wednesday I had found my groove with it and have started enjoying working on it again.  I'll show you my progress in my next post.

Till next time... happy stitching!

spring is blooming...

Just a quick post (as usual) on some stitching updates...and a little update from our garden... our lily of the valley are blooming and here is my first pick...  I made two smaller bouquets from this bunch pictured, one to sit here by my computer and one to sit by my stitching spot, so that no matter where I am I can see them and enjoy them, and their lovely fragrance! 

Here is my sunflower by AAN... almost done the stitching... 2 1/2 petals to go and then the beads before a happy dance.

Also here is my Humbolt Coast... I managed to get a good bit of stitching in on Sunday... I love watching this one come to life!