Hello? Anyone out there??

I won't going on about how long it's been since I've update my blog.  I'm going to try to keep it more up to date this year.  I do have to say that I'm surprised that I still remember how Blogger still works!

Here is my first finish for the year:

Frost Blue by Blackberry Lane Designs

Finished as directed on designers website

Stitched one over one on 28 ct. Monaco

with recommended threads and beads

Currently I'm working on a design by Satsuma Street called Pretty Little London.  I first saw this design finished on the blog Whilst Iris Naps and just loved the colours.  My daughter is a real anglophile so she's excited about this one.

Happy Stitching!

Queen Bee

I made this box for my mom for her birthday. It's one out of 2 whole finishes for 2012! I didn't even make my annual ornaments for my family. Not a very productive stitching year for me, but 2013 is going to be different :)

I stitched this piece in particular because my stepdad calls my mom, myself and my daughter Queen Bee, Big Bee and Baby Bee respectively. It might have something to do with our forceful personalities. Ha ha!

-Queen Bee by Little House Needleworks
-Stitched with recommended floss and fabric
-Finished as a box, trimmed with Crescent Colors chenille trim

Gingerbread Cottage Progress

Last weekend I went to visit my mom and took Gingerbread Cottage by CCN as my travel project.  I managed to finish most of the cottage while visiting.

I'm stitching this with 2 threads on 36 count fabric.  So I managed to anwer my own question regarding CaHRH and I'll be ripping out what I've stitched so far and starting again.  Tossing the fabric isn't an option as it's a customs colour/cut by Lakeside Linens and set me back a pretty penny.

Enjoy the Super Bowl, if you're watching. 

Gift for my Aunt

I've been close with my Aunt Jean for as long as I can remember.  When I was a kid I loved going to her house for sleepovers with my cousins and to just spend time with her.  She is the person who introduced me to cross stitch at 14 or 15 with a huge carousel horse pattern with blended threads and a million colours.  Needless to say, I never finished that project but my love of cross stitch has remained.

My aunt is always doing nice things for me, we talk on the phone a lot and email each other frequently too.  I decided I really wanted to make something for her to display this winter.  (I'm also sending her a cookbook we talked about last week and an iTunes card.)

Frosty Flakes by Little House Needleworks

Fabric:  30 ct.  Straw Linen by WDW

Fibre's:  as charted

Embellishments:  #02014 Mill Hill beads

Finished as an ornament

A view of the twisted cord I used for finishing.  (I used thick chipboard coasters from Michael's as my finishing form this time.)

View of the back.  I started using homemade iron on tags instead of stitching on the year and my initials on my projects.  Way faster and convenient too!

It's a dreary, rainy day here today.  Just how I like my winter days!  I'm making a pot of Loaded Baked Potato Soup.  Make this soup!!!!  It is so delicious.  One piece of advice, use really good quality bacon.  I didn't once and it was not a good result. 

Have a great day. 

Advice Needed for CaHRH

I started Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow in October and I'm feeling the urge to get back at it. I'm stitching it on 36 count linen with one strand of floss.

The advice I need is this. I'm not too happy at all with the coverage of one strand but I don't want to frog what I've already stitched. The coverage that is seen in my photo is deceptive. So, do I:

1. Continue on stitching with one thread even though I'm not too happy with it?

or...


2. Start stitching with 2 threads part way through the first block.

or...

3. Rippit, ribbit! 


What do you think? I'm anxious to hear your advice.

Prairie Schooler Giraffe

I finished up my final Christmas ornament this morning.  How bad is that?  I'm almost an entire month behind.

Book No. 71 by Prairie Schooler, Two by Two

Fabric:  Mystery 36 ct. linen

Fibre's:  as charted

Embellishments: Ruched ribbon

I added some holly and beaded berries to make it look more Christmasy:

My daughter didn't mind about the lateness at least and she thought it was so cute.  She loves giraffes so this was perfect for her.

I am definately starting my ornament gift stitching WAAAAAY earlier this year.  No more late gifts!!! 

Hey Sandra:) do you recognize the little zipper bag in the background of my pictures??

My lucky kids got a snow day today.  It didn't snow too much but they're calling for freezing rain this afternoon.  I guess the roads were pretty bad this morning.  My kids go to private school and they have kids driving from all over the place to get there so when it's bad, it's a snow day. 

The cities east of us had all their schools closed since Wednesday, even the public ones which is unheard of! 

Take care everyone and have a nice weekend!

Winter Squirrel

This is the ornament I made for my son this Christmas (though the actual finishing wasn't done until 2012.  OOPS)  I always forget how busy I get before Christmas.  I think I need to set a reminder in my calendar that says "Start Stitching Ornaments" to come up the 1st of November every year.

Winter Squirrel by The Victoria Sampler

Just Cross Stitch 2011 Ornament Issue

Fabric:  28 ct. linen

Fibres:  some as charted, some what I had in my stash

Embellishments:  #02063 Mill Hill Sead Beads, Poblano Pepper Crescent Colors Chenille

Finished as an ornament

This finish is my new favourite!  I love how crisp and professional it looks, plus it's way faster than when I put together a pillow ornament.  I used my awesome diecut chipboard pieces for the form again.

Candy Cane Ornament

Here is the ornament I made for my mom this Christmas.  She just loved it.

Fabric: 32 ct. Platinum Belfast linen

Fibres: as charted

Embellishments:  white Mill Hill Beads on berries, Kreniek metallic thread around berries for definition

Finished as an ornament

Candy Cane by Madame la Fee

click here for the FREE chart

I have to say I'm so pleased with how this turned out.  I used chipboard pieces for the finishing form and it worked perfectly.  It's really sturdy and thin too.  I went to my local scrapbook store, bought the chipboard and used their dies to cut out the ovals.  (The chipboard, which is like a thin, sturdy cardboard, came in 8x10 sheets and cost just over a dollar per sheet.)

I whip stitched all around the design to get it nice and tight on the form, did the same to another oval with coordinating fabric, glued them together and finished it with silver rick rack.  Does anyone know if this method would work for square ornaments too?  I have a hard time getting them tight on the form with nice, square corners.

Take care!

Christmas Ornament for my Stepdad

Here is what I stitched for my stepdad for Christmas.

It's Merry Moose by Mill Hill. I finished it as a hanging ornament instead of a magnet like the kit intended. I just love the beaded garland around his neck. This is a design I will actually stitch again...which I don't do :)

Merry Christmas everyone!

Winner!

The winner of my giveaway for a copy of Cross Stitch for the Holidays is:

Cindy of Cindy's Cross Stitching Ornaments and Projects!!!!  Congrats Cindy.  Email me with your address and I'll post it ASAP.

I've started on Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow:

A small start, but at least it's started!

The Start of Something Big

Just a reminder that if you haven't already entered my "Back To Blogging" Giveaway to go here and leave a comment to enter!

I made this today in preparation of the something big I'm going to start today:

My very first Qsnap cover!  It was really easy.  I used this tutorial here.

So what is this something big??? 



It's Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow (CaHRH) by Carriage House Samplings.  Waaaaaay back in January I won this chart and all the threads in a giveaway from the lovely Carol of Stitching Dreams.  I just searched my email inbox and saw that I ordered the custom dyed Lakeside Linens 36 ct. fabric from my Canadian LNS January 31 and I just received it in August!  The fabric is huge.  *gulp*  It's scary to contemplate actually as I usually just stitch smalls.   I'm looking forward to this project though.  It's gorgeous and everytime I read the words to the carol stitched on it I hear Frank Sinatra singing...

Hopefully I'll have some progress to show you soon!

Back to Blogging Giveaway!

Wow, has it been awhile!  I haven't blogged or stitched since February...

So to help get me back in the swing of things, and in appreciation to my followers who stuck it out with me ;) I thought I'd have a little giveaway:

Cross Stitch for the Holidays Magazine

As per the usual, no need to jump through any hoops to enter, just be a follower.  Leave a comment and I'll draw a name in a weeks time.

Thanks!



Reindeer Ornament Exchange

Here is what I stitched for my partner for the Reindeer Round ornament exchange for Hooked on Exchanging Too:

Christmas 17 by The Floss Box

Fabric:  32 ct. Ice Blue Belfast linen

Fibre's:  Charted and my own conversion

Embellishments:  Beads, reindeer ribbon

Finished as a pillow ornament

I highly recommend that you check out The Floss Box.  Emily has tons (and I mean TONS) of freebies on her site for both cross stitch and embroidery.  You can also purchase her very reasonably priced patterns and download them in minutes.

Valentine Finish

I made this quicky up over the weekend so I'd have something to post about!

"Say it With Stitching" Alphabet by Cross Stitcher Magazine #235

Fabric:  32 ct. Porcelain Opalescent by Silkweaver

Fibre's:  BeBopped silk Hand Dyed Fibers

Embellishments:  Teeny heart button & ribbon

Finished as a heart ornament

Thanks Sandra :) for the help with the curve's on the heart.  I think they turned out ok!

2 Finishes to Share

Red House in Winter by Little House Needleworks

Fabric:  30 ct. Northern Cross Linen by Norden Crafts

Fibre's:  as charted

Finish to be determined :)

I'm trying to catch up on the monthly ornaments so I can start this years ormanents.  I'm pondering how to finish all of them.  I'm pretty sure I don't want to do pillow ornaments, I'm kinda tired of them.

I'm really happy with this finish:



Travelling Stitcher by Little House Needleworks

Fabric:  32 ct. Lambswool linen by Wichelt

Fibre's:  Crescent Colors as charted

Finished onto Impie, Hattie & Bea Project Keeper

I did what some of you out there might view as the unthinkable and used Steam-A-Seam to attach the stitching to the project keeper.  I thought long and hard about it and decided I was okay with doing that. 

I also finished another one of my February goals, my HoE Reindeer ornament!  Pictures will be shown after my partner receives it.  :)

Now it's onto my final goal for February!  Merry Christmas by the Letter by Lizzie Kate. 

February Goals

Look at all the snippets from my stitching in January (trust me I looks like more in real life!)  I really did do a lot of stitching last month and there is my proof.  Aren't my jars pretty?  Michael's had them 40% off today :)

I know in my head the stitching I'd like to accomplish this month and thought recording it here would help me actually do it!  So here goes:

- finish finish and mail my Reindeer ornament for HoE by the 7th (8 days ahead of schedule!)
- finish stitching Travelling Stitcher by LHN (I'm "THIS" close to being done)
- finish stitching Red House in Winter ornament by LHN
- stitch "R" and "I" on L*K's Merry Christmas by the Letter (long term goal is to have this finished & framed for my mom for Mother's Day)

I think that's pretty do-able for a short month. 

Have a great weekend!

January Wrap Up

Like I said in my previous post, I got more stitching done in Vail than I thought I would.  This is what I worked on:

Red House in Winter by LHN

I worked on Red House on the plane.  I find the less colour changes the better while in such a confined space.  I've been bringing nail clippers for cutting threads when I fly.  I told my hubby that the next time we go I'm bringing my Little Gem scissors by Kelmscott and see what happens.  They're not a huge investment so I'm willing to risk getting them taken away.  What have your experiences been with travelling with your stitching?

Travelling Stitcher by LHN

I started it as a SAL but didn't get very far :)  The fabric was really bugging me at the time.  It was so stiff and scratchy.  As you can see I've gotten over that.  Anyone know of a tutorial for sewing the stitching onto the pouch?

Progress as of February 11, 2010

Now this really frosts me:



I started in the middle of the design (like it says to) on the fabric supplied with the kit.  Look at all the waste!!!!!  I still have the cover for the needlebook to stitch but still!  Ridiculous!

I got the most amazing news on Saturday!  I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself...I won this:

It's the chart and all the DMC for Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplers!!!!  I won it from Carol at Stitching Dreams for Birthday giveaway.  I've ordered a cut of fabric for it heard from Carol that she has already popped it in the mail!  When I'm done stitching all Carol asks is that I have a giveaway for the chart too ;)  Check out Carol's blog, she always has great posts and amazing stitching and is a superb finisher!

Have a great week!

Ski Trip and Stash!

We got home from Colorado on Tuesday night after playing Planes, Trains and Automobiles.  SUV from Vail to Denver, plane from Denver to Seattle, bus from Seattle to Bellingham and then home in the car.  Phew!  It was so worth it though.  Here are a few photos that I found online of the skiing and other highlights of our trip.

Beaver Creek Ski Hill  (This is what it was our first day of skiing)

Beano's Cabin (A fabulous restaurant)

On our second last night we were pulled up the mountain to Beano's in an open air sled pulled by a grooming machine of all things!  The trip up took about 15 minutes (going down took about 10) and was incredible and pretty warm too.  They had lined blankets for everyone to bury under.  The food there was spectacular too. 

We were treated to incredible meals and incredible skiing.  The best of our lives in fact.  Up at Vail mountain we were skiing in powder up to our knees.  Hubby was in his glory because he had someone to go on all the black diamond runs with him plus he got to go skiing 5 days!  (3 was enough for me)  I managed to get far more stitching in than I thought.  I'll post those pictures in a few days.

Here is some stash that was awaiting me when we got home:

32 ct. Lakeside Linen in Butter Cream & Aqua Mist

I signed up for a Linen collector program at Traditional Stitches in Calgary.  Janice, the owner, convinced me to give Lakeside Linen a try.  I chose 32 ct because that seems to be my go-to fabric count.

Variegated Silk by Hand Dyed Fibers 

These came on this little plastic spools which I hated so I made my own floss tags and peeled the stickers with the names off the spools and stuck to the tags.  It was kind of finicky but I was not keeping them on the spools.  You really see the sheen like this.

Have a great weekend!

UFO's into WIP's

UFO stitching has been going on around here lately!  I have to say it feels pretty good to be getting these projects closer to being finished.  The last time I worked on Lizzie*Kate's Merry Christmas by the Letter was October 2009.  Here is what it looked like then:

And here it is now:

Not bad for a weeks work, if I do say so myself.  Especially since I was also working on another former UFO; Travelling Stitcher by Little House Needleworks.  I'm about half done both projects now.

Here is my progress on 12 Days of Christmas Whimzi by Just Nan.  I'm on 6 Geese a Laying:

Have a great weekend!

ABC's of Me, etc.

Thanks to the lovely scheduled post feature on Blogger when you read this post I'll be here:

Vail, Colorado

Doing some of this:

Along with eating, maybe a little spa-ing and some stitching too.   Lucky me gets to tag along with hubby on a business trip!

I've really enjoyed reading everyone's ABC's of me and thought I'd play along.

A - Age: 37
B - Bed size: King
C - Chore you hate: It’s a toss up between cleaning bathrooms and grocery shopping
D - Dog's name: Oscar
E - Essential start of the day item: My lemon/raspberry mix Herbal Life tea
F - Favorite color: Pink, though I don’t wear a lot of it
G - Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5’6”
I - Instruments you play: Organ (super rusty now though) French Horn and Alto Clarinet in school
J - Job: Domestic Engineer, AKA The Best Job Ever or Mom’s Taxi Service
K - Kids: 2, Daughter 15, Son 13
L - Living arrangements: In a lovely house with my hubby, kids, Oscar and our cat Pumpkin


M - Music you love: Almost everything, for stitching I like something soothing in the background like Michael Buble, Josh Groban. I also play Jim Reeves a lot; it makes me feel close to my Gramma.  Guilty pleasure is 80's Hair Bands like Def Leppard, Poison, Bon Jovi, etc.
N - Nicknames: Meadows or Meadsie, I was given those nicknames by my hubby’s college friend 18 years ago and it’s stuck. Hubby calls me every endearment under the sun, so much so, it’s weird to hear him call me by my first name
O - Overnight hospital: Tonsillectomy at 11, when my kids were born
P - Pet Peeve: Men who wear swim trunks as shorts!!! FYI, if there is mesh inside an item of clothing you don’t wear them outside of a pool!
Q - Quote from a movie: Every line from Love Actually

R - Right handed or left: Right
S - Siblings: 1 brother
T - Time you wake up: 6:00 am, I like a bit of quiet before the craziness of the day begins
U - Underwear: No VPL (Visible Panty Lines) in the words of Stacy & Clinton of What Not To Wear

V - Vegetable you dislike: Mushrooms, they taste like dirt though I cook them all the time for my son and husband
W - Workout Style: Bootcamp, I like to sweat
X - X-rays you've had: Dental
Y - Yummy food you make: The best Chocolate Lava cakes ever! And Champagne Risotto
Z - The best place to visit: I LOVED Europe. After that it’s my parent’s acreage in Alberta, it’s so relaxing there


...and now you know my ABC's, won't you play along with me?