My August Gifted Gorgeousness Update

It's time for another Gifted Gorgeousness update.  "Gifted Gorgeousness" projects are projects that were made to be given as a gift -or- in some way or part received as a gift. 

This month I stitched a Lab Puppy ornament for my sister and attached it to a card for her birthday.  I used a free pattern that I found here: http://www.jessica-tromp.nl/crossstitch/.  I stitched the puppy on 14 count plastic canvas, added a satin ribbon loop, and backed it with felt. 

This was a pretty good month for stitching progress.  I had a nice finish: Quaker 2 - (freebie) by Claire aka: Gazette94

I love to stitch Quaker style charts!

I also made a lot of progress on my Cow Sampler:

This should be a finish before too long.

To change things up a bit, I pulled out one of my printed embroidery projects, "Rose Lap Quilt".  This was a project gifted to me by a non-stitchy friend.  A project photo, 4 printed fabric panels, and a few skeins of floss were included.  There are no stitching guidelines - so I am winging it.

I had finished assembling the panels and stitching the center motif the last time I worked on it.  This time I started embroidering one of the rose motifs (there are 8).  I mixed in some of my color variegated floss that actually matched the colors of the included floss and used lazy daisy, split stitch, straight stitch and stem stitch so far.

 Here is the project photo that came with the panels:

Whew!  This one is going to take a long time to finish!

That's all I have this month for Gifted Gorgeousness projects.  I am working my way through my WIPs and should have some new progress on old WIPs for my next post.

Happy Stitching and Happy Gifting!
 

my July WIPocalypse Update + a small finish

"Beehive Sampler" by Sandy Orton

It's time for another WIPocalypse update!   These are projects that I have been working on and hope to finish before the world ends.  I had some good stitching time this month (for  a change), and I worked on several of my WIPs.

"Beehive Sampler" by Sandy Orton (shown above).  I am moving along a bit on this project.  I finished stitching the left hand side pansy border, filled in a few spots in the center (still some back stitching to do there), and started work on the oranges and blossoms around the top beehive.  Plenty more to stitch and some fun specialty stitches coming up.  I can't wait!

"Halloween Pumpkin" from the Just CrossStitch 2012 Halloween Issue.  Well, the pumpkin is finished! and I did some work on the bat border and the witches hat.  I still have a way to go as I have barely started stitching the cat.

Here is where I left off last time:

Quaker 2 - (freebie) by Claire aka: Gazette94

I started this project back in 2015 as part of Debbie's Crazy January Challenge & hadn't touched it since.  I am using random bits of floss leftover from other projects in shades of pinks and greens.  I am making good progress & going to try to finish this one before the end of summer.

Here is my small finish of the month.  It is "Precious Puppy" from the book "100 Cross-Stitch Christmas Ornaments" by Carol Siegel.  I plan to finish this into an ornament.
 
Question of the Month – What are your oldest and your newest WIPs?

I have several projects started in the 90's, which ended up in storage after a move.  They sat in storage for about 15-20 years before I located them and pulled them out.  

I think my oldest WIP is "Her Majesty's Carousel" a Dimensions kit 16" x 18" with a gold lazy daisy stitched border and gold beading.  I am actually very close to finishing this ... I just never seem to pick it up.  I haven't touched it in at least 5 years.  (shame! shame! shame!)

My newest WIP is "Victorian Charm" by Dimensions.  I started this project last week!  (shame! shame! shame!)  lol!  My sweetie and I both came down with the flu last week and each picked an item off our Amazon wishlists as a treat to look forward to.  "Victorian Charm" had been on my wishlist for a few years ... and so I have a new WIP.

I think I've about covered my stitching for the month.  I can't wait to see what everyone else has been up to!

Happy Stitching!

December Gifted Gorgeousness and WIPocalypse Year End Re-Cap

The time has flown by!  This is my final Gifted Gorgeousness and WIPocalypse post of 2016.

During the year I managed 24 finishes: 6 of my WIPs and 18 new projects (most of which were ornaments).  All of my finishes for 2016 can be seen here.

My most recent finishes include the cute little Boston Terrier ornament shown above, which was stitched on 14 ct plastic canvas and backed with felt.  A cute little quickie that I made as a GIFT for someone special.

Also (drum roll please) ..... I finished Sandy Orton's "Simple Blessings".

This sampler was stitched from a pattern in "The Best of Kooler Design Studio", which was GIFTED to me.  I started stitching this project in January 2015 as part of DUCJC (Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge).

Here are the projects that I made the most progress on during 2016:

"Dutch Sampler" JANUARY

"Dutch Sampler" DECEMBER

 

 "Too Much Honey" Sampler JANUARY

 "Too Much Honey" Sampler DECEMBER

"Chirpy Sort of Place" JANUARY

"Chirpy Sort of Place" DECEMBER

  

 "Gathering Honey" JANUARY

"Gathering Honey" DECEMBER

 

"Autumn Sampler" JANUARY

"Autumn Sampler" DECEMBER

 

I worked on many other projects as well, but I don't want to keep you here all day.  I still have many WIPs to stitch, so I will be continuing on with my WIPocalypse updates in the hopes of whittling down my WIPs list during 2017.

Happy Stitching!

 

November Gifted Gorgeousness and WIPocalypse Update

It's time once again for both a Gifted Gorgeousness update and a WIPocalypse update.  I haven't had much time for stitching due to my current workload ... so I am combining both updates.

Shown above is my progress on "A Chirpy Sort of Place" which was gifted to me by a non-stitchy friend, who gave me 2 Pooh kits.  The 2 Pooh kits have lots of areas of solid color, which make them great to work on when I am tired or having trouble concentrating.  Below is where I left off last time:

I also stitched on "Simple Blessings" by Sandy Orton.  I am stitching this Quaker sampler from a pattern in "The Best of Kooler Design Studio", which was a gift.  This book has so many wonderful patterns!

I finally added the second turkey to my little "Give Thanks" sampler, which was a freebie pattern from DMC.  I wish I had more stitching time to finish this, as I don't really have any finished Thanksgiving themed pieces.

I also started another Sandy Orton Sampler using floss purchased with a gift card from my Mom.  This is the "Spanish Sampler" and is worked from the outside border in towards the center.  It has many specialty stitches, so it should be a nice challenge.  I have finished the outside cross stitch border 191 x 191 stitches and started working on a corner motif.

Here is where it is headed:

WIPocalypse question of the month: What pattern (or designer) is on your must-try-to-stitch bucket list?

I'm afraid I don't have a simple answer to this question.  I have seen so many wonderful designers over the years.  I would love to stitch "Bothy Threads" cut-thru Haunted House and cut-thru Castle, a Long Dog sampler, a Chatelaine, a Glendon Place dessert, an Ink Circles design or two or three, and I'm sure there are many more!

That's all for this update.
Happy Stitching!

October Gifted Gorgeousness and WIPocalypse Update

It's time for a Gifted Gorgeousness Update and since the full moon is nigh, it's also time for another WIPocalypse update.  Gifted Gorgeousness projects are projects that were made to be given as a gift -or- in some way or part received as a gift.  WIPocalypse projects are all of the projects that I have in progress and hope to have completed before the end of the world.

 I had a finish this month!  Hooray!  I put the final stitches into "Quaker 2011" (shown above), a freebie by Gazette94.

I made some progress on my Rambling Rose miniature sampler.  I have to use magnifying glasses and a magnifying lens to work on this one, so I only do a little bit at a time to keep from going cross-eyed! lol!

I stitched on my "Too Much Honey Sampler", which was gifted to me by a non-stitchy friend.  I really made some progress on this one.  I finished Tigger and Pooh!  Next comes Piglet.  Stay tuned!

 Here is where I left off last time:

My "Simple Blessings" sampler by Sandy Orton is coming along nicely:

And last but not least ... I put some stitches into "Halloween Pumpkin" from the Just CrossStitch 2012 Halloween Issue.  I have almost finished the Jack O'Lantern and soon you will see a witches hat, a black cat, and a colony of bats start to appear.

That's all I have for this update.  

I am participating in Jo's Halloween Blog Hop again this year, so be prepared for some spooky goodness!

Happy stitching!

September Gifted Gorgeousness and WIPocalypse Update

It's time for a Gifted Gorgeousness Update and since the full moon is nigh, it's also time for another WIPocalypse update.  Gifted Gorgeousness projects are projects that were made to be given as a gift -or- in some way or part received as a gift.  WIPocalypse projects are all of the projects that I have in progress and hope to have completed before the end of the world.

My first GG project (shown above) is a card I stitched for my Mom.  I selected a freebie frog and added "Hoppy Birthday" and "Mom" to the design to make the card.

Falling under both categories GG and WIP, I stitched on my Winter Sampler by Sandy Orton.

I finally, finally, finally finished the back stitching on the skate boot and flowers! I think it turned out lovely, but it sure took a long time.  I also put in stitches here and there as I branched out from the top right corner.

I also worked on my Autumn Sampler by Sandy Orton.  I finished the little school house photo and the green guide lines on the note paper.  This one is really coming along.

 I received all 4 of the seasons sampler kits as a Christmas gift a few years ago.

Yet another Sandy Orton sampler I am stitching is "Simple Blessings".  I received the chart in a wonderful book of patterns as a birthday gift.

I also worked on my Rambling Rose miniature sampler.  This was gifted to me in a prize drawing by Jo.  It is stitched on 40 ct gauze , which is transparent and delicate.  You can see the shadow cast behind it from the stitches in the photo.

I hope I can find a suitable tiny frame for it when it is finished.  It may just inspire me to make a tiny room in a tiny house to display it.

The final GG project I stitched on was "Quaker 2011", a freebie by Gazette94

I hope to have this piece completed soon!

The final WIPocalypse project I stitched on was "Ride to Dreamland".  This is an oldie ... I probably started it back around 1993!  It sat in storage for a long time ... and my progress seems to move at a snail's pace.  There is a lot of blending filament that adds lovely sparkle, but it's a "booger-bear" to stitch with.

Whew!  That was quite an update.
Happy Stitching!

Olympics SAL and August WIPocalypse Update

It's time for another WIPocalypse update and the wrap-up of my Olympics SAL projects.  For the Olympics SAL I worked on a different project each day to make progress on my many WIPs.   I showed the first 10 days in my previous post.

Above is my "Linen Sampler" by Nancy Rossi.  I stitched on this during Day 11 of the Olympics.  I only managed a little bit of stitching on this project, but was happy to make any progress after having it packed away for so long.

Day 12 of the Olympics I worked on Teresa Wentzler's "Summer Carousel Horse".  I added more to the border and the flowers and leaves at the top.

Day 13 of the Olympics I pulled out my "Carousel Tiger" designed by Angela Pullen.  This kit was short on 2 or 3 colors of floss and the blending filament - so I  had set it aside.  Now I have enough floss to cover it, so I started stitching on it, again.  (I have completed the Carousel Lion and Carousel Zebra.)

Day 14 of the Olympics: I happily stitched on my "Spring Sampler".  I completed all of the color stitching on the Hollyhock seed packet and have started the outlining (of which there is plenty).  This sampler is just so light and pretty.

On Day 15 of the Olympics I worked on my little blue and gold colored "Quaker 2011" a freebie by Gazette94.  It won't be long until I have this one finished.   I chose the colors as an experiment ... but they have grown on me.  I think they look kinda' cool together.

 
Day 16 of the Olympics I gave some love to the little schoolhouse photo on my "Autumn Sampler".   I didn't quite get it done, but it is moving along.

And on the final day of the Olympics, I stitched a frog.  I am adapting this cute little freebie frog into a birthday card for my mom.  I plan to have him sitting on the word "MOM" with a "Hoppy Birthday" above.  We'll see how it goes.

Whew!  I sure did stitch on a lot of projects during the Olympics!  One thing I realized is that while I do have tons of WIPs, I really enjoy working on each of them - for different reasons.  I will continue to whittle down my WIP list and make as much progress as I can before the end of the year.

I give myself one GOLD MEDAL for stitching every day during the Olympics, and one GOLD MEDAL for a mini marathon project on Day 3 - stitching the "Oh-so-cute hot air balloon" shown in a previous post from start to finish!

I can't wait to see what everyone accomplished during the stitch along.
Happy Stitching!