Tradition (You should sing that)

 One tradition that I didn't let this year get in the way of was stitching an ornament for my nieces. 

 

These are Snow Buddy and Candy Claus from Satsuma Street. They stitched up quickly. And they are such fun, happy colors. I bought all the patterns for this set, and I might stitch the deer for myself because it is so mid-Century modern. A blue deer! I tell you what will they think of next?

Stitching these put me in the mood to stitch on perforated paper. I picked up Nunavut Santa (which I have been stitching since 2015?). There was less than an hour to do on the stitches. I have started beading and Mill Hill is trying to kill me by putting 02056 (sable) and 03011 (pebble gray) in the same bag. They also put green and black in the same bag, and I tell you the older I get the less funny this is! Maybe I'll have a finish to show you soon because it is embarrassing that I have been stitching on a 51x68 piece for FIVE years!

Tis A Season, Anyway

I know last time I was talking about projects, I said I was going to start something new to commemorate what I've taken to calling The Inside Time. I didn't have all the colors of the project I chose, and it was getting late, so I just grabbed a project I had already started--Tis the Season by Blackbird Designs. It is stitched on Lakeside Linens Pear with the called for Belle Soie (that's how old this is) silks. I started it in July of 2013 for my aunt who had asked that I stitch something she could take out every Christmas. Then she told me to take my time. I bet she regrets that!

In November 2017, I started those snowflake motifs (shown here) and I put the one under the tail in the wrong place. Because I am a changed stitcher I took it out and restitched it. First one at a time and now fixing variations. I hardly recognize myself. 

Anyway, I am really, truly going to start a new project. (The third sign, no doubt!)

In other news, I need a new place for my workspace. I am tired of working on a laptop when I usually work on two huge monitors. I haven't gone to retrieve my work computer because there's no place to put it. The dude is working in the study and I am a nomad living out of a bag working on the dining room table and clearing up every night before dinner. It's become clear we are in this for the long haul--at least the summer. By mid June, I'll know what's happening next semester. I'm sure that if the students aren't back on campus, we won't be, but I think our office might not go back to campus no matter what (we don't work directly with students). It suddenly occurred to me the disaster I call a craft room (the work with the organizer didn't stick) would be a logical place--one where I could even stand to work. (I am also missing my standing desk.)

So I've started shoveling out. I'm 1/3 of the way there...and finding projects and kitted projects I had forgotten about. Lucky us!

Arctic Santas

After Christmas, I was able to get back to stitching partly because of the arctic cold we were having. (We accidentally went to the Franklin Institute on what must have been the coldest day of the year, to see the Terracotta Warriors, and I'm pretty sure my face froze off!) I managed a few hours on both Lapland Santa (top) and Nunavut Santa.

Here's what Lapland looked like in November.

Nunavut got a lot of action! Here's what my polar bear friend looked like the last time.

I plan to take some time tomorrow and visit all of you and leave some notes. I want, like so many others, to get back to blogging. (I only wrote 60 posts in all of 2017!) And stitching! But more on my plans tomorrow.

Happy new year, everyone!

Best Laid Plans

Didn't I just get over a cold? I am sitting here wrapped in a throw, freezing cold, with a sore throat, burning eyes, and achy muscles. This is not really what I pictured for today. (Or this week, really. With any luck, sleep will be a magic cure all.)

I've been surfing Pinterest, and I came up with a few free Christmas cross stitch projects. I have only chosen pictures of designs (not charts) that link back to the blog or website of the original designer, and none at all from Russian websites...or the many that I recognize as being someone's chart for sale.

First up, perfect for my mid-century modern home. (Okay the only thing that is midcentury about my house is the Mamie pink bathroom.) This French lady is from (RIP) Gazette94. This one is a cutie too: Bonhomme de Neige,

I'll admit I've only seen Home Alone the one time. This one is much more for you than for me, but Jessica at Cutesy Crafts gives you the whole tutorial on finishing projects this way. If you have a filthy animal in your life, go here for the pattern.

This owl comes from Holly's Hobbies. This freebie was designed for her Facebook fans. And we're lucky she shared it with us, especially those of us who graduated from Rice, Temple, Florida Atlantic, Brandeis, Kennesaw State, William Woods, or Bryn Mawr. (And I've just now learned that my sister and I have the same mascot at our respective alma maters.) (I bet she doesn't even know.)

I love the simplicity of Luli's designs. Find it here. And while you are there, explore because she has some fantastic designs! Especially this white deer head silhouette. And unlike other designers I searched for, she's already got a new Santa up on her blog.

And one for all you lovers out there. From Posy Collection (you will have to scroll down, I didn't want to link to the chart directly).

Okay, off to bed; hoping Hypnos can work some healing magic.

Back to Stitching

Sunday is the traditional day of rest, and I rested the hell out of Sunday. Eventually, I also stitched. I worked on the Mill Hill Arctic Circles Santa, Nunavut Santa, the one with the polar bear. I started this for Debbie's Ultimate January Challenge back in 2015, but I made some good headway on this round. (You can see the start here.) He's almost starting to look like a bear! And I switched to color! I'll be happy to get back to this in the December rotation wherein I will try to finish ALL THE PROJECTS so that I can feel like I actually stitched this year.

Finished!

The stockings for my sister's family arrived home from the finisher today! I couldn't wait to share them with you. But first I had to take a nap. (I am so old and tired and the dog woke me up early and then has been a pain in the bum. We went on a hike and she's still been in and out, in and out, because she is bored and at loose ends and still can't go to daycare because she is coughing. St Francis help us, amen.)

 I sent them to our friend Faye. And she did a great job! I love that they have miniwale corduroy backing--matches the ones I did for my cousin. And the colors she chose are perfect matches. I feel so relieved! Let's imagine I tried to do this myself...first getting myself to the store for fabric. Going to every store in the greater Philadelphia area to get matches. Then clearing off enough of the sewing table to cut and sew and then the piping. I could have gone nuts.

Instead, now they are done. Done and beautiful and I am so so very happy!

Oh, Christmas Tree!

Even though it has been four years since I stitched with the Tea and Stitch ladies, they are still contributing a tree to the silent auction. (Lest I make you think I am dancing backwards in high heels, last year I had a great deal of help on the auction from my compadre Nicole. Then this year, she took it over. The problem with the auction is it will burn you out, so we should probably rotate in a new person so they can do most of the work with an assist from me and Nicole.)

They have outdone themselves this year. I have a few snaps of their ornaments.

First the ladies had one member teach them how to make these yarn hats--they are made with yarn and a piece of toilet paper tube! And I can tell you they are cuuuuuute.

Close up. I don't know who made this one, but they were dedicated to getting the pompom right!

When I was sorting through the bag of ornaments, there looked to be a crumpled up piece of tissue at the bottom. And wrapped inside it I found this angel tree topper. I can't belive someone knit and donated this. It's amazing. 

I want this tree! But I think it is going to go for much more than it has in the past. Partly because these are great ornaments, and partly because there are a lot more people coming. 

I'll take a photo when it's all set up and let you know how much $$ it raises.

Lapland Santa

This is Lapland Santa designed by Sandra Cozzolino for Mill Hill, part of the Arctic Circle Santas. I was rooting around on the blog to see that the last time I worked on this was in 2015? Can that be true?

In this session Santa gained two feet but the reindeer lost one. I guess that means I'm not perfect!

I think I am going to put this one and a few of the other smaller pieces on my three-day rotation in December. I have about 37 projects going and I think that may be too many. They aren't seeing the light of day for years at a time! We must put a stop to this madness. I forsee focusing on what I've got going and not many new starts in {gasp!} 2018.

Balance in All Things

Posting later than usual because I had to walk the streets after dinner. I spent all day on my ass stitching with strangers and the Strawberry Sampler crew. I think I had about 200 steps when I got home after stitching 9-5. The dude and I walked to dinner, but that was still only about 2,000. Even the dog walk--shorter than usual because Stella's still not up to par--only brought me to about 5,000.

The good news in that paragraph is that I spent the day stitching. I feel rejuvinated. I finished Tada Santa (just needed a few silvery stitches) and worked on the dude's anniversary sampler. This is Silver Creek's 47 Hearts stitched with the called-for colors on Vintage Country Mocha. You can see the before here.

And if you are wondering how I magically know the fabric name this time and not before it's because the woman sitting next to me today wanted to know, and we asked Molly because I knew she'd know. She took one look and said, "is it plain on the back? It's Vintage Country Mocha." She's a goddess.

Ta Da!

I finished something!

This is Tada Snowguy by Amy Bruecken Designs. I stitched it on a plain purple. Maybe WDW Peoria Purple? I subbed a lot of the colors for things I had.

CC Brown Sugar - DMC 830
CC Blueberry Tart - WDW Aqua
CC Blackbeard - GA Black Licorice
CC Red Ribbon - DMC 321
CC Lobster Claw -  GA Orange Marmalade
GA Porcelain - DMC white (My Porcelain was too pink.)
All the rest were the called for colors.

This is Special K's 2107 Christmas ornament.

PS: Stella looks so sad in that birthday picture because she's sick. She has an upper respiratory infection and some gut issues. She's got antibiotics and we're countering with probiotics and (her absolute favorite!) Greek yogurt. Hopefully she'll be her usual self in a short while.

Tada!

Goals for September: 

1. Finish Christian's Stocking  -- YES
2. Bling all four stockings: Christian, Mary, Charland, and Sadie -- THREE OUT OF FOUR
3. Send to finisher -- THREE OUT OF FOUR
4. Stitch Tada Santa and Tada Snow Guy (Amy Bruecken Designs) -- I STARTED BOTH, NEARLY FINISHED SANTA (above)
5. Read Scribe of Siena for Books on Tap (9/19) -- READ, DIDN'T MUCH LIKE THE ENDING. MY IMAGINED ENDING WAS BETTER. 😉

I am still waiting to get the charms for Christian's Stocking. I may have been better off ordering directly from Shepherd's Bush. Live and learn.

For October: 

1. Stitch using my three day rotation
1. smalls
2. Our Souls
3. 47 Hearts
4. Love Me, Love My Dog
5. Deruta Biscornu
6. St Nick's Noel
7. Lapland Santa
8. Ladybug, Ladybug
9. Tis the Season
10. Cinnamon Stars
2. Read The River at Night for Books on Tap (10/17)
3. Make one dozen Christmas cards
4. Bling Christian's Stocking and send to the finisher

Love

I'm at a conference in Vegas and I'm daunted by inputting all the text of my ornament issue review on my phone.

Instead, I'll show you just how much I love my sister.

Finis!

Look what I made! Christian's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush with the called for materials. I am just waiting now for the bling to arrive.

I kept meaning to blog but I was making such good headway...almost there...almost there... and at last!

A Month of Blogging Finis

I wasn't sure what I was going to stitch last night that could also serve as my small for today's Small SAL report. I pawed through the stash, reviewed the three Two Hour Cross Stitch books I had, selected and discarded a few items. At last my eye alighted on the Lizzie*Kate pattern Sled Dudes. One of the women sitting next to me at the Strawberry Sampler Stitch In at the beginning of this month was stitching this very piece. She started it and then I looked over again a few minutes later and she had nearly finished it! With this memory in mind, I knew I had found the perfect piece.

I only stitched on it for an hour last night, but I was able to finish-finish it in another hour or so! Since I decided on this piece at the last minute, only two of the flosses are the called-for colors. I used WDW Grasshopper for the green and WDW Peony for the pink, as called for. But the blue is GAST Huckleberry, the white is WDW Whitewash, the black is GAST Wrought Iron and the red is DMC 321 (which is listed as an alternate to Louisiana Hot Sauce). I also used metallic gold perforated paper instead of plain brown; it was all I had. Linking up with Heather of Stitching Lotus who hosts the Smalls SAL.

This is the most fun I have ever had doing NaBloPoMo! I really went back to the roots of the blog for that one, and it worked!  I'll be back to the regular rotation tomorrow.

Wisteria Snowman
Love Bird
Christian's Stocking
Our Souls
Waldorff
Cinnamon Stars
Lapland Santa
small
Ladybug, Ladybug
Tis the Season

Mary's Stocking, Part VIII

I've gotten somewhere with Mary on this rotation. The top is nearly finished--just a couple more leaves and one small tendril on the left. I had had to fudge things a bit on the right side, and as I was moving swimmingly along on the left side, I was thinking that I was going to have to fix my mistake. Then, I came to the realization that I made a similar mistake on the left. Problem solved! (Here's how she looked last time.)

I was also able to stop off at the LNS and get the right color for her face and hand. So I quickly filled those in.

The M looks disproportionate in the name, but it's just a fold in the fabric distorting it.

Next up: Wisteria Snowman
Onward!

Just One July - A Plague

The situation with Mary is not getting better. I had to stitch that last vertical stripe in her dress twice. And the whole vine went in and came back out. This project is cursed! It's not just having to rip it, it's a plague of frogs. I let you know when the locusts show up. (Stitching along with Justine for Just One July.)

Hawaiian Santa

I finished Hawaiian Santa on Saturday morning!

 When I went to put him in the finishing pile I realized he'd have some company joining him on the tree this year. How did I lose track of these guys? They just need hangers, backing, and a couple of beards.

And when I was rooting around in the nearly-finished Santa bag, I found another one I'd started. This is Southern Cross Santa. Apparently it's very easy for me to lose track of things because I don't have the beads for this anymore either. (Don't worry, I'm sure I have something somewhere.) Not sure if I should slot him into Hawaiian Santa's spot or finish the ones I started last year first. No worries. I have two months to decide.

Blackbird's Tis the Season

So many bloggers seem to be marveling at the fact we have reached the end of January. This can only mean one thing...we're all equally old! (As we age, our perception of time changes. "The days are long and the years are short.") 

My final round of this month's rotation ended with Blackbird's Tis the Season. The last time I showed this to you seems to have been when I started it in January 2014. You can see that I have made great progress on the bird. The second photo shows that I have made it almost to the rightmost edge as well. Not bad--and there's still time to stitch on it!

I am stitching this for one of my father's sisters. She requested a piece she could take out every Christmas, and she told me to take my time. Which you should pretty much never do because I will! At least I know it will be appreciated!

SAL Report: Santa Knew

My first small of the year--staying on track for 12 new ones in 2016! This is from Lizzie*Kate's Tiny Tidings XIX, stitched on the called-for fabric with the called-for colors. I did change the words from "Santa Knows" though because I've always thought of Santa as being the spirit of giving rather than someone who is all about surveillance.

This is for Sugar Rea and sometime this year, I'll be stitching the snowman from this booklet for Special K. In fact, when I chose this one, I went a little overboard and ordered Jim Shore's Snowy Owl Snowman and Best Friend Santa and Amy Bruecken's Ta-da Santa and Ta-da Snowman. I had already pulled L*K's Sled Dudes, so I have enough planned to stitch until the girls reach kindergarten. I'm not excited or anything!

This post is linked to Heather's Smalls SAL. You can get more information there or if you click the graphic in the sidebar. You can join at any time.

Round Eight: the Winter Storm Edition

It's amazing how much you can stitch when the weatherpeople tell you not to go outside. Not that I really needed their help avoiding it! Overnight we had gusty winds and snow, of course, but the next day it just kept snowing and snowing. Nothing like getting winter all at once. My daffodils had buds before they were covered in snow. I'd tell you how much but it was so windy that the snow drifted in ways that make it difficult to tell. For example, on one side of our driveway, the snow drifts as high as the Honda Civic; on the other side, you can see the neighbor's lawn poking out. According to the paper, we got 22" out this way. And a two hour delay today! (Only because the college is surrounded by tertiary roads, and I bet they're still digging those out. Our street is down to one lane.)

Anyway, last night I finished stitching Sadie's Stocking! You'll just have to take my word for it that the name is stitched--I want to protect everyone's privacy.

In the rotation, this will be replaced by either Mary's Stocking or Christian's Stocking. Plenty of stocking left to stitch!