Crazy January Challenge 2011 Day #2

Homespun Elegance

Holiest of Nights

30ct natural linen

Called for Weeks, DMC, and GAST threads

Crazy January Challenge Day #2 start-I've already made a color change to this one. I'm feeling very inspired by all the postings on this and the other challenges. Coming up tomorrow-Blackbird Designs Spring Fling!

Crazy January Challenge 2011 Day #1

Shepherd's Bush Anna's Stocking

18 ct natural linen

Called for threads-Crescent, Weeks, and DMC perle cottons

It is exciting to see all the posts already on the January Challenges! People are stitching! Here is my Day #1 start.

2010 Wrap-Up

My final finish for 2010:

Blackbird Designs Joyeux Noel book

Sweet Heart

Mystery linen

Called for GAST threads

This makes a total of 49 finishes for 2010! I had 31 finishes in 2009. I credit all the pin cushions and ornaments this year for the difference in numbers. :)

Here is an update on City Stitcher Adam & Eve sampler. I had put it aside for quite a while and when I picked it up again, I remembered why I put it down. I had to frog a big mistake before I could start stitching! Then, I went to add the border around it and guess what? Another mistake! Altogether I have fixed 3 mistakes and still managed to make a little progress. :) The fabric is more gold than the picture shows. But, check out how the date at the top (between the birds) has completely faded into the fabric color :( It says In the Year 1845. I see another frogging session and a color change in my future.

I am looking forward to the new year and wishing every one of you a healthy & prosperous 2011!

Crazy January Challenge 2011 Update

Here is the original list of projects that I picked out for the Crazy January Challenge 2011.

As mentioned before, I have been struggling with too many projects! And trying to whittle them down to just 15 has been the hardest part of this challenge for me so far!
Here is my revised list-

1. Renaissance Designs Five Christmas Trees Shimmering

2. Sheepish Designs Temptation (A & E)

3. With My Needle Quaker Hornbook

4. Shepherd's Bush Anna's Stocking

5. Bright Needle Pretty in Pink-scroll down

6. Blackbird Designs Spring Fling

7. Blackbird Designs Hedgerow Birds

8. LHN Needle & Thread

9. With Thy Needle & Thread Give Thanks

10. Praiseworthy Stitches Tiny Pumpkin Etui-scroll down

11.Hawkins House Apple Tree Sampler (A & E)

12. Raise the Roof Happy Camper

13. LHN The North Wind

14. Homespun Elegance Holiest of Nights-check out Vonna's gorgeous finish

15. Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler-see Giovanna's beauty here

I am very happy with this list of items. And I plan to post these on the sidebar of my blog so you can help keep me accountable :) Is anyone aware of SAL's for any of these pieces?

BUT, this challenge doesn't include some important things :

1. WIPS that I would like to finish this year-Prairie Schooler Alphabet & City Stitcher Adam & Eve Sampler-both are large projects.

2. More large projects that I want to start in 2011 that I probably won't be able to finish-Plum Street Sampler's Paradise Lost, Margaret Bendig's Plum Blossom Kimono, Debbie Stiehler's Timeless Tomato and Birds of a Feather Le Printemps. The kimono and tomato are both classes I will be taking in March and June of 2011.

3. Other items I want to stitch as time allows-BBD Summer House Pincushion, BBD Autumn Song, Plum Street Sampler Rejoice, 1 Humbug, 1 Biscornu, and 10 ornaments from freebie designs.

4. I want to stretch my finishing skills and learn a new finish in 2011. In 2010 I learned how to do a beaded edge ornament finish and a round box finish.

Whew! Do you think I can do all this in 2011? If the real estate market stays in the dumps, I think I can do it. But, if work gets busy, this will be a challenge for sure!

Merry Christmas to Me!

SNOW UPDATE: None

It was a quiet nice Christmas day here. Lots of food! My girls are all becoming good cooks. And what fun it is to have them in the kitchen with me. The day's work is much easier with several sets of hands to help. (Not to mention, a son-in-law is a pretty decent cook himself.)

My dh finally took the hint I left on my Amazon wish list and bought me this! (It was there for over a year) Yes, that is Christmas at Hawk Run Hollow with all the HDF silks for it! Yeah, he made this year a memorable one for me! I still need the fabric, but this project is moving up my "to-do" list.

Thank you, Lorrie, for the little plastic container I didn't know I would need so soon.

I hope Santa was good to all of you!

Two Finishes and My Sampler Wall

Here is Blackbird Designs Bluebird's Thread Keep finish-finished as a round box. This was my first time to attempt this type of finish. I used a papermache box and painted it a sage green.

Here is my latest finish & framing-Blackbird Designs Evergreen. I stitched this one last year for a friend's 50th birthday. And, as usual, fell in love with it while I stitched.

I can't believe what I am getting accomplished while waiting for the January Challenge to start! But, why aren't I working on WIP's? Don't know the answer to that one and it makes me feel a little guilty.

Here is my sampler wall with this years contributions added to it. I will try to tell you what is up there-

Row 1 (from the top, l to r) Blackbird Designs Evergreen, Sheepish Designs Betsy, Blackbird Designs Strawberry Garden, M Designs Flower Sampler

Row 2-La Di Da A Right Spirit, Blackbird Designs Joyeux Noel, Cricket Collection Walk in the Woods, Rosewood Manor Quaker and Quilts, Shakespeare Peddler Jenny Bean's Halloween Sampler

Row 3-Hands to Work This is the Day, Blackbird Designs Willow Tree, Blackbird Designs Moonlit Garden, Goode Huswif With My Needle

See that long skinny empty space at the bottom? Don't you think Blackbird Designs Mystery Sampler will fit perfectly in there? It is on my list for the 2011 Crazy January Challenge. :)

And this wall is seriously missing some A & E samplers. That is on next year's list too.

Merry Christmas to all my faithful followers, Google reader faithfuls, visitors and lurkers out there too! That means you, Cynthia, Lori, Carolyn and Dolores! It is a joy when someone tells me they have been checking out my blog! Stitchers are the nicest people in the world. I am so happy to be a part of this community!

More 2010 Framing & Finishing

We have been busy framing and finishing my 2010 stitching projects. Thankfully all my kids are grown and out of the house, so I don't have little ones under my feet while trying to get this work done.

My DH has been my framing helper. Most of my frames are recycled from my home or are fabulous thrift store finds! First is Jardin Prive Christmas. I wanted the frame to disappear and let the stitching pop-


Next, just back from the finisher, is Renaissance Designs Four Bows of Christmas. Turned out beautiful and is already on my tree :)

Don't forget Jenny Beans Halloween sampler-

Goode Huswife's With My Needle-

Hands to Work This is the Day-(please forgive the flash, but all the other pics were too dark)-

Waxing Moon-My Needle & Floss-

With Thy Needle & Thread Gathering Acorns-I like the fabric I used, but I'm having trouble with the puckering on the side seams. Is this a sign that I need to stuff it more?

Here is Sylvia's SAL finished as a flatfold, as promised-so cute! This one will be considered part of the Christmas decorations and brought out for display each year at this time.

No snow here yet. And even though the weatherman predicts rain everyday we are getting very little. Have a great day!

Year of the Pin Cushion and Ornament

This was the year for pincushions and Christmas ornaments for me. Many years I struggle to stitch just one ornament for my annual EGA guild exchange. But this year they flowed easy from my needle. Here is the final installment of pin cushions finishes for 2010.

This is M Designs- Miss Mary Mac all finished for the SECOND time! The first one I did not like at all and was ready to stuff it when I decided to start over. This finish looks much better.

This is Blackbird Designs Summer Iris. I loved the grey/brown trim on this one. But I see a mistake. I am very careful to be sure the stitching line is straight when adding fabric to a design. But when I added the brown grosgrain ribbon it moved on me and the left side is higher than the right side. Not enough to worry about, but if this was a gift I would have redone it.

I have also been thinking about next year. I am participating in the Crazy January Challenge 2011 and am getting ready to make another change in my lineup. :) More about that in an upcoming post.

But I also want to challenge myself to get ahead of the game for ornaments next year AND use freebie patterns only! There are so many cute ones! So I am going thru my files and hard drive to see what I have saved up and pick 12 for next year.

Christmas Angel Tree Topper is On the Tree!

Gay Ann Rogers Tree Top Angel

Ecru 18 ct mesh with gold flecks

Watercolours, Kreinik, and DMC perle cotton

Some of you may remember that I finished stitching this little beauty earlier this year. Here she is on top of my tree. I am so happy with her and the way my tree turned out this year. The construction paper chains were made with love by my 5 yr old grandson. The white envelopes are gifts for my daughters.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

Another 2010 Finish!

M Designs

Miss Mary Mac's Pins & Needles Pincushion

40 ct HDF Jackalope fabric

Called for Crescent Colours floss

Another pincushion that I culled from my Crazy January Challenge, but couldn't wait to stitch! I did change the colors around and used more of the Purple Aster (dark purple) and none of the Bamboo (white).

If you are guessing that something about Christmas had to give so I could stitch--you are right! I sent out about 15 Christmas cards this year instead of the normal 150. But the house is decorated and I will post some pictures later this week.

Have a great stitchy day!