WIPocalypse update #10

BBQ Queen update #19

Well, I didn't finish BBQ Queen like I thought I would by this WIPocalypse update.  I did all the backstitching on the bottom and added the grass.  The last part will be a flag that says "Summer" and purple backstitching on her dress.  This is a SAL with Linda, who is stitching Lady Liberty, another design by Diane Arthurs.

Summer & Winter (June) update #3

Since the last WIPocalypse update, I have added the sunflowers and leaves to this June square.  The mother bird will be on top, feeding worms to her babies.  I plan to make flat ornaments of all these monthly designs by The Prairie Schooler.  This is a SAL with Linda and Rosemary.

So Many Tools update #2

I'm trying to finish So Many Tools by Christmas or January for my dad's birthday.  There are 32 tools in this design, so I need to stitch 3 tools each week to have it done in time for Christmas.  There is A LOT of backstitching!

My only new finish since the last WIPocalypse update is Burnt to Perfection, which I stitched for my brother's birthday gift.  I gave it to him tonight!

Don't forget to check in on Measi's blog with your WIPocalypse update, too!

Happy Autumn to everyone, or Happy Spring down under!  It is still HOT here in Sunny Southern California.  Today was 102 degrees and tomorrow will be even hotter.  The forecast is 106 degrees for the first day of October!

Happy Blogoversary to me!

Today is my second blogoversary!  I started this cross stitch blog in 2010 when I began stitching Wedding Ride for my best friend's wedding gift.  I hadn't been stitching for over 10 years and was excited to find so many blogs to follow and meet other stitchers all around the world!

This is the piece that got me back into cross stitching:  Wedding Ride.  

You can find just about everything at 123-Stitch, so I will have a blogoversary giveaway of a $10 gift certificate to this website.  Just leave a comment below and I'll draw a winner on Sunday, September 30.

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is also having a giveaway of an Autumn gift bag of goodies, drawing on October 15.  Enter HERE and tell Nancy that I sent you!

I was a previous lucky winner of one of Nancy's giveaways of hand-dyed floss.  I plan to use the dark green floss she gave me for the leaves of the sunflowers on my June square from the Prairie Schooler Summer & Winter booklet.

Summer & Winter (June) update #2

Burnt to Perfection finished!

Burnt to Perfection - finished!

Burnt to Perfection - framed!

"Burnt to Perfection"
Designed by Sue Hillis
Sue Hillis Designs, Inc.
Started 2/16/2012, Finished 9/22/2012

I finished this fun gift for my brother's birthday.  I hope he laughs at it!  I quickly folded the edges and tucked it into the frame to see how it looks, but I will still wash it and iron it and mount it correctly.  I used 28 ct tea-dyed Monaco fabric from a kit with a design that I didn't want to stitch, so I gave the chart away and kept the fabric for myself.  It worked out perfectly for this design.

Stitching for men, TUSAL #9, and vacation photos!

I was on vacation and brought along some cross stitching WIPs for the men in my life!  My brother's birthday is next week and I'm stitching Burnt to Perfection by Sue Hillis Designs, since he does most of the cooking for his family.  I don't have the BBQ charm, so I centered the words under the design instead.

Burnt to Perfection update #1

I also got a little stitching done on So Many Tools, a kit that I bought many years ago to make for my dad.  If I don't get it done in time for Christmas, I'll give it to him for his birthday in January instead!

So Many Tools update #1

I finished most of the gas tank on Harley-Davidson, a kit by Pinn Stitch that I bought many years ago to make for my boyfriend.  It will be for his birthday next year.  I am not going to add the clock to it.

Harley-Davidson update #1

My TUSAL jar is filling up nicely!  Don't forget to check in on Daffycat's blog with your TUSAL blog post, too!

TUSAL #9

I spent the week at a condo at the beach and saw some beautiful sunsets.  It is just about impossible to take a picture with the camera that actually looks like the real thing!

We saw the Tall Ships Festival and walked all over 8 different ships. Some people were dressed as pirates.  By the way, today is Talk Like a Pirate Day and you can get a free donut at Krispy Kreme if you talk like a pirate, or a free dozen donuts if you dress like one!

We saw the Faberge exhibit at the Bowers Museum.  This Easter egg was made in 1908.  The letters stand for "Christ is Risen."

We saw some surfers and pelicans at the San Clemente Pier.  This guy was posing for everyone!

We went on a whale watching ship out into the Pacific Ocean for 2 hours but didn't see a single whale and not even a dolphin, so we have free tickets to return any time in the future.  I have gone whale watching here several other times and this was the first dud trip. :-(

We went to Old Town San Diego and looked at the old Estudillo House from the 1800s (see my Flickr photo album).  It must have been miserable to live without air conditioning!  LOL

Then we watched a San Diego Padres vs St. Louis Cardinals baseball game.  The stadium is beautiful.

Now I'm back home in my regular routine.  My cats and dogs sure missed me!  It's time to get back to stitching my brother's birthday gift!

Happy Stitching, everyone!  Thanks for visiting my blog.

WIPocalypse update #9 and more finishes!

Four bookmarks - FINISHED!

Since the last WIPocalypse update, I have finished four bookmarks and another month of the Prairie Schooler Spring & Fall series.  My WIPocalypse page is slowly shrinking and my Finishes 2012 page is growing!

Monkey Read, Monkey Do bookmark - FINISHED!

Memento Mori bookmark - FINISHED!

Spooky bookmark - FINISHED!

"Spooky" bookmark
Designed by Barbi Singlar
amintkipattan
Started 2/23/2012, Finished 8/26/2012

Hands Off My Book bookmark - FINISHED!

"Hands Off My Book" bookmark
Designed by Kell Smurthwaite
Kincavel Krosses
Started 2/8/2012, Finished 9/1/2012

Spring & Fall (May) FINISHED!

I started June in the Summer & Winter booklet from The Prairie Schooler.

Summer & Winter (June) update #1

BBQ Queen has a chef's hat and a smiling sun now.  I think she'll be done by the next WIPocalypse update.

BBQ Queen update #18

Halloween House has the second floor started.

Halloween House update #20

Santa has one of the three French hens for Santa's 12 Days of Christmas.

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 3) update #1

The Passione Ricamo Fairy Mystery SAL has part 1 and some of part 2 finished.

Passione Ricamo Fairy Mystery SAL - update #2

I stitched a gray squirrel on Universal Unity.  This is a Dimensions Gold Collection kit that I started in 1998 and haven't touched it since!

Universal Unity - update #1

 

I started a Day of the Dead flowery skull face from the book, Twisted Stitches. This is the nose!

Day of the Dead

Don't forget to check in on Measi's blog with a link to your WIPocalypse blog post, too!

Fall and Halloween Giveaways!

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having three fantastic giveaways!  Enter HERE for the Fall gift bag full of treasures, drawing on September 21.  Enter HERE for the Halloween gift bag full of goodies, drawing on October 1.  Enter HERE for the Treasured Friend gift bag giveaway, drawing on September 30.  Tell Nancy that I sent you!