Framing finishes and a new start!

I never took a picture of this one in the frame.  This is A Paris Kiss by Vervaco, a kit I bought from The Stitchery catalog years ago.  It was framed by my friend who works at a framing shop, using a frame that I already had and she cut the mats and mounted it for me.  Do you see how the corners are rounded at the top?

A Paris Kiss - framed!

I just got this one back from her, too!  It is the free Hummingbird design by Teresa Wentzler.  I bought this square gold frame at a thrift store for $4.  She cut the mats and mounted it for only $5.

Hummingbird - framed!

Here is another one that she framed for me.  The frame is actually silver metal, but it looks black in this picture.  I love the way she cut the mats!  This is a free design from a French website, Battybat.

Harley-Davidson logo - framed!

My new start is a freebie from Kissy-Cross, Rudolph Wreath.  It will be about 4.5" square on 20 ct Valerie fabric, stitched 2 over 1.  Can you see the gold sparkly thread in the fabric?

Rudolph Wreath

 

One of these days I'm going to get all my little finishes together and actually make them into ornaments using Vonna's tutorials.  Wish me luck!

February ornament and WIPocalypse update

I'm in the 2013 Ornament SAL, where we stitch a new ornament each month for any holiday.  My February ornament is Vinney Reindeer.  This chart is in the Nov/Dec 2009 issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine.

Vinney Reindeer - FINISHED!

"Vinney Reindeer"
Designed by Lynda Watkins & Angie Williams
Fresh Threads Studio
Started 1/14/2013, Finished 2/25/2013

The WIPocalypse theme this month is designs by Little House Needleworks, love/family, and stitching in red and white.  Singing the Blues is a LHN design and I finished stitching the white border using Anchor Marlitt floss, which is so slippery!

Singing the Blues update #6

Since my last WIPocalypse update in January, I finished Hummingbird by Teresa Wentzler and made some progress on several other WIPs that I started in 2012.

Hummingbird - FINISHED!

On Boo! Club by Lizzie*Kate, I finished Treats and Black Cat and started on Spiders.

Boo Club (Spiders)

I'm making very slow progress on Very Scary by Lizzie*Kate.  I'm using Weeks Dye Works overdyed floss for the first time and trying to stitch each X one at a time so the color changes in the floss look right.  I finished the leaf motif.

Very Scary (Part 1) update #2

I finished the second flower eye of the Day of the Dead skull from the Twisted Stitches book.

Day of the Dead update #4

You can see current pics of all of my WIPs on my WIPocalypse page. Remember to check in on Measi's blog with a link to your WIPocalypse update, too!

Hummingbird finished and more stash!

Come join me in my happy dance!  Hummingbird is finished, so now I can move it from the WIPocalypse page to my Finishes 2013 page instead!  This was one of my Ultimate Crazy January Challenge starts from 2012.  I haven't forgotten any of them and I still want to finish them all!  I used 16 ct pink blush Aida.  The leaves and flowers are stitched over 2 and the hummingbird is stitched over 1. This is my first time making lazy daisy stitches, and there are gold Mill Hill seed beads on it, too!

Hummingbird - FINISHED!

Hummingbird - FINISHED!

Hummingbird - FINISHED!

"Hummingbird"

Designed by Teresa Wentzler

Started 1/3/2012, Finished 2/4/2013

I've been stocking up on fabric.  Look what I found on eBay!  Lots of Aida 14 ct and 18 ct and Hardanger 22 ct.  The two big rolls of dark Aida are from the trade/giveaway pile at our cross stitch get-together last Saturday.

Now I need to build up my floss stash next!

SoCal Cross Stitchers GTG!

I had a great day on Saturday!  Nine of the members of the Southern California Cross Stitchers Yahoo Group met at We, of the Needle for a get-together.  Kathy, Susan, Shaunterria, Sandy, Mindi, Cherise, Ruth, Janis, and I stitched and shopped and traded and ate and talked and talked all day!  I brought six different WIPs to stitch, but only did four of them.

I started Treats in the Lizzie*Kate Boo! Club series.  This is part 2 of 12.  I stitched some of the border and one of the candy corn pieces.

Boo! Club (Treats)

I did ONE row on my Lizzie*Kate Very Scary Mystery Sampler.  This is the first time I used Weeks Dye Works floss and was happy to see the changing shades of color in that dark green line!  Several of the other ladies in the group are also stitching this one.

Very Scary (Part 1) update #1

I finished the corner flower motifs and the lazy daisy stitches (my first time) on Teresa Wentzler's Hummingbird.  Now that all the over 2 stitching is done, I can start on the hummingbird in the center, which is stitched over 1.

Hummingbird update #5

I bought some Gentle Arts Sampler Threads (GAST) at the LNS for Quaker Moon.  This is also the first time I've used GAST.  I stitched the owl's eyes in Gold Leaf which is so nice and shiny!

Quaker Moon update #1

Then when I got home, I stitched on All's Good in the 'Hood from Kincavel Krosses.  I stitched more of the border along the corner and bottom using DMC 115, variegated garnet.

All's Good in the 'Hood update #2

Happy Stitchy February, everyone!

My first WIPocalypse update for 2013!

The apocalypse didn't happen on December 21, 2012, after all, so we still have time to finish all our WIPs.  You can sign up for the WIPocalypse on Measi's blog and then post progress photos on your blog on the Full Moon of each month.

I started 2013 with 49 WIPs and have added 26 more, since I'm starting a new one every day in January for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge.  A picture of every WIP is on my WIPocalypse page.

I finally made some progress on Universal Unity, a Dimensions Gold Collection kit that I started in 1998.  I stitched the grass under the deer.  This kit is on eBay right now! You can buy it HERE.

Universal Unity update #2

Universal Unity update #2

I also stitched some black outlines on Stained Glass Nativity, a needlepoint kit that I started in 1980.

Stained Glass Nativity update #2

I did the backstitching on the leaves and flowers of Hummingbird by Teresa Wentzler.

Hummingbird update #4

I stitched the letters Q-Y on Singing the Blues, a Monday SAL with Linda.

Singing the Blues update #2

I stitched the outline for Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 4), a Sunday SAL with Linda and Kaye.

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 4)

I stitched more green on the roof of Halloween House, a Friday SAL with Linda and 10 others.

Halloween House update #24

Since the last WIPocalypse post, I finished So Many Tools and the first part of Lizzie-Kate's Boo! Club (Spooky).

So Many Tools - FINISHED!

Boo! Club (Spooky) - FINISHED!

Now you can see that I'm still trying to keep up with all my WIPs and not just starting something new everyday!

I bought all my Q-Snap huggies from Christine's Q-Snap Huggies.

Happy Stitching, everyone!

Always read the directions!

I always follow the directions in everything I do, or at least I thought I did!  I started Hummingbird by Teresa Wentzler last year for Day #3 of the UCJC 2012.  You can find the free chart HERE.  The flowers and leaves are stitched over 2, and the hummingbird will be stitched over 1.  I finished all the flowers and leaves and was just about to start the backstitching, when I realized that it was supposed to be stitched using 4 strands of floss and not just 2!  The hummingbird will use only 2 strands.  So I stitched over the flowers and leaves all over again with 2 more strands, to make a total of 4.  I didn't want to rip everything out and start over!  I'm making this for me so I don't mind if it's not perfect.  Can you tell the difference by using 2 strands and 4 strands?

Hummingbird update #3

November 13-15, per Random Number Generator!

I'm having so much fun using the Random Number Generator to help me decide what to stitch each day!  I'm glad that so many WIPs are getting more attention now, instead of just sitting in a box and waiting.

November 13 - #9 Hummingbird.  This is a free chart by Teresa Wentzler and can be found HERE.  I started this on Day #3 of the UCJC.  It is on 16 ct Angel Blush Aida and will be 4.25" square.  The leaves and flowers are stitched over 2, and the hummingbird will be stitched over 1.  I did all the green in the leaves today.  The white border is done with perle cotton.

Hummingbird update #2

November 14 - #22 Cut Thru' Pirate Ship.  This was my Day #23 start of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, but after my first day of stitching, I realized that the fabric was turned the wrong way!  So today I did some reverse stitching and frogged out everything I had stitched before.  It's time for a fresh start!  It seemed to take me all day to get these stitches out on 18 ct Aida and I'm frustrated, so I'm going to put it away for now.  You can buy the chart in the USA HERE.

Cut Thru' Pirate Ship (fabric turned the wrong way)

Cut Thru' Pirate Ship (ready to start again)

November 15 - #37 Dance of the Geckos.  I found this free cross stitch chart HERE.  I started this one in the Super Duper Ultimate Crazy February Challenge but haven't touched it since.  It will be a gift for my mom and is stitched on 14 ct black Aida using DMC Light Effects floss.  I finished the purple gecko, but it still needs gold metallic floss for the eyes and the design on its back.  There will be two more geckos in other colors.

Dance of the Geckos update #1

WIPocalypse update #1

It's the first Full Moon of 2012, and time for the WIPocalypse check-in on Measi's blog!  My WIPocalypse page has a complete list of all of my WIPs with photos.  I haven't made any new progress on anything started prior to 2012.  I have been starting something new every day in January.  The only piece that got a little extra attention was Hummingbird by Teresa Wentzler.  I finished stitching all the border with white perle cotton.

Day #3 - Hummingbird

 

Day #3 of my Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Hummingbird by Teresa Wentzler, which is a freebie on her website and can be found HERE.  I am stitching it on 16 ct Angel Blush Aida and the finished size will be 4.25" square.  This is the first time I have used perle cotton thread.