Back from the framer!

I finally got Mr. Mittens framed!  I finished him in June 2012.  This was a Janlynn kit that someone gave me.  Then I had a giveaway drawing and passed the chart on to another stitcher.  I found this natural wood frame at a yard sale for a dollar.  It was brand new and from Ikea.  My friend Beth the framer mounted it and cut purple and green mats that match just perfectly!

Mr. Mittens - FRAMED!

Mr. Mittens - FRAMED!

I'm almost finished with Mary's Sampler II, the free Mystery SAL from Plum Street Samplers.  Part 9 is almost done except for the red flowers around the border and one more crown in the blank space on the right side.

Mary's Sampler II (part 9)

Here I am in my usual stitching position with a cat or two, watching the Olympics and stitching!

Teddy usually sits next to me but he's getting so darned BIG, he takes up half the couch!  I took him to the vet on Friday and he weighs 131 pounds!  The animal shelter told us he was a Labrador when we adopted him 3 years ago.  Hmmmm... vet says he must be part Mastiff, of course!

 

X-Stitching Christmas update for June

I'm in the X-Stitching Christmas Challenge started by Lady Kell of Kincavel, where we try to finish 12 items for Christmas during the year, and post our progress on the last Saturday of the month.  I have finished Mr. Mittens, which will be a Christmas decoration for my house.  Now he has been added to my X-Stitching Christmas Challenge page, which is only finish #4.  I've still got 8 more to go!

Mr. Mittens - finished!

I have also made progress on Day #2 of Santa's 12 Days of Christmas.

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day #2) update #4

WIPocalypse update #6 and two finishes!

Only six more months until the WIPocalypse! Will I get all my WIPs finished in time?  The entire list on my WIPocalypse page is slowly shrinking.  I have moved two more WIPs to the Finishes 2012 page!

Linda and I had a Monday snowman SAL.  She finished Snow Pals and I finished Mr. Mittens.  Next Monday we'll start a new SAL.

Mr. Mittens - finished!

"Mr. Mittens"
Designed by Alma Lynne
Janlynn
Started 1/2/2012, Finished 6/8/2012

I am having a giveaway of the original chart for this design.  The finished size is 7" x 9" and the chart has the DMC color numbers listed.  There are lots of quarter stitches, so I would recommend 28 ct fabric and stitch over 2, or use a sharp needle if stitching on Aida 14 ct, which is what came with the kit I used.  Just leave a comment on this post to let me know if you're interested in this chart, and I will choose a winner on Thursday, June 14.

My next finish is the Harley-Davidson logo which I didn't finish in time for Christmas, so I waited until my boyfriend's birthday in June instead.  The orange hand-dyed fabric is from Stitchnmomma.

Harley-Davidson logo - finished!

 "Harley-Davidson logo"
battybat
Started 11/26/2011, Finished 6/3/2012

My friend Beth works at a framing shop and framed this for me.  I love the custom mat that she made!  The frame is actually silver and reminds me of a motorcycle engine.

Harley-Davidson logo - framed!

I signed up for a Pine Needle Basket Weaving class at the local community center for three Saturdays.  This is my progress on my very first basket after two classes.  It will be finished next Saturday!

Pine Needle Basket top

Pine Needle Basket bottom

Mr. Mittens has a scarf!

Mr. Mittens update #11

Mr. Mittens has a scarf and more backstitching done, but where is his other arm?  Linda and I are both close to finishing our Monday snowman SAL, and then we will choose one of our other starts from the UCJC or SDUCFC to stitch on Mondays.

Quoth the Raven update #1

The Random Number Generator came up with #45, so I stitched more black on Quoth the Raven.  It will say Never More and have a black raven and lacy border all around.  This is a free chart designed by Lady Kell of Kincavel.

WIPocalypse and SAL updates!

This is my WIPocalypse post for May!  Check in on Measi's blog to add yours!  I have also updated my WIPocalypse page, so check it out to see the most current pics of all my projects.

Harley-Davidson logo update #9

I have been working on the black background of the Harley-Davidson logo and I hope to finish it before the end of the month so I can get it framed before my boyfriend's birthday in June.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - finished!

I finished Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles in time for my son's 28th birthday!

Mr. Mittens update #10

Mr. Mittens has the beginning of a blue striped scarf, and I added a little more backstitching.  He still needs another sleeve and glove.  This is my X-Stitching Xmas update for May.

Spring & Fall - April update #2

I stitched a little more of the brown bunny for my Prairie Schooler monthly designs SAL with Linda and Rosemary.  Rosemary has already finished the April design!

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 2) update #1

I stitched the two turtle doves for the second day of Christmas.  Linda and Kaye are also stitching these Prairie Schooler designs.  This is also my X-Stitching Xmas update for April. Lady Kell of Kincavel started a X-Stitching Christmas Challenge to finish 12 items for Christmas.  Check out my X-Stitching Christmas Challenge page to see what I have done so far!

Mr. Mittens has a hat!

Mr. Mittens update #9

Mr. Mittens has a hat!  I will be stitching his big striped scarf next!

BBQ Queen update #10

BBQ Queen has legs on her barbecue!  Next week I'll be stitching on the pink flamingo.

Today is Friday, so I'll give some attention to Halloween House.  Happy Stitching, everyone!

BBQ Queen and Mr. Mittens progress!

BBQ Queen update #8

Have you been wondering since last week what she was holding in her hand? LOL. It's a spatula, and I finally did some backstitching on her.

Mr. Mittens update #8

The snowman has his sleeve done, another glove, and some backstitching.

Be sure to check Linda's blog for her updates on our similar SALs.  She has Lady Liberty and I have BBQ Queen, both by Diane Arthurs.  She has Snow Pals and I have Mr. Mittens, both are snowmen wearing clothes! We started these in the first week of January, and I think we have about the same amount done.

TUSAL #3 and Mr. Mittens update!

Mr. Mittens update #7

Mr. Mittens has part of his pink sweater with a little snowman.  It reminds me of the Christmas sweaters on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon!  LOL.  He gives someone in the audience a "gorgeous" (hideous) Christmas sweater during the 12 days before Christmas.  My star-shaped dish is full of ORTs so it's time to find a nice jar to store them in for the entire year.  I don't stitch as much as Daffycat to have a new ORT jar each month!

TUSAL #3 - March

Mr. Mittens has a head!

Mr. Mittens update #6

Mr. Mittens the snowman is finally coming to life!  I couldn't wait to see his face!  He is still waiting for his hat, scarf, sweater, and more gloves.  I couldn't get the French knots all the same size for his smile, though.

BBQ Queen update #6

This pretty little lady has her blonde hair and another sleeve on her dress.  I also stitched some white on white for her apron, which was actually enjoyable.  I was dreading that part.

Teddy wasn't very polite in doggy school, so now he will have 5 weeks of private training.  The other dog parents moved to a different class just to avoid him. :-(

M-W-F SAL updates!

It's so fun to stitch on a certain project in a SAL on 5 days of the week.  It helps me to remember what day it is when I wake up!  I stitch on other random pieces every day with no set rotation schedule.  I have seen some stitchers use a random number generator to choose what to stitch, too!

Mr. Mittens update #5

My Monday snowman, Mr. Mittens, has shoes and another glove.  He will get a few more gloves and a sweater soon, then finally his snowman face!

BBQ Queen update #5

My Wednesday summer lady, BBQ Queen, finally has a face and is starting to get some hair.

Halloween House update #8

I decided to stitch on the side of the doorway to the window with a green goblin peeking out.  He will look so cute when he gets his back-stitching done.

Fractal 156 update #1

On one of the non-SAL days, I spent some time on the Fractal.  The confetti sections are downright vicious, with a different color in every square!  But I finally got to a small circle with shades of pink.  This is what it will look like when it's finished (Fractal 156 Bookmark).  Cross Stitch Collectibles has over 360 fractal charts, a large version and a smaller bookmark version, which is 5.25" x 14.25", much bigger than a bookmark.  They offer a different free fractal pattern each month.

Today it's Saturday, so it's time to start my Prairie Schooler SAL weekend!

Bird finished for WOCS, and two new starts!

Bird - finished!

Hurray!  I finished this Bird for World of Charity Stitching!  Everyone used the same free pattern found HERE, and chose their own floss color and also provided fabric for the border.  I found material with blue swirls on it, which was a perfect match!

"Bird"
Designed by Claire Findlay
gazette94
Started 2/6/2012, Finished 2/28/2012

 

Day #58 is Leo, a free design from Stitch Alley.  I am using black floss on red 14 ct Aida, just like the Quoth the Raven design from Day #45.  This will be a gift for my daughter, whose birthday is in August.  I am not sure how I will finish it, but I'm thinking of something that can hang from a doorknob or maybe a little pillow.

 

Day #59 is Merci, another freebie chart from gazette94.  I will also stitch the Thank You design and put them back to back and hang from a ribbon.  Both designs are found HERE.  The fabric is 14 ct Mint Parfait Aida, and I am using pink variegated floss.  This is also for my daughter, who hopes to live and work in Paris some day!

Mr. Mittens update #4

I finished all the checkered squares and started the shoes for Mr. Mittens, for my Monday SAL with Linda.  You can barely tell he's a snowman, since he's covered with clothes!

Monday and Wednesday SAL updates

I am in SALs on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.  I think my Monday Snowman SAL with Linda will be the first one to be finished, and then we'll pick another project to stitch together.  We have several of the same charts in the UCJC that we started in January.

Mr. Mittens update #3

I stitched the red glove and more purple squares on Monday.

BBQ Queen update #3

I stitched more of her right arm and part of her purple dress on Wednesday.

 

Day #53 is Red Cat from Cross Stitchers Club.  I am using Vikki Clayton hand-dyed silk floss. I don't know the color name, but it's bluish and purplish.  Everyone in the SoCalCrossStitchers Yahoo group who came to our stitching get-together got a free skein of the silk floss.  I am stitching over 2 on 28 ct Antique White Jobelan.  This makes the quarter stitches so much easier!

Another finish and 3 SAL updates!

I stayed up all night to finish this light switch plate cover on time!  It was a gift for my boyfriend's elderly aunt who is in her 80s.  We visited her on Monday and she was thrilled and put it up in her dining room right away.  Now I wish that I took another picture of it on the wall.

"Rose Border"
Designed by Laura Doyle
Fond Memories, Inc.
Started 2/3/2012, Finished 2/13/2012

Here is my SAL progress for Sunday, Monday, and Wednesday:

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas update #4

Mr. Mittens update #2

BBQ Queen update #2

Here is a pic of the Pacific Ocean on Monday:

I went to a museum on Tuesday and saw the Chinese warriors statues that were buried in tombs.  There are thousands and thousands of soldiers, all different, but only a few came to visit California!