August Ornament SAL

After skipping a few months, I'm back in the 2013 Ornament SAL!  I started and finished this cute design in one day.  It is part of a bigger design called Merry & Bright, a freebie from Erynne Chard.  I plan to sew it into an ornament (some day).  Check out the other ornament designs this month on the Stitching Lotus blog!

Merry & Bright (Peace) - FINISHED!

"Merry & Bright" (Peace)
Designed by Erynne Chard
Started 8/25/2013, Finished 8/25/2013

The finished size is 3" square.  I had a little 6" square piece of 28 ct hand-dyed light blue linen that was just the right size.  I used random floss from my stash, including DMC, J&P Coats, American Thread Star Six Strand, and Cosmo floss from Japan. Now I know why Shaunterria loves Cosmo floss!  It is so soft and silky!  I'll have to use it more often!

April ornament and WIPocalypse update!

I'm in the 2013 Ornament SAL, where we stitch a new ornament each month for any holiday.  My April ornament is C'est Noel, a freebie from The Sampler Girl. I used DMC Light Effects and DMC Satin floss (so slippery!).  One of these days I'll try to make these finishes into actual ornaments!

C'est Noel - FINISHED!

"C'est Noel"
The Sampler Girl
Started 2/24/2012, Finished 4/26/2013

Since my last WIPocalypse update in March, I have had lots of finishes and progress on my SALs.

The Bear and the Bees is an old chart from The Prairie Schooler, but you can still find it HERE.

The Bear and the Bees - FINISHED!

These bookmarks will be Mother's Day gifts.  The free design is from Linen Flowers.

Names of Jesus bookmarks - FINISHED!

I stitched All's Good in the Hood by Kincavel Krosses for my son's birthday present.  It can be a housewarming gift too, since he just got a new job in a different state!

All's Good in the Hood - FINISHED!

"All's Good in the Hood"
Designed by Lady Kell of Kincavel
Kincavel Krosses
14 ct Dirty Aida, DMC 115
Started 2/8/2012, Finished 4/26/2013

I started a new SAL with Linda for Thankful Critters, an Imaginating chart by Ursula Michael.  We stitch on this one every other weekend.  I'll stitch 1-2 letters each month so it will be finished by Thanksgiving.

Thankful Critters update #2

I'm also in a new SAL for Bothy Threads Cut Thru' designs.  I stitch the Igloo on Mondays.  When this is finished, I'll keep going and stitch another Cut Thru' from my WIP list, North Pole House and/or Pirate Ship.

Cut Thru' Igloo update #3

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

March ornament and WIPocalypse update

I'm in the 2013 Ornament SAL, where we stitch a new ornament each month for any holiday.  My March ornament is Boule Bordeaux, a freebie from a French blog, Le blog de Vava.  I used DMC gold metallic 5282 and a red/pink variegated J&P Coats floss.  This is stitched on perforated paper with red felt on the back.  It is about 4" x 5".

Boule Bordeaux - FINISHED!

"Boule Bordeaux"
Designed by Vava
Le blog de Vava
Started 2/9/2012, Finished 3/27/2013

Since my last WIPocalypse update in February, I finished Singing the Blues and made progress on my SAL pieces.  I sent this chart to Ruth in Ireland, so follow her blog to watch her bluebird come to life!

Singing the Blues - FINISHED!

On the monthly Prairie Schooler designs, I've been stitching the eagle for July. He is patiently waiting for his wings.  This will be done soon, and then I'll start the August square.

Summer & Winter (July) update #4

The Bear and the Bees by The Prairie Schooler is my Monday SAL with Linda.  I stitched the grass and some leaves.  Linda already finished hers.  We'll start a new Monday SAL next week.

The Bear and the Bees update #3

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

Boo! Club (Eek!)

Linda, Sharon, and I will start a new Monday SAL on April 1, for Bothy Threads Cut Thru' designs.  Linda and Sharon will do Stable and I'll do Igloo.  Does anyone else want to stitch along with us?

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!

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!

My first Christmas ornament finish for 2013!

I joined the 2013 Ornament SAL.  We stitch an ornament each month and post a picture on the last Wednesday of the month.  For my January ornament, I finished Noel, which I started last year.  This kept me busy when I was getting my oil changed and sitting at the DMV!  It's always good to have a small WIP that fits in your purse!  It is 2.5" square and came with its own handy frame!

Noel - FINISHED!

"Noel"
NeedleMagic, Inc.
Started 2/21/2012, Finished 1/29/2013

Here is my progress on Singing the Blues, my Monday SAL with Linda.  I stitched the letters G-N.

Singing the Blues update #3

My cross stitching plans for 2013

Cross stitching plans are more fun to make than New Year's Resolutions (which I never do)!  Tomorrow is a new start for a new year of stitching!  How exciting! Which stitching challenges and SALs have you signed up for in 2013?  Here is my list:

The photos in my side bar are linked to the sign-up pages.

2013 Ornament SAL:  Stitch an ornament each month for any holiday.  Post a picture on your blog on the last Wednesday of the month.  Leave a link to your blog post on the Stitching Lotus blog.

Turtle Trot SAL:  Choose 13 UFOs/WIPs and post progress photos on your blog by the 13th of each month.  Leave a link to your blog post on the BAP-Attack blog.

WIPocalypse 2013:  Make a list of all your WIPs to finish before the apocalypse in 2012 (this didn't happen so the end of the world has been extended indefinitely).  Post progress photos on your blog on the Full Moon of each month.  Leave a link to your blog post on Measi's Musings blog.

TUSAL:  For this Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long, save all your ORTs (old ratty threads) in a jar and post a picture on your blog on the New Moon of each month.  Leave a link to your blog post on Daffycat's blog.

Ultimate Crazy January Challenge:  Start a new project each day for the first 15 days in January or 31 days (for the Ultimate version) and try to complete them during the year.  Sign up on the Crazy January Challenge Yahoo Group or the CrosstitchCrazy2013 Facebook Group.

Halloween House SAL:  Ten of us started stitching Halloween House by Ursula Michael in January 2012 and the plan is to stitch on it every Friday.  Only one person has finished it so far.  I have missed the last 8 Fridays (oops!) but I haven't given up on it yet!

Prairie Schooler SAL:  This is a SAL with Linda and Rosemary of the Spring & Fall and Summer & Winter charts.  There are 12 monthly designs and the plan is to stitch on them every Saturday.  I finished 4 of the 12 months and missed stitching the last 10 Saturdays (oops!) but haven't given up yet!

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas SAL:  This is a SAL with Linda and Kaye of the Prairie Schooler designs for Santa's 12 Days of Christmas.  There are 3 booklets for Days 1-4, Days 5-8, and Days 9-12.  The plan is to stitch on them every Sunday.  I finished 3 of the 12 days and missed stitching the last 10 Sundays (oops!) but haven't given up yet!

Boo! Club SAL:  Linda and I have joined a SAL with Lesleyanne and Angela of the Lizzie Kate Boo! Club series.  Angela is stitching Halloween Rules.  The goal is to finish one design per month and there are 12 designs.

So now I'm off to Joann's to get some floss.  It's on sale for 4 for $1 and I also have a 10% off total purchase coupon (yesterday it was 15% off but I got there too late).

Happy Stitchy New Year, everyone!