Theme-A-Licious Jubilee July

The theme for last month was Jubilee July, "It's time to celebrate! What are you celebrating this year? Stitch on your holiday-related projects, OR find some WIPs you know you'll never finish and set them free."

I stitched on Halloween and Christmas designs in July, which I actually do all year long!

I started Brew, which is part 9 of Boo! Club.  I think I'll finish the whole thing by Halloween this year!

Boo! Club (Brew)

I also started part 2 of Very Scary Mystery Sampler by doing the border on the right side.  I might finish this one by Halloween 2015!

Very Scary (Part 2)

For Christmas stitching, I finished Santa's jacket and pants on Santa's 12 Days of Christmas.  No, I don't think all 12 days will be finished by Christmas this year, but I'll get there eventually!

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 6) update #4

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 6) update #4

I also finally finished the Stained Glass Nativity needlepoint this month!

Stained Glass Nativity - FINISHED!

The first three animals of Brooke's Books Advent Animals are finished.

Brooke's Books Advent Animals 1-3

 I stitched on Santa Hang-Up while I was waiting in an airport for 3 hours.

Santa Hang-Up update #9

I also added more cross stitch videos to YouTube showing some WIPs and finishes in July!

Cross Stitch video #4

Cross Stitch video #5

The theme for this month will be Author! Author! August.  "The words are speaking this month! Hunt out those WIPs with a verse or two.  It's time those projects with words and sentences grew."

I have several wordy WIPs to choose from to stitch in August!

Check in on Heather's blog, It's Geek to Me, to see what everyone else stitched for the holiday theme in July!

Theme-A-Licious June Jolt

The theme for last month was June Jolt, "School's out for the summer! Let's work on things with sunshine in them or REALLY bright colors.  Summer is here!"

I finished part 8 of 12 on Boo! Club.  I like the bright Halloween colors in this design!

Boo! Club (Fright) - FINISHED!

"Fright"
Boo! Club series
Lizzie*Kate
28 ct Prairie Grain linen
Started 1/16/2014, Finished 6/28/2014

I also finally finished part 1 of Very Scary Mystery Sampler!  Hopefully, parts 2 and 3 won't take me quite as long to do!

Very Scary (Part 1) - FINISHED!

"Very Scary Mystery Sampler" (Part 1)
Lizzie*Kate
30 ct Tin Roof linen
Started 7/25/2012, Finished 7/1/2014

I also finished The Sorcerer and The Sorceress!  I'll pick them up from the framer tomorrow.  They will be framed together with gold, purple, and red mats.

The Sorcerer and The Sorceress - FINISHED!

The theme for this month will be Jubilee July, "It's time to celebrate! What are you celebrating this year? Stitch on your holiday-related projects, OR find some WIPs you know you'll never finish and set them free."

I have Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas designs to stitch.  I might even stitch on some Easter designs, too!

Check in on Heather's blog, It's Geek to Me, to find more blog posts with the bright colors theme this month!

Theme-A-Licious Menagerie May

The theme for last month was Menagerie May, "Is it a zoo in your stack of WIPs? How many projects can you find that include animals or birds?"

I have lots of WIPs with animals and birds and this was just the right incentive to stitch on some of them that have been ignored for awhile!

On Bird Nest (No 2), I stitched more of the pretty pink bird from Yiota's XStitch.  I started this one in the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge 2012.

Bird Nest (No 2) update #3

Yiota's XStitch kits come with all the floss on bobbins already.  Isn't this nice?

I stitched the other back leg on Leo, a freebie from Stitch Alley.

Leo update #5

I stitched an owl on Picnic Area.

Picnic Area update #7

I stitched another little bird on Thankful Critters.

Thankful Critters update #13

I also started stitching another crow and the basket on Fall Welcome.

Fall Welcome update #12

And here's another bird, a goose on Santa's 12 Days of Christmas!  The gap in the middle is where Santa's arm is holding him.

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 6) update #2

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 6) update #2

I filled in the rest of the raccoon and started the zebra on Universal Unity. This is on a 14" x 17" Q-snap.  Since I'm right-handed, I turn it upside-down to stitch the zebra so it will be closer to the right side.  Do any of you stitch your designs upside-down, too? 

Universal Unity update #17

Check in on Heather's blog, It's Geek to Me, to see links to more blog posts with the animals theme this month!

Heather sent me this amazing prize package for suggesting the theme for April Showers.  All the goodies have the "water" theme.  She sent an April Showers chart from Country Cottage Needleworks and a kit to make a Lighthouse scissors charm. The fabric colors are Seafoam and Neptune blue.  But the most amazing part is the floss with names like Tropical Ocean, Mediterranean, Seafan, Silver Icicle, and Sea Turtle!  She included a vinyl project pouch to protect my WIPs from getting wet! Thank you so very much, Heather!

April Showers Theme-a-licious prize package!

The theme for this month will be June Jolt, "School's out for the summer! Let's work on things with sunshine in them or REALLY bright colors.  Summer is here!" (Northern Hemisphere... LOL)

My WIPs with sunshine and bright colors are Stained Glass Nativity, The Sorcerer and The Sorceress, Flaming June, Pac-Man, Holiday Cheer, Thankful Critters, Fractal 156 bookmark, Dance of the Geckos, Triple Jack-o-Lanterns, Beach Babe, Basket of Fruit, Orange Poppies, Jacks are Wild, Trick or Treat Greeting, and Believe.

I'm looking forward to making some progress on these to share with you on July 1! Happy Stitching, everyone!

Theme-A-Licious April Showers

The theme for last month was April Showers, "What pieces can you find in your flood of WIPs that include water? Rivers, lakes, oceans, or rain (and anything that lies within)."  I was thrilled that Heather of It's Geek to Me used my theme suggestion and will send me a prize!

I had a lot of WIPs with water to choose from, but I only managed to stitch on one of them!  I finished the elephant and stitched a row of waves on Christmas Ark by The Prairie Schooler.

Christmas Ark update #3

I also started and finished this cute little Winter Witch freebie from The Snowflower Diaries for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL but she has "frozen water" snowflakes so this one can count, too!

Winter Witch - FINISHED!

"Winter Witch"
Designed by Maja Matyas Szilagyi
The Snowflower Diaries
18 ct green hand-dyed Aida
Started 4/30/2014, Finished 5/1/2014

The theme for this month is Menagerie May, "Is it a zoo in your stack of WIPs? How many projects can you find that include animals or birds?"

I have lots of those!  My WIPs with animals are Universal Unity, Bird Nest (No 2), Santa's 12 Days of Christmas, Gallinas, Gatitos, Thankful Critters, The 12 Days of Christmas, Boo! Club, Eeyore & Butterfly, Dance of the Geckos, Christmas Sampler, Feeding the Rabbits, Leo, Very Scary Mystery Sampler, Easter Hang-Up, Picnic Area, Fall Welcome, Halloween Happiness, Christmas Ark, Majestic Eagle, Shiver Me Timbers, All Hallows Eve, Circle of Songbirds, Black Cat Alphabet, Bear, We're Off to See the Wizard, Rudolph Wreath, Hungarian Peacock Sampler, Snow Bear and Sleigh, Nesting Season, Wolf, The Wizard of Oz, Cats in Hats - Samantha, October Witch Snowlady, Trick or Treat Greeting, Penguins at Play, and Heaven and Nature Sampler.

Hopefully I'll find time to stitch on some of these during May and post updates on June 1.  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Theme-A-Licious March Madness (final)

The theme for this month is March Madness, "Work on something different every day... it's madness... of the funnest possible kind."  I used the Random Number Generator to pick a number from 1-95 for a WIP from my WIPocalypse list to stitch on every day.  Instead of listing all 31 of them here, I posted updates every Saturday. See my prior blog posts:
March 1-7
March 8-14
March 15-21
March 22-28

March 29 - #83, Disney Princesses:  I stitched Pocahontas, now only 11 more to go!

Disney Princesses update #1

March 30 - #95, Remember the Alamo:  I stitched the T and started the Texas flag.

Remember the Alamo update #1

March 31 - #12, Uber Christmas Tree:  I stitched more green and some red balls and started the silver bell.

Uber Christmas Tree update #2

The theme for this month is April Showers, "What pieces can you find in your flood of WIPs that include water? Rivers, lakes, oceans, or rain (and anything that lies within)."

My water WIPs include Thomas Kinkade's Lamplight Bridge, Flaming June, Cut Thru' North Pole House, Canyon Waterfall, Christmas Ark, Christmas on the Beach, Cut Thru' Pirate Ship, and The Wave.  I'll try to stitch on some of these during April and post updates on May 1.  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Theme-A-Licious March Madness (week 4)

The theme for this month is March Madness, "Work on something different every day... it's madness... of the funnest possible kind."  I used the Random Number Generator to pick a number from 1-95 for a WIP from my WIPocalypse list to stitch on each day.  I'll post an update every weekend with the choices for the prior week.

March 22 - #51, Yo Ho Ho Ho:  I stitched the pirate Santa's hat.

Yo Ho Ho Ho update #3

March 23 - #46, Christmas Ark:  I stitched more of the elephant using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe overdyed floss.

Christmas Ark update #2

Christmas Ark update #2

March 24 - #87, Best of Friends:  I stitched a little more in the lower left corner. This whole design is printed on the Aida so I don't have to look at a chart. It's so easy! The colors will all wash out with water when I am done.

Best of Friends update #1

Best of Friends update #1

This is how it will look when finished (some day):

Best of Friends

March 25 - #78, Spring Sampler:  I stitched a row using lemon-lime Perle cotton.  All the floss is from Dinky Dyes.

Spring Sampler update #1

March 26 - #85, Believe:  I stitched more of Santa's red coat.  This is on 28 ct black linen.

Believe update #1

Believe update #1

March 27 - #26, Christmas Sampler:  I stitched another reindeer on this Prairie Schooler design.

Christmas Sampler update #3

March 28 - #35, Easter Hang-Up:  I finished the basket and stitched the background using Dragonflylotus Handspun Handpainted wool thread in Sunlit Quackenbush, but the 5-yard skein (1 ply) wasn't enough with only 6 stitches left at the bottom to do, so I'll just change the border design a bit, unless anyone out there has a little 6-inch piece to spare?

Easter Hang-Up update #2

My final Theme-a-licious blog post will be on April 1, with the last 3 days of the month and all the March Madness links.  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Theme-A-Licious March Madness (week 3)

The theme for this month is March Madness, "Work on something different every day... it's madness... of the funnest possible kind."  I used the Random Number Generator to pick a number from 1-95 for a WIP from my WIPocalypse list to stitch on each day.  I'll post an update every weekend with the choices for the prior week.

March 15 - #74, The Wizard of Oz: I started stitching the wicked witch. When I have big blocks of one color, I do the half stitches first when following the pattern, then it's easy to go back and cross the X's without looking at the chart.  Do you stitch this way or prefer one X or one row at a time?

The Wizard of Oz update #1

March 16 - #82, Trick or Treat Greeting:  I stitched the purple letter E and some backstitching.

Trick or Treat Greeting update #1

March 17 - #6, The Sorcerer:  I stitched more purple in his cloak.

The Sorcerer update #11

March 18 - #70, Snow Bear and Sleigh:  I stitched more blue half-stitches for the background.

Snow Bear and Sleigh update #1

March 19 - #50, Santa Hang-Up:  I did some backstitching and started his hat.

Santa Hang-Up update #8

March 20 - #86, Boo-gie Fever:  The skeleton has a hat now.

Boo-gie Fever update #1

March 21 - #11, Star Wars:  I finished stitching C3P0.

Star Wars update #3

I roll up the extra fabric and tuck it into the Q-Snap covers which I buy from Christine's Q-Snap Huggies.  Only 10 more days to go for March Madness!  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Theme-A-Licious March Madness (week 2)

The theme for this month is March Madness, "Work on something different every day... it's madness... of the funnest possible kind."  I used the Random Number Generator to pick a number from 1-96 for a WIP from my WIPocalypse list to stitch on each day.  I'll post an update every Saturday with the choices for the prior week.

March 8 - #12, I'll Get You My Pretty:  I stitched the moon, broom, and bat and it's finished!

I'll Get You My Pretty - FINISHED!

"I'll Get You My Pretty"
Designed by Sue Hillis
Sue Hillis Designs, Inc.
32 ct Voodoo Belfast linen from Picture This Plus
Started 1/11/2012, Finished 3/10/2014

March 9 - #42, Out for a Ride:  I stitched the rest of the snowman.  He'll get his scarf and hat next!

Out for a Ride update #3

March 10 - #16, Pac-Man:  I stitched more blue outlines.

Pac-Man update #3

March 11 - #20, The 12 Days of Christmas:  I finished this square with the hen.

The 12 Days of Christmas update #2

March 12 - #93, The Wave:  I stitched more blue sky.  This one is 28 pages and will take forever!

The Wave update #1

March 13 - #7, Flaming June:  I'm so excited that I finally got to stitch some orange!  I'm still on the first page and there are 25 pages in this one.

Flaming June update #8

March 14 - #55, Black Cat Alphabet:  I started filling in the cat using one strand of black and one strand of variegated steel gray blended together.

Black Cat Alphabet update #1

This is so much fun!  Maybe I should do this all year long!  LOL!