Smalls SAL - July

The last Wednesday of the month is time for the July Smalls SAL post!  I finished Mary Mouse, the third of 25 free Advent Animals from Brooke's Books and changed my blog header!

Mary Mouse - FINISHED!

"Mary Mouse"
Designed by Brooke Nolan
Brooke's Books Advent Animals Collection
14 ct Silver Starlite Aida
Started 7/24/2014, Finished 7/28/2014

There is a Facebook group for the Advent Animals Stitch-A-Long where you can see many more finishes.  They look great on different colors of fabric!

I also finished Boo!, a freebie from Glory Bee, for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL.  Each month is a different theme and July was Pumpkins.  I'd love to make it into a long rectangular pillow!

Boo! - FINISHED!

"Boo!"
Designed by Nancy Boyarsky
Glory Bee
14 ct Fiddlers Light Aida
Started 7/29/2014, Finished 7/29/2014

I used Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss for this design.  She's having a birthday giveaway of her hand-dyed floss, sampler patterns, and trims.  Enter HERE and tell Nancy that I sent you.  Drawing on August 14.  Good luck!

Framed finish and giveaways!

Hurray!  I actually finished this birthday gift and got it framed on time!  I started The Sorcerer way back in 2011 for the first Crazy January Challenge, and I started The Sorceress for the UCJC this year.  My best friend, Colleen, has always liked castles and dragons and wizards.  Our dads have been friends since they were in kindergarten and our moms met in high school.  They got married around the same time and she is only 2 days older than me, so she is just like a sister!  Now she lives in Texas and I'm still in California.  I will see her tomorrow for a visit!  My son is coming to her house too, and we'll all go to my daughter's graduation from Army boot camp together!

Here is her handmade birthday present!  You can click on the picture to see it bigger.

The Sorcerer and The Sorceress - FRAMED!

This was framed by Beth at Wilson's Frame-Up in Riverside, California.  The purple mat is linen and the gold and red mats match the stitching colors perfectly!  It was Beth's idea to get a charm and I found this wizard pendant on eBay.  The frame is brushed silver metal.  It's bigger and heavier than I expected.  The full size of the frame is 16" x 25" so it's 1 inch too big for carry-on.  I will wrap it in bubble wrap and surround it with all the clothes in my luggage.  Hopefully it makes the trip in one piece!

Here is a picture from a few years ago of both of us:

Colleen and Debbie

I'm also waiting until the very last minute to finish Alice from Resident Evil for my son's belated birthday present, since I'll see him tomorrow too!  I have a frame ready to pop it into tonight, or maybe tomorrow after I get off the plane!  LOL

Alice from Resident Evil update #8

Parsley of Seasons of My Mind blog is having a giveaway of this beautiful project bag to celebrate becoming an EMT!  Enter HERE and drawing is on July 21.

Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having a summer floss giveaway!  Enter HERE and tell Nancy that I sent you.  Drawing is on July 30.

Sadly, I have no YOTA update this month on Universal Unity, since I was stitching every day on the same thing (The Sorceress and Alice).  I'll get back to all my SALs after I come home from vacation.  

Happy Stitching, everyone!

Smalls SAL and TUSAL - May

The last Wednesday of the month is time for the May Smalls SAL post!  I just finished Peter Polar Bear, the second of 25 free Advent Animals from Brooke's Books.

Peter Polar Bear - FINISHED!

"Peter Polar Bear"
Designed by Brooke Nolan
Brooke's Books Advent Animals Collection
14 ct Green Starlite Aida
Started 5/22/2014, Finished 5/29/2014

There is a Facebook group for the Advent Animals Stitch-A-Long where you can see other finishes of Peter Polar Bear, too!

I also finished Frank-N-Stein for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL.  Each month is a different theme and May was Monsters.

Frank-N-Stein - FINISHED!

"Frank-N-Stein"
Raise the Roof Designs
32 ct tan linen
Started 5/27/2014, Finished 5/28/2014

Frank-N-Stein was a limited edition kit from 2008.  I'll have a drawing to give away this chart since I'm done with it, but it won't have the button.  Just mention in the comment if you're interested and I'll draw a name on Friday, June 6.  I'll mail it anywhere in the world.

It's also time for the Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long (TUSAL)!  Check in on Daffycat's blog with a link to your ORT jar photo, too!

TUSAL 2014 #6

My cat Billy is posing with my ORTs this time!

I'm a winner and another giveaway!

Annette of California Stitcher blog had a giveaway for her 2nd blogoversary and I was the lucky winner!  She wrapped it up so nicely with a pretty handmade card!

Annette is so very talented!  She sewed this zippered project pouch and matching needle book.  It is also the perfect size for a tablet or Kindle and it's nicely padded and fully lined with contrasting fabric.  She also included the Topiary in Bloom chart with linen, Cosmo floss, backing fabric and trim!  What a wonderful prize!  Thank you so very much, Annette!

I was also a very lucky winner of this new chart, "Popsicles" from Nancy of Pickle Barrel Designs!

Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having another giveaway!  This time it is for a Custom Family Name Sampler chart.  Instead of giving you an alphabet, your family name and date will be printed onto the chart for you.  Enter HERE for a chance to win and tell Nancy that I sent you!  Drawing on April 30.

Pickle Barrel Designs giveaway!

I'd like to introduce you to Nancy from Pickle Barrel Designs!  She is having a wonderful giveaway of one of her new charts (winner's choice).  Just become a new follower of her blog and let Nancy know that I sent you!  Leave a comment HERE to enter.  If I win, I'll choose "Popsicles."  Good luck!

I'm a winner and more stash!

Thank you so much to Lindsay from Caring Stitcher blog!  She picked my name to win her 10 year blogoversary surprise and I just received an amazing package of goodies in the mail today!  She wrapped everything in tiger striped tissue paper.

 Here is everything unwrapped:

 A nice Christmas tin to store stitchy goodies in, or fill it up with homemade candy and fudge!

A cute ornament chart with beads and buttons.

Lacy trim and 30 ct cream linen and an amazing beaded needle holder!

Lindsay sewed this purple Q-snap cover herself and also did all the beading on the needle holder!  Such amazing talent!

She also made this wonderful ornament with specialty stitches and cute pins and white velvet ribbon.  The fabric on the back had a design of different colored sewing pins.  Perfect!  Thank you so very much, Lindsay!  Happy 10th Blogoversary to you!

I also received this Jungle Baby chart from Bianca from the Random Acts of Stitching Kindness blog!  Thank you so much, Bianca!  I plan to stitch these cute animals separately and donate to World of Charity Stitching to be sewn onto a quilt or tote bag or pillow.  They accept any designs and not just for a quilt theme.

I also bought the Neighborhood Friends chart by Little House Needleworks.  100% of the sales from this dog chart and the Cats in the Garden chart by Shakespeare's Peddler will go to animal care organizations.  You can order them both HERE and nominate an animal shelter or rescue to receive some of the profits!  They surprised me with a skein of limited edition over-dyed floss!

VMSS Pick a Sampler chart giveaway!

Nancy from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is at it again!  She is having a wonderful giveaway of one of her new sampler charts (your choice)! Enter HERE and tell Nancy that I sent you!  Drawing on March 21. Good luck!

This is the one I will choose if I'm the winner:

You still have time to enter Nancy's hand-dyed floss giveaway HERE and tell Nancy that I sent you!  Drawing on March 10.  Good luck!

Cross stitching for my daughter!

I had to follow up my last post with another about the cross stitch gifts I'm making for my daughter!  She took French in high school and has always wanted to work in Paris, so most of the things for her are in French.  She has been to Europe four times and loves to travel!

I'm stitching the free Positive Thinking SAL from Jardin Privé in French, La Pensée Positive, for her.  This is on 18 ct baby pink Aida.  I finished part 2 using Cosmo Seasons variegated floss for the words.

La Pensée Positive update #3

I'm also using VMSS floss for the rest of the design.  I just found out that Nancy of Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is giving 10 lucky winners 5 skeins each of her hand-dyed floss in spring colors.  Her floss comes in 20-yard skeins so this is 100 yards for each winner!  Enter HERE and tell Nancy that I sent you!  Drawing on March 10.

The Hungarian Peacock Sampler will also be a gift for my daughter.  I'm using Cosmo Seasons variegated floss for this one, too.  I added another pretty peacock.

Hungarian Peacock Sampler update #1

This will be a hanging sign that says Merci on one side and Thank You on the other. It is a freebie from gazette94 that you can find HERE.  I used DMC 48, variegated baby pink floss on pale green mint parfait Aida.

Merci - FINISHED!

"Merci"
Designed by Claire Findlay
gazette94
14 ct mint parfait Aida
Started 2/28/2012, Finished 2/23/2014

Another one I'm stitching for her is Leo, a freebie from Stitch Alley, since that is her zodiac sign.  Her birthday is in August.  They have all the zodiac signs and lots of free charts.  I stitched his back and tail.

Leo update #3

The first cross stitch gift I made for my daughter was A Paris Kiss by Vervaco.  I only stitched it when she was at work, so it was a complete surprise when I gave it to her for her birthday!  This was my first time stitching on linen.

A Paris Kiss

She picked out this Day of the Dead sugar skull from the Twisted Stitches book, so I stitched this one for her, too!

Day of the Dead

I also made her this bookmark.  "J'aime lire" means "I love to read."  This was a freebie from Les petits bonheurs de Miss T blog.

J'aime lire bookmark

I've also stitched these French Christmas ornaments for her future Christmas tree, but haven't finished them into actual ornaments yet.  We really should have a crafty weekend some day and finish them up!

Bon Noel

Boule Bordeaux

Boules Baroques

C'est Noel

These are all freebie designs from gazette94, Le Blog de Vava, and The Sampler Girl.

Grow Your Blog giveaway winner!

I finished stitching the Earth on Universal Unity.  This is a Dimensions Gold Collection kit that I started in 1998.  It's about halfway done now!

Universal Unity update #13

I'll post another update on March 1 for the YOTA SAL.  The animal I'll be stitching next will be the fox.

The winner of the Grow Your Blog party $20 gift certificate to 123Stitch is . . .

Sheryl of Sewing After Seven!

 Sheryl S. said...

Hi Debbie, Returning your visit. I´m still making my way through the GYB list. Your work is lovely and I will follow your progress on all the new projects. be back to read more.

February 3, 2014 at 9:18 AM

 

I was also a winner of the Stitch From Stash drawing last month.  I received all the Prairie Schooler alphabet charts!  Has anyone else stitched these?  Is there a SAL group?  Shall we plan one for next year?

The Prairie Schooler alphabet series

Wonderful giveaways!

Kim from Wisdom with Needle and Thread blog is having an amazing blogoversary giveaway!
Enter HERE for a butterfly Limoges box painted by Kim.
Enter HERE for a Valentine box made by Kim.
Enter HERE for a purple beaded scissor fob made by Kim.
If you become a new follower and tell Kim that I sent you, I'll get another entry!  The winner gets everything and she is adding something else to the giveaway on February 12. Drawing on February 16.

Kevin from Cabbages and Kings blog is having a giveaway of a Sampler chart, linen and floss!  Enter HERE before 1:00 AM EST on February 7.  Drawing is tomorrow!

Donna from By the Bay Needleart is having a giveaway of a new Winter Holiday chart that she designed.  Enter HERE and she will pick 2 winners on February 8.

Linda from Stitchin with My Furbabies blog is celebrating her 3rd blogoversary with a giveway of a $20 gift certificate to 123-Stitch.  Just leave a comment HERE with your guess of how many WIPs/UFOs she has!  Last day to guess is February 15 and drawing will be on February 16.

Don't forget about my own giveaway of a $20 gift certificate to 123-Stitch!  Enter on my Grow Your Blog post and drawing will be on February 15.

Good luck and Happy Stitching, everyone!

Grow Your Blog

Good morning/afternoon/evening to all the cross stitchers and bloggers out there in blogland!  Welcome to the Grow Your Blog party hosted by Vicki of 2 Bags Full blog.

My name is Debbie and I live in Sunny Southern California, so I use the nickname SoCal Debbie.  I used to be a one-at-a-time stitcher but after joining the Crazy January Challenge in 2011, I went crazy for cross stitch!  We started 15 new projects in the first 15 days of January.  Then in 2012, 2013, and now 2014, I was in the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge and started something new every day in January!  I haven't finished them all yet, but I certainly intend to some day.  All of my current WIPs are listed on my WIPocalypse page.

This is my very first cross stitch project that I made in the 1970s when I was 11 years old.

Truth & Honor

I didn't stitch anything after that until high school, when I started this needlepoint project, Stained Glass Nativity, in 1980.

Stained Glass Nativity

I started Universal Unity, a Dimensions Gold Collection kit, in 1997, but sadly, it sat unloved in a box for 15 years until I picked it up again in 2012.

Universal Unity

These are my two oldest WIPs and I really hope to finish them this year!  The rest of my WIPs were started in 2011 or later and now I stitch every day.  No more waiting 10+ years in between!

Here are some of my favorite finished pieces:

My first big finish in 2011 was A Paris Kiss, a Vervaco kit from Belgium.  This was my first time stitching on 28 ct linen.

A Paris Kiss

In 2012, I finished my first Ursula Michael design, Trick or Treat.  There are many more of her designs in my WIP list now.

Trick or Treat

In 2013, I finished Cut Thru' Igloo by Bothy Threads.  Check out the Cut Thru' SAL page on my blog and also our Facebook group to see lots and lots of other Cut Thru' designs.  I have 2 more started and 3 more in my stash for the future.

Cut Thru' Igloo

Thank you so much for visiting my blog today!  If you'd like to watch my progress and cheer me on, please become a follower!  I'd love to help out another stitcher to add some much-needed stash to her supply by offering a $20 gift certificate to 123stitch.com.  Please leave a comment if you'd like to be entered in the drawing.  Anyone can win anywhere in the world!  I will choose a winner on February 15.

I can't wait to visit all the other blogs in the Grow Your Blog party!  Happy Stitching, everyone!