Cherry finish and 3 more tools!

Yippee!  I finished Cherry for the Fruits & Berries quilt for World of Charity Stitching.  It is about 6" square.  This is a free design from Ann Logan in the Czech Republic.  Click HERE and scroll down to Existing Albums for lots of great free charts!

Cherry - FINISHED!

"Cherry"
Designed by Ann Logan
Ann's Cross-Stitch Patterns
Started 10/10/2012, Finished 11/19/2012

This week I stitched a mallet, vice grip pliers, and the little keychain thing (what's it called?).  There are 14 tools left and 5 weeks until Christmas!

So Many Tools update #9

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

November 10-12, per Random Number Generator!

I hope to finish some more of my Ultimate Crazy January Challenge starts before the end of the year.  The Random Number Generator chose these designs.  It's still fun to see the winning number pop up!

November 10 - #21 Pac-Man.  The only video games I ever played at the arcade were Pac-Man and Ms. Pac-Man, very simple ones with only a joystick.  I couldn't handle anything more complicated than that!  Does anyone remember back in the day when you had to go somewhere and bring quarters to play pinball machines and video games?  This was hundreds of years ago before you could play video games in your own home!  I stitched more yellow and light blue outlining.  This is on 14 ct black Aida.  I'm making this one for me!

Pac-Man update #1

November 11 - #47 Leo.  This is a free chart from Stitch Alley.  I started this one in February and today I stitched more of the lion's head.  I'm making this one for my daughter, since her zodiac sign is Leo.  It is simple black on red 14 ct Aida.

Leo update #1

November 12 - #41 Noel.  I started this ornament in February but haven't touched it since.  Today I stitched the letters E and L.  I'm glad the Random Number Generator picked this one to stitch.  In fact, I'm happy whatever WIP is chosen!

Noel update #1

Three more tools and TUSAL #11 update!

This week I finished the power drill, wrench, and C-clamp.  That leaves 17 tools to go and 6 weeks until Christmas!  My ORT jar for the year is filling up nicely!  I've been happily stitching every day!

TUSAL #11

So Many Tools update #8

Remember to check in on Daffycat's blog with a link to your TUSAL update, too!

November 7-9, per Random Number Generator!

You can see current pics of all of my WIPs on my WIPocalypse page.  I let the Random Number Generator choose which one to stitch on each day!

November 7 - #16 I'll Get You My Pretty.  This is a free chart from Sue Hillis Designs.  I started this for Day #11 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge.  It is stitched over 2 on 32 ct Voodoo Belfast linen from Picture This Plus.  I stitched a bat and started the witch.  It's too bad I didn't have it finished in time for Halloween, but it will be ready for next year!  Actually, I can display it year-round with my Wizard of Oz collection!

I'll Get You My Pretty update #1

November 8 - #5 Thomas Kinkade's Lamplight Bridge.  I bought this Candamar kit many years ago.  This is an embellished cross stitch, where the picture is printed on the fabric and I stitch over it with full and half stitches, French knots, and backstitching.  I finished the flowers and bushes above the bridge on the left side and the three lamp posts.

Lamplight Bridge update #4

This is the full picture.  I have stitched the left side so far.  The right side will have lots of French knots in the flowers.  This is on 14" x 17" Q-Snaps.

Lamplight Bridge update #4

November 9 - #39 Christmas Sampler.  I am stitching the small square design in the And to All a Good Night booklet by The Prairie Schooler.  This one was started for the Super Duper Ultimate Crazy February Challenge when Linda and I started a new design every day in February.  She's not talking me into it again next year!  I stitched one of the four reindeer.  This is on 28 ct Antique White Jobelan, stitched over 2.

Christmas Sampler update #1

I love to shop for stash at thrift stores, don't you?  On Friday, I found a brand new in the box Edmunds Universal Craft Stand with scroll frame for only $15.  I also bought about 40 skeins of floss for $4.  I really like getting the baggies full of old unusual floss brands, then matching them up to DMC numbers using my DMC floss card, since most of these brands don't have conversions.  The brands are American Thread Co. Star Six Strand, Trebla, Duchess, Sari Sticktwist, Bucilla, J&P Coats, Anchor, Clark's, Peri-Lusta, Lily, Royal Moulon, and Brilliante D'Alger floss.  The best deal I found at a thrift store near Yosemite National Park that had baggies with 100 skeins of J&P Coats floss for $8.  Out of all these brands, I like stitching with Anchor and Peri-Lusta the best!  Here is a pic of some of the floss that I haven't sorted yet:

November 4-6, per Random Number Generator!

I'm using the Random Number Generator to choose something new to stitch everyday from my WIPocalypse page!

November 4 - #52 Day of the Dead.  I'm making this flowery skull from the Twisted Stitches book.  My daughter asked me to stitch it for her.  I stitched the vines and flower on the cheek.  This is on 18 ct white Aida.

Day of the Dead update #2

November 5 - #36 Quoth the Raven.  This is a free design from Lady Kell of Kincavel.  It will say "Never More."  This will be a gift for my nephew, who is an Edgar Allan Poe fan (who isn't?).  I finished stitching the black raven.  This is on 14 ct red Aida.

Quoth the Raven update #2

November 6 - #27 The 12 Days of Christmas.  I haven't touched this Prairie Schooler design since I started it for Day #30 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge.  I am using Victoria Motto Sampler Shoppe hand-dyed floss for the dark red.  I finished the vines and the words and started the hen.  Linda has also started this design, and she gave me the 18 ct light tan Aida for this.  Thank you, Linda!

The 12 Days of Christmas update #1

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

Halloween House and So Many Tools updates!

I finally started on the green roof of Halloween House.  This is all the light green on one side.  I stitch this on Fridays.

Halloween House update #23

So Many Tools has 20 tools left, and 7 weeks until Christmas!  This toolbox with socket set took forever to backstitch!

So Many Tools update #7

If you're in the USA, don't forget to vote tomorrow!  My daughter is working at a polling station from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.  I'll go after work.  I hope the line isn't too long!

November 1-3, per Random Number Generator!

Hi everyone!  I don't want any of my WIPs to turn into UFOs, so I'm letting the Random Number Generator pick a project from my WIPocalypse page to stitch on each day.

November 1 - #18 Gallinas (Spanish for chickens).  I found this free chart on a Spanish website, nacaranta.com.  This was the Day #13 start of my Ultimate Crazy January Challenge.  I got all the outlining done on one of the chickens.

Gallinas update #1

November 2 - #1 Stained Glass Nativity.  Can you believe I started this needlepoint design in 1980?  I didn't touch it from 1981 until November 2011, when I stitched a little bit more, but then it sat again for another year until now.  I have finished the center panel and now it's two-thirds done!

Stained Glass Nativity update #1

November 3 - #32 Boule Bordeaux.  I found this free chart on a French blog, Le blog de Vava.  I started this one in February as one of the Super Duper Ultimate Crazy February Challenge starts.  I stitched more of the gold background using gold metallic DMC 5282.  This is on perforated paper.

Boule Bordeaux update #1

Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is having an awesome giveaway of 25 items for the first 25 days of December!  Just leave a comment on her blog HERE and mention my name so I'll get more entries!  Good luck and happy stitching!

WIPocalypse update #11

I've had four more finishes since the last WIPocalypse update!  I hope the world is not ending soon, because I still have a lot of cross stitching to do!  Check in on Measi's blog with your update, too!

Jolly Jack was a traveling pattern that I received from Denise and passed on to Nancy.

Jolly Jack - FINISHED!

Now I have 4 of the 12 months finished of these Prairie Schooler designs in the Spring & Fall and Summer & Winter booklets.

Summer & Winter (June) FINISHED!

Now I have 3 of the 12 days of Christmas finished of these Prairie Schooler designs.

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Days 1-3) FINISHED!

I finished this freebie design that I found on an Italian blog, http://www.il-mondo-di-ezechiele.com/

Christmas Cactus - FINISHED!

Here is my progress on BBQ Queen, a SAL with Linda, who is stitching Lady Liberty, another design by Diane Arthurs.  After the flag is done, there is still a lot of backstitching to do on the flag, sun, and dress.

BBQ Queen update #21

This was Halloween House at the last WIPocalypse update:

Halloween House update #20

And here is Halloween House now:

Halloween House update #22

This was So Many Tools at the last WIPocalypse update:

So Many Tools update #2

And here is So Many Tools now:

So Many Tools update #6

I also started a new square for a Fruits & Berries quilt for World of Charity Stitching.

Cherry update #3

Starting on November 1, I'm going to click on the Random Number Generator to choose something different to stitch every day from my WIPocalypse page.  It will be a good warm-up for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge 2013, when Linda and I will start something new every day in January (15 just isn't enough)!  Who is going to join us?

More progress on So Many Tools!

So Many Tools update #6

I met my goal of stitching three more tools this week!  Now you can see the yellow-handled pliers, a small red jar (oil can?), and a circular saw blade.  It's a good thing I don't mind the backstitching because there sure is a lot of it!  There are 22 more tools to go and 8 weeks until Christmas!

I haven't been stitching everyday this week like I usually do, because I've been posting some items to eBay. Just some stuff from around the house and garage, and things that my mom and daughter asked me to sell.  This could go on for months!  I spend so much time taking pictures and doing research and writing the ad and choosing just the right background for each auction, but it's fun!  See if there's anything you like HERE.

Whoo hoo! Christmas Cactus is finished!

I found this free pattern on an Italian blog.  It was fun stitching the bright colors on red Aida.  I used DMC Satin floss for the Christmas lights.  I hope to find the perfect Christmas fabric and trim to make a hanging ornament or flat-fold out of this design.

Christmas Cactus - finished!

"Christmas Cactus"
Designed by Gloria Coccia
http://www.il-mondo-di-ezechiele.com
Started 1/25/2012, Finished 10/25/2012

Now I will move it off my WIPocalypse page and onto my Finishes 2012 page!  This was one of my Ultimate Crazy January Challenge starts, where I started something new every day in January (and February).  Then I kept starting more new things during the year, as you can see in the list on my side bar.  I suppose it's time to start planning my 31 new starts for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge 2013.  How about you?

Two Prairie Schooler finishes and 3 more tools!

Now Santa has 3 French hens, 2 turtle doves, and a partridge in a pear tree!  Only 9 more days of Christmas to go!  All 12 of these Prairie Schooler designs will be stitched on one big piece of fabric.  Linda and Kaye are stitching these, too.

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 3) finished!

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 3) finished!

"Santa's 12 Days of Christmas" (Day 3)

Book No. 125

Designed by Pamela Byrd Smith

The Prairie Schooler

Started 8/5/2012, Finished 10/23/2012

Now I have finished March, April, May, and June of these monthly Prairie Schooler designs.  Linda and Rosemary are stitching these, too.

Summer & Winter (June) finished!

"Summer & Winter" (June)

Book No. 91

Designed by Pamela Byrd Smith

The Prairie Schooler

Started 8/20/2012, Finished 10/20/2012

I met my goal of stitching three tools this week!  Now you can see the pliers, tape measure, and a screwdriver.  Only 9 weeks until Christmas and 25 tools to go!

So Many Tools update #5