My friends are having giveaways!

I'm passing the word on to everyone... Heather is having an awesome giveaway of six Little House Needleworks and Country Cottage Needleworks charts.  Just visit her blog HERE.  Drawing on February 12.  Good luck!

Melissa is having a giveaway to celebrate her birthday and reaching 200 followers on her blog! The prize is a $15 gift certificate to 123Stitch and a Blackburn Designs chart.  Just visit her blog HERE.  Drawing on February 17.  Good luck!

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

Crazy January starts 25-27

Only four more new starts for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge!  I have 2 charts and 2 kits left for the Random Number Generator to choose for me.  I chose one of the charts because I won it from a blog giveaway, but I haven't received it yet, so I might have to substitute it with something else from my stash.

Day #25 is Ring Around the Rosie by Sister M. I. Hummel, a Needle Treasures kit.  The floss colors in the chart don't seem to match the picture at all.  There are a lot of dreary grays and browns, which are not the usual bright colors I like to stitch with.  I'm using the 14 ct Aida from the kit and it will be a 10" circle.

Ring Around the Rosie

Wouldn't it be nice if I had the matching "Ring Around the Rosie" Hummel figurine?  I would love to display it on a shelf right under this finished cross stitch picture.  But they cost $500-$1850 on eBay, so that's not going to happen!

Day #26 is Bear by Roger Reinardy, a Janlynn Wildlife Series kit.  I'm using the 14 ct white Aida from the kit and it will be 5" x 7".  I plan to stitch more animals in this series in the future!  Linda also started this kit today.

Bear

Day #27 is Blessings Hang-Up by Diane Arthurs.  She will be cute to hang on the handle of my china cabinet in the dining room next fall!  I started a little on her basket.  It will be about 4" x 9" on 14 ct white Aida.

Blessings Hang-Up

Happy Stitchy Monday, everyone!

My first WIPocalypse update for 2013!

The apocalypse didn't happen on December 21, 2012, after all, so we still have time to finish all our WIPs.  You can sign up for the WIPocalypse on Measi's blog and then post progress photos on your blog on the Full Moon of each month.

I started 2013 with 49 WIPs and have added 26 more, since I'm starting a new one every day in January for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge.  A picture of every WIP is on my WIPocalypse page.

I finally made some progress on Universal Unity, a Dimensions Gold Collection kit that I started in 1998.  I stitched the grass under the deer.  This kit is on eBay right now! You can buy it HERE.

Universal Unity update #2

Universal Unity update #2

I also stitched some black outlines on Stained Glass Nativity, a needlepoint kit that I started in 1980.

Stained Glass Nativity update #2

I did the backstitching on the leaves and flowers of Hummingbird by Teresa Wentzler.

Hummingbird update #4

I stitched the letters Q-Y on Singing the Blues, a Monday SAL with Linda.

Singing the Blues update #2

I stitched the outline for Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 4), a Sunday SAL with Linda and Kaye.

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 4)

I stitched more green on the roof of Halloween House, a Friday SAL with Linda and 10 others.

Halloween House update #24

Since the last WIPocalypse post, I finished So Many Tools and the first part of Lizzie-Kate's Boo! Club (Spooky).

So Many Tools - FINISHED!

Boo! Club (Spooky) - FINISHED!

Now you can see that I'm still trying to keep up with all my WIPs and not just starting something new everyday!

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

Happy Stitching, everyone!

Crazy January starts 22-24

Only one more week of January to start something new everyday!  Then I'll have a fun year of stitching all these, plus the WIPs from 2012!

Day #22 is Black Cat Alphabet by Isabelle Haccourt Vautier, a freebie chart I found HERE.  The cat is missing a leg!  I stitched the fourth leg twice and ripped it out twice because it looked funny.  Oh well!  I like these simple designs when I can choose any floss and any fabric.  I'm blending black and DMC 53, steel gray variegated floss on 14 ct orange hand-dyed Aida.  The finished size will be 8" x 3.5".

Black Cat Alphabet

Day #23 is Cut Thru' Igloo by Amanda Loverseed from Bothy Threads.  I bought the pages torn out of a cross stitch magazine, the December 2006 issue of UK Cross Stitcher, on eBay in the UK.  You can find this magazine on eBay HERE.  You can also buy the chart with specialty floss HERE.  I'm stitching it on 14 ct hand-dyed lavender Aida and the finished size will be about 9" x 9".

Cut Thru' Igloo

Day #24 is PTP Special Delivery by Heaven and Earth Designs (HAED).  Isn't that a cute baby?  This petit point chart is only 120x120 stitches (small for a HAED).  I am stitching 2 over 1, full crosses on 22 ct white Hardanger fabric, so it will be 5.5" square.

PTP Special Delivery

My daughter took these pics with her cell phone yesterday of our cats, Billy, Blueberrie, and Bubbles:

 

Crazy January starts 19-21

I'm still keeping up with a new start every day!  The rest of the year will be so much fun when I can stitch anything I want.

Day #19 is Yo Ho Ho Ho by Sue Hillis Designs.  It's hard to see, but I started with Santa's white beard in the center of the design.  I also stitched the fur on the cuffs and hem of his coat.  I am stitching it on 14 ct gold dusted Stardust Aida and it will be 4" x 6". You can click on the picture to make it bigger and then maybe you can see my stitches!

Yo Ho Ho Ho

Day #20 is Circle of Songbirds, a kit by Janlynn.  I bought this about 15 years ago and I'm finally starting it now.  I decided to use 28 ct linen instead of the white 14 ct Aida that came in the kit.  The finished size will be a 12" circle, so I need to find a 14" square frame.

Circle of Songbirds

Day #21 is Autumn Heart, a freebie from Anne les Petites Croix.  I am stitching it on 14 ct white Aida and it will be 6" x 5.5".

Autumn Heart

Only 10 more new starts in the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge!  I wonder which one I'll finish first!

Crazy January starts 16-18

The second half of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge has begun!

Day #16 is Shiver Me Timbers by Sue Hillis Designs.  I started with the parrot but didn't do the backstitching yet.  It is stitched on 18 ct light blue Aida and will be 5-1/2" x 7".

Shiver Me Timbers

Day #17 is All Hallows Eve by Glendon Place.  It is like the 12 Days of Christmas, but for Halloween!  It took me over 2 hours just to do these letters! I'm stitching over 2 on 28 ct Queen Anne's Lace Jobelan.  The finished size will be 12-1/2" x 21".

All Hallows Eve

Day #18 is Santa Hang-Up by Diane Arthurs.  This fabric is really sparkly but it's hard to get it to show up in the photo.  It is stitched over 2 on 20 ct Valerie Gold/Cream fabric and will be 5" x 12-1/2".

Santa Hang-Up

I wonder what the Random Number Generator will choose for me to start tomorrow!  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Boo! Club - Spooky is finished!

Linda and I started stitching the 12 designs in the Boo! Club series by Lizzie Kate last year and never touched them again after the first day.  Now we joined Lesleyanne and Angela in a SAL so we'll try to finish one part each month. Hurray!  I finished the first design, Spooky.  I am stitching all 12 designs together on 28 ct Prairie Grain linen.  The finished size will be 5-1/2" x 24".

Boo! Club (Spooky) - FINISHED!

"Spooky"
Boo! Club series
Lizzie Kate
Started 2/4/2012, Finished 1/17/2013

Linda and I also started Singing the Blues by Little House Needleworks last January and didn't touch it again after the first day.  Now we're having a SAL by stitching this design on Mondays.  I'm using DMC 91 blue variegated floss on 28 ct Platinum linen.  The finished size will be 6" x 6".

Singing the Blues update #1

Even though I'm still starting a new project everyday, I haven't forgotten about my starts from last year!  I'm happy to stitch on something new and something old everyday.  I told my boyfriend that I'm a "manic stitcher."  LOL.  I hope my stitchy bug doesn't wear off anytime soon!

We had a few unusually cold days here in Sunny Southern California, but now the weather is back to normal!

125 year old sampler on eBay!

Isn't this a wonderful story?  A school won the eBay auction for this 125-year-old sampler stitched by one of their students in 1889!
Ebay buy reveals links to school’s past - News - North Devon Gazette

Crazy January starts 13-15

Well, I'm halfway through the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge!  Some stitchers start 15 new designs for the first 15 days of January, but I'll do it all month long!

Day #13 is Christmas Ark by The Prairie Schooler.  The chart gives the option of stitching Santa or Noah, and I chose Noah.  I finished half of one wave, from the center to the left edge.  I'm stitching on 18 ct Pale Delft Blue Aida and the finished size will be 11" x 8.5".

Christmas Ark

Day #14 is Vinney Reindeer by Fresh Threads Studio.  The red blob is an ornament. There will be three ornaments hanging from his antlers.  It is stitched on 18 ct hand-dyed Aida in a greenish-bluish color with sparkles and will be 3" x 3-1/4".

Vinney Reindeer

Day #15 is Majestic Eagle, a kit by Sunset that I bought 14 years ago.  My son picked it out when he was 14 and now he's 28!  I started with the bald eagle's head.  There are lots of blended floss colors.  It is stitched on 16 ct Dove Grey Aida and will be 16" x 9".

Majestic Eagle

This is also one of my Turtle Trot SAL pieces, so I hope to post updates on it once a month.  It's not the usual bright colors I like to stitch, but I think it will look very realistic.

Always read the directions!

I always follow the directions in everything I do, or at least I thought I did!  I started Hummingbird by Teresa Wentzler last year for Day #3 of the UCJC 2012.  You can find the free chart HERE.  The flowers and leaves are stitched over 2, and the hummingbird will be stitched over 1.  I finished all the flowers and leaves and was just about to start the backstitching, when I realized that it was supposed to be stitched using 4 strands of floss and not just 2!  The hummingbird will use only 2 strands.  So I stitched over the flowers and leaves all over again with 2 more strands, to make a total of 4.  I didn't want to rip everything out and start over!  I'm making this for me so I don't mind if it's not perfect.  Can you tell the difference by using 2 strands and 4 strands?

Hummingbird update #3

Turtle Trot SAL - January

Claudette of BAP-Attack has started a new stitch-a-long called the Turtle Trot SAL.  You can sign up on her blog HERE.  Just post pictures of 13 projects you would like to work on in 2013 (not necessarily finish).  Take your time and stitch how much or little you like.  Then post progress pics on what you have done by the 13th of each month.  Very simple and no pressure!  Here are my 13 that I have chosen to make some progress on this year.  I will also keep pics of them on my Turtle Trot SAL page.

1. Stained Glass Nativity

2. Universal Unity

3. Thomas Kinkade's Lamplight Bridge

4. The Sorcerer

5. Flaming June

6. All's Good in the Hood

7. Merry Christmas

8. Disney Princess Birth Announcement

9. Passione Ricamo Fairy Mystery SAL

10. Day of the Dead

11. Majestic Eagle (haven't started yet)

12. Orange Poppies (haven't started yet)

13. Canyon Waterfall

Thank you for watching my progress!  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Crazy January starts 10-12

I'm still having fun using the Random Number Generator to choose a new start each day from my UCJC 2013 page!

Day #10 is Fall Welcome, an Imaginating chart by Diane Arthurs.  I started with one of the pumpkins.  It is stitched on 14 ct Lambswool Aida and will be about 4" x 15".

Fall Welcome

Day #11 is Halloween Happiness, an Imaginating chart by Sandra Cozzolino.  I stitched the dark part of the moon.  It will be 3.5" x 11.5" on 18 ct Davos fabric. I don't know the color name, some kind of brown.

Halloween Happiness

Day #12 is Hamburger & French Fries from the Incredible Edibles designs.  I started stitching the top and bottom bun on a Charles Craft huck towel with a 14 ct Aida insert.  I might give this away as a gift.  It all depends if I fall in love with it or not!  LOL

Incredible Edibles (Hamburger & French Fries)

I bought an 11" x 14" red metal frame at Joann's for So Many Tools.  I didn't want to get something too big with a mat.  Red is my dad's favorite color!

So Many Tools - FRAMED!

Happy Birthday, Dad!