Pumpkins and more beer!

Hurray! I finished Pumpkin, part 7 of 12 on Boo! Club by Lizzie*Kate.  Only 5 more to go!  The buttons for the eyes will go on last.

Boo! Club (Pumpkin) - FINISHED!

"Pumpkin"
Boo! Club series
Lizzie*Kate
Started 6/22/2013, Finished 7/26/2013

Seven members of the SoCal Cross Stitchers Yahoo Group met to stitch together on Saturday.  This time we sat at outdoor tables with big shade umbrellas between the movie theater and restaurants.  The weather was perfect and we stitched from 10:00-5:00!

I made a little more progress on the Lizzie*Kate Very Scary Mystery Sampler by stitching the leaves on the pumpkins and another purple Quaker star (which I like to call a snowflake).

Very Scary (Part 1) update #7

I also finished two more bottles of beer on "99" by Ink Circles.

"99" update #2

Bottle #3 is Fat Tire Amber Ale, New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, Colorado.

Bottle #4 is Dead Guy Ale, Rogue Ales Brewery, Newport, Oregon.

I'm going to print out all these beer photos and put into a little photo album to go with the finished project, or better yet, I can upload the photos to a photo printing website and get a photo book made with all the beer bottles in order to match the finished cross stitch project!  How fun!

Igloo and beer!

This week I finished the pink Northern Lights and the North Star.  There will be more lavender Northern Lights, then lots of water to stitch.

Cut Thru' Igloo update #16

I stitched another bottle of beer on "99" by Ink Circles.

"99" update #1

The second bottle is Heineken, Heineken International, Amsterdam, Netherlands.  I think it will be fun to find matching photos of all 99 bottles!  Or maybe it would be fun to drink each one instead!  LOL!

July WIPocalypse update and a new start!

It's time again for the WIPocalypse SAL update!  I want to finish ALL my WIPs (and start new ones, of course).  You can see current pics of all of my WIPs on my WIPocalypse page.  This month the theme is Designer - Glendon Place, Project Theme - Animals, and Focus Colors - Red and Yellow.  Check in on Measi's blog with your WIPocalypse update, too!

I have one chart by Glendon Place, All Hallows Eve, which I started in January for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge (starting something new each day).  I started stitching the ghost.

All Hallows Eve update #1

For the Focus Colors, I stitched more red on Santa Hang-Up.  This is a SAL with Linda.

Santa Hang-Up update #2

Another tombstone and ghost are done, and I started stitching the yellow moon on Halloween House.

Halloween House update #37

I also have a new start!  This is "99" by Ink Circles.  I'm in a SAL with some other ladies in the SoCal Cross Stitchers Yahoo group.  One bottle finished, and only 98 more to go!

"99" 

The first bottle is Blue Moon, Coors Brewing Co., Golden, Colorado.  Doesn't it look like the real thing?

Snowflower Diaries giveaway!

The Snowflower Diaries is having a wonderful giveaway of hand-dyed floss and ric-rac!  She also has lots of adorable free charts that she designed herself.  Visit her blog HERE and enter!

You can enter until August 4, and drawing will be on August 8.  Good luck!

More SAL updates!

SALs (stitch-alongs) are so much fun when you know other stitchers are working on the same designs.  There are lots of others in the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Monday SAL posting updates each week.  Linda and I are hosting this SAL.  Sharon also started a Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Designs Monday SAL Facebook group.

I stitched more blue water under the Igloo.  This is all the way to the bottom right corner of the design.

Cut Thru' Igloo update #15

I stitched the flower stem which will be the letter "I" and it will say "Give Thanks" on Thankful Critters.  Linda is stitching this one, too!

Thankful Critters update #6

I finally got Santa's head done and stitched another bird on Santa's 12 Days of Christmas.  There will be two more birds for the 4th day of Christmas.  I love how there is a pear in all 12 designs. This is a SAL with Linda and Kaye.

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

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

I stitched the word Pumpkin on part 7 of Boo! Club by Lizzie Kate.

Boo! Club (Pumpkin) update #1

Whenever I finish all 12 of these Boo! Club designs, I'll have a giveaway on my blog of all six of the double-flip charts from Lizzie*Kate.  So keep reminding me to stitch on this so I can hurry up and give the charts away!

Quaker Moon traveling chart giveaway!

I sent this traveling chart to Marcy, and now she has finished stitching this cute design and wants to pass the chart on to another stitcher!

Just leave a comment on her blog HERE if you would like a chance to stitch this adorable owl on the moon!  She will draw a name on August 1st.

Let's Do Coffee winner and a new giveaway!

I'm happy to pass on the chart for Let's Do Coffee to another stitcher!  I printed all the names, cut up strips of paper, folded them up, mixed them around and drew a name...

Let's Do Coffee - FRAMED!

The winner is...

Raquel!

Raquel, Calico Craft Designs said...

What a fun design! It really looks great in the matching frame. I bet your friend will love it! I'd love to try this one myself so please enter me into the giveaway. Maybe I'll get lucky!

Raquel

KimM from Wisdom with Needle and Thread is having a wonderful giveaway to celebrate reaching 100 followers!  She is giving away this Queen of the Needle chart, pink linen and extras, and a scissors sheath! Enter HERE and tell her that I sent you!

Cut Thru' Igloo update #14

Brrrr!  That sure looks like cold water!  The pale pink fish must be nice and chilly!  I used Anchor multicolored floss, #1345, as stated in the chart.  I couldn't find a DMC variegated or variations substitute, and I even bought Cosmo Seasons floss but it wasn't the right color either.

Cut Thru' Igloo update #14

Has anyone heard the rumor that DMC floss sold in Europe is nicer than DMC floss sold in the USA? I didn't believe it, but as I was stitching the blue #519 in the water, I noticed it was so smooth and silky and slipped through the Aida like butter!  I looked at the label and it didn't have the "For sale only outside the European Union" note that is on all the other skeins, so I guess this one must have come from a European seller, or it's just a really OLD skein!  I'll certainly enjoy stitching all the blue water now!

Hurray! Happy dance time!

Whew!  I finished Let's Do Coffee at the very last second!  Now it's framed, wrapped, boxed up, and on its way to my friend who unfortunately moved from California to Texas, so I can't give it to her in person for her birthday.

Let's Do Coffee - FINISHED!

Let's Do Coffee - FRAMED!

"Let's Do Coffee"
Designed by Ursula Michael
Imaginating
Started 6/26/2013, Finished 7/9/2013

I stitched this on 18 ct Aida (ecru/off white/cream?) with DMC 3857 (Dark Rosewood) since I didn't have 814.  I used almost the entire skein for this design.  The finished size is 7"x7" and the frame is 8"x8".  The wood matches the floss perfectly!

I provided the link above to 123-Stitch if you want to buy the chart, but you can also buy the PDF file online HERE and save on shipping!  Check out all these wonderful Ursula Michael cross stitch designs! (There is a design with teacups, too!)

Thanks again to Regge from You Got Me in Stitches, who gave this chart to me in a giveaway on her blog!  So now I'll pass it on to another lucky stitcher! Please mention in the comment if you're interested and I'll draw a name on July 15 and mail the chart to the winner (worldwide).

Two of my stitchy helpers cheered me on to a finish last night!  As soon as I sit in my favorite stitching spot with my OttLite next to me and put my feet up, I'm joined by Teddy the Mastiff/Labrador and a cat on my lap every night!

July TUSAL post and Coffee!

I'm so close but not finished yet with Let's Do Coffee!  I still have to backstitch the coffee beans in the handle, then stitch two more rows of words in the saucer.

Let's Do Coffee update #4

I'm SURE I can finish this today after work. I already have a frame ready to pop it in, then I'll wrap it up, pack it in a box, and mail it tomorrow to my friend for her birthday!

It's time for the Totally Useless Stitch-a-Long again!  Share a picture of your ORT (old ratty threads) jar. Read all about the TUSAL HERE.  Check in on Daffycat's blog with a link to your July TUSAL blog post, too!

TUSAL 2013 #7

I took the picture outside by this big flower bush with clusters of little berries.  It grows like a weed and I don't even know what it's called!  It's about 5 feet high now.  Can anyone identify it?

CORRECTION: Thanks to AnaCristina, now I know this is Lantana!

Coffee progress and another giveaway!

I've been stitching on Let's Do Coffee and nothing else, trying to finish in time. There will be two more lines of words in the saucer and the handle made of coffee beans.  I hope to finish it tonight/tomorrow!

Let's Do Coffee update #3

Marsha from the Everybody Loves Clark blog is also stitching the 12 monthly designs by the Prairie Schooler, but she accidentally bought duplicate charts, so she's having a giveaway on her blog!  Check it out HERE, and tell her that I sent you!  I didn't enter the drawing, since I already have these charts and I've finished 5 of the 12 designs so far.

She's also including the DMC floss, baggies, and linen to stitch all these designs!  Good luck!

Rabbit, skis, and coffee!

What do a rabbit, skis, and coffee have in common?  They're all cross stitched by me!  LOL!  It seems like I'll stitch just about anything!

I stitched the bunny on Thankful Critters.  Isn't he cute?  This is a SAL with Linda.  She has a lot more letters done, but not filled in.

Thankful Critters update #5

I stitched the Eskimo's skis and ski poles and more snow on Cut Thru' Igloo.  Is that a fish skeleton?  Check out everyone's progress on the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' SAL page!

Cut Thru' Igloo update #13

I stitched more words on Let's Do Coffee.  The handle will be made of coffee beans.  I hope to finish this in the next few days so I can mail it to my friend for her birthday!

Let's Do Coffee update #2

 I will have drawings to give away all of these charts when I'm finished!  Happy Stitching, everyone!

Another giveaway!

Chris of Always Smiling is celebrating passing the 200 follower mark on her blog!  She has made these wonderful items for her big giveaway.  She also just joined our Bothy Threads Cut Thru' SAL.  Pop on over to her blog and check out her wonderful stitching!

Summer Blog Hop!

Jo from Serendipitous Stitching is hosting the Summer Blog Hop!  She has asked stitchers to send her photos of stitched pieces in the "home" theme. Then she sends the photos to other bloggers to display on their blogs as postcards.  The first postcard in the Summer Blog Hop is to me from "Jo who can't think of a clever nickname" herself!

Cherry Hill - Country Cottage Needleworks

Jo wrote this message:

"I'm a homebody.  I was an Army Brat and moved around a lot as a small child.  As a result I have only lived in two different houses since I was 21.  I like to be surrounded by all my belongings including my ever-growing stitching stash.  I love this quote from William Morris - "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."  So my stash is safe on both accounts!"

Be on the lookout for two of my own home-themed cross stitch designs to show up on other blogs in the Summer Blog Hop, too!