Lonely bride!

I sure hope she isn't left at the altar!  You can barely see the light blue hearts on her dress, but it looks like lace!  I changed the shoe color to teal to match the wedding colors.  The flowers in the bouquet will be French knots made of ribbons.  She'll have tiny white beads on her dress and veil, too!

Wedding Tango update #2

Now I'll start stitching on the groom!

Wedding Tango bride!

I was so happy with my progress last night that I wanted to post another picture!  This is Wedding Tango, a kit by Riolis.  I'm using white 28 ct linen instead of 14 ct Aida.

Wedding Tango update #1

Maybe I can finish it in time for the bridal shower and give it to her then instead of waiting for the wedding!  There will be beads and ribbons also.

August WIPocalypse and SAL updates

It's a full moon and time for the WIPocalypse update!  The topic this time is: "Tell us about your oldest and newest WIPs."

My newest WIP is Wedding Tango, a Riolis kit, which will be a gift for my daughter's friend's wedding in September.  I've known her at least 10 years.  The color of the shoes and bouquet will be changed to match the bride's colors.  I'm also stitching it on 28 ct white linen instead of the 14 ct white Aida in the kit, and I will add their names and date at the bottom.

Wedding Tango

Wedding Tango

Since I recently finished my oldest WIP (Stained Glass Nativity, started in 1980), my oldest WIP now is Universal Unity by Dimensions Gold Collection.  I started this one in 1998 and was making great progress on it for a few months, then it got put away and never touched again until 2012.  Now I have cross stitch friends all over the internet encouraging me to keep stitching until this one is finished!  I post an update on this one in the YOTA SAL on the first Saturday each month.  Here is the pic from the last post, when I started stitching the zebra stripes.

Universal Unity update #19

Since the last WIPocalypse update, I have had 3 more finishes, but the list of WIPs on my WIPocalypse page is still at 90.  I finished Stained Glass Nativity, Mary Mouse, and Boo!

On my Saturday SAL with Linda and Kaye, I stitched 5 rows of the basket on Fall Welcome.

Fall Welcome update #13

On my Sunday SAL with Linda and Kaye, I finished the 6th day of Santa's 12 Days of Christmas!  Now the whole project is officially halfway done!  We have more members in our Prairie Schooler Santa's 12 Days of Christmas Sunday SAL Facebook group, too!

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 6) FINISHED!

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Days 1-6)

"Santa's 12 Days of Christmas" (Day 6)
Book No. 126
Designed by Pamela Byrd Smith
The Prairie Schooler
28 ct mushroom evenweave
Started 5/4/2014, Finished 8/11/2014

In the Bothy Threads Cut Thru' Monday SAL, I reached the bottom left corner of Cut Thru' North Pole House and stitched some water.  I'm looking forward to using the variegated floss in the water, which is the same color floss that I used for the water in Cut Thru' Igloo.

Cut Thru' North Pole House udpate #12

Be sure to check Measi's blog for a list of other bloggers with WIPocalypse updates this month!

Turtle Trot SAL - August

Claudette of BAP Attack is hosting the Turtle Trot SAL, where we choose 10 WIPs and post before & after progress pics on the 10th of every month.  I finally stitched on all 10 of them this month!  Here is my progress since last time:

2. Harley-Davidson:  I met my goal and stitched on the seat.  My goal for next month will be to stitch the back of the seat.

Harley-Davidson (before)

Harley-Davidson - update #6

3. Flaming June:  I stitched more light tan on the wall.  My goal for next month will be to finish page 1.

Flaming June (before)

Flaming June update #9

4. First Love Wedding Record:  I stitched the boy's lips and part of his nose.  My goal for next month will be to finish his nose and eyes.

First Love Wedding Record (before)

First Love Wedding Record update #2

5. Thankful Critters:  I met my goal and finished the letter V with all the backstitching.  My goal for next month will be to stitch the letter E.

Thankful Critters (before)

Thankful Critters update #15

6. Majestic Eagle:  I stitched some gray on the tail feathers.  My goal for next month will be to finish the claws and tail feathers.

Majestic Eagle (before)

Majestic Eagle update #10

7. Orange Poppies:  I stitched some of the green stem and leaves.  My goal for next month will be to stitch more stems and leaves.

Orange Poppies (before)

Orange Poppies update #8

8. Canyon Waterfall:  I stitched more clouds and sky.  My goal for next month will be to finish page 1.

Canyon Waterfall (before)

Canyon Waterfall update #6

9. "99":  I stitched the shelf under six bottles.  My goal for next month will be to stitch two more bottles.

"99" (before)

"99" update #13

10. We're Off to See the Wizard:  I stitched some blue on Dorothy's dress.  My goal for next month is to stitch more of her dress and white blouse.

We're Off to See the Wizard (before)

We're Off to See the Wizard update #3

1. Stained Glass Nativity:  I finished this one at last and it's at the framing shop now!

Stained Glass Nativity (before)

Stained Glass Nativity - FINISHED!

Now my Turtle Trot list is down to only 9!

Christine's Q-Snap Huggies closed her website and now she sells them through her Facebook page instead, https://www.facebook.com/groups/Christinesqsnaphuggies/

YOTA - August

Today is the first Saturday of the month and time for the YOTA (Year of the Acronym) UFO SAL update hosted by Pull the Other Thread.  Universal Unity is a Dimensions Gold Collection kit that I started in 1998.

I missed July since I was on vacation, but here is the before pic from the June YOTA post:

Universal Unity (before)

I started filling in the stripes of the zebra.  You'd think they were only white, but there are actually 5 different symbols and some of them are tweeded (blended) colors of different strands of floss!

Universal Unity update #19

My goal is to finish the zebra and the grass around him and the backstitching for the next YOTA update!

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!

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!

Stitch from Stash July

Mel from Epic Stitching started a Stitch From Stash group to encourage us to stay on a budget of $25 or less per month for cross stitching.  Click the link to see the list of blogs that are participating.

My carry over from June was zero for a total budget of $25 this month.  Here is my check-in for July:

Amount Spent:  $9 - Disney cross stitch book on eBay

Now I have $16 to carry over for August.

New Starts from Stash:  Mary Mouse, Boo! Club (Brew).

WIPs or UFOs worked on:  Boo! Club (Fright), Very Scary Mystery Sampler, La Pensée Positive, "99", Alice from Resident Evil, Santa Hang-Up, Stained Glass Nativity, Santa's 12 Days of Christmas (Day 6), Cut Thru' North Pole House, Boo! Club (Brew), Mary Mouse.

Finishes:  Boo! Club (Fright), Alice from Resident Evil, Stained Glass Nativity.

What I was tempted to buy but didn't buy this month:

Wizard of Oz cross stitch pattern by AllStitches on Bonanza:

TUSAL - July and a big finish!

Here is my Totally Useless Stitch-a-Long (TUSAL) update for July!  Check in on Daffycat's blog with a link to your TUSAL post, too!  Alice is posing again with the ORT jar, but this time she is finished and framed and matted and ready to go to my son at last!

TUSAL 2014 #8

Alice from Resident Evil - FRAMED!

I also added mats to the frame for Dog House Sampler, which I finished in 2011.  I found this perfect blue wood frame at a thrift store.

Dog House Sampler - FRAMED!

You might have noticed some yarn bits in the ORT jar.  They are from the Stained Glass Nativity needlepoint, which is finally finished after 34 years!  The framer has it now and is working her magic on it to get it blocked and framed just right!

Stained Glass Nativity - FINISHED!

"Stained Glass Nativity"
Designed by Wayne Maurer
Sunset Designs needlepoint
10 ct cotton mesh canvas, 100% wool yarn
Finished size 10" x 20"
Started 1980, Finished 7/23/2014

Whew!  I'm out of breath after doing that big happy dance!