Crazy January start #9

Day #9 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Wolf from the Janlynn Wildlife Series by Roger Reinardy.  It is on 14 ct white Aida and will be 5" x 7".

Wolf

I also started Bear from this same Wildlife Series for the UCJC last year.  I stitched his other eye so he can watch me now!

Bear update #2

Happy Stitching, everyone!!

Turtle Trot SAL - January

I'm in the Turtle Trot SAL hosted by Claudette of BAP Attack blog.  We choose 10 WIPs/UFOs to work on all year (at a turtle's pace) and then on the 10th of every month, we show before/after progress pics.  I carried over 5 from last year and added 5 other ones.  I hope to finish all these some day!

Here are my choices for the Turtle Trot SAL in 2014:

1. Stained Glass Nativity

2. Harley-Davidson

3. Flaming June

4. First Love Wedding Record

5. Thankful Critters

6. Majestic Eagle

7. Orange Poppies

8. Canyon Waterfall

9. "99"

(before)

I stitched the first bottle on the second shelf.  Only 87 more to go!

"99" update #8

Bottle #12 is Drop Top Amber Ale, Widmer Brothers Brewing Co., Portland, Oregon.

10. We're Off to See the Wizard

Now let's see how much I can stitch on these by February 10th!

Crazy January start #8

Day #8 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Nesting Season, a very cute chart that I received from Sarah Beth of Sarah Beth's Cross-Stitch Blog.  I made a comment on how I liked her finished bird in the nest and she sent me the chart! Thank you so much, Sarah Beth!  I will certainly pass it on to another stitcher when I am finished.  I am using 14 ct Oatmeal Aida and it will be 3-1/4" x 3-3/4".  I'm using a hoop because it's too small for a Q-Snap, but I took the picture of it in a blue heart-shaped frame that I found at a yard sale, which will be perfect for this!  You can see Sarah Beth's finish on her blog HERE.  The chart is also in this booklet, The Nestlings.

Nesting Season

From my WIPocalypse list, I pulled out another bird nest design from the UCJC in 2012.  This is Bird Nest (No 2), a kit from Yiota's XStitch.  I started stitching the gray feathers on the bird and the light pink and creamy colors are his chest.  Hopefully he will come to life soon!

Bird Nest (No 2) update #2

The cross stitch kits from Yiota's XStitch come with Madeira thread already wound on bobbins.  I'm looking forward to getting another kit from her some day!

Crazy January start #7

Day #7 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Collection, a kit from Designs for the Needle.  I'm making this for my mom and dad.  They're both very experienced "collectors!"  This is on 14 ct antique white Aida with the DMC floss in the kit.  It will be 7" x 5".

Collection

I paired this one up with another funny saying from my WIPocalypse list, The IT Crowd, a freebie chart from Dorkstitch.  It will say, "Have you tried turning it off and on again?"  I started this one last January and only stitched the word "turning" and never touched it again after the first day.  Today I stitched more words.  This will be a gift for my son to decorate his office at work!

The IT Crowd update #1

Crazy January start #6

Day #6 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Snow Bear and Sleigh, a Dimensions kit.  I just love polar bears and had to buy this kit as soon as I saw it!  It is on 14 ct light blue Aida and will be 14" x 8".

Snow Bear and Sleigh

A good match from my WIPocalypse list for this one is another design with a sleigh, but this time Santa is pulling a snowman.  It is called Out for a Ride by Diane Arthurs. Today I stitched on the snowman's body and his heart.  This is on 14 ct gold-dusted Stardust Aida and will be about 10" x 8".

Out for a Ride update #2

Isn't this just the cutest Q-snap cover for a Christmas design?  I buy them all from Christine's Q-Snap Huggies.

Crazy January start #5 and I'm a winner!

Day #5 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is the Hungarian Peacock Sampler by Manka Mintai.  She sent this free chart by request but her Hungarian blog sadly is closed now.  I'm using Cosmo Seasons 8079 variegated floss in purple/green/blue shades and 18 ct DMC Aida in Light Sea Green.  It will be about 9.5" x 11".  I am also in the Peacock Stitching group on Facebook where everyone is stitching different peacock designs.

Hungarian Peacock Sampler

Hungarian Peacock Sampler

I chose this companion piece from my WIPocalypse list because it is also a free monochrome design from a foreign blog and is stitched all in one color with variegated floss.  This is Merci, a freebie from a French blog, Gazette94.  I haven't touched this one since November 2012.  Today I stitched Merci and finished the border but there will be another flower and heart to stitch.  I will stitch Merci and Thank You and put them back to back and hang on a ribbon to make a pretty sign for my daughter.  It is on 14 ct Aida in Mint Parfait and will be about 4" x 3".

Merci update #2

I won the 10-year blogoversary giveaway from Lindsay at Caring Stitcher blog!  The prize will be a complete mystery, which is perfect since I love surprises!  Thank you, Lindsay!

I also won the Samplers Not Forgotten chart giveaway by Brenda at Time 2 Xstitch blog to celebrate reaching 100 followers.  I had my choice of five different samplers and chose Elizabeth Lamb 1837.  Four of the samplers were featured in the October newsletter from the Attic Needlework shop in Arizona.  Thank you so much, Brenda!

I also won three 20-yard skeins of hand-dyed floss from Nancy at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe.  Thank you, Nancy!  She is looking for model stitchers in the US. Details HERE.

Crazy January start #4

Day #4 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Happy Easter from SewingSeed.com.  I love the pretty pastel colors in this design.  I'm stitching it on 16 ct Angel Blush Aida and it will be about 4" x 2".

Happy Easter

Another one of my WIPs in the Easter theme is Easter Hang-Up by Diane Arthurs, which I started last January and never touched again.  This time I stitched all the light brown on the basket.

Easter Hang-Up update #1

I hope to have both of these cute designs done by Easter this year!

Crazy January start #3 and January YOTA update

Day #3 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Life's a Stitch by Lizzie*Kate, which is a traveling pattern.  I won it from Annette, California Stitcher.  It has been from Canada to South Africa to France, back to Canada, and then to California.  I'd love to send this traveling chart on its way as soon as I finish.  Please mention in the comment if you'd like a chance to stitch it next and then pass it on to another lucky stitcher.  I will draw the winning name on Sunday, January 19.

The fabric is 14 ct Rustico Aida by Zweigart and the color is Desert Rose.  I'm using Dragonflylotus Designs Handspun Mulberry Silk thread in Aurora Borealis.  It will be about 4" x 4".

Life's a Stitch

Since I started a new Lizzie*Kate design, I also stitched a little more on another Lizzie*Kate chart, Very Scary.  I haven't stitched on this since last November. Now I started the border on the right side.

Very Scary update #9

It's also the first Saturday of the month and time for the YOTA (Year of the Acronym) UFO SAL update on Universal Unity.  Here is how I left it in September (the last time I stitched on it).

(before)

I stitched more blue on the Earth this time.  The pattern calls for 3 blended threads in different colors in half-stitches for the Earth.

Universal Unity update #12

Crazy January start #2 and January TUSAL

I emptied out my ORT jar and filled another glass ornament for 2013!  Join the Totally Useless Stitch-Along (TUSAL) and share a picture of your ORTs every month. Leave a link to your blog post on Daffycat's blog, too!

TUSAL 2014 #1

Day #2 of the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge is Count Your Blessings by Bobbie G. Designs.  I hope to have this cornucopia done by Thanksgiving this year!  It is stitched on 14 ct black Aida and will be 6" x 5".

Count Your Blessings

Since I'm pairing up each new start with one of my WIPs, this time I chose another one from Bobbie G. Designs.  I started Basket of Fruit last January and never touched it again.  Today I stitched more of the leaves.  It is on 14 ct ivory Aida and will be 13" x 10".

Basket of Fruit update #1

Bobbie G. Designs is one of the few cross stitch booths at the Quilt & Craft Show that comes to the Los Angeles Fairgrounds twice a year.  I bought both of these kits there.

Crazy January start #1

Happy New Year!  It's time for the Ultimate Crazy January Challenge and starting something new every day in January!

Day #1 is Wicked Witch by La-D-Da.  I decided to use 14 ct Rustico Aida in Meadow Green by Zweigart.  I'm using Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Medium Gray floss for the border and black DMC 310 for the letters.  The finished size will be 3" x 13".

Wicked Witch

Just to make sure I'm not leaving my other WIPs and UFOs lost and forgotten, I'm going to pair up each new start with one of my old starts from my WIPocalypse page. This is the page where I keep current photos of all of my works in progress (WIPs).

A perfect match for Wicked Witch is the witch herself in I'll Get You My Pretty, a freebie from Sue Hillis Designs.  This is one of my Crazy January starts from 2012.  I haven't stitched on it since June 2013.  Today I finished stitching the witch.  All that is left to do is her broom, the moon, and another bat.  This is stitched over 2 on 32 ct Voodoo Belfast linen by Picture This Plus and will be about 4" x 10".

I'll Get You My Pretty update #3

These two designs will look great in my Wizard of Oz collection!

Happy Stitchy New Year!

My cross stitching plans for 2014

Cross stitching plans are more fun to make than New Year's Resolutions (which I never do).  Tomorrow is a new start for a new year of stitching!  How exciting! Which stitching challenges and SALs (stitch-alongs) have you signed up for in 2014?  Here is my list:

The buttons in my side bar are linked to the sign-up pages.

Grow Your Blog 2014:  This blog party is hosted by Vicki of 2 Bags Full blog and I missed it last year.  Deadline to sign up is January 15.  On January 25, everyone will post on their blogs and visit the other blogs and find new blogs to follow and gain more followers, too!

Turtle Trot SAL 2014:  This SAL is hosted by Claudette of BAP Attack blog.  Choose 10 UFOs/WIPs to work on and post progress photos on your blog by the 10th of each month.  Leave a link to your blog post on the BAP Attack blog.

WIPocalypse 2014:  This SAL is hosted by Measi of Measi's Musings blog.  This started in 2012 when we made a list of all of our WIPs to finish before the apocalypse that was predicted for December 21, 2012 (this didn't happen so the end of the world has been extended indefinitely).  Post progress photos on your blog on the Full Moon of each month.  Leave a link to your blog post on Measi's Musings blog.

TUSAL 2014:  This SAL is hosted by Daffycat.  For this Totally Useless Stitch-A-Long, save all your ORTs (old ratty threads) in a jar and post a picture on your blog on the New Moon of each month.  Leave a link to your blog post on Daffycat's blog.

Ultimate Crazy January Challenge:  Start a new project each day for the first 15 days in January or all 31 days (for the Ultimate version) and try to complete them during the year.  You can sign up on the Crazy January Challenge Yahoo Group or the CrosstitchCrazy2014 Facebook group but it's not required.  Just start something new every day and have fun!

2014 Smalls SAL:  This SAL is hosted by Heather of Stitching Lotus blog.  Stitch a small project (ornament, bookmark, pincushion, etc.) each month.  Post a picture on your blog on the last Wednesday of the month.  Leave a link to your blog post on the Stitching Lotus blog.

Theme-a-licious 2014:  This SAL is hosted by Heather of It's Geek to Me blog.  There is a different theme to stitch each month.  Post on the first day of the month to celebrate the past month's successes and share plans for the coming month.  Leave a link to your blog post on the It's Geek to Me blog.

Stitch From Stash 2014:  This group is hosted by Mel of Epic Stitching blog.  This is a challenge to spend less than $25 per month on stitching supplies and try to stitch from your stash instead.  Post about your spending or lack thereof by the 28th of each month and send an email to Mel.  There will be monthly prizes and an end of the year giveaway.  Sign up by January 2, 2014.

YOTA SAL 2014:  This is the UFO SAL (Year of the Acronym) hosted by Pull the Other Thread.  Pick a UFO (Unfinished Object) to stitch on during the month and post before & after progress photos on the first Saturday of the month.  Leave a link to your blog post on the Pull the Other Thread blog.  My UFO will be Universal Unity (my oldest cross stitch project started in 1997).

Fall Welcome SAL:  This is a Saturday SAL with Linda and Kaye of the Fall Welcome chart by Diane Arthurs.  It should be finished in plenty of time for fall decorating!

Santa's 12 Days of Christmas SAL:  This is a Sunday SAL with Linda and Kaye of the Prairie Schooler designs for Santa's 12 Days of Christmas.  There are 3 booklets for Days 1-4, Days 5-8, and Days 9-12.  The plan is to stitch on them every Sunday. I finished 4 of the 12 days and am stitching them all together on one piece of fabric.

Bothy Threads Cut Thru' SAL:  This is a Monday SAL hosted by Linda and me with over 30 stitchers working on different Cut Thru' charts.  There is also a Bothy Threads Cut Thru Designs Monday SAL Facebook group.  Please join us if you're stitching a Cut Thru' chart!

Happy Stitchy New Year, everyone!

Happy Dance time!

Hurray!  I finished Quoth the Raven at last!  I already have a black frame picked out for it and I'll post another picture when I get it back from the framer.  The border was really challenging!

Quoth the Raven - FINISHED!

"Quoth the Raven"
Designed by Kell Smurthwaite
Kincavel Krosses
14 ct red Aida
Started 2/18/2012, Finished 12/28/2013

Now I only have 68 starts in my WIP list!