2023 Advent Blog Hop

     

Merry, Heart in Hand

  It’s December and time for the Annual Advent Blog Hop. Each year Jo of Seredipitous Stitching is the host. So far we had a full six days of wonderful stories and sharing of projects. If this is your first stop visit Jo’s blog for the first days and the others to follow.

Jo has asked us to share a Santa story or Christmas tradition. I don’t have a Santa Story but I love making Christmas Ornaments for myself and family. The first project in this post is an ornament I made and gifted to my sister over the Thanksgiving weekend.

 

Next is a small sampling of some of my hand made ornaments.

Below is my pillow that I stitched and finished this year. 

                                   

Hares' Christmas, Plum Street Sampler

                         Merry Christmas!

Treats No Tricks 2022

B O

Enter if you dare!!

Welcome to Jo's Halloween Trick or Treat 2022 Blog Hop.

Mummy's Favorite was one of three Just Cross Stitch Halloween Ornaments that I stitched this year. Mummy's Favorite and Spider were from the 2022 Issue and Spooky Cat was in the 2021 Issue.

 I also stitched Trick or Treat from Signs of the Season by Hands On Design.

Did you get the Clue? My letter for this Hop is the letter:

'O'.

Hope you will Hop on over to : 

Visit Mouse for the next letter. : https://talesofastitchingmouse.blogspot.com/

All Treats no Tricks!!!

Gwen

 

July 2022

 July turned out to be a very good stitching month. I was able to attend a stitching retreat, the first in a very one time. It was a very good 5 days of classes. I also took part in the 24 hours of Cross Stitch Marathon. 

I stitched Red Berry Wreath and 7 Swans for my Christmas ornaments.

Red Berry Wreath

Elizabeth 

Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Mag 2018

7 Swans

Celebration of Needlework 12 Days of Christmas

I also stitched and fully finished two berries. Both of these were from the All About the Berries Club from Dying to Stitch.

The Goldfinch

Expect Less, A Quaker Wisdom Berry

Expect Less, The Goldfinch

Erica Michaels

And finally a tomato needle book. A retreat favor from Kimberly Young at Sassy Jacks.

Thanks for stopping by.

Now off to continue on my works in progress.

Gwen

 

May 2022

May was Blackbird Designs Focus Month. My main focus was to be What Remains, I made some progress but not as much as I had hoped.

What Remains, Blackbird Designs

 I had started Secret Garden some time ago, and decided it was time for a revisit. I had made the most progress on the alphabet strawberry, with a modest start on the box top as well. 

before

I realized that things were not working out as charted. I couldn't find my counting error for anything. I finally gave up and put the whole thing in time out. When I took it out again I finally found my error. I restarted on a new piece of fabric with DMC 321. I managed to get through the counting this time and have an fully finished strawberry. I'm still working on the ribbon topper, can't seem to get it just right.   I will most likely frog the original strawberry and re-stitch. I want to have a strawberry to match the box top. Just need some more Turkish Red. 

Secret Garden, Blackbird Designs

DMC 321

I also worked on top of the drum for Peacock Pinkeep. I stitched the band for the drum but never started the top. I had a good portion done when I realized I was stitching on the wrong side of my fabric! Then came the question start over or continue? I gritted my teeth and frogged then restarted. I think in this case it was worth it. I'm loving it. 

(This fabric is not photographing well. It looks much better IRL)

Peacock Pinkeep, Blackbird Designs

40ct Vintage Autumn Gold

Belle Soie:Tortoise Shell, Peacock

A rocky start to my focus designer but not a bad ending.

I finished Hello Summer, by Plum Street Samplers. I did leave off the words.

Hello Summer, Plum Street Samplers

I also stitched and finished 5 Rings, May's ornament from Celebration of Needlework's 12 Days of Christmas SAL.

My new start was Winter Cometh, Summer House Stitche Workes. Hope to complete this soon.

Winter Cometh, Summer House Stitche Workes

Thanks for stopping by, I'm off to check out the new WIPGO numbers an update my board.

Gwen

Three Finishes and A Marathon

 Brave New Year by Ink Circles,  the designer focus for April, is stitched. This is stitched with DMC 4515. Instead of stitching a year I plan to add this Mill Hill heart charm. Still need to decide exactly how I will finish the piece. 

Brave New Year, Ink Circles

I finally put the last stitch into Halloween at Hollyberry Farm. This was turning into The Neverending Project. So happy to have it done.

Halloween at Hollyberry Farm, Stacy Nash Primitives

My Christmas ornament for April was Yule Flower from JCS ornament issue 2004. 

Yule Flower, JSC Ornament Issue 2004

Fourteen hours, 31 minutes , 15 seconds. My total time stitching time for the April 24 Hours of Cross Stitch Marathon. I worked on Autumn at Hawk Run Hollow, and started a second Ink Circles project, Another Year Creeps By. It's just a small section of the border. I will be stitching this as one piece, instead of individual ornaments. 

Autumn at Hawk Run Hallow, Carriage House Samplings

I didn't meet my WIPGO goals but I did spend some time on The Game and Olive Harrowgate. The numbers for May are 8 (Hello Summer, Plum Street Samplers), 13 Free (Lady Justice, Mirabelia), and 14 (Lady Justice, Mirabelia). I wanted to make some make some real progress on Lady Justice, so I have her on my board several times. For May she got called twice. I'm a little over working on the green in her dress. Switching back to working on the ribbon of her sash seems like a great idea. May work 5 days on dress and 5 on sash. We will see. 

Thanks for stopping by, 

Gwen

First of 2022

 Hope everyone is having a happy and healthy 2022. Wishing everyone a stitchy year. I know it's late but I have decided to start this post off with a picture of my tabletop tree. I managed to finish my Starry Night Ornaments before Christmas and left it up through Epiphany. 

My other late Christmas finish was an Advent Band Sampler by iStitch Designs.

Advent Band Sampler

iStitch Designs

The stitching is done and the spool covered. I just have to attach the band to the spool cover.

This month my focus stitching is on  Mirabilia's Lady Justice. Sunshine Stitcher's, CZook, and The 614 Stitcher have a new challenge for 2022, Designer of the Month. Each month stitchers who take part will be working on their WIPs or new starts for the Designer of the Month. 

My progress as of 3 January.

Current status.

I've finished the shash on the right and now I'm back to working on her dress. I'm trying to work on her at least 25 minutes each day. I hope to get a few stitches in this evening.

My first finish of 2022 is 

 Scandinavian Heart from JBW's French Country -Hearts II.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

 

October2021

 In October I was able to make some real progress and got some projects finished. Yeah!!

Autumn Spice, Fat Quarter Shops', Stitch Quarterly for Sep/Oct is done. 

I dunked my fabric in some weak tea to bring down the brightness. I thought the fabric was a little to white for an Autumn piece. I stitched it with the called for DMC. I left off the bottom leaves and the words.

I am so loving Primitive Christmas Pillow, by Abbey Rose. The font is fabulous, and the colors are so rich. I wish she would chart the whole alphabet in this font.

My Christmas Ornaments for Oct. were 10 Lords, 12 Days by Hands On Design, and 2 more name ornaments. One name ornament is finished and beaded and the other is close to a finish. The Ten Lords was my WIPGo number 11.

I'm still working on this one for my DN.

Name ornaments, by M Designs

One other finish for the month was Busy Hands by Kathy Barrick.

So happy to have this as a finish.

November's WIPGo Numbers are 14 (Halloween at Hollyberry Farm, I'm so close to a finish) and 16 (Hello Summer). That leaves just 2 more numbers to be called in December. I will post an updated board here as soon as I can get it updated.

Thanks for stopping by,

Gwen

February 2021: Week 4

      

      

       

February is over and this is what I was able to accomplish. 

My smalls were. 

Candy Corn, a Mill Hill kit, finished as an ornament instead of the suggested magnet.

My Second, ornament from Starry Night 

I also stitched 2 Easter egg ornaments.

This is not the best pic. I wanted these flowers to look like snowdrops. I may have to outline them so that they will show up better.

My three heritage projects for the month were, Lady Justice, Woman Silhouette, and Portrait in Red. Most of my stitching time turned out to be on Portrait in Red. I had a couple of visits from the frog, so I'm not done with the face yet. Hopefully, I'll be able to complete the face soon and move on to the shoulder area. 

I got some more done to the dress and the ribbon around her waist.

Started down the bodice of Woman Silhouette

Face almost complete.

Thanks for stopping by,

Boo Ghost

 My first fully finished for 2021is a small piece from Mill Hill. This was designed to be a pin. I covered the back with felt and added a hanger to make mine an ornament. This is the first project for the FB group 21 Halloween Cross-Stitch Projects in 2021. Only 20 more to go.                                                                                                                                  

Boo Ghost

Mill Hill Kit