Thursday, December 31, 2009

Ahh Snow - A Start


Finished up "Before the Trip", so now have started
"Ahh Snow". 
Looks to be a good traveling piece - large easy blocks of color to stitch.

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Just Before the Trip - A Finish!





Design - Just Before the Trip
Designer - Mosey 'N Me
Chart - Just Cross Stitch Magazine 2007 Ornament Issue
Fabric - 32 count Ice Blue linen
Started - 25 December 2009
Completed - 30 December 2009

Accidentially left this finished piece at my hotel in Valencia, CA!  
Housekeeping found it and mailed it back to me - yea!!! 

Tuesday, December 29, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives



Design - Patchwork Cats
Designer - Barrick Samplers
Fabric - 32 count Muffin linen
Started - 17 May 1998
Completed - 20 May 1998

Monday, December 28, 2009

Just Before the Trip - Progress




I love the way this is turning out!

Sunday, December 27, 2009

Spring Must Be Right Around the Corner



Signs of Spring 2010!
The Seed Catalogues are beginning to come!

Saturday, December 26, 2009

Just Before the Trip




I could not resist this cutie!  Began "Just Before the Trip" on Christmas Day.
I hope to finish it before the end of the year.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Merry Christmas - Be Merry!


Design - "Be Merry"
Designer - Val's Stuff
Magazine - Just Cross Stitch 2009 Ornament Issue
Fabric - unknown blue 32 count linen
Started - 22 December 2009
Completed - 24 December 2009


Thursday, December 24, 2009

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas - Baking




Chocolate Meringues, Sugar and Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies,
Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars, Chocolate Mint Brownies,
and Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Tired Baker!

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Christmas Joy



Chart - "Joy" - a freebie
Designer - Lizzie Kate
Fabric - 25 count Navy Blue Lugana
Started / Completed - 22 December 2009

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives



Design - Santa FolkAnimal Santas - Rabbit
Designer - Sue McElhaney
Magazine - For the Love of Cross Stitch - November 1988
Fabric - 14 count White Aida
Date Stitched - unknown

Monday, December 21, 2009

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas



Christmas / Winter Pillows

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Do Not Open Until Christmas - Finish



Kit - "Do Not Open Until Christmas"
Designer - Lizzie Kate
Fabric - 28 count Picture This Plus Willow Cashel
Started - 18 December 2009
Finished - 20 December 2009
Finished this up Sunday evening.
Very cute.

Saturday, December 19, 2009

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas



Red Ornaments on a rustic wrought iron tree 

Friday, December 18, 2009

...And a Start!



I thought this might be a cute and fast Christmas stitch.  It's "Do Not Open 'Til Christmas" by Lizzie Kate. It's nice as the kit already had the fabric and buttons included.  I had all the floss required, so as the picture shows, I've begun to stitch the border. 

Just a Little Snowman - A Finish!




Design - "Just a Little Snowman"
Designer - Ruth Sparrow / Twisted Threads
Chart - 2003 Ornament Issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine
Fabric - 30 count Hog Wild Blue R & R linen
Started - 29 November 2009
Completed - 17 December 2009  

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas



Hallmark Miniature Ornaments

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives



Chart - "Merry Ho Ho" (Snippet)
Designer - Lizzie Kate
Fabric - 27 count R & R Iced Cappucino
Started - 9 November 1999
Completed - 19 November 1999

Monday, December 14, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives


Chart - "Little Green Tree"
Designer - Bent Creek
Chart - "The Christmas Collection"
Fabric - 32 count Summer Khaki linen
Started - 17 November 2001
Completed - 21 November 2001

Sunday, December 13, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives




Design - "Woodland Christmas" 
Designer - Theron Traditions
Chart - "Heartfelt Traditions"
Fabric - 36 count R & R Light Espresso
Started - 13 September 1999
Completed - 3 October 1999

Saturday, December 12, 2009

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas




Santa Tins



..and yet more Santa Tins

Friday, December 11, 2009

Thursday, December 10, 2009

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas




Sue Dreamer Snowmen Figures

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives




Design - "Ho Ho Ho" (kit)
Designer - Bent Creek
Fabric - 32 count linen (bell hanger)
Started - 17 February 2000
Completed - 25 June 2000

When I left for work this morning the temperature was 9F - COLD!

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives



Design - "Good Yule House"
Designer - Shepherd's Bush
Chart - "Father Yule"
Fabric - 18 count beige
Stitched - Christmas 1994

Monday, December 7, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives



Design - "Monthly Mania - December"
Designer - Heart in Hand
Fabric - 32 count Khaki Belfast
Started - 20 December 2000
Completed - 12 January 2001 

Sunday, December 6, 2009

It's Beginning to Look Alot Like Christmas




My collection of hand-carved wooden Santas

Saturday, December 5, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives


Chart - "Reindeer Sampler" - (kit)
Designer - Heart in Hand
Fabric - 32 count natural linen / silk
Started - 11 November 2001
Completed -17 November 2001

Friday, December 4, 2009

Just a Little Snowman - Progress

Here is what I've accomplished so far.  Between University of Oregon sporting events and Christmas preparation, there is not much time left over to stitch!


Thursday, December 3, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Christmas




Design - "Christmas Cookies"
Designer - Mary Garry's Sewing Cabin
Fabric -32 count Amber Wichelt linen
Started - 6 September 1999
Completed - 12 September 1999

I bought this chart in Ogden, Utah at "Shepherd's Bush" cross stitch store after admiring the one they had on display.  The gals there had modified the color scheme from the original chart, and they provided me with the conversion which I then followed in my own stitching.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Late November Frosty Morning


The morning of the 29th was cold and frosty.  We'd had rain recently, so when it turned cold there was plenty of moisture to make for a covering of frost.  

Douglas Fir bough

Blackberry leaves

Queen Anne's Lace

Steller's Jay

Besides the frost, it was a grey and foggy morning too. The Sellar's Jay was the most vibrant (and loudest)

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

"On the First Day of Christmas" - A Finish




Design - "On the First Day of Christmas"
Designer - Sisters and Best Friends
Magazine - "Just Cross Stitch" 2005 Christmas Ornament Issue
Fabric - 28 count R & R Cafe Kona linen
Started - 26 November 2009
Completed - 28 November 2009

Monday, November 30, 2009

Snow - A Finish




Design "Snow"
Designer - Val's Stitchin Stuff
Chart - "Wish Upon a Star"
Fabric - 28 count Stormy Grey Lugana
Started - 22 November 2009
Completed - 26 November 2009

This was a fun piece to stitch!  Quick and easy, the color of the linen and the colors of the floss really sang! 

Sunday, November 29, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Autumn Basket




Design - "Autumn Basket" (Snippet)
Designer - Lizzie Kate
Chart - "Autumn Basket"
Fabric - 28 coiunt Ivory Cashel
Started - 27 June 2004
Completed - 4 July 2004

Saturday, November 28, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Frost on the Pumpkin


I thought this a fitting post as we had a hard frost last night. 
The world is glittering and gleaming this morning.



Design - "The Frost is on the Pumpkin"
Chart - "Frost" #173
Designer - The Cricket Collection
Fabric - 10 count R & R Alpine Green Tula
Started - 7 September 1998
Completed - 11 October 1998

Friday, November 27, 2009

On the First Day of Christmas - A Start




















I spent a couple of evenings going through my old issues of "Just Cross Stitch" magazine; specifically the annual Christmas ornament issues.  In the 2005 issue I fell in love with the Sisters and Best Friends design "On the First Day of Christmas".  Their use of color is extraordinary! 

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Turkey Day! Be Ye Grateful



Design - "Tall Turkey" (kit)
Designer - Heart in Hand
Fabric - 32 count Tobacco linen
Started - 22 November 2001
Completed - 25 November 2001

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Autumn


Design - Autumn Leaf
Designer - Ewe and Eye and Friends
Fabric - 40 count Sandstone linen
Started - 20 November 1998
Completed - 1 December 1998

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

From the Cross Stitch Archives - Autumn


Happy Thanksgiving Week!




Design - "Autumn"
Chart - "Autumn Samplers" #66
Designer - The Prairie Schooler
Fabric - 32 count Wichelt Lambswool linen
Started - 10 November 1997
Completed - 25 December 1997

Monday, November 23, 2009

Valdani Fibers





Valdini fibers are hard to find - thank goodness for Google and the internet!  I have a Stone and Threads chart that uses these and I look forward to working with them.  

Sunday, November 22, 2009

Snow - Kitted Up




Kitted up "Snow" a design by Val's Stitchin' Stuff.
I am using Stormy Grey Jobelan - really a lovely color - it mirrors the colors of a "snow sky" perfectly.    

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Snowman - A Finish



Design - "Snowman" 
Designer - Twisted Threads
Chart - "Winter Trio"
Fibers - WDS and GAST as charted 
Fabric - 32 Count Dirty linen - one thread of floss over two threads of linen
Started - 16 November 2009
Finished - 21 November 2009

Friday, November 20, 2009

New Fabrics - Adding to My Stash





I have plans, plans and more plans...thus the mondo fabric purchase which wended its way to my doorstep yesterday.  I've spent the past week or so flipping through past issues of  the "Just Cross Stitch" ornament issues.  To say I was inspired...crazed...in over my head would be an understatment!  
There is no way that I will get everything done before Christmas, but even so I can admire all the colors:
Hog Wild Blue, Fitzgerald Red, Sheep's Straw, Stormy Grey, Ice Blue, Cafe Kona, Moss Green, Espresso, Summer Khaki, Iced Cappuccino, Rue Green, Lambswool, 18th Century Brown, and Carol's Buttercrunch.
There is poetry in the names!  

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Snowman - Progress




Here's what I've managed to stitch so far...I think it might get tiresome stitching row after row after row of the snow guy!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Brown Paper Packages




Look what arrived in the mail today!  Sometimes the prettiest things do come in "Brown Paper Packages". This line of fibers is new to me - colors are lush and skeins are generous!  I have a "Ewe and Eye and Friends" chart which will use these lovelies!

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Snowman - A Start



Kitted up "Snowman" from "Winter Trio" by Twisted Threads.
I am stitching on 32 count Dirty Belfast - one strand of floss over two linen threads.