WIP Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!  I'm actually on schedule this week and I'm actually getting my WIP Wednesday post up on the right day!

 Mini River Cottage

Michael Powell

stitched on: 27ct eveweave

After last week's post I finally settled on a WIP to work on, Michael Powell's Mini River Cottage... well I finished it Monday night!  I just love the look of these and stitching them!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on: mystery fabric

Stitched with: Threadworx

I also had a small finish as well, I pulled out this little Red Threads motif by Rosewood Manor, one of my purse projects.  It had been started awhile ago, so it was nice to have that finished as well.  Its gone into my finishing pile, I've already picked the coordinating beads for when I'm ready!

Of course with the finishing of one focus project that leaves the tough decision of "what's next?".  A few texts back and forth with Christin and for the moment, I've settled on Teresa Wentzler's Fortunate Traveller.  I started this back on May 1, 2013 as a stitch-a-long with Bonnie, Beatrice and Christin.  Of course none of us have really made any serous progress since then.  I think we keep getting distracted by other projects!

I've also put a couple of more thread lengths into A Year In Chalk - June.  I'm planning on putting an hour into this each day until its done or I decide to put my head down and finish it.  Once this one is done, I'm caught up until I get a chance to buy/pick up July & August.

Tiny Tidings

Lizzie Kate

Over the weekend I also completed another ornament, and a floss ring tag.  I started a second ornament, but haven't managed to find the time to complete it yet.  I guess that just gives you something to look forward to next week!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Nothing exciting has been going on to share with you, I've been back to work this week after an extra-long, long weekend.  Just the stitching you see here!

Update : Finishing

So besides stitching like a mad woman, I've been doing quite a bit of finishing as well!

In early June Kathy and I made plans to get together to finally put together her Petit Sampling Etui.  Amongst my circle of stitching friends I seem to be considered the "finishing expert", go figure.  I think I'm just willing to dive in and give things a try.  I had never put together an etui before, but my finishing skills have been steadily improving over the years.

I have to say putting this box together was not easy and it definitely required two weekends, two heads, four hands, and a lot of reading over and over!  Though I didn't stitch the panels I'm certainly proud of the end result!  Kathy and I make a great team and work well together.

Of course neither of us are planning to put together or stitch another one for a long time.

I was motivated by helping Kathy with her Etui to do a little finishing of my own!  On weekends I've been home I've been pulling out one ornament after another out of my finishing box.  I've been quite productive now that I see it all here in one blog entry!

 My first attempt at a tag finish and I have to say it turned out great!

Fa La La La - Freebie

 JBW

French Country Star

JCS Ornament Issue

 Heart of Flake - Freebie

 Rosewood Manor

Red Threads

Heart In Hand

Snow Woes

 Ink Circles

Stained Glass Holly

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

 Stitchers Joy

Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue

The Stag

Freebie

Update : Stitching

Once again I've become lax at blogging.  I keep thinking, I should blog but then my stitching seems to take precedence.  Also at work, the month of June is rather hectic as we're busy wrapping up another school year.  Sadly I'm not on summer holidays like may of my co-workers, I'm one of the "lucky" few that has a 12 month position in the school.  So I'm still working, I'm looking forward to 5-day long weekend starting after work tomorrow.  After that I won't be taking any holidays until the last week of July when I get to enjoy 3 weeks of vacation.  This year I have no travel planned, I'll be having a stay-cation or a few little day trips.

I'm going to update you on what I've done, been doing, stitching over the last month over a few blog entries.  First I'm going to start with stitching, my needle has certainly been busy!  I'll update you with all of my WIPs on WIP Wednesday, there has been a flurry of finishing, and a few little day trips that I've taken a few photos.  So, keep an eye out for blog entries every couple of days!
 

 Cirque des Carreaux (squares)

Ink Circles

Stitched on: 32ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean

Stitched with: ThreadWorx Foxy

Since the end of May all of my stitching attention when to one piece, Cirque des Carreaux.  Christin suggested that was the project I should work on during a weekend away, and I just never put it down.  I was on page 2 when I picked it up, I found I was easily stitching a page in under a week, there's six pages in this design.

This is the third piece I've stitched in the "Cirque" series.  There is just one design left for me to stitch "Cirque des Triangles" (triangles).  I'm planning on starting that one in February during next year's Dominican Experience trip.  I haven't decided on colour yet, I'll keep the fabric the same as I have with all the other pieces.  Right now I'm thinking either a nice purple or turquoise, something vibrant.

In May I decided for my monthly ornament to start stitching up the Lizzie Kate Jingles series.  Fun, colourful, and quick are a great way to describe them!

Deck The Halls

Jingles

Lizzie Kate

Stitched on: 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with: Weeks Dye Works

Noel

Jingles

Lizzie Kate

Stitched on: 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with: Weeks Dye Works

So that's it until Wednesday when I'll share with you how my latest WIPs are coming along.

Belated WIP Wednesday

Were you looking for my WIP Wednesday post last night or today?  Sorry I didn't get anything up on my blog, I was too tired to blog.

I'm still not settled 100% on any one project, this week saw me working on three of my WIPs.  My friends and regular readers know that's very unlike me to flit from one project to the other!  I am certainly a one at a time girl!

I've put a few more thread lengths into Arabian Woman, a Lanarte Kit.  I think I'm going to really look forward to focusing on her at some point.

I've also put a few hours over the weekend on The Big Red by The Silver Lining, I think I missed working over one!

I think I've spent most of my stitching time on Peacock by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks.  On the up side, I finished all of the dark outlining and now its time to fill it in with all of the gorgeous blues that remind me of the beach in the Dominican Republic!  Also I'd say the end is in sight with this piece!

I was determined to do a little finishing this weekend, its certainly piling up!  I finished up these three motifs from Red Threads by Rosewood Manor.  These are all whip stitched together with a beaded edge.

Next out of the to be finished bin was this Primitive Hare freebie.  I've done a flat finish on this and embellished it with a red/white polka-dot ribbon bow on the top and a pearl head pin.  Ideally I'd like to get a few pieces finished each weekend, we'll see how ambitious I am this weekend!

WIPWednesday, Small Finishes and What's Next?

Happy Wednesday fair readers!  Which means its WIPWednesday and one of my blogging days!

As usual I like to start with the happy stuff, and I've had two small Happy Dances since my last post.

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched with NPI Silk

Stitched on 32ct Natural Linen

This first little guy, was already well under way, so there wasn't much left to do.  This has been my "purse project" and I've been dragging it around with me most places but not really working on it.  So I finally put the last stitches into it.

French Country Star

JBW Designs

Just Cross Stitch - Ornament Issue 2010

Stitched with WDW Garnet

Stitched Over One on 25ct Sand/Gold Lugana

Next up is this month's ornament, I had a hard time settling on which one I wanted to stitch.  I finally picked up this sweet little stitch by JBW which was in one of my Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issues.  If I can, and it may be rather ambitious I'd like to finish this star-shaped!

I haven't settled on a new focus project yet, and really that's okay.  This week I've picked away at two different projects.

I kind of have it in my mind to finish up my January 1st start from this year, Peacock by Alessandra Adelaide.  Christin and I started them together, but she's been done hers for awhile now. Usually I'm the first to finish!  I've had a hard time getting "into" this project.

When I haven't been able to get "into" Peacock I've pulled out an oldie, but goodie Arabian Woman a kit from Lanarte.  I fell in love with and bought this project a long time ago, and it cost me a fair bit.  A few years ago I put some stitches in it to make myself get back to it.  I've enjoyed working on it this week.  The fabric on this piece comes painted and there's a little "+" where to start so I've slowly worked my way from that start point, to my happy place, the top left hand corner.

As promised last week here are the other projects I have started in my stitching basket... Which project would you like to watch come to life?  Leave me a comment!

Mini River Cottage - Michael Powell

The Big Red - The Silver Lining

 Cirque des Carreaux - Ink Circles

Fortunate Traveller - Teresa Wentzler

A Long Awaited Stitchy Post - WIP Wednesday A Day Early

Have you missed my WIP Wednesday posts?  Have you missed my stitching... have you missed me?

The week leading up to this year's DR Experience trip was beyond hectic!  I was trying to get so much done before I left.  Not just my home life, but my work life, and of course the kids! I should of gotten stitching pictures up last week, but well there's recovering from said trip.

 I don't get a lot of stitching done during my DR Trips, but I did have a new start that I worked on during my flights.  I did more stitching during my return flight than I did on the way down.  That might of had something to do with the fact that I had to be up before 3am to be at the airport for 4am!  My new travel project (not to be confused with purse project) is Ink Circles, Cirque Des Carreaux.  Like the previous two in the series I've stitched this one is also on 32ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean, the floss is ThreadWorx "foxy".  This project will be getting A LOT of needle time this Saturday, while I fly down to Yuma, Arizona for my March Break trip to visit Kathy!  I've got about 12 hours of travel time between flights and layovers, lots of stitching time!  We've got a trip to The Attic planned, I can't wait!

Green + White

by Bent Creek

Stitched on: 32ct white lugana

Stitched with WDW & Crescent Colours

Before I left I had a little happy dance!  Its another seasonal small, this time for St. Patrick's Day.  Of course there's no time to actually get it finished finished to be on display in time for this years St. Paddy's Day.

Heart Of Flake

Freebie by Madame la Fée

Stitched on 32ct Raging Storm Belfast Linen

Stitched with ThreadWorx 1124

After my return I had another happy dance, this piece is my February ornament which I started shortly before leaving for the DR.  I want to try to get back to stitching at least one ornament a month.  Besides this sudden need I have this year to stitch seasonal smalls.  I quite like this little heart I stitched up.

Before I picked The Accolade back up upon my return, I put a few stitches into Michael Powell's Mini River Cottage.  As usual his pieces are so enjoyable to stitch!  The only reason I decided to pick this up is because I couldn't get fabric sorted for my March ornament so I kinda gave up for a bit.  I wasn't feeling an ornament at the time anyhow.  I finally got my ornament sorted today, you'll see it in a near future post.

I'm sure you're dying to see how The Accolade is coming along, slowly but surely.  I've found myself more distracted than focused in the last week and a half.  I hope when all of my travel is done, I'll be able to buckle down and happy dance this BAP!

WIP Wednesday - The First February Edition

Welcome to my first February Edition of WIP Wednesday!!!

Winter here continues to be pretty brutal.  If its not been colder than -20c with windchills in the -30c then its been snow, blowing snow, snow drifts and black ice.  I've had enough and I'm counting the days until I head out on this year's Dominican Experience Trip ... 16 DAYS!  Not to mention in 37 days I'll be heading Arizona!!!  Neither trip can come soon enough.

So after my Sleep Study just a few weeks ago, I was back in the hospital today.  This time for a Day Study, in a day study you're still all hooked up to wires and stuff.  In a Day Study you're told to take a 15 minute nap, if you're not asleep in 15 minutes they come in and get you out of bed, or as soon as you fall asleep they set the clock for a fresh 15 minutes before coming to wake you up.  You get to sit up, watch movies ... I stitched for about two hours before its time for another nap.  This is done four times.

I kitted up another freebie for my future seasonal basket of smalls.  I'm still working on the Valentine's Day/Hearts/Love theme.  This will be the last one before I move onto St. Patrick's Day.  I worked on this while at the hospital today.  I didn't have any of the colours the chart called for so I pulled my own.  The border wasn't supposed to be green at all, it called for Crescent Colours Bamboo which was a brown-ish colour.  I really like the green MUCH better.

Valentine

The Primitive Hare

Stitched on: 28ct Tropical Pink Linen

Stitched with: Threadworx 1124

Last week I showed you my start on a freebie by Primitive Hare, I finished it on Sunday during the Superbowl.  Actually I stitched most of it during the Superbowl, not that I was really watching anyhow.  I embellished it with a pink heart button on the stitched heart.  I love how this turned out with my "outrageous" pink fabric!  I think I'm going to need to do some finishing soon!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on: 32ct Natural Linen

Stitched with: Carrie's Creations Holly Days

After I finished Valentine I pulled out another Red Threads motif to stitch up.  I got a fair amount of it done in the last quarter of the Superbowl and finished it up the other day.  I love using the little motifs (and there's a great alphabet too!) on the charts for those long, narrow strips of fabric I used to just throw away.  Its also great for using up that last bit of a skien of a specialty fiber.  I hate throwing things out, but I also hate holding onto things hoping that someday I might come up with something to do with it.

Finally, what you REALLY came here to see... The Accolade!  I'm still drowning in grey!  I'm still not done page 10, but I've got two more rows of 10 by 10 to go!  So hopefully this time next week you'll see the start of page 11!!!