PhotoHunt - Global

This week's PhotoHunt theme is "Global"

I love being a "global" traveler, but there's nothing I love more than grabbing a steeped tea from Timmies and some normal food!  Especially after my Dominican Experience trips!  This picture was taken at the Toronto Pearson International Airport waiting for our plane back to Ottawa.

IHSW and Ornament SAL All Wrapped Into One!

This past weekend was the IHSW (International Hermit and Stitch Weekend), I didn't hermit this past Saturday but I did get together with my friends Rebecca and Mylene we did some finishing AND stitching!  Julie, the lucky girl is off to a retreat in Myrtle Beach next month and she wanted to take with her for an exchange a biscornu and a flat fold.  She wanted my help to guide her through the finishing process.  To take advantage of a little finishing time, because as some people would put it, I lack "finisitive", I took one piece with me to Julie's to finish into a flat fold.

We had a VERY productive day!  Julie's flat fold and biscornu turned out beautifully and I finished up this little cutie, Lizzie*Kate's 2010 Snowman which has been sitting in my "finished bin" since 2012 (I'm afraid to admit, but I have much older pieces in there).  I'm just so how pleased with how he turned out!

French Country Teddy Bear

JBW Designs c2011

Stitched on 28ct Bluebell Joblean

Stitched with Caron Waterlillies Dark Shadows

After our little finishing frenzy, our stitching came out.  I started this little guy on Saturday and finished him up on Sunday.  Once I put name, date and weight on him, he'll become a baby sampler for a friend.  This JBW makes for a great and quick baby piece.

Flowers and Vines Dove - Christmas Doves I

JBW Designs c2012

Stitched on 28ct Black Lugana

Stitched with DMC B5200

Sunday night I finished up yet another JBW, this time another of my Doves that I've been working on all year.  That was 5 down, and 1 to go. 

French Country Dove - Christmas Doves II

JBW Designs c2012

Stitched on 28ct Black Lugana

Stitched with DMC B5200

Last night, I finished up the very last Dove!  As lovely as the Doves are I'm happy to see them done!  This set will become ornaments, Christmas gifts this year.  Sorry these doves just don't photograph well in artifical light.

So there we go, IHSW and Ornament SAL all in one post!

PhotoHunts and WIPocalypse

I really meant to blog several times this past week, but I've been so caught up in my stitching that a lot was left undone this week.  I should of posted a PhotoHunt last weekend, then I should of done a WIPocalypse post a few days ago... and lookie, its PhotoHunt time again!

So here it is, all in one!

Last week's PhotoHunt theme was "silly"

This is the silliest, best, most favorite bathroom sign I've ever seen!  I came across this at a gas station just as I was about to enter Cape Breton this summer.

This week's theme is "rousing"

This is my friend Dan's 50th Anniversary Edition Corvette.  There is nothing more rousing that driving a powerful sports car, especially when its a manual transmission!  Boy this baby purrrrs!

I've not done a WIPocalypse post in forever... so I won't go into that was then, this is now sort of thing.  I just show you what I've gotten done and where I am with my current WIPs.

There was my Ink Circles finish, Cirque des Circles at the beginning of September.  This was my summer holidays project I stitched the majority of this from the end of July to the beginning of September.

Next I stitched up a JBW which will be an ornament, this one is the French Country Dove, I've got another one on the go, but no picture ... sorry!

Earlier in the Summer Kathy had asked me to add to her Sweetheart Tree Round Robin, this is the Bleeding Hearts Heart.  It was a quick enjoyable stitch!

Then last week I finished up page 6 on the Accolade!  I am now officially at the half way point on this BAP!  It would be so nice to wrap up this project this year... but the eyes can only handle so much over one at a time!

The last week I've been obsessed by my latest Teresa Wentzler!  Fortunate Traveler!  I started this back on May 1st with Christin, Bonnie, and Beatrice.  The first picture shows where I put it down after a few days work in May.  The second picture shows all of the border outlines stitched up, as of tonight.

Star Wars : Itentities

One of my Summer Adventures took place here in Ottawa.  Bonnie and her husband came up for the weekend, and we with Christin went to the Aviation Museum to see the Star Wars : Identities exhibit.

Me n' Vader!  Everyone was getting their picture taken with this Star Wars icon!

It was a pretty cool exhibit and well worth going to if it comes to your area!  Not only was it an awesome collection of Star Wars props, costumes, artwork, story boards, and more.  The exhibit itself centers around what makes us who we are, and how events and influences in our lives shape who we are and who we become.  What makes us good and what makes us evil.  It was quite fascinating!

Princess Amidala

I am a geek at heart so I really enjoyed this exhibit!

 Everyone's favourite Droids, C3PO and R2-D2

 Bobba Fett

 I always thought Jawas were cute!

 Leia the slave

 Luke Skywalker

 The Millenium Falcon

 Anikin Skywalker's pod racer

 Of course Han Solo encased in carbonite was there too!

 Storm Troopers

Everyone's favourite Jedi Master, Yoda

Belated Update - Knowledge & Needles Annual Open House

This past summer I have packed up the car A LOT and hit the road driving here and there!  On the weekend of August 24th Christin and I packed up the car and headed down to Kathy's place, she was giving us a place to sleep for the weekend.

A quick stop at Chapters on the way down allowed us to enhance our stash a little with the latest fall issue of Just Cross Stitch.  Christin also had for me the Halloween Ornament Issue that she had picked up for me while I was away.

 Joyce's AMAZING Mystic Stitch

 The results of this year's January 1st start/stitch-a-long

Saturday morning we packed our stitching and the works we've finished since last year's Open House and headed down the road to Knowledge and Needles.  Its a great day where so many stitchers come together!  I get to see lots of familiar faces, catch up and usually there's one or two new stitchers to meet as well.

I think the favorite part of the day, for all of us is the display (and well maybe the shopping too!) of everyone's work in the last year!  There are just so many different pieces, so beautifully stitched too.  Its hard not to add a few new patterns to your wish list or be inspired to try something different.

Kathy gave me these fabrics from her stash she knew she wouldn't stitch on

Speaking of shopping I did make one purchase that day.  Ann had been putting aside for me all of the Lizzie*Kate Jingles as they were being released, and the whole set was complete and ready for me to pick up.

Christin got these scissors for Beatrice's birthday, and I made the fob

As usual it was an awesome day we talked a lot, ate too much, and maybe stitched a little!

Productive Weekend

Well a productive stitchy weekend that is! I've been on the road so much this summer that I forgot what it was like to stay home, stay in my pj's and stitch all day! That's exactly what I did! Here are the results of my lazy weekend!

Bleeding Hearts
c Sweetheart Tree

First I finished up my contribution to Kathy's Sweetheart Tree round robin. I'll be passing it onto Christin this week so she can add the last heart. This was quite enjoyable to stitch, with its specialty stitches and threads. A quick stitch too!




I took a stitching break, and did the finishing on this freebie ornament that I had stitched earlier in the year. I think you'll be seeing a lot of bead edged ornaments in the future (since I've now got so many!).

French Country Dove - Christmas Doves II
c2012 JBW Designs
Stitched on 28ct black Luganda
Stitched with DMC B5200

When I was ready to get back to stitching, I picked up this JBW which I had kinda started the previous weekend, it stitched up super-quick! I've also started another one, I need to stitch up six doves for gifts this year. I've got four stitched, one in progress and one left to start! I imagine there will be beads involved in the finishing.

Sunday morning I got a start on stretching a piece I teased you with earlier in the summer so I can get it framed and to its new owner. She's been known to read this blog so no peeking! Sorry! I then picked up The Accolade for the rest of the day, you'll be seeing a 1/2 way happy dance soon!

Lets get back to goal setting! It's been month since I've talked about what stitching I'd like to accomplish each month.

September Stitching Goals
Stitch Kathy's Sweetheart Tree RR
Stitch one ornament
Finish page 6 on The Accolade
Finish The Cat's Meow
Work on Fortunate Traveller



- thanks for reading!

PhtotoHunt - Fave.

This week's PhotoHunt theme is "fave."

This is my most "fave." picture of all time!  I was at the right place at the right time, and the right time of day!!!  I'm sure I would never be able to reproduce this shot.

TUSAL and Travelling Pattern Winner

Another first since May-ish, it's time for the monthly TUSAL report!!! Have you missed my ort jar?




As you can see there is a nice thick layer of blue/purple threads from Cirque des Cercles!


I've also included the travelling pattern I posted about last week which will shortly be on its way to Karen! Congratulations Karen and I look forward to seeing how you personalize this design. Random.org spit out #27 out of 28 comments.



Look at these pretties! I love collecting the Gingher Designer series! This year's pattern is called Julia.


- thanks for reading!

Huge Happy Dance, Kathy's Labour Day Stitching Weekend and Sneaky Fobbing

First of all, lets get the important and exciting part out of the way... I've had my first BIG Happy Dance for myself this year!

 Cirque des Cercles

c2006 Ink Circles

Stitched on: 32 Queen Ann's Lace Joblean

Stitched with: DMC 4240

Isn't CdC fantastic?  You can't really tell from the picture but the floss is a gorgeous shade of blue/purple.  The fabric is supposed to be Queen Ann's Lace, one of my favorites but for some reason this piece I ordered on line (hadn't seen in person) had non of the lovely grey mottling that I normally see.  So it was the perfect piece of fabric to stitch design like this on.

I started CdC in September of 2012, I got a wee corner done between then and this past February when I last picked it up.  The almost all of this piece was stitched between July 24th- September 2nd (at 1:30AM!).  It was a great piece to stitch and perfect to work on while I travelled this summer.

The last couple of years Labour Day Weekend has become Kathy's Annual Stitching Weekend.  Christin comes into work with me on the Friday before Labour Day to help get the student packages ready for the first day of school.  Then we hit the road and road trip down to Kathy's where she has her guest room set aside for us.

Saturday (and Monday) was a rainy day, perfect for stitching!

We spend the weekend putting into practice our favourite motto with some really good friends: Eat. Sleep. Stitch (repeat).  Here are some shots from the weekend.

Fran showing Barb how to make a bullion knot

 Adriana, the most amazing 97 year old stitcher!!!

 Beth

 Christin

 Fran, Barb and Beatrice

 Kathy & Beatrice trying to put lavender in an ornament

 Julie was new to the group this year and it was a pleasure to meet her!

I wanted to show off Clare's amazing knitting!

A short while ago I was making a few scissor fobs, and I had the most perfect penguin charm, so I snuck it into a certain Penguin lover's belongings.  I know she's since found it but ... so far hasn't accused me of planting it!