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

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

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.

WIPocacalypse, Ornament SAL and Stitchy Stuff!

I have been a woefully poor SAL participant lately.  Actually I'm going to blame it on the calendar on my phone because it didn't alert me appropriately, and well it was a busy week between my birthday and Easter weekend.  So lets get all caught up on all the SALs and wonderful stitchyness that's been going on Chez Dani!

Let's start with WIPocalypse and since I have ornaments to share as well this will be about my bigger WIPs and non-ornamenty stitchery.

The Accolade as of the February WIPocalypse

The Accolade as of March 19th

ABC Christmas Sampler as of the February WIPocalypse

ABC Christmas Sampler as of March 31st

Just Nan's Honey Bunny - Limited Edition Kit

finished this almost two weeks ago

 Tartan Thistle Scissor Keep - Kit

stitching finished on Saturday finishing done on Sunday

This has been my travel project for the last little while

Now for the Ornaments

 Just Nan's Gingerbread Mouse - Limited Edition Kit

Dove of Birds - JBW Designs

 Freebie

Gift tags from Cross Stitcher

Issue 260 December 2012

Well that's about it!  I'm all caught up on sharing my stitching with you!