Back to Normality

or what passes for normality round here!

Now the DUCJC is over I have been enjoying concentrating on just one or two pieces.  This past week I have been stitching On The Beach by Madame Chantilly.  Not literally "on" the beach as it is far too cold for that.  But a design entitled On The Beach.  My cousin (who is actually my second cousin and my godmother's daugher so my godsister (possibly?)) had a baby last year and decorated the nursery with a nautical theme.  I thought this design would be perfect for them.

The fabric is by Sparklies and is called Kynance after Kynance Cove in Cornwell.  It is dyed to order so you can specify landscape or portrait and also where the division between blue and yellow is placed.

The other main project this week is Prairie Moon's Thine is the Trick and the Treat:

This seems like a good time to show a few things I have not blogged about before.  First up are a couple of gifts which couldn't be shown until the recipient had them.

The lovely Ewa got married to Thomas last year.  Formerly known as HHB (Handsome, Helpful Boyfriend) he was promoted to HHF (Handsome, Helpful Fiance) and is now HHH or H3 ((Handsome, Helpful Husband).  I bought a lovely little teabag holder when we were on holiday last year because I knew I had the cross stitch chart for the same design.

Stitched on 32 count Antique White linen

I stitched the words freehand

Backing fabric

Made into a little bag to hold a teabag.

The next item is a Birthday card for a dear friend, can you guess who?

Margaret Sherry

Mice for Mouse of course!

This was a cover gift from Cross Stitch Crazy magazine.  It was a set of eight Christmas designs but without the green wreath this is perfect for a Mouse Birthday.

I also received two gifts I haven't shown before:

Gift from Anne of Doll's Musings

Gift from Riona of Oubliette.

She also sent me the Dragon of the Winter Moon chart and special threads too.

Finally, this is the final call for the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Bloh Hop.  Due to take place on Valentine's Day.  I have quite a few photos already but would love more.  All you have to do is send me a photo of something suitable to send to a fellow blogger to celebrate love and friendship.  I email the photos out randomly to the participants who post one on their blog.  Then we all hop around to discover who got our photo.  I need photos by 10th February please. 

WIPocalypse February 2015 Stuck in a Rut?

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "15 in '15"which are 15 charts I want to stitch in 2015 (following on from my "11 in '11", "12 in '12", "13 in '13" and "14 in '14" - imaginative, eh?)

Obviously taking part in the DUCJC meant I stitched on every single one of the 15!  You will have seen them all already throughout January but here are small pictures of them once again:

Joan Elliott – Diary February WIP

Just Nan – Winter Typography WIP

Frosted Pumpkins – Hallowe’en Town WIP

Joan Elliott – Faces Mystery SAL WIP

Just Nan – Haunted Pumpkins Tree WIP

Jannlynn – Gathering Honey WIP

JBW – Rocking Horse

Teresa Wenztler – You were Hatched

Kingfisher for school

Dragon of the Winter Moon from Riona

Joan Elliott – Believe for school

Nutmeg Cottage from Susan

Since the DUCJC ended I have actually worked on three of the pieces.  Trick and Treat has continued to be my bathtime focus piece, one length of thread per evening.  On the Beach is my OAAT piece so I can finish it for my cousin's baby.  And the Hallowe'en Blocks are one a month, mostly on a Sunday.

Praire Moon – Thine is the Trick and the Treat WIP

Stitched on hand-dyed 40 count linen

Primitive Hare – Hallowe’en Cubes

 

Stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain linen

Madame Chantilly – On the Beach WIP

Stitched on 32 count Kynance evenweave by Sparklies

I have changed the colours quite a lot for this piece.  The charted ones just did not look the same as the cover picture.  Weirdly, the two rocks are stitched with the same colour but from two different skeins.  Big difference in old and new DMC there!

Measi also sets discussion topics for each month:

February
How do you overcome that feeling that you’re in a rut with a particular project?

On the Beach is actually a good piece to illustrate this.  The lighthouse is blocks of plain colour.  Not very exciting, just /// and \\\ like a typewriter.  So to keep me motivated I have been stitching one block of it and then a little motif along the bottom.

I find rotation is the key to not getting in a rut in the first place.  If you have like I do, a large focus project, a small or two and a monthly target there will always be something from your Goal List you can stitch on and not feel you are "cheating"!  I personally don't like stitching long repetitive borders so find the one thread of border followed by one thread of something more interesting works for me!

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.

January Smalls SAL

and DUCJC 2015 Days 24 to 27

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Heather from Stitching Lotus

This year I am going to have two monthly challenges:

1. The Primitive Hare Hallowe'en Cubes SAL with Giovanna

2. The Hallowe'en Ornie SAL themed blog.

But because I have also been taking part in the DUCJC 2015 I haven't really got a finish for either this month!

I stitched on the first cube on Day 17 and here is my progress:

Stitched on 32count Vintage Linen.

I intend to stitch these on Sunday afternoons unless I have to work.  

Hopefully I can finish this one this Sunday.

The theme for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog was Witches.  I did start a Brooke's Books Witch and I also stitched a witch as part of Prairie Moon's Thine is the Trick and the Treat so I am counting that for this month's ornie!

***

DUCJC 2015 - I am doing well keeping up with the new starts.  The box to choose from is getting emptier and the stitched box is getting full!  Only a few more days to go then I can return to my favourites.

Day 24 - Shepherd's Bush - She Tends:

Stitched on 32count Light Mocha Belfast linen

Day 25 - Shepherd's Bush - Mulberry:

Stitched on 32 count Antique White linen

This is the sixth of the series I have stitched.

Day 26 - Dragon Dreams - Dragon of the Winter Moon:

Stitched on 32 count Moondust Murano evenweave from Crafty Kitten

All of the white body is Anchor Marlitt which is a silky thread and quite slippery!

Day 27 - Prairie Moon - Thine is the Trick and the Treat:

Stitched on 40 count hand-dyed linen.

I stitched the skull motif to the left on day 27.

I have been stitching TitTatT all month, one strand per evening except for day 27 when I took it into work.  I saved this project from day 27 because I knew I had a full day at work and thought there would be little time for stitching.  I totally forgot I get a lunch break when I work a full day!  It's usually only a 20 minute coffeebreak.  So I got some midday stitching and completed another motif.

The doorbell just rang and I have to show you what the postman delivered:

Yes, an entire cone of DMC 310!  With all the Hallowe'en stitching I do I thought a cone made economical sense!  425m for £16.50 works out at 31p a skein of 8m.  And I get a really nice solid card cone which I am sure can be made into something spooky when the thread is all used up!

The cone came from Crafty Kitten and because I had a voucher from Heather of It's Geek to Me all I had to pay was postage.  I also got some Crescent Colours for one of my final 31 starts,

The little book next to the cone is my 2015 Diary.  I usually use the cover gift from WOCS magazine but they didn't have one this year, just a desk calendar.  So Santa brought me one.  The cat is printed but the rest of the cover detail is embroidered on.  Very suitable, thank you Santa,

Finally, I will be hosting the annual Valentine's Day Blog Hop this year.  See this post for more details.  Just send me a photo of your lovely stitching to be sent to another blogger on Valentine's Day,  I've added the Heart to my sidebar, please feel free to copy it onto your blog to link back here.

  

WIPocalypse January 2015 Introduction

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "15 in '15"which are 15 charts I want to stitch in 2015 (following on from my "11 in '11", "12 in '12", "13 in '13" and "14 in '14" - imaginative, eh?)

1. Joan Elliott – Diary February WIP
2. Just Nan – Winter Typography WIP
3. Frosted Pumpkins – Hallowe’en Town WIP
4. Praire Moon – Thine is the Trick and the Treat WIP
5. Joan Elliott – Faces Mystery SAL WIP
6. Madame Chantilly – On the Beach WIP
7. Just Nan – Haunted Pumpkins Tree WIP
8. Jannlynn – Gathering Honey WIP
9. JBW – Rocking Horse
10. Teresa Wenztler – You were Hatched
11. Kingfisher for school
12. Dragon of the Winter Moon from Riona
13. Joan Elliott – Believe for school
14. Primitive Hare – Hallowe’en Blocks
15. Nutmeg Cottage from Susan

So far I have stitched the JBW Rocking Horse and Prairie Moon's Thine is the Trick and the Treat (this is my evening focus piece, one thread every evening).

 

I am also taking part in the DUCJC where I am attempting to stitch on 31 different projects throughout January.  Here are the starts for Days 4 and 5:

Day 4 - Lizzie*Kate - Friends are Angels

Stitched on 25 count yellow evenweave using Jodyri Threads Salsa

Day 5 - Beehive Needleworks - Sunflowers and Acorns

Stitched on 35 count linen

Measi also sets discussion topics for each month:

January
Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!

The projects and goals are pretty much covered above.  Introduction to me?  Well, the blurb on the right pretty much says it all.  I like to stitch, blog, help other stitchers and bloggers, organise SALs.

Which brings me to the next part!  The advert for the Gifted Gorgeousness SAL.  This will be running all year and involves you stitching anything which could come under the category of a gift and then blogging about it and linking up here on the 15th of any given month.  We have 44 stitchers all signed up so far but you can pop in at any time during the year and join in with the fun.

Finally, it's back to work tomorrow so I think the Day 6 stitch will be a small one!

Stitch from Stash December Update

My 400th Post!!

Stitch from Stash is hosted by Mel from Epic Stitching

Essentially the idea behind Stitch from Stash is that we are limited to spending US$25 (or £15) per month. There are various exemptions (Birthday money, existing mag subs, clubs etc) but the idea is not to try and pervert the rules and to stitch some of that stash!  I will be posting on or around the 20th of each month because that is when I get paid!

Money from Christmas 2013	£ 40.00
January Budget	£ 15.00
January Spend	£ 25.84-
February Budget	£ 15.00
February Spend	£ 18.99-
March Budget	£ 15.00
March Spend	£   8.42-
April Budget	£ 15.00
April Spend	£ 16.19-
May Budget	£ 15.00
May Spend	£   0.00
June Budget	£ 15.00
June Spend	£ 51.00-
June Bonus	£ 30.00
July Budget	£ 15.00
July Spend	£ 17.00-
August Budget	£ 15.00
August Spend	£ 29.72-
September Budget	£ 15.00
September Spend	£ 29.08-
Birthday Money	£ 80.00
October Spend	£ 46.80-
October Budget	£ 15.00
Birthday Voucher CK	£ 25.00
November Spend	£ 39.60-
November Budget	£ 15.00
Balance	£ 57.36

Just Nan 10 Charts

£ 20.00

Balance	£ 37.36
December Budget	£ 15.00
Balance at the end of the Challenge	£ 52.36

Allowed purchases:

Jodyri Threads of Month Club : £ 5.54

Here are the ten bargain charts I bought from a FB Stash group:

I could have spent another £36 easily but as I did not have £36 in my account I was forced to resist!

New Starts from Stash: Acorn House Designs - Poinsettia Merry Christmas

WIPs and UFOs worked on: The Little Stitcher 12 Days of Christmas, Thine is the Trick and the Treat

Acorn House Designs - Poinsettia Merry Christmas

Prairie Moon - Thine is the Trick and the Treat

I have reached the far right corner of this now so we can see the full dimensions of the piece.  It's actually more square than I thought it would be.  I was expecting it to be A4 sized.

Well, Stitch from Stash was a huge success for me.  It really helped me keep track of what I was spending my money on and helped me decide if I really need a  particular item or not.  I started the year with £40 Christmas money, used the £30 June bonus, got £80 for my Birthday plus a CK gift voucher of £25 all of which added to the monthly budget of £15 made a total of £355 available to spend.  That's quite a lot really!

As I ended the year with £52.36 in the metaphorical kitty that means I spend just over £300 across the year.  But what did I spend it on? Inquiring minds need to know!!

According to my spreadsheet I spent:

Charts - £ 169.06

Books/Magazines - £ 61.00

(includes the JCS CD)

Fabric - £ 51.57

Threads - £ 18.28

Beads - £ 2.54

Total - £ 302.45

So we can see where my weaknesses are!  Especially when I pull out the Just Nan total of £ 73.09.  I am thinking they are investment pieces LOL.  I did find one error.  I had accounted for the JCS Hallowe'en mag twice, once when I reserved it and again when I received it.  But never mind!  I also spent £66.48 on the Jodyri Threads of the month and £75.19 on subscriptions to three different magazines.  These were allowable exceptions.

Mel has generously agreed to host Stitch from Stash again next year so I am definitely in.  There are slightly different rules this time but I am going to try keep my spending even lower this year. I am going to try for the £15 per month including all gifted money.  See you in a year to see if I manage that!

Finally, I hope you are all enjoying the Advent Calendar Blog Hop.  So far, roller skates seem to be an excellent present choice judging by the participants and their commenters.

Photo from Escape to the Seventies

December WIPocalypse Recap of Accomplishments

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi of Measi's Musings.

The main focus of my WIPocalypse this year is my "14 in '14" a list of 14 projects I wanted to complete in 2014.  In the last month I have worked on three of the list.  As this month's topic is a Recap of our Accomplishments over 2014 I will show you the progress on all 14 designs!  Do I hear a "WooHoo"?!!

1. Joan Elliott Green Goddess - Completed

2. Prairie Moon Thine is the Trick and the Treat - Progress as a WIP

Beginning of the year:

Now:

3. Maria's Wedding - Completed

Stitching details here

4. Kat's Baby - Completed

Emily Peacock Circus Font

5. Teresa Wentzler You Were Hatched - Unstarted, carried over to 15 in '15

6. Primitive Hare Spooky Countdown - Completed

7. The Little Stitcher 12 Days of Christmas - 11 stitched, one to go!

8. Joan Elliott February Diary - UFO

9. Just Nan Winter Typography - Progress made on new start this year 

10. Firewing Dragon - Unstarted

11. Stitcheranon Chart - Unstarted, carried over to 15 in '15

12. A Mon Ami Pierre Noel Blanc - Completed

13. Shepherd's Bush Sampler - Unstarted, carried over to 15 in '15

14. Sam's Sampler Jannlynn Gathering Honey - Progress made on this WIP

Beginning of this year

Now

So far the tally is:

6 completed (I am including the Little Stitcher in this because it will be done for the TUSAL post)
3 progress made
5 unstarted or now UFO

That's not too bad, better than 2013 anyway when I had only 2 finishes, 3 WIPs and 8 not stitched!

I have set my target for my 15 in '15 and here is a nice collage of them.  No names on them yet, I wonder how many you can identify from the photo?

WIPs:

New Starts:

Finally, I must apologise to all the blogs I follow and comment on, I have not been visiting you all as regualarly as I would like.  Since working quite obsessively on Green Goddess I have discovered how much fun it is to stitch for long periods of time and internetting has been cut down accordingly.  Unfortunately that means my friends' blogs.  I will try to visit you more often!!