2023 Advent Calendar Blog Hop

    Here is our Online Advent Calendar, it will be updated every day. 

Scroll down to see the latest picture and a link to the poster's blog.

This year I have asked each participant for their "Santa Stories"

Please share your favourite Santa traditions and customs from your family or your home town. Maybe you always visit a certain Santa in a shop? Does Santa arrive by train, sleigh or motorcycle? Does your family have a Magic Key so he can get in or does he still come down the chimney?

And here is a photo of Santa arriving at an event my husband worked at this year!

Hop over each day to discover a new Santa Story from our blogging friends.

Friday 1st December

Count it *all* joy

Saturday 2nd December

Life Outside the Washing Basket

Sunday 3rd December

An Arizona Stitcher

Monday 4th December

Jeremiah's Mom

Tuesday 5th December

Tiffstitches a Blog

Wednesday 6th December

Elfin Stitches

Thursday 7th December

http://guavagems.blogspot.com/

Friday 8th December

http://lecoeurceltique.blogspot.com/

Saturday 9th December

https://talesofastitchingmouse.blogspot.co.uk/

Sunday 10th December

Monday 11th December

http://tickledpinkinstitches.blogspot.com/

Tuesday 12th December

Wednesday 13th December

http://jocondine.blogspot.fr

Thursday 14th December

http://aimetu-clare.blogspot.com/

Friday 15th December

Saturday 16th December

http://needlespinsanddragonflies.blogspot.co.uk/

Sunday 17th December

http://apatchworkofcrafts.blogspot.co.uk/

Monday 18th December

Tuesday 19th December

http://bethsneedleworkstash.blogspot.com/

Wednesday 20th December

http://astridxstitching.blogspot.com/

Thursday 21st December

http://www.marysthread.com/

Friday 22nd December

https://bap-attack.blogspot.com/

Saturday 23rd December

http://needlepensword.blogspot.co.uk/

Sunday 24th December

http://stitchinggrandmacathy.blogspot.com/

Finally, I'll be updating the Calendar every day, do remember to leave a comment on each blog.  It really does encourage people to keep on blogging!

The People Chose Chocolate

    

This SAL is all about what you want to see on the blog.  I asked for suggestions for themes from followers of my blog and then put them up to the members of the IHSW Group on FB to vote for their choice.  We are currently working our way through the choices.  This is what was chosen:

December - Chocolate

January - Your Designer of the Year

February - to be announced

It would appear that I am more interested in eating chocolate than stitching it!  The closest I come find was this great Chocolate Chip Cookie themed Star Wars stitch from Dork Stitch:

Back in 2013 I stitched this little Easter Bunny from Chatelaine and made it into a chocolate filled pocket:

In the same year, I stitched a year of JBW Kitties, the April one was chocolate themed:

Now it's over to you. All you have to do is make a post on the theme of Chocolate, mention The People's Choice SAL (you can copy the picture I used at the top of this post and in my side bar) and my blog.  Please link up using the URL of the actual blog post, not the home page of your blog. I look forward to seeing what you all post.

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Finally, the Advent Calendar has started, we've opened two doors so far so do make sure you hop over and visit the participants each day.  Santa stories and stitching provided but you'll have to bring your own chocolate for this one!

November Stitch from Stash and Pie

 It's time for Pie!

My plan for November was to stitch my Chatelaine, Gardens of London, for as many days as possible.  It's a large, complex design that I really need to sit down and focus on for an extended period of time.

It went from here:

to here:

stitched on 32 count Cotton Clouds Belfast from Crafty Kitten

I managed to complete both the telephone boxes and the two guardsmen.  I just need to finish the metallics on both boxes.

When I wasn't able to work on my Chatelaine, I focused on a new start.  The Tree of Life from Steady Thread.

stitched on 28 count Cashel linen in Meadow Mist from Silkweaver

I was really pleased to get the branches of the tree completed as it means I can start adding the daily leaves from 1st January.  

This was also my evening project throughout November:

The other four days were my Zodiac signs from the Circle Cross Art Nouveau Tarot.

I completed Scorpio and Sagittarius this month:

And made a very small start on the border for Capricorn.

stitched on 28 count sky blue evenweave from Silkweavers

I'm actually ahead of target on this one which is a good place to be.  Especially as she keeps on releasing new designs I really want to stitch!

Stitch from Stash - after the excitement of my Birthday month, I am back to zero!

Finally, the Advent Calendar Blog Hop starts tomorrow.  The post will go up early so you can see all the doors and I'll update it each day as the participant posts on their blog.

November WIPocalypse Ornament Finishing

          

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

Each month we have to share the projects we want to complete before the End Of The World.  Since 2011 I have chosen a number of projects to focus on that year, starting with my "11 in '11" and increasing to "23 in '23" for this year.  This month I only stitched on 2 of my WIPs.

3. Chatelaine Gardens of London

So much detail in those little guardsmen!

18. Circle Cross Blackwork Tarot

Sagittarius

The full list can be seen here - WIPocalypse and "23 in '23"

Finally, Measi always gives us a topic to discuss too:

November – What is your favourite way to finish ornaments and/or smalls?

You mean apart from "popping them in a folder to be finished later"?  I call this The Ron Method.  Because they will be finished Later Ron hahaha.

A lot of my Smalls have been scrapbooked as I simply don't have space for loads of smalls everywhere.  I do try finish my Christmas Ornaments and have a lovely garland I put up each year with some of my ornaments and some gifted by my lovely friends.

Here's a couple of photos from last Christmas:

Mostly simple pillows.  Although I do like a 3D finish and here's my festive bookshop from Living on the Rainbow:

November Smalls

          

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary's Thread

Because I am focusing on my BAPs again, I won't have so many smalls this year but I do have a couple of series with small components so I will share them this month.

The only one I stitched this month is the Blackwork Tarot by Circle Cross.  I have finished Scorpio:

stitched on 28 count sky blue evenweave from Silkweavers

and started Sagittarius:

Sagittarius is the start of the bottom row.  Once I stitch these four I go back to row 2 and fill in Aries ad Taurus to finish.  My plan is to stitch each one in the relevant month, give or take a week or two!

I should have a couple more smalls for next month.  The plan is to stitch some of the festive Just Nan Smalls I started during my Just Nan-athons and attempt to finish them!  This worked well in Dark October so should be fun for December too.

Finally, last call for the Advent Calendar.  I have four spaces still empty so if no-one volunteers, I'll be doing them myself!  If you're not sure what is involved have a look back at last year's Hop:

2022 Advent Calendar

If you want to take part, just leave a comment here or email me if you are a "no reply" person. I need an email address for you to take part in this hop.

 

November IHSW

 

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

My main project was my Chatelaine, Gardens of London.  I'm stitching this as often as I can throughout the entire month as it's not very portable!

stitched on 32 count Cotton Clouds Belfast from Crafty Kitten

I managed a little bit of Sagittarius from Circle Cross too, you can see her arm pulling back her bowstring just appearing:

stitched on 28 count sky blue evenweave from Silkweavers

In the evenings and during the days when I can't stitch my Chatelaine, I've been working away on my Tree of Life from Steady Thread.  The tree itself is quite complicated but the border is very simple and once that is in place it's easier to see if the tree itself has gone wrong.

stitched on 28 count Cashel linen in Meadow Mist from Silkweaver

Finally, the next IHSW will be 15th - 17th December so make sure you note the date in your diary or come and join us in the Facebook Group - IHSW on Facebook. If you don't do Facebook then you can check in here by leaving a comment on my post.