Gifted Gorgeousness January Link-Up Post

Welcome to the first Gifted Gorgeousness link-up of the year!  The link-up date will continue to be the 15th of each month but I will keep the linky open until the end of each month so you have plenty of time to join in.

The format remains EXACTLY the same as last year, if it ain't broke then don't fix it!  The "rules" are on the Sign Up Page but basically anything you have which was a gift from someone or is going to be a gift for someone is eligible.  Some shoehorners also included free charts which are a gift from the designer!

Most of the participants are cross stitchers but we did have quilters, knitters and crocheters joining in last year so other crafts are quite welcome to link up too.

In 2015 we had 66 people sign-up but unfortunately 11 of them didn't actually manage a single post!
The remaining 55 people made 350 posts between them, an average of 6 posts each.
The year started off with over 40 posts a month but slowed down to 20 by December, an average of 29 posts per month.
There were 7 people who linked up every single month.
Some people were usually among the first to link-up and Gillie was usually tail-end Charlie!

I used the random number generator to pick a number between 1 and 350 then worked out who that was from the spreadsheet.  The names were listed in the order people signed up on the original sign-up page and you got one entry for every post you linked-up in 2015.
Then I used the random number generator to pick a number between 1 and 7 so everyone with a full house got the chance to win the second prize.

The two winners are:

Sarah in Stitches

(for her April post)

and

DJ - Tickled Pink in Stitches

(for posting every month)

Congratulations to your both.  Gwen donated a Big Box of Charts last year so I will be sorting them into two piles and posting them out very soon.

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So what have I been stitching this last month for GG?

The focus for this week has been the letter C from Nora Corbett for my Godmother's Grand-daughter (my God-Niece?) who is also my Second Cousin Once Removed because my Godmother is my Mum's First Cousin.  Is that clear or would you like a family tree drawn?  Let's just say a 5 year old girl!

stitched on 32 count Oceanic Fantasia from Crafty Kitten

I bought the chart and the fabric with the voucher Alicia the Crafty Princess sent me for my Birthday so that's double GG points for this one.

Prior to that was Just Nan Counting Bats, a gift from the lovely Mel along with the threads:

Before that was CCN's Poinsettia Place, a giveaway prize from Gaynor:

(the dark line is because the fabric was folded under when I scanned it, it's not a mark)

And right at the beginning of the GG month, I completed this gift from Linda - Sunflowers and Acorns by Beehive Needleworks:

stitched on 35 count linen

And now over to you  - Here is the place for you to link up so we can see what Gifted Gorgeousness you have been stitching so far this year.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field NOT the words "January Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.

And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  It is easier if you copy and paste the link, rather than typing freehand.

Thank you.  I can amend links if you make a boo-boo though.

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Finally, I will be running the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop on Valentine's Day.

Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop

 

It's really very simple, all you have to do is email me a picture of something you have stitched which is suitable for a stitching friend on Valentine's Day.  It could be a heart, or a pair of cute creatures, or the word "love" or anything which warms your heart. Really anything you think a fellow stitcher would like to receive in her email Inbox.   It can be something you've stitched in the past or something you've made especially for this year.  It could also be quilted or sewn this year as I know some of my followers do other crafts too.

Send me the email by 10th February.

When I have all the emails I will randomise them and send one to each participant on 13th February.  Then on 14th February you must post the picture you receive onto your blog under the heading

 Secret Stitching Sweetheart. 

There will be a list on my blog of everyone joining in, so check out all the blogs and find out who got your picture and identify yourself  in their comments as their

Secret Stitching Sweetheart. 

Does that make sense to everyone?  I hope so!

If you'd like to be involved then leave a comment on this post, I'll be putting little reminders up from time to time and will email on 9th February to make sure you send the pic in time.