A Flurry of Finishes

I have absolutely loved stitching OAAT on the 12 Days of Christmas but since I met my goal for this month, which was completing the Partridge block, I have craved a finish.  So here are two!

The first one is the JBW Antique Christmas Trees small that I showed as a new start in my previous post:

stitched over one on 32 count white linen

I stitched this using the DMC conversion but changed the letters to 3721 as they were charted in white which just disappeared into the fabric.  I think they were supposed to represent snow.  Those are French Knots in the bunny's rather over-sized bobtail!

Just to show the scale, here is another photo with some small coins from various countries:

L-R 1 penny, 1 pfennig, 5 centimes, 1 cent

The second finish was the project I was stitching immediately before I started on the 12 Days of Christmas.  It got abandoned over Christmas but has now been completed:

Fox Forest by The Workbasket  

stitched on 32 count Light Khaki linen

This is much better photo of the fabric colour

Again, I used the DMC conversion, tweaking things to suit.  Some of the conversion colours were a little strange, more khaki than fox-coloured.  I also zig-zagged the border instead of stitching two solid lines!   There are more Forests in this series so I will have to keep an eye out for them.  This is my first finish from my 17 in '17 WIPocalypse list, so a great start to the year.

I also have an FFO - Fully Finished Object.  I aim to dedicate Sundays to finish-finishing projects when I am not working a Sunday.  This one is Just Nan's Counting Bats which I stitched for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog last year.  It is a very long, thin design so I stitched two pieces of fabric to the sides so it would fit a standard photo frame:

The fabric is the same that I used for the Hallowe'en Cubes so they co-ordinate nicely.  It took ages to hand-sew the fabrics together because both cotton and linen fabric had to be absolutely straight.  It would have been so easy to start to get off the straight line.

Finally, we have the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop coming on Valentine's Day.  If you would like to take part, all you have to do is send me a photo of something you have stitched which is suitable for a stitching friend.  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.  I will then email you a photo to post on your blog on Valentine's Day.  Everyone then hops around trying to find out where their photo went and who is the Secret Sweetheart!

September TUSAL

It's TUSAL time again!  For those of you new to blogging, the TUSAL is a project run by Daffycat, click on the button on the right hand bar for more details.

Here is my ORTS jar posing with the current stitching projects:

Bit of glare on the jar there!

On the left we have Ghostly Mandala by Ink Circles, I have now reached the bottom left hand corner and have approximately 5.5 ghosts left to stitch.  But four of them are big ones!

stitched on 32 count Autumnal Woodland by Crafty Kitten

On the right we have a Happy Dance!  Counting Bats by Just Nan has been my Hallowe'en stitch this year with each band fitting the monthly themes for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog.

I finished the final bottom border today:

stitched on 32 count lavender linen

I didn't have the skeleton charm provided with the original kit so I had to source one for myself.  The original one I tried was too small so I found this one from an eBay shop called Pink Cat Charms.

🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂

Finally, it's September so it's my Big Birthday Month, yay!  Nearly time for the Big Birthday Blog Hop.  Some people requested they be advised of their year for the hop early due to holidays, so I have now done that.  For the rest of the participants, you will be getting an email from me in the next two weeks giving you all the information you need to know.  I still have a few spaces left, so if anyone is late to the party, leave me a comment and I can fit you in!

Gifted Gorgeousness August Link-Up Post

Welcome to the Gifted Gorgeousness link-up post!  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 so I'm sure you are all aware of what can be included - gifts to and from you; charts, fabric or threads; shoe-horns welcome!

Since my last GG post I have worked on a few gifted pieces:

Elizabeth Shephard by The Scarlet Letter - a gift from Nicola:

I finished this one on the 16th July and added a little personalisation to show it was a gift from NP (Nicola) to JP (me):

Counting Bats by Just Nan - a gift from Epic Mel:

Ghostly Mandala by Ink Circles - fabric is a gift from Rachel:

stitched on 32 count Autumnal Woodland from Crafty Kitten

Gathering Honey by Jannlynn - a gift from and to my friend Sam:

Little Snap Dragon by Kustom Krafts - a gift from Lesley:

stitched on 32 count Murano Evening Sky by Crafty Kitten

I also received a lovely surprise gift myself.  Remember Kim's 60 RAKs for her 60th Birthday?  Seems like her record-keeping isn't quite as good as her stitching and painting because I got a second gift!

A Mill Hill kit, some DMC, gorgeous fabric and a pencil tray

Close-up:

Kim says this porcelain tray is painted in the 18th Century style using 24K gold!

It is just so exquisite, as all Kim's painted pieces are.

We'll do a little GGG this month.  I ordered some Tibetan Silver charms for a couple of projects.  These come in bags of 10 charms all the same.  It is rare I need ten charms so I will pop one of each into a bag and send it to one lucky participant.  All you have to do is link up below and tell me how charming you are!  Or just indicate you'd like to be in the draw.

Just some of the charms I got!

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 "August 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, The Days of Jo's Life Big Birthday Blog Hop was been launched and is taking sign-ups.  The Hop will be on the 17th September.  To take part all you have to do is leave a comment or email me.  Nearer the date I will allocate you a Year of My Life and on the 17th September you do a blog post about that year or that life event in your life or what you were doing at that age (assuming you are that old!).  Also, post something you have stitched which you think I will like.  Lots of people have already signed up but there are still some spaces left if you'd like to be involved.

June TUSAL

It's TUSAL time again!  For those of you new to blogging, the TUSAL is a project run by Daffycat, click on the button on the right hand bar for more details.

Here is my ORTS jar posing with the current stitching projects:

The project on the left is Just Nan's Counting Bats which is the design I am stitching each month for the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL.  Here is this month's band:

stitched on 32 count lilac linen

And here is the whole piece so far:

There's a skeleton charm to be added in the gap under the bat

The other design is my nearly-finish of My Fair Ladybug, also by Just Nan.  It would have been finished today but I discovered I don't have the little ladybird charm for the centre!

stitched on 28 count evenweave

So I popped over the SewandSo's website, ordered the charm, some beads I need and a couple more JNs fell into my basket!  oops.  Here's a close-up of the beaded part:

I spent some time cataloguing my Just Nans this morning.  I have 49 of the small designs, not including the Hallowe'en ones!  The majority were the annual freebies but some are "bought and paid for" designs.  I have stitched a grand total of 6 of them!  Time to get cracking on another one I think.  I chose Beehive Violets to go with my bee-themed RAK from Kim.

Finally, I completed my exploding book!  As seen in the Stitch Bitch's blog.  More photos to follow in the next post.

Gifted Gorgeousness May Link-Up Post

Welcome to the Gifted Gorgeousness link-up post!  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 so I'm sure you are all aware of what can be included - gifts to and from you; charts, fabric or threads; shoe-horns welcome!

Since my last GG post I have worked on a few gifted pieces:

Elizabeth Shepherd by The Scarlet Letter - a gift from Nicola:

stitched on 30 count linen

Counting Bats by Just Nan - a gift from Epic Mel:

stitched on 32 count lilac linen

Those scissors were a gift too, from Heather of It's Geek to Me.  The scissor chain was made by a friend of mine too.

We had a Happy Dance on Nora Corbett's Little Snowy Gray Cottage - a gift from Nataly's Needle:

stitched on 32 count Blue Hydrangea Opalescent by Crafty Kitten.

And continued progress on The Sweetheart Tree's Finger Fun 1 - a gift from Vickie:

stitched on 28 count Platinum linen

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 "May 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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I'm not aware of any GGG (Gifted Gorgeousness Giveaway) this month, I'm not hosting one myself but if you are, let me know and I'll add a link here!

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Finally, The Days of Jo's Life Big Birthday Blog Hop was been launched and is taking sign-ups.  The Hop will be on the 17th September.  To take part all you have to do is leave a comment or email me.  Nearer the date I will allocate you a Year of My Life and on the 17th September you do a blog post about that year or that life event in your life or what you were doing at that age (assuming you are that old!).  Also, post something you have stitched which you think I will like.

April Smalls SAL

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Heather from Stitching Lotus

This year I have two Small Challenges:

1. The Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog

2. The Christmas Ornie SAL Blog

For the Hallowe'en Blog I have done something a little different this year, I've chosen a band sampler by Just Nan called Counting Bats and each band corresponds to the monthly themes on the blog.  April's theme was Ghosts and I stitched this band:

Here is the whole piece so far:

stitched on 32 count lilac linen

I have chosen another series for the Christmas Ornie Blog; The Primitive Hare's Christmas Cubes.   This month the theme was Ornaments and Decorations:

stitched on 35 count Country Mocha linen

Here are the four stitched so far:

Next month the theme is Reindeer and there isn't a cube with a reindeer so I shall be picking a different ornie for May, how exciting!

I also decided to do a second Small for the Hallowe'en SAL.  I've got so many lovely spooky designs I really want to stitch some of them too.  So here is my start on Just Nan's Scream Girls:

stitched on 32 count mid green linen

Finally, another mention of the Days of Jo's Life - Big Birthday Blog Hop.  To take part all you have to do is leave a comment or email me.  Nearer the date I will allocate you a Year of My Life and on the 17th September you do a blog post about that year or that life event in your life or what you were doing at that age (assuming you are that old!).  Also, post something you have stitched which you think I will like.  According to the number of people signed up I am now in my mid-thirties so if you want to take part and make me closer to my actual age, please leave a comment!

March Smalls SAL

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Heather from Stitching Lotus

This year I have two Small Challenges:

1. The Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog

2. The Christmas Ornie SAL Blog

For the Hallowe'en Blog I have done something a little different this year, I've chosen a band sampler by Just Nan called Counting Bats and each band corresponds to the monthly themes on the blog.  March's theme was Pumpkins and I stitched this band:

And here is the whole thing so far:

I have chosen another series for the Christmas Ornie Blog; The Primitive Hare's Christmas Cubes.   This month the theme was Santa and his Helpers.  I am having to stitch the letters out of order to fit the themes so here is S and a pair of jolly Elf shoes and stripy socks:

And the three finished letters so far:

They are all stitched on the same 35 count Country Mocha fabric, it's just the photography that makes them look different!

I stitched another Small For Syria:

This is for the Concern Stitching for Syria project.  The charity is running a Women's Centre in Lebanon and wants to make a hanging for the walls to show the women that the international stitching community is aware of their difficulties.

And I also completed a Lizzie*Kate small, Sampling Easter.  I will be giving the chart away as the prize in my Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop, so don't forget to state clearly if you are interested in winning.  I'd like it to go to someone who will stitch it sooner rather than stashing it for later!

stitched on 14 count yellow aida

Finally, the March Pie Chart.  Once again the largest proportion of the month went to Nora Corbett's Alphabet Fairies.  If you take the time to add up the days, they actually come to 36!  Because some days I stitched more than one project I counted both projects on those days.

March WIPocalypse Hoops, Stands or Hands

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.

The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "16 in '16" which are 16 projects I particularly wanted to concentrate on in 2016.   The full list can be found on my WIPocalypse page where you can also find my secondary list "16 Series in '16".

My main goal is to keep to my rotation of one small every Friday and the rest of the month working on my focus piece until it is finished.  I also have a number of SALs I want to keep up with:

The Alphabet Club - a different letter on the first Saturday of each month

Gifted Gorgeousness - post anything gifted on the 15th

Hallowe'en Ornie Blog - a different spooky theme each month

Christmas Ornie Blog - a different festive theme each month

Smalls SAL - last Thursday of each month

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And now for the progress report:

I have worked on a mammoth 7 out of 16 projects since my last WIPocalypse, plus 4 from my series list.

7. Strawberry Sampler by The Sampler House - Finish

10. Mulberry Sampler by Shepherd's Bush - Finish

 

11. Elizabeth Shephard by The Scarlet Letter - WIP

I stitched the Token of Love motif and added some red in other places.

12. J by Nora Corbett - WIP

14. E by Nora Corbett - Finish

15. S by Nora Corbett - Finish

16. Counting Bats by Just Nan - WIP

And the series:

1. Christmas Cubes by The Primitive Hare - WIP

I am stitching these out of order to fit in with the themes on the Christmas Ornie blog

6. The Stitcher's Alphabet by Brooke's Books - WIP

11. Mini Samplers by Shepherd's Bush - see above.

15. Alphabet Fairies by Nora Corbett - see above.

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Measi always gives us a topic to discuss too:

March - Do you use hoops, stretcher bars, lap stands or Q snap frames and why? (via CathieJ)

None of the above!  I am a strict "in hand" stitcher.  When I first started stitching I tried hoops and didn't like them, they got in the way and were cumbersome.  My method is to roll the fabric with the stitched side inside so my hands are only touching the back of the fabric.  I start in the centre and work upwards then the bottom right and finally the bottom left (as you can see on Elizabeth Shephard).  That way the part that is handled the most is the last part to be stitched so I minimise the amount of handling those stitches will get.

I used to stitch on my daily commute to work and any kind of frame just isn't practical on a train.  I also worry about hoop marks and squashing the stitches.  At the moment I stitch at the kitchen table so a large frame wouldn't work there.  And of course, with multiple WIPS I don't have to have multiple frames or keep swapping them around.  With a limited budget I tend to view accessories as something to waste valuable stash money on!

Finally, the emails went out for the Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop this afternoon so watch out for Bunnies Galore on Good Friday!  I will post the links in the morning my time zone but some of the Australians will be up already and some of the Americans won't post until later in their day.  The phrase is a doozy I must say!