November IHSW

We've just finished the penultimate International Hermit & Stitch Weekend of the year, the next one will be right before Christmas and I'll be working both days so I doubt much will get done then.

I was actually working this Saturday (Fantastic Beasts Crimes of Grindelwald launch) so only had Sunday for stitching.

I did do some framing and finished an old UFO too.  The two framed pieces are belated Hallowe'en designs.  The first one is Jardin Prive's Happy Hallowe'en Night finished in October.  I used a plain black frame from Wilkinsons:

The second framed piece is an older finish from 2016.  This is Hallowe'en Town by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.  It was a mystery release and I really like the first house but as the design grew I wasn't so keen on the rest of it.  So it rested for a little while and then I decided to stitch this piece and call it done.  This is why I don't do mystery SALs anymore.

The frame is actually plastic but has really nice detailing.  It came from QD (another bargain shop in the UK)

The old UFO is this Autumn Tree which was a freebie on one of the old Yahoo groups (who remembers them?).  I saw it on someone else's blog and loved the design.  I used DMC 51 to stitch all the speciality stitches.  It's a lovely mixture of yellow, orange and red.  The fabric is a plain pale green evenweave.  Prettier than the photo suggests!

I only had the beads and the french knots to do.  The original had an owl in the centre space but I decided to add a witchy touch and used a crow charm instead.

  I also added a pumpkin and a tombstone RIP.  Which is what this project can do now!

When I finished my framing session I got back to my current Focus on a Finish project.  Another one of my "18 in '18" started last July and only worked on once this year for the Longest Day SAL.  This is Joan Elliott's Reading Fairy from her 2013 Diary (now available as a chartpack called A Year of Magical Stitching).

stitched on 28 count Jazlyn in Aurora from Crafty Kitten

My evening project is Mrs Peggotty's Alice & the Flamingo.  Here is where she was last month:

Here is where I am now:

stitched over 1 on 25 count evenweave

I like these monthly updates on Alice, it makes it look like progress is taking place much faster than it seems as I stitch!

A few people have said that they don't do Facebook and asked if I could host a link-up for them, so here it is! Just add your name and the link to your actual IHSW post, not just your blog home page.

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The next IHSW will be 21st - 23rd 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.

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Finally, it's time to sign up for the Advent Calendar  Blog Hop!  For this hop, each participant is allocated a day in December to make their post on.  They will show something they have stitched on a Christmas theme and answer the topic question I set.  I then copy their photo onto my blog post in the style of an Advent Calendar.

So if you'd like to join in, please leave a comment or send me an email.  Let me know if there is a date you would particularly like or one you'd like to avoid.  I will be in touch towards the end of the month!

Here is a link to last year's so you can see how it works:

2017-online-advent-calendar

Gifted Gorgeousness October 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:

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

stitched on 32 count Autumnal Woodland by Crafty Kitten

Senor and Senorita Sugar Skull by Brooke's Books - a gift for my niece and her fiance:

stitched on perforated paper and finished as fridge magnets

She Tends by Shepherd's Bush - a gift from Kati

stitched on 32 count Light Mocha Linen

Hallowe'en Town by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery - a gift from Sharon:

stitched on 28 count Moondust by Crafty Kitten

This is about half the design but I am stopping here and calling it a finish for various reasons!  My favourite part is the house, I blended two shades to make a nice mottled effect.

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 "October 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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We have a special GGGG this month or a Gorgeous Guest Gifted Giveaway.  Hosted by the lovely Rosey from Ishkabibble:

So hop over to Ishkabibble to find out how to enter the GGGG.

Finally, the Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop:

Click on the picture to find out how to join in!  I will be sending confirmation emails to everyone who has left a comment so far.  It's been a busy week!

Sign up for a Spooky Blog Hop!

Yes, it is that time of year again, we are counting down to the Spookiest Hop on the Blog.  All you have to do is leave a comment here saying you would like to take part.  I will assign each person a letter of the alphabet.  On 31st October you make a post featuring your letter and a stitched piece relating to Hallowe'en.  The stitched piece does NOT have to begin with your letter.  I will post the blogs in order and we hop around visiting them, collecting the letters which will spell out a Mystery Phrase.  Return to my blog and leave a comment with the Phrase to be in with a chance to win a prize!

Quite a few people signing up already but always room for more, we just have a longer mystery phrase!

If Hallowe'en is not your thing, the one after will be the Advent Calendar Blog Hop.  Everyone gets a "door" to open and posts on their day.  I've been Christmas stitching this weekend, the next cube from The Primitive Hare's Christmas Cubes and wow, is this one taking it's time?  There are big blocks of colour in this which is not very interesting stitching but will look lovely when it's done.

stitched on 35 count Country Mocha linen

I've also been persevering with the Hallowe'en Town from Frosted Pumpkins:

stitched on 28 count Moondust from Crafty Kitten

Only three colours left; green for the pumpkin stalk, yellow for the birds' beaks and feet and then some black.  It's about half the whole design and will make a nice little scene as it is.

I never showed you the awesome dolls from the crafty fayre I went to on my Big Birthday, here are just a selection of my favourites:

remind you of anyone?

I am sure she was called The Crafty Aardvark but I can't find her online at all which is a shame.

We also saw this picture in an Art Gallery in the city:

The canvas is 3D so the beach huts come out from the main frame and as you walk past it they appear to move.  Very clever.  And a price tag to match!

Finally, back to the subject of Hallowe'en; I will be asking for suggestions for themes for next year's Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog soon.  So get your thinking caps on.  You can see the current choices on the blog here

On With October

With the Obligation (Alphabet Club is contagious) of the Sugar Skulls Over I am now free to return to my WIPs list.  I have done so well with that this year, finishing more of the WIPocalypse list than ever before.  Out of the remaining four projects, three are BAPs.  I have done quite a bit on two of them (Gathering Honey and Little Snapdragon) already this year and very little on the other two.  So this month I am focusing on the smallest WIP because I know I can get this one finished.

Before:

After:

And another one too: 

stitched on 32 count Light Mocha linen

The design is She Tends by Shepherd's Bush and there are four smaller designs which can be stitched individually or as one long piece.  I have gone for individual.  There are four charms specifically designed to go in the gaps but I haven't got them and doubt you can get them here.  I do have some nice little flowers and can get some sheep so they will fit nicely.

I got my rotation in a muddle last week.  Because the First Saturday was the 1st I had it in my head that it was Hallowe'en stitching weekend and started Ghastly, Ghostly Ghouls by Just Nan.

stitched on 28 count lilac linen

However, when I came to do my entry on the Friday Frolics blog I realised Friday 30th had actually been a Fifth Friday and I could have started another Teresa Wentzler Byzantine Ornament.  Never mind, we'll have an extra Friday this month instead!

My evening stitching is a WIP I last worked on for the Longest Day SAL.  I said at the time it wasn't appealing to me and it still isn't.  So the plan is to finish this part and make it into a small.  I loved the house but the rest of the colours are sludgy and dull.  I also don't like the coverage on the 28 count evenweave.  It's a lovely soft fabric but better suited for over one stitching I think.

stitched on 28 count Moondust from Crafty Kitten

Meanwhile, the Birthday gifts keep coming in!  Two more packages for me this week:

Dragon Dreams Dragon from Kerry the Rambling Biscornu Addict

The dragon sits atop a tiny jar full of button soup

Button and charm soup spilled: 

Those spooky charms will be going on my Enchanted Alphabet sampler, they are perfect!

 From Heather of Fantasy Cross Stitch

Stacy Nash chart and some 32 count Belfast linen (a favourite fabric of mine)

Doing the Stacy Nash (to the tune of the Monster Mash) leads me nicely onto the next topic - The Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop!

Yes, it is that time of year again, we are counting down to the Spookiest Hop on the Blog.  All you have to do is leave a comment here saying you would like to take part.  I will assign each person a letter of the alphabet.  On 31st October you make a post featuring your letter and a stitched piece relating to Hallowe'en.  The stitched piece does NOT have to begin with your letter.  I will post the blogs in order and we hop around visiting them, collecting the letters which will spell out a Mystery Phrase.  Return here and leave a comment with the Phrase to be in with a chance to win a prize!

Hoppit to the Hop!

Finally, my niece and her fiance loved her Sugar Skulls when I gave them to her last week and they are gracing her fridge already.  We had a lovely afternoon tea with her and the female members of both families, playing games such as "How Well Do You Know Helen?" and Consequences making stories about her and her soon-to-be husband.  The official Hen Night will be Pub Golf with costumes.  I'm quite glad to have gone to the afternon tea instead LOL.

Days 6 to 9 of the DUCJC 2015

The DUCJC is being held this year in memory of SoCal Debbie and I am attempting to stitch on 31 different projects throughout January.  A mixture of WIPs and new starts.

Day 6 - Joan Elliott - February Cherub

Stitched on 28 count evenweave dyed with fruit tea

I stitched the cherub's hair.

Day 7 - The Sampler House - Strawberry Sampler

Stitched on 32 count Antique White linen

This chart was part of a giveaway from Lee Under the Mountain.  It is a very old hand-drawn chart from 1990 and I love it.  There is a certain charm to hand-drawn charts.

Day 8 - Frosted Pumpkins Stitchery - Hallowe'en Town

Stitched on 28count Moondust evenweave by Crafty Kitten

I filled in some windows and a little bit of fence.

Day 9 - The Nutmeg Company - Sugared Almond Cottage

Roof stitched on 28 count Honeysuckle Pink evenweave.

This was a gift from Susan Yellow Flower Meadow.  She has sent me three of these cute cottages charts and leftover threads.  I hope mine will look as good as her's!

I'm actually getting into the swing of this challenge now.  It was hard the first two days because I just wanted to carry on with the same project and not put it away knowing it would be a month until I could see it again.  But now I am back at work and stitching on WIPs those days it is easier because I have an exciting new start to look forward to the next day!

Finally, three of these count for the Gifted Gorgeousness SAL I am running this year.  And all of them count towards Stitch from Stash which I am also taking part in.  So goals are being met!

October Just Nan SAL and Theme-a-licious Update

Just Nan SAL is hosted by Zeb of Keep Calm and Cross Stitch

Unfortunately Zeb is no longer updating the SAL on her blog but that's no reason to stop stitching and posting!  So here is my monthly update.

I had a last minute Nan start this month, Haunted Pumpkins Tree which was a Birthday gift from Mouse and the fabric came from Shebafudge.  Here is my latest progress photo:

Stitched on Chocolate Orange from Crafty Kitten

Theme-a-licious is hosted by Heather of It's Geek to Me

Each month Heather thinks up a theme for us to stitch to, or in my case, a theme to somehow shoe-horn my existing stitching into, no matter how tenuous the link!

Oft-Overlooked October

Find a new-to-you designer and start a new project this month! Or maybe two...or three...

This was actually an adaptation of my idea of Newbie November (I won a prize for it!!) but changed to alliterate with October!  In some ways it was quite difficult to find an actual new designer to me because I do stitch designs from alot of different people.  But luckily enough I had purchased a chart by Madame Chantilly to stitch for my cousin's new baby boy.  They have a nautical themed nursery so this perfect:

 

Stitched on Kynance by Sparklies

I started this one in August.  This was a Mystery SAL in four parts which are all released now from Frosted Pumpkins:

Stitched on Moondust by Crafty Kitten

My final piece for this month's Theme-a-licious isn't an actual new-to-me designer but she does fit into the "Oft-Overlooked" category.  Val's Stuff features regularly in the JCS magazine ornie specials but she does not seem to be a well-known or much talked about designer.  Anyway, I stitched her Tricks or Treats from JCS Sep/Oct 2010 Hallowe'en Ornie feature:

Stitched on 32 count twilight blue linen

The chart calls for three candycorn buttons which I didn't have and which are almost impossible to find in England, we just don't have them.  So I just did some little over one stitched versions.  To my eyes they look like traffic cones!  But maybe Americans don't have them?

Next month we have No Xs November so I shall have to see how I manage with that.  I didn't do very well last year!

Finally, the Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop started yesterday.  One blogger has been in touch to apologise for not being able to post due to real life getting in the way of blogging!  But you should be able to guess the phrase without the one letter.  Unless you are the person who guessed 

AVOCADOS AND PURPLE DEER 

Because that is not correct!!  You have until 7th November to join in.

ps there is an amazing firework display going on outside my window as I type.  Not sure why because it is still 4 days until the 5th November!  I really don't hold with early fireworks.  Save them for the big day, we will be.

Oooooo, massive Chrysanthemum just gone off!!