August Stitch from Stash

Month: August
Spent:   £ 14.57

Earned: £ 0.00

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!

July Budget	£ 15.00
July spend	£   7.75
August Budget	£ 15.00
SewandSo beads	£   5.17
Across Town threads and beads	£   9.40
Current Balance	£   7.68

I needed the beads for the Brooke's Books charts I am stitching, both the Alphabet and Trixie.  While I was paying postage I thought I'd order a few skeins of DMC too.  I was a little peeved to discover that not all websites use the words "out of stock" to indicate they don't actually have the item you require.  Instead they have the words "£1.30 on order or special order" which to me means they cost the same regardless of how you order, not "we have ordered more of these but don't currently have them".

Oh well, Trixie will just have to wait a little longer for her bling!  I have continued on the bling-free Hallowe'en Cubes by Primitive Hare and have completed the first E:

stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain linen.

Quite alot of stitching in this block, the word SPELLS down the side of the book shows up in real life much better.  

Slow progress on Book of Spells, I don't seem to get much time in the evenings at the moment:

stitched on 40 count Jewel Butterbeer linen

I mentioned last post that I had taken part in an exchange with Mini.  Her parcel arrived earlier this week and what a treat it was!  Here are all the goodies:

And a close-up of the pillow, a really cute Autumn themed design.  Autumn is my favourite season because my Birthday is in September!

Amazingly the Just Nan chart is one of the few smalls that I don't already have, and take look at this beautiful fabric:

It was folded so I could only see the back and at first I thought "a nice piece of cotton for backing ornies, pretty colour."  In her note Mini mentioned a Warli painting and I thought "I didn't see a painting, maybe it was wrapped in the pretty fabric?"  So I opened it out and there it was, painted ON to the fabric!  Warli art is a traditional form of painting from India, I found an interesting website explaining more about it with some lovely pictures here.

Doesn't the little musician in the bottom left look a bit like the Kokopelli I stitched for Anne a while back?  Kokopelli's are Native American and have smaller instruments!

Finally, the Summer Postcard Blog Hop:

First postcard from Cheryl goes to Noni at Fireflies and Cats in the Garden

Second postcard from Vickie goes to Katie at Jeremiah's Mom

Third postcard from Noni goes to Julie at Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal

Fourth postcard from Katie goes to Anna at Stitch Bitch

Fifth postcard from Julie goes to Bea at Thoughts and Musings
Sixth card from Narita goes to Kaye at Kitten Stitching
Seventh card from Anna goes to Vickie at A Stitcher's Story
Eighth card from Kaye goes to Jocondine at Jocondine

There a couple of people who indicated they would like to be part of the Blog Hop but they have not as yet sent a photo to me.  If you'd still like to take part, you have ten days left!  All photos to be with me by 30th August please.

The Things I Do For You Lot!

I usually think about my blog posts in advance, planning what to say and show photos of, posting around the various SAL dates which I write in my stitching diary.  I try to always have a nice progress picture to show you as well as something interesting to read.

Then you have those weeks where you haven't got anything you can show because you've been working on an exchange piece which hasn't been mailed yet.  So yesterday I had no choice but to find something else to stitch just so I had something to show you all!

Brooke's Books - Trixie the Hallowe'en Witch

The top photo was how Trixie looked after one day in January for the DUCJC.

And how she looks now:

There are a lot of gaps because there is so much metallic thread used.  Possibly a little too much for me, so I may substitute some of it for DMC.

I finished the front page (or left hand side) of the Book of Spells:

There is a little tiny bit of colour to be added to the ring of circles but I will do that when I use the colours on the back page.  For now there is some long boring border and then some interesting border!

I also started planning for next year's WIPocalypse!  I am thinking of having the theme "16 Series in '16" so have been writing done all the series of designs I have started/own.  Nothing like planning early!

As you all know, I am a cross stitcher.  If you didn't know that then I have to ask - how did you get here and why are you here? LOL.  But I also appreciate many other crafts.  I have a nice little group of quilters following me and I enjoy their blogs, also quite a few free-form embroiderers and some knit-wits and crochet-queens!  So you may enjoy this blog which was brought to my attention recently.  Hawthorne and Heaney are an embroidery company based in London who specialise in commercial embroidery for customers as varied as the fashion industry to the military.  There is some beautiful work on their website and they are keen to link up with crafty bloggers too.

Their most recent post was all about adding some quite heavy goldwork to men's clothing for a fashion show - Application of traditional goldwork.  They've also done recent projects with H&M and New Look (both affordable High Street shops in the UK).  And some nice ideas for those special times in your life - Hawthorne and Heaney does Anniversaries.

So why not pop over and see for yourself the beautiful work they are doing.

Finally, the Summer Postcard Blog Hop:

First postcard from Cheryl goes to Noni at Fireflies and Cats in the Garden

Second postcard from Vickie goes to Katie at Jeremiah's Mom

Third postcard from Noni goes to Julie at Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal

Fourth postcard from Katie goes to Anna at Stitch Bitch

Fifth postcard from Julie goes to Bea at Thoughts and Musings
Sixth card from Bea goes to Narita at The Twilight Thread (not up yet)
Seventh card from Narita goes to Kaye at Kitten Stitching

The Summer Holidays Continue

As does the stitching!   I complete the A from Brooke's Book Alphabet, all except the petite beads which I don't have.  I thought about using the standard size which are used in some areas but having added those, I can see they would overpower the piece so I will wait.  Of course, you can't just order one packet of beads, you must make it worth the postage as I've made a list of the beads needed for the next couple of letters and will check which DMC I am running low on.

Then it was Tuesday which is Pretty Little City Day, a series of designs from Satsuma Street.  Here is where I am on Pretty Little London:

stitched on 32 count Antique White linen

(not that you can tell from the dreadful photo!)

I finished the London Eye and started on Buckingham Palace.  I also stitched the pale blue in the Embankment Arches along the bottom.

I've also been making steady progress on Book of Spells by the Goode Huswif:

stitched on 40 count Jewel Butterbeer linen

I've completed all the border for the front cover of the book and just have the coloured parts to fill in, then I can start on the back cover.  Woohoo, over halfway completed now!   I have been working on this one since April so it could be a finish by the end of the year.

I've been doing some secret stitching which I can't show yet because it's for an exchange.  It was fun going through my friend's blog to try find something she hasn't stitched for herself yet but would like.

Gracie has been organising a lovely card exchange all year.  Each month we sign up and send cards to some of the other people on the list.  It means you get some nice post each month, not just bills!  Here are the three I have received so far this month.  Usually I get about six and I've been keeping them all in an album along with their stamps.  It's so nice to look back through the year.

Which brings us rather nicely to my Finally for today:

Finally, the Summer Postcard Blog Hop:

First postcard from Cheryl goes to Noni at Fireflies and Cats in the Garden

Second postcard from Vickie goes to Katie at Jeremiah's Mom

Third postcard from Noni goes to Julie at Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal

Fourth postcard from Katie goes to Anna at Stitch Bitch

Fifth postcard from Julie goes to Bea at Thoughts and Musings
Sixth card from Bea goes to Narita at The Twilight Thread (not up yet)
Seventh card from Narita goes to Kaye at Kitten Stitching (sent today)

July Stitch from Stash and IHSW

Month: July
Spent:   £ 7.75

Earned: £ 0.00

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!

July Budget	£ 15.00
JCS Hallowe’en Special mag	£   7.75
Current Balance	£   7.25

A good start to Part B.  I did have some money left over after my SFS June post and as my Willow Fabrics voucher from Cross Stitch Collection had finally been sorted out I decided to treat myself to some useful fabric.

We have some 35 count Country Mocha linen on the left, some 32 count White Murano on the right and behind them an enormous piece of 28 count Campari Linen Raw afghan.  I have no idea what I am going to do with this, it's huge but was a bargain £6.25 for an entire metre!  I thought about using it for the Primitive Hare Christmas Cubes and make a wall hanging but it's going to be rather large!  Seems a shame to cut it up into smaller pieces but we shall see,

The JCS Hallowe'en magazine is a good buy as usual.  There do seem to be rather more larger pieces than ornies this issue.  I prefer ornies.  My instant favourites are the Blue Ribbon Designs, she has two in this issue.  I will try do a proper review with photos soon.

Since it was IHSW weekend  I stitched some more of Elizabeth Shephard:

stitched on 30 count linen

Close-up of this weekend's motif: 

I have also been chugging away slowly on Book of Spells:

stitched on 40 count Jewel Butterbeer linen

I am filling in the moon with DMC 4130 which is slow going stitching over 1.

I have nearly finished Joan Elliott's Hope despite the attack of the frogs!  I found another miscount when I started stitching the sparkles but that one doesn't show so it is staying.

Finally, on to the Summer Postcard Blog Hop where the theme is Pets.  I've just sent the fouth card out but there's still plenty of time to join in.  Just send me an email with a photo of something you have stitched on the theme of Pets and a message about what pets mean to you.  The fourth postcard has been sent out to Anna The Stitch Bitch, so go and stalk her blog as it will be appearing there soon.

July WIPocalypse Reality or Fantasy

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?)

Over the last month I have stitched two of my 15 designs, and completed 1, which brings the total of finishes to seven!  Plus the Hallowe'en Cubes are more than half finished.  So over halfway at the halfway point of the year is pretty good.

The finished piece was Joan Elliott's Believe:

Stitched on 28 count Robin's Egg opalescent by Silkweaver

And here is the latest Cube from Primitive Hare:

Stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain linen

Measi always sets us a topic of discussion and this month's was suggested by me and Freddie Mercury - 

Is this the real life?

Is this just fantasy?

Caught in a landslide, (of WIPs?)

No escape from reality.

July - Reality or Fantasy. Which do you prefer to stitch? Figures or Abstract?

I think that this is a question that most of my followers will be able to answer for me!  It's got to be Fantasy with Dragons right there at the top of the list.  If I was forced to choose just one topic for the rest of my life I would just stitch Dragons.  Closely followed by Hallowe'en and then Samplers.  I think I have quite eclectic tastes, a peek through the finishes on my Happy Dance Blog should prove that.  But if you see something there and think "That's not very Jo" then the chances are that it is a gift for someone else.  If you are stitching for another person it's only fair to choose something they will like.  So choose your friends carefully! 

Just to prove it, here are the two projects I have worked on this week:

Satsuma Street, Pretty Mini London, a fantasy version of Old London Towne!

Stitched on 28 count black evenweave

and Book of Spells by The Goode Huswife:

Stitched on 40 count Jewelled Butterbeer linen

I stitch a little bit on this one each evening and it also comes into work with me if I do a full day and get a lunchbreak!  I'm currently alternating between filling the moon in and working along the bottom border.

Finally, the Summer Postcard Blog Hop will be starting very soon.  Next post in fact!  I just have to update my spreadsheet and make sure I don't post anyone their own photo!  It's not too late to join in.  Just take a photo of something Pet themed you have stitched or crafted and email it to me along with a message about what pets mean to you.

Gifted Gorgeousness June Link Up Post

  

For newbies, this is my first year long SAL.  Click on the picture above for the full details.

We will be posting and linking up on the 15th of each month, because it is 2015.  Should be easy to remember.

Since last post I have stitched another weekend on Elizabeth Shephard (a gift from Nicola):

Shown with my ORTS from last month

I completed the Kingfisher which will be a gift for the teaching staff at the Small Boy's mainstream school:

stitched on 28 count blue evenweave

And I also completed Believe which will be a gift for his other school:

stitched on 28 count Robin's Egg evenweave by Silkweaver

And some small progress on the Mill Hill sampler which was a giveaway prize from Rosey:

stitched on 28 count evenweave.

I am beading as I go because it is so heavily beaded it is just easier!

I also have continued to work on Book of Spells by The Goode Huswife which is stitched on gifted fabric:

stitched on 40 count Jewel Butterbeer 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 "June Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.  

And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  People are still getting this wrong!

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

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Last month we had a GGG (Gifted Gorgeousness Giveaway) for a Shepherd's Bush chart donated by Stitching Noni.  This was won by Kay from Stitching in the Country and should be winging it's way to her right now. 

This month we have a GGGG (Gifted Gorgeousness Giveaway by Gwen!).  The lovely Gwen from Guava Gems said to me that she had some charts she'd like to donate for giveaways.  I was very happy to facilitate and sent her my address.  Well, an entire box arrived!!  I have selected six very varied charts (because it is the sixth month of the year).  There are enough charts to have giveaways all year now!

GGGG 1 - New Baby by Butternut Road

GGGG 2 - Tea Cozys and Sampler by Linda Palmer

GGGG 3 - In the Forest of the Unicorn by Black Swan Designs

GGGG 4 - Rambling Rose Sampler by Nancy Sturgeon

this is miniature needlepoint stitched on the 40 count gauze provided

GGGG 5 - My Treasures Sewing Case by With My Needle

GGGG 6 - Strawberry Bouquet by The Gentle Art

All you have to do is link up for June's Gifted Gorgeousness SAL and chose one or two charts from the above list, leaving a comment below stating your choices by the end of the month.

Finally, don't forget the Summer Postcard Blog Hop.  Details at the bottom of the last half a dozen posts because this one is quite long enough already!

Progress Pictures From This Week

Bit of a boring title that, hopefully the post will be more interesting!

Progress on three different pieces this week.  The first one is from my Tuesday Satsuma Street SAL with Linda and Kate.  Linda and I are both stitching Pretty Little London but to give her a chance to catch up I have switched to Pretty Mini London on black:

Stitched on 28 count black evenweave

On Wednesday I went back to Joan Elliott's Believe and have completed all the cross stitching, just some backstitch and then the beads to be done.  So I'm not showing the whole thing today, just "Be":

Stitched on 32 count Robin's Egg opalescent by Silkweaver

This weekend has been a double shift at work (which I hate) so there has been very little time to stitch.  I managed a few lengths on Book of Spells by The Goode Huswife:

Stitched on 40count Jewel Butterbeer linen

Close-up of the moon: 

I am using DMC for this project, one strand over 2.  For the moon I used 4145 which is a variegated grey.  Now I have moved onto the boring border on the right,  There is a much more interesting border along the bottom thankfully!

I received some lovely post during the week.  I was lucky enough to win two giveaways recently!  The first was from Carin in the Netherlands.  Carin is a stitcher, a knitter, a crocheter and a quilter and a terribly bad influence on me!  She takes the most beautiful photos which always inspire me to stitch the same projects she has just finished.  My last two Little Stitcher's projects were both inspired by Carin's lovely photography.  She also sold me the Book of Spells chart last year!  Here is what she sent me:

Look at all those lovely charms!  And some HDF silks which I have never used before.

Here is a close-up of the beautiful pillow she made: 

Carin's stitching is perfect, as is her sewing, you can't even see the join!

Chart from Cosmic Handmade

The second giveaway was from Rosey from Ishkabibble.  She had a Mill Hill kit complete with fabric, threads and lots of beads.  This is actually quite a tiny piece but with so many beads!  I wonder if anyone can identify the island shown on the postcard before reading on?

Rosey spent several years in Hawaii when she was younger and came home with a special souvenir - a husband!  The postcard actually shows the island of Maui.  Lovely isn't it?

Finally, the talk of postcards brings me onto my Summer Postcard Blog hop again!  The theme this year is Pets.  All you need to do is email me a photo of something you have stitched on this theme plus a little message about what pets mean to you.  Once I have a few I will start emailing them to the participants who will display them on their blogs.  The Blog Hop lasts all Summer so don't worry if you don't have anything suitable stitched yet.  I'm going to be finding some freebies online to inspire you.  Today's choice is the Guinea Pig.  This is a versatile link because you can cross stitch or crochet the guinea pig!

Maria Merlino - Guinea Pig

Bank Holiday Weekend Stitching

Super Mom No Cape Monday Stitchery Link Party #7

(Follow the link to find out more!)

It's been a three day weekend here in England and I've been at home with the boys while Hubby has been working hard in a field somewhere.  We've been watching films, doing quizzes on the internet and I've been stitching too.

The main focus for the weekend was the next block in the Primitive Hare Hallowe'en Cubes.  This is the second L:

Stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain Linen

I'm stitching one of these per month, but jumped to the end of the word for last month because it fitted in with the theme on the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL (tombstones).

Here's another Hallowe'en piece:

Stitched on 32 count Twilight Blue Linen

This is a Blue Ribbon Design called Owls in Moonlight from the October 2014 issue of Just Cross Stitch,  I am using the same blue linen I used for the Christmas design Woodsy Winter I stitched back in 2012.  There are four Christmas Woods designs and this Hallowe'en one.  I have enough blue linen to stitch them all on the same fabric.

Here is my progress on The Book of Spells by The Goode Huswife:

Stitched on 40 count Jewel Butterbeer linen.

I've been working on the cat in the moon this week.  I have a great variegated DMC to fill the moon in too.  I'm using my own conversion for the DMC because the ones given don't always look like the cover photo.

I think most of you know the lovely enigmatic Chiara who blogs at The Grey Tail?  We were chatting via email this weekend and between us came up with the idea of an A-Z language challenge.  We batted some ideas around and are calling it the The Alphabet Club.  Chiara has the full details on that link but basically she will post a link-up post on the first Saturday of each month (Saturday being detention day in the film) starting with the letter A and we will all link up with A themed things, from stitching to designers and local customs.

"They only met online, but it changed their lives forever"

Finally, I have launched the annual Summer Postcard Blog Hop.  The theme this year is Pets.  All you need to do is email me a photo of something you have stitched on this theme plus a little message about what pets mean to you.  Once I have a few I will start emailing them to the participants who will display them on their blogs.  The Blog Hop lasts all Summer so don't worry if you don't have anything suitable stitched yet.  I'm going to be finding some freebies online to inspire you.  Starting with these monthly cats from Happiness is Cross Stitching:

Mini cat cross stitch freebies

Super Mom No Cape Monday Stitchery Link Party #7

A Fistful of Finishes

One advantage of the DUCJC was that I now have rather a lot of started projects which don't take much to finish them off!  So although January was a washout for actual finishes, they have been coming thick and fast in the last month or so.

So fast in fact that I haven't blogged about them all here!  All three of these have appeared on the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL blog so some of you may have seen them already.

First up is a design I received in a Giveaway from Gaynor of Stitchers Anon.  She gave me a free choice from her website and this was my favourite because I love the book:

Stitched over one on 28 count Platinum linen.

Shown with my scissors for scale.

This was a nice quick stitch, even over one.  It only uses a couple of colours so is ideal as a travelling project, I did most of the border in a lunch break at work.

The next design was even quicker, just one day!  This is for the May theme for the Ornie SAL which is Pumpkins:

Stitched on 32 count Lavender evenweave

This was a Just Nan freebie, I think I downloaded it from JCS's website but I can't remember.  It's been sat in my files for ages anyway.  I love those little top hats the spiders are wearing.

And now, the Big Finish:

Stitched on 28 count Chocolate Orange evenweave from Crafty Kitten

This is Just Nan's design Haunted Pumpkin Tree, the chart was a gift from Mouse and the fabric from Shebafudge, both for my Birthday last year.  I started it in October, did one day for the DUCJC and then picked it up again this month to complete.

The pumpkins took so long, there are five different shades of orange in them and each one is slightly different so you need to pay close attention to the chart.  Once they were done the colours went really quickly.  The black backstitch was the most fun because it made each character come alive.

The heart charm came with the chart.  There are four of these designs in a series called Charmed Heart Trees.  This is most definitely my favourite.  I may or may not buy any of the others,  I am undecided and there are more Just Nans higher up my list!

Here are some close-ups:

Just to prove it's not all finishes around here, I've been working on two WIPs:

Anchor Kingfisher, the fabric is blue evenweave

The Goode Huswife Book of Spells

on 40 count Jewel Butterbeer

Finally, the next post will be the Gifted Gorgeousness Link Up on the 15th.  We will be having another Giveaway, this time a chart donated by the lovely Stitching Noni.  So sort out your GG projects to be in with a chance.