August Smalls SAL

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Heather from Stitching Lotus

This year I am going to have two monthly challenges:

1. The Primitive Hare Hallowe'en Cubes SAL

2. The Hallowe'en Ornie SAL themed blog.
and a third one added from August:
3. The Christmas Ornie SAL themed blog

This is the first E from Hallowe'en:

stitched on 32 count Vintage Grain linen

The theme for the Hallowe'en Ornie Blog is Black Cats.  I have so many charts with black cats it was hard to pick one.  In the end I decided to start a larger piece and just stitch the part with the cats then continue it later on.  This is part of Just Nan's Ghoulies and Ghosties.  You can see the whole design here - JN180 Ghoulies and Ghosties

stitched on 32 count tan evenweave.

And now for a new monthly challenge - the Christmas Ornie SAL Blog hosted by Kaye.  She has chosen themes for the rest of this year and August's was Mr and/or Mrs Santa. 

I've had my eye on this design for some time (2012 in fact!) and this was the perfect chance to stitch it.  It's from the JCS Christmas Ornie Special 2012 and is by Knotted Tree NeedleArt.  I used the DMC conversion on green linen making a couple of changes.  The parcel is a brighter green as are the yellow stitches in the border.  I alternated them with the bright red from the hat (817) to make it look more festive.

This isn't really a small but there was only a small piece left to stitch!  I started it back in January for the DUCJC and haven't picked it up since.  All I had to do was chart and stitch the name which I finally did this morning.  It's for my cousin's baby daughter.  Her first Birthday is at the beginning of September so it will arrive in perfect time.

The design is by JBW and is called Hobby Horse which is puzzling because it is clearly a Rocking Horse.  I stitched it using my favourite DMC 115 variegated red on 32 count Antique White linen and framed it in the perfect frame from my frame stash box.

And here is Tuesday's Satsuma Street progress on Pretty Little London.  I finished Buckingham Palace on the left and thought I'd start on the long boring grey arches underneath the whole piece.  If I leave them until last I will get dispirited I'm sure!

stitched on 32 count Antique White linen.

Finally, we are approaching the end of the Summer Postcard Blog Hop, if you haven't already been to Jocondine's blog you must visit to see her delightful cartoon drawing of our hop.  She is a very talented cartoonist.

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

DUCJC 2015

The DUCJC is a very special challenge in memory of a very special lady.  SoCal Debbie was a prolific stitcher, blogger and commenter.  Sadly she passed away very suddenly last year.  One of her favourie challenges was the CJC:

CJC = Crazy January Challenge, one new start for the first 15 days of January

UCJC = Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, one new start for all 31 days of January

DUCJC = Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, stitch 31 projects one per day for January

Linda Stitchin' with my Furbabies is organising this all via a FB group.  Thankfully Linda is not making us all attempt the SDUCJC (Super Duper Ultimate Crazy January Challenge) or 60 starts throughout January and February which she did with Debbie in 2012.

I have listed out my choices on my Challenge page.  Here are the first three days of stitching.  All three days have been "at home" days so I have got plenty done.  I decided to have three new starts for these whole days and save the WIPs for work days when I have less time to stitch.

Day 1 - Dyan Allaire for Kustom Krafts - Little Snap Dragon

Stitched on 32 count Morning Sky by Crafty Kitten

Day 2 - JBW - Hobby Horse

Stitched on 32 count Antique White linen using DMC 115

This will have my cousin's baby's name added under the rocking horse.

Actually, that raises a good question - why is this called a hobby horse when it clearly is a rocking horse?  A hobby horse is a stick with a horse's head and maybe some little wheels that you ride around whereas a rocking horse you sit on and rock back and forth.  French speakers - are there two different words in French for these toys?

A hobby-horse.

Day 3 - Country Cottage Needleworks - Poinsettia Place

Stitched on 32 count Permin Twilight Blue linen

I don't have the subtle variegated green so I am using a blend of the converted DMC and the next shade to it (3364 and 3363).  I have found this is a great way of substituting varigated threads especially when you don't want the stripy effect, just a less blocky look to a solid area of stitching.  I will get some more stitches in this one tonight.

What are my thoughts of the challenge so far?  Don't pick your favourite projects at the beginning of the month!  I am already itching to carry on with the first two choices!

I've also spent some time today tidying up the blog, making sure all the links have been updated to this year's SALs and removing the old ones.  I am miles behind on adding projects to my Happy Dance blog so that will be next.  I have a couple of finishes which were gifts so I couldn't show them before so that will be for another post too.

Finally, these three new starts all count for my Gifted Gorgeousness SAL.  Two were gifts from generous stitchers and one will be a gift for someone.  Credit will be given on the 15th January when we share our first GG Update.  Don't forget, you can join in any time, this year, no obligation to post every month.