Theme-a-licious Looking Backward and Forward VII

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!

This was the theme for July:

Jubilee July

It's time to celebrate! What are you celebrating this year? Stitch on your holiday-related projects, OR find some WIPs you know you'll never finish and set them free .

It's the end of the school year which I celebrated by presenting the Small Boy's keyworker with a stitched picture designed by me.  Based on an illustration for the traditional children's rhyme:

It was my friend's Birthday in July so I made her a card.  No, not cross stitched for a change!

My friend loves rubber duckies so when I saw these little ones on Ebay I knew they would be perfect for her.  The fabric I covered the card with is the one I will be using to back July's JBW cat ornie too.

What bigger celebration is there than a wedding?  This is the sampler I'm stitching for my cousin's wedding next month:

Coeurs en Boites

I had an outpatient's appointment this morning so I took this along.  I stitched an entire heart while waiting!!  A very nice elderly lady came by with her grand-daughter and asked to have a look.  She was most impressed as was the girl's mother who recognised it as cross stitch.  Yes, not knitting or crochet but genuine cross stitch!  The lady did not have a long wait so I said "I think I'll come to your clinic instead".  She replied "oh no, I go to the silly clinic because I do daft things sometimes".  It did remind me of the many trips to the hospital with my Nana over the years.  She would always kiss the nurses goodbye and insist on tea and cake in the cafe saying "Well, we've had a nice day out".

Earlier in the month I stitched some more of my Scarlet Letter sampler to celebrate Nicola's Scarlet Letter Birthday.  Here's the latest picture:

So, what's coming up next month?

Airborne August

What's that soaring through the air with the greatest of ease? It's the things with wings on your WIPs!

O....K....  Dragons have wings.  um...Joan Elliott's next two diary designs are a mermaid and a unicorn so no wings there.  The Mirabilia Round Robin will have to count and there is this design which was in the large box of stash I was given.  My friend asked me to stitch it for her as it is the one thing she regrets not being able to stitch herself:

It's an old Janlynn design called Gathering Honey.  Of course bees have wings.  The verse reads "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb.  Sweetness to the soul and health to the body" from Proverbs 16:24

Did you know that eating local honey can help with hayfever and pollen related asthma?

Finally the good news is my friend said I may pass on some of her designs to my blogging friends.  They are mostly small pieces suitable for ornies or box tops, there are some nice sunset designs and a lovely set of seasonal samplers, again quite small.  I'm thinking about doing a SAL for those starting with Winter in January 2014.  I'll post a picture soon and see who is interested.

Theme-a-licious July Update

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!

This is the theme for July:

Jubilee July

It's time to celebrate! What are you celebrating this year? Stitch on your holiday-related projects, OR find some WIPs you know you'll never finish and set them free . 

It's nearly the end of term here in England so both boys will be moving on.  The Large Boy has been taught by his current duo before so they both have samplers already (see these posts).  They will be getting a book each instead.  The Smal Boy is leaving his Playgroup to start School, four days a week at the Special School he already attends and one day at his Big Brother's School.  I have bought books for all the Playgroup Workers but his Keyworker deserves a stitched present too.  Quite frankly, they all deserve a bottle of wine and some valium as well but she's getting something stitched!

The Small Boy loves numbers and counting rhymes, in fact you can track him round the Hall by the sound of his Keyworker's voice reciting 1,2,3,4 as she goes!  I found this beautifully illustrated children's Nursery Rhyme book and knew I'd found the inspiration for the stitched present.  Here is the illustration that inspired me:

And here is the stitched version:

I just sketched her onto graph paper then backstitched onto 28count linen.  I added some little beads for the cherries and now I have to frame her.

That's it for themed stitching so far this month!

Finally, a mini-giveaway.  I received my 4000th comment recently, wow!  Yes they are all from real people, I don't get spam and I don't comment on my own blog in reply to comments, I do them by email.  So 4000 comments is amazing.  Predictably the Giveaway posts attract the most comments (60 on the Easter Treasure Hunt and 44 on my Blogaversary) but this post had 33 comments simply because I asked for your advice.   Hint to new bloggers; people love to give their opinion on stitching decisions.  Unfortunately, if there are three options votes will be split over them plus someone will throw in a fourth option so you're not really any better off but at least you have comments LOL.

Anyway I have this lovely John Clayton chart to send to a friend.  It is the cover gift from World of Cross Stitching magazine this month, although it is not my style I'm sure someone will love her.  All you need to do is leave a comment saying why you'd like to receive her and I will choose one person on the 22nd July.

Finished size - 5x5 inches on 28 count over 2 (or 14 aida)