Theme-a-licious Looking Backward and Forward X

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 October:

Opulent October
It's time to don your tiaras and bring the bling! Stitch on projects with sparkly fibers, beads or charms.

The main piece I have been stitching in the evenings has been Titania, Queen of the Fairies for the Mirabilia Round Robin.  I finally managed to actually stitch some bling on her this week.  Mind you, the fabric is sparkly itself so maybe that already counted?

The interesting thing about Miras is that you stitch away for evening after evening and sometimes don't see alot of progress then all of a sudden you're on the last colour (white for me) and it's time for the bling!  You look at all the empty places and realise those are all for metallics or beads!  There is silver blending filament on the edges of the wings and the inside is solid Kreinik which I will be starting tonight.

The other blingy piece I stitched in about two hours was the Needlecraft Haven Challenge for October.  Christine has chosen a very small and sweet Christmas piece.  I'm not feeling very Christmassy yet but thought it would fit the Opulent October theme so here it is:

The mount is an old Christmas card.  I keep alot of my cards, either as gift tags or stitching mounts.

And here is a side shot so you can see how I made this one.

Totally beaded, not a stitch in sight!  Even the fabric is sparkly.

Looking forward to November we have

No-Xs November

What can you make without making an X?? Blackwork, hardanger, embroidery, needlelace, and the list goes on! Don't panic...you can even backstitch for the month!

Oh, I could have had the NH challenge for that too LOL.

And by lucky chance this new start fits in perfectly.  Serendipitous or what?!!

This is stitched on 32 count Belfast in Tobacco, the same colour I used for Autumn Typography.  The design is Glorious Fall by Stitchers' Hideaway.  A while back I stitched Hear the Sea Call by the same designer (see this post for my finish).  I changed my FB profile picture to the design and Sue the designer got in touch to find out how her pattern had reached across the sea to me!  She also told me she was bringing out a companion piece which, of course, I had to buy.  She sent me the chart and the threads, so far I have stitched the poem composed by Sue herself in pure backstitch.  The border will be a in lovely variegated thread.

Finally, the Hallowe'en Mystery Phrase Blog Hop is still open for entrants, you must leave a comment on that post before 7th November.  I know alot of people catch up with blogs at the weekend.  And Mr Boo is by Val of Val's Stuff.  Before another persons asks me!!  He was in last years JCS Hallowe'en special and has been very popular. 

Progress Reports

I've finished one of the pieces I couldn't show and mailed it off.  The other piece was the Needlecraft Haven September Challenge by Kissy Cross.  I stitched this on some nice green evenweave over 1 as it was a rather large design for an ornie stitched over 2.  I haven't decided whether to make it into an ornie or to scrapbook it so I just Photo-shopped it onto a piece of backing paper:

It's quite interesting looking at the original blog photo to see which parts they stitched in which colour.  The chart didn't come with a key and they used the same symbol for every stitch so you wouldn't be bound by their choices.  I like my version.  The whites do pop more in real life.

I have not been in the mood for Christmas stitching as yet, it's not even Hallowe'en so I have made a good start on my Drac-in-the-Box.  I want to get this done by the 31st if only because everyone keeps saying "Let me know how you get on with the finishing"!  I posted a picture on FB of the first steps I'd done and the designer left a comment saying how pleased she was someone was going to stitch it.  So not much pressure there to make a good job of it!

Here are two photos to show the two completed blocks the right way up:

Headstone - top left

Fangs and Bat - Left and middle

I changed the orientation of the blocks simply because I found it easier to hold the fabric this way.  It's a very stiff Permin linen and I don't want to crumple it too much.

Here is my evening project, Titania, Queen of the Fairies for Rachel's Mirabilia Round Robin:

Not a great picture, it's a scan and the purples in the sash are not showing up well.  They are actually the Teresa Purples (3041 and 3042) so called because Teresa Wentzler seems to use them in every design she does!  You can really see the shape of her arms appearing.  There's alot of flesh to do next, then her hair and finishing with the wings.

Finally, the sign up for the Hallowe'en Blog Hop is open.  Click on Mr. Boo the Ghost on the right side bar for more details.

Happy Star Wars Day

May the Fourth be with you!

So what's new this month?  Having finally finished the RR I decided to spend some time with Green Goddess, a Joan Elliott design.  Here's a close-up of the area I've been working on:

I've stitched all around her face in the ordinary DMC leaving gaps for the dragonflies as they have metallics in them.  I've also left the face til last so I can start a fresh skein and not risk a dye-lot change in the middle of it!

There is alot of metallic in this as most of the border is Kreinik and there are beads to add too but I do feel the end is in sight sometime this year!

Daytime has also been Joan's territory.  I dithered over whether to finish February's design from the 2013 Diary or start April's.  Karen told me to start April's dragons so like a good little stitcher that's what I did.  Here is my progress so far:

The fabric is a 28 count from a Crafty Kitten grab bag so it has no name but looks quite sky-like.  The dragons are stitching up so much more quickly than the Cherub did.  I have no idea why as I like both designs.

This is how I left February's:

As I'm not stitching any of the pixie designs I'm hopeful of finishing both of these and catching up this month.

I can also show a finish from last month's Needlecraft Haven Challenge.  Christine invited us to choose one of the Snowflower Diaries Spring designs featuring chicks and bunnies.  I chose this one because the plant reminds me of Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors!

I used the same yellow evenweave as previous Easter/Spring stitches so they can all be mounted together.  The bunny in the photo is the one I won in our corner shop's raffle.

Finally, I had a little stash enhancement via an Esty shop called The Pampered Stitcher and bought these three Shepherd's Bush charts.  They are from a series called the Botanicals and I have whortleberry, rowan berry and bluebells.  There is also a fourth design entitled buttercups.  If anyone out there has this chart they would like to sell to me I would be eternally grateful and your friend forever!

Here are the three I have:

They will look beautiful framed and displayed with these four I stitched several years ago:

Larger pictures found here

edit: further investigation reveals the existence of violets and aramanth!

March Challenge Reveal and the Easter Bunny Comes a Hopping

This is the Needlecraft Haven March Challenge, a Blackbird Designs piece called Souvenir de France:

When I was deciding how to finish the piece I remembered that Giovanna had recently spent some time in Paris.  She is a great stitcher and blogger who always leaves nice comments and very kindly sent me the charity charts from last year's earthquake fundraiser.  So I thought I should send her a special "Just because we're friends" card.

I stitched this on pale blue 28 count evenweave using a DMC variegated blue.  Seems like blue was a popular choice if you look on the forum!  I mounted it on some nice Eiffel Tower card (the back has sepia schematics on it) and made a simple card, popped it in an envelope and off it went.  Then I returned home, plugged my camera into the computer and realised... no photos!  So this is one that Giovanna kindly sent me.

Look what I won!  Many of you know that we've been having internet problems and last week I plugged the mobile phone dongle into the laptop to find it was all used up.  So off I trudged to the corner shop to buy a top-up.  The assistant persuaded me to buy a raffle ticket, and the very next day I got a call to say I'd won!

The small piece in front of the basket is one of my March Madness starts, a San Man Originals design called Easter (how do they think up these names?).

I stitched it on yellow 28 count evenweave, over 2 using the recommended DMC but changing the words and border to variegated DMC.  Aren't the little buttons cute?  This will be mounted along with the other Easter / Spring pieces in my scrapbook once they're all finished.

The Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop is still open, competition closes 8th April 2013.  See post dated 29th March for all the links.

Finally the lovely picture was shown on Needleprint's blog recently.  I'm not sure if I can copy the picture, so here's a link, I guarantee it will make you smile.

Needlecraft Haven 2012 Freebie Challenge Round Up

Regular followers will have seen the various projects I've stitched for the Needlecraft Haven Monthly Freebie Challenge.  Each month Christine chooses a different freebie for us to stitch by the end of the month.  we keep it secret until the Big Reveal Day on the last Sunday of each month.

I thought I'd do a little round-up of 2012 for you all to see.  There are 10 designs, as there were 2 months where Christine gave us a break to catch up!

January - Russian Doll 

http://www.leschroniquesdefrimousse.com/article-bons-baisers-de-russie-94956164.html

February - Happiness is Cross Stitch Valentines
http://www.happinessiscrossstitching.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/free-valentine-cross-stitch-patterns.html

March - Chez Elisa 

http://chezelisa.over-blog.com/article-cintre-couture-53559711.html

April - Sub Rosa Happy Day 

http://e-subrosa.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/happy-day-free.html

May - Patricks Woods Rabbit 

http://patrickswoods.com/blog/item/2-what-a-cut-up

June - Marie-Therese Pansy 

http://mtsa.over-blog.com/pages/La_pensee_rose_de_la_nuit_de_la_broderie-1781021.html

July - Amnesty

August - Samplers and Santas 

http://samplers-and-santas.blogspot.co.uk/p/needle-keep.html

September - Little Stitcher Guardians of the Sea 

http://thelittlestitcher.blogspot.it/2012/08/the-guardians-of-sea-free.html

October - Balades et Broderie 

http://balades-et-broderies.over-blog.com/article-un-petit-free-pour-vous-86550697.html

November - Primitive Hare Xmas Time 

http://theprimitivehare.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/freebie-xmas-time.html

December - catch up month

If you'd like to come join us this year please do.  There's no pressure to stitch every month or even to finish in the month.  But it is a great way to stitch with friends and find some new freebies.  Christine has superb taste, I really love her choices each month.  Even the ones I've thought "hmmmm?" on first inspection I've loved once I got stitching.

Needlecraft Haven Monthly-Stitching-Challenge

Finally, don't forget to spread some Valentine Love, click on the Heart below to sign up for the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop.

July WIPocalypse

Here's the round-up for the progress since the last Full Moon.

Part 1 - My 12 in '12


8. Turquoise Baby Sampler - Stitched several more letters, O, P, Q, T and U.

11. Papillon Around the World in 80 Stitches.  Started Part 2, stitched the top tulip.  Added the metallics to the hearts.

Part 2 - Just Nan-a-thon


Nothing at all for Nan this month.   But I did frame Summer and got it up on the wall.  This was actually completed all except a dozen beads about 10 years ago!

Part 3 - Theme-a-licious: Jumanji June (birds and animals)

I stitched on two different Round Robins and did some guinea-pig stitching for an online friend.

Other news:
Regular readers will know I join in with the Needlecraft Haven Freebie Challenge each month.  Christine chooses a chart for us all to stitch.  June's choice was a rose in an unusual style.  The original was nice but I thought of a conversation I'd had with Karen where we'd been planning our Giant Mirabilia RR for 2013.  I wanted each person to stitch their birth month fairy but it turned out that three out of four of us were September!  So I said we should each stitch her but in different colours for an Andy Warhol effect.

Anyway, I thought this would be the perfect design for that treatment.  So here it is, for my 15 Minutes of Fame - Rose a la Warhol:

I stitched this on 16 count aida, hand-coloured with my trusty fabric pens.  I chose some vibrant colours and went for it!  That yellow is actually fluorescent.  Here's the link for the original design by Marie-Thérèse Saint-Aubin.

Finally, the obligatory Summer Postcard Blog Hop mention.  LOL.  Click the Sunset picture to the right of my blog to find out more.

Prizes galore and a Crazy Rabbit

There are always lovely Giveaways going on in Blogland and I do like to show my support for those hosting one!  Recently I was lucky enough to win two gorgeous ones and the prizes arrived this week.

First up was the entire back catalogue of Northern Expressions Needlework.  How about that for an amazing prize?  Nicole was celebrating 100 followers and her 40th Birthday last month.  She's also had the most lovely tattoo inked by her son for the celebration.  Now there's an idea, I could have a tattoo for each 100 followers LOL.

Here are the charts I won:

There is a fifth design in this series which was printed in Just Cross Stitch mag which I just so happen to have.

And close-ups of my two favourites:

This is Celtic Autumn, a lovely mixture of Cross Stitch and Speciality Stitches in beautiful silk threads.

This one is Mother's Garden II.  There is a key for silks and a DMC conversion too which is what I will use.

I had a look at Sew and So's website as they have a wide range of threads.  They stock the mouth-watering Gloriana Silk but at an eye-watering £6.50 a skein!!  That's ten times the price of their DMC!  They also don't have the Belle Soie threads.  So does anyone know of a cheaper UK stockist or would it be better to get them from the USA and pay postage?  There's no hurry as I can't get them until my Birthday later this year.

All of Nicole's designs are stitched in silks but come with a DMC conversion where she points out which ones are/aren't a good match.  There are also lovely chatty notes about how to do the speciality stitches and great clear diagrams.

The second delivery was from Kaye of Kitten Stitching:

The card is made from real flock!  I love flock, it's like my blog background!  I also love velvet devore clothes which is like flock that you can wear.  Fab wrapping paper too.

And inside was this beautiful stitched picture: 

Which is now residing on my kitchen dresser.  I love the stitching, the frame and the sentiment too.

"Believe" is such an interesting word.  It can apply to so many things; your faith in God/gods/spirits, your belief in the inherent kindness of humankind, or simply the hope that your luggage will arrive safely at your holiday destination with you and not a fortnight later!  Given that this was a prize for my travelling tip this last one is most appropriate.

And the Crazy Rabbit?  Well, the Needlecraft Haven have a great monthly challenge.  Christine chooses a different freebie chart and we all try to stitch it before the end of the month to go into the Big Reveal.  "Try" being the operative word there.  May's was this freebie from Patrick's Woods.  I've seen it all over the place and wanted to do something different.  So I was brainstorming to myself - tiny rabbit, giant scissors, Alice in Wonderland, psychedelia, clocks, cogs, machinery, steampunk etc.  So out came the fabric pens and I sketched some swirls on the fabric.  I got the cutest little clock charm from Sew and So then made a trip to the Craft Shop for the mounting card and some embellishments.  Strangely enough there was a man there also looking for clock embellishments.  How co-incidental.  Not your usual request!

And here's a close up so you can see the charm:

There was another Birthday in our Exchange on the Needlecraft Haven, so here is the June card stitched for Lynn:

As usual, I just stitched the backstitch then coloured in the rose with my pens.

I also received an email for Lelia who won one of the Easter Treasure Hunt bloghop prizes.  I stitched her this cute little design and made it into a pillow.  I discovered this design through the April freebie challenge (thanks Christine!).  I backed the stitching with some of the upholstery fabric samples I blagged last year.  They are soooo useful.

The design came from the Sub Rosa blog and I changed the wording from Happy Day to Happy Spring.  I used the same variegated DMC colours in this as in the CCN Cherry Hill Cottage which I stitched at the same time.  There was also a chocolate bunny who went out in the parcel!

Finally, I haven't forgotten the Summer Postcard Blog Hop activity I just haven't got a Round Tuit yet!

Joan Elliott Round Robin and a row of cats (minus the frog)

I finished my block just in time, mailing day is Tuesday!  Karen's theme is Fairies.  I had thought of Winter Fairy or Poppy Fairy but when I saw the two designs already stitched I knew I had to choose one with more wing showing.  So I went for Butterfly Fairy from the cover of the latest Joan Elliott book Fairy Enchantment (available from Waterstones for only £9.99).

Here is my block:

And some close-ups:

And the whole piece:

I used the recommended DMC and Kreinik from the book but subbed the Kreinik french knots for beads.  C'mon - Kreinik AND french knots, who is Joan kidding?!!

The difficulty was remembering which squares to leave empty for a bead as the charted knots went inbetween stitches but I wanted beads to replace stitches.

This is such a great Round Robin so far.  My design is slowly growing, Daffodil was added this turn.  Of course I only get to see photos until the end of the year.  I've signed up for a Giant Mira RR for next year, blocks will be 5,000 stitches rather than the usual 2,500 but we'll get 12 weeks to stitch rather than the usual 6.  I'm going for the Calendar or Birth Month Fairies for my choice.

I can now show your Rachael's Birthday Card.  I stitched this as part of the Needlecraft Haven Birthday Exchange but as Diane shares Rachael's Birthday I stitched her the WOCS Flower of the Month and chose Rachael's favourite cats for her card.

The original design came from this French blog, Novalee Point de Croix.  She has lots of freebies, several featuring cats.

This card was stitched over 1 on 25 count using DMC 69.  The moon is my own addition to cover up the frog's mess!  When you frog red thread from white fabric you can see the red left behind!  So there is a nice little moon now.

Finally, a Big Thank You to everyone who commented on The Danse Macabre post about my completed Dark Alphabet.   After posting Wednesday evening I was up half the night with a Small Boy who decided 3am to 6am was Play Time.  So when I got the the computer Thursday afternoon I was feeling rather tired to say the least!  Reading all your comments really buoyed me up again.  It's so great that you all shared my excitement at finishing this project and getting the lovely gifts.  I'm also pleased that people appreciated the individual pictures as they took ages to load on!