A blog trying to focus on all the nice things in life, those moments when everything turns out right. Finding the perfect fabric for that chart you love, the ideal sampler quote, just the right picture in all the 1000s of magazines you own. Meeting people who share your interests and obsessions and totally understand why you NEED that chart when you already have enough to last until you're 104
I'm limbering up for the Longest Day Marathon later this month by trying to clear a few WIPs! Ideally I'd like to have 26 or fewer by 22nd June in order to spend 30 minutes on each one and still have time to eat and look after Small Boy.
The first finish this week is one of Satsuma Street's Zodiac designs; Libra with two birds representing my husband and my older son. This is the second design from the series I have stitched, the first being Virgo for me.
stitched on 28 count black evenweave
The colours are gorgeous on these designs, they really pop against the black fabric. They are a quick stitch too. 15 days in total.
after 4 days of stitching
after 7 days of stitching
after 11 days of stitching
The next project to be finished is a band sampler I've been working on just one or two days a month, totalling 9 days altogether. This is a former class project I was gifted; Diamond Bouquet:
stitched on 28 count lilac evenweave
The chart came with the beads and the ribbon which is couched in place by speciality stitches.
There are so many different stitches in this design which made it great fun to stitch.
Finally, I mentioned The Longest Day Marathon earlier. This will be taking place on Friday 22nd June this year. The Longest Day is Thursday 21st but I have my Toddler Group and an afternoon tea for a friend's birthday that day. I will be posting photos live on the IHSW Facebook page and then doing a recap post here. If anyone wants to join me, either on the day or at the weekend that would be brilliant!
Welcome to the Zodiac SAL. I will be posting on the first Saturday of each month with information about that month's sign and a linky for anyone who wants to join in. The linky will stay open until the end of the month.
Last month we had three people link up with me, please do visit them now if you missed their posts before:
The Bull represents a strong-willed character with great perseverance and determination. In India Taurus is known by its Sanskrit name Vṛṣabha, which is occasionally given as a name for Shiva and his vehicle Nandi as well as the first of twenty-four Jain Tirthankara, Rishabhanatha. In Egypt, Taurus was seen as the cow goddess Hathor. Hathor was the goddess of beauty, love, and happiness, and she represented all of the riches seen in cattle as the providers of nourishment. Roman astrologers considered Taurus ruled by Venus, the goddess of beauty, and Earth, the goddess of the earth and nature.
Taurus People: What They’re LikeTaurus people can be grounding, bringing a sense of ease and contentment. Unless, that is, they’re worked up about something. Then steam pours out of their ears. You’ll see them pacing, muttering the same thing over and over, clenching their fists and looking like Bulls ready to charge! But when they’re content and in the groove, there’s no happier sign than Taurus. Lovers of the arts, you can find them composing photos, blissing out to music, losing themselves on the dance floor or preparing a feast fit for royalty. This affectionate, comfort-loving sign can indulge in hours of deep lounging or sensual boudoir play. As earth signs, they may love to go on walks, bike rides and hikes. Disclaimer: other Bulls think “communing with nature” means gazing at the French Riviera from the Hotel du Cap veranda, chilled rose in hand. Never go cheap on a Taurus, because these epicureans love the finer things. That said, they can be very down-to-earth and work hard to pay for their indulgences. (You might need to light a fire under their asses to get them going. Once in motion though, there’s no stopping this charging Bull!) Sure they can be materialistic, but really they just want tasteful creature comforts that last the test of time. And, if you’re lucky enough, they’ll share the finer things in life with you, too.
Famous & Celebrity Taurus People: Adele, Al Pacino, David Beckham, Stevie Wonder, Donatella Versace, Cher, Robert Pattinson, Chris Brown, Channing Tatum, The Rock, Gigi Hadid, Queen Elizabeth II, Sam Smith, Megan Fox, Meek Mill, George Clooney, Lena Dunham, Tina Fey, Christian Lacroix, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Valentino Garavani, William Shakespeare, Harper Lee, James Monroe, James Buchanan, Ulysses S. Grant, Harry S. Truman
This is a wonderful design from Bothy Threads showing some of Shakespeare's best loved plays:
I also added some lines from "The Scottish Play" to the edge of this design by Oberlin Samplers:
The Witches by Oberlin Samplers
For the stitching part of the SAL I have chosen a series of designs from the Donna Kooler book 365 Tiny Cross Stitch Designs. I am stitching them all on one piece of 32 count Millenium Blue fabric. Here is Taurus:
Here is the whole piece so far:
Now I have Taurus in place I can see that Aries was stitched in exactly the right place!
I am also stitching the Satsuma Street Zodiac and this month I picked up Libra which is my current WIP:
stitched on 28 count black evenweave
I have got quite a lot done. I stitched all the right hand bird and it's cup as well as finishing off the base of the scales. There is a rose vine wrapped around the scales so that will be the next part. After I fill in his beak! And the missing area which is a colour I need to order.
My brother is a Taurus but I have never stitched anything for him. Sorry! However my husband's niece is also a Taurus and I made these sugar skull designs for her when she got married:
Senor and Senorita Sugar Skull by Brooke's Books
This is the place for you to link up if you want to join in, please link to the actual blog post, not your blog homepage and include your name so we can see who has joined in.
*
*
Finally, there's a new blogger in town. I have persuaded and enabled my friend Sarah to start a blog! You can find her here - The Hermit Crafter
I have to be nice to her, she knows me in real life and could tell you all my secrets. So please visit her and say nice things to her!
Welcome to the Zodiac SAL. I will be posting on the first Saturday of each month with information about that month's sign and a linky for anyone who wants to join in. The linky will stay open until the end of the month.
Last month we had three people link up with me, please do visit them now if you missed their posts before:
Aries is the Latin name for the ram and the symbol for the sign shows the ram's curly horns. Aries is a Fire sign and covers those born between 21st March and 19th April. It is the first sign of the Zodiac.
In ancient Egyptian astronomy, Aries was associated with the god Amon-Ra, who was depicted as a man with a ram's head and represented fertility and creativity. By Babylonian times it came to represent the Ram and then specifically the ram whose fleece became the Golden Fleece of Ancient Greek mythology.
Aries People: What They’re Like Aries people tend to have a lot of energy, which they apply to everything from tackling supersized projects to unleashing their lusty libidos with a lover. This confident sign is known to leap before looking, diving into each new experience with a zest for life that few others can muster. As the zodiac’s first sign, they love to be number-one and can be amazing trendsetters and trailblazers. These people are true originals who inspire the rest of us. With all of their fire power and can-do attitude, there’s nothing an Aries can’t (and won’t) take on. At times, Aries can be selfish or overly focused on themselves. It can be a “blind spot” for them, and friends of Aries may need to gently remind them from time to time to share their toys. Aries are born with an innate sense of entitlement, which helps them shatter glass ceilings but can also be off-putting to people in extreme doses. This go-getter sign can come across as abrasive or overly aggressive. However, Aries will never back down from a challenge and can be heroic champions of anyone in distress.Source: Astrostyle - Aries
Famous Aries People & Celebrities: Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, Aretha Franklin, Chaka Khan, Marvin Gaye, Keira Knightley, Victoria Beckham, Sarah Jessica Parker, Al Gore, Heath Ledger, Rosie O’Donnell, Gloria Steinem, Marc Jacobs, Emma Watson, Tyler Oakley, Kourtney Kardashian, Big Sean, Kristen Stewart, Pharrell Williams, Jamie-Lynn Spears, Vivienne Westwood, Tommy Hilfiger, Robert Frost, Maya Angelou, William Wordsworth, Jessie J, Brendan Urie, Robert Downey Jr., Peyton Manning, Thomas Jefferson, John Tyler
For the stitching part of the SAL I have chosen a series of designs from the Donna Kooler book 365 Tiny Cross Stitch Designs. I am stitching them all on one piece of 32 count Millenium Blue fabric. Here is Aries:
Here is the whole piece so far:
I had to stitch some guide lines in to make sure Aries was stitched in exactly the right place!
I am also stitching the Satsuma Street Zodiac and usually I would show Libra which is my current WIP. However I started a different Satsuma Street design for Easter and even though it's not Zodiac themed I will show my progress. This is Nest Egg AKA Goose in a Bonnet:
stitched on 32 count Belfast in Marie's Daffodil by Chromatic Alchemy
My cousin's two daughters are both Aries and the description seems to fit the younger one of the two better than the older! We went to visit them just after Easter and had a wonderful time with them all. Two years ago I stitched them a Nora Corbett letter each:
This is the place for you to link up if you want to join in, please link to the actual blog post, not your blog homepage and include your name so we can see who has joined in.
*
*
Finally, the Easter Treasure Hunt Blog Hop is still ongoing. You have until the end of Friday 13th to leave a comment with the solution to the Mystery Phrase to enter the draw to try win a Mystery prize!
It was an excellent month for Stitch from Stash and the bank account is looking very healthy!
March
Nothing £ 0.00
Total £ 0.00
Here is the Pie for March, the days allocated to Mrs Peggotty's Alice are generally where I worked a full day and only got a little bit of time in my lunch break to stitch.
The Satsuma Street Goose is my new start for Easter, the official title is Nest Egg but I'm calling it Goose in a Bonnet:
stitched on 32 count Marie's Daffodil from Chromatic Alchemy
If the white of the goose doesn't show up enough on the fabric I will add a grey backstitch.
Finally, the Easter Blog Hop is still going on, everyone has now posted after a slight confusion caused by me not realising that the Greek Orthodox Church celebrates Easter a week after the Church of England! One of the participants is also hosting a giveaway of an Easter themed chart so make sure you leave a comment on her blog to try and win it.
Welcome to the Zodiac SAL. I will be posting on the first Saturday of each month with information about that month's sign and a linky for anyone who wants to join in. The linky will stay open until the end of the month.
Last month we had three people link up with me, please do visit them now if you missed their posts before:
Aquarius is the Water Carrier (or Pourer) but is an Air sign ruled by Uranus and Saturn. Aquarians are both between 20th January and 18th February.
The constellation of Aquarius is found in a region often called the Sea due to its profusion of constellations with watery associations such as Cetus the whale, Pisces the fish, and Eridanus the river. At apparent magnitude 2.9, Beta Aquarii is the brightest star in the constellation.
Aquarius is identified as GU.LA "The Great One" in the Babylonian star catalogues and represents the god Ea himself, who is commonly depicted holding an overflowing vase. The Babylonian star-figure appears on entitlement stones and cylinder seals from the second millennium. It contained the winter solstice in the Early Bronze Age. In Old Babylonian astronomy, Ea was the ruler of the southernmost quarter of the Sun's path, the "Way of Ea", corresponding to the period of 45 days on either side of winter solstice.
Aquarius was also associated with the destructive floods that the Babylonians regularly experienced, and thus was negatively connoted.
In Ancient Egypt astronomy, Aquarius was associated with the annual flood of the Nile; the banks were said to flood when Aquarius put his jar into the river, beginning spring.
In Greek mythology the water carrier is Ganymede, a beautiful Phrygian youth. Ganymede was the son of Tros, King of Troy. While tending to his father's flocks on Mount Ida, Ganymede was spotted by Zeus. The king of gods flew down to the mountain in the form of a large bird, whisking Ganymede away to the heavens. Ever since, the boy has served as cupbearer to the gods.
Aquarius People: What They’re Like Aquarius is the sign of friendship and teamwork, so Aquarians tend to be more focused on the group than the individual. Freedom is important to Aquarians, which is why they like to keep things light on an interpersonal level. That way, they won’t feel bad about running off to the opposite corner of the world at a moment’s notice. At times, this nomadic strategy backfires, leaving them lonely and disconnected. Aquarians are uncomfortable with too much intimacy. These free spirits belong to the world, and feel off-balance giving their considerable energy to just one person. While their friends get first-class treatment, families and lovers see a different side of Aquarius: moody, brooding, anxious and neurotic. Or they may pick one (and only one) person to open up to, getting attached to the point of obsession. Learning to accept and express their emotions can help Aquarius people avoid the massive freakouts and anger flashes that come from pretending everything’s cool when it isn’t. Aquarians appreciate a quirky or eccentric twist and have some colorful characters and countercultural personalities as friends.
Famous Aquarius People & Celebrities: Oprah Winfrey, Jennifer Aniston, Bob Marley, Harry Styles, Justin Timberlake, Emma Roberts, Alicia Keys, Bobby Brown, Nick Carter, Sarah Palin, Mischa Barton, Michael Jordan, Ellen DeGeneres, Taylor Lautner, Ed Sheeran, Shakira, The Weeknd, John Travolta, Chloe Grace Moretz, Abraham Lincoln, Dr. Dre, Ayn Rand, William Henry Harrison, William McKinley, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Virginia Woolf, Langston Hughes, Gertrude Stein, Charles Dickens, Toni Morrison, Christian Dior
For the stitching part of the SAL I have chosen a series of designs from the Donna Kooler book 365 Tiny Cross Stitch Designs. I am stitching them all on one piece of 32 count Millenium Blue fabric. Here is Aquarius:
And here is the whole piece so far:
I am also stitching the Satsuma Street Zodiac and here is Libra which represents my older son and my husband:
stitched on 28 count black Jobelan
My younger son is an Aquarian, although I do not recognise him from the description above at all! His birth sampler was rather delayed as I could not find a design I really liked until this chart was gifted to me, Teresa Wentzler - You Were Hatched:
This is the place for you to link up if you want to join in, please link to the actual blog post, not your blog homepage and include your name so we can see who has joined in.
A little bit too strenous for me, so here's my variation:
I run five blog hops per year (see this page for details). Anyone who takes part or comments on all five hops will be entered into a draw at the end of the year. Taking part is obvious but as not everyone can take part in all five you still get a chance if you comment on my post which is hosting the Blog Hop. If you take part AND comment on the post, you get TWO entries into the draw.
The first Hop is the Secret Stitching Sweetheart on 14th February and you still have time to sign up to take part. If not, then remember to leave a comment on my Blog Hop post.
We have reached the end of the first month of the year so it is time for the first pie of the year! And the first reckoning for Stitch From Stash. Yes, I am SFS again. I don't have a lot of spare money to spend and what I do have I spend on my hobby. So I won't be claiming fictious money for my finishes but I will be monitoring my spending to see what my weaknesses are!
2017 was the year of the Magazine whereas 2016 was Charts closely followed by Fabric, thanks to two large purchases for my special Birthday that year.
You've seen most of my stitching progress this month already for my WIPocalypse post. But here's another new start! This is another one of my "18 in '18"; Satsuma Street's Libra. For my husband and my older son (also my Dad and my Grandad, there are a lot of Libra men in my life!).
stitched on 28 count Black Jobelan
Not much there but you can tell it is Libra already. The goal is to stitch the smaller bird on the left this month; the larger bird on the right next month and the base the following month. Then move on to Aquarius for my younger son.
You can see from the Pie chart that I spent 2 days on that design:
The Discworld Mappe got the most days as my January focus piece followed by 12 Days for 12 Days of Stitchmas and Dracula which has been my work lunchbreak piece.
Here is the expenditure for the month:
January
Mrs Peggotty Alice
£5.32
JN Chart return
-£10.00
Belfast Fabric
£13.95
JN Charm
£2.31
Total
£11.58
There is a return on there because the chart I ordered last month was supposed to come with an embellishment pack but it was missing. So SewandSo gave me a rebate which I spent on some 32 count County Mocha (a store cupboard essential) and a cute charm for my last Just Nan Small:
Noah's Rainbow and Charm
A lot of the Just Nan charms are no longer available so Nan is discontinuing the charts. I was lucky to snap this one up. Most of the rest of the charms are generic butterflies or bees but this one is unique.
It doesn't bother me if I don't use the charted charm, half the fun is finding an alternative on eBay or Etsy.
Finally, a number of people have already signed up for the Secret Stitching Sweetheart Blog Hop but there is still time for more. The deadline for photos is 10th February. In case you are stuck for inspiration, here are a few freebie designs. Most of these would stitch up in a few days:
Welcome to the Zodiac SAL. I will be posting on the first Saturday of each month with information about that month's sign and a linky for anyone who wants to join in. The linky will stay open until the end of the month.
Last month we had two people link up with me, please do visit them now if you missed their posts before:
This month's sign is Capricorn the goat-fish hybrid. Capricorn is an Earth sign ruled by Saturn and covers people born between 22nd December and 19th January.
The symbol is based on the Sumerians' primordial god of wisdom and waters, Enki, with the head and upper body of a goat and the lower body and tail of a fish. Later known as Ea in Akkadian and Babylonian mythology, Enki was the god of intelligence (gestú, literally "ear"), creation, crafts; magic; water, seawater and lakewater.
The goat part of the symbol depicts ambition, resolute, intelligence, curiosity, but also steadiness, and ability to thrive in inhospitable environments while the fish represents passion, spirituality, intuition, and connection with the soul.
Capricorn People: What They’re Like Busy busy! You can find Capricorns enjoying quality time with family, working obsessively on a large-scale project, or running for a prestigious role. Capricorn people like to mix business with pleasure. They often develop tight bonds with people they meet on the job or through a team project. They are the “popular people” of the zodiac, so friends who can help increase their status are valuable assets. Capricorns were born with their eyes on the prize. Once they’ve set their sights on something, they begin to climb slowly and steadily toward that goal. Often they become so focused on reaching the finish line that they fail to pay attention to the journey, looking neither to the right nor the left. They believe that if they just keep pushing ahead, eventually they’ll get what they want. Capricorns need to learn flexibility and to listen a little more to their heart than their heads at times if they want to feel fulfilled inside and out. Ambitious as they may be, not all Capricorns have relentless drive. When they slip into lounge mode, they can relax with the best of ’em, becoming practically immobile! Work hard, play hard is the M.O. of this sign. Other times, they overwhelm themselves by setting such impossible goals that they get discouraged, giving up before they’ve even left the starting gate. Capricorns do best when they break their grand plans into measurable action steps. Their friends need to remind Capricorns to celebrate their victories—not jus the huge ones but the small triumphs and milestones along the way.
Famous Capricorn People & Celebrities: David Bowie, Muhammad Ali, Kate Middleton, Martin Luther King Jr., Michelle Obama, Zayn Malik, Denzel Washington, Nicolas Cage, Meghan Trainor, LeBron James, Elvis Presley, Lewis Hamilton, Gabby Douglas, Pitbull, Liam Hemsworth, Ellie Goulding, Cody Simpson, Jared Leto, Howard Stern, Betty White, Psy, Calvin Harris, Millard Fillmore, Andrew Johnson, Woodrow Wilson, Richard M. Nixon, David Sedaris, Nicolas Sparks, J.D. Salinger, J.R.R. Tolkien, Edgar Allen Poe, Kate Spade, Alexander Wang, Diane von Fürstenburg, Christian Louboutin
I added the runes myself, I used to be able to read and write runes (I was that kind of child)
but I had to look these up to make sure I got it right.
For the stitching part of the SAL I have chosen a series of designs from the Donna Kooler book 365 Tiny Cross Stitch Designs. I am stitching them all on one piece of 32 count Millenium Blue fabric. Here is Capricorn:
Here is the whole piece so far:
I am also stitching some of the larger Satsuma Street Zodiac signs, starting with the ones personal to my family. Last month I completed Virgo and framed her:
My Godmother's newest Grand-daughter is a Capricorn, she is a bundle of mischief even at only one year old apparently! I stitched her Nora Corbett's M is for Mary last year:
This is the place for you to link up if you want to join in, please link to the actual blog post, not your blog homepage and include your name so we can see who has joined in.
*
*
Finally, it's a New Year, new SALs, new challenges, new lists and so on. I love seeing all the planning posts and recap posts and all the resolutions we are making. I've added the new Gifted Gorgeousness Sign-Up Page and will be launching the first Blog Hop of the year very soon. I am also on the look-out for new interviewees for the Blogger of the Week. So if you follow anyone who has not yet been featured, please let me know. Apparently I do not know everyone in the blogosphere. Yet.
