Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2023

  

 Welcome to the spooky hallowe’en mystery phrase blog hop!

All you need to do is visit each of the following blogs in order, jot down the letter displayed with their Hallowe'en stitched picture then return here and leave a comment telling me the Mystery Phrase.  (I have "moderate comments before publishing" enabled so no-one can copy anyone else!)

It'd be nice if you left a comment on their blog too, especially if it's new to you.

So without further ado,

start the blog hop – enter if you dare…

Tiff Stitches a Blog

Tales of a Stitching Mouse

Jocondine

A Patchwork of Crafts

Needle, Pen & Sword

An Arizona Stitcher

Aimetu's Stitching
Dragon Stitches and Stuff by Astrid

Life Outside the Washing Basket

Count it *all* Joy

Beth's Needlework Stash

Le Couer Celtique

Books, Crafts and Other Procrastinations

Jeremiah's Mom

Tickled Pink in Stitches

and then back to me for this letter:

 

and to comment with the phrase.

Hope you've worked it out!

As usual, I have been stitching for Dark October and have a number of finishes to share with you all.  The main focus has been my Spooky Conversion of CCN's Main Street.  Here's the finished piece (a little blurry, must take some another):

stitched on 32 count Charcoal Slate Murano from Sparklies

Here's some of my other finishes:

Just Nan Batty Jack

Mani di Donna Halloween Sewing Basket

Just Nan Horrified!

Hands on Design Spider Legs

Here are some more photos of my Spooky Stitching on display this year:

Finally, don't forget, some of us are on different time zones so if you visit a blog and can't find a letter or picture yet, pop back later in the day.

The phrase will stay a mystery for one week then all comments will be shown from 7th November, 2023.

happy hunting!

        

all from Hyraea

October WIPocalypse Planning Process

             

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

Each month we have to share the projects we want to complete before the End Of The World.  Since 2011 I have chosen a number of projects to focus on that year, starting with my "11 in '11" and increasing to "23 in '23" for this year.  This month I stitched on 6 of my WIPs.

7. Hands on Design Scary Apothecary

9. CCN Halloween Village Art Gallery

10. CCN Halloween Village Gazebo

13. Mani di Donna Halloween Stitching Basket

16. Just Nan Halloween Designs

Batty Jack and Horrified!

18. Circle Cross Blackwork Tarot

The full list can be seen here - WIPocalypse and "23 in '23"

Finally, Measi always gives us a topic to discuss too:

October - How do you begin planning for the next year with your stitching?  Tell us your process.

I start my planning almost as soon as I start my stitching for the year!  I'd barely started 2023 when I was thinking about 2024 and how to work my "24 in '24".  As new designs are released I decide whether I want to fit them into this year or add them to the plan for the next year.

I'm also thinking long term now, I've been stitching for 30 years so there is going to be a limit to the amount I can stitch in the future compared to the past.  I have a lot of large designs and series I want to stitch and if I don't start now, then when?

So, next year's "24 in '24" is going to consist of 12 medium and 12 small designs.  One each per month chosen by my WIPGO board or by seasonal relevance (Just Nan-athon in May, Dark October).  Each piece should be able to be completed within a month and will clear a lot of designs I love which have been taking a back seat to my larger focus pieces/

Rachel and I have also been discussing the A-Z challenge since she did that in April!  I'm not about to swap daily projects for a month but I thought it would work well with IHSW.  So each month next year I will focus on projects starting with A and B in January, C and D for February and so on through the IHSW each month.  There will be two spare letters which gives me space if I can't shoehorn a project in one month!

Finally, it's the Halloween Trick or Treat Blog Hop tomorrow!  Please do hop around and leave comments for all the participants to encourage them to keep taking part in these events!

October Smalls

         

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Mary's Thread

Because I am focusing on my BAPs again, I won't have so many smalls this year but I do have a couple of series with small components so I will share them this month.

The first is the Blackwork Tarot by Circle Cross.  I have finished Virgo and Libra, and started Scorpio:

stitched on 28 count sky blue evenweave from Silkweavers

Scorpio

Having completed my Spooky Conversion of CCN's Main Street, I moved on to the final design in the Scary Apothecary series from Hands on Design.  This is Spider Legs:

stitched on 28 count Radioactive Linen from Chromatic Alchemy

In the evenings I started been stitching my Mani di Donna Halloween Sewing Basket which is now a finish.  Actually an FFO but I'll save that for later.  Then I moved on to some Just Nan smalls from my Just Nan-athon.

Stitched on 32 count grey linen

Just Nan - Batty Jack - finished

stitched on 28 count lilac linen

Just Nan - Horrified! - WIP

stitched on 32 count green linen

Finally, there will be a Halloween Trick or Treat Hop this year.  I have enough people signed up to take part so I will be emailing them all on Sunday with their Letter and further instructions.

October IHSW

 

IHSW or International Hermit and Stitch Weekend always starts on the third Friday of the month.  It's a chance to lock yourself away and focus on your stitching for the weekend.  You can take part on your blog or via the Facebook page - IHSW on Facebook.

My first project was my spooky conversion of CCN's Main Street.  I've been working on the final part which was the Gazebo.  I converted this into a blackwork lych gate with some lovely plants on either side.

stitched on 32 count Charcoal Slate Murano from Sparklies

This is now a finished project so I'll take lots of photos and share all the details soon.  The plants came from the current Stitchonomy SAL although I grew them a little bit myself!


Then I got quite a bit done on the Zodiac signs from Circle Cross, finishing Libra:

stitched on 28 count sky blue evenweave from Silkweavers

Isn't she majestic?

My evening project has been the Mani di Donna Halloween Sewing Basket, which is now finished as far as stitching goes.  I just need to make it up!

Of course after I took the photo I immediately spotted the missing black tombstone on the bottom left piece.  So that has now gone in.

My evenings then moved on to one of the smalls from my Just Nan-athon.  I had 3 spooky smalls in there and thought it would be nice to actually finish them.  So here's Batty Jack almost complete:

stitched on 28 count lilac linen

Finally, the next IHSW will be 17th - 19th November so make sure you note the date in your diary or come and join us in the Facebook Group - IHSW on Facebook. If you don't do Facebook then you can check in here by leaving a comment on my post.

Gifted Gorgeousness October Link-up Post

         

Welcome to the October Gifted Gorgeousness link-up. The link-up date continues to be the 15th and I will keep the link-up open until the end of each month so you have plenty of time if you are late posting.

The format remains exactly the same, there is a list of rules on the main sign-up page if you want to check what is required but basically anything connected to the word "gift" is allowed, whether it was a gift TO you or is a gift FROM you.

For September, my focus was Fairy Idyll from Mirabilia.  Here's where she finished the month:

  

stitched on 32 count Vinyard Murano from Crafty Kitten

Then we moved into Dark October with my Spooky Conversion of CCN's Main Street.  The final shop was the Art Gallery which now sells Tarot Cards and has a crystal ball on it's sign as predicted by Jocondine.

stitched on 32 count Charcoal Slate Murano from Sparklies

Only the Gazebo to go now which is going to be a blackwork lych gate.

I am continuing with my Dark 13 project which is Mani di Donna's Halloween Sewing Basket.  This has moved into the evening slot.  I've almost finished the second side then it will be FFO tine.

stitched on 32 count grey linen

I made some more progress on the Zodiac Signs from Circle Cross' Tarot design.  I finished Leo and Virgo and started Libra: 

stitched on 28 count sky blue evenweave from Silkweavers

Turn, Turn, Turn from Noteworthy Needle was my evening project in September:

stitched on 32 count Sea Spray linen from Wichelt

And now, a little gift to me from a dear friend - I wonder if you can guess from the clues in the pictures?

There's a poster on the corkboard as well as my birth date:

A lovely plant in a macrame pot holder:

The magazine rack holds some stitching magazines and a special folder:

So much detail, even inside the magazines!

The letters in the rack spell out a message of L O V E too:

and some postcards and extra little treats for me!

Did you guess?  It was our dear crafting enthusiast Jocondine!  Thank you my sweet friend!

Now it is your turn to show us your Gifted Gorgeousness for the month.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field and NOT the words "October Update" so I can easily see who has linked up this month.  And link to the actual post, not just your blog.  It is easier if you copy and paste the link, rather than typing freehand.

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Finally, it's Dark October so time to think about my annual Trick or Treat Blog Hop! I am sure you all know how it works but for those who need a reminder - here's a link to last year's:

2022 Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop

If you want to take part, just leave a comment here or email me if you are a "no reply" person. I need an email address for you to take part in this hop.

October TUSAL

It's TUSAL time!  

Here is my TUSAL jar with one of my current projects, the Art Nouveau Tarot from Circle Cross:

stitched on 28 count sky blue evenweave from Silkweavers

She is coming out with new designs all the time and I want to stitch them all!  Her most recent series is a set of gemstone bookmarks but there are also some Greek Gods and Goddesses appearing.

Finally, it's Dark October so time to think about my annual Trick or Treat Blog Hop! I am sure you all know how it works but for those who need a reminder - here's a link to last year's:

2022 Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop

If you want to take part, just leave a comment here or email me if you are a "no reply" person. I need an email address for you to take part in this hop.

Finally Fully Finished Fun for October

      

Hosted by Rachel the Ten Hour Stitcher

This SAL is designed to motivate us all to do something with that box of Finished pieces instead of just storing them under the bed.  We will all be linking up on Rachel's blog on or after the 10th of each month (10 Hour Stitcher - 10th of the month).

Unfortunately I don't have anything to show this month but as Rachel has made the effort to make a post this month, so have I!  I'll just link back to my September FFO instead.

I have been stitching for Dark October and have made good progress on the final shop for my CCN Main Street Spooky Conversion.

This one was the Art Gallery and will now be...  any guesses?  It is Art-related, something beautiful that a witch or fortune teller may own.

stitched on 32 count Charcoal Slate Murano from Sparklies

Once I have stitched this shop I will move to the centre of the bottom row and add the adaptation of the Gazebo.  This will be a blackwork Gate, maybe a Lych Gate, of some sort.

My evening project has been the Halloween Sewing Basket by Mani di Donna.  This has been my Dark 13th project all year so I thought it would be nice to get it completed and made up this month.

I've got the yellow and white to add then then a little bit of black and then I can start the task of sewing it all together.

stitched on 32 count grey linen

Finally, it's Dark October so time to think about my annual Trick or Treat Blog Hop! I am sure you all know how it works but for those who need a reminder - here's a link to last year's:

2021 Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop

If you want to take part, just leave a comment here or email me if you are a "no reply" person. I need an email address for you to take part in this hop.

The People Chose Weather

  

This SAL is all about what you want to see on the blog.  I asked for suggestions for themes from followers of my blog and then put them up to the members of the IHSW Group on FB to vote for their choice.  We are currently working our way through the choices.  This is what was chosen:

October - Weather

November - Circles

December - Chocolate

Sunshine and storms; rainy days and rainbows; fog, mist and drizzle; snow and sleet.  What's your favourite weather?

Pretty Little London by Satsuma Street has a lovely rain cloud (of course!) and I added some beads for raindrops and some metallic outlines because "Every cloud has a silver lining".

Way back in 1996 I stitched a series of Suns and Moons to co-ordinate with my bedroom at the time.  Here are the sunshines:


 

The original charts came from a library book, which went back without me noting the designer's name.

Snow is probably the weather most of us have stitched and here's a lovely one from The Little Stitcher and her 12 Days of Christmas.  This is "The Day of Snow and Ice":

The final one to share, is a Temperature SAL, which doesn't exactly monitor the weather because I'm not tracking the frequent rain showers we have here!  It does have a bead for each snow day and red for the heatwave.

Now it's over to you. All you have to do is make a post on the theme of Weather, mention The People's Choice SAL (you can copy the picture I used at the top of this post and in my side bar) and my blog.  Please link up using the URL of the actual blog post, not the home page of your blog. I look forward to seeing what you all post.

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Finally, I need your suggestions for the next poll.  Anything, no matter how obscure, weird or random will go into the poll.  Keep the theme suggestions to a single word or two - so you could have Cats, or Green, or Holidays, or Warmth etc.   Really anything which could be illustrated in cross stitch.