November Smalls SAL

The Smalls SAL is hosted by Heather from Stitching Lotus

This year I have two Small Challenges:

1. The Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog

2. The Christmas Ornie SAL Blog

I completed the design I stitched for both October and November's themes which were Black Cats and Skeletons.  The design is Ghastly, Ghostly Ghouls by Just Nan:

stitched on 28 count lilac linen

I also completed an extra Hallowe'en Small for the blog hop, Sampling Hallowe'en by Lizzie*Kate:

stitched on 28 count lilac linen

And I finished a larger series for the Christmas Ornie blog, the final block for Christmas Cubes by Primitive Hare:

stitched on 35 count Country Mocha linen

The whole series ready to be finished into cubes:

Finally, I know a lot of us do online shopping, especially at this time of year.  Have you signed up with a charity cashback website yet?  If not, please could you consider using this link below to sign up with Easy Fundraising?  My son's school is a registered charity and every time I shop online the website donates funds to his school.  It's a small school - 120 pupils from age 3-19 and a lot of parents don't have much money so the majority of our fundraising comes from outside sources.  Using this link will donate a bonus sum to my son's school.

Easy Fundraising

November TUSAL

It's TUSAL time again!  For those of you new to blogging, the TUSAL is a project run by Daffycat, click on the button on the right hand bar for more details.

Here is my ORTS jar posing with the current stitching projects:

On the left is Brooke's Books' Stitcher's Alphabet which you'll see in more detail on Saturday for The Alphabet Club.  On the right is Fox Forest by The Workbasket.  Here's a close-up:

stitched on 32count light khaki linen

I'm really enjoying this project.  Not too many colours and I usually stitch just one colour per evening.  I like the pear tree I have just finished, I'll be doing the trunk tonight.

I completed another Christmas Cube this weekend, we have Christ now:

I have emailed all the participants of the Advent Calendar Blog Hop, so if you haven't had an email, please get in touch!  The master post with all the doors will go up on 1st December with links to everyone's blogs ready and waiting for each door to open.

Finally, I've been spending some time thinking about next year; goals, rotations, SALs and projects.  Making lists and checking them twice!  How about you?  Are you ready or do you prefer to make it up as you go along?  I do hope you'll be taking part in GG or in one of my blog hops anyway!

This Week's Progress Report

Once again I have been focused on two main projects with a single day SAL on the 26th.

The main project has been Dragon of the Winter Moon by Dragon Dreams.  I have now finished his tail fin which is all Midnight Kreinik and started some of his back spines, in the same Kreinik.  I intend to backstitch as I go so I have done most of his tail.

stitched on 32 count Moondust evenweave by Crafty Kitten

The evening project is progressing nicely too, just 20-30 minutes each evening while the Small Boy is in the bath:

stitched on 32 count light khaki linen

The one day SAL is called Now I Know my ABCs and is hosted by Cross Stitch Finish Line on Facebook.  We are up to F so far and I stitched that letter today:

stitched on 32 count Tiger Lily evenweave by Sparklies

This is an adaptation of Enchanted Alphabet by Lavender & Lace.  I am turning it into a Hallowe'en stitch by using DMC 310 on a lovely orangey fabric.  I have added a few little touches so far, such as the spider and a pumpkin.  There will be lots more but I want to get a feel of the spacing before I add too many extras.

I framed Ghastly, Ghostly Ghouls by Just Nan.  This is a raw wood box frame which I coloured with black marker pen.

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Finally I have three spaces left for the Advent Calender Blog Hop this year, sign up now to grab one of them!  I will allocate you a day in December when you must post something seasonal which I will copy and paste into the main post here.  Join us in counting down to Christmas!

Two Seasonal Finishes and Back In My Solo Groove

The first finish took much longer than I thought it would.  I started this one back at the beginning of October to go with the October Black Cats theme on the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog.

Here are the black cats:

And here is the Skeleton for November's theme:

And here is the final finish:

Ghastly, Ghostly Ghouls by Just Nan

stitched on 28 count lilac linen.

Those little frogs along the top brought all their froggy friends to the party!  I frogged and stitched the top border three times and the same for the two gourds at the bottom in my search for the right shade of dark orange.  I'll be framing it in a 6x6 black box frame which it fits perfectly.

The second finish is an entire series, The Christmas Cubes by The Primitive Hare.  Each cube fitted a different theme on the Christmas Ornie SAL Blog although I did have to stitch them out of order.  Hence, H being the last one to be completed:

stitched on 35 count Country Mocha linen

Here are all nine as a collage:

They will be cubified by Christmas!

Since then I have been working solidly on one daytime project and one evening project.  The daytime project is Dragon of the Winter Moon by Dragon Dreams:

stitched on 32 count Moondust evenweave by Crafty Kitten

There is no DMC cotton in this so far; we have white rayon, Waterlilies and Kreinik.  So far I have stitched all the white on his body and tail.  I just have the head and wings left in the white.  Then lots of Kreinik and a little DMC.

Close-up of the sparkly tail:

The evening forest is a new-to-me designer called The Workbasket and this is Fox Forest:

stitched on 32 count Light Khaki linen

(which looks more green in real life)

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Finally, I am still taking names for the Advent Calendar Blog Hop.  I will allocate each participant a day in December, they will post a stitched picture and an answer to this year's discussion topic.  I will copy their picture onto the main post and add a link to their blog.  To take part, just leave a comment or email me.  If there's a day you can't do or a special day you would like then please let me know.

Gifted Gorgeousness November Link-Up Post

Welcome to the Gifted Gorgeousness link-up post!  The link-up date will continue to be the 15th of each month but I will keep the linky open until the end of each month so you have plenty of time to join in.

The format remains EXACTLY the same as last year so I'm sure you are all aware of what can be included - gifts to and from you; charts, fabric or threads; shoe-horns welcome!

Since my last GG post I have worked on very few gifted pieces:

Dragon of the Winter Moon by Dragon Dreams - a gift from Riona:

stitched on 32 count Moondust from Crafty Kitten

Sampling Hallowe'en by Lizzie*Kate - a gift from Mii Stitch:

But I did solve the mystery of this anonymous gift:

The lovely spooky scissor fob and counting pins arrived with a Birthday card and an anonymous note.  They were posted from the South of England and the card was made in England too.  I knew I'd seen that spider web charm somewhere so I searched through all my English friends' blogs and couldn't find anyone who matched up.

Then I was contacted by an Australian friend who asked if her parcel had arrived.  She assumed it had because I'd shown the photos!   It turned out that she had ordered the custom-made fob and pins from someone who makes them in the UK and asked her to send them direct to me with a card.   Which she did.  Without a name!  So the mystery is solved and a Big Thank You to Alicia the Crafty Princess for thinking of me.

And the reason the spider web charm looked familiar?  I'd ordered some for myself!

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Here is the place for you to link up so we can see what Gifted Gorgeousness you have been stitching so far this year.  Please use your name or your blog name in the field NOT the words "November 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.

Thank you.  I can amend links if you make a boo-boo though.

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I didn't host a GGG last month, but I do have the winner of the Trick or Treat Blog Hop to announce.  This was my longest Spooky Hop so far and everyone found the mystery phrase despite one blogger being struck down and unable to post on the day.

"When Witches Ride Out on Brooms"

Everyone who posted a letter got one entry in the draw and everyone who commented got one entry and the random number generator chose:

Vickie H from Reading and Stitching

Congratulations to Vickie, a new participant for my hops.  I will be mailing the Sampling Hallowe'en chart to you soon along with a couple of other things I promised you.

Finally, I am taking names for the Advent Calendar Blog Hop.  I will allocate each participant a day in December, they will post a stitched picture and an answer to this year's discussion topic.  I will copy their picture onto the main post and add a link to their blog.  To take part, just leave a comment or email me.  If there's a day you can't do or a special day you would like then please let me know,

Edit to add:  RIP Stewey Angus Willowcamp.  Our thoughts are with Coni, the Spinster Stitcher.

November WIPocalypse Must Stitch Design

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.

The focus of my WIPocalypse will be my "16 in '16" which are 16 projects I particularly wanted to concentrate on in 2016.   The full list can be found on my WIPocalypse page where you can also find my secondary list "16 Series in '16".

My main goal is to keep to my rotation of one small every Friday and the rest of the month working on my focus piece until it is finished.  I also have a number of SALs I want to keep up with:

The Alphabet Club - a different letter on the first Saturday of each month

Gifted Gorgeousness - post anything gifted on the 15th

Hallowe'en Ornie Blog - a different spooky theme each month

Christmas Ornie Blog - a different festive theme each month

Smalls SAL - last Thursday of each month

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I have worked on 1 out of 16 projects since my last WIPocalypse, plus 3 from my series list.

3. Dragon of the Winter Moon by Dragon Dreams:

stitched on 32 count Moondust by Crafty Kitten

And for the series:

1. Christmas Cubes by The Primitive Hare.  Which I'm not going to show because I'm nearly finished the final letter!  Instead I will show you the four finished ones so far:

6. Stitcher's Alphabet by Brooke's Books:

stitched on 28 count afghan

16. Byzantine Ornaments by Teresa Wentzler:

stitched on 28 count Burgundy linen

Measi always give us a topic to discuss:

November - what pattern or designer is on your "must try to stitch" bucket list.

This will be an easy one for observant followers of my blog.  It's been in my profile description of my blog since Day 1.  Quote "my ambition is to stitch a Chatelaine ... one day".  Well, that day is nearly here!  After years of indecision I finally chose the perfect design "Gardens of London".  I wanted a Mandala but not one that was the same on all four sides because I knew I would get bored of that.  I also wanted one that meant something to me and London is the city I have visited most often.  Norwich doesn't count because I worked there and anyway Martina has not done a "Pubs and Churches of Norwich Mandala" yet.  The city's claim is that they had a different pub for every night and a church for every Sunday.  I received the gorgeous fabric from Crafty Kitten last week and have been gifted many of the threads needed for my Birthday.

32 count Belfast Cotton Clouds from Crafty Kitten

I have printed the centre part of the design at x300 so it's nice and clear.  I have printed the black and white chart which I will colour as I go but I will have the coloured chart up on the laptop at the same time because it's easier to see in some ways.  I have bagged up all the threads and written the symbols for the ones used in the centre on the actual chart so I don't need to refer to the main list as I stitch.

All I need to do is finish the H Cube for Christmas and iron that fabric then we're good to go!  How exciting.

Finally, I am taking names for the Advent Calendar Blog Hop.  I will allocate each participant a day in December, they will post a stitched picture and an answer to this year's discussion topic.  I will copy their picture onto the main post and add a link to their blog.  To take part, just leave a comment or email me.  If there's a day you can't do or a special day you would like then please let me know,

Remember, Remember the Chill of November

It's freezing and a poor little robin is just outside my window begging for food.

I've been focusing on two designs for all of November so far.  This one is my evening and workday project:

Ghastly, Ghostly Ghouls by Just Nan

Those three little frogs across the top brought their froggy pals with them and I stitched that top border three times!  First because I forgot to leave a gap for the frogs and second because I stitched the gaps one square to the left,

I also frogged those bottom two pumpkins again and replaced the darker shade with the next lighter shade so that's three times they have been stitched too!

I debated with myself about what should be my focus project this month and decided to pick up the one WIP which hasn't really been touched this year apart from 30 minutes on the Longest Day SAL in June:

This is Dragon of the Winter Moon by Dragon Dreams, stitched on 32count Moondust by Crafty Kitten.  Here's where I am now:

Lots and lots of white Rayon and some Waterlilies too.  The Waterlilies are lovely and I'm planning to splash out and buy the colour needed for the wings.  Riona sent me the chart and kindly included most of the speciality threads needed, which is most of the dragon!  There's a lot of Kreinik to come and some beads too.  But he is beautiful.

Advent Calendar Blog Hop!  I'm taking names for the next blog hop.  I will allocate each participant a day in December, they will post a stitched picture and an answer to this year's discussion topic.  I will copy their picture onto the main post and add a link  to their blog.  To take part, just leave a comment or email me.  If there's a day you can't do or a special day you would like then please let me know,

Finally, vote for me!  I've been nominated for Blog of the Year here, so please click on the picture, answer a few simple questions about stitching and vote for me!

 

The Passionately Perfect Alphabet Party

It's the first Saturday of the month so it's time for detention!

"They only met online, but it changed their lives forever"

I think most of you know the lovely enigmatic Chiara who blogs at The Grey Tail?  We were chatting via email a while back and between us came up with the idea of an A-Z language challenge.  We batted some ideas around and are calling it the The Alphabet Club.  Chiara has the full details on that link but basically she will post a link-up post on the first Saturday of each month (Saturday being detention day in the film) reminding us of the month's letter and we will all link up with themed things, from stitching to designers and local customs.

P is for Phantom from A Dark Alphabet designed by Julie and Becky's Note of Friendship blog.  They were going for the Phaaaaaaaantom of the Op-er-ahhhhhhhh rather than a ghost here.

P is also for Pins and Pincushions from the Stitcher's Alphabet by Brooke's Books.  There's one more P it took me ages to work out.  It's to do with the stripes in the letter P.  Pinstripes, of course!

P is for Pumpkins, which you will see plenty on the Hallowe'en Ornie SAL Blog.  And a whole tree full here:

Haunted Pumpkins Tree by Just Nan

P is also for Poinsettia, a beautiful Christmas flower:

Merry Christmas by Acorn House Designs

Poinsettia Place by CCN

Flower of the Month from World of Cross Stitching magazine

We are quite spoiled for choice with designers for the letter P.  My top one is Primitive Hare.  I have her Christmas and Hallowe'en Cubes, her Spooky Countdown and a couple of smaller pieces too.

Spooky Countdown

Hallowe'en Town adapted as mail art

Many of us took part in this SAL - 12 Days of Christmas by Plum Street Samplers:

And of course Prairie Moon:

Thine is the Trick and the Treat

The P Blog Roll:

A Patchwork of Crafts

Pretty Little Things in a Box

Pull The Other Thread

Purple Pixie Dust

Finally, it's time to sign up for the next blog hop - the Advent Calendar Hop.  I will allocate a day to each participant.  They will post a nice seasonal stitched picture on their day along with the answer to the discussion topic (as yet undecided!).  I will copy and paste their picture onto the main post here and we'll open a new door every day!  If you'd like to take part leave a comment or email me if you are no-reply.