12 in 25 - Believe – Christmas Blue Ornaments – Joan Elliott Designs

Last week I was on a high because all the plans I had made had gone well and I achieved everything I'd set out to do.  This week…..not so good!

Some things have gone well, including the finish of my final stitch for the 12 in 25 Christmas Ornament Sal, hosted by Carol from   Stitching Dream Blogspot

‘Believe’ was the 9^th of the Blue Ornaments that I changed to Gold, from Joan Elliott.

I even managed to correct last month’s one that I had mistakenly finished on the wrong side.

So, here’s my little tree, displaying this years efforts, well 10 of them anyway! 

The other two have already gone to their new home.

Thank you Carol, for the fun challenge again this year and roll on January!!

I managed a new start last week, which I also FFO'd and one other FFO.

The new start that I fully finished was ‘Snowman’, a free chart from  Erin Elizabeth Designs 

And the other FFO was ‘Toy Shoppe’ from Dimensions.

I ordered the custom frame from  Picture Frames Express .

Now, the things that didn't go so well were the two stich-a-longs. I feel bad, having promised daily updates, because I’ve not done a single one.

I’m still playing catch up with ‘A Pretty Song’ the Holiday Countdown from Evertote, /Roxy Floss Co and Modern Folk Embroidery.

I’ve just finished day 6 and love how it’s coming along.

As for the Santa Claws is coming to Town, from Historische Stickmuster , well I’ve not touched it at all since then.

As you know, I changed the linen because I felt to was too stiff and swapped it for a lighter colour.  But I’m not happy with that either, so I ordered four new pieces of linen from 123 stitch. 

All I have to do now is decide which one to use and start over again.   Third time lucky!

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Deer Santa – Satsuma Street

We are getting ever closer to the end of the ‘12in25’ ornament  stitch-a- long that is hosted every year by  Carol  from Stitching Dream Blogspot  and we only have three left to complete this year’s collection.

As you already know, I’ve been working my way through the ornaments from Joan Elliott’s ‘Blue Christmas Ornaments', and two beaded ornaments that I stitch each year for my Goddaughter’s two girls.

I wanted to take my October ornament to stitch while on our cruise and the  ‘Deer Santa’ kit from Satsuma Street was the 

perfect choice, because it had everything I needed in it and I could stitch without the need for my magnifier or light.

The eyesight is definitely going as I’m getting older. Lol!

 

Happy  Stitching!

Sue

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Lolly Claus – Satsuma Street

OK, so we are into the second half of the year now , so I decided it was time for a bit of change from my usual Joan Elliott Christmas ornaments and make a start on the two ornaments  I make for my goddaughters two girls each year.

Every year so far they have had various Mill Hill ornaments,  but this year I’ve gone with Satsuma Street for a change. 

There are not as many sparkles on these ones, but oh how I love Jody’s designs, because they are just as cute, if not more so!

This one is ‘Lolly Claus’

I backed it with sticky backed felt and couldn’t decide on a beaded hanger or twisted cord.  In the end I went a Pink and Red cord!

Happy  Stitching!

Sue

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Project Details

Chart – Lolly Claus

Designer – Jody Rice – Satsuma Street

Fabric - Perforated Paper - Kit

Threads – DMC

Not The Weekend Planned But I Still Had Fun!

 So, as I said on Saturday, my weekend plans had to change and I  decided to stitch all weekend instead.

I got off to a good start with Which Witch, from La-D-Da.

I don’t often stitch with just one colour floss but not having to keep changing really does help it grow quickly. 

I’m working with ‘Vampish’ from Roxy Floss Co, a Black with Purple undertones and it’s so lush, I love it! 

The 28ct Ooak Linen is also from Roxy Floss Co.

Here’s where I got to on Saturday.

Then I decided to pick up Gossamer Slipper from Bothy Threads and make a start on all the back stitching. 

I managed to finish all the leaves and branches, the cats and pumpkin but I wasn’t ready to tackle all the cobwebs just yet because they are going to need some concentration.

My final stitch over the weekend was my 12 in 23 Christmas Ornament and it’s a Jim Shore, Mill Hill Kit.

This one is Christmas Spirit Santa.

I think I will carry on working on him until he’s finished.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Winter Cross Stitch Camp – Finishing Day

I’m in love with Mill Hill Kits……..just saying!!

For cross stitch camp I decided to make Easter ornament and settled on three Mill Hill Kits.

Two are now stitched, so this morning I spent some time FFo’ing then.

For the ‘Lotus Egg’ I followed Vonna Pfeiffer’s tip of using mount board on the back to give it some weight.  She suggests three layers but because the egg was already fairly heavy with all the beads, I just did one layer on mine.

I didn’t do the same for the bunny ornament because it was quite a difficult shape to cut out and mount board is never easy to cut at the best of times, so I just backed that one with some sticky backed velvet.

Next up will be the Mosaic Egg.

Happy Camping!

Sue

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Winter Cross Stitch Camp

As we hit February, it means it’s time for ‘Winter Cross Stitch Camp’, hosted by the lovely Sheri from The Colorado Cross Stitcher.

This year the theme is ‘Collections’ and we have to stitch something to add to an already existing collection or start a new collection of something.

Because camp was going to coincide with me going into hospital for a hip replacement, I had to choose a project that would be easy to stitch while in hospital because I didn’t want to have to take a lamp and magnifier with me.

I decided to start a little collection of Spring and Easter Mill Hill ornaments but in the end it didn’t matter because my surgery was cancelled.

I still decided to go ahead and stitch them though and purchased three kits from the Spring Bouquet Collection.

Egg-ceptional, which is the one I have started and is a combination of cross stitch and beads

and then Mosaic and Lotus Eggs, that are 100% beads.

Here’s where I am with my start

Happy Camping!

Sue

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Cross Stitch Camp 2022

So, this year’s ‘Virtual’ Cross Stitch Camp, hosted by Sheri, the Colorado Cross Stitcher has kicked off at last, with three months of stitchey challenges and some fun prizes.

 June – Stitch something celebrating of holiday (Christmas, Easter, and Halloween etc.)

July – Stitch something that will eventually be FFO’d any way, other than in a frame.

July – Stitch something new to you, as in a designer you’ve not stitched before, a fabric you’ve never used, threads you’ve never tried, and the list goes on.

I decided to do Christmas and because I always like to stitch something for my Goddaughters two girls for Christmas, I thought this was a good opportunity to get the second ornament done, and work on another Mill Hill kit.

 This is Jim Shore’s ‘Evergreen Snowman’.

I stitched the first ornament at the end of last month and it was ‘Snowy Owl Snowman’, also by Jim Shore.  He was my first every Mill Hill Kit.

 Both have been finished with a beaded hanger and backed with sticky backed velvet.  All I need to do now is add the year to the backs of them and my first two Christmas presents will be taken care of!

Roll on our July challenge!

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Cross Stitch Camp 2022 is almost here!

 Yes, just 1 more day and we all make our way to Cross Stitch Camp for the second annual ‘virtual’ get together.

As last year, there will be a new challenge for each of the three months:-

 June – stitch something celebrating a holiday.

July – Stitch something which will be eventually be FFO’d into something other than a frame.

August – Stitch something new to you.    We did this one last year too and the aim is to try something different.  A new designer, a fabric count you’ve not stitched on before, a new fabric dyer, even your first over one stitching, and the list goes on!

In preparation for camp, Sheri, the Colorado Cross Stitcher (our camp leader) designed on new camp badge which I just managed to finish in the nick of time and get it attached to my camp project bag. 

The design reminded me of the caravanning holidays I had as a child in North Devon and growing up in the 60’s.

My ‘Flower Power’ caravan was inspired my Mary Quant and the  colours are a  nod to two duster coats my mum brought for me back then.

My June project is going to be another of the Mill Hill’ Jim Shore’ Snowmen and will be a gift for one of my Goddaughters two little girls.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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Snowy Owl Snowman - Mill Hill

 Alas, no Chatelaine Weekender for me last weekend because I was away for a few days and my chatelaine was too big to take with me.

More about the trip at the end of this but I did still take some stitching with me.

I decided it was time I stitched my first Mill Hill kit and settled on Jim Shore’s ‘Snowy Owl Snowman.  Because it’s stitched on perforated paper, I didn’t need to take a hoop or magnifier with me, so it was the perfect little project.

As you can see, I didn’t get a great deal done while I was away but at least it was a start and I managed to finish him off last night.

All I have to do now is get something to back him with.

Now on to the trip………

I was lucky enough to be invited to a very special House Party to celebrate my cousin Ken’s 70^th birthday.  In fact we were celebrating three birthdays, because there was also a 50^th and 60th, so very special indeed!

Twenty one of us made the trip South Wales on Friday and stayed at ‘The Whole House, a beautiful restored house and barn situated on a 400 acre working sheep farm, not far from Telgarth, in the Brecon Beacons.

The house had everything you could think of, from a 22foot oak table, so we could all sit and eat together, a cinema room and a hot tub and an assort course complete with zip wire in the garden.  There were even fairy’s living in the house!

 

Note the Fairy Door....there were lots all over the house and outside.

On the Saturday evening we had cocktails and someone came in and prepared a lovely meal for us. 

After that, moved across to the barn for the rest of the evening, were we danced the night away (well not me because my hip pain wouldn’t let me) to a great duo called ‘It Takes Two’. 

It was a fabulous evening, even the fairies had a good time by the looks of things!

Sunday we all did our own thing, exploring the surrounding area, or just relaxing in the beautiful 4 acre gardens before all enjoying an amazing BBQ….and more cocktails!!

We headed home on Bank Holiday Monday and fortunately the traffic was kind to us.

So now you know why I didn’t get a lot of stitching done.

Happy Stitching!

Sue

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