Happy New Year 2019

Welcome to a new year everyone.  I’m looking forward to 2019.  There will be some changes to my blog this year.    

It took some time, but I finally got my stitching mojo back.  The last few years I lost it.  I realize part of that is I don’t have deadlines because I’m only stitching for myself.  I don’t belong to a stitching club, so there are no more stitching exchanges (with deadlines).  I don’t have anyone to give my stitching to, so I don’t have a real deadline.  I always stitched for my family, friends, my son’s teachers, etc.  I gave away ornaments to co-workers this year.  I started out in June stitching my first ornament, but I was stitching up to a few nights before my deadline which was on Friday, December 21 (Christmas party at work).  I stitched in total 14 ornaments.  It seems I really do need a deadline to get stitching completed.  :)

2018 Stitching Review

14 Ornaments - 12 for co-workers / 2 extras for our tree

Samantha 

Kristine

Jaimie & Avery

Jim

Adam

Melanie

Patricia

Sue

David

Nathan

Chris

**I will post photos in the next few days of the ornaments I stitched in 2018.**

2019 Stitching Goals - almost the same as last year

Stitching an ornament each month

Finish stitching Spring Mouse in a House

Stitch all of my Just Nan 3D Miniatures

1. Gingerbread Reindeer Mouse
2. Gingerbread Santa Mouse
3. Gingerbread Mrs. Claus Mouse
4. Witchy Mouse
5. Witchy Sister Mouse
6. Summer Mouse in a House (stitch mouse for sure)
7. Autumn Mouse in a House (stitch mouse for sure)
8. Christmas Mouse in a House (stitch mouse for sure)
9. Frosty Mouse in a House (stitch mouse for sure)

Stitch on a huge project (using my floor stand) - find a project in my stash

I will try to be a better blogger this year.  Last year I only blogged 8 times, I’m sure I can beat that number for 2019.

Purple bell ornament

September Goals

I have decided to cross stitch ornaments for my co-workers (ladies only).

Samantha - Purple ornament 

Kristine - Pink ornament

Patricia - Blue ornament 

Sue - Sparkly ornament

I started the purple one yesterday.  As you can see in the photo below, I need to stitch 5 sides exactly the same.  I would have stitched more, but I frogged a lot.  The first one didn’t line up, so I pulled out almost all of the outline. In the second one, I had to frog the centre shape.  The third one was fine, but my eyes were getting tired from not stitching lately.

Happy New Year 2017!!

Well it is the first day of another new year.  Here are the two ornaments I made for my oldest and closest friends.  I stitched them both the same snowman, but used different floss colours for the snowballs, the scarf and the hanger for the tree.  The top one I gave to my friend Kim last week.

The bottom one is for my friend Lisa.  I will see her sometime this week.

A Few Finishes (assembled)

I started November trying to blog every day ... but life got in the way.  I finally assembled Just Nan's Hagatha's Hat.  I am very happy with the results, after sewing the bottom at least 4 times before I was happy and left it.  It was hard to get the bottom flat and stuff it with a cardboard circle.  The ghost is on the front.

Here it is showing the side.

I thought I should stitch something for Christmas.  This ornament is for my youngest sister Denise.  She LOVES The Nightmare Before Christmas, so I stitched Jack Skellington for her.  I still need to finish it into an ornament.

This past weekend I assembled Just Nan's Witchy Pumplkin Cottage.  I wanted the cottage to open so I could put a mouse inside.  The inside isn't perfect, but it is only for me.  Here are a few photos.

Xmas gift and June Goals

June Goals

continue working on the Summer Exchange project

Finish Just Nan's Bluebird Tweet

Assemble Ribbon Candy Ornament

Assemble Just Nan's Hagatha's Hat 3D Miniature Witch's hat

May Review

Start Just Nan's Floral Fifteen Biscornu - NO
Stitch the front yard scene (next section) on Snowman Wisdom - NO
Assemble Ribbon Candy ornament - NO

Assemble Shamrock ornament - YES

Assemble Just Nan's Hagatha's Hat 3D Miniature Witch's hat - NO

Didn't get what I had originally planned, but I did get 2 new projects completed.

Garden Welcome

JBW Alphabet Snowman Ornament

Then I started the following projects.

Summer Exchange (due in August) for the Stitcher's Club at my LNS (Stitcher's Place).

Started Just Nan's Bluebird Tweet

I bought myself 2 cross stitch licence plate holders for my car (instead of personalized licence plates) .  They are metal frames, but the words are just stickers.   I wanted to waterproof them with some clear waterbase varnis before putting them on my car.  I have removed my licence plate numbers in the photo.  I have different ones for the front and the back.

Front licence plate holder looks like this.  Cross Stitching My Hobby ... My passion

More people will see the back of my car when I'm driving, so this is what it says.  I'd Rather Be Cross Stitching

Happy Dance

I had a productive stitching weekend.  I started a JBW Alphabet Snowman on Saturday and finished it tonight.  I stitched it with DMC white on 28ct Navy evenweave (even though it looks like cream floss on black fabric).  It is hard to take a photo at night.

Shamrock Ornament update #3

I stitched a lot over the weekend.  I have one more shamrock and some design in between each shamrock.  Mine is a combination of green DMC colours. Here is my progress photo.

This is what it is supposed to look like when it is done.  

IHSW - March 2015

I didn't have a lot of time to stitch this weekend, but when I did it was on my Ribbon Candy ornament.

Before photo.

After photo, you can see I stitched 4 more sections (count the green).

Finishing mood

I don't feel like starting a huge project because it is almost the end of the year.  I'm trying to finish up any unfinished projects.  Planning all my projects and Stitch-A-Longs for 2015.

1.  The wooden box, my part is done.  Here is a photo of the lid with the stitched Pokemon Gyarados and some blue & white cording around it.  

I think the blue fabric for the inside is perfect, since this is a water Pokemon.

As you can see Jordyn is still painting the waves on the side of the box.  He paints one colour, then has to wait for it to dry before adding more coats or another colour.  Plus he is a procrastinator ... he could have been painting while I was stitching for the past few months.  He thinks he has lots of time ... Christmas Eve is not until Wednesday night.

2.  2012 Gingerbread Mouse has been stitched for months but still needed to be assembled.  Tonight after working on the wooden box lid I assembled the mouse.  I think he is adorable.  

We will see what else I can finish by the end of December 2014.

Skate ornament Happy Dance

I finished the skate into an ornament and forgot to take a photo before giving it away.   Deborah was not able to attend the Christmas Exchange, so I left the ornament with Wilma at Stitcher's Place.  Deborah was supposed to pick it up yesterday.  Here is my finished pillow ornament photos courtesy of Wilma.

I haven't stitched a thing in over a week.  Too busy baking and shopping.  Today I started assembling the Pokemon Gyarados wooden box project for Sarah; my son Jordyn's girlfriend.  I lined the box (base and lid) with blue fabric.  I have the cross stitch part stuffed and mounted on cardstock.  I also made the blue & white cording to go around the stitched project.  Jordyn sprayed the lid with a clear "gloss" finish.  

Tomorrow night I will attach the cross stitch to the lid and Jordyn will finish painting waves on the sides of the box.  I hope to be able to spray the base with a clear "gloss" finish tomorrow night as well.   After  that it is just adding the brass hinges and front clasp.   I will show photos when it is all finished.

Christmas Cross Stitch Exchange

Tonight at my LNS (Stitcher's Place) we did our 1st Annual Christmas Exchange.  I received a beautiful NOEL picture from Heather.

Donna was the recipient of my quadrielle "snowflake" ornament.  Here are some photos of my ornament that I stitched.  I always put my exchange piece in a tin can or box.

Here is a photo of the finished quadrielle ornament hanging on my tree (for the photo).  I used the Kreinik corder to make the hanging cord.  I also made a tassle for the bottom from matching DMC floss.

There is a snowflake same one on all 4 sides.

On the top I stitched each triangle with a quarter of the snowflake, so when it was sewn together it created a snowflake.

The bottom triangles have 3 simple snowflakes and the words "Christmas Exchange 2014".

I have already signed up for the Friendship Exchange in February 2015.  I will have to start thinking about what to stitch for the exchanges throughout the year.

Happy Dance ... Pokemon Gyarados!!

I finished Pokemon Gyarados this afternoon.  Now I just have to attach it onto a wooden box.

Here is the link to find the free cross stitch pattern.  http://www.birdiestitching.com/?p=731

Pokemon Gyarados update #14

I'm getting closer to a finish, working on the head and tail at the same time.  My son Jordyn finally put a base coat of black paint on the wooden box today.  He will be painting waves on the sides of the box.  I will attached Gyarados to the top with matching cording around to cover any edges.  Jordyn will  pick out a fabric pattern to line the inside of the box.  Hopefully it turns out as well as we are envisioning it.  I will post photos of the finished box after it is completed.

Pokemon Gyarados update #13

I had some time today to work on his mouth.  I will be stitching all day Saturday, hope to get a lot done.  I just have the head and tail to do then it will be completed.  My son Jordyn needs to start painting the wooden box that this project will be attached to.

Pokemon Gyarados update #12

I stitched a bit tonight at the Tuesday Night Stitching Club, unfortunately I forgot my portable magnifier and pulled the same stitches out several times before they looked correct.  Here is my progress.

Pokemon Gyarados update #11

I didn't stitch at all over the weekend, but I had a few hours tonight while I watched Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (one of our family's favourite Christmas movies).   Here is a progress photo.

Pokemon Gyarados update #10

Not a lot of stitching time tonight back to Toyota tonight to pick up my car with my new snow tires on it.  Then Dave & I walked around the mall picking up some more Christmas presents.  Here is my progress for tonight.  Sorry about the lousy lighting, it really is on black evenweave.

Pokemon Gyarados update #9

I worked on Gyarados again tonight.  Here is what I got done.

Pokemon Gyarados update #8

After Dave & I dropped off his car to Toyota (getting his winter tires on tomorrow), went to Costco (groceries and more Christmas shopping) and then had supper I found a few hours to stitch.  I worked on Gyarados tonight.  I think I got quite a bit done.  It looks so vibrant on black.

Last night I finished stitching the ice skate.  I don't think I'm going to stitch the words "Ice Skate" at the bottom.  It is cute, and a very fast stitch ... still not my style.  I will finish it into an ornament before giving it to Deborah; she is one of the ladies from our Tuesday Night Stitching Club.

Pokemon Gyarados update #7

I stitched on two projects tonight.  I got a little bit more done on Gyarados and the ice skate ornament.