A Stitchy Update 9-18-2017

Good morning!
Here is this month's stitchy update!
A little more progress on Chatelaine's Desert Mandala ( I am not putting the pretty beads on until it's all finished..) 

I finished Part 1, and almost finished Part 2. I just have back stitching, and to add all the specialty stitches.

My favorite cactus with Belle Soie 'Sage' and DD 'Stormy Sky'

My finish for this month, is LHN 'Season of Plenty', which was stitched on 28ct coffee/tea dyed even weave. I changed the color of the months to help them not get lost in the fabric. How cute are these little pumpkins and crows?

My new start, is actually to start back again, with LHN, 'ABC Sampler' the letters,

'IJK'!!

Here's my progress so far! This is also stitched on 

28ct. coffee/tea dyed evenweave!

In the Garden, today/tomorrow, I'm going to try and start herbs in a mason jar, with Basil first!

I'm also going to set out in the front yard, a lantana, and repot a tomatoe plant that my mother started for seed for me, and with the cooler fall temperatures, I can set it outside now.

Happy Sunday, Happy Stitching!

xo Christine

Smalls SAL December

Around the beginning of October I lost my stitchy bug!

I did stitch a couple of days within the last couple of months, I even 

had a couple of new starts, which I will post about on the first!

There were two projects I was close to finishing, that one project,

all I had left to do was back stitch, and add the beads.

About a week before Christmas, I pulled it back out, 

determined to finish it.

It was to become one of my MIL's gifts.

Here it is all finally finished !

Brooke's Book's Bride's Tree Ornament 

'Guidance' 

32ct Raw/Gold Belfast Linen

My other small finish, was a quick stitch, that I had so much fun stitching,

that I am happy to report,

I got my stitching bug back enough,

to plan out next year!

Which includes a couple big starts, 

I am starting on the 1st!

Here's my other small finish,

'Flurries in the Firs'

by 

Blue Ribbon Designs

Hand tea dyed 28 ct. Monaco

JCS August 2016

I'm looking forward to next year participating in the Smalls SAL!!

Brooke's Books Bride's Tree 'Guidance'

32ct Raw/Gold Belfast Linen

Just finished my MILs gift. I love this Brooke's Books 'Guardian Angel' and it fits my MIL perfectly,
 as she's been my guardian angel! 
This is finish #18 for 2016! 
I lost my stitchy bug around the middle of October, 
and all I needed to finish this was the beading. 
Picking it back up again, got my stitchy bug back! 
I may have one small last finish for the year! 
The frame I distressed myself with chalk paint and gold spray paint!

March Update, Finish #7 and Plans for April

Happy Spring! Hope you enjoyed your Easter! It was a beautiful Spring day here in Arizona. I enjoyed the warm sunshine as I watched my girls hunt for eggs, and then enjoyed a nice family dinner. The girls and I made lemon cupcakes with strawberry filling and white chocolate buttercream! With a honey ham and asparagus, it was the end to the perfect day!

It's hard to believe it's the end of March already! I had several blog posts ready to go, but I got a little behind in my stitching thanks to the brilliant Martina Weber and her Chatelaine designs. After I finish her Tiny Rose Garden Mandala freebie, I do have the urge to start another one of her smaller designs.

First here is my WIP that I am so close to finish. I'm halfway through with the blackwork, half stitches and tiny Algerian eyelet roses, that are truly very dainty and lovely, and then I'll save the beadwork for last.

Here's a little more detail!

Continuing with Country Cottage Needlework's 'Gingerbread Village' SAL, is 'Gingerbread House 2'.

I ran out of 3 Crescent Colors at the same time, and took a little time off, until I found my way down to my LNS. I should have it finished tomorrow.

I saved the best for last, this weekend, finish #7 Brooke's Books 'Dorthy'. I tried to finish her Friday night, with just a row and a half left, but couldn't keep my eyes open! I did do Ruby slippers, with their red sparkle, and I used DMCs black S310. Once you get used to working with it, I love how it gives Toto a silky sheen. I wasn't too thrilled with the DMC metallic gold. For the next ones I'll be using treasure braid. This was a joy to stitch. It did take me a few rows to get used to stitching on 32 ct. again with the one arm and the middle of the apron, but I'm happy how pretty she looks.

For next month, I am going to do a rotation with my 

Chatelaine 'Desert Landscape' on the weekends, 

Mirabilia's 'Queen Mermaid' on Wednesday, 

one week will be 'Gingerbread Village', 

for April's Brooke's Books I'll be working on one of her Bride's Tree ornaments

and one week, I'm going to start a little late, but I think

these designs are absolutely adorable, 

I'd been seeing them around, and then I saw April's design and I was 

hooked, from the Sunflower Diaries SAL 'Joyful World'

That leaves one week, to work on a WIP.

Then we'll see how this rotation goes.

Until next time!

I hope you have a lovely stitching week!

xo, Christine

Finish CCN's Gingerbread House 1 and 4 New Small Starts

Happy Weekend! Hope you are enjoying the lovely spring weather! It's been rather warm here pushing 90Fs already! Remember when I said I wasn't planning on catching a cold or virus or any annoying bug, well I did just that. Last Thursday I started not feeling too well, and by Friday, I spent the next three days in bed with a terrible cough, and head cold, sore throat and fever. I'm feeling much better know, but still having a hard time kicking this.

I did finish Country Cottage Needleworks, Gingerbread House #1 by the end of February. Thank goodness for Leap Years!

and here is my small start on the next Gingerbread Village, Gingerbread House #2

For this month for the Brooke's Books SAL, I started 'Dorthy'! Love this design. 

It's really cute and fun to stitch!

I didn't get too much stitching done on her, because I started 3 other small designs.

Two St. Patrick's desgins, and one old Freebie design from 

Chatelaine 'Tiny Rose Garden Mandala', that I can't find anymore.

This first St. Patrick's design is a Freebie from Blue Ribbon Designs, 

'Leprechaun Lodge'

I'm having fun with all the shamrocks. 

A new obsession of mine are cottages.

and the other one is a New Shepard's Bush design from

St. Patrick's Day Trifles, called

'Shamrock House'. 

I actually hand dyed this fabric.

I love the color! It's a light violet, and the colors of the over dyed floss look 

absolutely lovely!

One last thing, here is my WIP Wednesday of Mirabilia's Queen Mermaid!

Her hair is almost all stitched up! 

This week I'll be working on her shoulder and arms, leading to her treasure box!

Until next time!

Have an amazing stitching weekend!

xo, Christine

Day 9/15 Finish #2 and a WIP for Queen Mermaid

Happy Day before Friday! Sorry, I've been lax on finishing up posting New Years Days, I'll be back to those shortly before the end of January. My last 4 for the month are Country Cottage 'Beach Cottage', Prairie Schooler 'When Witches Go Riding', I finally found my Lavender and Lace 'Forest Santa', and I'm thinking a small Chatelaine mandala! Any suggestions? Are you working on one, and which one??

I finally put the last stitches on Gingerbread Train, earlier this week. I am so excited to see how seriously cute it turned out! My husband is making me a custom frame for it. So hopefully I'll have it framed before the end of the month as well. Gingerbread Girl is almost finished. She should be done by Saturday!

This weekend, I am going to get ready for my daughter and her boyfriend to come and visit for a few days. Not sure how much stitching I will be getting done, but I've been making some great progress on Three French Hens, and Stardust Fairy, I'll have WIP pics of them at the end of the month.

On Thursdays, I'll have WIP pictures of Queen Mermaid. I was surprised to find out that she has been discontinued. Right now I'm stitching the Peacock/Emerald green sparkly area of her bodice, working my way up to her face. I like to look at a face while I'm stitching away! Sounds a little odd, but it gives me a smile!

Until next time,

Have a fun stitching day!

xo, Christine