Sept WIPocalypse

I am happy to report that I've been a busy little stitcher this past month, albeit a little erratic -- hopping around from project to project like a honey bee bounces among the clover.  And it was FUN!

I'll begin with Adriana -- I am almost finished with this lovely (still more backstitching to go).  I should be able to have this finished by the next WIPocalypse update:

And since I was doing Christmas ornies for my nephews, I decided to pick up the Advent Calender, a Sticklounge SAL from December.  I stitched the lower, right two ornies this past week.  This one I want to have done in time for Christmas this year:

I found this next little cutie recently and just had to stitch it before the world ends.  I'll probably make it into a Christmas ornie.  I found it on the Freebie Gallery blog (great place):

And then another new start that just has to get done before the world obliterates itself is the Christmas SAL by Carole:

I also managed to get some finish-finishing in:

Wee Three

A Brittercup kitty

And some framing (though I didn't do it myself):

And to All A Good Night

Lily Pond

Sudoku

Rose Wreath Santa

I hope your month was just as productive.

May's WIPocalypse update

It's a day early but I won't be near a computer tomorrow so here goes . . . . .

I added a couple 'new' old projects to my WIPocalypse list.  The first one is the Golden Cat by designer Patricia Emlet.  I began this project 10-24-2010 and really want to get it finished.  All that's left to stitch now is the hind foot and tail tip.

The second 'new' old project is Wee Three by designer Lorri Birmingham.  This piece was one of my Crazy January 2011 projects that was never touched after January 2011.  Now the first Santa is finished.

Sudoku is almost finished.  I added a line of backstitch around the top and right sides only and am deciding if I like it.  Right now, I'm leaning toward liking it.  It sets a stronger edge to the whole thing.

I also spent some quality stitching time on White Christmas (finished all the eyelets -- hooray!) and completed (happy dance time) the Lily Pond.  Since I already posted pics of these in April, I'm not going to re-post them here.  Just go back a couple posts if you're interested.

So there you have it .... my May update and I must admit, I'm pleased with it.  One project finished, two almost finished, a third one in the works and all those eyelets done (hooray -- I'm soooo glad they're done).

I hope your month was as productive as mine.

Busy ... busy ....

I've been busy .... I finished The Might Oak (though I would love to find a couple squirrel charms to add to it):

Plus spent some time on White Christmas (all the eyelets are finished -- hooray!!! -- I thought they would never be done.  And no, I will not count them.):

Another WIP finished  ... introducing the Waterlily Pond complete with sparkly dragonfly (it didn't call for a dragonfly but my pond needed a bug .... and more glitter):

And lastly, I picked up another WIP -- Sudoku -- and am going gangbusters on it:

The last time I posted about it, there was tons of stitching left to go:

Even though this piece is supposed to be based on Sudoko, I gave up on that concept a long time ago.  Instead, I'm just playing around with stitches and colors and having a much better time with it.  The whole Sudoko thing was making me cazy and spoiling my fun .... so it needed to go.

I'm happy as a clam since I got so much done on these older projects. 

May your stitching time be productive!

April WIPocalyse

It's that time again.  Unfortunately, I didn't get any stitching in on my hardanger tree but I did pick up another WIP that hasn't seen the light of day for many moons:

I added all the sparkle to the pond.  Now it really looks like water.

The other 2 projects for this update are The Mighty Oak

and Heart Note Alley

We are still swamped at work so this is just another quickie ...... enjoy the day!

Puppy update ... with some stitching thrown in.

Here they are at 2 weeks and just opening their eyes:

The boys are healthy, vigorus little dudes and growing like weeds.  Aren't they adorable?
Check out the little beauty mark on flashy Nash's hip -- he's quite the looker right now.   Keep those fingers crossed that all 6 balls drop -- lol!

Okay, on to stitching ......

Unfortunately, I don't seem to be getting much done.  I'm not exactly sure why this is so but I suspect it's because I have too many projects started.  This seems to bother me more than I thought it would when I began the crazy January challenge.  I haven't been able to work on those projects for awhile now and they're starting to nag at me.  I think I need to stop starting projects and get some finished.  Starting new projects is fun but apparently, I'm the type that needs to finish them also.  Having said that ......

My EGA group has started an ANG project called Sudoko.  Since most of us are members of both organizations, we decided to stitch this fun project.  It's based on the game Sudoko (of which I have limited knowledge since I don't play).  I haven't gotten very far on mine but already I'm not following the actual Sudoko chart thingee.  I'm just kind of putting whatever stitch/color I want wherever I put it.  How organized is that???

I got some more pads done on the Waterlilies and even finished the flower on your right:

I don't know if I like this project and I think the reason is that the pond is too static for my tastes.  It needs more life -- some bugs or a frog or something.  Maybe when I put the water in, the sparkle from that thread will liven the piece up a bit.  I thought about dropping this project (especially since I have so many other projects going I just love to stitch) but since it's a good one to work on at lunchtime, I'm not going to do that.

My final stitching update is Old European Sampler by Steve Rousseau -- this is another Sticklounge SAL that I'm just beginning (sigh). 

I'm trying something different with this one.  If you enlarge the pic, you will notice on the lower left part of the blue and brown knotted section that the half stitches are going in the opposite direction.  This is intentional -- I want to see what effect the crosses going in different directions will have on this section.  So far, the effect seems subtle but noticable. 

I hope everyone has a good time this weekend -- get plenty of stitching, gardening, picnicing, or whatever done.

Oh, in case you are wondering --- I haven't gotten my knotted dogs pattern yet --- waa!

Hoooray!

I am soooo excited ... but first a little background .....

A couple years ago I began a Celtic Sampler only to get stuck on the yucky, depressing, dying bird sentiment that came next.  I looked for a saying a bit more upbeat but couldn't find something that fit in with the whole Celtic sampler look.  What can I say ..... I'm picky.  Then I thought the perfect thing to go next would be knotted hounds -- you know, since I love dogs and have a pack of them?  Well, back to the internet I went searching, searching and .... grrrrrr!  Nothing.

Isn't it cool?

So I rolled up my sampler and put it away.  And every once in awhile I get it out, confirm to myself that I really hate that dying bird saying, sigh a little sigh, roll it back up and put it away again.

And then yesterday I found it!  It's perfect -- a row of knotted hounds!  Can you believe it?!?  I bought it immediately and am patiently (not!) waiting for it to come in the mail.  SQUEAL!  I am sooo excited!  WooHoo!  Yippee!  Hooray!  Happy dancing time!  

Woah.

Stop ..... breathe ...... again ...... and again ..... breathe one more time .....

Okay .... okay ..... I'm calmer now .......  On to the regular, less exciting stitchy stuff.

First I want to show you the Friendship Heart.   Don't you just love that beautiful, scrolly 'A'?  I'm a little bummed that I can't get the fabric color accurate in the photos of this piece.  It's such a pretty color in real life and kind of blah-looking in my pics.  Oh well.  The quotation to the left of the 'A' is Hindi -- how cool is that?

We had our second class on the Water Lily piece at the EGA meeting on Monday.  Here's where I am so far:

I've got 3 of the lily pads done and most of the border stitched.  There isn't much stitching to do because, with this technique, you want the photograph to show through the threads.  The idea is to enhance the picture with your stitching.  The flowers will be long straight stitches with a few french knots and the water will be a darning stitch with sparkly thread.   I'm working on this during lunchtime at work, so it will probably be awhile before it's finished.

As for the puppies -- they're getting fatter and cuter each day.  Momma has lots of milk and her babies definitely know how to find it.

Have a good one .....


Yippee!  I found it!   WooHoooooo ..........

More starts ? ! ?

Yikes -- I must be totally nuts.  I have 3 more starts (with more to begin soon).  This first one is a class taught at my local EGA chapter.  It's a photo on canvas that will be embelished with embroidery.  The designer's name is Susan Goodman.  The first class involved the border stitching.  There are 2 layers for the border, the first is scotch stitch and the second is basketweave stitch.  I'm almost finished with the first layer.   I have until May 16th to complete the 2 borders.

I took a class from Susan Goodman a couple years ago at a seminar.  This piece is called The Red Window and it involved transfering other stuff to a printed canvas before embroidering over it:

 My garden has more flowers than the designer's, if memory serves me correctly, her garden was mostly greenery.  I thoroughly enjoyed stitching my Red Window garden.  This is a fun technique and I look forward the our second class on the Lily Pond.

My second new start is a lovely sampler by Lady Periphaeira called Star Sampler.  The original pattern calls for 2 colors but I decided to add a couple colors and some specialty stitches.  If you are interested, this is a SAL and you can still stitch along if you are so inclined.  We are up to part 3 so there is still plenty of time to join.

 

And the third and final start (as of today) is a patchwork heart I'm making for a friend.  I drew the heart on the fabric with one of those pens that has water-erasible ink in it, added some patches and started to stitch. 

The last stitchy pic is the Tam's Creations piece called Odds and Ends.  This SAL in on part 12 out of 13.  Hopefully, I can finish this part over the weekend, get the final piece and finish stitching this one next week.  Wellllll, that's the plan as of this minute. 

The next couple pics have nothing to do with stitching. Shasta is about a week away from delivering and I just had to take some pics of her belly. Tomorrow she goes to my friend's house (the expert puppy midwife) to have her pups. I'm going to miss her and cannot wait to see the babes. Shasta looks bigger to me than last time ...... she seems more restless / uncomfortable than the last pregnancy ..... the poor dear.

Later ......