Some assorted stitching on Sunday...

Well I haven't done this for a couple of weeks, but today I have  some cross stitch pics to share. Something completely stitched, something almost done and something started... I'm covering the whole gamut today...LOL! (Funny aside... at first I had typed gamet... which didn't look right... so I looked it up and I'm glad I did. A gamet has something to do with before a vowel... a little knowledge is dangerous!)

Anyway here is the piece that is completely stitched...

This is A Funky Bird by Barbara Ana. Now I changed the body of the bird from the dark brown to the lighter thread color that I can't remember what the number is now... but I like the looks of it.  I plan to get this one framed.


And then this is almost completely stitched...

This is from Teresa Kogut and is called appropriately Star Shaped Snowman... hey I guess titles get hard for designers too!  Now I pretty much changed every color on this one as the original was done more primitive. I wanted to use this scrap of linen in my stash that I have no idea where it came from. It is dyed/bleached with what I think is  a snowy look...however, I may not have made the best choice for where I located this on the linen. The snowman's arm... which is behind that branch is almost invisible. I think he would benefit from some backstitching....ugh!!!  He is a cutie but I was surprised that this primitive piece included a ton of 1/2 stitches and 3/4 stitches.  I think he will end up as a little pillow. You can see more of Teresa Kogut's cross stitch here... she has some cute Santas and chickens too!


And finally there is this ... a BRAND NEW Christmas start... which doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hell of being done this year....

This is the Lizzie Kate Jingles series from about 2013. I had never seen... or probably just hadn't paid attention ... to this bunch of adorable charts before. I lay the blame for this new start squarely on the shoulders of my friend Heather, who not only pointed it out to me, but also found it on sale on ebay for a great price including all the embellishments. Now it is well known that I have little self control where cute stuff is concerned... I'm thinking it is a genetic flaw and that will absolve me from any responsibility for my actions stemming from this condition... right??? A head nod in the affirmative would be  greatly appreciated.

Here is what it will look like when all 12 little darlings are stitched...

If you go to Lizzie Kate's website... here... you can download a layout that shows you where to put each chart and gives you additional little fillers like those blocks under the reindeer and the heart frame for what will be a snowman scene.  They also provide this layout info for other series... and somehow I think that info will get me into more trouble as the Halloween stuff  is too stinking cute!

So right now I'm happy with my stitching stuff. I have BIG BIG BIG plans to organize my cross stitch graphs in 2017. I'd like to put them into alphabetical order by designer so when I go to look and see if I have a chart I don't have to look through 6 different boxes. I also have plans to lose 50 pounds, quilt only from my stash and win the lottery... I think all those plans have about the same probability of success... should be an interesting year, dontcha think???? LOL!!!

So dinner tonight is going to be Mexican food... at El Rancho Grande... my boys and me...always tasty. My daughter-in-law is attending a concert her mother is singing in...she is a good daughter!

I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today and Super Mom - No Cape tomorrow.

Hope you have your Christmas duties well in hand. I hesitate to say this out loud but I'm in pretty good shape. Two more gift cards and I think I can call it a wrap...I hope I haven't forgotten anything...

happy stitching-
carol fun

Slow soggy Sunday stitching...

It is a slow soggy Sunday here in southwest Ohio...I know my lawn and my flowers appreciate the rain but it is gray and dreary and not very 4th of July-ish... I feel sorry for those who had outdoor activities on their agenda...and tomorrow is supposedly more of the same. I am happy at home and dinner is in the crockpot. Life is good!

On the stitching front there was a finish this week... cue the brass band!!!

My Fragments in Time by Summer House Stitche Workes in complete and I think it looks very nice. The last square had tulips in it... my favorite...and a chance for me to personalize this sampler...

Do you see my change? Upper right corner of this square... it was charted with a cat and I replaced it with a chicken... I'm happy that I can leave my mark on this piece.

And what does a finish lead to??? A brand new start!

In keeping with current U.S. Department of Commerce statistics we have a housing start (betcha didn't know that in a former life I got a degree in Economics and even worked as a Economic Analyst... I still have a thing for statistics even though my basic math skills are somewhat woeful...LOL) I chose Sampler Hill by With Thy Needle and Thread... you can see it here.

Now I've already changed several colors of floss on this piece and I picked a different linen.  I purchased the called for  30 count Cornsilk linen from Week Dye Works but after 3 stitches I knew it wasn't going to work for me. First off, the linen is soft and I prefer to stitch on a crisp, stiff fabric. Since I don't use a hoop and hold my linen in my hand it gets softer as time goes on. It is easier for me to stitch on the crisp fabric. Second, I remembered on the 3rd stitch why I don't like 30 count... I don't like the thread coverage you get with only 2 ply of floss and 3 ply of floss is just too much. It is a lovely piece of linen but not for me. I found some 32 count creamy color linen in my stash... and it is stiff and I like it sooooo much better.

Then I changed the color of the house. In the stitched sample the house is almost the same color as the linen... beige and pale... not for me... I changed the house to Crescent Colors Queen Bee... I think my favorite gold-y yellow floss. Since I changed the color of the house that lead to a change in the color of the front door. I thought about using the Weeks Dove that is used elsewhere in the chart, but upon examination of my skein of this color, mine is too gray and not turquoise-y enough. I rummaged around in my stash and found an Anchor 850... a very nice turquoise... I think I'll use it instead of the Dove in the whole piece.

I debated whether to start with the house or with the border... it has a lovely border with tulips... but I just couldn't wait to see what the house would look like. I have ideas for some personalization for this sampler too...stay tuned.

Okay I'm off to stitch some more... I'm watching my beloved Cincinnati Reds go down in flames again. Last night they pulled one out in the 10th inning but I don't see that happening today as they are behind 9 to nothing in the 6th inning... poor poor team.

I'll link up with Kathy's Quilts today and Super Mom - No Cape on Monday...
happy stitching-
carol fun

Getting some stitching done...

Well with last night being Halloween I decided to pull out some seasonal stitching to celebrate...except I picked Christmas as the season to celebrate...LOL...getting a jump on the holidays which will be short lived knowing my crafty ADHD.

This is Christmas Joy by Barbara Ana Designs...and this is what it looks like...

And here is my start with some changes...

I changed the black/brown to a variegated green...DMC Color Variations 4045...less harsh and more Christmas-y.

I'm having issues with the snowflakes and other white motifs...now I wanted to get this piece a bit smaller so I pulled out one of the few pieces of 36ct linen and I had. When I laid the skeins down on this piece there was contrast, but when you stitch 1 ply over 2 threads, not so much. In this picture I bumped up the contrast so it is more visible. Isn't the shading on the ornaments wonderful?

My thought to improve this without restitching everything I've done is to add little highlights to the white motifs by overstitching with blending filament. When I did needlepoint I use blending filament quite a bit. I wish I knew where I put what I had... I think I left it behind when I moved...sooooo I need to order some...but it is only a buck and a half a spool...so I'll need to find other things to purchase to make this worth the shipping, right?? (Here's where you nod your head up and down, up and down and tell me "of course you need a few new charts and some more linen"...Thank you!)

And this little guy...can't decide if he is Santa or and elf... he gets curly toed elf shoes, I just don't have them stitched...perplexing.

I'm linking up with Kathy's Quilts today and Super Mom-No Cape tomorrow. It is nice to have something to show for a change... oh I'm still working on the Christmas present piece. I saw a scary scary post on Facebook... there are only 8 MORE MONDAYS till Christmas...accckkkkkkk!!!!

happy stitching-
carol fun

A battle between small and Big...

So lately I've been wanting to have some small pieces to add my every growing collection of cross stitch. However the subject matter I've chosen is a bit off base...kinda like yours truly...LOL! First up is a worm... yep, that's what I said... a worm. Why I chose this I cannot fathom, except to say he was fun, and old school... DMC on 18 count Fiddler's Aida...made me feel like it was 1990 all over again!

I can't believe I'm saying this but "awhhhh...isn't he cute?" He is from the chart Garden Beasties by The Prarire Schooler #54 copyrighted 1996... see I told you old school. I don't know if you can see it but I even gave him a little smile...oh I am totally whacked here, aren't I? There are a couple of other beasties I like from this chart including a snail and a ladybug and a frog...ewww...but they're cute! The worm finished about 3" and I'm thinking of making him into a little round pillow.

Next up, more nature...another Prairie Schooler...another small...

This is  Prairie Fairie 1994 and she finished 2.5" high by 3.5" high. I stitched her on an unknown 40 count linen with one ply of floss over two threads. Here is a picture for scale..

As far as I can tell there were 4 Fairies in this series from 1994 through 1997. I was able to snag them all online. Did you know that the gals from Prairie Schooler announced that they are retiring as of the beginning of 2016? I think there will be a run on their patterns as many are already very hard to find or OOP. In the last couple of months I've been paying closer attention to the price of older OOP charts and some people are getting astronomical prices for OOP Blackbird Designs. One afternoon I was cruising ebay and took a rough estimate of how much some of my stash would be worth if I could get those prices and well, lets just say I have a tidy little cache... but I'm not selling!

So after doing those small pieces, and having that lovely Fall-ish weather last week, it put me in the mood for a Fall-ish sampler...and I remembered that I was working on Blackbird Designs Feast of Friendship just a little while ago. (OMG... I searched my blog and found out I haven't touched this sampler since August 2014...sheesh time sure does fly!)

I have no idea why I put this aside last year at this time... I have a pretty good start on this. All those acorns in the border are done, the house is almost painted/scrapped/stitched and I had a start on the giant pumpkin. Bring on the pumpkins!!! And I really love the giant compote of fruit in this piece and can't wait to start on the mutant two story tall pineapple and grapes.

There should be some stitching time later today. I have my Sunday dinner prepped and ready to pop into the oven...we're having spaghetti and home made meatballs. I'll have to crank up the AC as the lovely Fall-ish weather has departed and summer is coming back with a vengeance to finish off the season...forecast for next week highs hitting 90...ugh!

Hope the weather is nice where you are...I'll be linking up with Kathy's Quilts for Slow Sunday Stitching and Super Mom No Cape for Vintage Embroidery Monday.

happy stitching-
carol fun