Ornament SAL May

Here's my ornament for May

From LizzieKate. This can be found on their website under 'Free Charts'. On 32ct cream linen with over-dyed threads. Except the green area around the W and that's DMC.

From here on out I'm stitching nothing but Halloween & Christmas ornaments. We're just about half way through the year, ladies (and the stray man or men!!)!!

That word sums up the hectic last couple weeks we've had. Two weeks ago my 9 year old computer gave up the ghost. I lost all the pictures, music, tax returns that I saved to my computer, and a bunch of other stuff that one saves. Luckily, I printed all my tax returns. The next computer I buy, which is way off in the future, I'm making sure I backup and do all that I'm supposed to. I'm using my IPad to write this and upload pictures. Instead of uploading from my computer, I now upload to Picasa and then upload to here. Whew!

On a good hectic note, my daughter graduated! From high school. The hectic part came to play when it was discovered she was short 3 credits. So she pulled some all-nighters (stay up ALL night), and made the effort on online classes to get caught up. I'm very proud of her.

I'm closing in on yet another finish from my Turtle Trot list, yay! I got totally bored with all the WIPs and started something new which I'll have a picture of at TUSAL time. Starting something new really gave me a second wind. On the other hand, I've failed miserably with the LHN Sheep Virtues. I stitched the border of LOVE and promptly went onto something else. And I'm getting those patterns on auto, so you'd think I'd be motivated to stitch them-NOT!!!!

I've gotta run. Take care everyone. Welcome to Anne for becoming my 92nd follower! Thanks for your comments last post-I enjoyed reading them. Poppies was the WIP some of you especially liked. That's the WIP that has a few stitches left to go!

Turtle Trot May '13, a Winner!, and a Happy Dance!

The first order of business is

LINDA!!!

Since you were the only commenter, you're the winner! Congrats! Send me your mailing address to campbo41@q.com and I'll have your Chocolate chart to you along with a few surprises!

Well! I've have a finish to report on

This guy is from Toadally Aarrgh by Stitchy Kitty, all 2"x2 1/2" of him! Which brings me to the question AGAIN-why/how did it take so long to stitch him? I should mention he's stitched on 32ct Queen Anne's Lace jobelan or lugana using CC/DMC. Actually for as small as he is, there is a lot of stitches there, along with some Kreinik and a bead. I substituted the black metallic thread on his eye patch for regular black DMC. Oh look! I forgot to stitch his other mean eyebrow on the right eye! Anyway I started him last year sometime with just the stitches above his eyes. The color of the fabric is not what it looks like in the pic. I now have just 10 WIPs left to stitch on.

I've learned something about myself stitching on these WIPs and it's that I cannot stitch on too many at a time. I stitch on one and just want to keep stitching! It's hard to move on to another one. Here are the others that I've managed to put in some time on

In the contest I had going since TUSAL, this is the WIP closest to being finished soon. All the flowers are stitched except for the big one at the upper right. The model of this design has the words PRETTY at the top of these flowers; I chose to leave it off. This would make a very nice pillow I'm thinking! Poppies should be done by the next Trot report.

Winter Sampler by Homespun Elegance. Since the last time, I've put in the vine directly below the snow, the alphabet, and the tree. Instead of French Knots, which I can't do, I'm putting in red beads at the leaves of the vine. I'll be picking this up more in the coming weeks. Next up is

Klagetoh Navajo Rug. The only stitching done before was the upper row on the big geometric design. I got kinda bored stitching all that black which is why I started that lighter color border. I just need to bite the bullett and DO IT!!

Well, that's my story and I'm stickin' to it! Take care everyone! Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

TUSAL and A Little Contest

Here's my Orts, a day late!

I've been stitching on all sorts of things lately. Here's Baby, It's Cold Outside from April

And here it is one month later in May

The house is almost done. Such a difference in the color of the fabric. The bottom pic is more true to color.

More stashing done, too, but just this chart and threads

I wish you could see it better. I often read of bloggers' talking about how a pattern has spoken to them and I don't know if they're just joking but this chart certainly did. I first saw a picture of this chart over at the blog Maude and Mozart (she takes great pictures, BTW). She was just showing the inside of a shop that her and several others ladies went to. This design she hadn't said who the designer was. But it caught my eye! Her next post showed pics of her stash and it was close enough to see who the designer was-Willow Hill Samplings. I thought it was from Pineberry Lane Designs! So here it is-called Land of the Brave.

Now we're up to the Little Contest! I've made great strides in stitching on my WIPs. I have one that is very close to being finished by the 13th which is the posting date for the Turtle Trot. I know I said I'd have a giveaway on my 100th post which this one is that, but I'll do that after this contest. Here's what you do to win this booklet by Sue Hillis Designs

Now if there's just one commenter between now and the 13th, say about 7 p.m. Arizona time, she or he will win this booklet. BUT....if there are several, here's where the contest comes in. Go to the sidebar on this blog where it says Turtle Trot SAL 2013 and PICK a WIP that you think is the one about to be done and pick another that you think is the second one about to be finished. The reason for the 2nd pick is in case no one picks the correct WIP at the first pick. If that should happen, whoever picks the correct 2nd pick will win the Chocolate chart. Are you still with me?! Good! When you go to leave a comment there needs to be

1. The name of the WIP from my Turtle Trot list that is about to be finished.
2. The name of the WIP    "      "       "       "     " that you think will be my second finish coming soon.

Anyone is invited to play, follower or not, living near or far! The more the merrier! This is gonna be fun!

Hope everyone is enjoying some Spring weather! I'll leave you with some pics of two of our cats. Enjoy and Take Care!

E.T. in top photo and Flashy above, enjoying life!