Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2023

Good Morning all! It's Halloween and you know what that means! It's time for the Hallowe'en Trick or Treat Blog Hop 2023! Hosted by the amazing host Jo of Serendipitous Stitcher. Visit her blog to see the list of participants to visit, see what spooky items they've made, and to collect letters to solve a mystery phrase.

https://serendipitousstitching.blogspot.com/2023/10/halloween-trick-or-treat-blog-hop-2023.html

A recent finish and FFO, here's All Hallows Night, from the 2020 issue of the JCS Halloween magazine....

She's sitting on her backing fabric.

I decorate for Halloween every year and here's my efforts for this year...

There is a road called Mt Vernon in my hometown of Prescott Arizona, right up the highway from where I live, that has decorated and handed out candy since I was 10 years old. And they're still doing it! Below are a few pictures of the houses and yards that took part...

This last picture is of my favorite house that decorates every year. This street has some very old Victorian houses from the 1860s, when the town was founded. They add to the spooky ambiance! It's become so large that the police department has closed off side roads so people can safely trick or treat. The downside is kids have to get in a line for candy. 

Here's the letter you've come to collect...

and the next blog you'll visit to see what ghoulish goods they've made and the letter they have is:

http://aimetu-clare.blogspot.com/

Happy Halloween!!🎃👻

Stitching!

Hi everyone! It's update time, albeit a short one before my phone acts up. The Trick or Treat Blog Hop is coming soon so I thought I'd get on here before that. Okay, enough talking!

I have progress to show. First up is Jack's Bash by PSS..

It's looking blurry or maybe it's just my eyes! I spent some time last weekend stitching the inside border there on the left. I once again stitched Happy Hallowe'en at the top center 1 over 1 tent stitch. It's been a while since I've done over 1 but got through it. GAST Walnut is used for that house on the right and it sure looks different than the Walnut I used on my first Jack which I finished 6 years ago!  I like it though. 

The next progress is on Bittersweet and Broomsticks by Brenda Gervais...

I'm having fun stitching on this. All the colorful pumpkins there on the bottom. Can't wait to stitch in the witch! I'll stitch on this one to the end of this month.

Those 2 pieces were the only things I stitched since my last post! I've had some distractions.

I mentioned joining in on the Jingle Ball. Here's my class that I'm taking...

I ordered 28ct Aerial by PTP there on the right, to stitch the Winter bookmark, just a half of a fat eighth so it was $5 and change, and then ran to Hob Lob this morning for 2 DMCs I was missing. I'm ready! Stitching will commence on the 1st of November. Do I sound excited?! I am! So excited, I went through my stash for a small Christmas project to also stitch in November and this is it...

Is this cute or what?! By Verbena on Etsy, it's been kitted and ready for at least a couple of years. I have the taupe 32ct evenweave to stitch it on with DMCs.

Hobby Lobby is in full Christmas bloom right now and I'm looking forward to Christmas stitching. 

The month of November is going to be unusual in that I'm not stitching for a SAL or a challenge! What will I do with myself!!! Well, I'm going to keep stitching on the Brenda Gervais above, the bookmark class, and the Christmas Lodge. I'll pick out a longtime WIP to do, a non-Christmas piece so I don't over do it. 

It all sounds like fun to me!

An update on the finger, lol! I saw an orthopedic doc the other day and he said they wouldn't do surgery on it because nerves will grow back, eventually. They think the nerves in my finger probably were traumatized. Every now and then I get tingling in the numb area which is half of my finger lengthwise. It kind of hurts. It's like building snowballs without gloves and they go numb but when feeling comes back you get the tingling. The doc said nerves grow back a millimeter a day. I have one more appointment in 3 months and there should be progress with nerve regeneration and I think we'll just agree on ending the work injury claim. It hasn't interrupted my working at all, it's just disconcerting to stick my needle into the numb part and not feel it, hahaha!

On a nicer note, I bought myself a car! My Honda Civic had 132k miles on it. It's still a good car. I gave it to my daughter. I bought a newer Honda Accord, has all the bells and whistles. Has the push button start which is taking me a little to get used to!

Well, I think this is it. I can't remember if there were more things to talk about or show. Whatever they were, they'll go on my first November post!

Take care, stay safe and sane in this confusing world we find ourselves in! Cooler heads need to prevail somehow.

Black, orange and a hint of red

Hello blogger buddies! Hope you're fine and stitching up a storm but not a real storm, lol. Today's post is brought to you by the colors orange and black and a smidgen of red. I have progress and a couple of new starts (new starts?!), and an FFO. Due to my phone's issues with memory, I'll have to keep it sweet and small. Let's go!

I made a detour! Well, I made 2 detours! First one is A Sister's Love by BBD. This pattern is found in the Winds of Autumn book. This will be the 3rd design that I've stitched from it...

I'm using a remnant of 36ct Parchment, the non-Zweigart version. I have had to hog tie this thing to my snaps, it sure is wiggly. Now, since I've had this book, I've gone by this pattern dozens of times and it never spoke to me. After organizing my cross stitch and running into that piece of Parchment, deemed it to be suitable. The design is just 8 1/4 x 8 5/8 finished so I made sure to center it on my fabric. What you see is 3 + hours of stitching. I'm enjoying it!

The next piece is is not autumn or Halloween, hence the bit of red mentioned. It's A Christmas Sampler by Blue Whale Designs...

There are no dates on the chart. I don't think the designer designs anymore. I'm using a mystery piece count of fabric which I'm pretty sure is Goldfinch by R & R Reproductions. The color matches DMC 3828, a really pretty med beige/gold color. Using DMCs but for Santa's coat, I'm going to use GAST Antique Rose. I'll stitch a few to see if I like it.

I have progress on a few other pieces. Here's Clementine...

She's coming along nicely. I'm not sure I'll finish her by Halloween though. 

Next bit of progress is on Bittersweet and Broomsticks by Brenda Gervais...

The fabric color is much nicer in real life, it's Sheeps Straw by xjudesigns in 40ct. I struggle at night stitching this even with my floor lamp at my shoulder! So I stitch during the day. 

I had one FFO last Sunday and it's the Banshee by The Little Stitcher...

Just a pillow finish with chenille trim. 

Short and Sweet! 

Oh! Who's going to the Jingle Ball? I am! I'm buying into the bookmark class by Tiny Modernist.

Sign ups are tonight! Check out jingleball.net for info. Tonight at 7pm EST is when you can buy an entry ticket and then a class or 2. I can't wait!

How's my finger? I haven't heard from a hand specialist so I think the insurance company feels it doesn't warrant a specialist🤷🏻‍♀️ it's still numb. I have another appointment at the urgent care tomorrow so I'll find out.

I'll be back with Jo's Halloween blog hop at the end of the month but I may get back here sooner.

Happy Fall y'all!