Stitch from Stash, finishes

Greetings!

Here we go, my first SFS posting for the B portion. I'm sure you all know what SFS is about so I won't go into detail. I'm excited to be taking part again after an 8 month hiatus!

Month: July

Spent: $6.50

Earned: $12.00 and $2.00 (explanations below)

Balance: $32.50 ($25.00 - 6.50 + 12.00 + 2.00 = $32.50)

Of course I had to buy a chart when the SFS started!

I was perusing the clearance section at Stitching Bits n' Bobs when I spotted Lady Anne all by herself. Here's a better picture from the website..

I'm seeing a nice warm mottled fabric for her, just like the picture. For $6.50! Changes in store for her are creating fingers for her platypus hands! Especially her right hand. Lol. Other than that, she's good to go.

As for finishing credits, I did finish Salem Sisters this month which is $12.00. They way the rules read, it sounds like Sisters qualifies.

And my second finish is Boo, started last Friday and finished yesterday. A freebie designed by the Stitcherhood, some of you may have seen it before. I finish finished it today..

And yes, I intended that black cat to be peeking around the side! It's on Lilac linen and finished with the Halloween fabric, all from my stash. Worth $2.00. I haven't decided if I'm going to add a trim to the whole outside. I just may leave it as is.

Since I was at my craft table I finished up something else, one of my Valentine finishes..

I cannot remember where I got this freebie. I was going to do a pillow but it's so tiny I thought this would do, a flat ornament with fabric added to the side. As you can see, I did the dotted light green for the back. Added Pearl pins to the side and mother of pearl buttons to the front. It's purdy!

Some of the WIPs I worked on (leftover from SFS 2014!) were Without a Mouse, Blackwater Hollow Sampler, Automnale Ambiance and Halloween Revelry..

More progress made since this..

I have warmed up to the funky shade of PTP Dill. Not sure newer Dill is this color though. Oh well. On 40ct. Decided to give these eyes a workout!

That's it. In the basket for another month. I'm on a 'staycation' right now, returning to work in 7 days. I've been bingeing on Downton Abbey, all 4 seasons, Ghost Adventures on Netflix, and right now Scooby Doo! My daughter is in North Carolina right now, Raleigh to be exact. Which is how I'm watching whatever I want! 

See you all next time!

July Gifted Gorgeousness and stuff

It's GG time and here is Whoo's There

This was a giveaway win from Frances. One big hooter for ya! I'll start stitching in its twin on the other side soon.

Yesterday found me puttering around in my craftroom/bedroom looking at the pile of my unfinished finishes. I came across Hornbook Angel by the Primitive Needle. At first I planned to have this framed but yesterday I turned it into a cube..

I used fabric, ribbon from my stash. Here's a sideways look..

The fabric looks reddish here but it's really brown. It matches the ribbon at the top. The brown skinny ribbon around it is velvet. Cubes are easy to make but cutting the styrofoam is one messy job!

After finishing Salem Sisters, I made Tombstone Angel Pin Drum my evening stitch..

Designed by Stacy Nash. And the before picture..

Yup, a good bit of progress on this one.

And that will be that. Thanks for stopping in!

Gifted Gorgeousness February, a finish, progress

Hello everyone!

Time for the GG! This a year-long SAL hosted by Jo of Serendipitous Stitcher. Stitch on a project that was gifted, fabric/floss that was gifted, a gift to someone, etc. Over on my sidebar I have a button to check it out.

I have Fancey Blackett's Brooms which was given to me for a birthday. She's coming along and I'm glad to see one of her red eyed owls hangin' with her!..

Here's how she looked before..

The top picture is better for the actual fabric color, which is WDW Beige. This is the only gifted or to be gifted project I have so when I'm done with Fancey, this SAL is over for me! I'll be down to just one SAL which is the Glendon Place Amazing Desserts one.

I have another Crazy finish..Emmanuel freebie by PSS..

This is number four. It's so small because I stitched it on 36ct.

While I've gotten some stitching on a few things, Trick or Treat got most of my attention..

and before

Jo wanted to know if I had all the buttons and no, I do not. There's a lot of them. I have a few bats and pumpkins in my stash but I'll wait for the end to see if I really need more.

Last weekend I had a kind of rotation going while I was bingeing on Sherlock Holmes on Netflix! Every new episode I changed to a different project. Lasted for a little while though because I watched the last 2 seasons! Have some of you heard of The American Horror Story that was on FX and is now on Netflix? I saw the first two episodes and must say its a weird show. I might use it for another rotation.

For the most part, I just pick up whatever catches my eye. Today that is Salem Sisters by PSS while we watch Mouse Hunt, a crazy mice have run amok movie. 

I'm off to stitch. Thank you for your comments on my last post. I didn't get to finish my Valentines Day finishes. The 14th took me by surprise! Take care. Best wishes to those of you dealing with cold and snow. It's about 70 outside ;)

Dreaming of Ornaments

Dream: This woman calls me up and asks where is my payment for stitched ornaments I bought from her. I said I must've forgot. Meanwhile I'm wracking my brain trying to remember how and why did I buy cross stitched ornaments. While I'm doing this, her supposed son gets on the phone and asks me about the truck stops in and around Phoenix.

What??!

I woke up at that point! After I woke up, I was trying to think if I forgot to pay someone for something! It was just a dream because #1-I can stitch and finish my own ornaments! I wouldn't buy any from anyone. #2-No one but friends and relatives, know what my cell phone # is. Heck, sometimes I can't even remember mine! I'm blaming this wacko dream on the pizza we ate last night!

The last post I showed Angel Abode, my latest finish. I decided to make her into a cube:

Can you see the sparkles on the ribbon? I think I found this ribbon either at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. I wanted a toned down look that went with the colors of the design. The stripes in the side and backing fabric are blue, so it goes with the tree vase in the design. I wanted another wider ribbon to go below the skinnier one but couldn't find anything. Get a load of the top ribbon. Isn't it nice? Here's a closer look:

It looks linen-y, right? I attached it with the white pearly pins and the little bells. I still have yet to buy the little rubber footsies that I use for feet. Those same rubber thingys are more to project your walls from framed items. The styrofoam I used for my last cube was already pre-formed, it came that way. I bought the styrofoam for this one and had to cut it and sand the sides to get it to look right. Ugh. That took some work not to mention the mess! It was worth it though.

Pretty isn't it? Well, I bought the one on the left. It's a thread organizer with lots of holes. I see lots of these wooden thread organizers but a lot only have 4 or 5 holes. I first saw wood items like these over at Plum Street Sampler in her photos of the last Market. I'm scrolling through thinking I want this, I want that, when I see wood thread organizers but there is no mention of who made them. Another picture shows a hand needleminder, I think, and on it is the manufacturer name! So a little research on the WWW, and I found them! Here's the link if you want to check their things out-

http://www.retromanticfripperies.com/

So where am I going with this?!

GIVEAWAY!!!!! A WOODSY GIVEAWAY!!!

In celebration of my 4th Blogaversary on the 20th or 21st. It's Woodsy because of the Knotty Kitten wood thread

organizer above and another item in the giveaway, everything has to do with trees and Christmas.

I just hope everything is not so blurry on your side. I still have to get a few more things but so far we have enough 

28ct fabric to stitch two of the big JBW trees, the overdyes to stitch them, DMC Christmas colors, socks, a 

writing pad, a kitchen towel, and the other wood item, a start gauge I call it. I'm a middle starter but every now and

then I'll start at the upper left. This gauge has a mark, the holes, to measure out 2, 2.5, and 3 inches from edge in

to leave enough fabric for framing. I have one but haven't used it just yet. I'll be remedying that in January!

The mitten organizer (and more for myself!) won't be shipped until 1 more week so I'm doing this now. Here's the

rules: Must be a Follower. If you've been lurking here by using bookmarks, become a follower and have a chance!

I'll ship Only to: US, CANADA, AND the UK. A winner in the UK may not receive this until afterwards due to our crazy

seasonal mailing frenzy! FYI!  Easy enough I think. Nothing like my other complicated giveaways! Be sure to be 

a Follower, get your comment in that you'd love a chance by 11:59 p.m. Arizona time on December the 13th 

and I'll draw a name on Sunday the 14th!

I am still gathering supplies for the DUCJC2015. A few more DMCs, fabric. I can't wait! I'm going to try to stay up

past midnight to get my first stitch on! Between now and then, I'll have pictures of the WIPs I'm including, the BAPs

I'm starting, and an entire list of what I'll be working on for 59 straight days. Madness!

Off to buy a tree and more ornaments! I'm hoping this doesn't happen-

Take care!

A Christmas finish, lots of DMC cardboard winding!

Here's the result of my Black Friday shopping!

Two years ago, my daughter and I decided to do Black Friday. To make a long story short, we got home a little after 1 a.m. after standing in line at two stores for what seemed like 4 hours! Never again I said! Back to this year. I went to Michael's at 11 a.m. with a 25% off entire order coupon and a list of DMC numbers and there were a lot! 58 skeins to be exact. The week before, I had bought 30something skeins. The picture above is what 58 skeins looks like. The poor lady at the checkout counter, I felt sorry for. But she managed to beep every skein in short order!

Just a few minutes ago I finished this..

Isn't it cute? This is Angel Abode by Goodflora Stitchwort. I'm thinking flat ornament for this with the fabric, ribbon, and pins shown. The designer is based in the UK. I found her blog first and then her Etsy site. Such cute offerings. Here's the link to her blog-

http://goodfloras.blogspot.com/

You can reach her Etsy site from her blog. I also bought and downloaded, charts are PDF's, Prim Sheep

Hope this shows up clear, it's looking blurry from my side. You can either stitch the words spring or prim in the 

sheeps body. I just may start this today.

I have my work cut out today, winding all those skeins on my favorite cardboard bobbins! Then adding them

to their respective charts. The Crazy begins almost a month from now and I'm getting everything together. 

I'm starting 59 items. I know, crazy! You're all going to be so sick of seeing my posts! Haha.

Hope your able to stitch a lot today! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving, those of you who celebrate it! 

Welcome to the new followers! I'm off to make a turkey sandwich!

TUSAL, FNSI, a little finish

Hello!

First up is TUSAL:

Black threads from Early Witches, yellows from my FNSI stitch.

FNSI:

Sorry for the wrinkles. This is Dream Big from CCN. Here's what it looked like before:

I hope to have it finished by Easter!

For practice I finish finished this guy before finishing the Christmas Ornament Exchange, which I'm happy to say is in the hands of the USPS and is going allll the way to the east coast.

I just attached the ribbon to the top and stuck the three pins in front. I'll find or make a ribbon bow to put at the top 'cause its looking kind of bare. Here's the side:

More gold beads stuck in at the bottom! Love pins, they cover a multitude of sins!

I'm off to buy groceries, curtains, curtain rods, new sneakers/tennis shoes, DMC at Michaels. I think my DMC list is about 30 skeins and I hope they are on sale right now! Otherwise, I'll have to buy 10 or so at a time. I feel for you ladies overseas who are having to shell out a lot of money for DMC. I saw someone having a giveaway of DMC for stitchers not in the USA and I think that's a great idea!

Take care. Thanks for stopping in and a big hearty WELCOME to the newcomers either by Blogger or Bloglovin'! Glad to have you!

Finished with School, Jumped Ship!

Mysterious title, right?!

And I really am finished with School..

School Days by La D Da, pattern found in the October 2003 issue of JCS. An 11 year old magazine that I kept around for all this time just for this pattern. Stitched on 32ct American Chestnut linen with overdyeds, 1 over 2. I enjoyed satin stitching the schoolhouse. BTW, the color of the fabric is more a buttery-brown color than what is shown above. I love it! It's a nice 7 1/4 sq. inches and I should be able to find a nice frame for it. In celebration of this finish and if there are no other designs I see in the magazine that are interesting, into the trash it goes! Unnnnless, someone wants to stitch it! Just let me know.

I have finished my Christmas Ornament Exchange ornament that is due to be mailed on the 24th. I just need to get into my craft room/bedroom and turn it into a flat ornament. It'll be big though for an ornament, but when I realized how big it was, and on 36ct no less, it was too late to find something smaller!

Jumping Ship? Yes, the SFS ship. Stitching from Stash! I emailed Mel to let her know I was leaving last week. I met two goals I set for myself last December when I first joined and that was to halve my stashing in half and purchase a second vehicle. We bought the Toyota Tacoma in May, my daughter and I, and yes my stashing was cut in half. Even better is that I learned to substitute fibers and fabrics, and have some restraint for not burning up the Web buying more. I THINK more about my finger hovering over the BUY button! Haha. My reason for jumping ship? The upcoming Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January (can't remember the rest!) starts in January. I have amassed 59 patterns to start but need more DMCs and some fabric. I wasn't comfortable with buying all this and then lying about it at post time for SFS. What was really nice was I won a chart in the drawing that Mel has for SFS people. I rarely win anything so this was a nice surprise!

Because of the upcoming Crazy January, I haven't started anything new but now with School Days finished I think a couple more Christmas ornaments are in order!

Take care all, especially those of you dealing with cold and snow. I have the front door open here and it's about the high 60's. Thanks for coming by!

Delivering a Finish...Yay

I just finished this minutes ago. All I had was the horse left to go and once again when I can see light at the end of the tunnel, I go into my finishing zone: ignoring the call of nature, ignoring the shower, and getting tunnel vision! Just kidding on the first one! Anyway, here's Harvest Delivery by PSS-

I stitched this on 32ct Platinum Belfast linen. When I did my floss toss, I thought the GAST Oatmeal used on the horse wouldn't disappear into the fabric. I think without the harness and the shadows on the legs, it would have! I'm quite happy with it and happy to have a medium sized finish.

November is amongst us now. I'm getting that little niggling feeling that comes upon me about this time-OMG, I've got to plan for Thanksgiving! OMG, I haven't done any Christmas shopping! OMG, I've got to start that Christmas exchange stitching that is due on the 24th! Lol. Well today I'll start the ornament. It's quiet today here under gloomy, cloudy skies. My daughter, and two brothers are out deer hunting. Season started Friday. At least they won't get too hot but they are more north of where I'm at.

Thanks for dropping in! Oh, and thanks for your comments on my Halloween stitching! I had to delete a comment that some 'man' made in my comments about protesting women! Whatever! I might have to start doing the 'to make sure you're not a computer' thingee when you publish a comment. I hate to but I get those emails by anonymous that I just delete. This guy came through though.

Have a great weekend!

September Stitch From Stash, finishes, road trip pics, the exchange,etc..

Here we are, end of September. It's just going by too fast! Picture heavy by the way.

Friday night I stitched with the Sew-In and stitched right into Saturday and Sunday. There is no loss of mojo whatsoever but I do most of my stitching on the weekends anyway. During the week, I'm either too wiped out or stressed to pick up a needle. I also managed to finish a couple things too. Without further ado, here's SFS..

Beginning balance was: $52.75 with September's $25 added.

Money spent: $29.60 for two designs from the Primitive Hare, Wicked and Christmas Carol Sampler.

New starts from stash: Harvest Delivery

My Saturday and Sunday stitching. I'm stitching this on 32ct Platinum which I love. It's a nice all purpose fabric. It's a lot of fun.

WIPs or UFOs worked on: Exchange projects which is below, School Days, Vintage Stars, Merry Moose Wishes, LK Scary Sampler.

Balance is now $23.15. I could do better but...!

Here are my two finishes..

Designer is Plum Street Samplers, I think the chart is called My Pretties. I stitched this up a couple years ago as a huge pillow but it just looked terrible. So I cut it down and did this to it. I just noticed that a stitch is real loose, I'll have to fix that. And that PS ornament that is found in a JCS ornament magazine..

I need more Christmas ornaments! 

I just got an email from Joan who blogs at Stitching Squad (didn't get a link) that she received what I sent for the Harvest Exchange 2014. Besides a WTNT chart, floss to stitch it, scissors, needles, linen, wool, etc. I made these for her..

On the left is a door hanger. The design is from an older JCS issue. I also made the two wool leaves that are attached to the wire. I felt that wasn't enough so I stitched up the Scarlett House design and made the crown pin that is attached to the pillow at the upper left. She likes what I sent..woohoo!

As if my life isn't already busy, I up and joined the First Annual Christmas Ornament Exchange hosted by Angela at Hooked on Stitching http://hookedonstitches.blogspot.com/2014/09/first-annual-christmas-ornament-exchange.html

I think she has openings yet so go check it out. You make an ornament and send a card! That's it! 

I took some time off of work last week and my daughter and I drove to Jerome, AZ. for lunch at the Haunted Hamburger. It's named that because of the shenanigans something was doing with tools, noises, and such when the owners were renovating? Jerome is a ghost town that is still alive with about 300 people living there. The whole town is said to be haunted!

Our trip begins not too far from my home.. And into Jerome with its skinny roads

You can see the red rocks of Sedona in the distance. That's where we're going. The next pictures are entering or through Sedona. I love Sedona, it's so pretty there but their summers are pretty warm, in the low 100s most of the time but they also get some snow in the winter. Here we go..

This area has had a couple fires in the last year and you can see how the pines are burnt up, leaving just the tops. It's really greening up though because of the amount of rain we've had.

This would be my dream home!

This is Slide Rock State Park. Oak Creek runs through this portion, making the rock slick and its like a slide.

Lots of views.

See the rock above the white thing on the roof in the center of this pic? It's called Coffeepot Rock. Here's a better picture of it without the buildings..

See how it looks like an old style percolator coffee pot? You have the spout, the round thing on top, and the handle. On the other side of town, heading out toward Interstate 17, is Bell Rock which looks like a huge bell.

Now here's a picture that could answer a trivia question..

The only McDonald's in the entire US that doesn't have the yellow arches! They're turquoise. Zoning laws in Sedona allows only colors that reflect the area of the red rocks. Everywhere you go here, you notice the buildings, light poles, retaining walls are all a sandstone, brown, beige, or this turquoise color. It all looks very nice with the red rocks.

So I believe that's it. Hope you enjoyed the road trip. I'm hoping my iPad doesn't have too much trouble uploading all these pictures. I'm back to stitching on the LK sampler, determined to finish the thing before Halloween. Do I sound disgusted with the sampler? I am because its become a pain in my butt. I could've stitched more on the roof because now the satin stitches may be long in the lawn and I'm close to running out of the WDW Cadet for it. Grrr. I'll keep plugging away. Virpi's book she won is on its way to Finland and I'm crossing fingers it gets there. And Mary will soon be receiving her book too. All my business is done and I'm going to stitch! Take care and thanks for visiting!