A Little Finish and a Giveaway

Two posts back I mentioned I wanted to start a bunch of small stuff. Here's one for ya. I received this from Ranae from Stitch to Stitch when I won a name-that-designer contest she put on.



This is from LizzieKate. It called for 32ct linen but I used 28ct which is why the design almost runs out of room on the sides. But there's a method to my madness-I'm taking the fabric there and making a little table mat. The top 4 fabrics I like for this but the bottom plaid I'm not so sure of. What do you all think?

Okay, so lets get on with the Giveaways!

There will be 2 Giveaways, a 4th of July one because of my missed celebration of 100 posts, and an Autumn/Halloween one. The Independence Day package consists of a cross stitch kit of red, white, and blue goodness with all sorts of goodies with it.

The A/H one is a little different. You choose which one you'd like to win, the Autumn one or Halloween. I'm stitching two items now for both choices. I know that some of you aren't as Halloween-crazed as I am so that's why you'll have a choice. Once a winner is chosen, I'll have a stitched item plus goodies that go along with what they chose, scary stuff or Fall-ish stuff. And since one person will win, the other stitched piece with goodies left over will go to a person whose name I'll draw. So it's like 3 giveaways!

Leave your comment here on this post with your favorite color, the initial of your first or last name (for those of you who go by the name of your blog, just give me an initial you like), and which of Autumn or Halloween you'd like a chance at.

You have 'til September 27th midnight to comment and I'll pick names the next day. If you're only interested in one of the giveaways, let it be known in your comment. But I'll assume you're interested in both of them. I'll need a little extra time to order some of the things and hoping the ONS has it all in stock!

Whew! I hope you can understand all that because I'm not sure I do! I didn't want to turn this into a lot of mumbo jumbo.

Back to stitching! Oh, and this giveaway is open to follower or not, near or far, to everybody. Good Luck!




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TUSAL September '13 (pssst-scroll down!)

Good Evening! Here's my ORTS!



I'm not sure I stitched that much to end up with this many orts! But I'll take it!

I finish finished my black cat ornament, take a look









It turned out great! Click on the pics to see them better.

So I see that I've reached 103 followers-Yay! So it's giveaway time! Since I didn't put up a giveaway when I reached my 100th post, I decided to have 2, yes that's 2 giveaways. My 100th post came around the 4th of July and I have giveaway stuff in red, white and blue. The second giveaway is all about Halloween/Autumn and I'll be stitching up a few little things for Halloween and Autumn. You just have to pick which you'd like, Halloween or Autumn, because I know that not everyone is as Halloween crazy as I am!

This weekend I'll nail down the particulars on a post where you can leave your comment saying you'd like to be included. Oh, you have to tell me what's your favorite color, and your first name or an initial you like, like B or T, etc., and Halloween or Autumn. Anyone and everyone, follower or not, are welcome to sign up. So be sure to check my blog this weekend!

Gotta go! I appreciate you all stopping in and leaving comments! Welcome to my new followers. Thanks for making it 103!



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August Ornament SAL-Under Construction!

Hello!

Here's my ornament for August. Be sure to click on the pictures for a better look.



This is what I mean about Under Construction! This is Black Cats Trick Or Treat by The Sweetheart Tree. Stitched on 28ct Tropical Orange linen. I love that color! It reminds me of Orange Sherbet ;) As you can see, I'm turning it into a flat ornament. That corner of fabric there at the right is the back of this thing. It has black cats on it. This was a limited kit that came out after the last Market back in February or March. All that backstitching was a bit intense though but it turned out nice. I'll have a picture up after I'm done putting it together.

I have another finish! Man, I'm just a stitching machine!



Buttons Black is done! Love the witch with her green skin and her dress which is GAST Walnut-Simply Shaker. The Walnut color reminds me of old barnwood with light pinkish tones, well to me anyway!

So my stitching plans for September are biting the bullet on my Trot WIPs, starting some small stuff like LizzieKate and JBW, and finishing the pile of UFOs I've got. Wish me luck!

Thanks, everyone, for your comments! And a big WELCOME to my 99th follower! Giveaway time when I hit 100 followers! I was supposed to have one for my 100th post and pfftt....forgot.



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Turtle Trot August, Idiot stitching, finishes

I've got a finish! By LHN



Whoo hoo! It's so pretty, it's one of my Trot WIPs. This is where the Idiot stitching comes in! Got your attention now? The words 'Pick your own Pumpkin' were supposed to be in Roasted Chestnut-CC, not in Blackbird! I don't know what I was thinking! Sheesh! I wasn't about to tear out the words so I left them. I think they look fine and they match the other areas of Blackbird. Once I stitched in all the flower leaves, I began to see the light at the end of the tunnel and realized I could get this done. Here's more looks at Pumpkin Hollow






I also finished La D Da's Yellow Bird



Instead of the 35ct Parchment called for, I used 36ct Flax Edinburgh linen with Glorianna Birch Brown silk. Instead of the designers initials, I put in this year. No Idiot stitching here, though my first attempt at the year had to be ripped out-too close to the bird. I like things symmetrical, I know-weird!

Here's my newest start Buttons Black by PSS or Plum Street Samplers



Stitched on 36ct LL Autumn Gold. 1 over 2 GAST. I like doing 1 over 2 strictly from an economical standpoint-lots of the over-dyed left over! Idiot stitched the K in Clack wrong which then threw off the ack in Brack. So out came ack and stitched in right but by counting over from Brew is! I left that funky K in Clack, lol! AND then the star at the right has extra stitches to give it a more square look! I just left those in too.

ACK!

I'm guessing there were a lot of distractions while I was stitching; things like TV, 3 football games, and a couple movies like 2012 and the newer Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

I'm pooped and I'm going to see if I can put in a few more stitches in Buttons Black. Thanks for stopping in. Have a great evening!



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TUSAL For August

Here's my Orts



Black threads from my Scary ornament, and the browns from my two newer starts.

I have to tell you all that I found the Season of The Heart kit Saturday morning on eBay for almost $7, $8 total with shipping. I snatched it right up! I'm really excited to get it.

I'll be back on the 13th with pics of my two starts, one of them nearly done. I need to work on a WIP to post for Turtle Trot, so I'm doing that as soon as I get off here. Have a great evening y'all!


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Ornament SAL for July

Happy Thursday!
Thanks everyone for your comments on 'all Hallows eve'!
Here's my ornament




Some of you may recognize this one. It's one of the extra designs that came with the LK Mystery Very Scary Sampler. I used the called for 32ct Lilac fabric and just used DMC black. It's a quick stitch, for me, in just two evenings. I'll make it into a flat ornament.
Well, my finishing mojo went out the window and I haven't worked on a single WIP; shame on me! But I do have two new
starts, one I just barely started called Buttons Black by Plum Street Samplers. And this one




Yellow Bird by La D Da. I'm using the called for silk, but using 36ct flax linen instead of the WDW Parchment called for. I thought it would be bigger. I was thinking of making this a pin pillow but its going to be pretty when done, so I don't know.

Years and years ago when I first started stitching, which I think might've been around 1999 or 2000, I stitched on Aida. I found this kit from Mill Hill of a Christmas tree with all bugle beads, which are tube-like. It was on Aida and I remember my stitches went every which way! Needless to say I tossed it! I then moved onto a large kit, Aida also, that I bought off eBay. I don't remember how much I paid but I did much better on it! Here it is




This WIP! has got to be more than 10 years old! As you can see its not finished. Due to life and whatever else in that time, I rolled it up and put it away. I ended up losing the thread AND the pattern! Surviving two moves, not far, 9 miles, and then back, I still have it. Last week I thought it would be nice to finish the stitching. So onto eBay I went and lo and behold, someone was selling the kit.....for 20.00 bucks + 4.99 shipping.....screeeeeech (applied the brakes)!! I can't justify $25.00 when all I need is the pattern and a few more threads. I don't know if its re-listed. What do you all think? It's very cute, on Aida. This weekend when I have more time, I'm going to search all the ONS's I can think of and see if anyone is selling this kit for cheaper. I have a feeling I won't a find it though. When I was looking through eBay, I looked at over 4000 items in the Kit section, finger was getting tired! Should I buy it or not?

Okay, I found the name of this kit--Season of The Heart by Design Works

Don't forget to click on each picture for clearer view.

I'm going back to stitching on Buttons Black. Thanks ladies! I appreciate you stoppin' in and commenting! I'll leave you a few pictures of a Saturday drive my daughter took me on last week. Take Care!




See the sun? This is looking West.




A nice little Aspen grove amongst the Ponderosa pines.

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July's Turtle Trot and more finishes

Greetings from a damp section of Arizona! It's been drizzling off and on for most of the day. An Arizona Indian tribe, according to their culture, calls this a Female rain because the rain falls softly. A noisy thunderstorm is called a Male rain. I'll let you figure that one out!

Male female, we just need rain here and throughout the West.

Today is the Trot posting day. I've only worked on one WIP during this time



Wow, the picture looked so bright when I took it. Not here! This is Pumpkin Hollow Farms by LHN. Not yet ironed, just took it off the Q bars for a rest. Last time I worked on this, I had half the sign filled in, half of the big pumpkin, and the vine above the big pumpkin were stitched. Filling in the sign was quite a job.

I have some finishes! Carol, it does feel good to get some finishing done!



The designer escapes me but this came off a Freebie. Looks like a Bent Creek maybe? Or a Mosey 'N Me? I stitched this up last year and just barely framed it today. I thought the green in the frame went along with the colors of the design. I love it when framing goes so easily!



Remember Whatever? The colors used matched the colors of the fabric. The back is the same fabric. Then I added that trim in the middle, and then used the bronze chain for a hanger. It also matched the fabric. BTW, this a LizzieKate freebie.



Sometimes I nail a finish and it turns out great. Love how this turned out! DebbieSFL told me this is from Threadwork Primitives. Here's the link-www.threadworkprimitives.blogspot.com/p/freebie-patterns.html-. I can't find a place on this app to insert a link so I'll have to do it this way. Thanks Debbie!

I sweated out this one because I knew if I was careful it would turn out nice. I took some shimmery velvet-like ribbon for the hanger. I hot glued black trim with scrolls around it. Used a store bought black tassel and sewed that metal spider charm onto it. Eeeeee! I just sit in front of it, admiring it and waiting for my head to go back to size, lol! I was going for a sparse Edgar Allan Poe look and I think I got it. Here's the back



Not very Poe is it?! The purple matches the thread color well. See the kitty just barely peeking? That tassel almost looks like the cats' body. I couldn't have planned that even if I tried!

So I'll carry on my love affair with All Hallows' Eve!

Remember to click on each picture for a nice view.

I'm in the middle of finishing the very first Sheep Virtues so I'll have a picture of that soon. I finally emailed the ONS to have them take me off their auto program for the sheep. I haven't touched the other sheep at all. Shame. I think next year I'm going to fly solo, as in not join any SAL's. There are so many things I want to stitch and feel I can't because to me, when I sign up for something, it's an obligation I need to keep. We'll see. First of the year when all these SALs get announced, I'll probably be amongst the first to sign up!

Well that's it, folks. Have a wonderful weekend!



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