Monday Stitchery Party #5

I generally save my Santa and the Mouse updates for my Work in Progress Wednesday posts. However, on Friday night I finished page 2 and I simply had to share. This chart is now 70% complete! (This was a free chart at Heaven and Earth Designs, but it has been retired. It is a smaller portion of this cross-stitch pattern that is still available.)

My motives for finishing this piece are mixed. Of course, I would love to have it fully stitched and finished for Christmas this year. I also have other charts I really, really, really want to start, but I am making myself finish this and one other cross-stitch work in progress before I move on. 

My 15-year-old asked me why I am making myself finish 2 projects before I start my next one and I told him it is a 2 steps forward, 1 step back mentality. At least I would be making some progress. He shook his head at me and I couldn't blame him. My husband decided to pipe in with, "You should finish the garden next." I held it up and asked, "This one?" His eyes widened and he admitted he was teasing when he asked me. 

This piece is about half done and I would really love to use the frame for one of my next projects. Besides, this piece will be a gift and I really would like to finish it some day. (There is more done at the top, but the frame rolls and this was all I could catch in one photo.) I set this project aside after I realized the half-stitches in the center above the gazebo were supposed to use one strand of floss instead of two. Oops. Mine will just be darker than it was supposed to be, I guess. I do love this garden scene.

As for my future projects... I took advantage of a sale at Heaven and Earth Designs last year and purchased 3 charts. And, on May 3rd, I broke down and ordered 2 more - who can resist a 40% off sale?! Between these and a few of the free charts I printed out, I have enough projects to keep me busy for the next decade or more! And this does not even include my current works in progress that are safely tucked away, waiting for some attention. 

Unless I change my mind by the time I finish the projects above, my next projects will be #1, #3 and #4 below. I'm not sure if I can post pictures from the cover pages without breaking copyright, so I only added links until I find out.

1. QS Red Hearts artwork by Ching-Chou Kuik (185 W x 254 H = 46,990 stitches) - I picture this as a center piece with crazy quilted blocks (featuring hearts, vines and flowers) framing it and have everything I need to work on it. (Actually, last November, I spent about 3 hours outlining the 28-count fabric and putting in the first few stitches. But, I made myself put it away to focus on Santa and the Mouse.) 

2. QS Rochelle  artwork by Hannah Disney (185 W x 283 H = 52,355 stitches) - I picture this as a center piece with under-the-sea themed crazy quilted blocks framing it. This one will have to wait for its turn.

3. Twilight Duel artwork by Ruth Thompson - (450 W x 328 H = 147,600 stitches) - My 15-year-old asked me to make this one for him. I am more than a little intimidated. That is a lot of blue and a lot of background. And then, there is the fact that it is HUGE! I have almost everything I need for this one. I would like to find 25-count fabric for this one and the local shops I have been to only carry 22- or 28-count. I plan to work this one into a rotation with the QS Red Hearts so I have one I can see progress quicker.

4. Train of Dreams artwork by Randal Spangler - (625 W x 164 H = 102,500 stitches) - I fell in love with this chart. There is just so much going on and it has cookies and books and dragons. My eldest son has a hard time getting excited about anything cross-stitch so I thought this one (or the chart below) might make a fun Christmas gift many years down the road. I would love to start on this one today, I am so excited!

5. Snowy Friends artwork by Dona Gelsinger - (400 W x 444 H = 177,600 stitches) - I just love snowmen and fell in love with this piece. It is bigger than Twilight Duel. Gulp!

6. Freebie Ice Princess artwork by Hannah Lynn - (250 W x 233 H = 58,250 stitches) - This is a free chart currently offered at Heaven and Earth Designs. I can picture it as a center piece framed with snowy, winter crazy quilt blocks.

7. Freebie All Hollows Eve artwork by Jessica Galbreth - (250 W x 193 H = 48,250 stitches) - This was a free chart offered at Heaven and Earth Designs last year, but it has been retired. I did find a picture someone pinned on Pinterest and linked to that if you want to see it. I picture this as a center piece with crazy quilt blocks embellished with all sorts of spiderwebs framing it. 

8. Freebie Storykeep Flower Bride artwork by Linda Tso - (95 W x 358 H = 34,010 stitches. This is another retired chart that was offered free at Heaven and Earth Designs last year. I found a picture of it on Pinterest too. However, it is a smaller section of this gorgeous chart that is still available.

Thank you for stopping by. I am linking up with the Monday Stitchery Link Party #5 at Super Mom - No Cape! She is offering a free Baby Face Rose embroidery pattern you may want to check out!

An Unexpected Treasure

I am not even sure where to begin with this post... I am feeling quite surprised and more than a tad emotional. 

I am spoiled.

Those of you in the wonderful world of blogging (whether blogging yourself or following blogs) will not be as surprised by this as some people in life are, but I have a good friend that I only know on-line. Before she and I "met", she and her husband knew my husband for years through an on-line game. My husband kept noting how much Shell and I had in common and one day suggested we become Facebook friends. So, we did.

As for having a lot in common, let's just say we find it interesting to find out ways in which we are different.

(I have a confession... When I want to keep a project a secret on the blog until it is done, but feel the overwhelming need to share it with someone, Shell is my go-to person. Our Facebook chats are loaded with pics of works in progress.)

In December, my mother-in-law gave my husband and I our first amaryllis. Once it began blooming, I shared a few pictures on Facebook so she could see how beautiful it was.

Shell saw the picture above and asked for permission to embroider it. Of course, I said, "You bet!" Her work is always amazing and I could not wait to see how she painted the flower in thread.

On March 26th, in a post titled "54+ Hours Later...", she shared a picture of the finished piece and it was lovely!

She framed the piece and it was recently displayed at Gallery 194 in Michigan with the Fiber Art Junkies Exhibit. Shell shared some pictures of the exhibit on her blog, Little Orphan Stitch.

Today, I returned home from an errand and found a package on my front door. The box looked a little big for the only order I was expecting. I looked at the return address and was completely surprised. I thought back to a Facebook comment Shell made about watching the tracking on a package. I assumed she had mailed another lovely quilt to a family member. Little did I know...

I hope to needle paint nearly as well some day! This is so much prettier in person. The fabric is a pale green. This beauty is now adorning our fireplace mantel. 

Photo inspired embroidery completed by Shell at Little Orphan Stitch

Thank you, Shell! Words just cannot express how touched I am.

Hugs,
Renee

On an ironic note, I was planning to share this picture with my mother-in-law today. I kept forgetting to ask her what to do with the amaryllis after it bloomed. In the mean-time, I kept it watered. This happened this week!

WIP Wednesday 05/06/2015

Wednesday has rolled around again. (Time really does feel like it flies by!) My Santa and the Mouse Ornament is progressing. Last week it was 64% finished. I completed over 400 stitches this week - mostly on Santa's collar, now it is 66% finished! Page 2 is sooo close to being done. I had a hard time setting this project aside to work on a few others this week. Below is the picture I shared last week. (Click on any photo for a larger view.)

This week there are a few things I wanted to share with you that might be of interest.

1. Hurry if you are interested, as this is late notice! Registration closes tomorrow, May 7th, for a Christmas in July Swap. If you want to learn more, I encourage you to check out this post at Wisdom with Needle and Thread.

2. If you are interested in linking up with the Stop Pinning and Make Something May Party at A Focused Journey this month, here is the post to link up in May and here are the rules/guidelines. (I plan to link up again later this month. The more, the merrier!)

3. The Summer edition of Crazy Quilt Quarterly is now available to purchase! Pamela Kellogg has posted a photo of the table of contents, if you want to check that out. This edition focuses on an under the sea theme and I will be ordering my copy today! (I am not affiliated with the magazine, but I would love to see this publication that focuses on my favorite craft grow and succeed!) 

4. CQ Quarterly is currently accepting submissions for their winter edition. The deadline for submissions is August 1st. Ideas for these submissions include: Christmas, winter, snowflakes, snowmen, blues, whites, red and green, silver and gold, Santas, angels, gingerbread men, trees, poinsettia flowers, mistletoe, holly, and mittens. For more details go here.

5. My Bloglovin' feed lit up with giveaway posts this morning. Today is one of two annual giveaway days at Sew Mama Sew. I do not know much about it, but as far as I can tell, there are two link parties for giveaways today at Sew Mama Sew. This one is for handmade goods and this one is for sewing and craft supplies. Giveaways are always fun, so I thought you might like to check them out. Several blogs I follow are participating!

6. Hmmm... I'm not sure there is a six, but I sure do feel like I am forgetting something!

Off to my goals...

Last Week's Goals:

1. Complete 250 x-stitches on the HAED Santa & the Mouse chart (which is no longer available, but it is a part of this chart at Heaven and Earth Designs.) Done! Over 400 stitches completed. Photos are above.

2. Complete the block requested in exchange for my son's senior pictures. Not yet. I am working on adding some beads to a seam and I am SLOW at stitching them on. However, it has made great progress and should be done soon! (Sorry. My camera refuses to focus on the white-on-black.)

3. Add a minimum of 1,750 words to my novel this week. I wish! Finding quiet moments at home to type has been nearly impossible.

4. Share pictures of Sandra T.'s CQI UTS RR blocks and create a plan for the one I plan to embellish. Done! If you missed it, the post is here. I will be embellishing this block. Normally, I wait to share my work on round robin blocks until they are done. However, I had someone ask me how I did one section on the last block. So, I may share this one as I go and include my thought processes along the way. (I hope it doesn't bore you!) 

5. Link up with the Monday Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom No Cape on May 4th. Done! (If you missed out on what was shared on Monday, May 4th, you may check it out here! 15 blogs linked up this week and there is always a vintage embroidery pattern shared.) 

This Week's Goals:

1. Complete 250 x-stitches on the HAED Santa & the Mouse chart (which is no longer available, but it is a part of this chart at Heaven and Earth Designs.) 

2. Complete the block requested in exchange for my son's senior pictures.
3. Work on my Beginner's block from Kathy Shaw's FREE Crazy Quilt Basic Class.

4. Link up with the Monday Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom No Cape on May 11th. 

5. Put together a raised bed for our garden with my husband.

A Long Overdue Finish!

Afghan made from pattern in The Official Looney Tunes Cross Stitch
Book - Leisure Arts Leaflet #2723

Last week, I discovered a UFO stored hiding in my closet. This project began in 1999. The stitching was all completed years and years ago. Somehow, I had the patience to cross-stitch the whole thing, but not to tie off the edges. I think I also chose to set it aside after someone spilled hot cocoa on the fabric. After all that work, I did not know if it would come out. So, aside it was set. For years... 

I love Looney Tunes and fell in love with this afghan pattern in The Official Looney Tunes Cross Stitch Book - Leisure Arts Leaflet #2723. (I found a copy of the leaflet on Amazon.com. You may see it here if you are curious. I am not affiliated with Leisure Arts. However, I do earn a small credit from Amazon for purchases made from my blog.)

This afghan seemed like the perfect project to share with the Monday Stitchery Link Party at Super Mom - No Cape today.

I spent a morning tying the edges off. Then, I spritzed Spray 'n Wash on the stains and put it through two washes on a delicate cycle. Aside from the tiny spot next to Taz, the stains all washed out!

I opted not to dry the afghan, but let it air dry. So, it is still a bit damp and wrinkled in the photo above.

When I showed it to my son (who had completely forgotten about this UFO of mine), he asked what he was supposed to do with it. I suggested he save it for his first kid and he liked that idea. 

Rather than being a REALLY late gift, it is now a REALLY early one.

Sixteen years later, I still love this afghan.

Now both boys have their own baby afghans to set aside for some day in the distant future. (The "Baby Afghan Safari I made for my eldest son may be seen in this post.)

Thank you so much for stopping by! I do hope you will check out the other blog posts shared at the link party this week.

-Renee

CQI Under the Sea Round Robin - Sandra's Bare Blocks

Sandra T. of California pieced this gorgeous set of blocks for the Crazy Quilting International (CQI) Under the Sea Round Robin I am participating in. In February, she mailed her blocks to Kathy S. (aka Clothqueen on-line) in Maryland. Kathy embellished the fun block above. I wish my camera could capture all of the lovely sparkles within this block!

Next, Sandra's blocks traveled to Nicki Lee S. in Massachusetts. Nicki Lee embellished the lovely block above. Don't you just love all of the fish?!

Now the blocks have traveled to Oregon and I have the 4 lovely blocks below to chose from.

I was leaning toward this last one, but I have not quite decided. Today, another block is screaming, "Pick me! Pick me!"

The fabrics are all so fun, whichever block I choose will be a joy to stitch!

Thanks for stopping by!
Renee