Mail, the Smalls SAL, and Other Things

(Lots of pics here!)

First, I got a sweet and unexpected note from Rachel, my exchange recipient for the Autumn Exchange.  She sent me this package of winter signs - I'm already imagining potential projects that they might embellish!

And after a snafu with the Postal Service, I got my Autumn Exchange from my partner as well.  She made me this adorable fob stitched from a Prairie Schooler design, and included a pair of stork scissors and some DMC flosses.  Thank you Sharon!

With my week off between Christmas and New Year's, I decided to do some more finishing.  This is the "April Sewing Lady Tin Topper" by The Needle's Content, finished with an Altoid tin.  I didn't like the look of the red tin edge with the burgundy and green floss, so I took a hint from my previous box finish and wrapped the edges with jute twine.

I took the picture with the pattern picture so you can see the changes I made - adding hair to the lady, made her eyes blue, and used purple in her skirt in place of the dark green.  Oh, and I alternated the bobbins on the top and bottom.
Here is the inside, complete with a pair of "Tiny Gems" scissors and Sharon's lovely fob.  The pattern said to glue flannel to the inside of the top lid as well, but when I did that the tin didn't close properly, so I removed it.  And I made some twisted cord (to keep the scissor tips from "ramming" into the metal box!).

Finally, my December finishes for the Smalls SAL and my last finishes of 2015!

This little house is from the same issue of the UK Cross Stitcher magazine as the one I posted last month - I just decided to try one on navy fabric.  It just did not photograph well....

 

And here is my daughter's annual Christmas ornament.  This was a Sunflower Seed design from....2013? 2014?....the JCS Ornament issue, anyway.  The design said "Home," but I changed it to my daughter's name.  I also used different beads, and left off the white and green layers of the border (alluded to earlier in my rant about red flosses bleeding into white).

October Small Check-in

I actually have TWO smalls this month!  First up is a piece I stitched for an autumn exchange.

This is "Autumn is Here" by Helga Mendl, from the September 2009 issue of The Gift of Stitching magazine.  I stitched it over-one on some 28-ct. evenweave (it may have been 25-ct., it was the packaged stuff from the hobby store, and it never seems very exact), using DMC floss.  The finishing idea came to me as I was wondering the wood aisle at the craft store - I was looking for a box or frame of some kind, and then I saw the fence pieces.  Why not, I thought?  I think it turned out pretty cute!

And I finished and framed this myself, for DH and I.

The Vikings were a little kit by the Danish Handwork Guild that I picked up at Celebrations.  I changed the colors a little - I gave the man brown eyes like DH, changed the girl's eyes and hair, and as a result of that change I had to swap around her outfit as well (the pattern had her underdress as brown - once I used the brown for her hair, that was just too much brown!).  I added our names and wedding date, and laced it to fit a little 3" x 5" frame that I picked up at the thrift store for 99 cents.

What I've Been Up To

I love fall....the colors, the smells, the crisp nights.  But it also reminds me of how quickly times passes...how soon the snow will fly....and what's that you say, CHRISTMAS?!?!?  Yikes.

Last weekend we went apple picking, and came home with 2 big bags of Empire apples.  They are a bit too tart for my snacking preferences, but they make a tasty applesauce.

This was my first foray into canning!  And I think it went quite well.  So well, in fact, that after 7 pints of applesauce, I decided to try some cran-apple butter...

6 half-pints!

I still have about 20 pounds of apples in the garage - but I'm thinking I want to get another batch before the picking season ends!  I have big plans.  LOL

My stitching?  Well, that has slowed down considerably again.  After I sent my exchange piece to Becky, I started working on Plum Street Samplers' "Rotted but not Forgotted" ornament from one of the previous JCS Halloween issues.  Nothing worth sharing yet, though.  (I keep getting distracted by apple processing!)  Oh, but I should share the ornament that I received from Carol in the Halloween exchange.

This is a Prairie Schooler design called "Yeow!" from the 2012 JCS Halloween issue.  Isn't it cute??  I think the little bow at the top is just the cutest.  Thank you, Carol!

Halloween Exchange

I stitched up the "Petite Halloween Sampler" by Nikyscreations, in the 2014 JCS Halloween special issue, for Becky.

I used the DMC colors called for, and stitched it over-2 with one strand of floss on a mystery evenweave (I think it was Queen Anne's Lace?) from my stash.  The checkered fabric is what I used for the back or the ornament, and the trim is a piece of jute twine with orange and brown beads.  The bottom bow and beads was my attempt to make a "pumpkin" - not sure if it worked or not, but it is different!

I hope Becky liked it.

Exchanges received

(Just to clarify something Zeb mentioned in her comment on my last little ranty post...if I don't like a pattern and/or find it to expensive to justify purchasing, I would never, EVER download it from a pirate site.  If I like something and can afford it, I will buy it.  If I cannot afford it, I'll either save my stash money until I can, or I'll whine ineffectually here.  But again, I will never advocate theft!)

On to happier things...  Jayne posted in the HOE blog that she received her Halloween Exchange, so now I can share it here.

This is "Vintage Witch," a freebie from The Little Stitcher, stitched with black cotton floss on a piece of purple linen I had in my stash (Jayne said purple was one of her favorite colors!).  The spiderweb batik fabric is what I used as the backing, and the orange pearl bead trim was something I found in a bin at the thrift store ($0.29 for 6 feet of it).  And on a side note, I really love some of the designs The Primitive Hare has been posting lately...both the fairy tale designs I mentioned a few weeks back and her most recent set of Halloween designs.  I'm very tempted by "Season of the Witch," which I think would look great on the remaining piece of purple fabric!  But then, maybe I should save the purple fabric for a little Mira fairy or something like that....look, I've been crippled by indecision, as usual.  Sigh.

I also received my Halloween piece from Amy Varnell-Miller.  Funnily enough, it is the exact same little owl sampler from the 2012 JCS Halloween issue that I stitched for...I think it was Becky?...last year!  Amy did a lovely job, and I'm glad to have a stitched version of this one for my very own now.  I took a pic with my phone, but I'm currently at the library without my phone, so I'll update with a photo later.

Exchanges sent and received, plus a finish

Phew, I've been busy since I came back from Cape Cod!

First, I finished this little basket for Edgar, as part of the ABC Exchange over at HOE.

This is "Eliza's Pyn Pillow," a freebie from With My Needle.  I stitched it over-one on a 28-ct. linen from my stash, using my own choices of over-dyed flosses (I'm pretty sure the blue was my old stand-by favorite, The Dye is Cast's "Bluebells").  I finished it as a basket top.  To give you an idea of how big it is, that basket lid is about 3 inches in diameter.  I put a little cushion inside, so it could be used for pins (or other things!).

(Muriel wanted to pose with it....I'm afraid she ended up hogging most of the pic!)

Over the weekend I received my exchange piece from Mylene.  I don't have the card she sent with me right now, but I believe she said this is a freebie.  You can't see the back, but there is a scissor pocket there, and hanging from my sewing machine is a matching fob.  Everything is lovely!  Thank you, Mylene!

(Muriel: perhaps if I sit here on the sewing machine, I can convince my hostess to do a bit more sewing.  Look, she is coming over to move everything!  Wait, she's carrying the cover for the machine.  Drat.)

 And finally, I finished the Mermaid Sampler.  I really love this - and you should have seen my daughter's eyes light up when she saw this picture.

The glass mermaid was one of my purchases in Cape Cod, at the Heritage Museum's gift shop.  She is just so delicate - the stitching she is posed with is no more than 3 inches wide, to give you an idea of her size.  The sampler is stitched with the kit materials, although I DID make one tiny personalization.  I added an aquamarine bead to the center of the mermaid's crown...

Exchange received, a finish, and some progress

Yesterday I found a package from Australia in my mailbox....it was my Shepherd's Bush ornament exchange, stitched by Karen K.!

She stitched "Santa's Flight" on 32-ct. smokey pearl jobelan, using DMC floss and a snowman charm.  It is so delicate and sweet!  Thank you, Karen.

Then last night I finished up "Celtic Knot" by Elizabeth's Designs.

I stitched this on a piece of mystery light blue evenweave from my stash - I think it is 28-ct.  I used the Needle Necessities blue over-dyed floss that came with the pattern, and the DMC colors that were called for.  I did, however, use some Delica beads from my stash, and I used a different charm in the center.  I didn't want to use the Celtic cross, so I found this sparkly with a whorl pattern (which could be considered Celtic!) at Wal-Mart the other day.  I really liked stitching this one, and I'm considering doing it again in my own colorway.  We'll see....

Finally, here is my progress on La-D-Da's "The Ark."

I think the fabric color might be a bit more true in this pic compared to the first I posted....or maybe it is somewhere between the two?

Shepherd's Bush ornie received!

Janet has received her ornament, so now I can share...

This little Santa is from the Angel Sampler in the "Angel Pie" booklet.  I stitched him on some mystery evenweave - maybe it is antique white? - and he fit perfectly on the 3-inch round ornament form that I had.  The swirly star fabric is the backing, and I made the cording with the green used in the pattern.  There is also green in the backing fabric, so I think that ties it together pretty well!  I'm so glad you liked it, Janet.

And an update on Snowflakes in the Pines -

I realized after this picture was taken that the pine boughs on the lower left were off by one stitch - somewhere.  Grrr.  I did finally find  the stitch, but of course it was in the middle....so I frogged the whole thing out.  Argh!  But you can see the divider band I decided on.  It is an upright cross done with 2 strands of brown, and then 2 elongated crosses over the top done with one strand of green.  I thought about topping that with a cross in white, but when I tried it, it looked too busy.  So just the green and brown, I think.  I am thinking of trying some beads, either between the stitches or maybe below.  We'll see!  I also need to decide what color to do the text in.  The green might show up best....but brown was the dominant color in my sister's wedding.  I'm pretty sure I will have it framed with brown mats, so that will help.  Guess I'll just have to try both and see what strikes my fancy!

Boo! Halloween Exchange received

Lynn posted that she received my little Halloween package, so now I will share here....

"Little Owl Sampler" by Knotted Tree Needleworks
in 2012 JCS Halloween special issue

I swapped out a bunch of flosses, used the fabric on the right for the backing, and finished it with some purple ribbon and beads.  I also included a few little goodies - some cocoa, sticky notes, and floss.  I'm so glad you liked it, Lynn!

Exchange received

Yesterday I got a lovely package in the mail....my Halloween Exchange from Dawn!

She stitched a cute little prim design called "Black Jack" and finished it as a long pillow.  Plus she included some floss and finishing fabrics, mulling spices for cider (I've never tried that, but it does sound tasty), and some candied apple candy corn.  DH says that is gross, so I've stashed it away in my drawer of emergency low-blood sugar episode goodies.  LOL  Thank you for everything, Dawn!
I sent my exchange package out on Saturday as well, so hopefully it will arrive soon and I can share a pic of what I stitched.

Exchange received and bit of progress

Last week I received my Autumn Exchange piece from Roberta.  She made the sweetest little scissor pocket!

She didn't give me any details about the design, but I think it a modification of a freebie found at Cross Stitch Happy.  I really love it!  It is already hanging from my stitching lamp, and I've been using the scissors.  Plus, she wrapped it in the fabric in the photograph, so I need to find a nice Halloween-y design for that orange evenweave.....

I've also been inspired to work on the Dark Sorceress a bit (poor DH, Wee Bit is quite enamored with the Sorceress, and is now requesting more "piddy ladies."   As he said, maybe I'll finish his Labyrinth....befor he retires...  LOL).

Most of what I've done recently is the yellow background, and a few lengths of purple floss for her wrap.  Getting close to the bottom!  Then I'll have to go up and finish the top.

Two more small finishes

My Autumn Exchange piece arrived safely in North Carolina, so now I can share the pillow I made for Diana.

This little design is from a Sam Hawkins book, "Cross Stitch Seasons."  I was pretty pleased with my "9-patch" finishing, too!  The blue fabric was something I picked up in the remnant bin at the quilt shop, and the orange corner pieces were leftovers from my stash.  I thought they worked quite nicely with the stitching.  I also included a vanilla soy candle and a little metal pumpkin ornament.

And I also finished the freebie I teased you all with earlier! 

 

It was "The Spooks are Out!" by Waxing Moon Designs. I don't know if it is still available anywhere - I don't see it on their website now. It is stitched on some 25-ct. Driftwood linen I found in my stash cabinet, and I used the DMC floss substitutions provided, except for the pumpkins. Those I stitched with a DMC variegated orange. I thought the wrapper said 4821, but I can't find that color (or number!) in any online color listings. Hmmm. I picked up the floss in a clearance bin at Hobby Lobby, so manybe it was discontinued or renumbered?  Oh, and the cat's eyes are beads from an old assortment pack I found.

Lovely Mail Days

I've gotten a couple wonderful packages in the mail this week...I received both a Valentine exchange and a Santa ornament! 

First, the Valentine.  This was stitched by Diana, using Gloriana and Dinky Dyes silks.  She says the pattern is a freebie from GiGi.  It is absolutely gorgeous!

 I also received my Santa ornament, stitched by Edgar.  I've admired Edgar's stitching on his blog for quite a while now, and I'm thrilled to have something of his for my very own!  This pattern is from Mary Garry, and it is just too cute.  Thank you, Edgar!

And finally, my progress on the Stag Sampler.  I know, I said I was going to put it up and get out a WIP, but this just keeps calling to me.....

My heart is in Australia!

My Heart/Valentine Exchange arrived in Australia yesterday...what great timing!  (Can I take credit for planning it that way?!?  LOL)

I stitched Passione Ricamo's 2011 Valentine heart freebie on a piece of 32-ct. Tarnished Silver Lakeside Linen, using 2 colors of DMC and a few beads for sparkle.  My partner asked if I'd used an over-dyed floss - nope, just DMC 815 and 304!  The red fabric is the backing of the little pillow.

And here is the whole package I sent - a little tea towel, some ribbon, a cherry lip gloss and some M&Ms!  (plus a skein of pale pink HDF silk floss that missed the picture somehow)

As for me, my own stitching mojo has majorly stalled.  And yes, I know I was going to do a giveaway.  I even drew a name, and was all ready to post something....when I decided I should paw through my stash and FIND the pattern (I'd just pulled the pic from an old post).  Wouldn't you know, the pattern seems to be missing.  :(  My pattern database SAYS it should be there, but it just isn't.  So please forgive me for not following through on my giveaway?  I promise I'll try to come up with something to make up for it in the future....

All kinds of pics

First, this month's WIPocalypse update.  I concentrated on the "Mom's Tearoom" tea towel, and made quite a bit of progress!

And I'm still working on the Stag Sampler.  Soon I'll have to put it up for a bit, because I need to pull something else from the WIP rotation...

Finally, my ornament for the Santa round at HOE arrived at Roberta's house!  This is Sue Hillis' "Lantern Santa," from the 2011 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue.  I used some Delica beads for the snowflakes, and for the trim.  The star fabric is the backing.

On (not) Seeing Red

Having made some more progress on the Mom's Tearoom towel (bleh, icky aida, but I need to get it done), I decided to reward myself by joining another exchange round over at HOE - the Valentine's/Heart Exchange.  And last night as I was scanning my freebies and other stash, I was struck by just how little red floss I have!  Of course I have DMC red shades, but I was hoping to find a pretty HDF or other dyed fiber...hmph.  I'm not in a position to buy stash right now, either, so I guess I'll have to make do with DMC.  Or maybe pink....  :)

I've requested time off for Celebration of Needlework this year, and I've been watching for the class list to come out.  Some things started appearing on the website yesterday, but I haven't seen anything I'm crazy about yet.  I'm curious about Jeannette Douglas' "Island of Hope" pieces, but there are no pictures yet, and her classes tend toward the expensive side.  Hmph.

Finally, I've been seeing a lot of Blackbird Designs' "Anniversaries of the Heart" samplers finished lately, and I'm getting more and more intrigued over the whole idea - commemorating bits of family history and all that.  But then I think about 1) the cost of all those patterns, 2) my existing gigantic stash, and 3) my inability to decide what to include and where, and manage to talk myself out of it.  For now.  Ack.

Happy Friday

After taking some mental health days last Thursday and Friday, this has felt like a very loooooooong work week.... LOL

Earlier this week I finished the Autumn Cottage Boxer, and it is quite cute. I even made a trip to Hobby Lobby for some finishing fabric, but haven't yet commenced the sewing (I'm thinking pillow for this one). And I haven't taken a picture yet, either. I need to do that, as well as post my TUSAL pic! Maybe later tonight, or this weekend.

I started another small project, this time it is Homespun Elegance's 2011 "Jingle Jingle" ornament. I'm going to do this one as Wee One's ornament for the year. That's not to say that I won't stitch any other ornaments, just that this one will be her annual one! After doing the Santa Factory one for her last year, I'm thinking I'd like to give her at least one Santa-themed ornament every year for as long as I'm stitching.

Speaking of Wee One, one of my projects last weekend was to make my stitchy corner even more toddler-unfriendly. All of my WIPs migrated from an open-topped basket to a plastic tote with a locking lid! She was having entirely too much fun pulling projects out and dumping thread bobbins all over. Not good!

Oh, and I CAN share a pic of my ornament for the HOE Words of Christmas exchange. I stitched "Windows of Joy" by Primrose Needleworks, in the December 2007 issue of The Gift of Stitching. I had some trouble with the finishing - silly me, trying to use purchased cording instead of making my own. I did my best to cover it nicely with some extra thread and some beads at the bottom.... Gwen was the recipient, and this pic is from her.I'm trying to decide if I want to participate in the next round of ornament exchanges....I'm kind of focused on projects for myself and my family right now.

Exchange received, and few odds and ends

Last week I received my snowman ornament, from Jayne in England.(I'm sorry it isn't the greatest picture...I was having issues with the lighting...) Jayne used the snowflake snowman from "He's a Flake" by Little House Needleworks. So cute! And such a unique shape. I love it, Jayne, thank you!


In other news, we're in the midst of planning to travel for my sister-in-law's wedding, to be held in Iowa next month. I'm doing my best to keep our costs to a minimum, and to that end I was scouring the thrift shops for a dress for me. (I found one for the Wee Peanut at Kohl's for $8. Geez, if only I could outfit myself so cheaply!) And? I did it! $6!!! Plus some help from Mom to make a few alterations, and here it is:(Obviously the wee one isn't mine.) Mom and I took in the sides and shortened it significantly, and I love it! Plus, it is casual enough that I can wear it to work after the wedding.

Until next time, may your carpets stay free of pet hair....because you never know when someone might be eating off of them...

My snowman made it to Singapore!

Without melting, even! :D

My exchange partner was Ellen L., and I stitched "Snow Wishes" by The Victoria Sampler/Designs by Cathy Jean from the 2009 JCS ornament issue. I used 28 ct. willow green Jazlyn fabric, and lots of thread swapping from my stash. I personalized the back, and edged the round ornament with some pearl beads I had.This little guy was so much fun to stitch. I'm glad you liked it, Ellen!

I'll be back later with the monthly ort report...

Reindeer Round from Gwen

Here is the sweet reindeer ornament Gwen sent.Isn't it darling?!?!? I love it, Gwen. She said it is adapted from an Earth Threads chart, and finished as a tuck pillow.