Progress pictures

Hello dear readers

This might be a picture heavy post, but as they are my favourites when I read other blogs, I hope that's OK with you.  Before I show you what I've been up to, here is a picture of some lovely happy post I received last week from Jacquie...

and here's a back view of the gorgeous pincushion...

Lovely paisley fabric.  Jacquie has sent these lovely pincushions out to stitchers all over the world.  If you read her blog then you will know that "Smile" is a very appropriate message from Jacquie, if not then please please pop over and have a look at her lovely happy blog, you won't be disappointed!

I am desperately trying to reduce my WIP list to ten but am desperate for a new start.  Here are some progress photos...

Bothy Threads Cut Thru North Pole House

The Boys are Back in Town by JABCO

Treasure Hunt Bookshelf by Aimee Stewart (HAED)

I've also been working on a secret exchange piece for the Tutti Frutti Exchange organised by Mii Stitch.  I've almost finished the cross stitching and now have to decide how to finish finish!  The person I am stitching for has the most beautiful blog here which I am just in awe of!  So it has to be a good finish.

We spent the day today with younger son's best friend and his mother.  She is from Thailand and she made the most delicious Thai prawn noodles for lunch, and gave me some to bring home for dinner too!  Her home is an interesting mix of styles, both Thai and English, and she is a Buddhist so has lots of Buddhas around.  It was lovely to spend the day with them.  I showed her a bit of cross stitch that I always carry round in my bag and she was really interested - I might just have found a future stitcher!  She also told me that she learned Thai dancing when she was at school and was in lots of shows, so of course now I am itching to start this picture of a traditional Thai dancer from my stash, which I planned to make for her!

Hope you are all well and enjoy some stitching time this weekend!

Until next time

Justine

Stitch From Stash July update and another finish!

Hi everyone

It's that time again when we 'fess up to how much we have spent this month on stash.

My total for this month is a restrained £8.85 on two charts, Miss Peepers by LHN, and May's Lily of the Valley by Cottage Garden Samplings.

Miss Peepers - isn't she lovely?

May's Lily of the Valley - not sure about the snails!

I had a great idea (if I do say so myself!) to stop me buying more stash.  See, my main problem is when I am out and about but not able to do any stitching, I start surfing the net on my smartphone.  First I check out Blogger to see if there are any new posts on the blogs I follow, and once I've read those I start browsing stitching stores.  So, my idea is that I have set up a "stash" page here on my blog, and rather than browse stores and find more things I want to stitch, I am going to browse my own stash and decide what I'm going to stitch on next!

I have had another little finish...

Little Ballerinas by Country Cottage Needlecrafts

Stitched on 28 count evenweave with DMC and GAST threads

Started November 2013, finished 24th July 2014

This is going to be a 7th birthday present for our niece Fabienne who has ballet lessons.  I haven't decided yet whether to make it into a door hanging, or to put it on a bag for her ballet things.

Well, my stitching is calling...what should I work on next....you'll have to wait and see!  It will be something bright and colourful as that's the mood I'm in at the moment.

Hope you're not all melting in this very hot weather in the UK!

Justine

Forks and Spoons

....is finished!  I put the final stitch in last night. So happy it's done. I got a bit fed up with all the greys but it looks pretty effective now it's finished. Here are a couple of photos...

Forks and Spoons by Lanarte

Stitched on 27 count evenweave with DMC threads

Started 3/1/14, finished 20 / 7 / 14

Please excuse the wrinkles...I just couldn't wait to show you!

I'm motivated again to keep reducing my WIP list. Hmm. ..what to finish next?

Keep stitching!

Justine

Blue skies and grey stitchings...

Hello everyone

Hope you are all keeping safe in the heatwave we are having in the UK, and probably somewhere else in the world too!  I'm not at work today so it's bearable.

Recently I have mostly been working on this...

Forks and Spoons by Lanarte

This was one of my Crazy January Challenge pieces and I was really looking forward to finishing it - unfortunately now I hate the sight of it as it's just grey grey and more grey - oh and a bit of white thrown in.  I just have to add the metallic (silver grey) and the backstitch (four shades of grey) and then it will be finished!

I am trying to get my WIP list down to ten before having any more new starts.  However, some things in my stash are calling to me, especially this!

Miss Peepers by LHN

The lovely Bekca of Stitching Lion blog has just stitched this - just click on her name to see it.  She changed a few of the colours and I think it looks fantastic!

I thought I "only" had fourteen WIPs on the list but I found another two yesterday.  Here they are...

Jingle as ye Enter by Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Frosty Forest by CCN

I have added them to my WIP list.  That means I need 6 more finishes before a new start.  Do you think I can hold out?

Be back soon with my Stitch From Stash update!

Justine

A giveaway, a winner, a finish and an update!

That post header sounds like a film doesn't it?  I would certainly go and see a film about cross stitch.  Does anyone know of any?

First of all, Parsley over at Seasons of my Mind has just qualified as an EMT - congratulations!  She is having a fantastic giveaway to celebrate.  Just follow the link.

I recently had a giveaway for a chart of the winner's choice and forgot that the closing date was the end of June.  Oops, sorry!  Anyway, I used the Random Number Generator and the winner is....Katrina!  Katrina chose World Traveller Bookshelf from HAED which is one of my favourites.  Katrina, please let me have your email address so that I can arrange to gift the chart to you.

As for the finish, it's another Crazy January Challenge piece!  I started 15 pieces on the first 15 days of January, and the aim is to complete them by the end of the year.  I have finished 7 of the 15 so almost halfway.  I'm not sure I will complete the challenge as I think I have left the bigger pieces until the end, but I have put some stitches in them.  Anyway, please be upstanding for...

The Snowman by DMC

Stitched on 14 count iridescent blue aida with DMC threads

Started 4th January 2014, finished 5th July 2014

I'm pleased with how this one turned out and it was a quick stitch.  I'm going to turn it into a wall hanging for Christmas.

The update is on my Cut Thru Pirate Ship which I am stitching along with Jan of Thread Garden.  I had to frog some yesterday which was frustrating but I am happy with how it's turning out.  Got to love those bright colours!

Bothy Threads Cut Thru Pirate Ship

Started 6th January 2014

Stitched on 16 count blue aida

Just one more thing, I have altered the background colour of my blog as I have heard it is easier for some people to read.  Please let me know what you think - good or bad.

Until next time

Justine

HAED SAL Update 1 - July 2014

Hi all

Thoeria and I recently started our first HAEDs and decided it would be fun to have a SAL and post our updates on the 1st of each month.  So, here's mine.  I cheated a little bit as I started mine on 30th April so technically I've been stitching for two months, but I have been working on lots of other things as well!

Here's a reminder of what it will look like when finished...

and here's where I am up to, about halfway through page one...

Like most other HAED stitchers, I have started in the top left hand corner.  At the moment I am working in hand but I can't see myself being able to do that once I get further into the middle of the fabric, because it's THIS BIG!!!!!

I love stitching on it, alternating between this and smaller projects.

You may remember I was RAK'd this beautiful chart by Pull the Other Thread recently...

well, the fabric and threads arrived today!  Look at all those gorgeous colours...

The blues top left are my favourites, but there are some lovely bright colours in this one and I can't wait to get started!  I plan to stitch a page of each and keep swapping between them.  I am finding them so much fun!

Another HAED update next month, don't forget to visit Thoeria's blog to see her project which is very different to mine!

Justine

Gorjuss exchange!

Hi everyone

I'm very excited to show you the gorjuss gifts I received in our exchange!  The exchange was organised by Mii Stitch and the challenge was to send one handmade gorjuss finish plus two gifts from their website.  There were only three participants and I was lucky to receive these lovely gifts from Heather.

all my gifts together

the beautiful hanger that Heather made just for me - with my favourite gorjuss girl, Ladybird

look at the fabric on the back - with pale pink hearts to match the spots on the front

a pretty and useful coin purse

a lovely trinket tin

Heather also sent me a lovely notebook, also with Ladybird girl on the front.  Heather, you have really spoiled me and I'm so grateful for your gifts.  I will treasure that hanger forever!

This was the first exchange I have ever taken part in and I really enjoyed it.  I forgot to take a picture of the goodies I sent to Mii but if you head to her blog here and Heather's here you will get to see all the other lovely gifts that were exchanged.  Thank you Mii for organising this!  I'm looking forward now to the Tutti Frutti exchange which Mii has organised.

Hope all your stitching is "gorjuss" this week!

Justine