Merry Christmas!

I know, it is only August 10, but last week we had our annual Stitching Retreat and our theme this year was "Christmas". It was a condensed one this year, just Wednesday and Thursday, but it was still lots of fun!

At last years retreat, I said that I would make floss tags for us for this year. Here is what I made.

They are from the Blackbird Designs stocking series, with a little tweaking on the toe! These were alot of fun to stitch and I think they turned out great!

Unfortunately I did not take pictures of all of our goodies before I put them away once I got home. You can go over to MamaJoans blog as she has posted pictures.

Since the theme was Christmas, I decided to work on some ornaments. I recently received Lizzie Kate's Santa '14 and the new Tiny Tidings. I completed the Santa '14 and part of the ornament with the elf. I worked on them this weekend and have fininshed stitching all of them.

These pictures aren't the greatest. I did iron my linen before I put the beads and charms on but they got a little wrinkled again. These will go in my "finishing" box for my upcoming finishing day.

I have been a bad blogger once again. I started out the year with great intentions and life just got in the way.

I have "unearthed" the Fair and Square Exchange our 2nd exchange is just underway. The first exchange was a Patriotic Exchange and my partner was the great Marie P. Here are the squares she sent me.

I was thrilled to get these! Thank you Marie!

Here are the squares I sent to Marie.

I have more to share. Maybe later this week, I will be back.
Thanks for visiting.

Happy Stitching!

JillMN

Quick Update

I participated in Round #29 of the Fair Square Exchange. I haven't done this for awhile and I am so glad I got to join this round. My partner was Pam K. and her squares are GORGEOUS!!!

Pam says the sampler is mostly by Madame Chantilly. The large peacocks are her adaptation of a Midsummer Night Design's peacock. The threads are HDF and the fabric is Cream Belfast. I LOVE THEM!!! Thank you Pam!

I stitched part of a Blackbird Design pattern and added her initial.

Sunday I received part 2 of the Papillion Creations "Around the World in 80 Stitches". I finished the stitching today.

I have completed my secret stitching now and can get back to "me" stitching!

Thanks for visiting and I appreciate all of your wonderful comments!

JillMN

More to Share...

Just two days and I already have alot to share!

First, as you probably already know, October is Breast Cancer awareness month. Annemiek over on Once Upon a Stitch wrote a post about pink threads. She is asking people to leave comments about their favorite pink thread and is going to donate 25 eurocents for each comment to Pink Ribbon. I encourage everyone to do this. If you know anyone who has gone through this, it is a terrible disease.


I participated in Round #26 of the Fair and Square. Marie W. was my partner and here is what I stitched for her.

JBW Designs
French Apple
32ct. Natural Lite Belfast linen
GAST Cherry Wine

And here are the squares I received from Marie.


They are very stunning! Marie says this is from a charted folk designs book by Dover. They are lovely and I love the thread choice too! Thank you Marie.


And last but not least, and I can't believe I forgot to share this on my last post...the new Gingher scissors...Tessa! I got mine on Sunday. This one is a little retro looking.


Now, we had heard that this was going to be Gingher's last designer scissors. However, the packaging is a little different and it says on it "Manufactured for Fiskars". Not sure what this means, if anything. Only time will tell.


Well that's it for now. Thanks for visiting and have a great day!

Happy Stitching :)

JillMN

Fair Squares and a Finish

I participated in Round #23 of the Fair Square. My partner was Kim. Here are the squares I stitched for her.



This designed is part of a larger design by Midnight Stitching called, A Quaker Floral. The fiber is a Thread Gatherer Silk 'N Colors "Spring Froche".


I received my squares that Kim stitched and the are just stunning. I know this picture won't do it justice.



These are so beautiful...I just love them. The peacock was a freebie at www.BirdCrossStitch.com, the letters and the little peacock came from Homespun Sampler's "Pollygaton" and "Patience". The fibers used are GAST Avocado and Dried Thyme; WDW Mulberry and Grape Ice; and Kreinik #4 #5740 and #015. PLUS Swavorski crystals. I took a closer up photo to give you a better idea.


I am trying to figure out what kind of finish to do for these. I want them so I can look at them! Thank you Kim!


And here is my new finish...

Hardanger Basket
carpacar.blogspot.com
28 ct. linen from stash
#8 and #12 DMC Perle #712, #8 DMC Perle #3041
and #12 Valdani Color P10
Date Stitching Started: 4/5/2011
Date Stitching Finished: 4/25/2011
Date Finished Completely: 4/25/2011

This was so fun. I hadn't done any Hardanger in quite awhile. It was good to get back into it.

Thanks for visiting. Have a great day!

JillMN

Halloween Greetings

I received my squares from Lenna for the Fair Square Halloween Round. They are so beautiful!

The design she stitched is from the Halloween issue of Just Cross Stitch. It is a Plum Street Samplers design, which I love. However, she switched up the design and fibers a bit which fit me better.



I just love what Lenna did with the design, especially the peacock!

Lenna stitched this on Cobblestone Belfast linen 32 ct. She used a silk over dye (Peacock) Waterliles for the peacocks and Butternut Squash for the half moon. She has never been fond of pineapples so she put a half moon in it's place cause she has always collected and loved half moons. Come to find out on her name crest, (for her maiden name), one of the symbols is a half moon. She used Sassy Strings hand dyed floss in Golden Promise for the crown, Weeping Willow for the 2010 and the flower petals. CC Muddy Puddle was used for the sheep's body. A more carroty color was used for the pumpkin mixed with the Golden Promise. Golden Promise was used for the legs and head. The purple and orange are from Lizzie Kate's Boo colors that she did her name and Waco, Tx. with.

They are just perfect for me. Thank you so much, Lenna!

JillMN

A New Year and More

I just heard from Michele that she received the Christmas Fair Squares I sent her. It is a freebie from Just Cross Stitch called "Vinney Ornament".



It is stitched on 32ct. Little Boy Blue Linen with DMC as charted. I knew that Michele loves Reindeer so I thought this was a cute one to add to her collection.


Well, I had to keep up with my tradition of starting a new project on New Year's Day and this year I chose Christmas at Run Hawk Hollow. Here is what I started with on New Year's Day. I am using DMC and stitching on 32ct. Lambswool Belfast linen.



Here is what I have done as of today.



I am going to stitch 1 block a month. I have so many other things I want/need to do also.


Now...I am a little tardy on my goals.

DECEMBER GOALS
Fair Squares Christmas Round - DONE
3 Christmas Ornaments- DONE
2009 Christmas Challenge (December) - DONE

I kept my December goals very simple as I knew I wasn't going to be stitching too much.

JANUARY GOALS
CaHRH Block 1
1 Pink Stitch
Start HoE Red Exchange
Finish Isa Vautier
Stitch 1 Gift




I did mail out my Blogoversary box of cotton goodies and according to the post office, it was delivered yesterday. However, I have not heard if it was received yet. When I do, I will share the contents.


Please check out a new blog that I started. It is Stitch Red for the Heart.


Tomorrow is my last day of vacation :( Back to reality.

Have a great week!

A Pumpkin...Just In Time!

Up until about 2 years ago, I did not care for pumpkins so much. You see, because my birthday is around Halloween, as a kid I always had to have a "pumpkin" cake and never a "birthday" cake. It kind of left a bad taste in my mouth--no pun intended!

However, I do like them today and I received my Autumn Fair Squares today with a gorgeous pumpkin on it.


I'm pretty sure this is a JBW Design stitched with Threadworx "Earth Stones".

Thank you Nancy, I can't wait to finish these up!

Fair Squares from Marie

I received these beautiful Summer squares from Marie today.


This is a Prairie Schooler design from Book #13, "A Prairie Year". What is more summer-y than WATERMELON! They are gorgeous! Thank you Marie.

A Few Finishes

I am still a little behind in my stitching and trying very hard to catch up. I think I see a light at the end of the tunnel. It helps that I cut back a little on exchanges as I just didn't have the time.

Marie received the squares I stitched for her for the Fair Square Summer Round. I stitched Lizzie Kate's "Summer Basket" and is stitched on 32ct. Lambswool Lugana with DMC as charted.


I just love these seasonal basket patterns but am sorry to say that I have only done 1 so far for myself. I will have to get these on my list of "to do's".

Last night I finished my June ornament (here's where I am a little behind) for the 2009 Christmas Challenge. I stitched Shepherd's Bush "Starry Night" from the 2008 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue. It is stitched on 28ct Light Blue Lugana with DMC as charted.


I saw this ornament on someone's blog awhile back and just loved it and knew I had to stitch it.

And today I did my pink stitch for July. I stitched an old freebie of Sheepish Designs called "Maybe Angels". It is stitched on 25ct. Light Rose Lugana with DMC as charted except DMC #48 variegated instead of the red. I have wanted to stitch this for quite a long time.


This turned out quite cute. I love how the body turned out kind of patchworky looking with using the variegated thread. Thank goodness I am current with my pink stitches, anyway.


Be sure to pop over to my friend, Lynn's blog. She is celebrating her 1st blogoversary and look at the gorgeous treasures she has created to giveaway!



Have a great weekend,

Patriotic Squares for Milly

I just heard that Milly received my squares for the Patriotic Round of the Fair and Square exchange.

I stitched Heart in Hand's "Independence Day Roundabout" on a 32ct. remnant with Weeks Dye Works Americana, Lancaster Red and home coffee-dyed white DMC floss.


Thanks for visiting and thanks to everyone for the wonderful comments I have received. Have a great weekend.

Exchanges to Share

A couple of my exchanges were finally received so I thought I would post them.

First, in Round 12 on the Fair and Square, I had Maren for a partner. Here are the squares I stitched for her.


This is a freebie design from Danybrod. They are stitched on 32ct. Antique White Lugana with DMC.

A couple of months ago, I participated in a mailart exchange on the Hooked on Exchanging blog. In fact, I was the moderator of this particular exchange. I had one person go MIA and had to find a replacement. I did get a volunteer, however, it fell through for some reason. Poor Lucy, its bad enough that your partner doesn't follow through, but then for the replacement to not come through either? Well, of course I felt bad for her and thank goodness she was so patient and very understanding. Last weekend I stitched her a mailart. I mailed it on Monday and she received it just today.

Here it is before I sewed up the sides.


And here it is all sewed up.



I couldn't get a good handle on her likes except that she liked spring. I knew I had this banding with the ladybugs on it and I started with that. I stitched the "Friendship Grows" freebie from Lizzie Kate and some motifs from Lizzie Kate's June Block Flip-Its. I found the ladybug alphabet on the internet. It is stitched with DMC Floss and Variations #4200.

From her e-mail, it sounded like she was quite pleased. I was relieved to hear that it finally was received. I love sending mailart but it is a little scary throwing it in the mail.

Again I thank Lucy for being so patient and understanding.

Squares Received

I received these beautiful squares from Maren today for the Fair and Square Round #12.


I love them! This was Maren's first exchange, and I must say she did a super job.

Thank you Maren!