Naptime With the Werewolves

When there's a loud lightning strike nearby...

...but it's okay to go to sleep because you're under the blanket with mama. 

Why were the three of us passed out in the middle of the day? Because I took a nasty virus Saturday evening that came with a very persistent fever that didn't break until Tuesday morning. So I've spent most of the last three days asleep, which is a terrible waste of stitching time. When we get sick, the goal is to be just sick enough that we can't do housework, but not too sick to stitch. Right? 

Anyway, there's been a lot of sleeping around here. A lot.

Fuzzy werewolf paws

Think I've finally turned the corner, as my Grandmother would say. Probably not strong enough to do laundry but I should be able to stitch!😂

Christmas in July! (& Fall & Halloween)

 

Look at this adorable wee mole in his jaunty little hat! Isn't this the cutest? I had to pause summer birds and Halloween mania just for a minute to stitch this cheerful little guy. He's from Lola Crow on Etsy. I stitched him on 32 ct. grey Basalt Splash.

I added a bit of stash in preparation for some fall projects. The fabrics are (top) 32 ct. Sandbar linen by Under the Sea Fabric and 32 ct. Service Lugana by Atomic Ranch Fabrics.

I also rummaged around in my hoard and pulled out some Halloweenish fabrics.

I have a stack of small Halloween designs I want to stitch so, as I do with most of my multi-design projects (like Summer Birds and Christmas Open House) I put them all in a presentation book (Avery, a few bucks at Walmart) and made a pretty cover. The picture is a free printable from the Purple Pumpkin blog.

Next up is either July Basket or a summery/spooky little design I found that's perfect for those of us trapped in summer and longing for fall! And my copy of the new Pigeon Coop Designs book should be here this week, and I'm pretty sure there's a bird in there I need to stitch right away. 

Happy Stitching!

Settle in, it's a chunky one!

 

Let's just breathe, shall we? Let's look at new fall stuff, and new stitchy stuff, and talk about stitching plans, and pet some fluffy kitties, okay?

Fourth of July has come and gone and in my autumn loving heart, it is time for fall. Every year I have to strongly resist the urge to drag out all my fall decorations on 5 July. What I do instead is allow myself a couple of new goodies to get me through the rest of the summer. So I made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby and found some stuff I needed. The picture above is a set of fall lights and they are so much prettier in person. These are real fall colors--orange, brown (yes! brown lights!), and gold--not just the orange you usually see. Initially I only got one set, but after getting them home and plugging them in, I went back for a few more sets. They're that pretty.

I also got some pretty trees and a tiny canvas print in soft autumn colors.

Of course I've done a little stash enhancement: a sweet winter fox and some mini quakers.

I also got some lovely bird scissors to go with my Nimble Birds sampler I'm working on. These cut well and feel substantial.  They're available in several finishes (this is bronze) in a number of Etsy shops and on Amazon. I assume the manufacturer is the same.

Project bags! Can we ever have enough? The fancy handmade ones are beautiful but they can be expensive. I fully support those who make things by hand charging what their work is worth, and I have a couple of these, but if you need a lot of them the cost can be prohibitive. I was nosing around on Amazon and found these mesh book/document bags and I love them. These are well made and come in a set of four for about $15, but there are a number of similar styles and sizes to choose from. Just a thought, in case you want to do a bunch of project prep at once.

For the second year in a row I've purchased the Just Cross Stitch Halloween issue. For me, the annual JCS Christmas Ornament issue and later the annual Halloween issue were must-purchase for many years, but after JCS was sold, I found the changes to the magazine didn't suit my taste. Last year I was pleasantly surprised to find several things to stitch in the Halloween issue, and there are some cute things in this year's issue as well. I always used to look forward to these annual issues and it's nice to do so again.

I think I might eventually stitch all three of these designs, and maybe even a couple of others. Yes, I'm still working on Summer Birds, still working on Nimble Birds, but y'all. Halloween is calling. What do I say? Well, kinda like resisting decorating for fall in July by buying a few autumn things, I plan to spend a little time putting together the supplies for a few of these projects (project bags!). Choosing fabric and pulling threads is fun and that should hold me for a bit. Maybe I can sneak in a Halloween stitch here and there!

So that's what's new in the sewing room. As promised, here are some sweet, fuzzy babies to smooth out your day!

Tummy rub!

Happy Stitching!

June Basket

 

I'm still on track with the Cosford Rise Stitchery flower basket series! The only change to this one is the same change I've been making throughout this series, which is to use DMC Blanc for whiteish or off white colors, just to add a bit more brightness. This one has a busy little bee.

And here's January through June. Such a charming little series; I'm really enjoying stitching these. Along with my bird project, I am definitely getting in some colorful stitching this year.

Summer Birds, So Far

 

How bright and cheerful and fun is this?! This is my progress so far on my Summer Birds project and I have to say, it's turning out exactly as I had envisioned it and I'm having a blast stitching all these birds! I wanted a colorful jumble of birds in a variety of styles, and I think I'm well on my way to achieving that. Although I don't have many yet, I'm looking forward to getting these finished so I can begin working on my display. It will be a bit sparse at first, but I hope to fill it in over the rest of the summer. 

These just make me smile.

Hope y'all have a wonderful Independence Day and a safe and peaceful holiday weekend. The month of June was a little wild at the Wonderful household, but we made it through and I am tired! I would love to spend this long weekend in the sewing room, reclaiming it and getting some work done. We'll see. 

Enjoy the holiday and Happy Stitching!