Missing: the month of February

I have no idea where I put it, but it's gone. The Tiger Lily vet drama in the first week seemed to set the tone for the rest of the month. That tone was, "No, you're not getting any stitching done this week." I am way behind on my stitchy schedule but I do have a couple of finishes to show.
 
The first is a little freebie that can be found here: http://thestitcherhood.com/freebies.php
I stitched it on 28 ct. celery gingham linen with Crescent Colors Blooming Crocus and Eve's Leaves, and Gentle Art Buttercrunch. I added a JABCO butterfly button and some tiny heart buttons I found at Hobby Lobby. A quick, fun stitch. I think I'll be doing the other seasons.  Stay tuned.

This one is Texas Home by Redbird Designs, sadly now out of print. This chart was graciously loaned to me by Sandi in Texas. Thank you, Sandi!

Here's the little boot charm I added. It's supposed to be a star, but I had already added a tiny mother-of-pearl star on the flag, so I used a boot.

And here's the stitchy supervisor... supervising. Kinda.

Happy Spring Stitching!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Recovery

Poor Tiger Lily! She had an unscheduled trip to the vet on Monday and did not feel at all well the first few days of the week. Happily, she is feeling much better and getting plenty of rest.

 I'm recovering from Monday as well. With the assistance of a new project...

...and new stash (fabric loveliness from Panda the Stitching Cousin, Spring Garden and Solar, both 32 ct.)...

...and cake. Mostly cake.

As you can see, our week has improved significantly over the disaster that was Monday. Now then, what can I stitch on that delicious fabric?

See this face?

This is Helping Face. This is the face I see just before a little white paw darts out--lightning fast--and grabs my thread. Which is not, in fact, helpful. Not even a little. Beware of Helping Face.

Here's the bird she was helping me with, October Nuthatch from Button Up Birdies 6 by Victoria Sampler.  This is the twelfth bird I've stitched and I have two left to complete the series. I would say about 25% of this one is stitched in cat hair because, you know, I was being helped.

Not sure I'm happy with those leaves (shush, Panda!). I may cut them off and sew on a different kind. Anyway, it's a finish. For now.

Happy Groundhog Day!

Freebie available here: http://www.deasxstitch.com/DesignerFreebies/BentCreekGroundhogday.jpg

How about some more winter?

We had two days of spring this week, including heavy spring-like rain last night, but winter is back! The wind has been howling all night and all day and we're expecting a little snow tonight and Saturday night. As promised, here are a couple of shots of Tiger Lily at her window watching the birds after last week's snow.

And here's Mr. Cardinal visiting our feeder. That bright red against the snow is so pretty. I think that's the Mrs. just outside the fence.



Finally, two more finished pieces from last weekend's finishing day. First, a little winter freebie by Barbara Ana. I changed the colors (because I'm obsessed with green... and because I can't leave things alone... because I have control issues) and used Gentle Art's Bittersweet, Punchberry, and Green Apple and Crescent Colors Cerise. I moved the eyes a little further apart and attached a JABCO snowflake button. Oh, and it's stitched on 28 ct. natural opalescent (sparkly!) linen. If you're paying close attention, you'll have noticed that in addition to my preoccupation with green, I have a thing for sparkly stuff.

The freebie is available here: http://www.freewebs.com/barbara-ana-designs/freebies.htm
And second, a Christmas ornament for Mr. Wonderful from the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issue. He was taken with that goofy-looking sheep. Can't say as I blame him.

Back to work. I'm trying to squeeze in one more January finish!

Stitchin' Weather

Well, I wasn't actually stitching--I was finishing. Got one of those boxes or drawers where all your unfinished finishes live? Me too. So when I was planning my stitching for the year (yes, I plan the whole year... be quiet) I decided to plan one day a month just for finishing. I picked the last Friday of the month. We'll see how long this lasts.

Anyway, I had perfect weather--cold and snowy. So cold, in fact, that the snow was as fine and powdery as I've ever seen it. It looked like a coating of white glitter. These pictures don't do it justice. And it's even more beautiful at night, sparkling in the lights from the street lamps.

This one was taken Sunday morning from inside the car as we were getting ready to leave for worship service.

And here's what I was up to while all that was going on. First, a couple of Halloween ornaments from the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Halloween Special Edition. Mr. Wonderful chose the demented owl, and the white pumpkin one is mine.

 And a couple of Christmas ornaments from the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament issues 2004 and 2005, respectively.

A little more coming later in the week, including some Tiger Lily. Stay tuned... and Happy Stitching (and Finishing!).







Little Bears

Another Woodland Baby finished! I used the recommended threads for this one, but I may stitch another one at some point and make him blonde. Mr. Wonderful and I had a bear experience in Sequoia National Park a few years ago and it, uh, made an impression on us. And the bear in question just happened to be blonde, and just happened to be a baby. Where was mama bear? That was the question we were asking ourselves as we high-tailed it out of there. We had been warned by the rangers that baby bear encounters are particularly dangerous and we took them at their word. Yikes.

 And here's my first attempt at making a little feltie, a little gift for my panda-obsessed cousin. The pattern is from a book called, "Felties: How to Make 18 Cute and Fuzzy Friends" by Nelly Pailloux. Naturally, I took liberties with the pattern, including using sparkly white felt. Because pandas should sparkle.

 And finally, cookies. Including a bear. And a fox and a squirrel... all the Woodland Babies I've stitched so far! Mr. Wonderful preferred the moose, because they were the biggest.

Unleash the Fury!

Hockey is back. GO CAPS GO!

Happy Birthday, Panda!

Celebrate like you mean it.  Put your face in your cake.

Supervision

And now for something completely different. In addition to all those cute littles I'm working on, I'm also slaving away (sort of) on this SAL (stitch along) that my cousin and I are doing. It's Skeleton Crew by The Cricket Collection. A big pirate ship with a bunch of skeletons aboard. Because every room can be improved by a pirate ship with a bunch of skeletons aboard. Right? Right. It's on 30 ct. Saltmarsh Green by R&R Reproductions. This is the bottom of the mainsail. We're supposed to have it finished by mid-October. Think I'll make it? Nope, me neither. But it's not for lack of Tiger Lily's careful supervision.

And check out my super cool needle minder... an octopus. Awesome, huh?

Yeah. Pretty awesome.

Ratty Tail

Finished the second of seven Woodland Babies by Victoria Sampler, the baby squirrel. She was supposed to be red, but I stitched her in gray in remembrance of a faithful little friend, Ratty Tail. I used Gentle Art's Portabella and Wood Trail, and also switched the buttons from red to cream.

Also finished my eleventh bird in the Button Up Birdie series, also by Victoria Sampler. I have three left to do. Here's Mama Cardinal.

Happy Stitching!

A Very Tiny Fox

I like small stuff. Which is why you won't find any gigantic reproduction samplers here. They're lovely, but I think I would be driven barking mad if I attempted one. This little bit is more my speed. Tiny. A whole two inches. Instant stitching gratification. This baby fox is from Woodland Babies #2 by Victoria Sampler. The buttons are supposed to be red, but I was going for more "woodsy" and less "Christmas-y" so I used some little rust-colored buttons I found at Wal-Mart. There are six more babies in this series... stay tuned.

Off to start something else...

The Holidays... so exhausting.

Happy New Year!

Best part of New Year's Day? The Winter Classic. 

Best part of New Year's Day when the NHL is in a lock-out and we're not having a hockey season and we're crawling the walls waiting for the first puck to drop? The annual Twilight Zone marathon on the SyFy channel.

Meanwhile, a happy snowflake...

Because you need a happy snowflake when there's no hockey. Especially on New Year's Day. This is Noel Silly Snowflake available as a freebie here: http://www.cyberstitchers.com/PatternLibrary/index.asp?ID=1200158488055&navPage=4&_perPg=10&_cols=1&view=ByDatePosted&_filterSearch=christmas&_searchField=PatternName%2CCategory%2CDesigner

In the new year, may all your WIPs become finishes! Happy New Year and Happy Stitching!

In Which I Succumb To Peer Pressure

Somewhere in Texas a Female Relative is picking herself up off the floor after fainting dead away when she discovered I have *finally* given in to her fussin' and started a stitching blog. Hi, Panda! TAG! You're it!

I have two reasons for starting this blog. One, to heap pressure and guilt upon myself to keep it updated, which will force me to stitch more.  And two, to provide the Female Relatives with more opportunities to be all up in my business, which they will love. I have made it as difficult as possible to stumble across this blog, but if you have, and you're not related to me, I guess you can stay. But you have to be nice.

Well, let's get on with it, shall we? First of all, we have my favorite Christmas finish for this year. The fox is from a Leisure Arts Christmas ornament book and the frame is from Hobby Lobby.

Next, my latest finish, a Christmas ornament from the 2012 Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue.  The design is Santa's Helper by Mosey n' Me.

Here are a couple of the WIPs that are hanging over my head, taunting me.  This one is Ichabod Crane Inn by The Primitive Hare. It is in the book, "Le Point de Croix--au fil des saisons" available from Amazon France.

And Nora Corbett's Trick or Treat Fairy from the September 2008 issue of Cross Stitch and Needlework magazine.

And most important of all... stitching supervisor, chair thief, fiber expert... Tiger Lily.

How's that for an epic very first blog post? Now I'm tired.  It's supposed to snow tonight. Is there anything better than waking up to new fallen snow? Cookies, maybe. Definitely a purring cat.  And a snoring husband. But other than those things, new fallen snow is right up there. It'll be a good day to stay home and stitch.

Happy Stitching, you.