3 Framed Pieces, cirque update

I know it has been a long time.  My computer was broken so all my updates had to be through my tablet. It was a pain in the butt to try to get photos on it from my camera.

Anyways. I have been collecting frames for awhile now for these pieces. I have about 7 frames.  Here is the first 3 to get frames...

Crabby all year- January

Garden Bugs- Country Cottage Needleworks

Coffee Crazy- Lizzy Kate

Cirque Des Circles

I plan to use that same frame for all the crabby months. I am stitching each separately and will change them out.

I found all the frames at used stores and refinished them with spray paint and a sanding block.

I recently was in the smoky mountains. Here is the stash I acquired while there-

2011 wrap up

2011 was a good year for me stitching wise. I did a great job on my To-do list. I finished all but 2 things. Those two things I knew would be a stretch to get done.

I started and finished the Garden series by Country cottage Needlework. I have it ready to take to frame shop soon as possible. I gave up finding a frame second hand, it's just too odd a shape.


You'll have to take my word that I participated in 4 exchanges- I don't have pictures of most of them. I did get an few memorable things.  A pair of valentines day socks (I LOVE funky socks), Snowflake Serenade chart, and my first Round robin.


Do 2 ornaments-

Although I didn't finish this as an ornament it is an ornament.  Came out of the Halloween issue of JCS from 2011.  

 Also not technically an ornament, but again I am okay with that. I was going to do this as an ornament..... then along came a Round robin and well..... You can see the finish product not to far down here.

Start and finish 1 additional small

This was in my To do pile for awhile. I got it in an exchange a few years back.  I loved every moment of stitching this. 

Finish 1 page of Japanese Garden

Finish Stitching on Japanese Garden (I added this goal part way through the year)

I way over accomplished the first goal of stitching a page.   Pages are hard to count on this one as it is stitched in parts...... but. anyways.   Part way through the year I added the goal of completing the stitching, but that just didn't happen.  I am still so very pleased with this one.   My big goal for 2012 is to get this stitched and beaded. 

3 pages on Mistress or another HAED- has to be on 1 design not a combination.

  What to say on this final goal.......... I intended this to be my focus piece for 2011, but that just didn't happen.  I stitched most of this piece during a very difficult, painful part of my life.  And i've moved on from that, so stitching this became very hard, and took me back to that past which I don't have a desire or need to revisit. I am unsure whether I will stitch the rest of this or just the top half of the design. 

Garden Party FINISHED

I simply couldn't wait until my weekly sunday update. So here it is, just finished this morning.   I'm so excited by how it looks.   It was a fun stitch, though the border did get tiring by the fourth time.


I still like the dragonfly best, but then I do have a thing for dragonflies so......

The ladybug is my next favorite. So cute!

I love the blue flowers around the bumblebee

I had to frog twice on the butterfly. Those antenna, what a pain. Beginner mistake! 

Are you out of patience yet??

Garden Party- CCN- 28ct white evenweave.

1/1/11-8/5/11

I already have a spot picked out for it. I will start shopping goodwill for a frame. 

Now to decide what to put in it's spot................... you will have to wait until sunday to find out.

Sierra

Weekly update- cleaning advice

I didn't get my goal last week. I wanted to get the page done, but I fell short.   Not too short, but still short. That's okay there is always next time.  Here is an update.  I know hard to tell I did anything right?  

If you look you can see that it needs washed.  So anyone have advice? I'm thinking of putting it in a small pan of water with a few drops of dawn.  It's all DMC so that should be okay right??

This week I am stitching on Garden Party. In fact I plan on stitching every spare moment this week. If I do that, I should be able to get it finished. YAY. I am so excited.   You'll have to excuse my lack of participation in groups this week.

Sierra

Third Garden Party Bug Done

It's so close now, I can taste it.  I have the third bug done- a bumblebee. While he is cute, the dragonfly is still my favorite.  One more bug to go- any guess on what it is?? 

Anyways here is the third bug- Sorry about the shadow it was a cloudy day-

A picture of all three.   Apologies for the wrinkles I haven't had a chance to iron it yet. 

You think i'm going to say next week is JG, and it is technically but.......................

I joined a RR so--- I am stitching that next week.  I think I will wait until my part is done before I share it.   Until then you will just have to wait.

Small Japanese Garden update

Althought I didn't get done nearly what I wanted to last week, I did get some done- And i love how it is looking.

I only stitched 2 days, then spent 1/2 another afternoon frogging a lantern. 

This week I should finish the third Garden Party bug-  A bumblebee.  

I also have an update on my decisions for the wedding sampler- Look for that later this week.

Another Border and Stash

I finished the third border in Garden Party.  It stitched up quickly since I didn't need to use the pattern.  I am getting tired of stitching the borders, but I've only one left to do- YAY.    Anyways..... Here is a picture. 

Had a really hard therapy session this week. Really needed retail therapy. So....  

 mmmm.........  Aren't the ornaments lovely??? I am looking forward to stitching them.  I'm not one for christmas decorations- for reasons that belong in the other blog not this one. At any rate.  I am tired of avoiding things that trigger, so this year I will have a christmas tree. I plan to put ornaments on it.   

I have most of the Lizzy Kate Living With Charm Double Flips.  I think I need 2 more. It may replace Garden Party when I am finished with it. Right now it is between Living With Charm, and something by Joan Elliott. That may change by the time I am finished. 

The other one is a needlebook. I have seen a stitched one at the LNS but until this visit never saw the chart. 

 Look what I found in the bookstore this week........ It has some awesome charts in it.   The seasonal fairies, the first two elemental fairies and a buddha are what I find most interesting. 

Sierra

stash and another one finished

Few months back I learned there is a LNS about 20 minutes away. This was after years of believing the nearest one was 2 hrs away.  This LNS happens to be on my way home from therapy. Needless to say it is hard to stay away. 

Here is my stash acquisition since learning of it's existence.

  I have so far managed to stay away from the more pricey things on my wishlist.  I do *have* to get the rest of the flip-its however. After all what good are just two of them??

This week I stitched on CCN- garden party. I am so very pleased with how this is turning out. I finished the second bug- the ladybug. Just wait until you see it. It is beyond lovely.  I am thinking I will have to stitch this piece again sometime.

 

CCN- Garden bug

Isn't it lovely?? 


As this is the half way point of the piece, I have begun to think about what will take it's place in my rotation when I am finished. So many to choose from.  Really, i'm just enjoying looking through my options. I'll change my mind a 1000 times between now and then.

I am thinking about changing my focus piece for a bit. I just don't know.  I love JG, but I want the bugs done. It is taking forever with stitching them only once a month. If i stitched them twice a month, instead of JG twice a month- I could have them done in two months instead of four.  But then I am adoring JG right now. And i'm so wanting to finish it so I can start chinese.  Of course nobody said I have to finish one before I start the other.  Really I just need the money to buy the kit for chinese. 


Then if I toss out the HAED for a bit I could stitch two weeks on each. But then I don't want to do that, because I do enjoy the HAED, and it is a meaningful piece to me.   Decisions, decisions.  


On another note I am working on a how-to for how I dye fabric.  I decided to do it spur of the moment when I was dyeing a piece of fabric for an exchange.   I can't share it though until said exchange is received.

Next weeks goal-  Finish the last two branches of Japanese Garden, maybe start the corner ornaments?  Oh and order the bead pack for JG.  I've determined it is cheaper than buying them separate. 

Sierra

Weekly update and Giveaway winner

I finished the border for the second Garden Party bug today. It went much faster than the first one-what with no frogging half of it.

Next up in my rotation is Japanese Garden. I hope to get the last rock garden complete. I hope it will only take this week. I plan to keep Japaense Garden out until the final rock garden is done. 

Onto the giveaway------ thank you for all who entered. The winner is----------Katrein.  Please email me at patchesmany at gmail dot com with your address and I will get your prize out to you this week. 



Sierra

Garden Party Bug done

I finished the first bug this week.  I am quite pleased with it.  Do you see the color difference in the border? There is nothing I can do about it, but I am curious if I see it more since I know where it is.  

 CCN- garden Party- Dragonfly

28 ct white evenweave

stitched with Crescent colors that came with chart.

I am continuing to stitch on this piece- starting the next bug this week.


on another note- i have my first giveaway as I hit 50 followers this past week.

It is just a small one, but hopefully that won't matter.   The chart is Lizzy Kate- Cherish.  It will not include the charms. 

Here are the rules-  leave a comment for an entry .  For a second entry post on your blog a link to this giveaway.   I will choose the winner next sunday.   Good luck everyone. 


Sierra

Garden Bug Party Update

I did manage to get the spot out.  Glad about that. I am thinking however that I need to invest in some qsnap covers.  Or perhaps I should make them. I need to see if I have fabric big enough and how expensive they are to buy, oh and how complicated they are to make.

Here is my update on CCN garden bug party.  It isn't much of one but it's something. 

I'm back to Japanese Garden this week.   I started the 6 O'clock rock garden today. 

Sierra

Roadblock

I was stitching away on Garden Bugs. My next color is the one I am out of. I thought of skipping it and moving to the next color. There is so much counting though that I am afraid if I skip it i will end up miscounting.   I think I am going to move onto the next design.  I wanted to stitch each design before moving on, but so much for plans. At least this way I get to keep stitching on it. I don't want to put it aside as I have a spot for it in the bathroom that is waiting. 

After taking it up to iron to reposition in my qsnaps, I discovered a dirty spot. *Sigh* can't win today.  I tried to clean it off. Hopefully I will be able to put it back on the qsnaps tonight.

Tomorrow is the last day of this rotation, so I hope to get to stitch a bit more on it before I go back to JG.  Then I will stitch a week on my HAED. 

Impromptu Stash

I was at the giant JoAnn's today. It is unlike any JoAnn's I have ever seen. Mostly they are small stores, but this one is HUGE. It rivals the size of Michaels.

Though I don't need anything, of course I went down the cross-stitch aisle. One never knows when a sudden need might come about.........

I got all of the above, including the 12$ uk magazine for 23$.  I would have got a 9$ charles craft afhgan, but the magazine was more important. Look closely, see that fairy? It's a Joan Elliot. Part of a new flower fairy collection.  If you like Joan Elliott you will want this.  

None of the fabric is my usual size but that's okay. If I don't use it myself it will be perfect for exchanges. 





Now i'm off to stitch--- Garden Bug Party- CCN this week.

The frog strikes

I spent most of naptime today frogging.  What did I frog you ask?? Half of the border of Garden Party.  I'm not sure you can tell on the picture....... The bottom was off a stitch. I had to frog it of course as it is the border. It is all frogged. I should still have enough floss to finish the border it will be close though. 

Note to self- check during progress of border to be sure it isn't off. Then I won't have to frog so  much.


Sierra

Japanese Garden

A few are wondering which HAED's I found their way to my printer.  Both are Jessica Galbreth pieces. One an old one- Enchanted Garden I think is the name of it, the other is a new one, Vision.  I had a 25% off total purchase coupon for Michaels, so Visions is all kitted up. I even have the first stitches in, but nothing to show. The first pages are all background so I won't be posting too many pics. 

I also kitted up the stash I bought at Christmas, along with some stash I got over the summer.  I got that online- as my local LNS is nearly 2 hours away.  I love getting stitchy stuff in the mail.    I missed one floss color though. How annoying. I won't be ordering just one skein online, so I shall wait to get that. If I decide to stitch it before, I'll just convert it to something else.

I have 2 pictures today.  I finally have a picture of the Garden bugs (CCN) I am doing. That isn't the name of the set, but I don't remember what it is, and am too lazy to get up and look.  Anyways here it is....

28 ct white evenweave, 2 over 2. 

 Japanese Garden 28 ct cashel linen 2 over 2.  NPI changed to HDF