Rotation Update and a New Chart!

This past week was a much better week.  Everyone is feeling better.  Fingers crossed that it stays that way!

This week I started a new project Plaid Greetings by Ladybug Lane Designs from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2009.  I finished!!!!

Well all except the beads.  I thought I had them in my stash but I guess I already used them.  I'll have to get some more before I finish it into an ornament.  But I'm calling the stitching done!  And yes, it was supposed to have some fancy stitches but I just did cross stitches throughout. 

I know you are probably wondering why on earth I'm still doing so much Christmas stuff.  This past Christmas Carol over at Stitching Dreams posted a picture of her staircase display of ornaments.  Did you happen to see it?  I fell in love with it!  I'm really hoping to have something like this for myself this coming Christmas. Even though I've made some ornaments in the past, I've always given them away as gifts so I don't have any.  I'm really hoping to make enough to do a decent display and then continue adding on in the future. 

So what's up this week?  It's the Santa Nutcracker from the Nutcracker Quartet in the Just Cross Stitch Magazine November/December 2012 issue.  We started a collection of Nutcrackers for our son when he was little so each year he gets a new one that we display in our living room.  I'll have to get a picture this Christmas of his collection.  He'll still get a new one this year, but I thought he might enjoy some ornaments as well.  Here is a picture from the magazine....

Yes, it's another new start so no before picture. 

I wanted to thank you guys for helping me add the "follower" tab to my blog.  Hopefully it will work correctly, if not please let me know.  I'm still learning how to do this.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day.  Look what my hubby got me...



Yes, another HAED!!!!  We had a Westie for almost 15 years and he died about two years ago.  He was the best dog ever!  I can't wait to start this one - but not this week.  It'll be in my rotation soon.

The Week That Wouldn't End!

Last Friday I had a stomach virus.  Honestly I wasn't able to do much all weekend.  Then after a couple of 12 hour work days, I was really dragging.  A parent/teacher meeting that did not go well at all.  Several 8th grade projects that would require my help.  Another phone call from the school.  What two in one week?  What's that about?  Thursday night I began to have chest pains.  I can't begin to tell you how happy I am for a new week to start.

Of course, with all that going on, you must realize I didn't stitch very much.  In fact, I'm embarrassed to show you my little progress - less than 400 stitches in one week!  And on a HAED at that.  But here it is.....

For a short period of time, I considered just working on this another week.  But I really needed some cheering up. So I went ahead as planned with my new start.  This is a horrible picture of the project I just started.  I'm so sorry.  I really don't know what went wrong.  Plaid Greetings by Ladybug Lane Designs from Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments 2009. 

I have to tell you after a week of almost no stitching, it felt wonderful to sit down for a little while last night and stitch! 

We still have some of the 8th grade work to catch up on.  And, of course, I still have to work every day but hopefully I will have more stitching time this week and a lot less stress!

Rotation 2

I think I had a pretty good week.  Here is the progress on "Nativity Silhouette". 

On to Rotation 2.  My HAED UFO!  Here is where it stands right now....

Hopefully I will make some progress this week. 

A Finish and Rotation Week 1

Caroline is finished!

Rotation Week 1 is off to a good start.  I don't have a "before" picture to show because this is a brand new start.  But here is the picture from the magazine.  Sorry for the glare.  The name of the pattern is "Nativity Silhouette" and the designer is Sharon Pope.  It's from Just Cross Stitch November/December 2012 magazine. 

Progress, A New Start and A Plan!

I'm sorry I haven't been around lately.  Let me catch you up. 

DS had strep throat when I last posted.  Just when I thought he was well, he relapsed!  He's doing better now and almost back to normal.

A family member needed help on a project that has kept us busy the last two weekends. 

Recently I had a doctor's appointment and he suggested a "lifestyle" change.  My bad cholesterol was just a little high and my good cholesterol was just a little low.  He suggested some changes in diet and exercise to see if this would help.  Of  course, that has meant juggling my time and change is not easy for me.  I go back in March for a retest.  Hopefully the changes I've made will be enough.  If not, I may have to look at medication.  It's not that bad yet, but he really wants to address the issue now.

All that to say, there really hasn't been a lot of stitching time for me.  I do have some progress to show on the Santa Bellpull.

Progress?  Really?  I don't see any progress you may be saying.....

O.K.  I hear you.  There isn't a lot.  The bottom of the robe and up the middle of the robe is a mixture of white and off white stitches.  They are really hard to see.  That's the progress.  Why did I stop?  I ran out of the off white!  A trip to Hobby Lobby just hasn't happened yet.  But it's in the plan for this weekend.

There was a question about the size of the bellpull and I thought you might like to see a picture of the finished piece from the magazine.  The magazine says the finished piece is 3 1/2 X 11 1/2 inches.  Here's the picture:

Really, I don't have a lot more to do.  The beard, face, hat and then the backstitching.  Shouldn't take long to finish up once I have the thread.

Monday was a holiday for me.  Of course, I went into my meager stash to see if I could find something else to work on.  I turned to the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornaments Magazine from 2009 and started "Caroline" by Miss Crescent's Crowne.  Here's the start:

Really I should be able to finish this today or tomorrow. 

I want to thank all of you for being such an inspiration and encouragement to me.  Although I haven't posted, I have been reading your blogs.  I love all the work you are doing.  It really encourages me to keep going. 

This week I discovered a new (to me) blog.  Katy at Just a Little Stitchin'.  You may know her already but she's a new friend for me.  She has several pieces she's working on that are beautiful.  And her recent finish of Tribal Penguin is awesome!  He's on my to do list.  Katy has a rotation plan that she follows.  She starts a piece on Sunday and stitches on it until Saturday.  Then she moves on to the next project.  I want to give this a try.  Honestly, I don't know how many pieces are in her plan, but for me I'm thinking about 4 projects.  Why 4?  You see there are 3 pieces I'm anxious to start and 1 UFO I need to make progress on.  At least there is a method to my madness! 

Sunday I will start the rotation so come back to see more about the plan.  I need that trip to Hobby Lobby to get some needed supplies before I can start.  I should finish "Caroline" before then.  And the Santa Bellpull will probably be my lunch time stitch.  Don't worry, I'll finish them too!

I'm off to see what you all are working on.  Happy Stitching!!!

Santa Bellpull

Here's what I've been working on a Santa Bellpull.

The pattern is from a Better Homes and Garden Magazine Cross Stitch Christmas 1997.

It's going slower than I thought it would, but he's looking cute. 

My DS has strep throat so hopefully we will have a quite weekend at home stitching.  Hope you have a great weekend!

A Finish

Finally things are back into a routine after the holidays.  I'm so very glad 2012 is over!

I know I've been gone for awhile.  I guess I should have waited to start blogging until now.

I do have a finish though!  Here it is....

This is a Brittercup Design called "Poinsettia".  It's found in the Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament Magazine for 2007.  I've actually made it twice in the past, both times for friends.  This one is mine!  I actually just used what I had on hand for this piece.

I'm not finishing it into an ornament yet.  I hope to take a class in finishing in 2013.

I have another start that I'm working on, but I don't have a picture of it today.  I'll post one soon.