May Stitching from Stash check in

Hello everyone,
It's time for my monthly check in for the Stitch from stash 2015-A hosted by Mel at Epic Stitching.

Month: May 2015
Budget Amount: $25.00
Spent: $13.49 (Just Nan Bluebird Tweet)
Earned: $4.00 (nutkin Mitten) + $ 2.00 (Star card) + $4.00 (baseball bookmark) = $10.00
Carry Forward: $25.00 - $13.49 spent +$10.00 earned + $126.00 carried from last month =$147.51

This was another busy month. Dad is healing - but slowly so that meant weekly trips to the surgeon's office as well as his other medical appointments.  His sutures and staples were removed this past week.

I've been trying to spend as much time as possible outside at our house as well as at Mom & Dad's doing necessary yard work. It was a long winter - and we even had another frost a few days ago. It hit our blooming azaleas and peonies but luckily the apple trees and crabapples seem to have escaped the damage.

My brother came up from Florida for a surprise visit. (Well - actually it was a surprise for Mom (and Dad) as he wanted to see her for her birthday and Mother's Day). We knew he was coming for a few months.

We had a visitor to our bird feeders a few weeks ago. It was so nice to see the splash of color from this indigo bunting. (we normally only see blue jays and the occasional eastern bluebird).

That inspired my purchase for the month. This lovely Just Nan Bluebird design.















So with this busy month, I still managed to get some stitching done.

First up is  this freebie that I got in the mail.
Nutkin Mitten © 2014 The Cricket Collection
Fabric: 28ct Spruce Green Pastel Cashel Linen
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count: 42 x 43, 2 over 2
Cross stitch * contains fractional stitches, backstitch, French knot

Next I picked up my Just Cross Stitch Magazine that arrived in the mail and chose to bring along a project to several of Dad's appointments.
Hardanger Card Duo- Star Card by Roz Watnemo published in the June 2015 Issue of Just Cross Stitch
Fabric: 28ct antique white lugana
Thread: Caron Wildflowers (I didn't have any black iris on hand... but I did have some Appalachia)
Stitch Count: 82 x 18, 1 over varies
Horizontal and vertical Satin stitch, lazy daisy, backstitch, woven bars
It will be finished as a bookmark when I get the chance to cut and fold some card stock.

Another project I worked on in various waiting rooms was this lovely bookmark pattern that I found in 501 Cross Stitch Designs by Sam Hawkins for American School of Needlework, Inc. © 1993
Fabric: 18ct ivory Aida
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count: 61 x 21, 2 over 1
Cross stitch, backstitch
Somewhere I have some home plate eyelets and baseball brads that I will use to embellish this when finishing it.

Lastly, I filled my quiet days with a little of this Heaven and Earth Design.
HAED 2012 BB SAL SK Forbidden Doorway Chart Design by Michele Sayetta Artwork by Meredith Dillman
Fabric: 28ct Picture this Plus Opal Moonglow
Threads: DMC & Kreinik #4
Stitch Count: 75 x 291, 1 over 1, full cross

At last count I had finished 14535 stitches, now she is at 15750! So close - I really hope to finish this one up soon as I have at least three more that have been calling for me to start them.

That's it for now.
Until next time - Have many wonderful days!
Lisa