February 2020 - challenge results week 1

Hi everyone,
It's time to share what I've been up to this week.

Stitching:
Finished this up at the end of January.

Winter Forest
Ornaments of the Month 2011 - No.11 © 2011 Designed by Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 28 ct mystery (cocoa- I think) Linen
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count: 45 x 60, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch

Then I picked up this freebie Aussie Friends) found at Sassy Jacks Stitchery here
Aussie Friends © 2020 designed by Allie Dudley for Sassafras Samplers
Fabric: 28ct mystery evenweave by dovestitch
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count: 52x52, 2over 2
Cross Stitch

Embroidery.com's Love to Stitch  Challenge. Only thirty minutes a day minimum stitching time during the month of February. You can read all about it here.






February 1st
 
Continued on my freebie above
Aussie Friends © 2020 designed by Allie Dudley for Sassafras Samplers
Fabric: 28ct mystery dovestitch evenweave
Threads:DMC
Stitch Count: 52x52, 2over 2
Cross Stitch


After 58 minutes stitching, here is where I ended for today.


 
February 2nd (Puppy bowl Sunday)
I thought about stitching a groundhog design... but I wasn't in the mood for more winter-spring-winter weather that we've been having so far. I decided on the next best thing. Since today is also the puppy bowl - I couldn't resist picking out a puppy themed chart.

New Start From Britty Puppies II

Diggity Dog House © Michelle M. Lash Brittercup Designs
Fabric: 32ct Waterlily Jobelan
Threads:WDW except for the aqua where I used DMC
Stitch Count: 74 x 74, 2over 2
Cross Stitch, backstitch, longstitch, french knot

 




After 2 hours and 6 minutes















February 3rd
Today I dug out a WIP that hasn't seen the light of day in a long time.

Before...
Candamar Designs Kit Thomas Kincaid Stonehearth Hutch 50995 © 1999
© 1997 Thomas Kincaid, Media Arts Group
Fabric: 14ct white aida
Threads: cotton floss, blending filament, metallic
Stitch count:139x120, 2 over 1
Cross stitch, back stitch, french knots, half cross stitch, straight stitch, smyrna






After 1 hour and 6 minutes















February 4th
Another WIP for today

Before
Snowman Needle Roll © 2001 Mary McLenon (M Designs)
Fabric: 32ct Driftwood Belfast
Threads: DMC, DMC#12
Beads: Mill Hill, Mill Hill Petite
Stitch Count: 91 x 73, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, backstitch, Fan Stitch, Eyelet Stitch, Four Sided Stitch






After  33 minutes.. added some beads to the top band.















February 5th
Before

HAED Mini Quiet Reflection © 2015 Design by Michele Sayetta Artwork by Lisa Parker
Fabric: 25ct Zweigart Stormy Night
Threads: DMC  (89 colors)
Stitch Count: 262 x 308, 2 over 1, full cross










after:

Time spent: 1 hour 12 minutes  Added 100 stitches today now 600 stitches of the 80696 complete

There were 5 shades of blue in this block









February 6th
I probably should have used this as a skip day - I stitched the koala. Started on the ears in the 2nd color -  realized I had stitched the whole koala in the wrong color. Spent time frogging then re-did the koala in the right color this time. After 1 hour 12 minutes stitching, here is where I ended for today.

Aussie Friends © 2020 designed by Allie Dudley for Sassafras Samplers
Fabric: 28ct mystery dovestitch evenweave
Threads:DMC
Stitch Count: 52x52, 2over 2
Cross Stitch

 
About 4.5 inches of snow..then several hours of freezing rain. At least we had a base of snow - Macey doesn't like the crunch through the ice to get to the soft snow. Had to keep her on a shorter leash so she wouldn't slip and get injured. 

 February 7th

Picked this again today - hoping for a better result.
Aussie Friends © 2020 designed by Allie Dudley for Sassafras Samplers
Fabric: 28ct mystery dovestitch evenweave
Threads:DMC
Stitch Count: 52x52, 2over 2
Cross Stitch
       
1 hour and 49 minutes later with 2 power outages., it's finished.

Lots more snow today. It changed over from the freezing rain around 8:30 am.. and is still piling up - so far about another 10".  I need to look through my stash for something fun and spring/summery. Hopefully our power will remain on or at least our outages will be brief.

Until next time,
Have a wonderful day!
Lisa M.

August 2019 Meet Macey

Hi everyone,
It's time to share what I've been up to this month.

Meet Macey

 Yes! Our rescue pup arrived! Macey was adopted on August 3rd from the Joshua Fund.
Macey was described as a black lab mix -  she seems to be pure lab. About 2 1/2 years old and about 70#. No dew claws.
She's a Texas girl.

She's  enjoying exploring our yard. She's getting used to different scents and sounds. And we are getting used to training her. She still needs some leash work as she is very strong and powerful - also a bit single-minded when she catches a scent.
     

 
The first night she didn't know what to make of our mantle clock that chimes on the hour. Now it doesn't seem to phase her one bit.
She's seen her first toad...I think she jumped higher than the toad. LOL!
Sh's heard an owl hooting in the distance, and she saw her first deer...and the neighbor's cat crossing the yard -  she barked up a storm!
Thunderstorms didn't bother her one bit. Neither does the vacuum.





Doesn't bark at the package delivery truck or at the doorbell.
She races up the stair in our split level to reach the top before me or DH just so she can bark at us.

 










She loves to play fetch indoors with her squeaky toys. Prefers them to her ball.


 
She even carries this little hedgehog around ..up and down the stairs.. and once left it on the bed LOL!

She has a soft kennel and a bed..but opted for the human bed on the first night -and every night since.

Macey loves to lay on the blankets on the cool finished basement floor. She loves to play indoor fetch with her squeaky toys.

We're looking forward to her seeing her first snowfall.

 

Just a sweet bundle of love from the ever wagging tail to the abundant kisses and licks.


A few days after her arrival, Macey went to the vet to get her first lyme vaccine. She got a good baseline look over. In January she gets re-tested as she was heartworm positive when she was rescued. After that she needs some dental work - she has 2 broken teeth and some plaque buildup.



 

She loves to ride in the car.. but not so much in her travel carrier. Looking into other options.

She seems to tolerate me reading.. now to see if she allows me some stitching time.

    






Stitching:

Dog House Sampler © 2005 Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 32 count PTP Earthen Belfast Linen
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count: 79 x 97, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch










We last saw this lovely on February 2013.. somehow it was put away (out of sight..out of mind).

Before:




This is from the July/August 2009 issue of Just Cross Stitch Magazine.
Spirit of America Angel by Brooke's Books Publishing
stitch count:  angel: 107 x 67, star 12 x 11, star 5 x 5, wings 38 x 60; 2 over 1
DMC & Kreinik #4, Mill Hill Beads
14ct brown perf. paper











And now here she is...
After

 


 I still have the stars and wings to finish...just not sure if I want to have the wings..but I'll probably add the garland of stars.

 











Not much to show on this new start... I have to figure out a new placement for my threads as Macey is very curious, and I don't think I can spread my threads out on the arm of the couch any longer.

HAED Mini Quiet Reflection © 2015 Design by Michele Sayetta Artwork by Lisa Parker
Fabric: 25ct Zweigart Stormy Night
Threads: DMC  (89 colors)
Stitch Count: 262 x 308, 2 over 1, full cross

500 stitches of the 80696 completed

There is more than 1 shade of blue..just can't see it yet.






I just picked up this today.. was going to make the biscornu- but didn't have enough of the fabric for it set aside.. So I'll do the bookmark again.. and then find my peachy fabric for the biscornu

Spooktacular Bookmark © Dinky-Dyes Designs 2009 purchased from TSV
Fabric: 28ct peach cameo
Threads: Dinky Dyes Silk Threads
Stitch Count: 27x71, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Backstitch











Stash:

The Halloween issue of JCS

Heart in Hand: 4th of July Bird

Handblessings: Snowman makes a friend

Posy Collection: Puppy Dog Stocking Kit
Mill Hill Autumn Harvest Taboo Kitty










 What I've read: 
David Rosenfelt: Open and Shut (Andy Carpenter#1)
J.R.Rain: Vampire Moon (Vampire for Hire #2)
Diane Kelly:  Dead as a Door Knocker

The roses have been blooming and we have wonderful scents on the back deck from the mock orange and honeysuckle.















Until next time,
Have a wonderful day!
Lisa M.

June 2019 update and some fun news

Hi everyone,
It's time to share what I've been up to last month.

It started out busy.. but by mid month things slowed down - we finally got our high speed internet connection.Then things went awry- seems like our computer decided that it was beyond time to do some long overdue updates (we were on Windows 8). Spent the next week trying to restore some files as it changed my login username - and I accidentally deleted an account - (where all my cross stitch files were). Luckily I had almost everything backed up on a flash drive. Then we spent time changing our email contacts/subscriptions that we wanted to keep...etc. Ugh..
We are almost done with that - yeah!

Summer finally arrived and brought the hot humid weather - so it's been too warm to stitch much.

One of our first things we did was to apply for a rescue pup. Our four legged companion is in Texas and she should be traveling to us sometime at the end of this month. She is a black lab mix about 2.5 to 3 years old. Her name is Macey and she is one of the Joshua Fund Dogs.So this week has been some necessary home improvements - replacing a few fans - getting everything dog ready.


Stitching:
I did work on this one a little more...Still have a little bit to finish - the dog bone on the right, bottom border and flowers on top right and left. Hopefully I'll find some time this month to finish it up.

Dog House Sampler © 2005 Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 32 count PTP Earthen Belfast Linen
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count: 79 x 97, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch








I did manage to put together my threads for my next HAED - luckily I didn't lose that file in the process. So maybe that will be a new start at the end of the month.

Stash:

My final Silver Needle Circle of Friends Kit arrived. Blackbird Designs -
This was the final kit for the club this year.
No other new stash. (Have to put some away so it doesn't go missing later.)

I have been visiting Etsy quite a bit and seeing some wonderful charts - our old internet connection wouldn't load them - but now? I have a few picked out - we'll see how things go. 




It's Finally Finished!
I did get one small finish - From March of this year. Finished as a pretty little bookmark

Good Luck Kit Item #4524 © Needlemagic, Inc
Fabric: 18ct Aida
Threads: floss from kit
Stitch Count: 34 x 42, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Back Stitch


I used one of the variegated DMC for the cord.




 

I'll try to be back at the end of the month with more details.

Until next time,
Have a wonderful day!
Lisa M.

May 2019 - A Happy dance and some smalls

Hi everyone,
It's time to share what I've been up to this month.

Stitching:
I knew that I had some time in the waiting room during DH's cataract surgery on the 2nd, so I brought along this new start:

Bee and Hive © Karen Kirk Blackberry Rabbit Designs
Published in the 2019 Nashville Cookbook Happiness is Homemade
Fabric: Mystery 32 count Linen (PTP Heritage I think)
Threads: DMC Threads

Stitch Count: 32 x 49, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Back Stitch




It's finally Happy dance time!So glad to see this one finished. Still deciding on my next "heavenly" project.

2013BB SAL QS Mystic Garden (It is a cropped version of Peacock Garden.)

Design by Michele Sayetta Artwork by Ciro Marchetti
Fabric: 28ct Picture this Plus Valor
Threads: DMC & Kreinik#4
Stitch Count: 139 x 138, 1 over 1 full cross
April 30, 2019: 18760 stitches completed, now at 100% complete 19,182 stitches later

Since my beads arrived late February, I was finally able to finish this from January. I couldn't find my gold beads...had the burgundy one, just wanted to do all the beading at the same time...Now that my back-ordered DMC#8  for the cording has come in, I can get it finished in the shape of a mouse.

The Little House Mouse © Judith Tuttle of Twisted Oaks
published in the JCS Christmas Ornaments 2012
Fabric: 28ct white
Threads: NPI, NPI Northern Lights
Beads: Mill Hill
Stitch count front: 24 x 45
Stitch count back: 30 x 53
Cross stitch, some 1 over 1, fractional stitches, back stitch, french knot

DH's 2nd  cataract surgery was on the 16th, so I brought along another new start:

Lizzie Kate Quick-It Dogs leave paw prints Q-003 © 2009 Lizzie Kate, Inc.
Fabric: Mystery 32 count Evenweave (PTP Heritage I think)
Threads: WDW Threads
Stitch Count: 56 x 56, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch





 Next I started this freebie

Woof Spoken Here complimentary design from Stitchy Kitty© 2006 Michelle Lutzen
Fabric: Mystery 28 count Linen (close to DMC 712)
Threads: DMC Threads instead of the called for Crescent Colours
Stitch Count: 50 x 50, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Back Stitch, french Knots





Spent yesterday in a different hospital waiting room for Mom's basal cell carcinoma surgery.  I brought along this new start:

Dog House Sampler © 2005 Diane Williams of Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 32 count PTP Earthen Belfast Linen
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count: 79 x 97, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch
  






Sewing:
Finished some more ort catchers for my birthday club friends, and attempted to make a new grime guard for my 11" Q-snaps.

I had this lovely flannel fabric print that I thought would work perfectly...found an online tutorial, and ta-da... now I have a new grime guard.. I still  have to make a few more for my 8" q-snaps, and maybe a couple for my 8" hoops...











Stash: 
A small cut of PTP Earthen above (to see color before deciding on this one for a different HAED)
a few sampler threads, DMC #8 for finishing mouse above and 2 stitchworks charts: New Doggie Love, and Doggie Love 



What I've read: 
Diane Kelly: Death, Taxes and a french Manicure
J. R. Rain:  Moon Dance,
L.T. Ryan:  The Recruit,
started  J. R. Rain:  Vampire Moon

Updates

Temperatures have been cooler than normal for the month and we've had lots of rain. May showers seem to bring out the June bugs. Black flies have shown up and they are biting like crazy. Still to early to be planting anything as we've had frost warnings this past week. Also, not sure how much I want to do this year as the deer nibbled all my hyacinths earlier this month. My hosta plants are either stunted by the weather or suffered too much damage from the deer last year. Our apple trees and crab apple trees have just started to blossom. Most of the trees have leafed out although the walnut, oaks, elms, and ash are still waiting to show their new spring foliage.

We did get to see our first hummingbird of the season on the morning of the 4th

... this young bird (Orchard oriel) showed up on the 16th and took several drinks from the hummingbird feeder.

We also had a visit from this colorful little male just last week.

Until next time,
Have a wonderful day!
Lisa M.

August Update some summer stitching

Hello Everyone,
This month I have some more stitching smalls to share.

I dug out this older freebie that I found when I was organizing some of my patterns
Summer House © 2006 Little House Needleworks
Fabric: 28ct raw Linen (DMC 3782)
Threads: Crescent Colors now Classic Colorworks
Stitch Count: 53 x 53, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Back Stitch

Next...A year of Celebrations -July Published in Cross-stitch & Needlework July 2014 (www.c-sn.com)
Designer Cathy Habermann of Hands on Design
Fabric: 32ct Summer Khaki Belfast  (DMC 613)
Threads: Weeks, GAST
Stitch Count: 50 x 50, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Backstitch

Then I stitched this lovely Shepherd's Bush Freebie
Free © 2008 Teri Richards
Fabric: 28ct Newport Cream with Tan lines
Threads: Crescent Colors now Classic Colorworks
Stitch Count: 49 x49, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Backstitch, long stitch

DH had his appointment for another cortisone shot in his back so I took along this project from The Nebby Needle:
© Bonny Wormer 2016
Fabric: 28ct mystery linen that was part of a bookmark grab bag (DMC 3024)
Threads: DMC
Stitch Count:99 x 22, 2 over 2
Cross Stitch, Back Stitch

I have a few more finishes, but I'll save them for next month as my Brother just arrived from Florida for a few days. It will be a nice visit since I rarely see him and he is moving to the Southwestern US when he leaves.

My Dad had his ear cleaning appointment - will return in 6 months. Dad also had his hearing aids checked - next adjustment and check in 6 months. July has been hot & very dry. The heat this past month has been brutal - Dad had a slight episode the day after his appointment - we think heat exhaustion - so had his rest for a few days in his AC living room.He also saw his endocrinologist a few days ago... numbers are improving - next visit in December.

The heat also affected Bucky & Samantha... thankfully their appetites have started to return and their strength improved after the heat broke. Although a few days ago Bucky slipped while going up the stairs  (and slid down 4 steps to the landing).  Luckily nothing was broken although he seemed to be a bit sore the next few days. Lots of rest and TLC for him.

No new stash this month.

I'm looking forward to the cooler weather and more time stitching my Heavenly (HAED) projects.

Until Next time- I'll leave you with a glorious sunset (do you see the rainbow?)




 

... and a beautiful sunrise.

Have a wonderful day!
Lisa