My Just Nan finish for January 2014

As part of my participation in the 2014 Just Nan Stitch-a-Long, my first entry is a small one indeed, but oh so satisfying! A fellow Just Nan Junkie on Facebook, Zeb Ahmed, has organized a fun challenge for the members of our little group...to stitch as many designs by Nan Caldera of Just Nan as we can in the year, trying to increase the net presence of Just Nan designs and hope that people notice!  If anyone is interested in joining us, it's not too late! Just visit Zeb's blog here....http://www.ixari.net/just-nan-design-list/just-nan-stitch-along-2014/

My collection of Just Nan stash continues to grow, and at one point I had a list of the ones I'd like to get done this year, but of course it's still in flux as I see other's posting pictures of their happy dances! I decided to start small with a JN WhimZi called Whirlibirds, which came with it's own little ornament frame. The WhimZi frames are no longer available sadly, but you might be able to find them in shops or online if you are diligent in your searching! This is a little kit, all you do is supply the fabric and DMC threads. It's only 2 inches square!

I was uncharacteristically out of two of the DMC colors called for, so I used my best judgement to pick the blue and green colors for two of the birds. The fabric is a bit of leftover linen from my stash. All I had to do was stitch it up and pop it in the frame! I love how cheerful it is! In a dreary cold January, it's a welcome warmer that makes me smile!

Now I have to decide which Just Nan design I will stitch in February! Hmmmm..........

Getting the New Year of 2014 off to a stitchy start!

As mentioned I am getting my stitching mojo back and have joined FOUR SALs (stitch-a-longs) for 2014 on four different Facebook stitchy groups!  There are badges on the side bar here for three of them, still need to figure out how to make my own badge with words to add the last for the Peacock SAL.

SAL #1 is the Teresa Wentzler Tinies SAL, by which it is meant that folks in the group are picking out designs by Teresa Wentzler (refered to as TW) in the small range for a quick stitch each month, many from older magazines when she first started out as a designer, and many are her smaller freebies from her website.
For my January stitch, I choose a freebie called the Peacock Tapestry Ornament, which is an element of the full Peacock Tapestry design, a corner of the border in fact. I used a 28ct pearl cashel and the called for threads and beads. I made it into a biscornu ornament with a peacock bead I had on hand (from the Just Nan line). Here is the result!

The second SAL is with a small group of  folks stitching a Joan Elliott design from a magazine. It is called Blackwork Peacocks....I am working on it at the present and will post more when I have something to show off!  I am also in a group stitching different peacock designs during the year, so the Blackwork Peacocks will help in that effort. In addition I have a Chatelaine design called the Beaded Peacock Tile in my rotation. It comes back up next week in early February. Here is my progress so far. More on that later!

Earlier in the year I did another pair of small designs. One is a cover kit from the magazine Cross Stitch Crazy #177 by Kate Knight. I switched out the aida for a small piece of light blue opalescent linen. Unfortunately I did the backstitching in the wrong shade of blue, but I wrote it off to a happy mistake and lived with it!

I think it was meant to be seen as a peacock, but I think it looks more like a Victoria Crowned Pigeon!

One other finish in January was this ornament by San-Man Originals called Quaker Tuck. It is an exclusive to the San-Man bulletin board members and the tuck and button came with the pattern. I stitched it on a small piece of Silkweaver Solo linen.

More on the 4th SAL, the 2014 Just Nan Stitch-a-Long tomorrow. Happy Stitching in the New Year!

Wrapping up 2013

I've been a bad girl, but did I really only post 3 times in 2013? I stitched like crazy early in the year, while my daughter was on Study Abroad in New Zealand (have to admit I missed her a lot!) When she came home in late April, it was a whirlwind of things that had to be done so all the ducks were aligned for her to start college in the fall, plus her last summer swimming for the neighborhood team, plus her trip to Europe for 2 weeks in July with her grandma and cousins, which was when I read a lot and crocheted a lot, well into the fall after taking her off to ECU.....in fact I crocheted so much, that's what I gave to extended family for Christmas! Hats and scarfs and some afghans too...way too many pictures to put here, so if you are interested, check my Flickr page and look in the Knitting and Crochet Set! http://www.flickr.com/photos/stitchinkat/sets/

I also got back a few things from the framer in October...some stuff I got re-framed for my Mom, and from Country Cottage, Here Kitty Kitty

....from Just Nan...Peacock Alphabet

and from SamSarah Designs...Daily Life

In the fall I finally got my stitching mojo back with a few starts, including this from Sweetheart Tree...Black Cats Trick or Treat, Ltd.Ed....

Also, this baby gift to my SIL's new grandbaby...from CharlesCraft/DMC. Stitched the fishies from the toy on the bib too!

Finally, I made cuffs for stockings for some members of the family, attaching them to the felt stockings with coordinating buttons, and used some more buttons from the stash to dress up the names I charted.

I think that is about it for 2013, a year that was too fast, and too slow at the same time! Back with more on what I have been stitching so far this year, and the reason for a new Page on my blog that is all about my Just Nan obsession in 2014, and a few SALs I'm doing this year too!

I'm baaaak! Actually, I've been here all along..........

Hey all!  Don't know if anyone is still following me since I've been off the blog since March, dealing with many things, but life is getting back to normal, and it's gonna get real quiet soon, as my daughter is less than two weeks away from leaving for college! Sigh, I still can't believe it!

At any rate, I promised a recap of my Shepherd's Bush retreat last September, almost a year ago now!
This set is part of the group sessions, and we received the tote bag (pre-made) the first night. It included a group of small motifs to stitch in the band insert, our choice as to which ones and what order.

 On subsequent nights we had other little sessions on fun techniques using felt and surface embroidery, including the Christmas accessory case. The wooden hand painted thread pallet was included.

 The sampler below was stitched and inserted inside the case, along with several other felt pockets, all of which was assembled by hand. I made the sampler into a pocket for threads, and added a small pair of scissors. I thoroughly enjoyed making this and will use it when traveling.

During the daytime, we had three classes. I took the track that included Chessie & Me, Jeannette Douglas, and the R&R ladies. I have finished stitching the Chessie & Me design Shepherd's Christmas, below. The other two are started but not completed enough to warrant pictures. I'll post when they are completed, hopefully this year.

After the trip, I pretty much spent the rest of the year working on designs for my young nephew and nieces in New Zealand, since we had the upcoming Christmas trip there. My husband's sister is married to a New Zealander, and my daughter had been accepted into a study abroad program in the high school in her town for the fall term, (remember it's summer at Christmas down there!) We had a lovely trip (long too) and experienced a summer Christmas, which was quite nice! First the three designs, then a few travel pics!

The first design, a Janlynn kit by Suzy Spafford, is called Dogs of Duckport, for my dog loving niece Alex.
It's not framed yet, because it traveled in my carry on bag, as did the others.

Next, for niece Eva, Elephant Calfs....from the leaflet Endangered Young'uns by Gloria & Pat.

Finally, for nephew Ryan, Eagle, from the leaflet Nature's Kingdom by Graphworks.

 And now for a little travelogue of our trip to Middle Earth......hubby Matt and I visit Hobbiton, no comments on my hobbit stature please!

 We visit Huka Falls with Matt and his sister Ann....the falls are an awesome turquoise blue!

 Sunset at Lake Taupo, a super-volcano caldera on the North Island, awesome again!

 The view from SIL Ann's deck.....

 The approach to Tiri Tiri Matangi, a native bird preserve island across the bay from Auckland.

 Looking out into the bay from the island trail.....

 Taking a break on our hike up the island.....

 Pohutukawa Tree, the New Zealand Christmas tree, because it blooms at Christmas time!

 The Hoover/Sorensons at Tiri Tiri Matangi....

 Tiri was once a sheep station and lighthouse, which is now automated.

 The view across the bay toward Auckland on the right. That mountain on the left is actually an old volcano!

 My favorite of the many endangered birds at Tiri, a pair of rare Takahe and their chick. They are as big as a goose, with beautiful peacock colored feathers.  Next time we go, I'm determined to spend the night and try to spot some Kiwi birds! Also want to finally get to the South Island, to see the Southern Alps.

 View of the skyline of Auckland on the way to the airport.....too short a time to see all that there is to see,

More catching up on 2012

I'm back with more catching up on last year's stitching....In August I finished two projects, one is an old Secret Needle Night project from The Silver Needle shop....Toadaly Covered...now being framed.

The next one is a Lizzie Kate project, Birds & Bugs. This is a needle book of sorts, came prefinished and only needed stitching!

After that, I worked exclusively on a Chatelaine design, Evening in the Park, before going off to the Shepherd's Bush retreat in Utah with my friend Carolyn. I got almost to the end, and had to take it with me to finish the last of the trees around the outside before taking it to Jill Rensel for framing.

As you can see, Jill did a wonderful job framing it for me! She gave me permission to use her picture, taken before boxing it up with all my framing...btw, she did an excellent job with the packing! I have never gotten anything packed so well in my life! The photo just does not do it justice!

Here is some more framing from last year's projects...just to wrap that up! Raise the Roof's Official Crazy Cat Lady, framed locally.

These are the three Workbasket designs Jill Rensel framed....her picture, by permission.

And these are the four small Chatelaine Micro designs from Jill as well....

Next post will be all about the 2012 Shepherd's Bush Retreat in September, including projects! Come back soon!

Catching up on 2012

Back home from our trip to New Zealand and I have a lot of catching up to do, including here on my blog! Today I want to catch up on last years stitching finishes, and soon I'll post about my trip, with some awesome pictures!

The last stitchy thing I posted was my own Color Wheel Biscornu, so I'll pick it up from there!
I finished what I hope to be my first REAL PUBLISHED FOR SALE pattern, called Recycle It! No picture because I want it to be a surprise once I am ready to publish it. You will all have to wait on that one!

About that time I decided to go to the 2012 Shepherd's Bush Retreat with my friend Carolyn, and lucky us....Jill Rensel, framer extraordinaire  is located only a few blocks away from the Shepherd's Bush store! I have been saving up some finished projects to have her frame. I no longer have a real local needlework framer, the next closest is 3 hours away in the Charlotte area! At any rate, I had two Workbasket designs stitched, Flutterbys, and God's Critters (see below), and finally got out the third from the series, Trellis and stitched it up in July. I made a couple of minor changes to shorten it a bit because it is one inch taller than it's companion (God's Critters) and I wanted them to match. I left off a couple of strawberries at the bottom and moved up the hedgehog and it was then the same dimensions!  It stitched up fast!

Trellis

                                                                      God's Critters

                                                                              Flutterbys

They will have matching frames and be hung as a group with Flutterbys in the middle. It is on a piece of Crossed Wing's Sky linen, and the other two are on Silkweaver's Dreamin' evenweave.

I stitched another freebie biscornu next, and will post it and the pattern link in a few days. Next thing to call to me was Here Kitty Kitty, by Country Cottage. Stitched on a piece of Silkweaver Solo with called for threads. Another fun and quick stitch.  I will finish my catch-up in another post or two.