Exchanges & Finishes

I participated in the Home Sweet Home exchange  on the Stitched With Love exchange blog. June was my partner and she stitched me a beautiful pin pilloe.  It is gorgeous.  She included the pattern Dew Drop Fairy. It is a pretty pattern and is part of a series.  Plus there are notecards, olive green thread spool, flower printed tissues, fabric, ribbon saying Home Sweet Home, and a postcard close to her home. Thank you June!

I send to Melanie in the U.K.  I stitched LHN Saltbox Village, and included needles, Heart in Hand Family Medley pattern, hand dyed material I did myself, fat quarters fabric, threads, notecards and beads. I forgot the postcard. Melaine said she liked everything!

LHN Saltbox Village

14 count antique white aida

DMC threads

In my Stitching Sisters group, Cindy send me this gorgeous sttiched framed piece for the spring exchange.  It came in this huge box and was light as a feather.  I have to add a backing to the stitched piece and lined it better before I hang it up. I love it! Thank you Cindy!

I finished up the Christmas ornament exchange In The Stitcherhood group. I won't say who got which one because they haven't let me know if they received yet, but I can show them off.  They were very quick and I added beads to add some bling to them.

 The three ornaments came from Leisure Arts Mini Christmas  Ornaments leaflet. I got the leaflet on clearance at Joanns for $2.97.

 Chilly  Penguin 

25 ct, pewter even weave

DMC threads

 gold beads added to the tree

 Puppy on Package

28 ct Antique White

DMC threads

green beads on package

Danish Angel

25 ct pewter even weave

DMC threads

beads to wreath, dress and cuffs

a motif Laughing in Flowers pattern

by  Praiseworthy Stitches. 

in Cross Stitch & Needlework May 2013

28 ct Raspberry Lugana

Threads: JAR Designs Butterfly Blue, GA Butternut Squash,

CC Aunt Marie's Violet, Carrie's Creations Green Grass and Purple 

In my ILCSing group, I participated in the Blooming May exchange.  I stitched an ornament for Tiina. It was shipped to Finland and she got it in less than a week. I added some ribbon and fower printed nail filers.

Judith from Germany send me this lovely exchange, a pin pillow, purple ribbon, and some floral patterns. Thank you Judith!

Butterfly and Seahorse fobs

I bought these 2 fobs from Mary Louise on Facebook. The picture is not doing justice to the fobs.  They sparkle alot. Seahorse is my favorite aquatic fish. I would love to learn how to make my own fobs. I tried to find instructions on the internet but no luck.  

Hope Building Block

by My Big Toe Designs

28 ct opalescent even weave

Threads: Crescent Colors Sugar & Spice, Plum Paisley and DMC 209.

I finished Hope for my aunt. I need to finish it but I am debating to frame it or make it into  a pillow. I have Faith and Love to do and I am thinking to do Hope again for myself.

I join a Halloween SAL in my new group on FB, Every Stitch Counts. On Mondays to Wednesdays, I will be stitching Stoney Creek Fright Night Friends.  I dyed the material a light purple. When I took the material out of the dye bath, it was a bright magenta color. I was so happy it lighten up a lot and it became the color I pictured in my head. That rarely happens.  It usually becomes a color hue I don't expect.  As you see, I am all set to go.

Thank you for reading my blog.  I am now exchange free so all my stitching is for me right now. I might be able do more frequent updates instead monthly.  In July, I am celebrating my 5th year blogiversary, and just notice I had 297 followers. I am gathering items for a gift away and there might be 2 if I get over 300 followers by July.

Have a beautiful week!

Hugs,
Vicky

End of 2012 and Start New Year 2013!

These lovely gifts came from Shirlee for the Christmas exchange on the Stitched with Love Exchanges blog.  The ornament was stitched with my favorite Christmas colors, blue and silver, and so beautifully put together.  I am going hate to put it away for next year. Plus I got q-snaps huggies, aida fabric, scissors, cat needle minder, and a bar of shea soap, which smells so good. Thank you Shirlee!

These are the gifts I gave to Jayne.  Some silk threads, scissors, Sue Hillis Spool Tree pattern, fabric, erasable highlighter, and a stitched pillow. The stitching took me awhile because the greens in the dress was very random. Near the end, I added green where I think the green should go, but the gold specks are uniformed.  I stitched the skin one over one, which was more easier to do than the dress. Here is a close up.

Caroler 

a freebie from Whispered by the Wind

25 count Stormy Clouds

DMC and Kreinik gold

Earlier this year, I joined an online class to make a top stitch box. I gave the box to my sister.  I decided to make another box for my second sister.  I stitched the top, stained and lined the box as I was taught.  Everything looked great.  (My sister came Sunday before Christmas.  She had to work a double shift on Christmas).  The only thing I had to do was attached the screws. No big deal, so I thought. I had the last laugh on that one. I am screwing the hardware on and they aren't getting tighter.  I am putting pressure and turning and turning, but it seemed the holes were too big  for the screws.  Because I got behind stitching, I put in a lot hours to get this box done in a weeks time and  the screws were too small.  I was so disappointed and frustrated.  I was going to get another box and send it to my sister in January. I took the stitch part off the box and made it into a wall hanger. I gave it to her next day, which she said she liked better than the box because she can hang up somewhere now. I guess it worked out but I am still disappointed with the box.

Dream by Joan Elliot

32 count Rocky Mountains even weave

DMC threads and beads

Hope by Joan Elliot

32 count Rocky Mountains even weave
DMC threads and beads

Merry Christmas by iStitch designs
25 count Stormy Clouds
stitched one over one, DMC threads

A picture to show how small the ornament is.

My sister , Amy, posing for me.

I had signed up in an Advent exchange with the Stitcherhood group.  These are just a few items I received. I, also, got needles, fat quarters fabrics, floss bobbins, another ornament, 4 out 6 Lizzie Kate Snow Belles and Lizzie Kate Santa '12 pattern.

Snowman towel on Day 10

 Stoney Crerk Snow Happens on Day 23

My first day gift, crystal snowman ornament.

Snowman candy jar with M&Ms peanuts and Almond joys, my favorites.

 Day 25 Glendon Place Murky Manor.  I hope I can start it in the coming year.  It was on my wish list.

Part of my Christmas tree.  The snowman ornament was stitched by Pat, I received this year. This is a new tree this year and all the ornaments barely got on there.

This past weekend, I stitch a little more on Lady Slipper.  The dress is starting to form and I think I am going to make it my weekend stitch. I do want to finish her by my birthday in April.  I am not making too many goals this coming new year.  I seem to make my goals too high, and than I feel bad not making them.

My goals for 2013:

1. Lose 25 pounds before my Las Vegas retreat 

2. Exercise 3 times a week for a period 20 minutes.

3. Finish Lady Slipper by April 21.

4. Finish 6 more projects I had started

5. Stitch 4 pages of HAED The Accolde.

6. Stitch 4 pages on Witches 'n Bits Time To Go

I think the goals are doable.  

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and this coming New Year will be filled with lots of finishes, good health, and happiness.  Happy New Year 2013!

Hugs, Vicky