Finished two ornaments for my grandson.   I usually stitch an ornament per year for him so when he leaves home, he can take all of the ornaments with him as a memoir from his grandmother.

Second set of penguins on terry tea towel.    Designer is G. Schuller from the Burda Special Cross Stitch magazine from England.   I don't have the year but I remembered receiving the magazine from one of my cross stitcher friend around 2000,  I think.

Penguins

Just finished stitching penguins onto terry tea towel using 14 ct waste canvas with DMC threads.   A christmas gift for one of my family members.

2014 It's Greek to me challenge!

I decided to join the challenge for 2014.    I hope to motivate myself to work on various kinds of needlework by joining several challenges during 2014.  

"Frozen Spheres"

 This is the photo of what I am stitching called, "Frozen Spheres" design by Frank Lloyd Wright for a Liberty magazine in 1927 -1928 which was not published.   I am hoping to finished this by Christmas for a gift.

This is where I am at right now.  It is stitched on 28ct evenweave, 2 over 2, with DMC threads.   I am on page 1 and I have 3 more to go.

"The King's Exile"

This is the last of my Trans-World Reading Challenge until next year.

This book is about revenge from a man who is bitter and decided to take his power and wealth as a means to try to destroy another man's life and reputation.   Andrew, the author, used the era of King Charles, the history of Barbados, and the war commanded by Cromwell to a  make a fiction novel of Tobias Rush's manipulations to end Thomas' life.  It is an interesting history with a mixture of loyalty, mistrust, cruelty of landowners toward slaves and the general attitude of the British people toward their monarchy!

53 Weeks scrap challenge @ Samelia's Mum

Week 5  - Plastic bag dispenser

For the plastic bag dispenser,  I decided to use motifs of fish.   The bag is black and the fishes are in tan/brown design....like you see on cut potato and use paint to stamp on paper.   I will probably use this bag in my RV when I go camping as we always use plastic bags when buying groceries.   At home, we use canvas or cloth shopping bags since the grocery stores do not like to use plastic bags for environmental reasons.   

53 weeks scrap challenge - needle case

I had a small piece of fabric of motifs of sewing items such as spool of threads, bobbin, needle threader, etc and made a needle case to hold all of my cross-stitching needles.   I added a pocket to hold skeins of threads, scissor, etc.  This was a quick and fun project.  

53 Weeks Scrap Challenge @ Samelia's Mum

I am getting behind in my 53 weeks challenge.   We are at week 8 now.   I have finished week one which is the pincushion challenge.    I decided to work though what scraps I have available and try to catch up.  I just finished week 7 which is an electrical cord wrap.  I found just the right fabric for this project.

The fabric has motifs of what you would see in a firehall.   I used this wrap around my ironing cord when I am not using the iron.

Transworld Reading Challenge

The Road Between Us - by Nigel Farndale

This is an intriguing story about a relationship between two men during World War 11  and the consequences of living in a society that condones homosexual behaviour.  I was amazed at how far a person wold go and the perverseness to overcome difficult and dangerous barriers to find their loved one.  It was both sad and a moving story involving son, nephew, uncle and father.  I highly recommend this book for those who are interested in the history of those who have been persecuted due to their sexual orientation as well as those who were deemed "unfit" during Hilter's reign. 

I have lots of scrap fabrics from sewing projects.   I decided to join in on the 52 week Scrap Challenge at Samelia's Mum.   There is a new project every Monday with tutorials to guide you along with the sewing.  Feel free to join us to use up all your little pieces of scrap fabrics that you don't want to throw away.

The first week's project was a heart pincushion or ornament.  It is made out of my leftover scrap fabrics.  I used one of my Hawaiian turtle fabric as the focus of the heart and left-over solid colors around the turtle.  I did the same on the back of the heart.   I now have a pincushion to keep all of my straight pins from going astray while stitching/sewing.  

This is a fun, quick project!!!!

"Children of the Rising Sun" - Finished at last!

I just finished "Children of the Rising Sun" today.   The photo on the top shows the full design, stitched on 28 ct Laguana with all kinds of threads.    DMC, Splendor, Gentle Arts threads and beads.   The challenge for me, was the feathers.  The bottom photo shows what the wolf looks like on her head.    This chart is from Marnic Designs.

Wooden fob key chain

I picked up The Britain No #1, Cross-Stitcher magazine and this is a cover kit that came with it.  I thought I would give it a try since it would be my first time stitching on wood.   The red felt in the background is what I used to cover the stitching on the back of the fob.   This was a fun stitch!

"The Ways of the World" by Robert Goddard

I was given the opportunity to join the Transworld Reading Challenge with the compliments of Elizabeth Masters.  I selected 3 books to read then write my review.   This is the first book review.

Very intriguing mysteries throughout the book which captivated me at every twist and turn.  The drive to find out who killed Max's father, why and what his father's occupation really was to cause secret servants and the spy networks to sabotage any of Max's attempts to find out the "truth" of what had happened.  I was interested in the methods used to solve the mysteries.   Max's perseverence to dig deeper into the relationship between his father and people involved led Max to become dangerously too close being a target of the assassin's bullet.  Ashley, Max's brother, wants Max to "let sleeping dogs lie" but he has his mother's full support to find closure of her husband's death.

This reader is anxious to be on the next installment.

I highly recommend this book to those who are interested in reading about mysteries and the intricacy of spy networks!

Black Angry Bird

I stitched this black angry bird motif to put onto my grandson's bath towel.   He is into "angry bird" so I have been collecting angry bird items and made a treasure hunt game with him  so whenever I visit, I bring a wrapped gift, 10 card stocks with instructions on the back with clues to find the gift at the end of the hunt.  He is thrilled with the game as he never knows what is at the end of the hunt.   I decided to stitch this motif and stitched onto the bath towel.  Other gifts consists of "angry bird" play-doh, angry bird books, candies in the shape of angry birds, angry bird board games, stuffed angry bird for backpack,  a wrist band with a motif on it, etc.    Soon I will have to change "theme" as he gets older.   LOL

I decided to take a break from my big stitching project so I thought it would be time to work on some of my Halloween small projects.   I just finished "Boo" by Lilybet Designs.   It is stitch on 28ct evenweave with DMC and Glow in the Dark threads.   

"Gingerbread Mouse"

I just finished "Gingerbread Mouse" by "Just Nan" design.   It is very interesting design to work on.  I had a bit of trouble stuffing the batting inside the mouse to stitch the brass button on the bottom of the mouse with my fat, pudgy, arthritis fingers.   Once I managed it, it looks not too bad.  The whiskers is from the fishing line instead of floss since I wanted the whiskers to be stiff.    I will put a loop on the mouse to hang on this year Christmas tree.

Lizzie Kate design

I just finished "Snow Friends" by Lizzie Kate on 28 ct Cashel Linen.   This was a quick and fun stitch.

I just finished stitching the suede leather as fringe on her blanket.   Also the beading on her mocassin.  The backstitching takes lot of time since I have to stitch around each design of the eagle in matching thread, example:   Red on red designs and blue on blue designs.  There are some beading on the drum strap strips.  I am now working on my way up to the head and the wolf design.

Summer is here so I am not stitching as often as I used to.  Gardening, yard work, visiting family members, doing more exercises, enjoying the sun, etc.   I finally got all of my threads so will be doing beading, stitching feathers, fringe for the blanket and stitch a wolf head dress on the head.   Looking forward to when it is finished and framed.

"Children of the Rising Sun"

Progress updated as of now.  The headband will have beads.   There are lot of factional stitches on the blanket.   Otherwise it is a fun stitch!

"Red and Yellow Maple Leaves"

I am so happy that this project is completed.  I finished it today.  It will be framed professionally since I work on this for almost 6 months off and on.  This chart is from Japan.  

"Red and Yellow Maple Leaves"

Progress updated for "Red and Yellow Maple Leaves".   The end is near and I hope to finished this before end of April.   The size of the design is 15 inches high by 12 inches wide.   Just a few back stitching to do when done with the stitching part.

"Red and Yellow Maple Leaves"

Progress updated as of Feb 28th.   I am excited that the end is near.   I have about 3/4 done so far.  I hope to finish this by end of March.   First photo has light reflected from camera so bottom photo shows the darker parts of the design.

"Baby Burrowing Owl"

"Baby Burrowing Owl" by Berlin Embroidery Designs.   This is a photo of my next project in rotation with my other cross-stitching projects.   I am looking forward to working on a new hobby, "Thread Painting".

I am practicing my long and short stitches in preparation for my "Baby Burrowing Owl"  thread painting project by Berlin Embroidery Designs.     Stitches above are long and short stitches, stem stitch, french knot, and split stitch.  I made this into an ATC (Artist Trading Card) for an exchange.

Puppy Love

I stitched "Puppy Love" onto a tea towel using 14ct waste canvas.   This design by Margaret Sherry is from The Cross Stitcher magazine, Issue #208, pg 25.   This is a fun stitching project!

It has been awhile since I posted my WIPs/UFOs.   This is my progress on "Red and Yellow Maples Leaves".   It is half way finished.  I can't believe how long it takes to stitch this design.   I am hoping to have it finished before end of February.    I don't think I can finished it by end of January though.