Mega Madness!

I joined an October "challenge" hosted over at Pull the Other Thread. The goal is to work on some mini's. Rule 1: You must post on your mini progress once a week in the month of October. It doesn't matter what day so long as you have 5 posts by the end of the month. I think I can handle that. I post on a weekly basis (Wednesdays), and this will hopefully get me caught up with some ornaments. 

The following are some options I think:

- Back to my biscornu (front is below)
- Little House Needleworks ornament(s) (options: Winter Forest, 6 Little Cardinals, Gingerbread Village,    Gingerbread Man) 
- Mill Hill Kits (I've already started two of them)

I didn't work too much on my Halloween project, I did add some more letters and started some colors:

I mostly worked on this little biscornu in the car on our drive to the other side of the state to visit some friends:

I'm using all Victorian Motto Sampler threads and they are a pleasure to work with. I think I'm going to go broke purchasing things from her. I haven't decided on a back pattern yet, but I think I'll get around to that in October and it might end up a gift to someone for Christmas. We'll see.

I also got a lovely "surprise" in the mail. Another blogger (Kate) was destashing and I requested a few Cross Stitcher issues (Oct & Nov 2011) so they came in the mail yesterday:

 

I think I'm going to make a deer in the Nov 2011 issue for a friend's child, and maybe some of the purple ones in the Dec 2011 issue.

Yesterday I was able to go to JoAnn Fabrics and pick up some backing for two of my projects plus some orange thread.

I'm hoping to have a "Finishing Friday" some day soon! I am making the Jolly Jack into a standing folder thing. It'll be my first time and I'm kinda worried about the cardboard stuff I bought. I think it's going to be too thick. I'm going to use this tutorial from the Twisted Stitcher. Does anyone have any experience with making them? If you have any hints, I'm all ears! 

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Threads and Halloween

I think this is going to be a shorter than average post (for me anyway). I got my threads in from Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe!

I cannot wait to try them out, as soon as I finish my current project (or this weekend...) I'm going to find a pattern to use some of them. The colors are so rich and the most wonderful thing about them is that they are in 20 yard skeins. There's a ton of every color. I think I'm going to need all of the colors that she makes.... Nancy also included two freebie skeins which was so nice and generous. I highly recommend her shop!

I also ordered a Halloween colored finishing pack from here:

I'm pretty excited about these! I have at least 3 things to use this on right now. I also think I'm going to get some of her other bundles. She included a bag of brown buttons for free too! She's such a sweet lady. :)

And here's my progress on the Happy Halloween by Silver Creek Samplers that I'm making:

I managed to finish the N last night. I haven't started adding in any of the colors yet, but I'm itching to put in the pumpkin jack o'lantern on top of the N though, so I might do that tonight.

I'm not sure what I'm going to go work on after this. I'm starting to get into the Christmas stitching mode, not Christmas decorating or anything. I made a list and I have 4 babies to make ornaments for and 2 sets of parents plus my cousin. AND I was planning to make a gingerbread ornament for myself like I made my husband... Anyone else stitch gifts for Christmas?

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New Start & Swap Results

I've started a new Halloween project. I think I have a problem. A friend on Instagram had the same magazine in her collection so we decided to do a mini stitch along with just the two of us. It's fun seeing the her progress as well! This is Happy Halloween by Silver Creek Samplers from JCS's 2013 Halloween edition.

Happy Halloween - Silver Creek Samplers

Happy Halloween - Silver Creek Samplers

The second picture was taken in the morning so it's a bit washed out. You can see the second "E" and part of the "N" started. I'm thinking it's going to be a pretty quick stitch. I got this all done in 3 days. Not bad. I feel like I stitch super slowly, but I think I have more time than average to stitch so it evens out.

I only have one of the called for WDW colors (pumpkin) so I'm subbing in Charcoal for the kitty, and one of the other colors. The rest are the suggested DMC. I was thinking that the E and the kitty were too close in color, but in sunlight it looks okay, so I'm not going to worry about it. 

I've also been working on a swap gift but I can't show you yet.

Speaking of swap gifts, mine made it across the pond, so I can show you what I made with the Wisper thread:

Bluebird of Christmas Happiness - JCS Ornament issue, 2008

I made it into an ornament, but I didn't get any good pictures because it was dark and I was too excited to mail it out. I love how the hat turned out, all nice and fuzzy. I'm pretty sure I'm going to make this again, I think in purple for a very special young lady who's mom loves purple. I'm fairly sure she doesn't read my blog, so it's okay. :) I had also sent my swap a bundle of DMC floss (pastel colors), a skein of Wisper, and a little kit that's got some kitties in a basket. She loved everything!

I also got my box in the mail last night and look at all these goodies!!

Awesome box decorating, all my favorite things, cats, coffee & fall

Swap goodies!

Awesome picture frames in my favorite colors, kitty erasers, coffee coasters, a fall candle, a homemade gift tag and a purple pen!

Kitties!

Coffee Coasters

The swap turned out so well! Not everyone has gotten their gifts yet, but we've all seen progress pictures and it promises to be epic. :) It you are on instagram follow me! xStitchHaven!

In non-stitching news, My husband and I went to a big beer festival on Saturday which sells out in 4 minutes! It was a fun experience, they have lots of local restaurants with tables of foods too, so I was a happy camper. On Sunday we made some new friends at a local farm for "Farm to Taco Food Truck" dinner. It was tasty!

I also ordered some hand-dyed threads from Nancy (from Victorian Motto Sampler) on eBay on Monday, so I'll have to post some pictures of that next week!

I can't be the only one with thread buying problems! Right?! Until next week peeps!

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Show Your Stash: Threads

I was reading some blogs and I came across Anna's and I decided to play along. Here's my answers:  

What thread do you usually stitch with? I'm pretty much a DMC girl because it's so easy to find around here. I really enjoy Weeks Dye Works and sub in some to a lot of my smaller projects. I have some silks for specific projects, but I can't really warrant $4 skeins most of the time. 

When you shop for threads, do you buy on impulse or do you buy only what you need? I'm a mix here. For DMC, I only buy on my list because I am only missing about 50 colors to have a full set, so chances are I will buy one I already have. For silks, list only. Classic Colorworks, Weeks, Threadworx, Sampler Threads, etc I try to buy on a list, but I also pick up things that are pretty. I have a small collection so I am pretty good at knowing what I already have. I also have a "Floss Checklist" app on my android phone to check against.  I also use Google Doc's for my DMC. I'm crazy like that (it's so I can print out the list if so desired).

How do you store your thread? DMC/Anchor/Cosmo are all on bobbins in those plastic floss keeper boxes:

Everything else is in a Floss-A-Way bag with an index card for stability, in the top box in this picture:

How do you sort it? Sorted by manufacturer then by color name (Alphabetical) and DMC/Anchor/Cosmo is by number. I love the rainbow way but then I would NEVER be able to find anything. 

What tips do you have for building a stash? Buy slowly, it's not a race and your wallet will thank you.

How much is too much? What a silly question. NEVER. 

How do you whittle your stash down when it's gotten too large? I'm still collecting. It's not too much... yet. However, I do like to give away patterns that I've completed and do not plan to stitch again. Friends are always a good place to start! 

Do you have a current favorite in your stash? I really like Weeks Dye Works Peacock and Taffeta. My two favorite colors. :) 

Come join us and leave a link to your answers in the comments either here or over on Anna's.

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Haul and Finishes

I just got a bunch of things in the mail! Happy mail dance time!

First off is my bingo winnings from Debby (from a cross stitch website I belong too), I've actually met Debby in real life when my husband & I were on vacation in Colorado. That made it even better.

This awesome owl card (I LOVE owls):

This cute booklet of snowmen designs:

Mill Hill - Frosty Friends

This awesome piece of crystal lugana (which is super difficult to photograph), I can already see some of those snowmen designs on it:

Light Blue Crystal Lugana

And my favorite, Fleur de Lys Christmas tree chart which I WILL be stitching this year. Debby said it was a pretty quick stitch and I think I already have some variegated floss for it.

Scissor Tail Designs - Fleyr de Lys Tree

I love love LOVE everything she sent over. I knew we had similar tastes!

I also received come charts from etsy that I purchased, each were $3 or less:

Lizzie Kate Winter Sampler, Winter Wishes, December Flip-it, Autumn Sampler, Spring Sampler and January Flip-it

anddddd the Leisure Arts Back-stitch alphabet (I had found #705 (More Backstitch Alphabets which I showed you in this post) at my mom's house, so I clearly needed the first set too):

Leisure Arts Leaflet 407 - 20 Backstitch Alphabets

I also got a piece of Crafty Kitten fabric in, but it's also a crystal and realllly hard to photograph. I plan to use it to make the Frosted Pumpkin Halloween Sampler at some point. I have the cosmo thread for it, which I am really excited to use! I'll try to do a floss toss in the sunlight this week.

Clearly I was busy online.... I should have my wallet taken away from me I think! The Lizzie Kates all came to $15 with shipping and the LA leaftlet was $6 with shipping, the others were gifts so I don't think I did too poorly.

While I was busy online I was also busy finishing ornaments!!!  I got my sewing machine back on Tuesday and whipped these up in the days since then.

Fronts:

Top left clockwise: Little House Needleworks (LHN) freebie Seven Pines, LHN Gingerbread Cookie, LHN Snow in Love, LHN Hot Cocoa, Freebie found online, LHN Season of Love)

And the backs:

Ornament backs (fabric from my mom's stash)

It was my first time finishing them into pillows! I had done some quilting when I was a kid, but I hadn't done anything in a long time. I'm pretty proud of them. Are they all completely square? No. But that's ok! :) Some of them are to be gifts even though I find it quite hard to part with them. I also finished another one, but it was for my swap, so once it's safely in their hands I'll post pictures!

I'm planning some finishing ideas for my Halloween projects too. I need to get some orange thread first for the Lizzie Kate one for sure. I'm still trying to come up with something for the Jolly Jack pattern. I'm open for suggestions, leave your suggestions below! :)

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