July's Gifted Gorgeousness

Whew!  It's been quite a journey since last month!  Life sure gets in the way a lot of times!  LOL  I have quite a few Gifted Gorgeousness to post so I'll get right to it.  If you don't know what Gifted Gorgeousness is, you can read more about it and sign up here.  Jo, over at Serendipitous Stitching hosts this challenge and has a link up page once a month on the 15th where you can see what others are stitching for this challenge too.  You can find her homepage here.  I really hoped to have some of these fully finished, but I'll get there...so on with the show!

I've been participating in a challenge this month called  Christmas in July.  It just so happens that a lot of my GG items fall into this category too.  I may have to stitch a few things during the rest of the month that don't fall into that category, but...you know...life...haha.  I still have to stitch for my pen pals and I don't know if they would appreciate something "christmassy" in July...

So far I've been able to stay on course.  I have finished 8 of the Brooke's Books Advent series, with only two left to finish the entire series!  Yay!  These are free patterns offered on her website.  I'll have to have a finishing day soon!  Here are...

Gigi Giraffe

Hamilton Horse

Remy Rabbit

Larry Lion

Odette Owl

Ethan Elephant

Ping Panda

And Alistair Alligator

I also have a few Just Cross Stitch ornaments I have stitched, I consider these gifts too as all the issues were from subscriptions my husband has gifted me over the years.  The first is  Merry Christmas Drum from the 2018 Ornament issue by From the Heart Needleart.

Next is Caroling Friends from the 2020 Ornament issue by Carolyn Manning

I also am working on the 12 Dragonlets of 2012 by Dragon Dreams, they were free on her Facebook page and are still there if you want to search for them.  I hope to finish up a few more this month but so far I've only finished 7 Swans a Swimming.

Another piece I worked on this month is Winter Quaker by Wiehenburg designs.  This is a 12 month SAL, with one piece a month being released.  I'm so pleased I've been able to keep up with this one, it's my favorite right now, and so hard to put down when each page of the SAL is finished.  It's stitched on 28 count Navy over one with the recommended colors.  Since I've been trying very hard to stitch from stash from the beginning of the year, all of the materials I'm stitching this with have come from my stash!  Only the patter was new, and was a Christmas gift from my husband.

I've been sending my pen pal in England a monthly cross stitch from a series from Little House Needleworks.  I stitched July last month, but haven't sent it to her yet.  I will have to break from the Christmas theme soon to stitch and send August.  I fell a bit behind with things I've had to do here.  Here is July...

I've been also sending things to my pen pal in Texas.  I hurried and finished this for July.  This is another Patriotic Rose by Threadwork Primitives.  I've now stitched this 3 times and finished it three different ways!  Haha!  I'll show a picture of how I finished the one I kept for myself after the gifted one.

And here is what my pen pal sent to me this month...I think she is participating in the Christmas in July challenge too!  

Last is a picture of Token of Love by With Thy Needle and Thread.  This was a gift from my husband for our Anniversary a few years ago.  I got it started but then it sat as a UFO for awhile as my attention was drawn elsewhere.  I think I may have to challenge myself to finish up a few projects I have lying around soon!  I should get  it framed and gifted for our anniversary next month!

And I guess that's all that I can remember.  I hope everyone is safe and healthy wherever you are.  Happy Stitching!!

Christmas in July!

I'm not sure why I decided to join in the SAL this year....I mean....I have a million and one things I hope to make for the new Grandbaby....but here I am joining in a couple of Christmas in July SALs.  I guess I have a ton of things I hope to stitch for Christmas, why not get them stitched and out of the way in July so I have a few months to finally finish them off?  LOL  So what's on my list?  I want to finish the final 10 Brooke's Books Advent characters.  I started with #16 today...Gigi Giraffe.  Since I'm finishing all of these in round ornaments...this one seems a bit off to me.  I'm going to call it finished (as I've stitched it as the pattern suggests) and either stitch a little more to make it round...or...finish it in a rectangle...or...finish it as it is in a round ornament.  Decisions, Decisions...

I'm going to stitch the July installment of the Winter Quaker as part of the SAL.

I'm going to finish up the 12 Days of Christmas, which there are only 6 left.

I'm going to work on Gloria by Tempting Tangles, and hope to get quite a bit more done.

And if there's time...I'll work on Kringles.  Quite an ambitious goal...so wish me luck!

Thankfully the heat wave that settled over us has moved on, but we sure are getting some gully washers, and thunder boomers.  The lights even flickered a bit here.

I rushed to finish up a couple of things before the 4th and the first of the month....here is Jack Be Nimble

I finished another Patriotic Rose but it didn't have a chance to fully finish it yet...I'll get there.  This one was stitched on Pearled Barley 36 count over one.  A challenge but I love it now that it's finished!

I finished June by Cecelia Votta stitched on 36 count Mocha over two...just in time before July started!

I was able to open my exchange for Gift of Friendship today.  Here is a picture of what I sent...

 And here is what I received.  I feel well and truly spoiled!  I love it all...what  a fun exchange!  I hope my partner likes hers.

And I guess that's all that's fit to print.  I hope you are safe, healthy and comfortable wherever you are.  Take care, and Happy Stitching!