Pardon me while I Happy Dance!

I've been participating in the annual "I love to stitch" challenge on the Cross Stitch and Hand Embroidery Group on Facebook.  I've been bouncing around with things all month but mainly working on Blackwork Iris and Kingfisher by Lesley Teare.  I have had this in my stash forever, and finally decided to go ahead and stitch it up.  I'm thrilled to say, I finished it today! Yay!!  Not only are the colors pleasing to me, but all those different stitches where such fun to do.  I love this challenge, as we challenge ourselves to stitch at least 30 minutes a day, then post before and after pictures for the day.  It gave me the push I need to finish this WIP.    

I also challenged myself to start two new projects yesterday for twos day.  I thought it was fun since 2-22-22 fell on a Tuesday...so I started Pi Day 2019 by Geri Ambrose and October by Little House Needleworks.  Here's a little picture of those starts.  Hopefully I will have finished pictures soon!  

I hope everyone is safe and healthy wherever you are...Happy Stitching! 

February Gifted Gorgeousness

Hi fellow stitchers!  Here it is...time for gifted gorgeousness again.  If you haven't heard of this challenge, it's where we showcase stitching that was gifted to us, created to gift to someone else, or stitched with gifted materials.  If you want the official rules, you can head on over to Jo's blog Serendipitous Stitching and click on the Gifted Gorgeousness tag at the top.  I can't thank Jo enough, it helps to keep me focused, to showcase things folks have given me, and makes blogging fun.  If you want to join in the fun, it's never to late to sigh up!

I've had a busy month!  I stitch for my pen pal each month, and this was a tough one to give away.  I have a bunch of tea cups I've found at antique stores and thrift stores, and when I find a small pattern I think will fit, I look for a cup with those colors.  These matched pretty well, I thought.  This was a free pattern stitched on 32 count over two then finished into a tea cup pin cushion.  I'm convinced I need to make one for me now....if only I had another cup like this one...haha.   She recieved it on Valentine's Day...and texted me to say she loved it!

Here is my gift from her.  

I usually include anything stitched from Just Cross Stitch magazine in my Gifted Gorgeousness posts because my husband has gifted all the CD's and magazine subscriptions.  First up is The Nutcracker Dancers from the 2021 JCS Ornament issue.

Next is Christmas Tree from the 2013 JCS Ornament issue.

Last is the Friendly Snowman from the 2021 JCS Ornament issue.

I also stitched this freebie from TT Designs.  Part of one of the challenges I'm working on this year was Christmas movie themed.  This month was Die Hard.  Ugh...I really struggled with this one, but I was following a Christmas SAL by TT Designs and the letter I was devoted to Die Hard.  I left off the vulgar language....and this is what I was left with.  It's the closest I could come up with.  

I joined the EGA this year...and recently discovered they have a SAL each month, choosing a design we all stitch.  This month was a freebie from The Drawn Thread.  All You Need Is Love.  I really enjoyed stitching this one!  I substituted DMC for the recommended Gloriana.  I loved all the specialty stitches in this one!

I was gifted this pattern from Wiehenburg Designs called Cottage Garden SAL.  You can sign up for this on the Wiehenburg site...but I'm stitching on ahead looking for any mistakes and such.  I'm nearly finished with Page 4.

For my birthday, DH gifted me with this exclusive from Hobby House Needleworks.  This is Rose Ada Featherstone  I'm hoping to finish a page a month until it's finished.  I was able to finish page two this month.  I love working on the 46 over two!!  And I also love how well it's working up.  

I guess that's all for this month....I hope everyone is safe and healthy...Happy Stitching!       

But wait....there's more!

I've been having an attack of startitis....LOL  I've been talking with some folks from the Friendly Stitchers group, and some of us have decided to do a SAL of the Linen & Threads 2020 Family and Friends Sampler SAL.  I have had the material and the threads for quite some time, I just couldn't get my act together.  My head just hasn't been in the right place for a while now...go figure.  Anyway, I finally decided enough was enough waffling.  I was contemplating changing colors and then decided I really liked what I had originally planned.  So....here is the sampler...I'm stitching on 32 count Espresso over one using Gloriana Cinnabar.  

I wasn't sure after the first few stitches, but as I moved along I really started to enjoy the way it looks.  I've added a few initials...VG is my maternal Grandmother, the one who started me stitching in the first place.  DJ is me, of course, P is our family name, AP is our precious Aubrey, and HP is her Mom.  I hope to teach Aubrey to stitch when she is old enough, and already HP is stitching.  She made something for her sister, and realized how relaxing it is.  I hope she is able to find time soon, I think she misses it.  But little ones keep us  busy!  

I've been able to add a little more to Cottage Garden and I love how this one is coming along.  I'll soon have a finish of page 4...so exciting.  I'll be working on some ornaments next, hopefully they won't take long to work up...so I'll see you back here in a bit!  

I hope all who were in the path of that enormous storm that dumped snow, ice, and all sorts of craziness are safe and warm.  We only had some rain, and when the temperatures dropped, the puddles turned to ice.  I feel very fortunate, and hope others faired as well as we did.  While the weather is wild, I hope you find time to stitch.  Take care and Happy Stitching!