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!

In The Home Stretch!

We are getting pretty excited these days.  Now that our DIL is in her final trimester we are beginning to think ahead.  I've started making some things for her.  As I was thumbing through a book (2001 Cross Stitch Designs) I came across a page that was full of Nursery Rhymes and I thought, these would make a cute mobile.  I have about half the page done, and then I'll have to decide how I want to finish it off.  Any suggestions would be appreciated!  Here is what I have done so far,

Little Bo Peep

Hickory Dickory Dock

Humpty Dumpty

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater

Jack and Jill

Twinkle Twinkle Little Star

Little Jack Horner

I'm having a lot of fun stitching these.  I do have a "problem" though...there are a few different characters in one rhyme, Hey Diddle Diddle.  I don't know if I should stitch them all on one piece, or individually.  Decisions, Decisons.  I'm hoping to have it finished and given to my DIL for her shower.  Wish me luck!  (I feel confident posting this her on my blog as she has never read my blog, I don't even think she has the address.)

I hope everyone is safe and well wherever you are.  If you are the praying kind, please keep our DIL in your prayers.  She has run into a few hiccups along the way and we are praying she keeps well as well as our grandbaby.  Happy Stitching!

June Gifted Gorgeousness

Welcome back, and welcome to my Gifted Gorgeousness post for June.  We post on the 15th of each month showcasing our "gifts".  They could be fabric,  floss or patterns that have been gifted to us, stitched items that have been gifted to us, or things we have gifted others.  If you want to know the official rules please visit Jo over on Serendipitous Stitching.   Click here to go to her blog, and her official rules are listed here.  Maybe you would like to join us, it's never too late to sign up!  So here is what I've been up to...

My husband is my biggest cheerleader, and often buys me patterns and kits them up for me for different occasions, usually Christmas is a biggie!  Last year I was interested in two SALs, the first was Winter Quaker by Wiehenburg and here is where I am after stitching June's installment...

The second was the Modern Folk Embroidery SAL which has a TON of stitching.  Luckily I've been able to keep up so far, and I sincerely hope I'm able to finish before Christmas this year.  Wish me luck!

Each year, my husband subscribes to the JCS magazine so I consider anything I stitch from them to be part of GG.  This month I was able to stitch and finish these...

First was Baby Cardinal by Victoria Sampler from the 2013 JCS Ornament issue.

Next was Merry Christmas by My Big Toe from the 2020 Ornament Issue.

I stitched this pansy from the Cross Stitch Gifts by Kooler Designs for my Pen Pal.

I've been stitching these freebies from different designers too, and the first was from Brooke's Books Advent series.  I was able to stitch and finish Cassie Cow and Rascal Raccoon.  These are for my Daughter-in-Law who saw them and fell in love.  I'm hoping to finish by the end of November so she can hang them this Christmas.

Another set of freebies I've been stitching are the 12 Dragonlets of Christmas by Dragon Dreams.  I love the confused look on the Goose's face...haha

Another Free SAL I've been following is the Peppermint Purple SAL.

I received this gift from my Pen Pal in the mail yesterday.  I so look forward to her chatty letters each month and the stitched items are icing on the cake.  Not only did she send this stand up this month, but she included a little book too.  So fun!  Thank you Ms. K!

I'm participating in an exchange that we are going to be allowed to open on the first of July.  I have received mine, and it's been very hard not opening my package yet...I sent mine out last week, and I will post next month what I sent.  I wouldn't want to spoil the surprise just yet. 

I guess that's all I have for this month.  We have been surviving the crazy cicadas that have emerged 17 years after their last "visit".  We haven't had to fill the bird feeders in two weeks and the birds have all gotten fat off their nutritious snacks.  It's nice to see the birds back at the feeders though, I have missed watching them....and I will NOT miss those cicadas.  They are huge, ugly and noisy!  Have a nice hibernation for another 17 years!!  Off to finish up more stitching.  I hope you are all safe, healthy, and enjoying the summer weather!  Happy Stitching!

And Suddenly My Stars Are Aligned...

I don't know what happened....honestly!!  I was feeling overwhelmed, drowning in appointments, and things to do, and very little personal time and then....BAM.  My stars aligned in the heavens (or should I say, the Lord decided to bless me) and suddenly things are beginning to fall in place.  Ok, who has been praying for me?

It's always amazing to me, how sometimes pieces of the puzzle seemingly pop into place without struggle or aggravation.  I think maybe someone took pity on me and my overloaded brain and made things a little easier for me.  After my little "woe is me" post over the weekend, things have turned around.  Sunday I got caught up on Winter Quaker SAL, Monday, I finished stitching TWO ornaments, Tuesday I fully finished SEVEN  ornaments, Wednesday I zoomed with a friend, then worked a bit on Modern Folk Embroidery SAL, and then the dreaded Thursday appointment day arrived.  

I discovered two months ago that my Military ID card was about to expire.  So many things revolve around keeping that current, I can't explain them all, just know it's a lifeline really!  So, thinking I had caught it in plenty of time, I went about trying to make an appointment during a pandemic.  LOL!!  I couldn't remember passwords or how to log into the account, it nearly took an act of congress to log into the account.  We are talking HOURS...LOL!!  Finally I established I was indeed who I claimed to be, then went to the calendar to make the appointment.  TWO months were completely filled..... TWO!!!  I took the first available appointment, FOUR days before my card was due to expire.  Well that was serendipity that I was able to make the appointment before it expired.  DH was able to take the day off, because...well they really don't like dealing with family members...and boy was I glad he could!  I had all the paperwork filled out, two forms of ID with pictures, a map to the new building the office was located in, and with DH in tow I arrived 15 minutes before my appointment....only to be told that the computers were glitching and they were running late. I was given a number and sat down.  Just about every 15 minutes, a new  number was called, and there were about 10 numbers ahead of me.  Three people were called into the office and then a number was called and no one responded.  Then another number, then another, and finally  my number was called, all in the span of a few minutes.  So...I went into the office about 30 minutes after my appointment time, but was out in a few minutes because I had all the paperwork filled out and all they had to do was scan it, take my picture, and print out my new card!  If you have ever had to deal with military appointments you know that waiting 30 minutes late for your appointment is NOTHING!!  Their philosophy is hurry up and wait.  LOL  We then had time to run to the post office and mail out some packages, then had time to take in a movie before dinner!  It turned out to be a busy (really exhausting) day but we got so much done!  In the process of looking for my documents for the ID card, we discovered that DH's passport expires in 4 days....so he got his pictures, filled out the paperwork and got that ready to send in too.  Very productive day in other ways except stitching.  Not a stitch, but that's ok, because yesterday went so smoothly, I'll be spending the day in stitches today!  So here are a few pictures from my productive week.  I'm only showing a few, as the rest will be showcased in (you guessed it) FOUR days when I do my Gifted Gorgeousness post.  Here's where I am with Peppermint Purple SAL, an ornament from The Gift Of Stitching magazine, and Winter Quaker SAL.  

And that's all that's fit to print today!  I hope you are having a productive week as well!  Happy Stitching!

Life rolls on like a steamroller over me like Wile E. Coyote

Just when I'm on a consistent roll....the weekend arrives!  I keep saying that life is on fast forward around here, and even though I'm getting stitching done, there are things going on that keep my mind and body racing.  I'm glad I have stitching to sometimes distract me, but that doesn't keep me from feeling like life is spinning out of control.  I don't know how much I'll get done this weekend, but I'm hopeful I can get the monthly "must dos" done early.  I'll try to explain.

Last week the kids were on their long awaited and several times postponed honeymoon.  They spent a lovely week in Florida on the Gulf coast.  The pictures they sent were lovely, and they had a grand relaxing time.  We were watching their cat, Moolah, while they were gone.  It's a 30 minute drive to their house now, and they live right around the corner from my LNS.  I call that Serendipity!  LOL  So we went each day to play with Moolah and make sure he was fed and watered.  There have been a couple of baseball games that we attended and with the new rules, I'm not carrying cross stitch to the ball park.  We've been to see the new Disney movie, Cruella in theaters (what a lovely experience, doing something "normal" that we haven't been able to do is sooooo long).  There have been shopping excursions to Carter's where we are buying things for the new grandbaby while there have been sales on and coupons that needed to be spent before the expiration date.  There has been some finishing (and hopefully more today) and a few trips to Hobby Lobby for supplies and inspiration.  There has been final resolution to Mom's estate so we are in the planning stages of a trip to NY to close out accounts and see friends.  There is a vet visit planned, cancelled, and replanned (because Max wouldn't cooperate and get in the carrier...this could be a real problem!!) as his last time in the carrier was a super traumatic experience.  I'm not sure we will ever get him in the carrier and he needs his shots.  EEEEEK!!  And there is the matter of finding someone to watch him while we are away.  Oh and a hair cut was thrown in there too.  I've also been getting things ready for a large exchange that needs to be sent in the next few days (hopefully on Monday, I just need to get things wrapped up!)  Then there is the added excitement of having our DIL experience some pain and a few trips for sonograms (with more scheduled) and a emergency trip to the Dr.  Add up all that time, and it doesn't leave much time for stitching.  Thankfully the last couple of days have given me enough time to finish a few of my monthly stitching that I like to keep up with.  So....on with the show!

I struggled to keep up with SAL's last month, and finally got caught up on Modern Folk Embroidery on the 30th of May.  Whew!  I hope to pop that out earlier this month, wish me luck!  I think I may have to curtail RRs and exchanges for a while now, as there is just too much going on.  Anyway, here is my MFE as it stands today....being complete up until the end of May.  This is stitched on 28 count white over one.  The picture is discolored from the lack of light this morning.

This month's pen pal gift has been stitched, I just need to finish it.  I have a lot of things to mail right now so I want to get it all finished, packed up and make only one trip to the post office.  Never a fun experience, why are post people always so grumpy???  I always try to be cheery and crack jokes, but they always look at me like I have 3 eyes and a green complexion.  Seriously people, a little joke never hurt anyone!  This is a pansy bouquet from Cross Stitch Gifts by Kooler Designs.  Stitced on 36 count over two.

Next are Brooke's Books advent characters 14 and 15.  Cassie Cow and Rascal Raccoon (I think he's my favorite with his hand in the cookie jar, although Cassie is cute with her milk and cookies).  These are stitched on 32 count light blue over one.  I just love these designs!

I've finished stitching Merry Christmas by My Big Toe from the 2020 JCS Ornament issue.  This was stitched on 28 count white over one.  I'm trying to think of a different way to finish this one...my creative juices are tapped at the moment though...

6 Geese-a-laying was next stitched on 32 count light mocha over two.  These were freebies from Dragon Dreams the 12 Dragonlets of Christmas.  I love how the egg hatches a dragon and the poor goose is so confused.

I have a new crochet pattern book I'm working with.  I have worked and reworked the border of this afghan and can't seem to get the stitch count right.  I'm so close to having a finish...I did put it up for a few days to give my eyes a rest in counting, but hopefully soon I'll get this one done too.  I have a few more projects I hope to crochet too, but got a little discouraged with this one.  

I guess that's all that's fit to print at the moment.  I'll be back with more soon (I hope) or at least with some finishing.  I found a unique way to finish my Mayflower project....I just need to find the time to get it together.  Fingers crossed I'll get to that soon too.  Til the next time, Happy Stitching!!