Okay, let's see if I can post more in 2022!

 Hello my lovelies, 

I am so sorry that I have not visited with you all since April last year - not sure where the time has gone - especially as we (like so many of us) were in lockdown for most of it.  I promise you, a lot of reading, stitching and knitting got done but for some reason, I really hermitted and posted on IG rather than on Blogger.  But it is a NEW YEAR, so here goes. 

This is what I have been stitching this month....

Unfortunately, for me, despite stitching like mad all month I didn't quite finish my choices for two of the themes: One (12 Days) and Four (Nutcracker) for the Christmas Ornie SAL which I host.  Although I did make a lot of progress on my Nutcracker Village for Theme Four.  

But firstly, here is my 12 Days design - by Jim Shore - this is a picture of what it will look like when finished....

.... and here is my rather pathetic progress on it!

But I am pleased to say that my first section of Nutcracker Village by Country Cottage Needlework is coming along very well (although not finished).  It is stitched on the called for sparkly fabric but I couldn't seem to get the sparkles to show up but I must say I think it is one of the prettiest Christmas designs I have ever stitched and I am sorry to say that the photos do not really do it justice.

This is what I have been knitting, all last year and again this year - Dishcloths!

These are all free designs from Garlene from The Kitchen Sink shop - she releases a new one each month. You can find her designs on Ravelry, here (or click on the pic above) although you have to pay for last year's designs now. But if you sign up for her newsletter you should get these year's designs for free each month.  I find these very soothing to knit and so pretty and useful.

... and this is what I have been reading so far this year...

I would have to say, don't bother with either The Girl with the Stars (even though I have really loved all of Mark Lawrence's other novels) or Trigger Mortis (adolescent rubbish, really). I am rereading the Matthew Reilly's Jack West Jr series as the final one has come out but they are a VERY light read and you have to suspend a lot of disbelief.  The real gem that I have discovered this year is Louise Penny and her Inspector Gamache series. At first they seem like a light read, too, but they have so much depth to them which becomes more with each novel in the series.  I can highly recommend them (and I am learning a lot about Quebec, too).  Update: Stanley Tucci's book was a delight!

So, that is me for this past month (yes, I know it is Feb already but at least I am trying - lol!)

hugs, 

Fully Finished Gallery SAL_January 2021 Update

Hello all, sorry to be so very late with my FFO post for January 2021 (it should have been posted on January 10 and here we are - eight days later!!!!), but since this is actually the first one that I have posted since March last year, I am actually pretty chuffed that I am posting it!

 

Hosted by Rachel the Ten Hour Stitcher

This is a great SAL, designed to motivate us all to do something with that box of Finished pieces instead of just storing them under the bed or in my case, in a drawer! The idea is to link up on Rachel's blog on or after the 10th of each month (10 Hour Stitcher - 10th of the month)..... 

Now, don't worry, I am not going to show you all my finishes since March last year but I will show you some of my favourites.  

#1 In November, I FFOed this gorgeous ornament from one of my old Just CrossStitch Christmas Ornament Mags - I've been searching but I can't find which one - when I do, I will update you all.  This was actually stitched at the start of 2020.

#2 was also from a JCS Christmas Ornie Mag.

I am very happy with my fussy cut of the Angel on the back but I do wish that I had given it a good brush before I took the pic - lol!

#3, another one from a  JCS Christmas Ornie Mag.  This one is from 2001 and the designer is Earth Threads (whom I had never heard from before) but isn't it a cute design?

#4 and #5 are the same design but personalised for my two cats (Milo - sadly now deceased - and Furio).

A dear GF lent me the pattern but for the life of me I cannot remember the name of the designer 🙃.   Update: Thanks to dear Jo from Serendipitous Stitching, I can now tell you that the designer is Brittercup Designs. 

#6 is also from JCS Christmas Ornie Mag 2001 (you can tell that there is a bit of a theme with the JCS Christmas Ornie mags, can't you? lol!)

#7 is the hand embroidery on this very cute Peter Rabbit quilt (a good friend kindly did the quilting for me) for a friend's baby (pictured).

#8 is a freebie from PinkernPunkin Quilting and Stitching called "Christmas Barn". You can find it here.  She has a whole series of them called "Barnyard Christmas". Just scroll down on the post to find the links. These are so cute and just great Smalls, I plan to stitch more.

#9 is from the 2020 JCS Christmas Ornie Mag, isn't the caravan cute?

#10 Is this very cute little Elf which I found on Pinterest and finished him with a cute Christmas tree button and a tartan bow.

For #1,  I chose this rather sweet design by Nikki Leeman from Country Cottage Needleworks (CCN) called "Visions of Sugar Plums" from, you guessed it, JCS Christmas Ornie Mag, 2009. The first pic is the image from the magazine but you can see that I changed it a little as I placed the phrase "Sugar Plums" above the "lacework".  The reason for this is quite simple - I am an idiot!  I made a fundamental mistake from stitch one by not centreing my stitching correctly - Aaagghh!  However, I think that I have overcome the error and with the help of one of my favourite ribbons (pink with red dots) and a gorgeous backing fabric, I have produced a pretty ornament.  Oh, and I also changed the pink in the rug and the wording for a deeper pink.

... and lastly, #12 is a Prairie Schooler design from Book #177 "January". 

So, that is it for me - twelve projects finished this post - over several months, of course! lol!

If you want to see what the other Fully Finishers got up to in January - please check them out here.

Thanks for visiting and please don't forget to leave a comment as I do love a good chat,

hugs, 

P.S. I meant to remind you all that I am having a Giveaway - you can check out all the details by clicking on the picture below.

FNSI_February 2020 edition

I worked on two projects yesterday, Friday, for FNSI

and Friday Frolics - 

One small and one larger.... and drum roll, please.....

Both are Happy Dances!

First is PS Santa 2005 - I love the fact that he is holding a quilt and sewing equipment.

... and the second is Snowflake Serenade by CCN - I really love this design - the soft palette is so very gorgeous.

As you can imagine, I am Happy Dancing all over the house to have two finishes, especially Snowflake Serenade, which has been in my WIP pile for a while now.

Thanks for visiting and please don't forget to leave a comment as I do love a good chat.

Also, don't forget to check out the other FNSIers, here.

hugs,