Gifted Gorgeousness_March Update...

I must begin this month's update with an apology to a dear bloggy buddy, Sharmayne from Country Fragrance, as last GG post I forgot to post about the wonderful exchange gifts she sent me for the Initial Heart Swap, which is run by dear Cheryll every year.

But first, in case you do not know what I am talking about ...

Gifted Gorgeousness (or GG) is a SAL run by the wonderful SAL Mama, Jo from Serendipitous Stitching.  Basically, on the 15th of each month, we post about anything which is stitchy gift-related that we have been up to that month.

Anyway, dear Sharmayne sent me the most gorgeous journal cover, some jelly beans and a sweet crocheted heart.

In turn, I sent her a little pillow, with the year and her initial on it, a bear tin and some chocolates.

With a cat postcard, of course!

Great swap, Sharmayne, thank you so much, I love my new journal.

Next, I have a languishing WIP, which I stitched on for Friday Frolics a week or so back ....

"Noel Blanc", the design was kindly gifted to me by my dear Jo, from Serendipitous Stitching, of course!

Noel Blanc

Designer: K

Designer: A  Mon Ami Pierre

Fabric: 28 ct Willow (I think that is what it is called.)

Floss: Suggested DMC threads

The true colour of the fabric is closer in the second pic. I must say it looks much prettier in real life

 The last time I stitched on this piece was in August 2015!  So sorry, Jo, I could not believe that so much time had gone by before I touched it again but now it is definitely back in my rotation (which seems to get bigger by the day - lol!)

Next up is a sweet Easter stitch all finished for a friend.

Spring Celebrations design by The Primitive Hare.  It is a freebie which you can find here.

... and this is another FFO for a friend from my Book Club (the stitching was completed in September 2015)

Lastly, I have started on this gorgeous nutcracker Christmas design, kindly gifted to me by the delightful Melinda from Family Business.

It is a really sweet design from an old magazine and features five different nutcrackers standing to attention all in a row, with an alphabet above and surrounded by a candy cane and heart border - just adorable - all in time-honoured Christmas colours.

Thank you so much, dear Melinda.

Well, that is all my GG for this month.

Please check out this link for all the wonderful work of the other GGers!

hugs, 

August FNSI and IHSW update...

Well, it was another busy weekend for me, with family mostly, and next weekend will be filled again with love and laughter as we are going to the engagement party of my dear friend's son and DD, DS2 and I will be taking my Dad out for a second birthday lunch!  How lovely and blessed I am.

However, this weekend was FNSI and IHSW (follow the links to see what everyone else got up to) and I managed to do a little bit of this....

What will be a Christmas tree biscornu..

and that.... "B" from Brookes Books A stitcher's Alphabet....

and a little more.....  Noel Blanc

What did you all get up to?

hugs, 

SDUCJC 2015

This year I am taking part in the  SDUCJC (SoCal Debbie Ultimate Crazy January Challenge) which is a very special challenge to me. It is being undertaken by many of us this year to honour the memory of a very special cross stitcher and friend to many of us, SoCal Debbie. She was a prolific stitcher, blogger and commenter but sadly she passed away very suddenly last year.  I still miss her oh so encouraging comments on my projects and I miss SALing with her, as well.
One of her favourite challenges was the CJC:

CJC = Crazy January Challenge, one new start for the first 15 days of January

UCJC = Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, one new start for all 31 days of January

DUCJC = Debbie's Ultimate Crazy January Challenge, stitch 31 projects one per day for January

Linda Stitchin' with my Furbabies and I (mainly Linda) are organising this all via a FB group. Stitchers are free to undertake whatever level of commitment they like to the challenge, with some stitchers cleverly shoehorning their starts into other challenges they are doing for 2015 or in many cases, using a WIP, which has been languishing for a while as one of their projects.

In 2012, Linda and Debbie did  the SDUCJC (Super Duper Ultimate Crazy January Challenge) or 59/60 starts throughout January and February, so some of us are doing that this year, with dear Linda.

Now, as I have the wedding coming up in, oh my goodness, FOUR DAYS!, I actually started a little early so that I could allow for the days that I couldn't stitch (how is that for organisation?) and yesterday as I had to wait at home all day for a couple of tradesmen (who were supposed to come between 7am and 10am but turned up at 1.30pm and 2.30pm!), I actually managed a finish and a new start!

So, I am going to post all of my starts so far - I actually have 11, with two stitching finishes and I am starting Day 12 today!  But don't worry, from about Thursday onwards I will be lucky to do one stitch for quite a few days and then in Feb I have a conference on the Gold Coast for three days hence the need to get myself ahead.

Here we go:

#1: Noel Blanc by A Mon Ami Pierre

This design was gifted to me by the lovely Jo of Serendipitous Stitching, it will make a reappearance later in the month as part of my Gifted Gorgeousness SAL which Jo is running for 2015.

#2: ABC Christmas by Lizzie Kate

This was sitting all kitted in my stash - yay! I am so pleased I actually managed to complete a whole word plus two baubles.

#3: Quaker Village by Rosewood Manor

I love the colours of this start - I was sorry to have to put it down.

#4: "K" from a Stitcher's Alphabet by Brooks Books (freebie)

This is my first finish for the year - yay!  The "K" is for my upcoming Swapaway.

#5: "J" from a Stitcher's Alphabet by Brooks Books (freebie)

The J" is for my upcoming Swapaway but unfortunately still has a bit of stitching to go - it is "J" for Japanese Stitching.

#6: "Counting" in brown by A Primitive Hare
I just love Isabella's designs.

This is also for my upcoming Swapaway

#7: "Counting" in red by A Primitive Hare

I just love Isabella's designs, so I am doing it twice!

This is also for my upcoming Swapaway.

#8: Halloween Globe by Gazette 94

This is a freebie from the wonderful Gazette 94. She has a series of Snowglobes, so I can see some more in my future.

This will turn up again in February as part of my Halloween Ornament SAL 2015, which is also hosted by the wonderful Jo.
I actually started this because I thought that Skeletons was the theme for January but luckily my dear friend, Noni, over in Perth put me on the right track (see #11).
Still, this is 3/4 done, so at least I am ahead on that SAL now!

#9: Santa's Sleigh Ride by JBW
Something I found when I was tidying up, lucky!
Isn't Santa cute?

#10: Holiday Spirit, freebie (you can find the pattern here - thanks, Chiara for reminding me where I found it and thanks to Robin for being so generous with her designing).
Also found when I was tidying up. I stitched this last year, too but when I found the pattern again, I thought why not?  This is my second Happy Dance for the year - double yay!

#11: Spring Witch by The Snowflower Diaries (freebie)

Aha! Here she is: January's theme for the Halloween Ornie SAL - witches!
Isn't she cute?  Last year I stitched Autumn witch, so after Summer, only two to go.

So, that is me up to date.  Off to do some wedding stuff and then to work on today's stitch  - Well-behaved Women by Lizzie Kate.

hugs, 

Gifted Gorgeousness to come...

Hmm, this is going to be another post inspired by the gorgeous Jo of Serendipitous Stitching!

This one is about her Gifted Gorgeousness SAL for 2015.

The idea of this SAL is that once a month we post about any stitching we have done involving anything we have been gifted.

Well, Jo kindly sent me her pattern of Blanc Noel by A Mon Ami Pierre (who has stopped designing) once she completed her stitching on it.  I think her kindness was due to my persistent admiration (and hinting, maybe) of the pattern and the beautiful work she was doing.

So, this will be my first Gifted Gorgeousness start for the SAL.

Thank you, Jo, it was so kind of you to send me the pattern.

hugs,

P.S. Don't forget it is FNSI tonight, hosted by Wendy of Sugarlane Quilts, you can sign up here.

And this weekend is IHSW, hosted by Joysze of Random Ramblings, you can sign up for that here.

Both of these are the last times for this year.  Oh, where has 2014 gone?

Love, Kaye