TUSAL and Preparing for a HS Happy Dance

Time for the February TUSAL check-in. I'm using a small jelly jar to collect my orts. Once the little jelly jar is full, I'll dump it into the large Ball jar setting beside it. Most of the orts are from the little sampler that the jar is sitting on. 

A "Berry" Nice Sampler by Hillside Samplings

Stitched on 30 ct. Northern Cross Natural linen with DMC floss.

Changes: Switched to a slightly deeper yellow for the strawberry blossom centers and replaced the stitched center strawberry with the porcelain strawberry button that was intended for the pin pillow. 

A couple of weeks ago, I was in a funk and needed something colorful to stitch. Went stash diving and pulled out "A "Berry" Nice Sampler" from Hillside Samplings. This has been on my "want to stitch" list since I first laid eyes on it. I loved stitching this little sampler! With such a pretty palette of colors and an interesting variety of stitches, it was hard to put it down! Finished the stitching last night, ironed it today, and I'll be adding the the porcelain strawberry button to it this evening. Then I'll be happy dancing!   

This is a picture from the leaflet cover. Notice the center strawberry is stitched. When I bought the pattern, I also bought the linen and the porcelain button. Imagine my disappointment when I set down to really look over the pattern and discovered that the button wasn't used for the sampler. Probably one of the reasons that it has been waiting for 10 years to be stitched!  

Here's another view of "A "Berry" Nice Sampler". Sorry about the bad lighting. The actual colors show up much nicer in the first photo. 

A few of the orts in my TUSAL jar are from Carriage House Samplings "Alphabet Sampler". I'm stitching it from the cards that I collected before the full sampler chart pack was released.

"Alphabet Sampler" -  Carriage House Samplings

Stitched on 40 ct. Sandstone linen using overdyed threads. (Again, the lighting does not do the colors in this sampler justice.)

I have this by my stitching chair and whenever I am between projects or need to take a breather from what I am stitching on, I pull it out and stitch awhile. 

I'll leave you with a picture that I came across when I was browsing through some of my pictures. This is why I no longer leave my laptop on the floor if I have to step away.     

 

Megan, the queen of warm and cozy places.

Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world today. And sincere thanks to all that left comments to my last post. It means so much to me. 

Hope you are staying warm and finding time to do something you love!

No finishes to report, but I have an answer for Glenna...

First of all, thank you for the kind comments regarding my pile of unfinished finishes. I appreciate that no one scolded me for not being more proactive in the finishing department. What can I say, I'm just the kind of girl that enjoys stitching. As for the finishing, well, not so much.

I haven't finished anything this week although I have been experimenting with paint colors. I'm trying to decide what color to paint frames that I made last spring for:

"Sally Spencer" from Birds of a Feather
Stitched on 32 ct. hand dyed linen with overdyed floss.
Personalized with my immediate family's initials and the first two letters of the name of each of the cats that I have had.

Which of the two darker paint colors (see craft sticks to the left of the sampler) look best? Thoughts?

And...

"Button Button" from Hillside Samplings
(I can't find the chart right now, but I think that's the name.)
Stitched on 32 ct Lt Mocha linen with Caron Waterlilies in Fir and embellished with pearl buttons.

I finished stitching this sampler in 1997 and I mounted into the frame with glass and three layers of spacers to accomodate the buttons, but I'm not happy with the stain I used. Too light. Can't restain because I sprayed a coat of sealer on it. I'd like to find a coordinating paint color, slightly darker than the Waterlilies for it. Everything I've tried so far looks too bright (see light paint colors on craft stitcks in the picture above). Any suggestions for this one?  

In my last post, Glenna left a comment asking about one of the pieces in my UF (unfinished finishes) box. I think this is the one that she described. (Glenna, I would have emailed you sooner but I was unable to find your email address. Let me know if this isn't the one that you were asking about.) 

"Woodland Snowfall" from Little House Needleworks
Just Cross Stitch 2004 Special Christmas Ornament Issue
Stitched on 32 ct. scrap of mystery brown linen.
My plan was (and is) to finish it as a needlebook.

Well, my stitchy chair and my cat, Sophie, are calling to me. Time for a diet coke, some tummy rubbings (Sophie's, not mine) and some stitching. Thanks for stopping by my little corner of the world. Take care and stay warm! 

Tree Ornaments are coming along!

Seasons Greetings!

I've stitched three ornaments for the tree this year, one is on the tree and two are waiting to be turned into ornaments (which, hopefully, will happen this weekend). I've added a few pictures below.

A Cookie For Santa

Hillside Samplings

1999 Just Cross Stitch Special Ornament Issue

I love chocolate chip cookies and just love this little design! And it doesn't even have calories! I stitched it on light mocha linen with a dk brown shade of Theadworx and used a piece of dk brown fabric for the back and satin cording from my stash for the edging and the bow. 

Night Before Christmas

Birds of a Feather

1998 Just Cross Stitch Special Ornament Issue

Birds of a Feather designs just crack me up. I stitched this one on a scrap of raw linen and used overdyed threads. I plan to use the fabric in the background for the backing. Edging is still a question mark.

  

Festive Redbird

Homespun Elegance

This one I stitched on a scrap of overdyed tan colored linen with overdyed threads. I switched the recommended shade of red to a brighter red to match the little cranberry beads that I substituted for the charted french knots. I'm not sure yet what fabric I'll use to back it but the fabric in the background of the pic is currently at the top of my list.

Once the ornaments are finished and hanging on the tree, I'll take a few pictures and post them here. I have a few more gift finishes to accomplish, shopping to finish, and wrapping to be done before the big day. I just can't believe that Christmas is only two weeks away! Egads, I'd better get busy!

Hope all your plans are falling into place and you are enjoying the season. Thanks for stopping by.