First Finish of 2011

Woodland Sampling
Little House Needleworks
stitched on 32-count Antique Tan linen with DMC

Woohoo! My first finish for 2011 and my first Crazy January Challenge finish! I've actually had it done for a few days now, but for some reason getting the iron out and de-wrinkling this thing and then taking a picture of it ended up at the bottom of my to do list. Must remember to make that type of thing a priority in the future!

I've been working on Green Snowman from Shepherd's Bush the last couple of nights. I'm filling in the snowman and feel like I've crossed a few thousand white stitches. Not 100% thrilled with the way it's looking. I don't know if it's the fabric (30-count Weeks) or my crappy stitching but my poor snowman is looking like Swiss cheese. I'm being careful not to pull my thread too tight but I'm still ending up with huge holes between all my stitches. Really hoping it will relax a little once I'm done.

Looks like we have a big winter storm heading this way so I'll be making a run to the grocery store to stock up on provisions. We were treated to a little sun yesterday, the first in what seems like forever. It's a wonder we don't all have rickets!

Here's a shot of Spitz helping me try to get an un-blurry shot of my Woodland Sampling...

"Am I in your light?"

Crazy January Challenge Start #15

I couldn't seem to take an unblurry picture to save my soul, but this is my 15th start for the CJC, Woodland Sampling by Little House Needleworks. I'm totally in love with this design, it's so very "me"! I keep telling myself the house looks just like mine (if you rearrange the windows and add a porch, that is). But we do have pine trees and cardinals and squirrels and bunnies and (unfortunately) snow, so that part is completely accurate.

The weather today is positively dreary, wet and cold and the sky is a gloomy shade of grey. But the house is clean, the shopping's done, and my darling daughter is coming for dinner tonight so I'm just as chipper and a... um... chipper thing!

Have a happy Tuesday, y'all, and thanks for visiting!

Crazy January Challenge Start #14

Had a slight change of plans last night and decided to start Joyful Summer from Country Cottage Needleworks instead of LHN's Woodland Sampling. I know I'll want to keep working on WS so may as well leave it to last and just keep it out. Not that I've been putting any of these projects away as I go. I have a nice pile of starts on the sofa table next to where I've been taking my pictures, along with fibers and patterns scattered here, there, and everywhere. I do need to work on my organizational skills! (My next challenge? Maybe...)

So here we are on the last day of the Crazy January Challenge! It has gone by a lot faster than I thought it would, and amazingly, I've managed to keep up with my starts. I say last day but that's not quite true. There's more fun to come as we all attempt to finish our 15 projects! No problem! Right?

Crazy January Challenge Start #13

Saving the best for almost last, my next start is Season of Growth from Little House Needleworks. I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that they could stitch LHN designs all day, every day! Love love love them all! In fact, tonight's start will be another LHN, Woodland Sampling. Can't wait!

Crazy January Challenge Starts 11 & 12

The crazinesss continues with more Sweet Treats! Here we have Pie (start #11) and Cake (start #12). Harmien will be happy that these are the last two! And my chocolate cravings should finally subside!

Only three more starts to go for the CJC! Then it's on to completing them! Woohoo!

Crazy January Challenge Start #10

Last night's start (number ten!) was the fourth of Country Cottage Needleworks Sweet Treats designs. This one is Ice Cream, a personal favorite treat, especially when it's covered in chocolate syrup! Maybe that's why I couldn't stop stitching until I had the whole bowl done! Complete with the cherry on top! Dig in!

CJC Starts 7, 8, & 9

*** The title of this post reminds me of a riddle: Why is six afraid of seven? Because seven eight nine! (Seven ate nine... get it?) ***

My next three starts for the Crazy January Challenge are from the Sweet Treats series by Country Cottage Needleworks.


Here we have Sweet Treats, Cupcake, and Tart. They don't look very appetizing right now but once I get some of the pinks and purples in there they will look positively delicious! I'm stitching them individually so I can finish them as ornaments to hang from a 'shabby chic' ornament tree I bought a couple of years ago, right before I packed everything up and moved northwards. I realize for this to happen I will have to find both my sewing machine and the ornament tree in the mountain of my boxed possessions. They've actually been divided into four hills now, so there is hope!

I had planned to do some blog visiting over the weekend but it just didn't happen. I'm afraid I've gotten woefully behind on my reading and commenting. I do want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has stopped by to visit my little spot on the web, and I do appreciate the comments you leave. I promise to make my rounds soon!

Crazy January Challenge Start #6

My next start is Happy Bunny Bunny Day by The Trilogy. I've had this one kitted up in my stash for some time, and, being the year of the rabbit, now's the perfect time to stitch it!

We had a few inches of snow last night which my son and I promptly cleared off the walks earlier... only to have it start snowing again. Exasperated sigh!

Today is my lovely daughter Sarah's birthday! We will be venturing up north to the 'big city' to have dinner with her this evening and do a little celebrating. She picked Carrabba's for dinner so I'm looking forward to some yummy Italian. (Food, ladies! I meant food!)

Crazy January Challenge Start #5

Last night's start was A Winter's Tale by Shepherd's Bush. As you can see from the photo the colors are very subtle. (I swear, there's more stitching there than it looks like!) I had a heck of time sorting the fibers that came with the kit. Is this one pale pink or rose? Is that one light tan or dusty peach? Anyhoosie, the border for this one looks like it'll be fun to stitch. There's an inner border with a bazillion Rhodes stitches in different colors and an outer border that you weave a pattern of hearts into. Should be gorgeous!

We are having a bit of snow today. As pretty as it is when it's falling, I do hate the 'upkeep'. It looked like it was letting up so I went out to clear the sidewalks. No sooner did I get started when it started snowing heavily again. I was all bundled up with my boots on so I decided to at least finish the walkway. Shoveling snow while it's snowing? Complete lunacy! But then it is Crazy January, right!

Crazy January Challenge Starts 3 & 4

I completely forgot to post my third start yesterday so today I'll be showing you two.

Monday night I started the first of the three Shepherd's Bush kits I have chosen, Better Not Pout. I managed to finish the pudgie person and most of one of the sheep. I still need to add his antlers to turn him into a reindeer. (The sheep, not the pudgie!)

Last night I started another SB kit, Green Snowman. This one is going to have a ton of white stitching which I'm not looking forward to. But he's an adorable snowman so I will persevere!

Tonight I plan to start my last SB kit which is A Winter's Tale. Then I will officially be 1/3 of the way through my starts and well on my way to crazy! Woohoo!

Crazy January Challenge Start #2

My second start for the CJC is a limited edition kit from Lizzie Kate called Christmas is Forever. I bought this in 2008 but never started it since my Christmas stitching is usually limited to a quick ornament or two, if that. December is just one of those months that is so jam-packed with activity that I rarely get much stitching done. I usually choose my stitching projects according to the seasons so I was afraid I might feel a little off kilter starting a Christmas design in January. Maybe it was the simply devine Crescent Colours fibers that came with the kit, or possibly it was that scrumptious shade of pink (Carrie Berry! Yum!) but I didn't experience a single obsessive compulsive twitch while I was working on this project. Christmas stitching! In January! Whodathunkit!

Tonight's start will most likely be one of the Shepherd's Bush kits I have on my list. Stay tuned!

Crazy January Challenge Start #1

My first start for the CJC is Big Blizzard Sampler from Heart in Hand. I had wanted to finish the snowman but my short attention span kicked in and, as you can see, he still needs a little work.

Such is the case with our real life snowmen, too. Here we have attempt number one:

This guy's body was shaped out of a pile of snow (and dried grass and dead leaves...) with a big snowball plopped on top for the head. The sunglasses give him a little personality, don't you think? He was only about 18 inches tall so not very impressive.

For our second attempt we decided to go with the traditional rolling of the snowballs until they were the right size. Unfortunately we over-rolled the middle part and the result was a disproportionate, lopsided stack of snow(dirtgrassleaf)balls.


He was, at least, a respectible snowman height. And I have to admit it was a little sad watching him slowly melt... leaning, leaning... until one day I looked outside and saw his head had fallen off! I'm still recovering from the shock!