On target and a Yiota's Cross Stitch Review

Hello friends!

I've taken little bits of time to stitch this past week and really feel like I've accomplished a lot.  This coming week I'll need to concentrate on a few things to meet my February goals, though.  I'd like to have this page of the Dimensions Cabin 2/3 done, finish my February ornament, and make some sort of sewn or quilted project by Friday.  It's too bad that I can't sit and stitch all day this week, but I seem to have some other deadlines this week that are a little more important than cross stitch! : )

Let's start with yesterday... my daughter brought in this long-awaited parcel from www.yiotas-xstitch.com.

I say "long-awaited" not because it was slow in shipping, I think it came from the UK in 5 days, but because I knew it would be coming in February and I didn't know when, so I was thrilled to finally see it!  You'll see the Post Office didn't quite get the "do not bend" idea, but that's ok - it was well packaged and not damaged, and  (drum roll, please) out came my pattern...

After looking closely at other reviews and at the patterns themselves online, I realized that these cross stitch kits from Yiota's were not going to be as detailed as, say, the HAED ones.  That was OK with me, as those have so many color changes to achieve that look that they can be overwhelming.  But, because of that I chose a piece that I would love even if there wasn't a lot of shading.  Let me show you what I mean....

This is a corner of the picture on the front of the pattern.  Do you see that there are definite lines in the color changes in the sky?  It isn't a problem at all and it going to be so fun to stich, but it can be different than you'd expect just by looking at the patterns online.

Here's how the kit was packaged...

Don't you just love those bobbins?  I put them on a ring and started to work right away.  I didn't use the enclosed 14 count aida - although it was soft and would work just fine - but after working on "Eye on the Sparrow" I decided that I would like to try to stitch this over one instead.  (I should've just gotten it with the evenweave, but I figured it would all be covered and wouldn't really matter which I stitched it on.)  The pattern is "large print" - the symbols are twice as big as the Dimensions kit pattern that I've been working from - so it seems like it will be very easy to work from.  Here's as far as I got in my little chunk of time I allotted to it...

Now when I got to this point and shot the picture I realized that the length of my fabric was going horizontally across my lap, rather than vertically.  AAAARRRRRGGGGHHHH.  Well, I measured carefully, and because I'd left so much on each side, I can continue and it will still fit, I'll just only have an inch or so on the bottom when I'm done.  I know most of you die hard stitchers would have frogged it and restarted, but I can't stand frogging unless there is no other way around it, so I choose to pretend I meant to do it in the first place.

Anyway, keep watching to see my progress!  I'd love to have this done by Christmas, as I really want to add it to my decorations!

Whew!  Long post!  OK - here's a group shot of all my other projects.  Maybe you'll notice some progress on a few of them!

And there you have it!  

Thanks so much for stopping by, and HAPPY STITCHING!

It's Time!

For another weekly update!

First, the winner of my little giveaway is... CALAMITY JR.!!


Congratulations!  Could you email me at inkystitcher @ yahoo.com with your address?  Thanks!!

Now onto the pictures!

First, let me show you what Catherine sent me for the Love and Friendship Exchange.  It was amazing!  She stitched the pretty pillow and put my husband's and my initials on it, along with our wedding year.  That is SO special, cuz this will be our 25th anniversary this year and now I have a stitched remembrance of it!

Then there are beads and a mesh bag and a wonderful pair of Dinky Dyes scissors and lots of deep fall colored floss and needles and... HAND DYED FABRIC.  I could not believe it!!  The best part was that the color of the fabric was just PERFECT for a pattern I've had kitted up since last year, that I could not find fabric for!!  I was so excited that I started it right away!  I'm stitching it over 1 on the Hand-Dyed Monaco...

Do you recognize it?  It's Silver Creek Sampler's "Eye on the Sparrow".  It's coming along so quickly and I absolutely love working on it!  I have put in a few stitches on all my pieces, even my UFO, but I'm only going to show you a progress picture on my Dimension's Cabin which is still pretty close to being "on target" to be finished by the end of the year...

Oh!  Here's my exchange gift that I sent to Shirlee.  I enjoyed stitching her pillow, which was an ornament from one of the newest JCS ornament magazines.  I haven't stitched a whole lot of pieces that just use one color and it was sort of relaxing. : )

Now, for a favorite card... Hmmm... which one to choose...  I know!

This is a digi stamp that I colored with copics.  I followed the My Favorite Things Wednesday sketch and got to use my new Flower and Leaf Trio Die-Namics to cut out the flower and leaves.

Thanks so much for stopping by today!

Weekly Update and Giveaway

 Greetings, friends!  Here's my update for the week!

Cabin Fever...  Not as much done this week as I would've liked.  I had some trouble with my shoulder at the beginning of the week so I stitched on my "easy" pieces more than this one.  It's doing better now, thanks!

Twilight Bridge...  Just a thread length or two on this one.  I'm in no hurry, I just have to stitch on it a little each week. : )

February Ornament... It's coming along nicely.  I stitch on this when I need something ... ummm... brainless.

UFO Heart and Soul...  Lots of border and a little bit of flower this week.

Precious Moments ... I haven't done a charity quilt block yet this year and I've wanted to start this PM for awhile.  I do wish I would've started this one on evenweave, though.  Lots of fractional stitches in it, which I didn't think about until too late.  Next time I'll remember!! : )

 

Here's a virtual card for Mouse... since I missed her birthday...

and, last but not least, a little giveaway!  

I made this little pillow for an exchange, and ended up stitching and sending an entirely different one!  Plus a magazine and some candy... and I'll add a few of my handmade cards, as well! : )  Just mention you'd like to be included in the drawing in your comment and I'll add your name.  I'll draw the winner when I make my next update, so it might be 3 days, or it might be a week.  

Thanks so much for stopping by!

Be a blessing!!

Tricia

Love You...More!

It's time for another guest design team challenge over at My Favorite Things! : )  Love these!  They always make you step up your stamping to another level and it's a good thing to be continually inspired.  The theme for this month is Stamp Your Heart Out, and here's what I came up with...

I started by cutting out tons (ok, so not tons, but quite a few!) of little hearts with my Notched Tag Die-Namics in different shades of pink.  I freehanded the "U" and stitched it onto the white mat and then cut out a little tag with the First Place Award Ribbon Die-Namics.  The kraft background is stamped lightly with an older Script background stamp by Stampin Up and then layered and stitched onto a Nesties scalloped rectangle.  The white background is embossed with the Argyle embossing folder and the words are from two different PI sets...  This month's Classic Kids VIP set and Love you with all my Heart.

Love you more!  A perfect card to send to my husband... even WITH all the pink!! LOL!

A Windy Day!

Hello, hello!  It's windy outside today.  I need to run out to the post office, but I really don't want to set foot outside, so I'll do this weekly wrap-up first! : )

First - my favorite card from this week...

The stamp is from My Favorite Things, and the layout is the My Favorite Things Wednesday Sketch Challenge from this week.  The little girl is colored with copics and is sending all my readers some well wishes!!

Now onto this week's stitching...

Heart and Soul from UFO Thursday...

Today's progress on my SAL with DD - Dimensions Twilight Bridge

This week's progress on my BHP... Dimensions Cabin Fever

And, finally, my first finish of 2012.... Lantern Santa (JCS 20011)

I'm tucking this away in a box for later.  I'd like to have some things done ahead for Christmas this year, which is why I'm trying to stitch an ornament and quilt something each month.  

I did get the little quilt layered and quilted, but I haven't sewn the binding down yet, so you'll have to wait until next week for a picture of that one.

Don't forget that I have a few charts for sale or trade in the post before this one.  Let me know if there is something you would like!  You can contact me at inkystitcher @ yahoo.com 

Lizzie Kate, LHN and Precious Moments for Sale or Trade

Hi everybody!  I'm doing a little destashing and thought I'd see if anyone was interested in these...

I would love to trade for something on my wishlist, or I've also listed a sale price (with the shipping included).

L*K November $2.00 (including shipping)

L*K Woof - $2.00 (including shipping)

Little House Needleworks Counting House - $4.00 (including shipping)

Precious Moments Noah's Ark - ADORABLE! $4.00 (including shipping)

This Week in Pictures

Hello friends!

I got such a fun surprise in the mail today!  Over Christmas I won a drawing during our Stitched with Love exchange and just look at all the fun things I got today from Colleen!  I *love* the Santa pillow she stitched for me!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

Have you gotten a lot accomplished this week??  Here's my week's work...

BHP for Becky's Challenge - Dimensions Cabin Fever...
I've stitched on this almost every day.  It is slow going, so I switch it up with the exchange piece that I'm working on.  You can start to see the reflection of the cabin in the water!

SAL with DD - Dimensions Twilight Bridge...
Just 45 minutes or so on this one this week.  I filled in a window and that was about it.

UFO Thursday - Dimensions Heart and Soul...
A little backstitching and more done on the rust colored swirls.

Scrap Quilt...  I'd love to put together a scrap quilt or table runner each month so I have some gifts ready at Christmas time.  This is some leftover fabric from a quilt I made for DD a number of years ago.  The top is all sewn together now and next week I'll sandwich, quilt and bind it.  It's definitely cuter in real life! : )

 And my favorite card this week!



A sweet little "hello" using a stamp from Verve and the adorable Mouse who is now available as a digital stamp from Whimsy and Stars.  I followed the Mojo Monday sketch for my layout and colored Lucy Mouse with Copics.

Have an amazing week!

Blessings!
Tricia

Time for an Update!

Hello again!

I definitely didn't have as much progress this week as I might have liked, but I can't blame that on anyone but myself.  I spent time relaxing instead of stitching a few times this week.  Well, either relaxing or doing bookwork, which isn't quite the same thing!  But I do have a little progress to show you, and I also worked on an exchange piece that must remain invisible for a time. :)

First, my UFO.  Not too much progress, but any is better than none! :)

Then my SAL ornament.  I tried to do this while I watched the Packer game yesterday.  Sigh.  I was too distracted to get anymore stitched, so I finally just gave up!!

And my BHP for Becky's Challenge...  I really did get a lot done on this, and, of course, made a few mistakes along the way.  Nothing I'm going to fix, though.  With all the confetti stitching, I can't imagine that a stitch or two out of place would even be noticed!!  I have lofty goals for this one, this week.  We'll see how much time and energy I have to accomplish them. : )

Here's a question for you all.  I am looking for a nice quiet, relaxing, not super expensive vacation spot for my husband and I to celebrate our 25th anniversary this year.  We have gone nowhere and done nothing, so we are really clueless.  I mentioned going overseas, but since I've only flown once, I don't think I'm ready for that yet.  And since we've seen next to nothing in the US, it would be nice to do something here.  We'd like somewhere quiet, relaxing, with things to do if you wanted, but not in a crazy busy city.  If we could have the best of both worlds, I would like a cross stitch shop and he would like a trapshooting range. : )  Let me know if you have any ideas!!

Stitching Updates and Spotted Scissors

Hello again!  It's update time!! : )

Let's start with the SAL with DD...

Before...

After...

Then my BHP... Dimensions Gold Cottage Fever.   Last week...

and up to last night...  

I started to use a size 24 needle this week - even though it's 18 count fabric.  With all the sections of 4-5 strand stitching, my smaller needles were bending, breaking and just being frustrating.  I'm going TONS faster now.  YAY!!!

Then my Thursday progress on my UFO...

And my progress on my SAL ornament...

Yesterday, dd and I went shopping to help her spend some of her Christmas money and ended up at our not so local Needlework Store.  The 50% off bin was full and I found the adorable Bent Creek chart there.  The little pieces of fabric are all evenweave from the remnant bin - perfect for the ornament SAL I'm doing.  Then my Homespun Elegance chart for later in the ornament SAL (I know, Shirlee, I said I'd only buy one chart... But one full price one counts, right??? LOL!), a few needles, some thread for an exchange project and a $4 pair of spotted green scissors.  I think the scissors are adorable!  Now I need to get my hands on the cute little SB scissors fob kit that matches.  Well... maybe next time I have a little $$ to spend.  When is Mother's Day???  LOL!

My sewing room is a happy place for me right now.  I'm so thankful that Cabin Fever is coming along easier.  I'm at the bottom of the first column, which makes me feel like I'm really accomplishing something, and I made really good progress on the ornament, so I'll be able to get that done this month, and that will satisfy my "quick stitch" urge.   I spent last night looking through all the JCS ornament editions that I've collected to make a list of ornaments to do for the challenge.  I'm looking forward to having a little pile for gifts.  

Thanks so much for stopping by.  If you read this far you deserve a medal!!

Blessings!

Tricia

aka Inkystitcher

Stitching update!!

Greetings!

I figured it was about time for an update on my BHP (Big Huge Project... rather than the other more "slangy" version that I would rather not say...) : ) - Cabin Fever.

In case you've forgotten, I'm working on a Dimensions kit for my husband, and it could very well be the end of me.  My goal is to finish it by the end of the year.  It could happen!  Maybe.... if I buy stock in needles...  and patience.

Here's my progress as of yesterday.  Don't even ASK how many hours work that was!

Figuring I was going to need sanity breaks, I joined Lainey's monthly Christmas ornament SAL, too.  This month the theme was Santa, so I looked through my Ornament magazine and found this cute design by Sue Hillis.  I get to start this on Sunday, after I've stitched 15 minutes or so on the Cabin.

Since I've already put half an hour in on the Cabin, I can work on my UFO tonight, so next time I'll have pictures of that, too.

Have a wonderful day and happy stitching!!

A Little Stamping...

Hi all!

I have something fun to share today!  My Favorite Things - one of the companies that I enjoy buying rubber stamps and accessories from - is having a Guest Design Team Challenge this week, and if you are chosen you could win *lots* of fun stamps and accessories to make sample cards with for their next stamp release.  For 2012, I'm going to be consolidating all my stamping and cross-stitching blogging together to save me some time, so here I am - and here's a card to share! : )

The challenge for our card was to paper piece... in other words to "color" the image by cutting the different parts of the image out of different patterns of paper and glue them together.  If you look carefully, I've paper pieced the little lamb, each of the flowers, the jacket, the pants, and even the little "hands" and "feet".  I used copic markers to color in the grass and then add some depth and shading after I finished piecing him back together.  The clouds are sponged in with pink and turquoise ink, and I cut the little border flag, since my First Place Award Ribbon Die-namics die won't get here for a day or two yet. (My DH gave me Christmas money and I have a lovely order coming!!)

If you enjoy making cards, be sure to check out the My Favorite Things shop!  And wish me luck with the contest!!

Blessings!

Tricia aka InkyStitcher : )

On my list

Hello friends and neighbors!

It's Thursday, so to get a headstart on my Friendly Stitcher UFO Day, I'm going to stitch on this today.

I worked a little on L*K ABC Lessons this week...  I plan to work on this one week each month until it is done.

And here is my start on the Dimensions "Twilight Bridge" SAL that I'll be doing with my DD.  I'm not sure how often we'll be stitching on it when she's back at college.  Once a week or once a month, maybe?  It has really pretty colors, so it seems like it will be a fun stitch.

And here's the extent of my Christmas stitchy gifts.  A little kit from my DD and my wonderful little pair of designer Gingher scissors.  *Love* them.  I would love to get all of the colors of these, but, WOW, they get expensive once the color is retired!!  I actually found these for 50% off at Joann's before Christmas and snapped them up, wrapped them and put them under the tree to me from Santa's reindeer. : )

Next week I'll start working on my big project for next year - Dimensions Gold "Cabin Fever".  I started it in the upper left corner last January and never touched it again, and now I'm thinking I would really rather start in the middle.  I may look at it tomorrow and see about frogging the corner and restarting in the center.  It just seems to be easier to hold that way. : )

Thanks for stopping by!

Inkystitcher

Merry (almost) Christmas!

Hello friends!  Can you believe that it is almost Christmas?  I've been stitching on a SAL with my DD who is home from college for the past few days.  We're not getting exceptionally far, cuz there are too many Christmas movies to watch. : )

I'm thrilled to get to show you the gifts I received from Marjorie during the Stitched with Love exchange.  What a beautiful box of goodies she sent!  Do you see that pincushion?  I'm positive that my great aunt had a quilt in those colors.  I have it next to me when I'm stitching.

Here is the beautiful hanging pillow/ornament that she sent.  And the cutest little pinecone reindeer!  Thank you SO much, Margorie.  I love it ALL!!

For the exchange, I sent a box to Teresa of Heartfelt Stitches.  I changed the colors in an ornament from one of the JCS ornament edition magazines (Sorry!  I don't have it in front of me to tell you which one!), and made it into a flanged pillow.

Here is is up close...

 I'll leave you with the words to one of my favorite Christmas songs...

Do you worship the babe in the manger

But reject the Christ of the cross?

Your redemption comes not by the manger

But the death of Christ on the cross.

The Babe in the manger was God's only Son,

Who left Heaven's Throne to die.

The Babe in the manger could never have done,

The work of God on High.

The Babe left the manger and went to the cross

To pay the wages of sin.

Your way of forgiveness is not by the Babe

But the Christ who died for your sin.

--ooOoo--

Have a Blessed Christmas,

Tricia

Counting House Finished! : )

Hello everybody!  I put in the last few stitches on LHN's Counting House last night and started one more little Christmas ornament that I hope to finish before Saturday.  Then my SAL with DD will begin and I'll concentrate on that for the two weeks before the new year starts.  It's been a fun year of stitching.  I'm pretty sure that this is the most I've ever completed in a year! : )

Guess what showed up in my mailbox a week or so ago??   I got a card from *someone* who was at Harrogate (I don't know who!!!) and in it was this adorable little button.  I love sheep!!!  I ran down to my craft room and found a set of magnets to attach to the back to make it into a needle minder so I could always have it with me.  I named it "Inky".   So that makes me "InkyStitcher".  : )

Thank you, secret stitching friend, whoever you are!

Hopefully I'll be able to show the fun things I received in an exchange soon, so I'll see you again then!

Blessings!

InkyStitcher : )