Sunday, September 30, 2018

3 Wips, New Start and a Finish

Hi my stitchy friends.

Thank you for all your really nice comments and all your encouragement with evenweave. I haven't been able to play much yet maybe this week, but I think you will see evenweave next year in my blog posts for sure.

My little Halloween giveaway goes to Katie. I know from your blog you are on holiday and a stitchers retreat so when you have time or get back home can you send me your full address with country to tigersactivewinter@gmail.com and I will send the magazine chart to you.

My week started with one of Jessie's balls missing a big thing for her ( long story) which we found under one of the beds. 

Also a missing cross stitch wip.

I had a wip in my head to start off the week stitching and going over all 58 Wips and not finding number 59 was not a good feeling, and of course it's the one I wanted to stitch on right. It took me being pulled away as you are with life, and having lunch to think it might be at the back of the drawers. So I had to pull everything out and the drawer. Found my wip, pens, a cross stitch print out from a book year ago, a writing book and Scap paper. 

So now I could stitch after putting everything back in the drawer. 
The wip was Renaissance mermaid by Mirabilia 

Here is before


And now


As you can see not a lot. It very kreinik heavy her tail and I found out I wasn't in the mood for kreinik.

After stitching on my pirate last week and all the color changes I thought maybe I need to stitch something that used just one thread.

So got out Damask Square by ink circles
Before


Now


I got bored and found myself looking at cross stitch online. 

I ended up looking at cross stitch kits on Etsy. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I have a kit in my drawer that was going for $300.00, I had stitched a kit that was now $600.00. Not only that but kits that are still easy to get, that I have are now $60/$70 and I got them a while ago for $30.00. Wow!

Cross stitch is now like a house, the price gets better with age. 

Makes me wonder just how much for everything I have that's just waiting to get stitched.

Looking at kits I remembered a kit I saw....somewhere and thought I would look it up. It's called kingdom of books and I did find it at a good price but the postage to get it to me was way more then the kit. I like it but not that much.

Still looking around I got the shock of my life. The best of Teresa wentzler book that I have was going for $3000.00 you see all those 0s on my god. I know it's now rare but oh my god that's a lot of money for a cross stitch book.

After the fun of finding all that online I got out Miss black swallowtail by Nora Corbett 
Before 


Now


I was going to stay with her for the rest of this week as I really got into stitching on a project finally but then the mail was in and a kit I had brought was here.

I couldn't wait to get stitching on it so now I'm back to 60 Wips and counting.

My new start Enchanted Luna by Bothy Threads

She will look like this, you see why I had to get her!


Now on the printed 14 count Aida 



No head and sitting in the air right now but I love her. It's a very easy kit with only a few colors and I will get back to her in November.

I have let go of my goal with mini pirate to finish her by the end of the year. 

I didn't want to stitch her. I think because of the goal I set and how close the end of the year now is I was feeling like I had to and had a weight on my shoulders about it. When I got my new kit I let go of stitching on my pirate and feel lighter for it. If she gets finished in 2019 or even 2020 so be it. 

I realized I want to stitch other projects not be forced to stitch something because of time. 

So that was my week. Oh and just after posting my October plans I found 2 more Halloween charts, one I will be starting. 

Opps forgot one I also stitched a gift this week which goes somewhere in this post I think Wednesday.
Anyway it's from a free chart I got from a blog called the snow flower diaries you should look it up as there's a few free charts that are cute. The one I stitched was little mermaid.


How cute is she. Well happy October stitching!!! 

Thursday, September 27, 2018

October Stitching

Hi stitchers. This is not my weekly update. You will get that in the next 2 days or so.

I know, I know I shouldn't make plans but this one I'm keeping I'm 99.9% sure I'm going to do it.

October stitching means Halloween stitching for many.

I don't celebrate Halloween but today I found out I like stitching it.

It's fantasy with witches and such which is my type of stitching.

Here is most of my Halloween charts. I say most because I think I have a few books with Halloween charts in them too.



Hope you can see all the pictures from all the charts.

Now 7 are Wips.

I was thinking of stitching on all my Halloween.

My 7 Wips. Stitch 4 mill hill kits. Start 4 (maybe 5 if fabric shows up) new projects that today I found fabric for in my stash, yay me. So right now I don't have to buy anything as its all dmc, or fabric on the way.

All in October. That's my plan. If I don't get to everything that's ok too. I might like to stay with a chart for a few days.

So we will see just how many Halloween charts I get to by October 31st.

I'm not going to push myself but my plan is mostly to say I will be stitching only Halloween in October.

Come join me, if you do let me know please!.

Oh and the heaven and earth QS black rose I plan to start next year on evenweave. It's the one on the right. Last photo.

If your still with me here I have a magazine chart to giveaway. I'm not going to stitch it. 


It's by Joan Elliott 6 little charts to stitch. 
I will send it folded in a envelope and anywhere in the world.
If you would like this magazine chart only (no full magazine, just this chart) say Joan Elliott in your comment. Easy.

Happy scary October stitching!!! 
My weekly blog post in a day or so, look out for it.

Smalls Sal September

Hi stitchers it's that time again.

My smalls this month are

To the beach and back


And a gift. A freebie chart from a blog called the snow flower diaries.
I only stitched part of it, there was a few fish and a crab to.



That's it for my smalls for September. Happy Stitching!!

Friday, September 21, 2018

Beach i.e. Keen

Hi stitchers, how has your week been?

I stopped my rotation and got a finish last weekend. Yay me!

59 Wips and counting. I still want to start things.

To the beach and back by needle bling designs. 
I used waterlilies 207 for the words ( leftover). Dmc for the rest. Changed the green to purple because of the green in the words and added charms I got from a stitchy box, one dolphin and one seahorse. 
Stitched on 16ct Aida Lambswool.
Here it is


Next I picked up sirena by Lila's studio, only a day on her.
 Here's before


And now


I then got emailing to Alicia The crafty princess. I pushed her into doing a blog post that she wanted to do anyway and she got me motivated to work on mini pirate. I will show in a bit.

As I want to start a few heaven and earth design charts in 2019. You only live once so why not. 
Alicia has been trying to help me with evenweave. Yap I'm going to the dark side lol.

My next head will be on evenweave but I've got to see what I like. Aida is so easy for a head it's 18 count, 2 over 1 but with evenweave you have 1 over 1, 2 over 1, 2 over 2 and 1 over 2 all on the same fabric be it 25 ct to 40 I think it goes to. Hard on a newbie. 

Alicia the lovely lady is sending me 3, yes 3 counts of evenweave fabric to try. I still don't know what to say but thank you again Alicia and I hope you don't mind me telling everyone how helpful and amazing you have been to me this week. A true stitchy friend. I don't have anyone to ask but for the friends I make on my blog. Thank you again.

Here is mini pirate before 


And now, that's the bottom on this page, but as you can see I've still got a lot to do.


Which is why I'm thinking every week I will be working on my pirate with one other Wip, so I get a break from her, until she is done. The other wip can be anything. Still hopeful to get her done by the end of the year. Wish me luck.

I think that's it. Until next week happy stitching everyone!!!

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Not Much Stitching

Hi stitchy friends 

Not much to show you as I got into something else in my free time this week.

In the shops they are starting to bring out the 2019 diaries and calendars. 
Can you believe it's only 3 months and a few week until the end of the year.

This year and my past ones too, I found I didn't use my diary that much just for basic birthdays and such, when I wanted to I didn't have the room to write what I wanted. 

This week I came across bullet journaling. 

I'm hooked even if I haven't started yet. Lol

I can track my life how I want to and even my stitching which I really really want to.

I would like to track how many stitchs I do a day like some of you do. I would like to write down what I stitch on that day. What I need to buy and goals and wish lists. Lol

In my life part I'm very boring doing the same most of the time and in a normal diary I left most weeks with nothing in it, waste of money in the long run. In a bullet journal I can use just one page to cover the month. And if I want to do a journal page I have the room.

I love the ideas I've found and will use. I can't wait to get started. 

Do any of you have a bullet journal?

Since my last up date I've been looking at bullet journals and ideas on them. I've got one coming in the mail with cool stickers. I even found stickers on cross stitch. I'm going to have fun at the start of each month and then just fill in over the month so it will not take to much time away from my stitching.

Onto stitching like I said very little was done, but I also think I needed the break.

Ornamental joy
Before

And now


Miss black swallowtail

Before

Now after 2 days not really stitching her


I didn't get to the last 2. I think I will stay with miss black swallowtail for now.
Today like right now I'm going to start stitching her.

My rotation is again now done. I think I love the idea of them but I can never stay with it.
 Oh well.....sigh 

Until next week happy stitching!!!

Friday, September 14, 2018

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Hi my Stitchy friends 

A friend said this to me as I win from a scratchy, winner winner chicken dinner and I think it's funny as I love chicken for dinner. 

Thank you all 9 of you who entered my giveaway.

I loved hearing what you go to 1st on your shopping lists for cross stitch. 

Like me most of you said it's all about that chart. I so need to stop buying as I have 3 lifetimes of charts but I still see more that come out every year that's a must have. Oh will. It is what it is.

Onto the giveaway....

I got the tiny decisions app that was going around in August. It's a little colored wheel that helps make a decision. 

I put all 9 names in


And pushed the middle to see who wins...... And the winner is?


Lynda Ruth Bowers congratulations!!!

If you can send me your name and full address with country to tigersactivewinter@gmail.com I will send your giveaway to you.

Thank you to all who entered and happy stitching!!!

Wednesday, September 12, 2018

Making up my mind!

Hi Stitchy friends how's your week going so far?

This is what I've been up to.... 

There's been times when I didn't want to stop stitching on a project and just get it done. I don't know. 

I'm feeling 3 ways about my rotation right now. 
1. I like/most of the time stitching everyday on a new wip but
2. I feel if I stay with a wip I will get it done sooner and a few I want to stay with and finish.
3. I like just posting once a week but if I keep the rotation that's to much.
 If I stop then I can go back to it just being Sunday's. Which I like.

What are your thoughts? 

Do I keep the 14 day rotation or do I just stitch on what I want to that week?

As I'm writing this I think I will keep going with this week as I only have 4 more in my 14 Wips and next week go back to my stitch what I want for as long as I want. Ya I like that idea. Go back to only one post a week and maybe get a few finished and work more on my pirate to get her done too.

That's what I'm going to do...

Here's my stitching...

Spring topiary garden by Mirabilia 
Before


And now


Treasures of the deep Sal 


I worked a little on the border 


And stitching in quilt


Not as much done as a book I've been waiting for finally came out. 
Read in one night. Only a short story. Part 2. It wasn't as good as part 1. Now I'm having to wait for part 3 who knows how long. Don't you hate that.


That it for stitching for now.

My giveaway is now closed!!! In the next day or so I will do a post for it. Find out who wins.
Thank you everyone that went into it.

Until next time happy stitching!!

Sunday, September 9, 2018

Still going strong and with a bonus.

Hi stitchers, thanks for all your comments.

Only a few days left to get in my giveaway so put your name down, you just might be the winner. 
Got to be in it to win it!

Stitching... Next in my line up was sweet bears by soda stitch.

I was not feeling this one when I picked it for my 14 day rotation. Then it was time to stitch it and I really didn't want to put it away. Funny how that happens.

Here is before, not much


And now with the cloth done. It's the middle of the chart.


Next was Halloween Quaker would love to get it done this year.

Before 


And now I've hit the bottom yay! Still a lot to stitch.



Next was sirena by lila's studio love the mermaids. 

Before 


And now. Trying to get better photos with fabric. It's about right, I wanted a darker under the sea look and love how it's turning out.


Also this week I stitched a small for my Sal.
 I have a lot of mill hill kits so why not add them to my list when I want to.

It's now spring so I thought this one fit so well.



I'm also now on Instagram under crossstitchangel. I'm going to try putting a daily photo of my stitching but still post on my blog everything so don't stop coming here to see what I'm up to.

That's it for now, next post is Wednesday until then happy stitching!!

Oh and I had to show you all the orchid my mum has out right now so pretty.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

Start of rotation

Hi Stitchy friends. I know I'm posting sooner but I think it will be better for both of us. I will now be posting on Sunday's and Wednesday/Thursday's from now on. 
It's because I'm stitching on a different wip everyday, which I love doing but there's lots of photos with before and after its just better to make more posts. 

Thanks for all your comments that you take the time to give. I try but I can be a bit lazy myself about it.

Don't forget only a few days until my giveaway is closed so put your name in at the top.

On to stitching!

Sunday was Mini Pirate and I loved getting back to her.

Before 


Now


Monday Lilly of the woods

Before 


Now


Tuesday Epic storybook princesses

Before


And more border with a start on the good stuff 



Wednesday dog house sampler

Before


And now. I was so happy when it all lined up.


That's it for now. Today I stitch on sweet bears.
Happy stitching!