TUSAL - post 11, the dragon and a giveaway info

Oh dear, oh dear .... there I go disappearing again.

Quickly will post the belated TUSAL jar and will disappear a little more ...

November and 2013 so far

2013 including November

And to make this post less boring I will show you what I have been working on ... the QS Literate Dragon. The bottom right page is getting all the attention now.

Oh and do enter Nancy's giveaway over at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe:

Deadline: 1st December 2013

Click HERE to enter.

Till soon [fingers crossed],

Big update: TUSAL and Wipocalypse - post 10, 2 finishes, thank you, an exchange, and a giveaway

Dear all,

You must have notice me being away from blogging and emailing for some time now. I was a 'little' busy. But I am back (I hope). I thought I would do one big update ... but not sure if I will manage and it might stretch over a few posts. 

TUSAL

First up ... belated [sigh] TUSAL update. To find out about this click HERE:

October next to 2013 (so far)

2013 (including October)

Next up Wipocalypse (yet again belated) ... I have two finishes so thought this might be the quickest way to update you on them.

Wipocalypse:

1st finish is "Blue Bird" by Sub Rosa. I have done it as part of the 2013 SAL

For 2013 SAL blog click HERE.

For Sub Rosa blog click HERE.

For Sub Rosa shop click HERE.

The boring info: stitched on Kiwi Illusions (Hand-dyed embroidery fabric), Jubilee 28ct, Drifting Sands; in Anchor: 10, 131, 143, 281, 310, 754, and an unknown (I lost the number from the dark pink.

There is a second design of a set with just flowers which I will do at a later date. I was planning some lovely cushions from this but unfortunately a) we still have no sofa to put them on, and b) there are a few other projects demanding my attention.

2nd finish is a bookmark I have designed and stitched as part of an exchange with Sarah. More to follow on that. It features the Big Ben, which I designed using colour pencils and graph paper. I am now a proud owner of a cross stitch software programme, so will convert this into a proper chart some day for others to stitch.

It is stitched on Zweigart 32ct, Belfast Linen, Cobblestone; in DMC: white, 413, 414, 420, 471, 501, 524, 645, 729, 738, 904, 938, 3371, 3770, 3817, 3822, and backstitched in DMC white and 3371. I had the shade numbers for the brown and blue tapestry threads used ... somewhere. Until I find where I kept them are left guessing.

detail

Some progress on the QS Literate Dragon:

June 2013

October 2013

Will I finish this by the 2nd December? Most likely no ... especially if I pick up a few extra projects to do between now and then.

Field of Poppies:

June 2013

October 2013

Vertical gridding done. Evenweave is a pain to grid! I just can't wait to start stitching. All I need to do now is the horizontal lines [grunt].

Thank you

I would like to say thank you to Bernadett of Petite Armoire (click HERE to see the blog) for the lovely gift she sent me. 

I posted the 2009th comment on her blog (when Bernadett's younger daughter was born).

Exchange with Sarah

As you have probably guessed from the above I have done an exchange with Sarah of Sarah in Stitches (click HERE). This was great fun.

Gifts I received:

Sarah sent me some exciting tea (how I love tea!), a hoop, some patterns, a card, ... 

... gorgeous aida wich would be perfect for a pillow's front panel, and ...

... a snowman hanging (just noticed that in my closeup the christmas tree charm is out of place ... silly me and my photography).

And I sent Sarah:

There are also some newly dyed fabrics by my talented mum to share. But I will update you on them next time. 

Giveaway

Lets finish on a nice note ... a lovely giveaway from Nancy of the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe:

Deadline: 15th November 2013

To enter: click HERE and don't forget to mention that I have sent you.

Bye bye for now,

P.S. Don't be surprised if you get a few months old reply from me... if I ever end up getting around to replying.

Wipocalypse - post #9 and a CALLOUT for anyone in MOSCOW

Dear all,

another belated, last month's post. Normally I am better than this... at least a post twice a month with these regular updates. But September just got me by surprise.

I only have one photo to share for September's update, as I have spent most of the time working on an exchange piece that is currently in transit.

So the only item for sharing is a finish:

A kit 'Boats' of the Twilights series by Heritage Crafts.

Now onto more urgent matter (to me anyhow). I have been attempting to contact a few ladies I follow who are from Moscow, but no success so far. So hoping, someone will hear this plea.

My mum is currently studying for a BA in Creative Art (distance learning) and for her second year's final assignment she decided to look at valenki. There is a museum in Moscow that has some on display. So I was wandering if anyone who lives there wouldn't mind taking a few photos and getting some info about the museum and what is displayed. There seems to be next to nothing online. The only link I found to this museum, including the address is:

click here

She is on a bit of a tight schedule, and would need the information within a week or two. So if you live, or know someone who lives there please help.

I can offer a small crafty reward to whoever helps.

Till soon,

TUSAL - post 9

Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear. If my diary does not deceive me TUSAL #10 is this coming friday and I have not posted September's yet.

In actual fact I have taken photos around the time of the last update ... but found no time to upload:

September 2013 next to 2013 so far 

and the other way around

2013 including September

Till soon,

Pumpkins for Cathey

Halloween 2012 - my creation

Visit Cathey's blog (who is having a blogoversary today!):

Pumpkin Patch & Co.


And to find more about the pumpkin surprise event please visit Daffy Cat here.

Till soon (I hope),

P.S. Thank you for your concern Violka. It hit me recently that I haven't blogged for over a month. It has been well rather busy here. Promise to be better next week ... and to post the photo of the tusal jar I have taken awhile back ... and that last wipocalypse update that never happened ... and the photos of the craft fair and the list goes on and on.

Wipocalypse - post #8

Dear all,

I think I am progressing with my stitching rather well ... though blogging is not as high time spent as I would have hoped. I have just did 11 days of work in a row, so felt a little tired to comment, post, and respond in the evenings. A few days off for the bank holiday weekend now ... but it will be full of business unsurprisingly.

I am taking part in a craft fair at Snods Edge:

So if you live in the North East do come along. 

The biscornus are all made up and ready to be sold, amongst all other different beauties. I'll share the pictures in the next few days (need to get back to packing for the event). After all you are here for my Wipocalypse update:

'Boats':

July 2013

August 2013

About half way there.

And some finishes for this month that you have already seen:

You see a very productive ... stitching wise month ... and not just small finishes if you count the African lady that took me ages to backstitch.

Till soon with the promised pictures,

                                            
Aw, and by the way:

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Not one, not two, but three finishes to show ...

Dear all, 

Before I show off my latest finishes I wanted to make a claim to fame. Some of you have already noticed that I was featured in the latest issue of the World of Cross Stitching, on the reader panel.

The World of Cross Stitching issue 206

... and here is proof ...

Following my comment on the Gorjuss chart the publishers were kind enough to post me a second copy. And so you know my predictions came true!

And now onto stitching ...

#1 - Biscornu #671 

These biscornus will be made up soon ... I promise ... but for now here are the panels. The chart was acquired from the Floss Box (check out the sidebar for that). Fabric is 14 count aida - cream ivory in colour. I have used just anchor for this project: 211,149, 146, 266, 29, 144, 27.

back

front

#2 - Come With Me by Snowflower Diaries

I completed it on evenweave dyed with fennel (like the puppies I stitched earlier) using dmc 102 variated. Purple is my favourite colour so I am quite happy with it. A proper finish finish is to follow.

And finally .... something you probably were not expecting to get finished/or have forgotten entirely about ... I finished the backstitching... finally:

#3 - Kiongozi - Dance Leader

Original art work by the Kenya artist Gakonga.

Stitched in anchor on count 18 cream Aida.

Kit by Fleur de Lis

 Till soon,