I'm neglecting bloggerland!

As you can see, since it's been over 3 months! I don't even know if anyone is still following this. I have to admit that Facebook groups and posting in them is so much easier than trying to keep up a blog. For a long time I tried keeping my facebook friends(who have no idea about my hobby) separate from my stitching friends. And now that there are plenty of cross stitch groups on Facebook out there, it's sort of a mute point. I'll get to the point now, it's the stitching you are interested in anyway.

The last time I posted about Cirque was back in January! I hit a snag and couldn't figure out how to put the beads in the pattern as they were too big. Well I finally figured it out and it's finished and framed!! I upcycled an old oak frame and spray painted it white. Then I bought a black suede mat. Love the finished look, if I do say so myself! And to refresh your memory, I used a custom dyed silk thread from Carries Threads. One and 2 strands and Mill Hill beads.

 

I finished August and September by Country Cottage Needleworks. I changed the 

September house to look like a school house stealing the idea from http://fullnovembermoon.blogspot.com/2012/10/september-cottage-finishfinally.html. I have October stitched (so the series is done) but I won't share until its "finished".

I did one of my 6 Mill Hill Halloween pieces. I tried stitching it on the dark material I purchased specifically for them, but I could see the holes and rather than fight with it and probably never get them stitched, I used the paper and I will use a mat to put them all together in a skinny frame. This one is called Halloween Nights.

Then I couldn't resist buying this tuck pillow kit from Pine Mountain. It's a quick stitch and can be finished with the stitching part in just one evening. Now I just need to find a good online tutorial for making the pillows again as I have already purchased enough pink and blue materials to make several more. 

I changed the threads to add the bling to it. What fairy doesn't have some sparkles or iridescent threads??

And here is my progress on Balcony View of a Villa from Mystic Stitch.

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Here's Amberlyn, who is now 4 years old and starts her 2nd year in Head Start tomorrow!! She was so happy with this dog purse I bought her!

Hope you had a great summer and will welcome fall with open arms!

Beads and a new start

I've slowed down a bit on my Cirque.....after getting all the stitching done,  I needed to start beading. Well the 3 big circles in the middle were no big deal. The first corner?? That's a different story. Even though I'm not using a dyed fabric, the 32 ct is just a bit too small for the Mill Hill beads I picked. So I am having to free hand the pattern to make it fit. I'm not very good at making things up, hence only one corner is done. I still want to add a few beads around the edges, but that corner is almost done. I've looked at the other 3 corners and YES those will all need to be "adjusted".
 Here is the overall

Here is a close up of the 3 big circles beaded

and here is a close up of the beaded corner (still needing a few around the edges)

And I am a member of The Stitchers Village (badge on the right of my blog) and each member is to stitch a piece of ribbon band for a sampler that Patty will then put together. I had a piece picked to stitch but it didn't "feel" like me. So when I saw the JBW design "Mitten" I knew it was meant to be. I stitched it in one day! I changed the "mitten" to say Michigan to personalize it. I did it in Waterlilies Mediterranean silk to symbolize the waters of the Great Lakes.

And I ended up finishing a piece I started a year or 2 ago. I would like to finish it into a rounded flat fold of some kind.....still mulling that finish over......

I'll end with the weather....as you know most of the north has been under a "cold spell" this week. We have not been in the 20's for over a week now, some days were a high of 6F. Here is my pond and waterfall now.......if you are outside, you can still hear the water running over the rock, but you certainly can't see it!

Brrrrrr

So what better to do when it's 6F outside??? Go to the INDOOR water park where it's 87F! Till next time....stay warm!!!

Watch out with the bucket spills!

Going down the big tubes was her favorite thing.

Leap frog on the bouncy "lily pads"

Some old and new........

Here it is the new year, I knew I wouldn't get another post in before the end of the year. I had to read my last blog post to see where I left off. I don't have much new to share this time. Here is the last of the 3 ornaments I couldn't share before Christmas. Pattern is by Homespun Elegance.

I also found a local person to "finish" the stocking for Henry. I was very pleased with her sewing and will use her again when needed. I got to give it to them about 2 weeks before Christmas. So just in time!

 

 
My boss gives us money each year to buy something for ourselves. I decided to use part of the money to get my Mystic Stitch Seasonal Collide framed. I took it to Hobby Lobby for framing. I think it was the first time I've used them. I was pretty happy with the price. Here is a close up of the frame.

And the the whole piece.

Then I started a new piece after Thanksgiving. Cirque des Cercles by Ink Circles. I wanted to do this for my master bathroom in grays and burgundy's . I searched high and low for a variegated thread to no avail. So I contacted Carrie at Carries Threads and she did a special dye job for me. I had her do this in silk for me. I am doing the big inner circles in 2 strands and all the outline of the smaller circles. The 2 circles in the middle on the sides are also 2 strands. The rest of the pattern is done with just 1 strand. I wanted to add some beads, so the outline of the large circles will be beads and the 4 corner circles will be done in all beads. I had already stitched the upper right circle so I am leaving that for now, just in case I don't like the beads (but I'm sure I'll be unstitching that corner!)

I now have to wait for my beads to arrive. I had a partial package that I was only able to get about 3/4 of one big circle done. So this finish will be in my next post!
Christmas was fun with a 3 yr old and here's a couple pictures to share.

This is the doll we took to the hospital in Chicago and got the new head! It sure is nice to be able to give our granddaughter the same doll that her mother played with as a child.