Mermaids & Sea Monsters

It's been a while since my last post, but I have another new project to share. My newest WIP is Maria Diaz's "Seafarer's Globe". It was featured in an issue of the UK magazine CrossStitcher a couple years ago. I came across it by accident while looking for a different issue. As soon as I saw it, the piece called to me for some reason. I bought & downloaded the pattern from the designer's website and went to the store the next day to get the supplies.

Maria Diaz's "Seafarer's Globe". The picture is linked to designer's site, where the pattern was purchased.

It hasn't exactly been smooth sailing (no pun intended). Sometimes I feel like I frog more than I stitch and that's led to me putting it down and not picking it up for 2-3 days. I'm not sure why it's been so hard to get everything placed right, but there were several spots that I ended up sitching, frogging and restitching several times. The mermaid has been my favorite thing to stich so far. I love the colors, it's subtle but there are 3 greens in the hair, 4 pinks & peaches in the skin and 5 blues & purples in the tail!

Here is a picture of all the blocks of Lizzie Kate's Boo Club. I finished it a couple weeks ago and now it just needs the buttons. I'm waiting for the candy corn buttons to put them all on at once.

Hope everyone has had a great week so far! I've been trying to catch up on everyone's blogs, so many great projects to see! Nick

Happy Memorial Day!

Happy Memorial Day!

Boyd's Bears Starsley Family. Robert, Chase, Adele, Lucy w Munchkin, Sara Lynn, Tessa and Corey

I hope everyone is having a nice Memorial Day weekend! The rain and cooler temps the past couple days have given way to sunny & 80* temps today. While we enjoy our family, friends & cook-outs, hopefully we all remember to take a moment and remember and thank all of those who have served our country!

I finished Lizzie Kate's Boo Club, but forgot to take a picture! All the blocks and borders are done, all it needs are the buttons! As soon as I have it completely finished, I'll be sure to get a picture.

SanMan SAL Calendar October, November & December

While doing some "cleaning" (more like rummaging, but cleaning makes it sound like I was getting someone accomplished) I found the 2010 SanMan calendar piece I had been working on last year. I had finished up to September and when we moved, it got packed away and forgotten about. Luckily sometime after moving I saved the October, November & December patterns when they were released. The last month I shared here was July. I had August & September done and then finished the year off by finishing October, November & December this weekend.

SanMan 2010 SAL Calendar Bell Pull

Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend & thanks for stopping by! Nick

Blind Frankenstein

I've been stitching up a storm with all my extra free time this week. I finished two more blocks of Boo Club, Brew and Monster. I also just about caught the borders up to the current block. For now poor Frankenstein is blind, until I finish all the blocks and add the buttons.

Lizzie Kate's Boo Club - Fright, Brew & Monster

I was begining to fear Boo Club might join the ever growing pile of unfished projects but I think I found my Halloween mojo again! There are only two blocks left, Ghost and Halloween. I might be making another trip to the framers sooner than I thought!

Just Another Button Company now offers button packs for several of the Lizzie Kate Flip-It series, including Boo Club. Buttons replace a stitched motif here and there in each block. Had I not already been 1/2 way through the blocks when they came out I would have tried it out. Speaking of JABC, does anyone have any recomendations for stores that sell their buttons? I want to replace the candy corns in the bottom part of border with JABC candy corn buttons, but haven't really had any luck finding them.

Hope everyone has been having a great week, it's almost the weekend! Thanks for stopping by! Nick

M-I-C-K-E-Y

Whoa, where did the first half of May go?!? Things have definitely been hectic this month, especially with work. So much drama and all that fun stuff, to make a long story short, I am officially on the hunt for a new job! Any crossed fingers on the job search would be really appreciated!

I picked Biff up from the framers today! I have to admit I was a little nervous to see him finish, finished! I was sort of second guessing the mat colors, and having the yellow on top of the blue, since it's such a more prominent color than the dark blue. In the end though, I think he turned out great! I was so happy they had a blue wood frame that matched the blue in the piece.

"Biff the Wolverine"

Started March 08

Finished April 31

DMC on 14 ct. Oatmeal Fiddler's Aida

Since my last post, I've also started and finished a small project. I found this Mickey Mouse Sketch kit on clearance at JoAnns. I've seen the kit before and really liked it, so when I saw it on clearance for $4.97, I had to pick it up! I started and finished it over 2 days, it's all done in backstitches with a couple half stitches for the eyes, nose & heart shading. I think it will look really nice in just a simple black frame.

♪ M-I-C-K-E-Y ♫

Started May 05

Finished May 06

DMC on 14 ct. Aida

I'm a huge Disney nut, I have been since I can remember. I grew up during "The Renaissance" (The Little Mermaid, Beauty & the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, etc). My parents always bought us each Disney VHS when they were released, so I also grew up watching all the old, classic Disney movies as well. When I was young, whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my answer was always a Disney animator. I still hold a soft spot for Disney movies and see them in the theater when they come out. I can't wait for the new Winnie the Pooh movie coming out in July.

I also finished the next block of Boo Club, Fright, but don't have a picture. I have two new starts as well, "Santaberry Pudding" by Shepherd's Bush and a Dimensions kit, "Shell Collection". I'm not really feeling "Shell Collection" though, the actual colors don't look anything like the picture on the front of the kit. The colors are really dull and some of the colors used for some of the backstitching literally blends in with the stitches behind it so much, you can't tell there is any backstitching. I don't really see that one turning into a finish, which is disappointing because I really like the design.

Hope everyone had a great weekend & thanks for stopping by! Nick

A Maize & Blue Finish

Last night, shortly after 12 AM, I put the last stitches in Biff the Wolverine! I finished the hat Friday night and filled in teh block M last night. He took just short of 2 months to finish (I started him the first week of March). He was a fun stitch and I can't wait to take him to be matted and framed Tuesday! :D

Here are all the progress pictures I posted of Biff along the way. Hard to believe he was ever just an eye and some nose!

Hope everyone is having a great weekend - we're enjoying another weekend of wonderful, Spring weather here in Michigan! Thanks for stopping by! Nick

Happy Easter!

I hope every had a wonderful Easter yesterday! We were lucky enough to get a break from the gloomy, gray & rainy weather we've been having lately. The sun was out all day long and it warmed up to almost 60 degrees! I spent the day with my family, we watched movies and had a wonderful dinner. Honey ham, scalloped potatoes, baked beans, corn, fruit salad & deviled eggs, not to mention a turtle pie for desert! Needless to say, I'm still full! lol

The Easter Bunny made a late delivery today. This little fella was delivered this morning from Williams-Sonoma - a felt & mohair Steiff chick.

So much detail & love for a such a little thing! He was created from the pattern of a chick made by Steiff in 1951. The pieces were all hand cut and sewn together, with hand airbrushed detailing. He was an Easter treat to myself, a little pricey, but sometimes you have to indulge!

I worked on Biff some more since my last post, but didn't quite finish him. The only thing left is the blue part on the top of the hat and the blue block M! Excuse the wrinkles, I didn't think to iron it before I snapped the picture. He should definitely be finished this week. I also put a hand full of stitches into Boo Club, but not enough to take a picture. I started the haunted house, but most of the stitches were extending the black & white border down to the next block.

I think I found my next project. While on a long overdue trip to Barnes & Noble Friday I came across a sampler in Just Cross Stitch. It's called "Four Seasons Band Sampler" by Sally Hesketh. There is a new season in each issue, starting with Spring in the March/April issue. Luckily B&N not only had the May/June issue with Summer's pattern, but a copy of the March/April issue with Spring. I think I'm going to order the kit (reccomended fabric & Anchor floss) from Just Cross Stitch. The only places near by that sell cross stitch supplies are Hobby Lobby & JoAnne's and they don't have the best selection of colors and counts when it comes to cross stitch fabrics.

Hope everyone has a great weekend & thanks for stopping by! Nick

All You Need Is A Hat!

The title says it all, the only thing Biff needs is his block M hat! I'm hoping to be finished by the end of the weekend, most of the hat is just big solid blocks of blue or yellow stitches, so it won't take too much counting, just a little tedious. I can't wait until he is finished so I can take him to be matted and framed.

I wanted to share this video that I saw posted on the blog, Purple Peacock. It's about the Royal School of Embroidery in England, and it's really cool. I would love to go and take a tour and take part in a class!

Thanks for stopping by! Nick