Stitching, Stitching, Stitching...

I've been busily stitching and trying to keep up with my Crazy January Challenge 2011 along with custom orders and an occasional new item for my ArtFire shop here and there.

So far I'm 2 for 2 with starting a new WIP on the first of each month. This is the piece I started on February 1st. It will be titled "A Sunset Stroll". Unfortunately I don't want to show the pattern that I'm stitching it from because it will be a gift for someone that may possibly see my blog posts. I didn't get as much done on it as I would have liked, but if you keep reading, you'll see I've made progress on quite a few other items. I'm stitching this on what I'm calling a "butter yellow" linen. The fabric was part of a linen destash given to me, so I'm not sure of the exact name of it.

I showed you this piece in my WIP post last month. Needless to say, it's done completed as I had hoped, however I have made some progress on it and love the way it's coming along. Since this will be the next pattern released in my shop, I'm still keeping it a bit of a secret as to what it is. I had a guess last month of ocean waves, but that's not it.
This next piece isn't a WIP, but is a custom order I just finished last week. It's a photo of a brown bear that has been stitched into a 3" x 3" magnet. This is currently a reserved listing, but I can always stitch up another if someone is interested in it.

And last but not least, I just finished this piece today, and just in time for National Flag Day in Canada, which is February 15th. It IS for sale in my ArtFire shop.
Hopefully by the time I do my next WIP post next month I'll have my blue mousepad / secret pattern finished along with more goodies that will be for sale in my ArtFire shop. Until then...Happy Stitching! :)

CALL FOR HELP...

As a parent I can't even imagine the heart break that a fellow artisan, Cindy that owns DesignedByLucinda, must be feeling right now. She lost her 11-year-old son last week in a tragic fire at their house in the early morning hours, along with all the family pets and worldly possessions.

Even though I no longer have an Etsy shop, I will donate 20% off all proceeds from ANYTHING sold in my ArtFire shop thru 2/28/11 to the fund that has been set up to help the family. Proof of donation will be posted the first week of March here on my blog.

If you want to help without making a purchase from my shop, you can contact me and I can point you in the direction of several other efforts that are currently underway.

Many thanks to all for taking the time to read this and act in anyway that you can. :)

Ahhh...Fresh Pattern!

Well today is officially February 1st so that means the start of a new pattern as the continuation of my version of the Crazy January Challenge 2011.

I've changed the order of the patterns I'll be stitching. Instead of starting the Celtic Cross I'll be starting A Sunset Stroll tonight after work. I'm all set to go also...I already had the fabric and I went to JoAnn's on Sunday morning and picked up the floss colors I didn't already have on hand.

I'll have another blog post next week to show you the progress I make on A Sunset Stroll as well as some other WIPs and finished custom orders.

I'm really enjoying seeing the blog posts from others that are participating in the Crazy January Challenge also. Although I do have to admit, there's days I feel like I'm getting nothing done compared to others, but then I stop and look at the custom orders I'm making for my ArtFire shop and think it's not so bad. And, we won't even talk about the amount of hours I've spent shoveling snow this year that could be precious stitching time...lol!

Hope everyone has a great day and I'll be back next week with all kinds of wonderful pics for you.

Happy Stitching!
:)

Work In Progress Wednesday - 1/12/2011

OK, I know today is technically Thursday, but I had all intentions of doing this post last night until I got home and had to spend 90+ minutes shoveling out my driveway (even though I had already done it in the morning before work) and then was too tired & cold to do anything but veg-out in a hot tub and then in my recliner with an afghan.

Today I have 3 different pieces I'm going to share with you.

The first is "Winter Freeze" and this is the first piece I've started as part of my Crazy January Challenge 2011. Once it's finished it will be one of the patterns that I release for sale in both my ArtFire and Etsy shops. It may not look like much, but I did get about 5% of it finished during the 1 week I stitched on it. The stitched area once finished will be 8" x 12". I tried to get the colors as accurate as possible. I'm stitching the piece on Charles Craft Polar Ice Aida cloth. I've had it for awhile and have been waiting for just the right pattern to use it with.

The second piece I'm going to share with you I'm going to leave as a little more of a mystery and not show you what the finished piece will look like. I'm currently stitching this as a mousepad that will be for sale and I will also release the pattern to go with it. I'm hoping to have it completed and listed within the next 30 days.

The third piece isn't a WIP, but it is a completed custom item. I'm so happy with the way this giraffe magnet turned out that I just needed to share it with everyone. This is a reserved item, but if it's something you'd like to buy, just drop me a line through my blog or ArtFire shop and I can do a custom listing and then get stitching one just for you. :)

I hope you've enjoyed looking at my WIPs and I promise to be a better blogger in 2011 and keep you posted on the patterns I'm working on, etc.

Happy Stitching!

Crazy January Challenge 2011

So I've decided to participate in the Crazy January Challenge 2011 that I found on another stitcher's blog. With the fact I'm no longer just stitching for myself and need to keep up with orders & new patterns in my shop, I'm going to tweak the way I do the challenge a little bit.

The original challenge calls for you to pick 15 different cross stitch patterns/kits and start one of those each day for the first 15 days of January. You will then have 15 different WIPs (work in progress) to stitch and to try and get them ALL completed by the end of 2011.
This is the way I'm going to do the challenge...

• I will pick 12 different pieces.

• I'll start one piece on the 1st of each month and work on that piece consistently for a minimum of the first week.
  
• After that 1st week I will go back to orders or the next pattern that is closest to being finished and released for purchase in my shop.
  
• Sometime between the 8th & 15th of the month I'll post a pic of the progress I've made on each one of my challenge pieces (unfortunately with it being winter it is dark when I leave for work & dark when I get home so I generally have to wait for weekends to take pics during the daylight).

This is the list of the projects I'll be stitching and who the designer is:

1. Winter Freeze by Stitchnmomma
2. Celtic Cross by Stitchnmomma
3. Steps of Santorini by Stitchnmomma
4. Sunset Stroll by Stitchnmomma
   
5. Ironwork Gate by Barbara & Cheryl
   
6. The Red Cart by Stitchnmomma
7. Birch Allee by Stitchnmomma
8. Crashing Wave by Stitchnmomma
9. South Battery View by Barbara & Cheryl
10. Friends are Flowers by Stitchnmomma
11. The Great Wilderness Afghan by Miranda's Needle
12. The Long Road Home by Stitchnmomma

You may have noticed that most of the designs are my own. I figured I could kill two birds with one stone and participate in the challenge as well as work on some of the new patterns I'd like to release.

I'm looking forward to the challenge and hope you all enjoy the pictures I'll be sharing along the way.

Happy New Year to all of you!!
:)