Happy belated birthday to me!

Lookie what the mailman brought yesterday!

 

As I never received my share in the Birthday Exchange at the late The Robin's Nest Renée was so kind that she offered to stitch me a replacement and... it came yesterday! (I kind of like having birthday every six months or so - that would actually be fabulous exchange idea... The Second Birthday... what do you think?)
Renée stitched me The Victoria Sampler's July Birthday Needleroll and sent me a Mirabilia chart (I seem to have it already (my bad, I had forgot to strike it from my wish list), but I can always sell the one I already had and get a tiny piece of plane ticket with it ).

The interesting thing about the needleroll is that I have never cared for the design too much when I have saw the model (stitched on white), but as Renée stitched it on slightly coloured linen it looks absolutely beautiful! It's the contrast that lovely greyish green(ish blueish) linen provides that makes all the difference.
And it smells heavenly... I think this needleroll goes hanging to my closet for a while - a good stitcher has scented needlerolls in her closet, right? (In addition to the skeletons, of course...)

Thank you Renée! ^^

Speaking of TRN

I am so forgetful! I walked past PO yesterday and forgot to take Christine's RR with me so I could have sent it (finally) out! And this isn't the first time! I think I need to make a HUGE red note to my front door about that...

And...

Look who came back home all the way from Australia! My little artichoke! ^^

Stats:

• Design: Artichoke Lace
• Designer: Lady Periphaeria from Periphaeria Designs *grin*
• Published in: The Gift of Stitching ezine, December 2007 issue
• Fabric: 36 count Summer Khaki Newcastle linen
• Floss: DMC's off-white (I can't remember the code now...)

The Bee has landed! (Now with picture!)

I heard in the morning that Jenna's very belated birthday gift has finally landed!

As certain senile old lady forgot to take a picture before sending the gift, do pop by at Jenna's blog to see it Jenna kindly let me snatch her image:

(The other side is stitched too, it has the leaves/ flower without the bees - as that is how it was designed: two-sided, with different, but complimenting designs.)

Statistics:

• Design: Beescornu
• Designer: Lady Periphaeria herself
• Fabric: 28 count black Jobelan
• Threads: Misc. hand-dyed floss and one variegated DMC.
• Other notions: Stitched over one and finished as an ornament.

As cunning as I am I read emails and make mental notes and therefore I knew that Jenna loved Beescornu (ok, she loves all Periphaeria Designs' designs ) from the moment she saw it and I knew that birthday fairy might end up stitching something buzzing to her - and I did, though, due the badly belated stitching schedule I started only couple of days before her birthday and it arrived only a month late!

I said it then and I say it now: it came out gorgeous, and after stitching this design thrice (the model, Leena's and Jenna's) I can say that I am very pleased to the design as it's one of those designs you can stitch over and over again and still find it fun - and it's very easy to personalize for the receiver by just simply changing the colour scheme (fabric in Leena's was blue because she likes blue, and Jenna's flower was purple because she loves purple, then you just make the other colour match, simple).

One secret HD revealed

This one.

Tidbits:

• Designer: Lady P. of Periphaeria Designs
• Design: Talviyö/ Winter's Night - exclusive complimentary design prelude for Violarium.
• Fabric: 30 count ink blue linen
• Floss: DMC 712 and Atalie's Nuit.

Special Kiitos to Leena who kindly provided me pictures as I forgot to take my own before I sent this to her.

Tidbits and two happy dances

It snowed!

TGOS

Oh my, where this world is going to... there is nothing of interest in the latest The Gift of Stitching - though I can promise you that there is something of interest in the next issue...

And

As I guessed I was asked about what happened in Thursday after we left. And I knew there'd be those knowing "who knows where it may lead... " (Admittedly everything leads to something, but still...) comments from my course mates.

Happy Dance #1

Fang was finished in Friday.

Informative tidbits:

• Designer: Jennifer Aikman- Smith from Dragon Dreams
• Design: 'Fang', a limited time Halloween treat freebie
• Fabric: Elegance, 32 count hand-dyed Belfast linen by Silkweaver
• Floss: Misc. leftovers
• Additions: I replaced the French knots in Fang's eyes with red petite glass beads.

Happy Dance #2

And The Secret Gift was finally finished today and will be mailed out to its new home in Monday(-ish).
Pictures will follow when I heard that it is received, but I can say that it is simply gorgeous!

Halloween Exchange: Ezmeralda's Welcome

I just got an email from Vonna telling me that she had received a parcel from me so it's picture time!

When I heard that she will be my exchange partner in SBEBB's Halloween Exchange I felt happy: I have been sneaking in her blog for quite a while and the design I had in mind fell just into her category (though having Vonna as my partner made me also nervous as she really has a knack for finishing), so the pairing couldn't have be better.

 

Pieces of info:

• Design: Bits and pieces from Brightneedle's ''Ezmeralda's House'' rearranged (and sligthly modified) by me.
• Fabric: Hand-dyed 32 count Jobelan - from my own dye pot.
• Fibers: Miscellaneous DMCs and GAST's Fragnant Cloves (my absolute favourite of orange hand-dyes around).

I have had this layout in my mind since forever and I am glad how it turned out (it was really hard to send it away, but as I knew it will get a good home I was able to let it go).
In addition of this ornament I send some hand-dyed floss, by Atalie and myself, and piece of my Halloweeny hand-dyed Jobelan.

It was a successful exchange: I loved making it for her and she loved it.

Leap froggy, leap

This was started this in Friday night (~21:30) when I was bored and tired, but wasn't very eager to get to bed yet and desperately wanted to start something new. My excuse for this is that this is my square for Cayden's quilt - though this seems to be the pillow piece as someone stupid (not me, never...) didn't recheck the instructions and my square is 3x3 inches smaller than required for the quilt. *throws a tantrum*

Pieces of info:

• Designer: Gillian Souter
• Design: "Frog in Spring"
• Source: Classic Storybook Cross-Stitch (ISBN 0-316-85401-8)
• Fabric:: 32 count white Jobelan
• Notes:
  1. The light green charted for the grass was of completely wrong tone (it was yellowish when all the other colours in the design have blueish tint) I changed it to some light green from DMC 100 series.
  2. Blue stripes in shorts are my choice as I didn't have the charted pink. (I'd have changed it anyway, I think.)
  3. The grass is four stitches too wide (but if I hadn't told about it you wouldn't have noticed it).
  4. Sky was left out and butterfly added. (I thought it would give more sense for the design.)
  5. The backstitching is modified: in pieces like this I prefer not to follow the chart, but my own gut feeling.

I enjoyed stitching this piece as it is cheery and keeps you interested with tons of fractionals.

Some cats have no joint pains, I think...

 

Neko, that guy who had (im)mobility issues in spring... quite hard to believe now, don't you think? ^^

Happy Dance and a WIP

Now that I have time (after waking up for shortness of breath (salbutamol <3))... this is the OS' design I was talking of:

Info:

• Design: Colorful Fantasy Garden by Ozark Sampler
• Fabric: 28 count black Jobelan
• Floss: Blue is hand-dyed by me, orange is The Dye Is Cast's Hearth.
• Other: Minuses are the fact that there's no stitch count in the chart and that, even it seems to be symmetric, it is not.

I intended to stitch two of the and finish them as a biscornu, but as the design is 48 x 49 stitches (which I realised after stitching quite a bit) it won't happen. (Now I also remember why I put stitch count to my designs...)
I like how the design turned, even though I wouldn't personally put those "eyes" in the corners - and big part of my liking is the colour scheme I used as I am person of contrasts. (I have always been good in creating contrast harmonies.)

Bunny Baby

I stitched this in the afternoon. The progress is slow, but visible (last update in here) and there's still time before the deadline.

Valentine's Exchange has landed!

In other words: on happier things.

Myrna, my partner at SBEBB's Valentine's Exchange, has received her parcel, and loved it (that equals one happy stitcher in this end too), so it is picture time!

Tidbits:

• What?: A needlebook, a scissor case and a pocket to keep them in.
• Fabric: 24 count linen band.
• Floss: Caron's Soie Cristale, Cherry (2001).
• Design: Complimentary design from The Gift of Stitching. (All the motifs are from either of the hearts from French Inspired Hearts and pocket has other heart as whole.)
• Misc.: Stitched over one.

I enjoyed doing those to Myrna, and I am happy to know she liked them too (and the goodies I sent *grin*).

Two more...

Last two days in a nutshell: rotation out of the window.

Thursday

I decided to let VE piece to rest for this week as I prefer not to work with exchange items when my brains aren't working as well as they should, and therefore I took Santa's Trimmings and almost finished stitching it before I got to bed...

Friday

Small Needlebook (any guesses why I don't use acronym? *grin*) didn't see daylight, but Wyvren did! Tadaa! (And please, fail to notice lack of coffee steam...)

Info:

• Design: 2006 Christmyth; Wyvren
• Designer: Jennifer Aikman-Smith
• Fabric Desert Sky, 28 count Lugana by Silkweaver
• Other: Colour conversion by me

Wyvren was last of the Christmyths, and my absolute favourite of them all.

Anyhow... like most of the days during this week, I've spent good part of the day chatting with person X. (I know what you think out there... ) and therefore, understandably, I haven't been stitching that much.

But... a Santa! Without his whip lights/decorations, but I'll add them when I'm a bit more awake.

Info:

• Design: Santa's Trimmings
• Designer: Frank and Judy Bielee/ Mosey 'n Me
• Fabric: nameless 28 count hand-dye Jobelan(?) by Silkweaver
• Floss: Misc. GASTs.

There's always time to shop

Sew and So is source of all evil:

• Damask Roses
• Deco Spirits
• Desert Angels
• My Lady's Garden
• The Chess Game

And now, I'm off to meet mr. Sandman.

Another HD

Info:

• Design: Woodland Snowfall
• Designer: Diane Williams/ Little House Needleworks
• Source: Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue 2004
• Fabric: Unknown, hand-dyed opalescent 28 count (from Silkweaver)
• Misc.: Stitched over one

1000; The Dragon Has Born & AAS

Coffee and biscuits Champagne to everyone! This is my thousand (!) entry!

Happy dance

Now, yesterday (Sunday) I foresaw two happy dances for Monday, but as I ended up sleeping, chatting and popping by at N's to have a dinner (N. cooked it, I ate it. Equality, don't you think?) my only happy dance was delayed to these early hours of Tuesday, but... The Greatest Treasure is now officially finished!

Info:

• Designer: Jennifer Aikman-Smith
• Design: The Greatest Treasure
• Fabric: 28 count Crystal Peach Jazlyn
• Other: Colour conversion by yours truly.

Walk Like An Egyptian

No, I haven't gone completely bonkers. I got mail from my Adopt-A-Stitcher mommy, Christine! Wonderful mail, as she sent me Teresa Wentzler's Egyptian Sampler (which was in my wish list), and 28 count ivory Jubilee to stitch it on!

She did have an ulterior motive though... it seems that we may have Egyptian Sampler SAL in coming year.
Off I go to kit it! (Though I need to order some beads and Kreinik's #4 braid. *gasp* I have to buy more stash! *gasp*)

OE: My first flat fold

I just heard that Selina received her 'ornament' and loved it!
As usual I'll flood you with pictures:

      

Info:

• Design: Molly to the Rescue by Mosey 'n Me; JCS Ornament issue 2005.
• Fabric: 27 count ivory linen
• Floss: Misc. DMC and golden metallic for star. Molly is stitched with DMC's Variations 4140.
• Finishing: Flat fold
• Misc.:
  • Two over two
  • Actually Molly is supposed to be black, but I changed the colours to match (more or less) Selina's late dog Aireen.

And as you deduce from the topic, this was my first ever flat fold, and even I say so it looks quite good.

Fobbity fob

This post was meant to be worrying over my fob, but I just got email from Veronica that it has finally arrived and she loves it!
I'm over the moon because that fob was my first over one project (first started, second one to finish as I stitched Jenna's biscornu meanwhile) and, even I say so myself, it turned out beautiful! I let you to judge (last picture includes goodies I sent to her, as you noticed):

              

Technical details:

• Design: a freebie by Ellen Maurer-Stroh. Actually it's a pincushion, but I though it'd do lovely fob when stitched over one.
• Fabric: 28 count Pewter Lugana.
• Floss: DMC Variations 4210.
• Cord: DMC Variations 4210 and DMC Antique Effects E3685.
• Other:
  • over one with one strand of floss.
  • contains one baht (I brought some coins from Thailand just for fob making *cough*...), for weight.
  • Design is slightly altered.
  • Its size is, if I recall correctly, about 5x5 cm.

Biscornu Happy Dance, 2nd Edition

Let me introduce you, bigger sibling of Jenna's biscornu:

Info:

• Designer: Christine Wilkins from Alchemy Stitchcraft
• Fabric: 28 count hand-dyed (by me) graphite Meran
• Floss: Caron's Wildflowers' Peach Melba
• Other: Over two.

In my world...

...dragons are never green, it seems.

• Boo by Jennifer Aikman-Smith.
• 28 count white Lugana(?).
• Improvised colour conversion by me.

I know... but I just had to stitch this one. It made me do it! (And btw, I'm sure it has chainsaw in its bag...)

Lovebirds

After hiding the truth from my dear readers for so long I can now reveal my latest finish, and what's even more important, wish all the luck for those two who I made it for... Congratulations once again Selina and Andy! I hope all the best to your life together, and wish that all your dreams will be fulfilled!
*gets a hanky* I'm getting old and mushy... (I admit that I was as excited for them than I'd been if I had been one getting married. *grin*) *sighs* And then to second most important thing...

• Design: Be My Valentine, freebie.
• Designer: Laura Gabutti Lattuada from Passione Ricamo.
• Fabric: Lullaby, hand-dyed from Silkweaver.
• Ribbon: White silk.
• Design boo-boo: Bird in right side has incomplete backstitching in it's wing. (In my finished ornament it's fixed.)
• Pictures: Finished ornament, detail, close shot.

And I'm quite proud of the card too. Simple, but nice.

Instant gratification & disturbing colour combinations

• Design: Freebie from Echevette
• Fabric: 28 count Deep Teal Green Jazlyn
• Floss: DMC Variations 4130 (some green Kreinik for eye)
• Time: About 2½ hours with coffee breaks (spiced up with migraine).

Now I just have to finish it as a card for my mom (so I have over a week to do it).

24 hour challenge: Giant

Tadaa! Success!

Info:

• Designer: Jennifer Aikman- Smith from Dragon Dreams
• Freebie
• 28 count Pewter Lugana
• Stitched with left-over floss
• All colours changed
• Star on top of the spruce is made with gold beads, other stars with some gold filament

And btw, my mother loved that card.

Life with the polar bears

My blog's name came from one 'famous' prejudice, which is that there are wild polar bears in Finland. Though I haven't heard it in ages. Other reason for it was that I sleep with one (at least for the time being). Polar bear that is.
And nowadays it seems to me that Neko, scary 6 kgs of drooling cuteness, has also his own sleeping buddy: another polar bear (in addition of his habit to sleep sometimes with 'my' bear).
Maybe I should change that header to 'Our lives with the polar bears'?

Biscornu

I got mail from Karen that my little one has arrived (that was fast!), and she loves it.

(Click for better picture in Karen's blog.)

For curious minds, and just to repeat myself...

Info:

• 28 count Summer khaki Lugana
• SBTS' Pink Featherduster
• Two over two
• Design is a freebie (Orange tile) from Better Homes and Gardens' site

Dancing Dragon

Say 'Hello' to Sally.

Info:

• Designer: Teresa Wentzler
• Freebie
• Stitched on 32 count Lugana (some Silkweaver's Limited Edition, don't know actual name of the colour, but think of 'light' chocolate ice cream)
• Two over two; with DMC
• Substituted pearl BF with white BF

As you notice I decided to ditch borders.

And now I think I'll stitch all lacking parts of MSAL... I'm so behind!
Then it'll be Jaffa and latest SAL design, by Kristine Herber, from Dragonfly Stitches Yahoo group in a mini rotation (just because I stitch Jaffa on black and my eyes need to rest sometimes).

(Btw, I had this odd feeling yesterday that it's 10th of May even I knew it wasn't... and I don't know why my brains are suddenly so obsessed with that date.)