I'm coming back... I promise!

I know you're thinking geez Mel a whole month and it's not like you were even in Europe this time.

Forgive me everyone it's been crazy. We've had some set-backs with the new home (though we are living in it and mostly happy with it) that have just eaten up time.

I will be back this weekend. I hope! With a new finish (baby piece). The next piece I have coming up is going to be a secret, can't be shared here piece. My apologies. But I'll try and update you all on different things that are a happening.

Thanks for continuing to follow me and read these! 
Mel.

I'm back from Holland!!!

That's right I'm back. Actually have been for a week or so but we are living in box/fort land with packing our home up so its been tough to find time to come and update everyone. (we move into our first home on this Friday!!)

I've got two springy stitchy finishes to share today with you all.

First up from the latest Just Cross Stitch magazine are daffodils. I wanted something bright and wonderful to stitch on while I was on the plane and in the Netherlands and this is what I picked. Little did I know that it would be some of the only pretty flowers we saw as it was unseasonable cold for Amsterdam and none of the tulips were up yet. :(
But alas these daffodils kept me smiling:

I've also got another cottage complete. August is the latest. Now I did make some major modifications including: took out the seascape waves at the bottom and put in the matching flowers from the top row so that it looked uniform like all the other months. Took out some of the 'clutter' on the pages and just included the seashells. Didn't use a sand color for the grass instead picked a nice green. I think it works, but others may disagree. :)
Here is my August:

 

While I was at it I (finally) took a couple quick (and very rough) pictures of the entire piece so far:

 

Only 4 more cottages to go!!

I've been working on a baby sampler for my cousin's little guy. It's adorable and I will share it soon.
Dragons is all packed up for now, but I'll get back to them at my new house.

Otherwise it's all packing and working for me lately.
I'll be back soon with some pictures from our trip to the Netherlands and some pictures of my new home.

Thanks for stopping by!!

June cottage in March

Well I've got the June cottage finished. And as I flipped my calendar all I could think was wow March. I feel like I just finished the March cottage in this project (which I did in March last year!)

Without further ado, the latest installment of Country Cottages June:





I will take a large photo of all the cottages soon (August is almost done; July was done in the summer with the Canada changes).

There have been big happenings for me, which is why I'm having so much trouble finding time to post!
I turned 30 last week. Ugh.
But same week we closed a deal on a house. Possession is in April.
We've also started booking events for our trip to the Netherlands at the end of the month.
So busy? Definitely!!

I hope everyone is doing well. Thank you for your continued support and comments. I'll be back very soon (I hope) with August. And the baby sampler border is done to share.
For those that follow Dragons yes it's been awhile. I'll get back to them I promise!

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Commission Finish

I almost got excited that my post title rhymed. But not quite. But it's perhaps a bit of a tongue twister.
What is the commission finish you ask? 
It's the piece that I did up for a gal as per her wants, needs, preferences. I think it turned out so cute and am so excited to share it with you. The funny thing is that this piece was highly customized by this lovely gal and while I was stitching it (in fact only 2 weeks before I completed it) the cat that it was being stitched up as (Buddy the Cat) passed away. We was 12 years old and had been an amazing family cat. So now the piece is perfect to commemorate Buddy by. I know this girl and her family will enjoy seeing Buddy immortalized in stitching on the wall. So without further ado, I give you "Buddy the Cat" as customized by a commission (yes that means paid) request:












The linen is 30 ct weeks dye works. I can't quite remember the name. It was a bit challenging to work with as it's got a lot of stretch in it, but on my bars it's always better. The threads are a combination of DMC solids and sampler colors variegated cottons. Colors were picked by my client. Order of colors used in the pattern was done by randomly selecting the next color from a baggie and making sure to use all the colors once before putting all the numbers back in. I did use some creative selection to make sure that it balanced so that it wasn't all green in one area, etc. The pattern is from White Willow Stitching called Tribal Cat.
Coming up: 
- another cottage is complete
- baby sampler update (it's so cute!)
- and dragons... eventually. :)
Thanks for stopping by!

Whew, busy and some finishes!

Whew. I don't mind holiday time but I'm always happy to see it go away, if only because life can go back to a schedule and make more sense. It's always such a whirlwind in December.

So what have I been up to? Well I've been up to stitching! Finally. :)
I also got the nasty flu/bug that has been wreaking havoc on Calgary (and around North America from what I  hear) but I survived so life moves on. lol.

I'm proud to say I actually have some finishes. One you've seen 5 like it before, and one that I didn't even post a progress photo of. I know, slap my hand and tell me to post more often! I'm working on it. Truly I am.

First up we've got the May Cottage from Country Cottage Stitching's SAL last year. good thing the apocalypse didn't happen or my cottages wouldn't even have made halfway in the WIPocalypse challenge! However, I did get to 50% just after new years. Here's May (I adore the blue in here):

And in the holiday theme of things I did up a little ornament for my Mom who is obsessed (and I mean obsessed) with tropical locations, especially Maui. So when I saw Mill Hill had a bead and button kit this year that was "Maui Santa" it was clearly meant to be. This little guy did get cut out and backed onto felt boarding but I forgot to take a picture afterwards amid all the insanity. But all the stitches and beads are on him here:

I've been working on Dragons and am hoping to have a 'halfway' through the current page update for you very, very soon.
I also have a baby sampler that I need to get really moving on (as the little guy is already born), my commission cat piece is moving along, nevermind the billion other things I keep buying and stashing.

We've been quite busy as of late house hunting.As this is the first purchase for my common-law man and I into real estate it's been a bit of a roller coaster. lots of things to do learn, lots of big decisions to make and a ton of time! But we've seen a couple dozen places now, have a good idea of what options are out there and just waiting now for that "right" listing. We had one in our grasp on day 2 of house hunting but didn't really realize what a gem we were standing in until someone else bought it (on the market for 3 days and sold, crazy!) It was a cute little 100 year old house with some upgrades but kept the character and feel of 100 yrs ago. Needless to say I loved it (might still). However we are seeing condos with character that are recently build or upgraded from the 50s or 70s. Location is key for us as well as the place not looking like a cookie cutter (and of course price, the all mighty dollar). If price were not an option I'd have a gorgeous heritage home that was upgraded, big and on the outskirts of downtown (what Calgarians call the "beltline") but money is a driving force so we are waiting and looking knowing that the right place will come.

I hope everyone is doing well. I've had a few new items trickle into the store recently. There will be a huge new release section up very soon (hopefully this weekend).
For anyone curious I am not doing a "goals" list this year as with the store and freelance work it is hard to judge time for stitching these days. So I will just keep plugging away and make it less of a competition for myself. I think in the last few weeks when I gave up on the 'list' it worked much better.
Thanks for dropping by! 

WINNERS of 2012 Biggest Giveaway

Sunday is the new Thursday just so you're aware. I really do need to stop giving myself deadlines that I then move on myself. Better late than never my Grandma always says.
So without further adieu here we go.

The Winners of the Epic Stitching 2012 Biggest Giveaway
  

There were 96 individual entries into the contest (some people had the max # at 10 entries!).

Using Google's ever famous random number generator the following numbers were selected:
HAED #1   = 65
HAED #2   = 19
Stash Giveaway = 51
Epic Stitching Gift Card = 88

So there you go!
Wait... you want to know which number you were too?!?
Okay I guess I can help with that. :)

HAED Pattern #1 = 65: Debls
HAED Pattern #2 = 19: Joy
Stash Giveaway = 51: McKenna
Epic Stitching Gift Card = 88: Stacy

Each of you will be sent an email regarding your prize shortly (or you can email me).
If I am unable to connect with someone or they decline a redraw will happen.

Thank you so much to all of you for participating. 
And thank you to all of my new followers and to the many of you who have been around for years.
I appreciate all the support in my many different endeavours!!
 
Coming soon: 
Just Nan Sampler is framed. Pics to come!
Dragons update. I'm about 1/2 through the latest page, so it will be a sneak peek
Cottages update. May is almost done! (man am I behind)
A Mill Hill Santa ornament. A new little project that is a holiday gift for my Mom.

Be back very soon!

WOW!

There are somewhere in the ballpark of about 200 entries into this contest!
You guys are awesome and really flatter me with your strive to win!!! :)

I need a night or two to double check everything, put the final list together (with numbers) and then run the random number generator. It will all be absolutely legit. I'll make sure my snake Cronus watches for anything fishy. And if not him then I'm sure one of the other two (who watch me write all these blog posts) will step up if needed.

So I will be back, absolutely no later than Thursday night (this week) to post the winners.

Thanks again everyone. You just make me smile with your excitement. :D
 Mel.