Dragons Update

Since Christmas I have been cruising with stitching Judgement Dragons.
I'm quite pleased with how much I got done between Christmas and New Years (when I was off work). If only I could always have that much time! ;)

Here is dragons so far in it's entirety:

And a snapshot of the page I am working on. I'd say it's more than 1/2 done.

 

Thanks for all your comments on Cronus. The vet has told us that if he hadn't told her about his weird behavior (which consists of tapping his head on the glass and flipping on his back and trying to move) she would think he was fine. So it may just be that he was dropped on his head as an egg or something. Figures that I pick out the retarded snake. We've got a few tests to do and we'll see if anything comes of that. But likely he's just a weirdo.


Hope everyone is staying warm. We have a snowfall warning here for tonight and tomorrow. So I'm hoping that I can still get to my 12-hr stitch at my LNS. *fingers crossed*

Wedding Sampler & Canvas Starts (and Cronus)

Disclaimer: There are 2 stitching pictures to start this post, then there are pictures of Cronus my Kingsnake. Just so those who don't like the snakes can avoid the last of the post. :)

Well I survived the first canvaswork class last week. There is ALOT of counting in canvas. Just worked on the outer border, done with all continental stitches. I am not even halfway done the border, so wanna try and do that before next week's class if possible. Here it is to date:

I also started on the weekend on the wedding sampler for my friends. The fabric is actually more of an ivory colour than this picture shows (sorry it's a bit blurry too). I am much happier with the replacement of this grey than the one I was using. There is almost no colour change now but I think that's actually better in this platform).
This design is from Big Toe Designs and is on 32ct Linen (I think, might be 30 actually…):

As many people ask me about Cronus I thought I'd share a few more pics and talk a bit more about him. For those that haven't been following Cronus is the hatchling Kingsnake that I got in the summer. While we have two other snakes they are really the B/F's more than mine. this one I picked out. And of course I managed to pick the weird one. We're a bit concerned about his behavior these days, it's very odd. So we've decided to suck it up and pay to get him into the vet this weekend. I think he's probably fine (and just a weirdo) but I need the peace of mind.
Here is his new set-up. (he has been upgraded to a larger tank, sorry don't have a picture of Onyx's new home yet…)

And here he is hanging out in his branch area. He's about twice as long as he was when we first got him. I think he's over two feet now I think:

Got lots of errands to do this week it seems. But hopefully I'll find some stitching time in there. And American Idol starts tonight, so gonna PVR that and stitch to it at some point. Will be interesting to see what Steve Tyler is like.
I have been stitching on Dragons and will do a pic in the next post. I'm almost halfway through the first page of the year already!

HAED SAL Start

I only have a small start to show you. It is this year's SAL on the HAED BB, I picked Faerie Bride. I gridded to the bottom left of the page so I could start where I am comfortable. (they give you the pages from top right and I always reorder and start bottom left, but on SAL's you only get one page at a time so this is my compromise to still stitch in the direction I like best). Here is the tiny part I have done so far:

We've been busy moving terrariums around in our office/snake room to fit Onyx's new home. It is a four foot tank and finally enough space for her. I will take some pictures of the new step-up and show you how big Cronus (my hatchling snake) has gotten in the next little bit. That is why there is less stitching than usual to share. I do have progress on dragons from Christmas still but haven't had a chance to pull it out for a picture. My apologies. Soon I'll get to it.

Thank you so much to everyone that commented on my post about Rene. I really appreciated all of your comments and the mutual support everyone has around the community.
I hope everyone is staying warm! It's freezing here at -22C (-30C with windchill), for my American friends that is -8F and -20F. Brrr...

A few people have asked me about the little image I created of Rene's frog stitching. If you would like to use it on your blog I am more than happy to share. You can grab it right from here, or you can email me and I will send you a file.
*hugs* to all as we grieve.

Remembering Rene

Yesterday a beloved member of our blogging stitching community and moderator of ILCS Yahoo Group passed away. I'd like to take a moment to remember Rene and all that she contributed to our virtual world.

Rene was always very sweet whenever I spoke with her or exchanged with her. I gifted her with a pattern a little while ago as I knew she was not doing all that great and she answered with "I'll stitch it up for you". When I told her that it was meant for her to stitch and keep she told me that it was all about paying it forward. It was so sweet of her.
Unfortunately that piece will now remain unstitched by Rene as she progressively got worse.

I'm thankful that she is no longer in pain. Even though she will be dearly missed.
It feels as though there are a few less frogs in the world as of yesterday.
I wish to cherish her memory and time with us, and recognize her huge contribution to our stitching community.

This little frog was stitched by Rene awhile back. She always loved the frogs, but we always love when the frogs don't visit our stitching pieces.

Stashing!

I got a gift certificate to my LNS from my Mom for Christmas. And have already spent it all. lol.
Mostly b/c I got the supplies for a class I am taking on Canvaswork. It will be my first Canvas. I am so afraid, the instructions are so complicated. I briefly glimpsed at them.
We are doing a Carolyn Mitchell, Pocket with a View. Carolyn was lovely enough to give us permission to use her pattern.
I have changed the colours to oranges and reds from purples and blues. Just more my speed.
Here is the supplies (excuse my ugly carpet, it was late and I didn't spend time to put a nice sheet behind it):

I also got fabric to start the latest HAED SAL Faerie Bride. She's being stitched over one on 25ct evenweave called Potato. Gonna get going on this one this weekend once i have another set of scroll rods (getting those tonight). I now have so many projects on the go I need more scroll rods! Scary stuff as I have six or seven sets in different sizes already. Here are some of the threads and the pattern:

I also got a new thread that will work much better for the wedding piece for my friends. So that has been frogged and I will be restarting it very soon.
I have an angel stitch to do up for a friend, so can't share it until it's been received.
And of course the stockings. But those at least aren't urgent.

Whew, I tire myself out just listing only half my projects on the go! lol.
Dragons has not been touched all week, I know bad me, but I need to take a pic and share my holiday progress so will do that for next weekend.
Hope you all have a good one!

Family Stockings

My Mom has asked me to do up stockings for the family with little cross stitched motifs on them. She did one for my Dad (who had no stocking) many, many years ago. So we went on a hunt for these Charles Craft stockings, only to find out they don't really make them anymore. So I got lucky and Deborah happened to have some she was wiling to part with. Thank you Deborah!!
Here's what my Dad's stocking looks like, the others will be modeled after it:

We got some blue ones, a red one and a few others for my siblings to pick from. My Mom's intention was that she would stitch them up, but alas she doesn't remember how to stitch and can't see very well anymore, so it has become my job to finish up the job for the family.

My sister and brother both picked out these nice dark blue ones:

And my brother picked out this cute little Tree from a Just Cross Stitch ornament preview to go beside his name:

I will have to modify the tree a bit to make it fit, but I think it will work.
So that is one of my projects for the year is to make my. It will be a bit odd for me to stitch as it's 14ct Aida on the stockings… and I haven't stitched on Aida in quite some time.
I'll let you know when my Sister has picked her motif out and of course post progress pics as I get into working on them.

Thank you for your words of encouragement on my past blog entry about goals. Progress is progress it's true. And I stitch cause I love it, but finishes are good too!

Coming up: This week I will have an update on Dragons, I got almost a half page done over holidays! And updates on my Father Christmas ornament & Rose.
(also I'm getting lots of things I need by this weekend from my LNS so I'll share the goodies once I have them)