FEBRUARY SFS update.

Time for my february SFS update. I stitched a lot and spent a lot. So here goes

flat ornaments stitched this month total 9 x 4$= $36.00

1 page Fleurs SAL 110x80.                              = $12.00

Mini heart sachet.                                             =$2.00

Lizzie Kate Santa's 2000                       2x$8.   =$16.00

                                                    Total earned  =$66.00

                                                     Plus budget. +$25.00

Total earned in february.                                 = $91.00

Total earned from January SFS.                      + $83.13

Total earned for both months                           =$174.13

Spent in February

Magazine             $6.99

Ursula SAL.        $6.00

Book.                   $3.69

Anne cloth.          $15.00

 Polstitches g bag  $21.00

Anne cloth.           $8.99

Owl pattern.          $3.00

Total spent.        =$64.67

Earned   $174.13

Spent.   -$64.67

             = a + $109.76 to carry over for March

In spite of spending this month, I don't think I did too badly.

February Smalls update!

I hope everyone had a nice Valentines day. My DH spoiled me rotten and will explain that after my smalls.
Time for the February smalls update and I have been a busy stitcher. Completed more than a dozen this month.
I stitched and finished
3 Little House Needleworks Hot Cocoa flat ornaments.

A tiny heart sewn into a sachet. This was a blog freebie. The blog, which is on my side bar, has many biscornu and smalls freebies for download. I plan to use this motif for a biscornu.

The first snowman block, on a pillow, Ursula Michael SAL. Using #8 perle cottons and light effects.

All four letters of the first instalment of the Lesley Tear ABC Blocks SAL. Stitching each block on an Anne Cloth afghan.

 Using #032 pearl Kreinik blending filament with DMC floss. And Kreinik #4 braid for the back stitching.

Another SAL is being hosted by palkolap.blogspot
A monthly. Each pattern is released, to a stitcher, on the first of each month. The current month has to be stitched, picture emailed, before the next month is emailed to you.
January and february completed into flat ornaments

 I wanted flat ornaments, rather than a sampler.

Also finished two more Lizzie Kate Santa 2000

Now for the Valentines Day DH surprised me with.
I asked him not to buy me 4 boxes of candy like he did last year. DH says it is not Valentines without candy. So I relented and asked for one box and a plant.  What did he do....

 Bought a TWO pound box. Then said "well you told me you only wanted one box!"

Another thing he did was to claim to update my Ipad. In January I was oohhing and aahhing over a sale that Keepsake Needlearts was having. Telling him how they were selling two 60$ Lanarte kit for $16.99. That night DH asked me if I had updated my Ipad lately. Told him yes, but I still have problems with it (getting old like the rest of us), he still thought maybe all the updates were not done. About two weeks later, just in time for Valentines, DH brings in a box for me. This was what was in the box.

 From Keepsake Needlearts. Everything I had looked at he ordered.

 I finally ordered a Polstitches hand dyed fabric grab bag. Each piece is 9x13 inches. This is the selection of fabric. I am thoroughly pleased with the colors. There are even two opalescent.

Now to find projects worthy of such pretty fabrics.
I hope everyone is managing to stay warm in this deep freeze weather.
Happy stitching!
Deb

FEBRUARY TURTLE TROT! I surrender.....

Good day everyone! Hope you are warm and cozy despite all the snow some people are getting.

Time for the February Turtle Trot update.
I joined Face Book a few weeks ago. And have joined several SAL's. One is the Ursula Michael Snow Men Tic Tac Toe. I wanted to stitch this on an afghan. HA!!!! The first afghan was the size I needed. Very stark white and the snowmen would not show up very well. I hand dyed it to a DMC #928 mottled color. Not the effect I was looking for. The dye did not take well at all. Turning into a very light ocean bluish green. I was willing to live with that. When I first touched the afghan it felt almost "sticky". Thought being was that salt, in the dye, plus machine wash and dry, would soften the afghan. NOT so. Decided that I couldn't take working with a "sticky" feeling afghan. Unfortunately I have two of these. Afghan #2 had too small of blocks. Afghan #3 was not square, rather rectangle middle and only corner squares to work with. So, nothing left to do but surrender...  I ended up using Faith's great idea for a pillow.
After a week of wrestling with this project I dug out some 28 count Ice Blue Joblen fabric. I had started using #8 DMC Perle cottons on all the afghans. Got a lazy streak and decided to use the perle cotton, I had gathered up for the afghan, rather than go back through and select DMC floss/thread. Using DMC light Effects for the snowflakes and hat band.
1.

#2. for my Turtle Trot projects ia a Joan Elliot SAL Spirit of the Orient Sampler. The SAL started two weeks ago. I got my book in the mail Monday evening.
Tuesday, did the set up and started stitching this beautiful piece last night.

 32 count belfast linen. Not sure of the color. Is a pretty beige color with yellow in the mix. I am still looking for a pretty thread,  for the words, other than using black. Thinking of #44 Kreinik #4 braid. Will test that out and see how it looks.
Here is what the sampler should look like, there abouts, when finished.

#3. are three Little House Needleworks ornaments.
Have the stitching done and ready for beads. Pattern does not require beads. I like to "dress up" these ornaments with them.

#4. is my Serenity Harbor Sampler SAL
Started the sun on page one. Using DMC Variations.

#5 is Angie Designers Fleur du Ciel SAL

#6 is my Holiday Bear. Stitching with some DMC Light Effects Metalics.

#7 Is Joan Elliots Faces SAL. Just got this one started, too.

#8 Is Brooke's Books Spirit of Knitting.
I didn't get any stitches in this one. Due to the arguments I was having with afghans....

#9 Margaret Sherry Friends from the 2012 calendar book.

#10.  2013 HAED Mystic Garden SAL

#s 8, 9 and 10 are UFO's. Trying to get some of those finished this year. Already finished one UFO with my rose afghan.

Also did some spring cleaning and decorating! I know it is a little early(okay a lot early) for spring decorating. We are having very warm weather and it feels like spring here. Don't be too envious... That means this summer we are going to fry with 100 degree temperatures.
On the non stitchy side, I found my two ceramic bunny rabbits that I painted some years ago. Nice to see them out playing again!

There are actually three to the set. The third one is packed away waiting to be painted. Fortunately, I found my notes on the stain colors I used!
 Happy stitching and thanks for stopping by!
Deb

FEBURARY YOTA update!

Good sunday everyone! Hope you are staying warm in this snowy winter.
here are my two YOTA projects. I made progress on both!
Mirabilia's Silver Moon Tea
Before

After

And HAED Fun Guys Snowballs Stocking.
Have 7 of 12 pages done and working on 2 pages.
Before

 After

We have the last of the indoor amaryllis blooming.

This was not supposed to be a Red Lion amaryllis... We have dozens. As a result I cross pollinated Red Lion with this amaryllis. I hope that the new seeds will result in a hybrid that looks more like it. Need to look up the name of this plant.

I have completed and am working on quite a few smalls. Save that for the smalls update at the end of the month.

My seour ami sent me more pictures of her tiny knitted creations. I am always amazed at Michelle's perfect knitting and attention to details.

 Adorable Hello Kitty's!!!!

I love the Hello Kitty bead purse. Michelle knits these marvelous animals with knitting needles that are the size of hat pins. Using DMC #12 and #8 perle cottons or DMC wool. Standing about 2 1/2 inches tall. Tiny pieces are knitted and sewn together. Absolutely amazing work. Michelle has sent me many animals and they make me smile every day.


Happy stitching everyone an thanks for stopping by!

Deb

LATE POST FOR THE HAP SAL...

This is a late update for the HAP SAL. And, i have a half a$$ed reason for that....
I signed up for the SAL, was diverted from the computer for a few hours and forgot to save the link to the SAL. I had to do some editing to my blog reading list. Not all the blogs, I had joined, were being displayed on my side bar. Therefore I had temporarily "lost" which blog is hosting the Huge A$$ Project SAL. Which is Crossed Stitches. Next month I will get a link in to the SAL. Anywhoooo, I dragged out and stitched on my HAED Bubble Telescope, artist Ciro Marchetti. Sadly had been stored since 2013. Now a WIP once again. Have 6 of 56 pages done and working on another 5 pages. Hazards of cross country stitching. Should have another page finish on next update.
Before

 After

Stitched confetti on the bottom corner. Then I had to get off the planet! The confetti on this is absolutely crazy and I "rested" with some black block stitching. Estimate is about 3000 stitches last week.

Thanks for stopping by!
Deb