Sweet Sevens

Everything is coming up sevens right now.  I've finished 7 projects this year.  I currently have 17 works in progress.  Carol asked (a really, really long time ago) how many kitted-up projects I have sitting in the Diane bag - that magic number is 47.  See all of those sevens?  It must be time to rise above my apparent inability to blog on a regular basis and chat about stitching! 

While I wish I had more finishes to report, I really can't complain too much.  I am still stitching while I work (although it is much, much less during the summer months) and I get at least a few stitches onto the fabric most evenings.  Life does get in the way now and then, but that's normal.  Right?

So where did I leave off?  I was working on "Smoke Flower" by Prairie Moon and didn't post a picture.  Here is how the house currently looks.  Love this!

I started the Reindeer stocking by SamSarah and it is coming along slowly.  The reindeer at the heel is done and I am just getting started on the reindeer at the toe.  The Caron Watercolours I am using are beautiful and nicely variegated but I am stitching the reindeer noses in a circular fashion and I'm not sure I love the look.  I do know I don't want them to look striped.  I'm just not sure the circles work for me either.  Oh, and toe reindeer has an eyeball that is off by one stitch.  I am debating eye surgery.  I'll keep you posted.

I thought I finished the Blue Ribbon Designs "Comfort and Joy" design, but then I realized it called for a border.  Later that same week I decided to skip the border and call it done.  Yahoo!  Um, wait a minute. I took it to Rainbow Stitchers to show it off and decided it probably needed the border after all.  I've flipped more times than a pancake over this design.  My current thought is that I should go ahead and stitch the border.  It will make the framing easier and will probably look better.  I also have 3 skeins of floss to use for the border that aren't likely to get used any other way.  The border is specialty stitches, so while it will eat up the floss, it will be fun and shouldn't take too long.  Famous last words.  Here it is, sans border...while I continue to ponder.  Warning!  Wrinkles ahead!

I am leading a Just Cross Stitch ornament kit exchange at Violet Threads.  We are stitching from the 2010 ornament issue and I stitched the Primrose Needleworks design "Windows of Faith, Hope and Peace."  I used the recommended fabric and floss but I made it with all snowflakes instead of using the words.  The finishing still needs to be done and I have all of the supplies ready to go.  I seem to be lacking mojo.  I need to rustle some up, and soon!  We exchange ornament kits in less than two weeks.  Oh. My. Goodness.

My most recent finish is by Lizzie Kate, "Don't Get Your Tinsel in a Tangle."  Finished at last!  It looks like the perfect ornament, except it is bigger than ornament size.  I can testify that it does not stitch up as quickly as you might think.  But don't let that discourage you, if you are thinking of giving it a go.  It is fun and I love the non-traditional colors.  It will make a nice little pillow.

I also finished "Bountiful Acorns" by The Sweetheart Tree.   May I rave (in a good way!) about Sweetheart Tree for a moment?  This design is one of their manila colored cards, printed in black with instructions on both sides.  I bet you have at least one in your stash, and maybe quite a few.  These are amazing designs in a deceptively simple presentation.  The directions are always great, the specialty stitches are fun, the fibers are gorgeous and the beads, treasures, etc. add just the right amount of bling.  "Bountiful Acorns" is designed to be finished as a needleroll, but plan to frame mine.  It is beautiful!  If you haven't stitched a Sweetheart Tree design, give them a try. 

While I really should be working on one of my large CJC projects, I find myself drawn to "Birdy, Birdy" by Sheepish Designs.  I love the colors a lot.  You might notice the shading in the blue and golden brown letters.  It is stitched with different DMC colors, not a variegated/overdyed thread.  Ah, the good old days!  How silly is that?  Notice too that I have already stitching the year on this project.  Even sillier!

I must confess that most of this post was written several days ago.  Since then I have kitted up a few more projects, BUT they are not in Diane yet so officially the count is still 47.  That is my story.  I am sticking to it!