My WIP progress

Right now I still have just the one WIP - and I'm hoping to finish page 7 before I start my second project (L&L's Angel of Hope) on Monday. I have a little over a quarter of the page to stitch, so I don't think that's unreasonable.

I'm expecting the floss I ordered for the Angel to arrive tomorrow, and as soon as it does I'll start to kit up the project. I'm very hopeful that the fabric I found in my stash will suit the floss. Two of the floss shades called for in the chart have actually now been discontinued, so I'll have to find substitutes. And I'm going to have a good look at the chart to see if I can incorporate some beads, as they look so good on the Angel of Love. I think I'll do the gold hem edgeing in beads instead of gold floss, and although I haven't really looked at the chart yet to see if it's an option, I have a desire to substitute beads for stitches on the flounce trim in the lower part of the skirt. I'll think about it anyway.

A decision

I will be starting L&L's Angel of Hope at the beginning of June. I have a lovely piece of sage green 28 count evenweave that I think I will use. I am just waiting for the rest of the floss to arrive, and if the colours look good together (as I think they will) I'll use that piece of fabric. It will fit on my lap-frame, so I won't have to disturb JOF at all. The 28 count will make the Angel a little bigger than the stitched model, but that's not a problem for me.

This is a big step for me - my first rotation! I'll stitch my Angel on Friday through Tuesday, and JOF on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Well, I'll trial it for a month and see how I manage.

Totally Useless SAL

Here is my TUSAL jar at the end of my stitching session tonight. It has been well pressed down, and there's still plenty of room left - so maybe it will make it to the end of the year. The top layer of purple (DMC 208 and 210) and pink threads are from the two angel ornaments I just finished, and beneath that you can see my HAED sky colours, and below that the greens and reds from the holly sprig on Santa's hat, and the whites and off-whites of the fur on Santa's hat.

I'm looking forward to checking out all the TUSAL progress this month.

Two little angels stitched

I finished my two angel ornaments today. The photo is misleading - they are actually identical in size and almost identical in design - I did make some changes to the beading border, floss, and a few little changes to the dresses. The angel is from GraphworksMini Motif Designs for Christmas Vol 111 leaflet. I used an Aussie hand-dyed opalescent Lugana fabric, Peacock Fantasy by Stitches and Spice, DMC and Crescent Colours floss, and Mill Hill beads.

My newest love

L&L's Angel of Hope. I know she's been around since 1991, but I just found her this year, and immediately fell in love. Joanne from 123 just sent her to me last week, and since she arrived at my house I have really been obsessing about stitching her. Soon. I have already been through my stash and found some of the floss required, and I'm debating with myself about the fabric. I was planning to stitch her when I finish JOF (at the earliest that would be a 2011 start), but she would look so very nice as a companion piece to my L&L Angel of Love this Christmas. I already have incorporated her into my 2009 Christmas decorating plan. Isn't that pathetic! Well, I am what I am - an obsessive Christmasophile.

The question is: Should I stitch her now (and give into my obsession) or be sensible and stick to my original plan to stitch her when I finish JOF. I've always been a one-at-a-time stitcher for my major projects, and I do tend to want to finish projects as quickly as I can (for me the joy is in the finishing, rather than the actual stitching - I learned that this year). The jury's still out. In the meantime, I might just order the extra floss and fabric I need - just in case ...

Angels and more angels

I have had a lovely two days playing with my beads. I've made 7 prs clip-on angel earings, 7 pr pierced angel earings, 5 angel keyrings, and 6 hanging angels. I'm packing the beads away now, and tomorrow I will make a start on my next two Christmas ornaments. I'll stick with the angel theme, as these two ornaments are for two little sisters who like angels and fairies.

HD at my house tonight ...

I have now finished the first 98 rows of JOF, and in doing so have now completed 19.25% of my Christmas 2010 project. Happy me! I was very pleased with my trial of not marking off the chart, so I'll continue that when I start on page 7.

I'm having a few days break from JOF now - I'll pick up the needle again on Thursday. Meantime, I'll be beading a few more angels, and perhaps starting Christmas ornaments for two gorgeous young sisters who visit me each Christmas.

WIP progress

I'm happy with my progress this week. Because page 6 was only 12 stitches wide I decided to stitch it with page 5. I've finished the confetti-stitch area, which was cause for celebration. Just an area of plain stitching left to complete, no colour changes at all, and I'll have pages 5 and 6 finished - this weekend, with any luck. That will be a major HD for me - the first 98 rows of JOF finished. I'll be back with a pic when that happens.

Back at work on JOF

I did enjoy my break from JOF, but it's nice to be stitching on him again. Not a lot of progress this week, but I've only been stitching on him yesterday and today. I'm not marking off the stitched areas on my chart for this page, and so far it's been working really well - though it's not a fair test, as I haven't hit any confetti-stitch areas yet.

Three Christmas ornaments

I have just finished stitching together these three ornamnets that I stitched this week. The two diamond puffs match the ornaments I stitched earlier in the year for the siblings and cousin of these two recipients. The other ornament is a door-knob hanger ornament which I stitched up to use the fabric remaining in the packet after I had finished the diamond puffs. I have so enjoyed my break from Jolly Old Fellow, but I am now keen to get stitching on him again. So, tomorrow (today, really - it's just on 2am now) I'll be back at work on JOF, and I'd like to have pages 5 and 6 (page 6 is only a partial page) finished by mid May.

A batch of beaded bookmarks

Here's my first batch of ten bookmarks - eight angels and two hearts. I have only recently discovered these metal bookmarks, and I am quite taken with them. I have very much enjoyed my little beading interlude. Today I will be stitching up the two diamond puff Christmas ornaments I stitched, and hopefully finishing the other Christmas ornamnet I started last night. On Thurdsay, I'll be picking up the needle to contine with Jolly Old Fellow.

Here's my first attempt at an angel bookmark. The picture isn't as clear as I would have liked, and it does look much nice when it's actually there in front of you. I've made one more, and I have the makings for another four. I'll make them up before the end of the week.

I've stitched two Christmas ornaments, for the sibling and cousin of three of the children I've already made ornaments for this year. I just need to make them up now. They're diamond puff ornies, so I should be able to do that tomorrow. Rain is forecast, so I probably won't be venturing out tomorrow.

More angels

These are the last of this batch of angels. The small single angels will become bookmarks or maybe bag trims. The large angels still have to get their hanging cords. I'll do another batch of angels later in May or in June.

I'll be packing away my beads tonight, and kitting up some ornaments. I'll make 2 ornaments in the next few days, then make a decision about what to stitch next.

Ellie is off to the vet tomorrow to have her stitches removed. I think they're worrying her a little, as she's started rubbing her face against the furniture. I'm sure she will be more comfortable after those stitches are gone. It's hard to believe that it's 10 days since she had her op. Time really flies when there's things to do!