Smalls Report for September

I'm sorry to report that there has not been much stitching in my house this month. In the early part of the month I was focused on accepting the surprise breast cancer diagnosis. It was picked up at a routine mammogram - not even a lump to warn me that it was imminent. Then surgery, and for the last three weeks I have been carting around two sealed unit drainage bottles. So, cross stitch slipped down my priority list for a while! 

Nevertheless, here is my Smalls report for September.  The Smalls SAL is hosted bycHeather at Stitching Lotus.  I have stitched one more Baby's First Christmas ornament, post-dated as the recipient is now 4 years old. I have  stitched an ornament for her each year, but only this year did I discover she is an 'Annabel' not an 'Annabelle', which is what I had stitched each year on her Christmas ornament. So I decided she should have a BFC ornament with her correctly spelled name. On the  back I will stitch all her names and her date of birth. The teddy is (once again) the DMC on-line freebie chart, but I did change the facial features, as well as all the floss colours. I will be adding some tiny buttons and/or beads to the corners and sides of this ornament before I make it up.

 I have also finished all the letters on my 1 year old great-nephew's name sampler. I am using a shoe-horn to count each one as a 'smalls' finish. This dinosaur alphabet is by Claire Compton, and I found it in a UK hardcover book aptly titled 'Cross Stitch Alphabets' published in 2003. I swapped some of the dinosaurs, changed some letter colours, and added a bottom row of stitching to the 'Y's.

So, that ends my Smalls Report for the month of September. I am looking forward to checking out all the Smalls stitching reported this month.

Gifted Gorgeousness Report for August

It's been a very mixed month for me, in lots of ways, including my crafting activities.  In between medical appointments and an unexpected operation to remove two breast tumours I have been making Christmas gifts. I made this sweet crochet cotton dress for my 1 year old great-niece.

I liked it so much I decided to make one for my 3 yr old great-niece.

I love this pic of the two dresses together.

Annabelle's grandmother popped in for a visit and pronounced her dress "too short", Annabelle being quite tall for a 3 year old. So, I pulled off the white trim and lengthened the dress by adding a second band of solid colours at the bottom, and then I crocheted her a matching shopping bag with the left-over thread.

I finally made up my last five Christmas ornaments, which had been lurking around in my work basket for varying periods of time.

I have started a name sampler for my great-nephew Harvey ( a Christmas gift). I'm using a dinosaur alphabet by Claire Compton, but I am swapping some of the dinosaurs and changing some of the letter colours, to balance the colours and design.

And I have made 51 beaded angels, which I plan to distribute to my extended family as part of their Christmas gifts. I am embarrased to admit that, despite the fact that it is at least 10 years since I last made a beaded angel, I had all the 'makings' for this group. I could have made quite a lot more with my supply of beads, but I did run out of beading wire. The biggest angels measure about 7.5 cm (3") tall.  In all honesty, the angels are not very photogenic. They look much nicer in reality than they do in the photos. They are hanging angels, so lying around really isn't their thing.

And that brings me to the end of this month's GG report.