Smalls Report for April

Well, here we are - time for the monthly Smalls SAL report hosted by Mary.  Already four months of the year has passed. I have less to show this month. Once again, all my stitching was on Smalls, but I did less stitching in April than in previous months. I have finished just four Christmas ornaments this month.

I stitched a TIAG angel, from the Band of Angels chart. I did make a number of changes, including changes to the banner and message, omitting the parcel and gold hanging cord, and changing the sleeves and hands. I stitched this ornament for a cousin who has just won the latest battle in her fight with cancer.

This little Christmas ornament is for a 4 year old I met recently, and who has just joined the extended family of a friend.

And here are two more Jill Oxton poinsettias to add to my take-home gift basket for Christmas visitors.

I also stitched three ornaments for a brother's family. They are expecting a new arrival in September, and as the ornaments I stitched for the prospective parents and grandparents are personalised Christmas trees with a heart for each family member, I have to wait for baby's birth before I finish stitching and making up these three ornaments. I probably shouldn't be showing these yet, as they are unfinished, but the fact that they complete my Christmas ornament stitching list for 2019 tipped my hand. I now have 75 Christmas ornaments - 72 finished, and these three which will have to sit waiting till I know baby's gender and name.

So, that completes my Smalls report for this month. I'm looking forward to popping in to participants' blogs to see the lovely Smalls stitched in the past month.

Easter Blog Hop

Jo at Serendipitous Stitching is hosting this Easter blog hop.

My letter is:

I have chosen to share a picture of one of my favourite cross-stitched birds, a Graham Ross design of a kookaburra. I stitched this kookaburra way back in the 20th century  and it hangs on my loungeroom wall, where I see it every day. I am lucky to have real kookaburras visit my garden regularly, and I often wake up to the sound of the kookaburra's call.

To continue with the Easter blog hop, your next blog to visit is: Mary's

Happy Easter!

Gifted Gorgeousness report for April

April 15 - time for the Gifted

Gorgeousness report. GG is hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  Once again, all my stitching in the past month qualifies for GG, as all my stitching will be gifted.


I'm working my way through my Christmas list. I finished up the ornaments I had stitched last month, and I have stitched and finished another 13 Christmas ornaments. That brings to 68 the number of Christmas ornaments I have made this year to date.

Here are group photos of my March-April finished Christmas ornaments. The first picture shows the ornaments stitched in February/March but not actually finished into ornaments at the last GG report. Since I put individual pics of these in my last (Smalls SAL) post, I haven't repeated them today.

And the next 2 photos show the finished ornaments that I stitched and finished up after the March GG report.

This Donna Vermillion Giampa initial Santa is for my niece's foster son. The chart is from the Christmas Soup booklet.

This tiny stocking Christmas ornament is for a friend's much loved dog. This one just grew as I stitched, so there is no designer to credit.

This Need'l Love Hearts and Branches ornament will go into my gift basket for Christmas visitors. Some of my Christmas visitors are really not into bling, so I like to offer an alternative to my bead decorated trees.

I stitched this for my oldest niece. The message comes from a chart in the 2015 JCS Christmas Ornament issue. Somehow, this ornament didn't get into a group picture.

And now three little poinsettia ornaments. The poinsettias are Jill Oxton design (JO Cross Stitch & Beading Issue 47).  These ornaments are going into the gift basket for Christmas visitors.

Four more beaded Christmas trees for the Christmas gift basket.

And, finally, two personalised Christmas tree ornaments, one for a long-term friend  the other for my youngest sister.

It's many months since I last picked up a crochet hook, but the urge took me this week. I made a dress and cap and a matching pillow cover for a great-niece's doll.

That's it for this month. I'm looking forward to catching up on all the GG stitching.