Smalls Report for February

The end of February is just around the corner, so it's time for the Smalls Report, hosted on the final Friday of each month by Mary at Mary's Thread.

I was hoping to have some finished ornaments to show for this Smalls report, but it's not to be. There are now 13 stitched designs in my work basket waiting to be made up. And I am still waiting for a delivery of the cardboard and felt I need to finish them up.  

I have stitched little heart wreath designs for four neighbourhood children.  The heart wreath designer is Claire Crompton.  I swapped beads for the red cross stitches on the chart. The top pic is a closeup, and all 4 are together in the bottom pic.

I stitched a Sam Hawkins design for English brothers, grandsons of an old friend.

This sampler style design is for a great-nephew. I used Claire Crompton's holly  alphabet for the name.

The final one I have to show is  a Kooler Design Studio design stitched  for a niece. I did make some changes to the wording.

Gifted Gorgeousness Report for February

 I promised myself that this year I was not going to comment on the speed at which it was passing - but, really! Mid February already! It seems like a minute past Christmas to me. The good thing about it being 15th February is that it's time for the Gifted Gorgeousness report, hosted by Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  If it's made with gifted supplies, or stitched to be gifted, it qualifies for inclusion in the GG report. Most of my stitching falls into both of those categories.

 This year has been a difficult one for me already. Within the past 5 weeks my partner has been diagnosed with a brain tumour, had it removed, and received the news we were dreading: it was a fast-growing metastatic tumour, so there is a Stage 4 cancer somewhere else that has not yet been found. We are now waiting for further investigations and an appointment with an Oncologist. This is our third fight with cancer in the past 10 years - my partner's second. I am grateful that I have my stitching to help keep me strong.

I do have some finished ornaments, and some unfinished stitching to show this month.   First, the angels I had stitched last month. Four adapted from L&L's Amish Angel (1986) freebie, and the odd one is from the L&L 1987 Christmas Angel freebie.

I also made little gingerbread people Christmas ornaments for some of the children on my stitching list.  I chose gingerbread people this year because I noticed last Christmas that this group of children really loved the gingerbread babies I bake. I adapted the chart from Barbara Mock's 'Christmas Quickies II' leaflet.

I made a (belated) start on my 12 Day set in February, and have finished Days 1 and 2. The designer is Barbara Sestok and the chart is in the BH&G book, 2001 Cross Stitches.

I have stitched some ornaments for much-loved four-legged members of my extended family (including my Angela). I used the holly alphabet from Clare Crompton's book 'Christmas Cross Stitch' to stitch the pet's name, and substituted beads for the red criss stitches on the chart.

My final picture is for an ornament for a great-niece. The wreath chart is also in Clare Crompton's 'Christmas Cross Stitch' book. I substituted tiny star beads for the red cross stitches in the chart  and added a heap more of the stars, because Miss Chloe, like me, likes a bit of Christmas bling.

That's all that I have to show this month. I look forward to  seeing all the lovely GG stitching. It is one of the high points of my month.

 

Secret Stitching Bloghop

 Jo at  Serendipitous Stitching is once again hosting the Secret Sweetheart Blog Hop on Valentines Day. This is the first of many blog hops that Jo traditionally hosts throughout the year. They are all different, and all great fun.

Look at this absolutely beautiful heart. Did you stitch it? As I look at it, I would love to say that I did, but the truth is that I discovered some time ago that blackwork is NOT my special skill. Much as I would love to have stitched this, I know that to do so is way beyond my comfort level. That makes me enjoy this one even more.

I have guessed the name of my Secret Stitcher, so I will be watching to see who claims it, to see if my guess is correct.

Valentines Day is a special one for me, as it is the birthday of my gorgeous niece Ciara. She lives on the opposite side of the country, in Western Australia. Happy Birthday, Ciara!