HD - My first row finish on Christmas Dreams

I am so happy to have finished this page, which I have really enjoyed stitching - though to be truthful, I might have enjoyed it even more if there were less confetti stitches!  This page (page 1) is my sixth stitched page, and it completes my first row of pages - though I have turned the pic round so it becomes the left hand column of rows. My next page will be page 2, and I was very pleased that when I looked at it, my first impression was that most of the 10x10 blocks had just two or three floss symbols in them - and on closer inspection, I found this to be true of just about half the 10 x 10 blocks. Of course, there are some confetti blocks, but the plain stitching is going to be a joy! Page 2 is the only page that has about as many good blocks of solid colour as it does blocks of confetti, so I will enjoy the break from confetti while it lasts.

I'm going to stitch a couple of Christmas ornaments now (well, starting in the daylight hours, not literally right now - it's 2.30am here, too late for me to be up, but you know what it's like when you just have to get those last few stitches in ...) and I'll come back and stitch one more page - that lovely page 2 - of Christmas Dreams this month.

A batch of Christmas Ornaments Finished (also- March report for Smalls SAL)

I am one happy girl tonight - I have finished up the last of my March batch of Christmas Ornaments. I have spent close to the past 2 weeks stitching these designs, and the past 3 days making them up.

First, three Jeremiah Junction nutcrackers (from Nutcracker III booklet) for three sisters from a nut-cracker loving family.

Christmas ornaments for a pair of sisters (neighbour children).  The Santa alphabet is from LA's Alphabets Galore booklet.

Christmas tree Christmas ornaments (my design) for another two neighbour children (siblings):

Christmas tree ornaments (my design) for two children (first cousins) who will, I hope, pay me a Christmas visit:

An ornament (my design) for the granddaughter of an old friend:

And finally, a Christmas ornament (my design) for a nephew and his partner:

So, time to pack away the beads, and return to Christmas Dreams - I'm actually going to be stitching page 1 this time.  It will be my sixth page, and will finish row 1 of 11. 

Gifted Gorgeousness Report for March

Here I am, late again for the Gifted Gorgeousness Report- and no valid excuses to offer.  Except a reluctance to put down my needle and move to the computer.  I really need to work on that one.

I have been quite busy this month.  I have now finished the fifth page of HAED Christmas Dreams (chart, fabric and most of the floss bought with birthday money) - just one more page to go and the top row is complete.  If you can't see what it is, look at it with your head to the side - I'm stitching it sideways.

I have also stitched five Christmas ornaments for children who will visit me this Christmas.  I'll make them up next week.  The first two use the Santa alphabet from LA's Alphabets Galore book, though I changed parts of the chart and most of the floss colours. These ornaments are for two sisters, neighbour children.

The next three are from Jeremiah Junctions Nutcracker III booklet, and are for sisters from a nutcracker-loving family.

 That;s all from me.  I will look forward to seeing all the lovely pics from others in the GG SAL.

Smalls SAL - February Report

This month, I stitched two small designs, and made them up into Christmas ornaments for a great-niece and a great-nephew (first cousins).

Both of these designs are oldies but goodies.  The toy soldier is from Barbara Mock's 1990 Christmas Quickies (Dimensions #175), and the stocking design is adapted from LA's 1986 Christmas Caboodle #4 leaflet.  I changed most of the floss colours on both, and the stocking pattern and contents.  I did enjoy stitching these little ornaments (to be truthful, I almost always do like stitching Christmas ornaments!).

A page finish - making me one happy girl

Page 23 of Christmas Dreams completed.  Not a good photo, I'm afraid - I did try, but my camera just wasn't in the mood to cooperate tonight.  This is my fourth page stitched.  I'm taking a short break to stitch a few Christmas ornaments, and I'll be back at the floor frame stitching on page 12 of Christmas Dreams by the beginning of March.

Gifted Gorgeousness -February report

Another month gone, I can hardly believe it.  This year seems to be sliding away from me super quickly.  I've made good progress on Christmas Dreams, and I'm now about a third of the way through the fourth page. The bottom section of the page will stitch up faster - there are actual blocks of solid colour!  I have adjusted to stitching sideways, but I do wish I had marked the symbols on my floss cards more thoughtfully.  I just copied them as they appeared on the floss list - if I had been thinking clearly, I would have first turned the floss list round sideways, and then copied the symbols.  Though I suppose it's extra exercise for my grey matter - recognizing that the 'J' I am searching for is really the 'n' and the '3' is the 'm'.  It's the arrows, triangles and 'feathers' that are trickiest - but I think I have it mastered now.  A less stubborn person might re-mark the floss cards,  but I'm pretty stubborn!

Here's where I stopped last night.

My other stitching in the past month was two Christmas ornaments, Christmas gifts for my oldest great-niece and great-nephew.

So, it will be more of the same next month -  when I finish this page of Christmas Dreams I will make a few ornaments. Then back to Christmas Dreams ...

HD - page finish

I'm happy - I have finished the third page of Christmas Dreams, and made a start on the fourth - which will take me to the middle of the first row of charts (because I am stitching sideways, there are 6 pages of chart across, and 11 pages down).

Christmas Dreams (HAED, Gelsinger/Sayetta)

I was never used to marking off stitched symbols until I started stitching HAED charts.  Through trial and error, and much frustration stitching my first HAED, I found it suited me best to mark off the stitched symbols using a lead pencil.  Unfortunately, I kept losing the pencils and was spending valuable stitching time trying to fins them or to replace them.  Then I came up with the idea of taping a pencil-holder to my floor-frame.  It worked so well I found another container to use for my scissors. Winner!