Progress - IHWS recap

First, an update on my progress with the November Prairie Schooler, from the Spring and Fall leaflet.  This is a SAL with Debbie and Linda, I'm kind of ahead but then again I don't have nearly as many works in progress as these talented ladies.  With December, January, and February to go, I may have to try and talk them into another Prairie Schooler SAL project!

November has been fun, I can say that now that I've finished stitching color 3031, that was getting tedious. 

So Mr. Tom Turkey has his main feathers and the end is in sight. 

 I've also been working on a bib for my little great nephew, Dalton.  He's getting more and more adorable each day.  I have the distinct feeling that I'll be stitching and showing many more bibs for the little guy!
  This is the chart that came with the bib and it will have three pastel elephants frolicking amongst stars and hearts.  It definitely makes me smile as I work on it!

The kittens are doing very well; they have entered the household and Taz seems to enjoy their presence quite a bit.  We guess that they are roughly about 3-4 months old.  Arya was the first out the door when we decided to integrate them into the general day to day things, whereas Molly is still sticking around the comfy old chair.  Why fix what isn't broken eh?

So, what did you work on this past holiday/IHS(W) weekend?

Yes, I'm still making Prairie Schoolers!

Okay, so post-IHSW I didn't finish the Happiness ornament for my friend Yi.  SIGH

So, maybe it will be a Christmas present?  Then I'm already ahead of schedule!  Yes, make lemonade from lemons.

But I can share that I'm making solid progress on the Prairie Schooler Spring and Fall leaflet.  I'm getting further along with the November turkey.  This is a SAL that I was working on with Debbie and Linda in 2012.  When I finish this one, I am done with this leaflet.  Then I only have December - February in the Prairie Schooler Winter and Summer and they will all be done.  The only one truly "finished" in a usable form is July, but won't it be fun to finish all the others too?  Yep, and maybe I'll make them doorknob hangers or perhaps each with be something unique.  Maybe a few framed for those seasons when I am light on decorations. Maybe ornaments, or in a wreath....the possibilities are kind of cool to contemplate.

So, here's November in progress.  I am in agreement with Linda that the colors as they really are and how they photograph on the leaflet are different.  The in person colors are a bit darker, but they are working for me and I like them.

I've also got fun news - my niece had her first child, my first great nephew, and I was able to be there for the birth.  It was more of a miracle than I could have expected, and I was so overwhelmed with love and awe that it still gives me a shiver.  He is gorgeous, absolutely GORGEOUS!

Forgive how awful I look - I'd been up 20+ hours but was just so full of energy from the experience that I'm beaming.

We also have adopted two kittens.  They were born to a feral mom and were only semi-feral when we rescued them, they were intended to be fostered by us but who am I kidding?  I needed caring for them to help me bear the loss of Emma.  I think she must be visiting them at night and telling them to be good kittens because they have really been adapting well.  They are much more affectionate and we're trying to get them acclimated enough to join Taz in the everyday home.  Until then, they have a room with a comfy chair, their taming cage, and lots of toys and food.  The taming cage is open and they only go in there now for potty time.  But I keep it for them as a home base, for stability.  We will probably take it down next weekend and put in a cat perch for them to enjoy.

This is Molly.

This is Arya.

Hey Remember Me?

Oh, been away far too long

Not a whole lot of stitching going on...

But here I am ready to get right back into it

for the new year.

 

 

This is the first IHSW of 2013, no better time

to get to it, eh?

 

This project is for the Chinese New Year

on February 10

(so I need to get cracking)

and I have chosen a motif from

Celestial Dragon

by Teresa Wentzler

Some day I would like to stitch the entire thing

but for now and for my co-worker

I think this will be nice

 

I'm going to make a hanging ornament

for her to display on the wall

(if she wants)

It is the motif on the top left

Happiness

and here's how far I've gotten!

 

I am making it in red and gold as those colors

are considered lucky in the

Chinese culture

 

The second share I have is from my Sunday

SAL with Debbie and Linda

Prairie Schooler Summer and Winter

and Spring and Fall

Oh, I was doing so well and then

nothing....

SIGH

 

But October's stitching is done!

 

 

 

My last share is sad news

I announced it on my craft blog so I might

as well here too.

especially since she was my

faithful companion for many a stitching

evening.  Darling Emma is at the

Rainbow Bridge and I miss her terribly.

 

It was the right decision to make but a

heartbreaking one nonetheless.

She didn't bring any pain to our lives while we had her and I couldn't let her live in any pain.

 

******

So, with a bittersweet heart I'm taking on the new year, and I hope and pray it is a good one for all of us.

 

Will share my progress after the IHSW weekend!

 

 

Saturday Stitch Along - More Progress on October

Some progress was made on the October theme from the Prairie Schooler leaflet

Spring and Fall

 

I had hoped to be done by now, but haven't had nearly the time to sit and stitch like I want to, that's a familiar refrain stitchers can empathize with right?

 

This is part of a Saturday SAL that I'm participating in with Debbie and Linda!

 



Finally, an update

Sometimes, despite your best intentions, you just don't get things done.  Such is the case with me.  I've actually made progress on my stitching but haven't had a chance to update the blog.

So, here we go. My Saturday SAL with Linda and Debbie is progressing - I admit to sometimes stitching on these projects on other days (bad me bad me) but they are a great size for taking along in a bag.

September is done - I really enjoyed this one, fun colors and a fairly quick stitch.  Now I am getting autumn fever and want to start decorating with pumpkins and hay bales! 

October is underway and it's a lot of 3371, a lot of it but it's not vexing me as the red-winged blackbird of June did!

I missed IHSW this time, but did take a photo of my ORT jar, switched from the glass of before.  Love the mix of colors! (I also think I need to dust - LOL)

WIP and Saturday SAL

I just want to share one work in progress, which also happens to be a project for my Prairie Schooler Saturday SAL with Debbie and Linda. 

This is from the Spring and Fall leaflet and I am having so much fun with each month's motif, and this one is no different.  The rich colors are making me feel positively autumn-ey.  Hopefully the next time you see the secret squirrel he'll be finished!

Opus Gluei challenge time! Are you working on something seasonal?

Any stitcher worth her salt is knee deep in

seasonal projects by now, right?

Perhaps you are stitching Christmas presents for friends and family?

Making home decor items for Autumn?

Halloween ornaments?

Well, join the club!

Over at the Order of the Opus Gluei, we're working with the theme of

SEASONS

(click to be taken over to the challenge)

And any art form - stitching, quilting, cross-stitching, multi media, paper, paint, and so on.... is welcome.

*****

No, I'm not like the department stores and already decorating for fall.

  I'm just sharing this for illustrative purposes.

But I have big plans to actually start in September to make my home looking Fall-ish.  I can add and subtract elements as the season goes on to take us from late summer into early fall and then Halloween and finally into Thanksgiving.

Last year I had stitched one lone Prairie Schooler owl and now there's some friends to share the curly willow twigs with him.

Dry run in the dining room.

Prairie Schooler - Fall Fields

(it's not on the cover but it is on the back page of the leaflet)

Prairie Schooler - Thanksgiving Comes Again

Prairie Schooler - Boo to You

Prairie Schooler - Thanksgiving Comes Again

A lot of fun finishes - felt backing, buttons, ribbon, what's not to love?

Intrigued?

Okay, so go over and share some of your creativity (and projects) with us!