HAP SAL 2015 Update

Hi Everyone!

I hope this SAL helped motivate you to make progress on your big project(s).  I know that I've made strides on mine.

Here are my projects from this SAL with before and after pictures.  You can click on any of the photos to see larger versions.

God Speed from HAED:

This one only had 1 extra page but it went from 23.07% to 26.87% done.

Next up is Rapunzel (Dawe) from HAED:

She got 2 whole pages added.  That took her from 30.3% to 39.78% done.

The Sistine Chapel from HAED:

This one only got a partial page finish.  It went from 8.73% to 9.83%.  Every little bit helps.

Floral Finesse from The Heart's Content:

This went from not even started to 11.75% done.

Last, but definitely most, La Belle Dame Sans Merci from HAED:

The first photo is pages 1-13 done, the second photo is pages 1-19!  Yes!  I got 5 full pages and 1 partial page done this year.  I went from 41.67% to 59.55% on this one.

Now I'm not hosting this particular SAL again in 2016 but I am hosting 2 events.  You can read about them in this post.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Finish It Up Challenge - My List

This challenge is not specifically cross stitch but it should have some crafting aspect.

If you are participating in this challenge, please post your blog address in the comments.  I'd love to see how you do!

I'm a few days early posting my list but I thought it might help others come up with ideas for their own lists.  I will finalize my list and post the complete one on January 1st.  I know there are more things I want to finish, but my brain is not co-operating at the moment.

1. Bind my 4-patch quilt (poor thing's been waiting for over 2years)
2. Remove last of carpet in sewing room (it's really in the way and is hampering my crafts)
3. Finish my "Merry Christmas" framed set
4. Tidy up all my quilting scraps
5. Frame my Mother's Tree.
6. Clean off my scrapbooking desk so I can actually scrapbook!  clean enough to work on 1-15-2016
7. Finish the Disneyland scrapbook for my sister
8.  List the rest of the items I have set aside to sell on Etsy.  finished on 1-7-2016
9. Re-starch/shape the rest of my crocheted snowflakes.

Happy stitching!

Stacy

2016 Events x 2

I thought I'd host 2 events during the upcoming year.  One will be a Stitch Along (SAL), the other will be more of a finishing challenge.

The first will be a Christmas SAL.  If you haven't guessed yet, I LOVE Christmas!  I really want to do some more Christmas stitching this next year so I thought I'd host a SAL to help motivate myself.

I'm hoping to do at least one ornament a month from January until December.  The finish date for this will be December 1 because by that time, I've already got all my decorations up.  If you want to do something other than ornament(s), that's fine.  The only stipulation will be that it has to be Christmas-themed, cross stitch.  We will each blog with our updates on the 15th of each month.  Feel free to use the above image in your blog.

The other event will be a Finish It Up (FIU) challenge.  On January 1, you'll post your list of things you want to finish in 2016.  It can be stitching a project, getting something framed, finishing up some sewing, sorting your stash, etc.   Please keep it somehow craft related.  If you want to participate, just blog your finishing list on January 1.  Future blog posts should be posted on the 1st of each month.  The artwork above is free for you to use on your own blog.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

Update on Rapunzel - Christmas!

Woo hoo!

I have a page finish on Rapunzel!  She still has that haunted look but at least her face is complete now.

Next up will be La Belle Dame Sans Merci.

Here are a few photos of the decorations I've put up for this year:

The Santa tree in my office:

(l. to r.:)  Santaberry Pudding, Santa's Magic, Christmas Elegance

The tree in my living/dining room:

 The tree in our trophy shop:

The tree in my sewing room:

Tannenbaum, O Holy Night (stocking), Victorian Patchwork (stocking):

Heirloom Christmas Sampler:

Checkered Santas from Leisure Arts and 12 Days of Christmas from Teresa Wentzler:

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

New design finished!

The reason that I was able to work on one of my HAPs this past month - I finished the design I'd been working on!!!  I'd be doing a happy dance, but I'd just probably end up hurting myself.

Genealogy has always been one of my obsessions hobbies.  Don't worry, this is relevant.  Years ago, I saw MLI's version of a Mother's Tree.  I loved the idea but not the actual design.  That was the only design she did that I wasn't impressed with.  I felt it was too dark and the font was very masculine (I deal with fonts for my "real" job).

I finally made the effort to create my own Mother's Tree pattern!  In the next few weeks, I will have it available in my Etsy shop, XedStitches.  I want to get it framed before I offer it for sale, hence the delay.  I will be offering it where I do the hard part: the charting of the names.  It will include an alphabet so future generations can be added.

Here is what it looks like for my maternal line:

I figured if I was going to stitch a model of it, best to start with me (no kids) and go back.

Here are some details about it:

• Fabric is 32count white evenweave that I tea-dyed. 
• Tree is stitched over 2 (so 16count) using Gentle Arts Sampler Threads (GAST) in Acorn and Forest Glade.
• Text is stitched over 1 using GAST Weathered Barn.
• Overall size of stitched area is:  16½" (41.91cm) tall x 22" (55.88cm) wide.  This will, of course, vary.

Not everyone is going to have a name as long as mine (33 letters!), so the width will most likely be smaller for most people.  The height will depend on the number of generations known for the family.  My Eva was born in 1804 in Poland so I don't know how successful I would be in going further back.  Both of my sisters do have daughters so another generation would add about 1½-2 inches.


I will definitely take a better photo once it's been framed.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy

HAP SAL update for December

Now don't faint, not only am I posting on the correct day, I have made progress on one of my HAPs this month!

Rapunzel (Dawe) has gotten bigger!  I don't know the exact amount but I'd say that I'm close to 1/2 way done on this page (9/30).

Here is what she looked like before:

and here's what she looks like now:

Now that she has most of her face, she really has a haunted expression.  Makes me feel sorry for her predicament.

Happy Stitching!

Stacy