Egyptian Garden update

This is how far I got with Egyptian Garden. I only got four more hours of stitching in after the last update and obviously didn't fill all of the inside like I had hoped... ;-) Next update sometime in February.

Design: Egyptian Garden by Martina Weber (Chatelaine)
Fabric: Sand Belfast 32 ct
Progress at 13 hours

My boys

I had two Bernese mountain dogs for a total of 14 and half years. The older one was born in 1993, and lived to be nearly 14 (just 4 days short). He was stubborn (in a soft way) and rascally, with a definite sense of humour. When he was six years old, I took another Bernese. Junior was kind of a Peter Pan, he never really grew up. He remained always 'the puppy', energetic, enthusiastic; he was a "me first" kind of a dog, who considered himself the centre of the world. He was 8 when he had to be put to sleep due to an illness.

The two of them couldn't have been more different in character and in built, but still they were the best of friends. And they were my "boys", my best friends.

I lost them both in 2007, the older one in February, then the younger in September. I still miss them both a lot, but the worst agony is over. I am now ready for a new dog, and so, in a bit over a week, there will be a puppy in the house.

Returning to 2008

I noticed that I still have some small 2008 finishes to share, these will be last, I promise :-) These two baby gifts (the knitted bunny and a card) were for a friend and a coworker who both had baby boys in July. The friend's baby boy has since become my godson.

Designs:
Card in upper photo from 101 Cross stitch cards CD
from Cross Stitcher (UK) magazine
Card in the lower photo from a kit that came with
Cross Stitcher (or other UK magazine)
Knitted bunny from here

And I made this summery ornament from a small design I had stitched some time earlier. The design is part of a freebie design (bookmark), but unfortunately I don't remember where I found it.

Egyptian Garden progress

I only managed three hours of stitching on the Egyptian Garden during the weekend, but as I took a progress pic for the Chatelaine BB, I'll share it here, too. I'll continue stitching this until later this week. I would like to fill the inner space, but that might just be a bit too ambitious...

Design: Egyptian Garden by Chatelaine (Martina Weber)

Progress at 9 hours (11 Jan 2009)
Fabric: Belfast (32ct) linen, Sand

Deepest Love update

I continued stitching Deepest Love for a few days and then moved on to the Egyptian Garden, as there's a SAL on the Chatelaine BB every month. I'll show you my progress on that after the weekend.

Design: Nora Corbett, Mirabilia
Progress at 55 hours (8 Jan 2009)
Fabric: Silkweaver's Ocean Fantasy

Update - Mystery XI

I finished part 7 of Celtic Garden Mandala (former Mystery XI) a few days ago. As the lightest colour would have blended too well with the fabric, I mixed some Avocado with it to make it show better.


And here's to whole "mystery" so far:

And last but not least :-) Here's one more finish from 2008. I knit this scarf for my cousin's wedding in autumn:

Model: Pitsihuivi, from the Finnish online magazine Ulla
Design: Pia Tuononen
Yarn: SandnesGarn Kitten Mohair, about 130g
Size: ca. 40 x 180 cm
Knit in September 2008

Setting Goals... Checking goals...

I have set these goals for January:

* Mystery XI, finish part 7 (already finished :-)
* Mystery XI, part 8
* Start Cuban Mansions Mandala
* Continue Egyptian Garden
* Start Workshop No. 01
* Continue the Guardian (TW)
* Knit... (I would at least like to finish knitting the socks I started last autumn, and maybe start another one)
* I would also like to continue any of the January 2008 starts.

Now let's see how well I did with the goals I set myself for 2008:

- Start and keep up with Mystery XI (Chatelaine)
- Start Snow Princess (HAED)
- Stitch (and finish) ornaments throughout the year
- Finish the Guardian (TW)

Well, I started Mystery XI, but could not keep up with it. I recently finished part 7, so there is still some more stitching to do. I did not start Snow Princess, as I still cannot decide on the fabric! I stitched one small desing over-one to try one fabric, but I still need to do more testing. I did not finish the Guardian, and did not even stitch it much. But I did finish some ornaments last year! So that makes 1½ goals of 4 reached, right?! Not bad...

I'm not sure if I want to set any specific goals for 2009, maybe just general simple ones suffice :-)
* More finishes than last year!
* Knit more!
* Stitch and finish ornaments and try biscornus, too!

Happy New Year!

There's bit over 3 hours left of the old year, so I'd better hurry and show the rest of the finishes of 2008.

I finished the Damier at the end of November. Yay! It turned out so beautiful. The design was published by Les Grilles de Maryse throughout 2008. It is stitched on Silkweaver's 32ct Spanish Moss Belfast linen with DMC floss. I'm planning to finish it as a cushion, hopefully sooner than later :-)


Then I finished Chatelaine's Christmas Mystery V. I took it to framer's right away and got it back just for Christmas. I love how it turned out! The lovely fabric is 28ct English Rose Jazlyn. But it doesn't photograph too well, I'm afraid.

And here's a close-up photo to show the frame better:


After Christmas I finished part 6 of Chatelaine's Mystery XI and moved on to part 7. Hope to share a progress picture of that part soon.


And then some older finishes... I stitched this ornament for a birthday card. It's from Tantes Zolder and stitched using Needle Necessities floss.


During my summer holidays I stitched this summer bag. The bag itself is from Violarium and the model, by Margaret Sherry, from Cross Stitcher magazine, issue 201. It was a lovely project, the materials were easy to carry anywhere I went... :-)


This card was for a cousin's wedding in autumn. The letters are from The World of Cross Stitching magazine, issue 141.


With this, I'm wrapping up 2008 and wish everyone a Happy 2009!

Christmas

As Christmas Day is turning into night, it is high time to share with you the wonderful Christmas exchange I received already earlier in December. It was sent to me by Mari.

This exchange included six items: an ornament, two stitching related items, something with recipient's favourite (Christmas) colour, something to eat and a surprise. And this is what I found when I opened the envelope:


I had indicated green as my favourite colour and Mari had stitched my name in the cover of a small green box. It is just lovely! And when I opened the box, I saw all these wonderful items:


The ornament itself is a cube, with stitching on all sides (please visit Mari's blog for more photos of the ornament itself) and a jingle bell inside! What a clever idea! It is so beautiful, the colours are truly lovely! The two stitching related items were floss and fabric (both of shades of green). I already have ideas how to use them... Something to eat was the After Eight chocolate, one of my favourite goodies! As a surprise Mari sent me lovely buttons (they are hiding in the small angel box). I love the ornament, and the box, and the chocolate (which is already long gone :-), and the floss and fabric, and the buttons... And there was a lovely card and equally lovely letter enclosed in the package, too. Thank you, Mari, for such a magnificent package!

I sent an exchange to Outi. I had received the Autumn exchange from her, so it was really nice to plan an exchange for her in return! I stitched her the Snowflake from Mill Hill's Tiny Treasured Diamond series.


And this is the whole package I sent. Let's see if you can find all the items (the ornament, JCS ornament issue 2004 and some backing fabric as stitching related items, silver candles according to her favourite colour, chocolate, and as the surprise: a small blue glass angel, as Outi mentioned angels are one of her favourite themes). There are more photos in Outi's blog.



And to wrap up this long entry, here are some Christmas gifts I made this year:

I stitched another Blue Ribbon Designs' ornament for my goddaughter, this is from the Gift of Stitching magazine December 2007 issue as well:


I also stitched an ornament for a cousin, this one is from Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issue 2008. I will add more info later (the magazine is at home and I'm not :-)


I stitched this two-sided ornament for my parents. The dogs are from two different designs by Frimousse. I changed the Cavalier King Charles design a bit to make it look more like the one my parents had. The Bernese Mountain Dog stayed as designed as it would have been more difficult to change (as it is over one and as the two Bernese we've had in our lives so far did not look exactly like one another, of course).


My mother received this bookmark, Le Panier de Marie-Antoinette, by Le Bonheur des Dames, in a package together with a book. It was really fun and quick to stitch and finish.


And these tiny socks were made for my little godson:


I still have other finishes to share; I will try post them before the turn of the year, so please check back!

I hope you all had a wonderful, relaxing Christmas!

October Goals

I have some photos of new finishes, I'll add them when I'll have enough time on hand...

But I thought I'd pop in briefly to write down my goals for this month. They are plenty, as I had to move some from last month to this month... Damier, at least, will finally progress as it will travel with me next week, as I go to France on business.

* Christmas Mystery V, part 9
* Christmas Mystery V, part 10
* Damier, part 7
* Damier, part 8
* Damier, part 9
* Mystery XI, finish beading part 4
* Mystery XI, finish part 5
* Stitch something small for Halloween
* Dig out the Guardian (TW) and put at least few stitches on him