Loooong time no blog

Wow I've been a bad, bad blogger. So much to blog and been such a slacker! I've been stitching my little behind off and I have pictures to prove it! The holidays this year took over and I was too busy to blog. Well that's all done so now I'm back. I've been so inspired by other friends blogs that I just had to jump on.

In the world o' stitching I've learned that the month of January is "First Start Saturdays". Basically its just like it sounds, you start a new project each Saturday of this month. I believe that you try to get them done within this same year. I didn't start my first starts until the 2nd Saturday of the month so tomorrow will be First Start Friday as well.

My first "First Start" that I started last week was "Cirque des Triangles" by Ink Circles. I'm doing it on 30ct linen by Weeks Dye Works and its called Pumpkin. I'm using thread by Weeks Dye Works called Hot Rod. Its beautiful red, orange and yellow. I've never done a project on this bright and bold a linen but its awesome! I'm hanging this when finished in my computer room/office and the walls in there are bright yellow. So I think this project will look great in here. Here's a photo for enquiring minds.

Cirque des Triangles



I've also got to brag about my progress on Cirque des Cercles, another Ink Circles project. I've been working on it since October I believe and the end is in sight! I've started page 4 of 6 of the pattern. Its turning out beautifully. Here's a picture of it.

I love how its turning out! The brown is awesome and this will look fab in my bedroom. I have one chocolate colored wall in there and the rest are similar to the thread color. Can't wait to finish it!

Another one I've been working on is Fruit of the Spirit by Plum Street Samplers. Its a buddy project with a friend I met this summer. I've never done a buddy project so this is fun. I've ignored it a bit since I've been working hard on finishing Circles. This week I picked Fruit of the Spirit up and I am loving it and need to pay it more attention. It's looking marvelous if I do say so myself. Here's a pic of it.

I will post more soon, I promise! I have tomorrow off as I am working Saturday. Tomorrow will be a day of stitching. Well stitching and sleeping in. Well stitching, sleeping in and going to the mall lol! Anyway, hope you enjoy the updates. I know I enjoyed working on them!

Here it is!

I'm still smiling over my finish of Cirque des Carreaux. I don't often finish projects for myself. Usually I'm making things for other people for gifts. I love doing it but then I don't have anything of my own. So this is an awesome accomplishment for me and its mine ALL mine! Luck for all of my "fans" I'm willing to share photos! So here's the finished product and some "almost done" photos.



Cirque des Carreaux Started 06/10- Finished 10/10

A close up including my initials and year finished



Work in progress



Status of Cirque des Carreaux: FINISHED!

Just a quick note before I goto bed. I've finished my first Ink Circles project "Cirque des Carreaux"! It looks awesome and I'm thrilled to be finished. I promise to upload photos tomorrow. I have serveral to upload as I took pics of the last 3 stages of it being worked on as well as completed pics. I started this around the start of June so it took me about 4 months to finish. At first I only worked on it here and there as I was working on another project. The last month or so I've been working on only Carreaux so I've just been stitching my little heart out. Anyway, just had to share my triumph! Night night all!

Some of my works in progress

I've recently got back into the world of Cross Stitch again. I've been stitching since I was in elementary school (approx. 24 years) and can do any project out there with no problem....well except for I haven't quite mastered French Knots yet. But hey, nobody's perfect! :o)

I put my stitching down a few years ago, around the time my carpal tunnel started getting bad in both hands. Since I've had surgery in both hands I've been free of any pain or numbness so I am back to stitching!

For years now my friend Tasha has been trying to get me into going to our local stitch shop, Acorns & Threads for open stitch group. I finallly suprised her one day by showing up to one of the Saturday stitch groups. Well that's all it took and now I'm hooked and they can't get rid of me! I've gone to many Saturday stitch groups, as well as the Ink Circles group, Holiday group, Chatelaine group and Open Stitch night. I've also attended one Canned Nuts (a stitch the night away evening of fun from 5-midnight).

Anyway, I've had tons of fun and have met a bunch of great people and friends. Currently I have a ton of Works in Progress. I'm addicted to Ink Circles by designer Tracy Horner. They are my favorite patterns to stitch. Here is a picture of my first Ink Circles Project - Cirque des Carreaux. I'm doing this on 32ct. Lakeside Linen Tarnished Silver with Carrie's Creation thread in Epiphany.

Cirque des Carreaux

I am working on a few other projects also but they aren't as far along. I'm working on another Ink Circles called Turkish Delight in 32ct White fabric with Weeks Dye Works threads in Sky and Father's Day. I am also working on a Lizzie Kate piece called Halloween Boo! Club series that will be done by some Halloween, just not this one! It's done in 28ct Linens By Design in the color Sparrow. Here are pictures of those:

The very beginning of Turkish Delight



Boo! Club series

So that's where I am so far in my projects. I actually need to take a new picture of Cirque. The photo shown is 2 1/2 pages completed out of 6 pages of the pattern. Now I'm just over 4 pages done. New pictures to come soon. Promise :o)

First post!

Hi everyone! Welcome to my blog. I don't know what I'm doing and my layout isn't what I want it to be, but I'm slowly figuring it out. Several of my friends have blogs and I was inspired and thought I'd try my hand at it. I'm hoping to share a bit of my life, my projects and photos. Stay tuned for more to come!