Friday 27 September 2024

Smalls SAL - September 2024

Hi all!

It's the last Friday of the month, so time for the Smalls SAL.

Entries can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!



I have nothing Small this month; I haven't actually picked up a needle since I finished last month's Small. Tell a lie... I have picked up a needle once but it was to get a thorn out of a finger, so I don't think that quite counts!

So it's straight over to you; I hope you've been far more successful than me!

Please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.


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Let's see what October brings...

Take care,
Rachel x

Tuesday 10 September 2024

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery SAL - September 2024

Hello!

It's the 10th of the month (again!) so time for the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.



Having spent four months FFOing my four Teeny Weeny US National Parks, I had to find something different this month so I turned to Christmas!

This is the first of the Nordic Christmas Samplers I completed at the beginning of the year. I already had some matching Nordic fabrics to use on the back, but wasn't quite sure how I was going to finish the front. I opted to keep it simple by just sticking it onto a piece of card and then edging it with silver bling ribbon:



I assume the other two Nordic Christmas Samplers I have stitched will be FFOd in a similar manner, so you'll probably guess what to expect in October and November!


Now it's your turn.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will stay open for 10 days.


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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

See you next month!

Take care,
Rachel x

Friday 30 August 2024

Smalls SAL - August 2024

Hi all!

It's the last Friday of the month, so time for the Smalls SAL.

Entries can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!



This month I actually have a finish! It's the front of the April Biscornu shown last month as a WIP. And it's literally hot off the press as it was finished yesterday (although as I finished it I noticed a tiny error in scroll in the top left which needs fixing).

Started 27th March 2024
Finished 29th August 2024
Total stitching time - 8 hours


I do love how these colours remind me of some of the first flowers of spring.


Now it's over to you.

Please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.


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Seeing as the fronts of both the March and April Biscornu have been stitched, I suppose I ought to think about the backs, so one of those will probably be my next project. I guess you'll find out which one it is next month!

Take care,
Rachel x

Saturday 10 August 2024

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery SAL - August 2024

Hello!

It's the 10th of the month so time for the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.



Not to break the cycle, this month's FFO is another, and the final, of my US National Parks by TeenyWeenyXStich on etsy. Hot Springs has been FFOd exactly the same as the others, except for the shape of the park, which I can't find, so will have to add later.



Now it's your turn.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will stay open for 10 days.


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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

See you next month!

Take care,
Rachel x

Friday 26 July 2024

Smalls SAL - July 2024

Morning all!

It's the last Friday of the month, so time for the Smalls SAL.

Entries can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!



This month I have nothing completed, but thought I'd show the progress I have made on the April Biscornu. A tiny bit each day, and it's gradually getting there. I love the cheerful colours on this one:



Now it's over to you.

Please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.

 
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See you next month, maybe with the above piece completed.

Take care,
Rachel x

Smalls SAL - June 2024

Morning all!

Here is the month-late posting for the June Smalls SAL.

Entries for this Smalls SAL can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!



For June I actually had something - well, half of something - the completed front of the March Biscornu:



Now it's over to you!

Please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.


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Back in a minute with the July Smalls SAL.

Take care,
Rachel x

Wednesday 10 July 2024

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery SAL - July 2024

Hello!

It's the 10th of the month so time for the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.



For the third month in a row I have made a scrapbook page of one of the US National Parks by TeenyWeenyXStich on etsy. This time it was the turn of Rocky Mountain, FFOd more or less the same as the previous two showing its location, entry sign, map and icons:



Having now scrapbooked three out of my four US National Parks, I think it's a foregone conclusion what will be appearing as next month's FFO!

Now it's your turn.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will stay open for 10 days.


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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

See you next month!

Take care,
Rachel x

PS I'm so sorry for missing last month's Small's SAL post; I haven't been near my blog since this time last month (an my emails for much longer) and the fact I am the host totally slipped me by. I'll do a double post this month.

PPS Partly because of the above, I think it's about time I pulled myself together. I've got a couple more weeks of school, then a six week break for the school summer holiday. With the Olympics being timed perfectly at the beginning, it'll be a good time to refocus and regroup and any other buzzword which means getting back to 'normal'. I don't know if this will include the Olympic and Paralympic Stitching Challenges I had planned, but maybe throwing myself into those will get me back on track. We'll see...

Monday 10 June 2024

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery SAL - June 2024

Hello!

Good grief, another month gone, so it's time for June's edition of the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.



I only managed to FFO one thing again this month - another scrapbook page of one of the US National Parks as charted by TeenyWeenyXStich on etsy. This time I chose Grand Teton.

I did the same as last month - printed off a map and a few icons related to Grand Teton National Park and stuck them on a piece of torn paper mounted on card. Again, the arrow on the map points to the Park, which has been highlighted with a tiny white pin:

(photo to follow because I can't find it anywhere!)


Two of these National Parks down, two to go!

Now it's your turn.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will stay open for 10 days.


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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

Hope to see you next month!

Take care,
Rachel x

Friday 31 May 2024

Smalls SAL link-up - May 2024

Morning all!

It's the last Friday of the month, so time for the Smalls SAL.

Entries can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!



As with April, for May I have nothing again, which is awful considering I've just taken over the hosting, but that's life at the moment.

So, again, this SAL is being handed straight over to you!

Please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.

 
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Please stick with this SAL and with me... I will read blogs and leave comments, and read and reply to emails at some point, just not quite yet.

Hoping everything is OK with everyone and blog-land.

Take care,
Rachel x

Friday 10 May 2024

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery SAL - May 2024

Hello again!

Another 10th of the month is here again so it's time for May's edition of the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.



This month I've got something totally different to show. I was very much hoping for four, but one is a start and will indicate what I have planned for the remaining three.

This is Grand Canyon National Park, one of the US National Parks as charted by TeenyWeenyXStich on etsy, stitched for last year's Mischievous March, and now completed as an 8"x8" scrapbook page.

All I did was print off a map of US National Parks and a few icons related to Grand Canyon National Park (which I've probably broken copyright laws for since they are pictures of a fridge magnet and various commemorative sew on patches) and stick them on a piece of torn paper mounted on card. The arrow on the map points to the Park, which has been highlighted with a tiny white pin. Et voila...



I've printed off the icons etc. for the other three US National Parks I've stitched so, in theory, they shouldn't take too long to FFO. Famous last words!

Now it's your turn.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will stay open for 10 days.


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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

Hope to see you next month!

Take care,
Rachel x

Friday 26 April 2024

Smalls SAL link-up - April 2024

Hello!

It's the last Friday of the month, so time for the Smalls SAL.

Entries can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!



For April I have nothing! Not exactly ideal but that's how it is this month.

So, with nothing to waffle on about, I'll hand this SAL straight over to you!

Please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.


Mister Linky's Magical Widgets -- Thumb-Linky widget will appear right here!
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Hopefully you've been much more productive than me. Fingers crossed I'll have something(s) next month.

Take care,
Rachel x

Wednesday 10 April 2024

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery SAL - April 2024

Hello!

I'm AWOL again, but have scheduled this post, and hopefully it works!

It's already another 10th of the month, so here is April's edition of the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.



Yet again I have just the one FFO to show. This was FFOd a while ago but kept in reserve until I had FFOd the other three in this set. Well, that hasn't happened so out it comes!

This is Chick Berry by Valerie Pfeiffer, one of her 'Solos' birds, FFOd as a mini pillow with coordinating fabric and barley twist cord:




I really will have to try hard to finish the other three for next month!

Now it's your turn.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will stay open for 10 days.


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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

Back again next month for another FFG SAL.

Take care,
Rachel x

Friday 29 March 2024

Smalls SAL link-up - March 2024

Good morning one and all,

It's the last Friday of the month, so time for the Smalls SAL.

Entries can be anything Small you have cross stitched during the month, be it an individual piece, part of a set, a portion of a big design, or even an unfinished Small if you haven't been able to complete it. All Smalls, or part(s) thereof, are welcome!



I only have this month's Nordic Christmas Sampler, this time Love from day 15. Under the 'Love' banner was a simple geometric design, but I thought it should be hearts so stitched those instead:

Nordic Christmas Sampler Day 15 - love by ZindagiDesigns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct White with iridescent pearl/opal flecks
Started - 2nd March 2024
Finished - 13th March 2024
Total stitching time - 6 hours 40 minutes


I really like this one; it's definitely my favourite so far.


Now it's your turn.

You know the format - please link up using the URL of your Smalls SAL post, with a title (usually your name) and a thumbnail. The link will stay open for 10 days.

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I look forward to seeing your Small accomplishments this month!

Take care,
Rachel x

Monday 25 March 2024

Mischievous March New Start #4 - April Biscornu

Morning all!

Yet another week when I couldn't decide what to start, so took the easy way out with another biscornu.



This is April's biscornu which I chose to stitch in bright spring colours. I've altered the design very slightly to account for it being stitched on aida instead of evenweave, but it doesn't look much different.

April Biscornu by Magical Quilts And More
Stitched on 16ct Rhododendron overdyed aida with Jodyri thread Passionberry Cake
Stitching time to date - 1 hour 30 minutes


Next weekend will be the final Mischievous March new start, a Snuffles in traditional grey/coral colours chosen by Leonore. All I have to do is find the right fabric.

Take care,
Rachel x

Thursday 21 March 2024

Mischievous March New Start #3 - March Biscornu

Morning all!

So having looked through a list of potential new starts, I decided that they were all too big if I wanted to keep to the idea that all Mischievous March new starts should be small. So what to do?



Well, I went back to an old friend - variegated thread - so that I could stitch another biscornu.

It wasn't my intention to stitch the months in order, nor to stitch them as birthstones (as the designer intended) nor in colours relevant to the month. However, having done a lovely-dovey coloured theme for February, and starting this on St Patrick's Day, I thought why not?

So here is the start of March's biscornu. The thread sort of resembles the green of Ireland with the yellow being the Leprechaun's gold and the brown being the pot. And it's stitched on a fabric called Clover, so there are the Irish connections!

March Biscornu by Magical Quilts And More
Stitched on 16ct Clover overdyed aida with Jodyri thread 194 Toxic Banana
Stitching time to date - 2 hours 35 minutes


I love how it's looking so far.

No idea what start number 4 will be yet!

Take care,
Rachel x

Monday 18 March 2024

A-Z of WIPs Challenge 2024 - E and F

Good afternoon!

The A-Z of WIPs Challenge 2024 is a little SAL being attempted by Serendipitous Jo and myself to stitch our way through an alphabet of WIPs at two/three per month, starting with A and B in January and finishing with Y and Z in December. 



A to D have been successfully completed, so now it's the turn of E and F.


E is for... Elixir Of Luck by CrazyBlendShop (etsy)
Started March 2022 - last worked on April 2023.
I'm sounding like a broken record here, but this was another WIP I didn't want to put down after its two days of attention. I was hoping to stitch all of the bits above the liquid but didn't quite make it. The  pale yellows are really soothing to work with but next time (whenever that may be) I've got the lovely richer darker yellows to look forward to.



Stitching time to date - 9 hours 5 minutes


F is for... France, an 'All Around The World' chart by Soda Stitch
Started July 2021 - last worked on April 2023.
I usually stitch from right to left, but just had to finish the iconic Eiffel tower before carrying on with the lady.



Stitching time to date - 6 hours 10 minutes


These may have only been out for a couple of days, but I really enjoyed working on both and am again happy with my progress.

Next month G and H, where I'm hoping for not one but two 'G' finishes before heading off to a magical village for H.

Take care,
Rachel x

Wednesday 13 March 2024

Mischievous March New Start #2 - Halloween Pumpkin

Morning all!

Weekend, and start, number two of Mischievous March 2024 has been and gone.



This week I chose a Halloween project. It's one from a set of four designs, two of which I completed in 2016 and the other two of which have been on my to-do list since. I thought this would be a good time to start another.

And here it is. I spent one day on the border and one day on the pumpkin. Ideally I would have liked to have completed the border but, seeing as it's called Halloween Pumpkin, I thought I'd better actually stitch some of the pumpkin itself!

Halloween Pumpkin (Cross Stitch Crazy magazine chart - date unknown)
Stitched on 16ct Azalea overdyed aida
Stitching time to date - 3 hours 50 minutes


I love how the pumpkin, at the moment, looks a bit like a crescent moon wearing a party hat!

I think I've decided on the third Mischievous March start but as it's not a small-small I'm not totally sure. Still a couple more days to decide.

Take care,
Rachel x

Sunday 10 March 2024

Link-up For Fully Finished Gallery - March 2024 (and Blogoversary winner)

Hello all!

It's the 10th of the month, so here is March's edition of the Fully Finished Gallery SAL, the place to show your cross stitched FFOing achievements since your last link-up.



Despite good intentions, I have just one finished piece again this month, the very pretty February biscornu, a fairly easy and very therapeutic finish:





Now it's your turn.

Please link-up using the URL of your FFG SAL post and not the home page of your blog, adding a thumbnail of a finish and either your name or your blog name as the caption. The link-up will stay open for 10 days.


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And please don't forget to follow other links and support fellow fully-finish-offers.

* * * * * * * * * *

Now for the Blogoversary winner...

I asked which colours you thought I should stitch my next Snuffles in. Thank you all for your suggestions which were: 

1 - Linda - blue, green and yellow
2 - Rita - orange, blue and yellow
3 - Clare - bright limes 10, 11 and 12
4 - Leonore - dark grey, light grey and coraly-red
5 - Katie - red, white and blue
6 - Tiff - deep purple (or deep purple and gold)
7 - Faith - red (or tan)


Of course, for most colours, there are a lot of tones so I tried to pick the three shades that went together best. Here are my current Snuffles with your suggestions:



I have a favourite combination (which I won't divulge!) but for impartiality asked hubby to choose his favourite, and he chose:



Congratulations Leonore! If you send me a comment or email we'll discuss what you would like as a prize.

This Grey/Coral Snuffles will be started on 31st March as my final new start for Mischievous March. He won't take long to stitch, so should appear as a finished piece in April's Smalls SAL post (or sooner if I'm too excited!)

Thank you again for your suggestions. Now I have to think up another question for my 11th Blogoversary!

In the meantime, see you for another FFG SAL next month.

Take care,
Rachel x

Wednesday 6 March 2024

Mischievous March New Start #1 - Japan (Mount Fuji) Bauble

Morning all!

For the last three years I have treated myself to a Mischievous March mini new start binge so, not wanting to break with 'tradition', this year is no exception!



If you remember, the idea of Mischievous March is to start a small project each weekend during the month, with the aim of also finishing them all during the month, or reasonably soon afterwards, hence the emphasis on 'small'.

Looking back, 2021 and 2023 were successfully completed but I still have three of the four new starts left from 2022, so I've been far from perfect!

This year I have had terrible trouble deciding which projects to start. I don't think I've ever changed my mind so often! But for week one I finally chose a small bauble. I'm not going to stitch the bauble hanger, instead just add a top row to make the image a circle. Here's how the finished piece will look, and my start over the weekend:


Japan (Mount Fuji) Bauble by 1000sPatterns (etsy)
Stitched on 16ct Cloud Spring Sky overdyed aida
Stitching time to date - 3 hours 30 minutes


I'm really happy with that start.

Now to decide what to start for week two; with only three days left I still have no idea!

Take care,
Rachel x

Sunday 3 March 2024

Tenth Blogoversary Giveaway

Good morning all!

It's 9:22am on the 3rd March 2024 so it's Happy Tenth Blogoversary to me!!



I say it every year but, wow, in some ways I can't believe I'm still stitching and blogging, and fairly successfully even if I do say so myself! Thank you all for continuing to read, comment on and participate in my blog postings - I wouldn't do it without you!

Blogoversary time means it's time for my annual blogoversary giveaway. For the last few years I have asked you to guess the answer to a question, but this year I couldn't think of one!

So, this year, what I'm going to ask you to do is suggest three colours to stitch my next Snuffles in! They could be three threads of the same tone, or three completely different colours (one for the front legs, one for the back legs and darker tummy stripes, and one for the wings and lighter tummy stripes). Then, to avoid bias or subjectivity, I'll get my hubby (who has practically zero interest in my hobby but does like these dragons) pick the colour combination he likes best.

Here's a reminder of the ones I have stitched so far. Actually that's not true; I have stitched three for gifts - a lilac one and two which have never been shown - but I can't tell you what colours those two are!



Up for grabs, as usual, is an e-voucher for the store of your choice to the value of £10 (or local currency equivalent) or a RAK or suchlike for a similar value. I'm always open to suggestions from the winner.

All you have to do is:
1) be a follower of my blog via the followers thingy on the left
2) leave a comment on this post with your colour suggestions

Only one entry per person will be accepted.

Entries will close at 5am UK time on 10th March 2024, so you have just under a week to leave a comment. The winner will be announced at the end of the 10th March FFG SAL link-up post, so keep an eye out for that - it's up to you to contact me, otherwise you will lose out! I'll get the prize out once confirmation emails have been exchanged.

Good luck!
Rachel x

Wednesday 28 February 2024

New Start - Female Rainbow Dragon - 10 hours

Good morning one and all!

One of my planned new starts for this year was a dragon to celebrate (or rather as an excuse for) 2024 being the Chinese Year Of The Dragon.

My intention was to start it on 10th February - Chinese New Year itself - but that didn't work out. So, with 8 being the Chinese lucky number, and 10 mine, I gave myself the choice of then starting it on either 18th or 20th. I went with the latter as I wasn't quite up to sitting over a frame prior to that.

Anyway, here is the pattern and my first 10 hours of progress:


Female Rainbow Dragon by PatternNadGavr (etsy)
Started - 20th February 2024
Stitched on 32ct Opalescent Ink Murano


This doesn't really feel like 10 hours of work, but I did start with the most confetti part; after the autumnal blossom and green leaves, most of the remaining colours are fairly blocky.

It seems a shame to stitch over so much of the opalescent fabric, but I do intend to leave a good margin of bling when it's framed.

I'm 'hoping' to get half way through it this year which will equate to about 50-60 hours of stitching. Fingers crossed, five hours per month should be doable.

Take care,
Rachel x