Incoherent Scribblings

Tonight I completed “Boo Moon” by Val’s Stuff, my first Halloween ornament from the 2009 JCS Halloween issue. As usual, instead of adding the charms I stitched what I thought necessary (the moon – this design is called “Boo MOON” after all!) and left the unnecessary ones off. Simple, cute, and fun… Exactly the kind of stitching I need right now!

In fact, in keeping with the idea of simple, cute, and fun, I have decided that since I don’t have a lot of stitching time these days and I am sort of burnt out on large designs that, at least for a while, I am going to focus exclusively on small designs… And to start with I am going to stitch as many of the Halloween designs in the new JCS Halloween issue as I can until I get bored with them. I’d like to actually finish them into ornaments so I could create a “Halloween Tree” for my favorite holiday, but I don’t see that happening this year.

Now, since I didn’t set any goals for August, I don’t have anything to compare my progress against, but just to remind you, in August I managed to complete “Too Cute to Spook,” and stitched two small designs (”Kitty w/ Frog” and “Boo Moon”). Although this isn’t much compared with what I used to do, I am pleased to have had some happy dances (no matter how small) again. Before this month, the last happy dance I had was in MAY!!

I will set a goal for September though. And that is to stitch as many simple, cute, fun designs as I can, but only when I feel like it!

I got my JCS Halloween issue in the mail yesterday and have to say that I am pretty impressed with the Halloween designs (the other designs in the issue, not so much). I’ll definitely be stitching “Boo Moon” by Val’s Stuff, “Fraidy Frog” by Just Nan, and “Halloween Manor” by Fanci That. I will probably also stitch “Autumn Stars” by Blackbird Designs, “Happy Owl-O-Ween” by Ladybug Lane Designs, and “Happy Jack” by Knotted Tree Needlearts. I am also considering “RIP’s Girl” by Charlette’s Collectibles, but if I do it I will do it on fabric, not plastic canvas.

In other news, I finished Brittercup Designs “Kitty w/Frog” from Britty Kitties I tonight. I am a little perturbed because the Weeks Dye Works Onyx bled a little bit when I dampened the fabric to press it. I know that I soaked the thread when I got it, but I guess I must not have rinsed it enough times. I doubt it is noticeable to anyone but me anyway…

Kitty with Frog
A Brittercup Designs Design
32 ct. Limited Edition Belfast Linen by Silkweaver
August 18, 2009-August 23, 2009
Weeks Dye Works Fibers

I know that my blog has been sorely neglected this summer and with the new semester starting tomorrow, I can’t promise things will get any better.

I had a crazy summer in which I read and wrote a lot for class and, as a result, drank too much. In addition, I really haven’t had much stitching mojo to speak of since I finished Flo way back in… April (?). I was off most of last week and tried to start a new project, but since it is a bigger project I lost interest pretty quickly.

Since I wasn’t really feeling the love for the new project, I decided to start another new project, but this time a project that is the tried-and-true solution for a stitching slump… A quickie!

And that’s what we have started here tonight: “Kitty w/Frog” from Britty Kitties (I) by Brittercup Designs on a piece of light bluish 32 count Limited Edition Classic Belfast by Silkweaver. I should finish it next time I sit down to stitch. (You notice I didn’t say tomorrow. That’s because I never know when I will stitch next anymore.)

And now, for something completely different…

In a vain attempt to also get some blogging mojo back, I have redesigned my blog. If you read out of a feed reader, you can stop by and see the design if you want. However, although I am not going to apologize for it, I am going to warn you, the design is bright, so surf over at your own risk… or at least with a pair of sunglasses on.

I do remember how to stitch and to blog! Here she is… my latest SAL with Dawn: “Too Cute to Spook” by Stoney Creek! The bat and the spider that the ghosts are holding are actually supposed to be charms, but even if I buy charms I usually don’t add them so I decided to just stitch them instead. Both the bat and spider came from Just Nan’s “Batty Jack” that appeared in JCS’s Halloween Ornie issue last year.

Too Cute to Spook
A Stoney Creek Design, from the Stoney Creek Collection August 2008
32 ct. “Tangerine Sparkle” Belfast Linen by Silkweaver
April 26, 2009-August 10, 2009
DMC Fibers, Kreinik Glow-in-the-Dark #4 Very Fine Braid