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

It felt kind of funny to be stitching a wintery penguin today here in West Texas Town as the temperature reached 80 degrees (Yes, I live in paradise!), but stitch (and finish) him I did. Behold, “Jingles the Penguin” from the JCS 2007 Ornie issue!

As is the norm for me when I stitch these wee designs I made some substitutions because I didn’t have all the floss and embellishments called for. I understand the appeal of beads, buttons, fuzzy thread, and the like, but honestly the only time I am going to go to the expense of getting those things is for a BAP. These little ornaments are mostly just a quick happy dance fix for me and just don’t warrant all the extras in my opinion.

So even though Jingles doesn’t have a button for a nose, a bell at the end of his Santa hat, or a fuzzy red scarf, I think he is cute all the same.

Here is the happy dance I had last night. What can I say? I am almost in the Christmas spirit!

A Merry Kitty Klaus
by Val’s Stuff, 2007 JCS Ornament Issue
December 17, 2008 – December 19, 2008
32 count Rue Green Belfast Linen
Stitch Time: 8 hours
DMC Fibers

I had a very productive SAT/SAL weekend.

As promised, I spent Friday and Saturday working on “Pumpkin on Gingham” by The Sweetheart Tree from the JCS Halloween ornament issue. I didn’t quite get finished with it on Saturday, so I finished it up last night. Normally I wouldn’t show a picture until I had it made up into a fob (which is what this piece is destined for), but I didn’t want my fellow SATers to think I hadn’t achieved my goal this month… so here it is!

On Sunday, I put “Pumpkin on Gingham” down so I could work on “Summer’s Magic,” my SAL with Dawn. Dawn didn’t get a chance to SAL on Sunday because she wasn’t feeling well, but I since I was a little behind I went ahead and worked on my piece anyway.

With this piece, I think I have entered a new era in my stitching evolution. I have started backstitching as I go along. Like most stitchers, when I learned how to stitch I was given the advice to leave all the backstitching for the end, which I did. However, these days I believe that I have acquired enough experience to know how much backstitching I can do without the floss getting lost amongst the cross stitches and as a result I wonder why I didn’t start doing this long ago.