My 2017 Rotation and a Finish!

So I'm starting to get into a groove, and I've worked out a 2017 rotation of sorts.

I confess, I have a lot of big WIPS, or I should say UFO's. I want to get these projects finished so I have started a rotation-lets see if I can stick to it!

Here is my list of stitchy goals:

1.Santas Village-Country Cottage Needleworks. I started this the year it came out, got 1 house done and then never took another stitch until the end of 2016.

This is where I was as of Jan.1

Here is where I am now:

I finished house #2! So I want to try to finish one house a month, at the beginning of the month, and then work on another WIP from the 15th until the end of the month.

So this month I am working on:

2. All Creatures Great and Small by Barbara Ana Designs. This was my Christmas day start, as it was a gift from my husband. Here is what I got done Christmas Day:

And here is where I am now:

Of course I have many many more WIPs. I plan to work on other things intermittently. But these two are a main focus. 

I still need to finish Hideko's stocking, and I would LOVE to make progress on Houses of Hawk Run Hollow. And of course all of this is in addition to designing and model stitching so...LOL! 

But hey, its all good!

And I have a small finish!

Prairie Schooler Santa-Old St. Nick

This was a fun and quick little stitch. I am also going to try to do at least 1 ornament a month.

So thats what I have been working on! I received the proof pages of my article that will be in Kindred Stitches magazine-it looks wonderful! I can't wait for it to come out, its so exciting!! I think it is a June release.

Happy Stitching!

XOXO

~Annie

And now our hearts turn to...

Hearts!

I don't think I even had the tree down before I already began to think about all things red and white!

I have had a long, long love affair with red and white. In fact I have just recently decided red, white and gray are going to be the colors in my living room (hopefully this will be happening in the spring). 

So I pulled out some woolie hearts and began arranging them just so. 

But then I sold the lot in my 

Etsy shop.

 Ah me!

2017 Stitchy Plans

I pulled out my Santas Village (Country Cottage Needleworks) and have decided to try to do 1 house a month. I had the first house completed when I started it back in 2013? I think?

I was on automatic to receive the charts when they were first published, so whatever year that was.

Anyhow, I still love it, and I decided to focus on Chritmas a little more this year, so it is in the rotation.

I also really want to do an ornament a month, so I started a Prairie Schooler Santa from the chart Old St. Nick. He is the blue one in the chart below.

I found myself all alone on a Friday night (which I actually enjoy) so I binge-watched The Crown and made pretty good progress on my Santa!

I borrowed Vonna's method of mounting my fabric on needlework stretcher bars, and it works wonderful for those smaller bits of fabric.

 Thanks Vonna! Great idea!

It is cold and dark and nasty here today, with a howling wind that is knocking over garbage cans and blowing things all over. So I will leave you with a little ray of sunshine!

On Sunday "Cinderella" came over to help me stitch! We try to take my two granddaughters on Sundays when we can to give their momma a break. This is Amy, she is 3. Hideko is 18 months, and their momma is preggers with #3, due in March. So she needs a break!

Happy Stitching!

XOXO

~Annie

Happy New Year!

I hope you all had a wonderful New Year!

I have been busy, busy, busy, with holidays and family and new stitchy projects!

Coming in 2017!

I am doing a design for the digital magazine Kindred Stitches, which will be published later this year. I'm very excited about it and honored to have been asked. 

New Design: Cold Hands, Warm Heart!

In the midst of all of the holiday merriment I have also been working hard on my next design release! It is a snowman done in overdyed sampler threads, called Cold Hands, Warm Heart, I love how he turned out, and he will be finished into a cushion to brighten the dreary winter months! He will be ready in two shakes of a lambs tail!

Goodbye Designers Desk.

My favorite LNS is closing, and I am very sad about this. This place was in business for at least 20 years, probably more, and was a treasure trove of supplies, charts, inspiration and collective knowledge. So sad.

So in the spirit of final support(wink!) I helped them out by reducing some of their inventory!

I found a bunch of Prairie Schoolers and actually forced myself to put a bunch back. That blue Belsnicle from Notforgotten Farms has been on my list, and the sled pattern was actually in my cart at 123 Stitch! I love Heartstrings Samplerary, and who can resit anything from With Thy Needle and Thread!

My love affair with Carriage House continues, and I added 4 new charts to my stash!

I will never turn down BOAF or Goode Huswife, and at 75% off these were a steal!

And last but not least, who doesn't love the Mill Hill kits, and chickens, well, you know.

And the Victoria Sampler little houses chart I bought mainly for the finishing instructions, which are excellent.

On the Home Front:

I also squeezed in a little Christmas ornament stitching and finishing.

Here are some ornies from past years:

I had this bowl out on display and Isabel, my youngest complained that there were no ornaments for her. Now before you think she is neglected, she is the only one who has 2 cross stitch Christmas stockings! But I knew I had stitched her an ornament before, so I looked in my box of shame and sure enough there was a stitched but unfinished ornament for her from 2010. So I finished it, along with 2 ornaments I made for my 2 grand daughters:

Isabel's ornament is adapted from my Angels Among Us pattern, The sled is a Lizzie Kate design, and the mousie is from Brookes Books Publishing and is a freebie on her site.

And now I will leave you with some cuteness. 

These are my precious granddaughters,

 Hideko and Amy.

Happy Stitching!

XOXO,

Annie