Double progress report: In the arms of an angel and Starry Night

I seem to have been meaning to update my blog for too long I now have two rotations worth to show.

So here goes.

Firstly I have finished the last of the reindeer cards. So with all three done from the cover kit. I'm chalking that up as a finish.

In the Arms of an Angel has had ten hours so here is the before:

 

 

 And Now:

 

I can't get over how beautiful this is. She has been a pleasure to stitch and I can't wait to get back round to her again. I'm at that goosebumps stage as well thinking that she is starting to get very close to being a finish.

 

After finishing the reindeer cards. I have started another pack of cover kit cards. There are four in this set so here is the first three finished.

 

It is pretty annoying how skimpy these kits are on threads though. Magazine said enough materials to stitch the four cards on the pack. I did the bee first then this far of the butterfly before the coral in the kit ran out.

I know they are free so  shouldn't grumble but it is very frustrating. I did as you can see have the colour match in the stash. I have checked to see I have the red before I started the strawberry and I do. I did have to sub a few bits on the flower to finish that as well.

I also whipped up this card using a stitched button. I loved doing this and it was super quick stitch. I think I can see more buttons in my future!

 

And lastly Starry Night. Here it is from before:

 

 

And now:

 

I have done my first full row and a square using the stitch and park. I'm finding it difficult to be disciplined to stick to it and not drift with my colours. But overall it is combating confetti stress and I feel a lot better carrying on with this one. Which is great seen as I was struggling before.

 

I thought I would start a bit of a stash tour. So here is part 1.

My rotation drawers.

I have everything in zip bags for each project and the tubs of threads. This means that as I finish a stint I have an easy swap around for the next one. A few odds and ends end up in there over time but generally it keeps the current projects nice and to hand.

 

Next I have a gap in my rotation, where the Thimble Fairy was. I have been deliberating for a while as to what I am going to do next.

 

I'll leave you to look at my shameful stash pile and see if you can guess. Or you could just pop onto XXXStitching's facebook page as I'm sure I'll not be able to keep it a secret on there.

 

Keep Stitching...

 

In the arms of an Angel

We had a fantastic Christmas. Hope you all have had a nice one too.

I've got through a rotation on In the arms of an Angel.

Before:

And now:

Does look it on the full image but I have filled in all the metallic on the red section of dress.

I got a few stitchy bits. Found this mug in sales for a pound so had to have it.

And here is my spoils from Santa. And I do have pennies so no doubt another stash addition is in order.

I mainly looked at mini kits as I have been enjoying doing some smaller ones and mostly got bits that will go on the tree next year.

And here is the finished Christmas Angel. Looks fab perched on the fireplace.

Keep stitching...

In arms of an Angel update

Feels nice to be back into the proper business of my rotation. So without further ado, here's my progress on Lavender & Lace In the Arms of an Angel:

Before

And now:

Just beautiful. And beautiful to stitch. I always thought Lavender & Lace looked complicated but really it hasn't felt like that. I think the beauty of the shading and detailing make it worthwhile. Also I find charts that you can stitch in focused sections always make the progress more marked.

Weather's starting to get colder which means more time indoors for the munchkins, so we turned our hands to some baking. 

Don't think they have got the measuring down lol. Plum and Apple pies and made some saltdough with the spilt flour

I am starting to feel quite festive. Especially seen as Santa had left his reindeer outside at Christmas fair at the  nearby stadium.

How cute. They were very friendly too. I think I was more excited to see them than the kids!!

I'm on with a massive stash sort. So far looking nice.

Keep stitching...

In arms of an Angel update

I have to say I'm in love with this Lavender and Lace In the Arms of an Angel.

It really is a joy to stitch. Here it is before this rotation:

And now:

Beautiful. 

I've mostly been up to the usual playground stuff. We did get fish and chips in the park on Saturday, it's the boys favourite. And we got to see the swans and cygnets again, the daddy swan came to see what we had to share too. I quite like crisp Autumn days and the storms didn't really reach us in the north or at least it's normally very windy here so didn't notice much difference lol

I completed the wooden keyring free kit from cross stitcher. 

Looks pretty good. It used four strands to cover the wood. I love the vibrant blue on it. I'm sure it will make its way into someone's Christmas box this year. 

I love Christmas but it certainly is more stressful with little people to sort. I think for me it's the pressure to fulfil the magic that I love and want my boys to have.

Back on to motherly devotion now.

Keep stitching...

Angel face, In arms of an Angel update

Last Sunday we had a family walk along to a car boot sale, it was a decent hike but a gorgeous day for it. We passed some houses on the sea front , this one was up for sale ( out of our league) and as we always do hubby and I started a good daydream natter about what we'd do if it was ours etc obviously a craft room comes up.

One of the things we agreed we loved was the turret room on the front there. Now as we walk further hubby says oh that one has a craft room. Same type house and you could see a sewing machine and baskets on shelves organising stash I imagine Cue sad sulky face all the way home. 

I want a craft turret.

Anyhow I've finished a rotation on In the arms of an Angel

Before:

And now:

Oh my she has a face. One over one for the face and baby was a bit hard work but after getting a sharper needle and an hour in I got the rhythm. Especially made tricky as some of the tones are very similar to the fabric.

Totally worth it though. Can't wait to get back round to stitch on this again.

I had a right craft twitch the other day, but I don't drive and have any close craft shops. I did however find some marabou trim for the Christmas memory Angel, which gave me a little fix.

I normally use Sew and so for my craft supplies online but not seeming that they are as good prices before. Anyone got any recommendations?

I am fairly addicted to mini kits at the moment. Nice to fit a couple stitches in here and there on them and watch them quickly grow. So another finish poppy a free kit from world of cross stitching magazine.

So all in all a nice eventful stitching week.

Keep stitching....

In the Arms of an Angel update

Well we took the plunge and now have two wee goldfish! The boys are over the moon and love watching them. Vinnie has picked the ornaments, the first day we set it up it only had the starfish in and he said bye to it and night night too.

 

 

I've made great progress on In the Arms of an Angel. It was a stormy night when I started, nothing nicer than being curled up snug with stitching in hand.

Before:

And now:

 I've made a little progress on the neck but its hard going as its one over one and as you can see its the same colour as the fabric.

 My hubby's gran passed away recently and we had the funeral yesterday. Its been hard loosing two big figures in our lives but there are lots of happy memories to hold onto.

We've still been having some warm days despite the clouds and drizzle. So we've been out and about seeing the ducklings at the park and visited my brother in laws nature reserve and saw the otters and ducks there too.

Hubby has took the boys out this afternoon so I'm looking forward to putting this live and getting my stitch on.

Keep stitching...

apps and downs

This week we've had ups and downs, so plenty to update you on.

I've downloaded an app for my phone, cross stitch thread companion.

It keeps track of all the threads in your stash. I've been working on adding the stats into it. I've done the threads I have in the thread box, in the box for In the arms of an angel and a bag I'd got from the charity shop that had yet to be put away. But there are threads all over the place in packed up ready to start etc. So to have a list to check on my phone will be so handy to just check that instead of digging out all the places the threads are. maybe saves buying too many doubles which I have done before.

The beginning of the week was great we had a trip to an aquarium, Vinnie's mad about fish so thought it was awesome and Henry enjoyed it so much he thought it was worth missing his usual nap for.

The rotation this time has been a struggle towards the end. We've had several bad nights first with Vincent vomiting everywhere, followed by Henry cutting a new tooth and then him and hubby coming down with the vomiting bug. So I'm tired to say the least and my eyes are super tired the last couple of hours have been tough to squeeze out. Fingers crossed I'm not next though.

Here it was before:

And now:

 Not far off having the skirt finished apart from the beading and metallics.

Grampsy came to visit with another box of stuff sorted from Grandma's stash. I got a massive bag of clothes to upcycle seen as I've been making the memory angels. Which I have since found out my cousin's wife is expecting so I think I might see if I can make a blanket out of some of the knitwear. Stretching my skills to stitch with knit but will be worth it if I can pull it off.

There's a tin of buttons and beads, motifs, blank aperture cards, loads of charts cut from magazines etc, scissors, fabric, kits in various stages, needles, graph paper (which I was just thinking I needed to pick some up) and some stitched items like the sunflower pin cushion I made and the Christmas decoration next to it.

There was also these wooden Christmas stencils I remember from being a little girl. There was also about four of these aprons that she has made must have been for gifts or a church fair.

 This stuff my mam had put aside from grandma's stash thinking that the boys would be able to get some use out of soon. There's alsorts like, corrigated paper, gum paper, feathers, glitter, stencils etc. I'm sure they'll come in handy as they get older. Vinnie is starting to get interested he likes to get me to draw him pictures to scribble on top of. Funny because I remember Grandma used to draw princesses and the like like for me to colour in. I found this ages after we'd been drawing when I was clearing the table for tea.

 How funny is that I've drawn a croc and it looks like my tot has added in his dinner. I thought it was funny anyway.

I thought I would also share these pics. My mother in law has recently redecorated the whole living room and has displayed the bulldogs I have stiched for her together. They look amazing displayed like that

These are on the other wall, the helter skelter on the right is my work. The other two are cross stitch her friend had done for her. Interesting to see work displayed and nice to know the hard work has been appreciated.

My highlight of the week though was going to see the strongman. We always watch giants live and world's strongest man at Christmas time when it's on. So hubby got tickets to see it as they came nearby this year. Was a great day even if we both got horribly sunburnt. Dunno there's just something about watch big men lifting really heavy stuff ;)

Keep stitching....