a holiday finish

there's something i love about cross stitch and the holidays. it feels so nostalgic, and stitching it gets you excited for the season. this adorable piece by country cottage needleworks was in my stash for a while, so i figured why not?

the simplicity of the tree, coupled with that great pink bow makes it an instant favorite for me. can't wait to frame it and make it part of my christmas decor!

weekend progress

my favorite time to stitch is on the weekends. hours of uninterrupted time to stitch, to be lazy, to watch football, and maybe pepper in a few naps and meals. 

with the quick turnarounds and high demands that i encounter at my job, the weekends are my time to recharge my batteries, wash my makeup off and chill out. 

stitching has become so much more than a hobby to me, it has become an effective tool in helping me "come down" at the end of the day. it helps me be quiet, focused and calm.

this weekend i made more progress and more x's

one pumpkin down...two more to go!

what does stitching do for you?

weekend progress!

i had every intention of starting a new needlepoint ornament this weekend, but this cross stitch keeps pulling me back in! 

i can't stop!

here's where i picked up saturday...

and here is my progress after 1.5 days...

i'm going to finish all the outlines and borders before picking back up with the lettering and pumpkins (saving the best for last)

what are your thoughts on cross stitch? i know this is primarily a needlepoint blog, but i love cross stitch too (albeit my cross stitch stash is no where near the size of the needlepoint one)

do you like the cross stitch updates? should i continue with it or just wait to post until i'm back with needlepoint updates?

hope you had a great weekend!

halfway there!

i'm really loving this cross stitch piece, and to be honest, it's helped give me a much needed needlepoint break. 

here's where i left off previously...

and here's my progress as of labor day weekend (minus the time i missed due to le stomach flu)

it's halfway done! now on to finish the other side and frame this guy up!

and because i thought it was cute, here's a vintage cross stitch treasure i found while antiquing this weekend...

"if mother says no - ask grandmother"

weekend progress

still waiting on my next nativity canvas to drop in my mailbox, so in the meantime i'm having a ball stitching this!

(excuse the wrinkles)

i just adore the little crow in the corner...isn't he cute?

what have i been stitching on?

last week i posted a sneak peek of what i've been working on recently. i wanted to switch gears and get my hands on some cross stitch!

enter...

by country cottage needleworks

the linen is dark cocoa (it's darker in person i promise, apologies for the bad lighting and shadow). i adore this sweet sampler! the simple message and clean color palette really speak to me. while i love fall, i'm not a huge fan of the orange pumpkin thang.

something about the impending cooler weather always makes me want to curl up with a big piece of linen and a bowl of chili. 

what do you think?

new purchases

i couldn't help myself! these country cottage needleworks charts were on sale and it doesn't hurt my bank account nearly as much as needlepoint!

this is nikki's newest release for fall that i absolutely love! it's simple and chic, and i love the white pumpkins!

this christmas tree has always been on my list to do. it's so sweet and i love the size! 

love the soft colors and the verse in this one. i imagine it hanging near my vanity someday  

the temperature is getting cooler and it's starting to feel a bit more like fall! this is hands down my favorite season. watching football, making hot soup for dinner, and curling up under a blanket with my stitching...who could ask for more?

a finish, and a new start

good morning and happy monday!

tonight is the alabama / lsu game so you can imagine how crazy it is today!  at the risk of getting caught in traffic, i took the streetcar to work.  we live right on the carrollton streetcar line so it was a nice and relaxing ride! my favorite part of riding the streetcar is eavesdropping on random tourists' conversations...heehee

i have some finishes to present, so let's get right down to it.  the first is the family sampler by the amazing diane williams of little house needleworks.  this was a christmas / 30th anniversary gift for my parents and depicts our nuclear family. it was a little bittersweet working on such a large (and beautiful) project only to give it away, but i know that it will be a cherished family heirloom that my mom will treasure. 

i made mental notes for the future, like what areas to do first, or how many skeins of thread i actually need.   next time i will do the border first!  i saved the border for last on my mom's, and i was miserable for about 3 weeks!  i was in strawberry vine inception.

started: may 14, 2011
completed: november 6, 2011

my new start is "beach cottage" by country cottage needleworks. i love nikki's soft colors and the shabby chic quality of all her pieces. this is a quick stitch (compared to my last cross-stitch piece!) and i am loving all the beautiful overdyed threads. i'm stitching this on the fabric and threads as called for, except i converted some of the dmc to crescent colours. excuse the crappy photo!

have a great week and happy stitching!