Chiloe gave my blog an award! Thank you, Chiloe, I really appreciate your kind words about my blog.
I am supposed to list five addictions:
1. Cross stitch (naturally!)
2. Blog reading
3. White chocolate (Lindt's white chocolate truffles....mmmm....mmm..)
4. Chatting with my on-line friends. :)
5. Pepsi
I won't tag anyone, so feel free to play along if you'd like! :)
I think it is finally starting to look like the front of the sleigh. Those ribbons take a bit longer than you might think....lots of color changes going on.
Oriental Harem Garden.
MyWIP on the Sleigh still does not look like a sleigh, yet. Maybe after today, when I will start to work on the scroll portions of the front of the sleigh.
Oriental Harem Garden saw a little bit of sunlight yesterday. I worked on one of the corners which has a lantern and fountain.
Really - that's what it is! I know it looks a bit strange right now. I wanted to get all the parts at the points where the chart goes onto the next page done. Now I don't have to keep flipping between my charts to see what I am stitching next (and I don't have to cut and paste my working copies all together).
>
is this?
A new start...yep, another one. But it was just too pretty to resist once I saw the photo up close and personal and the braids and the beads....well, you know how that goes.
This is my very small start on "The Sleigh" by Nora Corbett. This is for all my eight reindeer that I have stitched so far. And Rudolph is absolutely wonderful. This sleigh is actually a lot bigger than I thought.
Blackbird Designs - Buttons & Blooms for the Cure. I do not know why I start these small projects, then set them aside. Anyway - the stitching for this very nice little design is finished. Now - to get out the sewing machine and finish it into the little pincushion!
( Hey - I'm on a roll here - must be the new year - instead of new starts - new finishes!)
Here's my Joan Elliott "Believe" piece. I finished it as a hanger that could be hung on a cabinet or doorknot. The ribbon can be retied to shorten it, if necessary.
I needed something a bit uncomplicated to work on yesterday. Venetian Opulence - not that this design isn't complicatedl! On the contrary...but the portion I worked on was really just a lot of straight lines.....
Nora Corbett is such a wonderful designer. Just a few golden colors with a dark one thrown in... make this design just pop off the fabric!
(ooops...added the wrong picture at first...)
It's done! This was a fun design to stitch. I am going to finish it, sort of as a large ornament...with a hanger to hang on a doorknob, perhaps.
Such a small word for so many meanings...
(OK, OK, I know...I didn't press it and you can see where I took the hoop off when I started backstitching the little fairy. But I wanted to post an update and just took a quick photo.)
This little design is by Joan Elliott. It is in the Bewitching Cross Stitch book that has quite a few wonderful designs by her. I decided to stitch this little piece for someone very special who needs to believe in tomorrow.
...is getting there!
Just a few more colors to go. One of the colors in the color code is DMC 302. ??? I have checked and double checked to try and find this color, online and in the needlework store. No luck. Must be a misprint. The description is given as "Golden Olive." DMC's descripition of "Golden Olive" is 832. I'll have to see how that works. It is used in two different blends for the pear.
It's done - the feather from Nora's Alphabet, that is! Very pretty colors and striking in person. I am just not exactly sure it looks like a feather....more like a very fancy leaf. Anyway, I do like how the colors work together. There is also the start of the pear. I do like these little "pieces" of different things Nora has given in this design...flower, fauna and fruit.... very different from any of her other designs
I worked on my alphabet again last night. I got a little over half of the feather done. This feather is certainly rich looking. I thought at first it looked more like a leaf, but with the teal/turquoise colors it definitely changes that perception. The remaining half does not have as many colors - only two. This feather has definitely stitched up a lot more quickly than the pansy.
Once again I want to thank everyone for taking the time to stop by and leave such wonderful comments for me.
I finished all the letters last night for Nora's Alphabet. I still have to attach a few beads around the letter "c". After that I made a small start on the feather.... 
Little Ivy got a bit of attention, too:
My pansy is finished:
Pansies are supposed to have a little face within their petals. At least mine does not look quite so unhappy as before! Still, it reminds me of a little man with a goofy mustache and nose.
I did not notice this at all when I was stitching it. Once I took the photo, it's all I can see now....a little frowny face for my pansy (Nora's Alphabet).
My Autumn Watergarden, Part 1 - almost finished. I just have to finish the stitches with the PTB 22 and the rest of the over one fish.
and....last, but not least, my start on an on-line class piece - Merry Cox's, Americana Sewing Case:
Lots of little pieces...but my attention keeps wandering lately. But that's good for all my lonely WIP's.
on the start of my little Autumn Watergarden:
and a few more letters and some bits of purple on Nora's Alphabet:
The month of guilt-free new starts? Here's one - Chatelaine's Autumn Watergarden (Part 1 WIP):
I'm sure there will be a few more new starts on the way!
My WIP for Mirabilia Designs Venetian Opulence. I started at the very top for this one. Just a little bit more until I get to the lady's head.
And and update on my alphabet....
I had started working on Ivy (Letters from Nora) before I was not feeling so well this past week. Here's how far I had gotten on her: 
This is a design by Nora Corbett for Golden Heart Originals call
ed Nora's Alphabet. The letters are pretty free form with the star on the left and a swirl on the right side. There will be a pansy, a feather and a pear on the bottom center. You can see the very beginning of the top of the pansy.
Nothing new to post, just an update. I don't usually talk about things other than stitching, but since it had an impact on my stitching....been down and out with a very nasty virus all week. I'm just now starting to feel a little better. No stitching to report as of now, but I'm working on something today! Will have a little more to show maybe tomorrow!
