Small happy dances

I would have liked to catch up on reading blogs and writing posts but I didn't spend much time online in the past week. But I could add some blogs between my links on the left of the blog.

Today I'm posting my progresses but I'll be off again because next Thursday we're going to ski. We'll be back next Sunday and I think I'll write again next Monday or tomorrow.

I finished my February Flip-it by Lizzie Kate. Linda asked me about the fibers. I used the GAST and WDW threads in the key of the pattern. There're also two DMC fibers.

I finished the first ornament as well. And I started the second one, another Santa from Old World Santas by Prairie Schooler.

A new kind of happy dance

I'm stitching only a bit during these days. I'm busy with other things too... for example I've to iron a lot of clothes! But I've two progresses to share.
One is my Christmas ornament. It's going on slowly but I'm stitching it and I should be able to finish it before the end of the month.

The second and more important progress is on Once upon a time by Passione Ricamo. I can't beleive it: I finished the roses in the left part of the pattern. It's a kind of happy dance for me because the roses are really difficult in this pattern. There're seven different rose colours and four different green colours. I'm so happy to show this progress. I'm thrilled about this "happy dance" because I can start stitching the prince and the fairy and they seems to be more relaxing than all those roses.

Small projects

During the past weekend I was so involved in watching the Olympic Games that I forgot to write my blog and I didn't devote myself to my usual hobbies.

I stitched a bit and I worked only on small projects. I've two progresses to share.

My February Flip - It by Lizzie Kate:



I like the colours in this pattern. They're lovely.

The first Christmas ornament in 2006 by Prairie Schooler:



One of my goals for this year is stitching 12 of these ornaments (one for month) but I've to catch up with them. I'm stitching the first and February is going away...

Yesterday I saw the preview of The Night, the new pattern by Passione Ricamo. It seems to be beautiful!

Happy, happy dance!

A new happy dance.
Last night I stitched again the plant on the right and I could finally finish this pattern. I loved it and I'm very happy: it turned out lovely.



Coffee Menu by Little House Needleworks, stitched on Days gone by, linen by Silkweaver.

By the way this morning I received some fabrics from Silkweaver and I'm ready to start stitching Houses Of Hawk Run Hollow by Carriage House Samplings. I decided to stitch it using the Vikki silks. I'm thrilled about this new project. I love patterns with houses.

Happy Dance!

I finished Valentine Holiday by BOAF.


I stitched it on Opalescent Lugana 28ct, colour Shimmering Obsession, by Silkweaver. I used only hand-dyed fibers (GAST and WDW). I'm happy how it turned out. I've to choose a fabric and to sew a little pillow.

I worked on Coffee Menu by LHN too. Unfortunately yesterday I found a mistake. You can see it! I didn't stitch the right plant on the correct row so I decided to undo the whole plant. :( I was near another happy dance but I'll not be able to finish it tonight.

Thank you!

Thank you for all your kind posts.

I worked a bit on Coffee Menu. It's so relaxing...

And I pulled out Celtic Summer. To tell the truth it was not a UFO. I've been working on it again since the beginning of the year but I usually stitch it only a bit every week. So my progresses are slow. I started stitching with the Petite Treasure.



Today Olympic games are opening in Torino, Italy. I'm really thrilled about them because I like skiing and I'm going to watch them.

Happy dance!

I finished Lavender Hill by Little House Needleworks. It turned out lovely and I shall choose a nice frame. In fact I don't want to make a pillow or a wall hanging with this pattern. I'd like to buy a frame and paint it with a colour like lavender.



I've an important progress on Valentine Holidays by BOAF. It's growing quickly and I think it should be ready for Valentine's Day. Isabelle asked me how I'll finish it. I think it could be become a pillow. I've some fabrics and they could be right for it.



I've started stitching my monthly Flip-It by Lizzie Kate too. This pattern is really funny.

Many things

Finally I'm writing.

Last night I pulled out Lavender Hill by LHN and this is my progress:




I finished the tree and the grass. It's a lovely design and I'm thinking about the frame. It's difficult to find a square frame and I'd like a square one.

Then I stitched and sewed an envelope. I'm organizing an Italian exchange of mail art on EMS Italian forum. I thought to prepare an Italian tutorial about mail art, so I sewed an envelope to show how we can sew one.
These are the pictures of my envelope. I decided to use that as a fibers' case. I stitched a pattern by Au Fil des Reves but I used a personal conversion for the fibers. The fibers I used are all Gentle Arts Sampler Threads.

Front:



Back:















Inside:



Some days ago Chiara tagged me.

What were you doing 10 years ago?
Ten years ago I was 20 and I used to go and dance almost every night. I attended a dancing school with a friend during the week and during the weekend we went to the discotheque.

Five snacks you enjoy.

Pizza
Chocolate
Ice cream
Tomato, oil and bread
Biscuits

Five songs to which you know all the lyrics off your head right now.


Battisti (ITA)- Balla Linda
REM-Loosing my religion
Litfiba (ITA)- Regina di cuori
Ligabue (ITA)- Piccola Stella Senza Cielo
U2- With or without you



Five things you would do if you had one million dollars.


Id buy a big house in the Tuscan country near Florence
I'd travel for many many days
I'd buy a lot of books
I'd do something for charity
I'd buy a lot of patterns, fibers, fabrics for cross stitch and patchwork

Five bad habits.

I'm fussy.
I spend too much money in cross stitch supplies.
I decide to iron only when we miss some clothes.
I don't organize my receipts.
I don't keep in order my wips.

Five things you like doing.

Reading books and comics
Cross-stitch
Patchwork
Cooking
Going to shopping

Five things you would never buy, wear or get new again.

I'd never wear clothes with designs like a leopard
I’d never wear a tattoo
I'd never wear a piercing
I'd never get a motorbike again
I'd never wear jeans again

Five favourite toys.

Barbie
Lego
Dolls
Fiammiferini
Monopoli








With the exception of your online stitching friends, do you have any other stitching buddies?

Many of my friends like cross stitch. My cousins and one of my aunts like cross stitch too, but they usually stitch only patterns by Italian magazines and they don't know all the patterns and designers we can find online and I can't share with them all the interesting things I read and find online.

Another coffee

Good progress for Coffee Menu by Little House Needlework. I'm very happy about this progress. The pattern is growing quickly and I hope to finish it in February.



By the way I'm writing my February's goals. I've never written the monthly goals before today but it could be a trial.

My February's goals:

- finish the roses in the pattern Once upon a time by Passione Ricamo and continue with it
- stitch the February's Flip-it by Lizzie Kate
- stitch two Christmas ornaments by Prairie Schooler
- finish Coffee Menu and Lavender Hill by LHN
- finish Valentine Holidays by Carriage House Samplings

I think they're many goals...

New week

I've not been writing for some days because I didn't feel motivate. I couldn't share my progress because I stitched some projects I can't show yet.

Anne, I'll let you know the sizes of my fabric for Terre de France. The colour is not a DMC one, but it's a Crescent Colours thread, Bandana.

Finally I've a progress. To tell the truth my weekend was busy and I could stitch only a bit. Here is the progress on Be my love by Carriage House Samplings.



Now I have some leaflets by Prairie Schooler and during the weekend I could start a new project too. I want to stitch at least 12 ornaments for my Christmas tree before the end of December. I would like to change my ornaments for the next Christmas and I thought to stitch an ornament every month. When Christmas arrives, I'll have 12 ornaments. Unfortunately my leaflets arrived late and my January ornament will be surely finished during February.

The first Santa is one of the Santas in the leaflet Old World Santas by Prarie Schooler.




The meme of Fours
I've been tagged by Isabelle. Thanks, Isabelle. It's funny and I was happy to read you'd like to come to Florence. I'm waiting for you! ;)

Four Jobs I Have Had in My Life
baby-sitter
mathematics teacher
CAD designer

Four Movies I Could Watch Over and Over Again
Non ci resta che piangere (an Italian film with Benigni)
Harry Potter series
The lord of the rings
Matrix

Four Places I Have Lived
Florence (I have been living here since I was born!)

Four TV Shows I Love to Watch
Markette an Italian show, the only one I watch

Four Places I Have Been on Vacation
Jordan
Santorini (Greece)
Paris (twice)
Ireland

Four Websites I Visit Daily
Bloglines
Stitching Bits and Bobs
my website
EMS forums

Four of My Favorite Foods
every kind of Italian pasta (spaghetti, lasagne...)
Pizza
Cheesecake
Florentine rare steak

Four Albums singers I Can't Live Without (I changed to "singers" cause it's better tuned to what I listen to)
Eros Ramazzotti (italian)
U2
Ligabue (italian)
Litfiba (italian)

Four Places I'd Rather Be
Spain
Australia
New York
Cuba

Four Bloggers I Am Tagging
Chiara
Laura
Svenja
Ulla

Weekend progress

First of all thanks for all your posts about my Coffee Menu. I'm happy because you liked my choice of fabric. It's Days gone by, linen by Silkweaver.
During the week we moved the piece of forniture. It was hard work, but it's done. I couldn't stitch as I would have liked so I have a little progress to share.
This is Valentine Holiday. I hope to have it finished before Valentine day but it's so funny and quick to stitch that I should be able to sew it as well.
I finished the boy and some hearts.



I changed my poll and it's again about LHN designs. I really love them during this weeks. Yesterday I purchased Rose Cottage Pillow and The flower Shop by Country Cottage Needlework too. They should arrive soon and I've already ordered the threads...I have a lot of work!

Coffee again...

I'm really tired. We worked hard today.
Tonight I hope to have a rest and stitch a bit. Seeing many new patterns during these days the stitches' wish grows and I want to catch up with some WIPs.

Last night I stitched Coffee Menu again. It's relaxing and I'm happy about my choice of fabric. It seems to be right.

A week with few stitches

This week I stitched a bit and I think I'll not be able to stitch during the weekend. We have to move a piece of furniture at home and it will take a long time...
I don't want to think about it!

An Italian friend told me to share my fabric with Terre de France because she's stitching it too and it's funny to see the other stitchers' progress. Here is a picture of the sampler.



Last night I was tired and I decided to stitch an easy and funny pattern. Naturally I pulled out Be my love by CHS. I finished the leaves and I'm stitching the grass.



Yesterday I took a look at the new pattern of Little House Needlework and I fell in love...again...I have to stitch it! LHN is my favourite designer during these weeks. The patterns are all lovely.




Have you had a happy dance yet this year? If so, tell us about it!
(Or just point to the entry that talks about it.) If not, when do you
predict it will be?

Yes, I have. I have already had two happy dance but they are both little happy dance. In 2006 I'd like to stitch more patterns for me but I usually stitch big patterns so I decided to have more little pieces. And I have already finished two of these. I stitched January Flip-it Blocks by Lizzie Kate and the first of the ten patterns with Little Kate by Margaret Sherry.

a LITTLE happy dance...

During the weekend I stitched only a bit because we decided to go shopping during the day and to watch Kill Bill and Kill Bill 2 during the night.
So I've not big progresses to share. But I have a little happy dance. I finished my first Little Kate by Margaret Sherry. I'm stitching all the ten patterns in the calendar with Little Kate. I'm going to use them in a quilt. It's a big project but I've not a deadline. The first pattern I stitched was easy but it took me a long time to make the backstitch. Margaret Sherry's backstitch is always difficult for me and I usually stitch her patterns on aida, so it's more difficult than on linen.



I started stitching the Coffee Menu by LHN and I'm enjoying. Unfortunately the picture is not good, but I couldn't do better yesterday.

The coffee is ready!

Thanks for all your posts, ladies.
Ulla, I stitched the Flip-it of January with hand-dyed fibers (Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Weeks Dye Work). The fiber I'm using for my French sampler is Bandana by Crescent Colours.


I didn't stitch during the past nights but I organized my stash and I checked my 2006 goals again. I'm going to stitch something for my cousin's baby and I'm searching patterns for her. It's difficult to find small and cute patterns. I've a lot of patterns but I don't find what I would like.

I kitted Coffee Menu up: it's ready. I'm going to start and stitch it during the weekend. I know I should finish something elese before starting new projects but I fell in love with it when I saw it and I wanted to start it before Christmas.
Now I could stitch it...
I chose a fabric by Silkweaver, Days gone by Linen 32 ct. I hope it'll turn out good.

I'm back, it's back...

Now my computer seems to work, so I'm back.
Today my website doesn't work and I'm a bit worried but I noticed the files are online and I can share in my blog the pictures I uploaded yesterday.

First of all I have the first finished work for 2006. It's small, but it's one work! It's the January Flip-it by Lizzie Kate that I stitched during a SAL. We're stitching one Flip-it every month. I'm going to finish every one into a little pillow.



Good progress for my Valentine pattern.



And it's back! The sampler Terre de France is back. I think I could call it UFO because I had not been stitching it for a long time. In the past days I pulled it out again and I finished a new block.

Pictures

I have some problems with my computer. Finally I could write a post but I don't know when I'll be able to write again and read all my favourite blogs. :(

During these days I stitched and I'm pretty happy about my progresses.
I worked on a towel that I'm stitching for the baby of a friend but I can't share the picture. It must be a surprise.
But I can share other pictures.

About my Flip-it SAL I'm working on the January pattern and I'm finishing it. It could be my first finish in 2006.



Good progress for Be my love by CHS.
I can't stop stitching this pattern because I'm enjoying more and more.



A new start: Valentine Holiday by Birds of a feather, I saw the one stitched by Danielle and I fell in love with it. So I decided to stitch it and I hope to finish it before Valentine's Day.

2005 works

I counted my 2005 works.
They're 44. A good number, even if there're many small projects.

RR and exchanges: 12
Gifts: 11
Charity: 11
For me:
Day dreams by Felicity Wishes DMC (pillow)
Atelier de Brodeuse by Au fil de reves (pillow)
Summer Row by Bent Creek (towels)
The scent of old roses by Mirabilia (framed)
A bookmark that I thought up using a French marquoir
A free by San Man Originals (potholder)
Signs of spring by Bent Creek (framed)
A pattern by an Italian magazine (apron)
Teri's stocking by Shepherd's Bush (NOT sewed)
Winter Topiary, FREE by Passione Ricamo (wall-hanging)

I'm pretty happy but I've just noticed that I stitched more for the others than for me. During 2006 I'm going to stitch a lot of patterns for me and I'll reduce my charity designs. They were many, especially they were all medium projects with about 20 hours of work for everyone.

I've a little progress to share on Be my love by Carriage House Samplings. I'm enjoying with it, I love the fabric I chose and the silks are funny to stitch.

Goals

This post will be about my goals for 2006.
I've never got organized with goals because I'm not a rotation stitcher and I usually stitch the pattern that calls me every day. But I have been thinking about new projects for some days and I want to make a list. I'll try to make a short list...

• Dawn, Fairy Spirit of Grace by Passione Ricamo SAL with Carol (starting next spring)
• 12 Flip-it by Lizzie Kate SAL with an Italian friend. Every month we'll stitch the monthly Flip-it
• finish Terre de France by Annick Abrial, Christmas Elf Fairy by Mirabilia, Christian's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush, Be my love by Carriage House Samplings
• work on Once upon a time by Passione Ricamo, Celtic Summer by Lavender&Lace, Little Kate's patterns by Margaret Sherry
• finish the Mill Hill kit about Halloween
• The rose of Sharon by Mirabilia SAL with Carol (sometimes during the year)
• some ornaments for my Christmas tree
• a needlecase for me
• start and finish some LHN designs (Coffee Menu, The bookshelf...)

Well, the list is not so short but I hope I'll be able to reach some goals.

Yesterday I was really tired because our New Year's Eve dinner was long and we came back home at 4.30 a.m. We really enjoyed but I was sleepy for all the day. I stitched only a bit and I started my first Flip-it by LK. It's the January one.

2006 arrived...happy stitching new year!

Last stitches

We're ready. Lore cooked the meat (roast-beef) and I prepared the cheesecake. We're going and having dinner with other 11 friends. I decided to change my hairstyle and I had my hair set. I'm waiting for looesening my hair and I hope to have not done anything wrong otherwise I'll be the clown of the night. Lol!

I want to wish everyone a Happy New Year. 2005 was wonderful, I really enjoyed with all the blogger stitchers and I hope our 2006 will be as this past year.
I look forward to starting the new year with my old projects and new ones.
I've a lot of projects in mind and I'd like to realize at least some of those.

I have the last stitches to share. Yesterday I worked a bit on the Carriage House Sampling design I chose to stitch with the Vikki's silks.
I stitched Celtic Summer by Lavender&Lace too but I've not an interesting progress to post.



Have a great night!