The first one is this:
Those are clear plastic Christmas ornaments that I have been painting. I can only do a dozen or so at a time because I only have 12 bottles of paint and until last weekend I only had one egg carton. Here's what it looks like when they're draining:
I was initially filling, coating and draining one at a time and then putting them in the egg carton to finish draining and drying. As I was standing there doing the second one, I noticed that the neck of the ornament was about the size of the bottle opening and well, this is the result. I add the paint, coat the inside, insert the neck into bottle and let them sit for ages before putting them in the egg carton to finish draining and drying - it takes FOREVER to dry!!! I have another dozen left to do before I start decorating them. What am I doing with them you ask? I am making three Christmas countdown sets. I am going to put Christmas carol titles (cut from vinyl with my Cricuit) on each ball and then number them from 1 to 24 (working how to do that). Then I'm going to print out the words to each carol and make them into a booklet (working on this too)). On December 1st, you find the ornament number 1, hang it on the tree and sing the carol while you're doing it. I am thinking of calling the book, "Sing a Song 'til Christmas" but that is subject to change too.
The second is the baby blanket/afghan. I don't have an updated photo, but it looks like it did in my previous post, just bigger. :-) Based on the yarn I have left, I probably have two or three more rounds left. I have enjoyed doing the blanket so much that I found some more yarn to make another one. My next one is going to be a rectangle rather than the more traditional square.
Apparently, I'm worried that the great-nephew is going to get cold, because in addition to the two blankets, I've started a quilt.
These are all ready for ironing and trimming down. The fabric is a really soft flannel. I haven't decided how I'm going to lay it out, but really like the colors. It has been ages since I made a quilt, and I'm really enjoying it.
The other two pieces are stitching!! I finished the stitching on the main piece for Snowman and Pals and started the back-stitching/outlining.
and added a bit more to Just Nan's Seasonal Gems I: Autumn
I am, again, leaving off the writing so have had to do a little pattern modification. This time I've ended up with gravity defying grapes. There is a motif in the side middle but I'm not sure it will fit with the changes I've made. I have decided that I'm going to make a cube once I finish all four of these. I even have the fabric picked out. A few embellishment decisions to make but having a finishing idea at this stage is huge for me.
I broke down and bought some patterns:
Yes, it's sideways - I can't seem to get Blogger to flip the picture. I have been watching Cottage Garden Samplings' The Songbird's Garden Series for a few months now and finally gave in and bought #1 and #2. I don't know if I'll buy the whole series but cardinals and chickadees are two of my favorite birds, so had to get these. The pattern in the back at the
In addition to Cottage Garden Samplings, Xs & Ohs' 12-Northern Days of Christmas ended up in my cart.
This one just made me smile. It is such a fun change from the normal interpretation of the 12 Days of Christmas. I like all of them, but really love the "Lords a-leaping". I think I'll do them as separate ornaments - I am planning to have a 12 Days of Christmas tree
So that's what I've been up to the last couple of weeks. I'll be back to hummingbirding on Friday and maybe actually have a finish to show.
entry. Heather at Stitching Lotus hosts the Smalls SAL. It's a very no stress SAL, stitch a small and post a photo of it the end of the month. Don't have one one month (or 6 or 7 as happened to me last year)? No problem, just join back in when you do.
. WIPocalypse is hosted by Melissa at Measi's Musings and reminds us to give some love to something we've already started before starting something new. The snowman and Summer were both from my stash, but they weren't WIPs so they don't count and I didn't put a stitch in either of my targeted WIPs so this month's report is a big 0. Melissa gives us topics each month to nudge us along if we can't come up with something to say. This month's is: Half-year recap: How are you doing with your goals so far? Not so good. I realized early on that I had, as is typical of me, over estimated how fast I could stitch. I should be half through each of my focus pieces as I was hoping they'd be gifts for this Christmas, but I am nowhere near close to half way on either piece. I've had a mini-slump going on either for mental health reasons or vacation/traveling BUT my major stresser at work left for greener pastures and I won't be traveling again until October. So I should be able to settle myself back into a routine. Once I finish up the quilt and blanket (probably blankets as I am really enjoying it) I can get back to my stitching.