More Progress, A Finish and Another Start

Over the weekend I go fed up with the projects I was working on and decided to do a one day project. Our coonhound ate a few of our ornaments this past season, so I decided to whip up a couple of replacements. I found these patterns in one of the magazines I have lying around. I think I might do a few more ornaments this year - they were very satisfying :-).

Since then I found some time to stop by the LNS and get a few more supplies (as if I needed more). I started on a new project just to see how I like working with some other materials. I started the Shenandoah project which is from another magazine that I had. I bought a few different skeins of Watercolors from Caron. Bill picked this skein for the project. It's coming out far better than I expected. I bought a laying tool so I could give that a shot. It's really bringing up the sheen of the silk! It's not a big project so I might be able to finish it this weekend. Although, I'm back working on the birds - I'm hoping to finish the first bird by the end of February. I can't get off on too many tangents!

Moving Towards the Head

This project is working up fast. I'm really enjoying the bright colors after the number of more monochrome projects I've done recently.

I'm starting the backstitching the green area of the wings and working in the yellow along the edge of that section so I can complete that before I forget where I am. The leaf in the upper left is almost complete also.

It's hard not to switch to another project, but I really want to get at least one of the birds done before I switch out. Maybe I'll get this one done before the end of February.

More Work on the Birds

I'm humming along on the birds project. Last night I was able to get the backstitching done on the wings and start on the leaves and branches in the middle of the chart. I'm hoping to get a bit more time in tonight, but I'll be working late so I also might skip it for an evening.

Birds of Paradise

After working on the name tag yesterday, I decided to get to work on the two birds. I almost started a new project, but resisted the urge. Between yesterday afternoon and this morning I was able to finish all of the green feathers on the macaw.

Leetle Finish

This morning I finished my concept for the stitching retreat name tag. I stitched up a model to see how it would look. I had two ornamental shrubs that were conical on either side of my name, but DH noted that they looked like Christmas trees - so a small modification was necessary. I finished the stitching around noon. Now I just need to figure out how I'm going to finish it. Oh, and decide what to work on next.

Good Works

It's been a good week for sure! I finished a lot of testing at work this week and felt good about my job for the first time in months. I was finally able to get a good photo of Ellie - she's not a big fan of the camera. There was a dog club meeting, an orientation for Ellie's therapy dog group, a speedskating race and some swimming. And on Friday there was another of the local stitching group meetings.

At the meeting, I was able to complete most of the work on a gift I've been trying to finish. The rest of the work has to wait a bit. But I'm feeling really good about that.

Tonight I'm working on the design for the name tag I need to create for the stitching retreat at the end of March. I fear waiting too much longer - something is bound to come up. The retreat theme is "A Garden Party" and so I need to work to that theme. The other constraints are that I use the 6"x7" 28ct Carnation Pink Cashel Linen and the following thread colors:

• DMC 307 - Yellow
• DMC 341 - Periwinkle
• DMC 917 - Magenta
• DMC 989 - Green
• DMC 3854 - Orange
• Sampler Threads Simply Shaker Walnut

I have a few ideas floating around my head, but really no direction to take. I'm thinking I'd like to work in some special stitches, like Algerian Eyelets or Rice stitches. I'm not quite sure. I feel like it needs a bunny for some reason.

In addition to the name tag, I'm working on putting together a pattern from a photo of my friend's whippet, Willie. I promised her a while back I would stitch a whippet for her, but just can't find a pattern I'd like to use. She has plenty of professional photos of Willie. I'm going to give this design software I have a shot. It's tough. Everything seems to turn out tinged green. I think I may have to match the thread colors by hand. So far I've doctored the image to get a good head shot in the right resolution and have imported it into the pattern making software. This might be a bit more intense than I anticipated.

Another Finish - Yay.

This weekend I decided to make a little something for one of my coworkers. It was a short little project, but it made me feel awfully good.

I also was able to get in a ton of time on the gift I'm trying to finish. I was hoping to get it done by the end of the weekend, but gave up 1/2 way through Sunday because my hand were tired, friends were visiting and it was too nice to sit inside any longer.

This week is going to be insane with doggy meeting tonight, skating on Wednesday, another doggy meeting on Thursday and the stitching group on Friday. Oh but wait - that's stitching group on Friday! Yay. And I should be able to get more done on Tuesday. Maybe I'll get that wrapped up this week and move onto the birds *grin*.