The third ornament

in the Celestial Tree-O: Celestial Snowman. DMC floss on the same blue-grey Monaco (cross-stitch, back stitch, straight stitch, Algerian eye stitch and lazy daisy) along with Kreinik metallics (cross stitch, straight stitch and back stitch) and Mill Hill beads.

Another ornament...

"Celestial Angel" from that "Celestial Tree-O" I'm working on. She's on the same blue-gray fabric in DMC thread (cross-stitch, back-stitch, Algerian eye stitch, lazy daisy stitch and bullion knot roses), Kreinik metallics (cross stitch, back stitch and straight stitch) and a few Mill Hill Beads. Celestial Snowman is next up...

An ornament

Designed by Janelle Giese, it's called Celestial Santa (on of three in "Celestial Tree-O" in the January 2011issue of Cross-Stitch & Needlework. Stitched on 28 ct Monaco (it's really a grey blue although it looks a little greenish here) in DMC floss (3 over 2!), Kreinik #8 braid and Mill Hill Petite Seed Beads. Some speciality stitches (satin stitch for the beard, Algerian eyes for stars and his cheeks). All in one day! It felt good to stitch again after so much beading!

So one down, two to go in the "tree-o"!

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Fifty-one

Bead Journal Project 2010 is complete. I cheated a little --- used the design of a piece of Christmas fabric border and played with bead placement and color. Outlined in #4 Kreinik braid, which you can't rally see but to my eye, it smooths the edges, much like backstitch does in cross stitch! I call it "Traditional Christmas"!

Now to come up with an idea for 2011!

Meanwhile, I have three ornaments kitted out which I will start on this weekend, I think.

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Fifty

Another week struggling with time and interest in stitchery (the missing beads and threads did arrive for that ornament set I want to stitch) conflicting with the need to finish December's Bead Journal Project piece. At least a week needed to finish the BJP --- and I really don't want to start anything new until I do finish it. But like Topsy, it seems to be growing (in number of beads to say nothing of time needed)!

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Forty-nine

All I accomplished this week was a few beads on the December BJP and eight gift card envelopes (paper). I seem to have lost my stitching mojo so I am trying to boost it by kitting up three ornaments (just what I need --- another project kitted up!). 

Wouldn't you know, in all my stash, I STILL don't have the exact Kreinik braids or Mill Hill beads called for in the cherts. I'm willing to fudge a little re color (I'm using a 28 ct linen in lieu of the specified 14 ct Aida), but I need petit seed beads (I don't have any even close to the color range in the petit size range) and Kreinik #8 braid (I seem to have spend all my $$$ on blending filaments!). So an order has been placed and I will start with the floss parts this weekend --- either that or unload a few boxes of cookbooks (still packed in boxes in the basement) for the new shelf in my pantry!

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Forty-eight

More beading: I finished November BJP and have started on December... Starting to miss embroidery and I have two projects in mind... but haven't decided which i will start when I finally finish up with BJP this year. Of course, I have re=enrolled in BJP for next year so...