Another WIP be Gone for 2021 - STAR SPANGLED BIRTHDAY and a giveaway

Star Spangled Birthday
stitched area is 8" x 4" 

Toot toot!  

                            Whoop whoop another finish that is totally done.  

The design is Star Spangled Birthday by From Nancy's Needle and I loved it the first time I saw it.  The stats are being listed for my own reference only and changes I personalized being asterisked for easy notation.  It was basically stitched as designed with the called for threads on 18 count sandstone zweigart mono canvas.

The Watercolors by Caron numbers threads used are:   008 Nerfertiti, 016 Bark, 138 Winter Wheat, 160 Night Sky, 165 Granite, 255 Cornflower Blue,  and 257 Spearmint.  

DMC#5 weight colors were: Ecru, 498 Dark Red Border*, 321 Flag and Bunting*, 823 Navy - Bunting*.  

The Kreinik #12 weight Tapestry Braids used are: TR279 - Dark Multi darker windows on Left home *, 3202 Cats Eye for the Lighted windows.  

Gold Rush #18 used were *GD109C darker windows on Right Home*, GD45C Red, GD136C Navy and then added extra sparkle in the self designed fireworks using an assortment of sparkly threads like, *razzle dazzle Orange, an unknown *Green Sparkle I got through a thrifted mermaid item while visiting Mom in Florida, also unknown maker of two colors of a *Hot Pink Sparkle and an *Aqua sparkle. 

Many fibers were used and am glad I changed it up along the way.   The border colors only used the Rainbow gallery sparkly Blue in it and then I changed the called for Nefertiti red toned to a deeper toned DMC instead with out the sparkle*.  The *patriotic items were brightened up with a truer red as well as the windowed glass bits*.   Also made were changes to the design of the street lamps with a more to my liking simplified lamps and attempted successfully I think, a "truer to my memory" images of actual fireworks going off then the illustrated patterned lightning strike effect printed and designed.    Am so glad as I progress with my hobbies that I'm at liberty (yep- pun intended!) to change and stitch projects my way.  

Also was able to bring it to Aaron Brothers (Michaels) with 2 coupons, a 60% off and with an additional 25% off to get it framed with  the 2  mats and the selected frame which complements it perfectly.  That white pickled finish on the frame has hints of gold brushed through it letting it highlight the light affect of all those threads.  SO in honor of this finish... I did mention a giveaway:

To share in my self-finishing glory and joy,  I'm hosting a giveaway of this gently used chart to the continental US only.  My regrets to my other followers though for this exception but due to expense of international mailings it's unfortunate but too costly.  The winner will be drawn and announced here in November and I'll try contact you if I'm able to.  I plan to mail this out on my Birthday, November 10 to celebrate.   To enter, leave a comment on this post and share what you are most thankful for.  That's it.  Good Luck!

It was a fun stitch and only took me about 3 months to do and that's with sending it out to be framed too,  LOL.   But I work at a snails pace sometimes.  

  

TTFN,

Jane

Giveaway closed,   Sorry there were no entrants, so I will be letting this go in another manner.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Daffodil Run Done!

Note to self:  I used a 28 count soft sage Monaco  I had in stock and stitched
2 strands with the called for DMC threads:  839, 961, 3051, 3053, 3350,
3853, 3854 and any backstitching done was with only 1 strand.
(Since I'll be selling some of my used charts on ebay - I thought to note the colors used here.)

CCS from Just Nan's design "Daffodil Run" is fully stitched and framed.  Yee HAW!

This was listed as Number 3 on my Q-2 2016  list and now it's one more completion I've reached.
Am I on a roll or what!  Sorry, didn't mean to get so excited but it does fill me with JOY!

Note to self.......While framing this I found out it was easier to "echo" stitch 8 threads beyond the stitched design to center it squarely so it would sit squarely in the frame.  The design was asymmetrical and it continuously seemed to be off until I did that step and then it worked like a charm!




This little floral frame is one that PGD#1 and I selected when we were doing my errands.

 Sweet!
















Doing my Spring Happy Dance that this is setting on a table in the living room when my own Daffodils start to Bloom.  
Okay, now I'm bragging just a tad. Sorry, but no, not really, I am just too happy not to!  Another one bites the dust!

Seems like my normal is that I am forever mentally listing all that needs my attention and I'm running helter-skelter like from one bit to the next while trying to keep all my plates spinning.  (Remember that guy on the Ed Sullivan show.)  Yep, that's me trying to keep the plates spinning and going along smoothly before they all fall and smash!  No wonder I'm breathless.

Kitchen door Forsythia wreath 2015- Notice the hanging birdhouse?
It's one  that the youngest grandson,
Brody painted during one of our crafting sessions last year.
The other bird houses sit on the front window sill.

Front door forsythia wreath made last year

Yes SPRING, we're ready.
TTFN,
Jane

PS: My sister in law is doing better.  She's now upgraded and moved to a regular room.  She's lost so much weight and vitality but know that her treatment is the right plan.  Thanks for your well wishes and prayers,   they are appreciated.

The Red Thread- AMEN!

I love it and it's gorgeous!

After my last posting about this I did get the required buttons and snaps from the Stitching Post in Maryland to finish this as it was designed and that I teased you with a photo about with them strewn on top.  But after getting them on, didn't personally care for them.  Seemed like their addition took away from the classic effect I was aiming for with this. . not. .so. .classical.  .stitch.  So I ended up removing them all before I could bring it to Michaels to get the framing done.  This shot shows the frame/colors tones more realistically.

Thrilled with how it looks framed with those double mats too  and how they were cut.  The burgandy one I had them edge inward and the green cut mitered showing  That little strip of white reveal is a nice little bright spot.
The frame we selected is the same kind we brought to re-frame our Adirondack chair art last year fall.  Glad it was still available as the green mat I used for the last counted cross stitch piece is no longer available and went with this newer color which I really like too.  This chair art hangs over the antique fridge in the dining room and our plan is that the wall that has wainscoting will be holding up the Red Thread piece.

Since both of these prints will be on adjacent walls, it's a great blend of style and color and am thinking it'll look nice and soothing, especially with those off white and soft sage colored walls.











The only thing to do now is to have hubby move the primitive wall sconces and make sure the supporting hanging bracket is strong enough to hold it up.  It is heavy and quite wide as seen in this next shot.  Here she is setting on our queen size bed. It almost reaches both sides!

Benk Creek, The Red Thread Snapperswas stitched on a 32 ct linen with 2/2 threads
Threads Used
DMC:  225, 644, 3371 and  3865
Gentle Art Sampling Thread (GAST):  Antique Rose, Berry Cobbler, Cidermill Brown, Dungarees, Freedom, Gold Leaf, Liberty, Nutmeg, Slate, Summer Meadow, Tarnished Gold and  Weathered Barn
Weeks Dye Works:  Bark, Chestnut, Cocoa, Galvanized, Kudzu, Lancaster Red,  Purple Haze and Seaweed    

So now it's wrapped back up in the brown paper protection and hopefully DH can take care of it soon.
His older sister, Linda who turns 69 on May 3rd has been in the ICU and has been very sick going on three weeks now. Thankfully the doctors have finally figured out the proper diagnosis and the right medicine is being shipped from Vermont as I type this.  Amazing since she was seen at three different hospitals with the first saying wait and see it's a virus, the second recognizing her serious condition then transporting her within 14 hours to another hospital that could care for her, thus the ICU admission there.

I'm so grateful for the health DH and I do have and also that this CCS- The Red Thread is Done!

That makes item number 2 from my Q-2, 2016 project list completely done!
Whoot - hoot!!!

Thanks for stopping by,
Jane

PS: Just so you know it's really me- I still have plenty more to catch up on with blogging.
Am trying to come up with a different way of staying more up to date for my posts and yet still be productive.  I'll let you know how it works.   ; )

Back from the framers.

 It didn't take long for the framers to do their magic.  

I selected a whitish frame matted with the evergreen to show case this piece.  

LIZZIE KATE WINTER'S ALPHABET
Started in November 2014 - Finished in May 2015
Stitched on 32 ct natural light linen with 2/2 threads
Threads Used: 
DMC: 310, 452 (for the smoke out of the chimney), 921, and 3731
Crescent Colors:  Really Teally and  Ribbon Red
Weeks Dye Works: Deep Sea, Emerald, Lancaster Red, Molasses, Monkey Grass, Pecan and Whitewash

Since I'll be selling these gently used charts on ebay, I thought it best to note what colors were used someplace, so am using this format to record the threads and pertinent information.  It's all done with the called for threads and linen.  

The only deviation was the color of the smoke coming out of the chimney, 

that aqua was just too brisk, so a softer grey was called for IMHO. 

Stay tune for what I decide to start cross stitching next, there are several on my want to do list.

Decisions...  decisions...........

Happily finished with

two more of my UFOs.  Yippee Ki Yi Yey! 

The first to share is the BBD Easter Blessings all framed.  This piece has been stitched for awhile and laid  placed carefully  in the   armoir that holds my stitchy stuff.  Glad I'm focusing on getting things completed around here, it feels really nice seeing it hanging up in the bedroom now. 

 

The colors of it are perfect in the boudoir which hosts a very outdated mauve color that I 'm not changing.  I just may make a new quilt to go with those colors to update the bedrooms look, Sonya's Windows may be perfect.   I know you can't see it but each piece I stitch I  insert my  name and year into the piece so it's hardly there. 

 

Here's a closer view of the frame selected, I just love it!

On Saturday it was Small Business Appreciation Day.  Luckily I supported 3 small businesses with my typical support. 
Tip Top Frame for the piece above.
A Mano, a local bead shop 's class  that I attended so I could get another UFO finished.  I wasn't able to complete it there,  but made major headway on it so later that night I continued on and was able to finish it Sunday morning. 
oing another little happy Dance!




Ice bracelet completed! Yaaah!

It was very simple to make and I have another ICE Bracelet kitted in light green and coppery red that is so tempting to get into just now.

Perhaps in a week or two it can be started while the making of this one is still fresh in my mind. 


Thanks for stopping by and letting me know what colors work best for The BigEZ.  I appreciate visiting with you and the input.  What ever you are doing today, do it with ZEST!



Jane
Off to pick up PGS#3 from preschool.....