Sara's SAL Sorpresa 3 Finale

We have finally come to the last part of this year long SAL. I put in my last stitches a few days ago, here are some photos for your viewing pleasure.

Lots of evergreens...plus a skating ring..

A church, chair lift and a hotel...

This was the last part, a big Christmas Tree...

I enjoy stitching this winter scenery. Currently waiting for the special button that Sara had designed for this Sal. It will be placed next to that fence in the above picture. Sara is having another SAL starting next month, be sure to register if you enjoy Sara's designs.

Currently I am picking up Sara's Summer, which I put aside while doing this Sal. Will post an updated picture soon!

I also have been working on my Hal Bambu. Ticoeur is hosting this Hal on her French Forum. Here is my progress...

A closer look... I enjoy Hardanger as much as cross stitch!

Here are some smalls done in between the big projects. Some wooden key rings, these are freebies from UK cross stitch magazines.

Another small from Japanese magazine Idees 17. This was gifted to my friend to be made into a triangular scissors case. Will post a picture in my next update.

I participated in the last  HoE ornament exchange after a long break. This Round was stitcher's choice and I stitched LHN's Snowy Pines for Becky, my partner.

In return, I received a beautiful ornament from Karen. She stitched for me a Santa from PS. It is a pinkeep style ornament, I love it! Thank you Karen!

I love stitching smalls, you get so many finishes ha ha!

Will update my other projects soon..Thank you for your visits and comments, they are greatly appreciated!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,

Ellen

New Projects

Happy 2014! Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with families and friends.

I started the new year with several new projects ha ha! The first start is CCN's Santa Village. I saw so many gorgeous finishes last year, decided it shall be my year long project for this year.  Here is my progress...

Fabric:  WDW 40ct Parchment Linen
Threads:  DMC

Maryse hosts SAL every year. I love her designs, signed up for her 2014 SAL last December. This year's theme is mystery House Sampler.  Another year long project for me ha ha!

Fabric: 40ct Newcastle Light Mocha Linen
Threads: DMC

Third project started for this year is HAL Bambu. This beautiful hardanger doily is designed by Mamen and the HAL is hosted by Ticoeur on her French Forum. Please visit Mamen's blog to see her gorgeous designs! Here is my colors scheme and part 1 is finished...

Fabric: 32ct Belfast Linen Freezing Chocolate hand-dyed by Nina
Threads: DMC perle 356, 758, 950

With all these new starts, you must be wondering if I have time for anything else???  I did, I worked on my wips. Here is my first finish for 2014, the SAL La Pensee Positive by Jardin Prive.

Another picture,  against my black cupboard... I am looking for a nice hanger to hang this beautiful bellpull. Thank you, Nathalie , for this beautiful SAL.

Next on the show is my progress on Sara's SAL Sorpresa 3. We are already at part 10 of this SAL, only two more parts to go..  I am up to date with this SAL, enjoy stitching this winter scenery!

There are many additions - a hotel, more houses, rabbits forlicking in the snow, a skier....Love this interesting border!
More close up pictures....

I did not work on Dorothy during the holidays, she had been in cold storage for a while. I hope to work on her soon, ready want to finish this beautiful sampler.

I will leave you with a picture of this bag made by my talented DD. She bought the design and fabric while travelling in Japan last year.

Happy Stitching till the next update!

Hugs,
Ellen

Before Christmas

This will be a short post to wish all my blogger friends A Merry Christmas and A Healthy and Happy New Year!

Here is my Christmas tree! This year I have only two new ornaments ha ha!

"Merry Christmas" stitched last year and finished into an ornament just a few days ago!

That blue snowflake ornie stitched on 28ct navy blue Meran. Sorry, I cannot remember the source of this design!

Stitching News
Not much stitching to report! I just finished Paulette's Mary Sampler and Christine's HAL. Love this sampler, I plan to frame it soon! Sorry, no picture of the hardanger piece. I am procrastinating, to sew it into a drawstring pouch ha ha!

I plan to stitch from my stash in 2014, hopefully I can stick to this resolution ha ha! Will have a new start on New year day, see you then!

Thank you for your visits and lovely comments in 2013! I will leave you with a beautiful picture of A Gingerbread Village!

Happy Holidays!

Hugs,
Ellen

More SALs..

I am busy joining more SALs ...

Here is my progress on Paulette's Mary Sampler II.

Stitched on 28ct Navy Blue Meran using DMC threads. This  SAL is coming to an end with the ninth part coming out next Sunday. I have to stitch fast to catch up ha ha!

Next is the HAL Vert D'eau hosted by Christine. Here is Christine's verison, gorgeous isn't it?

I chose to stitch this design on lilac 28ct Meran.

Sorry, the picture doesn't show the true color of the fabric, it is actually a beautiful soft lilac color. If you visit Christine's blog, you can see the gorgeous pouches finished by some of the participants. Sigh...I am behind again!

Work on Sara's SAL Sorpresa 3 is slow but steady. We are already at part 8 of this SAL and the winter scenery is coming along so beautifully.

More evergreens added..

A chair lift. I had a hard time laying the cable ha ha! It still looks wobbly?

I am also working steadily on Dorothy. The flowers band is huge but the flowers are so gorgeous.

Closer view of the flowers, beautiful aren't they? I enjoy stitching these flowers!

I am so happy to be able to show my first Teddy Bear made with the help of my friend Sonia. Thank you, Sonia.

More bears made by Sonia!






















My friend is here from Japan. She brought me cookies and books on Reticello, Whiteworks and Stumpworks. Hope to show some projects from these books in my next post. Thank you, Joyce.

I will leave you with a picture of my unconventional Birthday Cake!

Thank you, friends for visiting my blog and taking the time to leave lovely comments!

Hugs,
Ellen

Another SAL?

Oops, I missed a post in September!

I join another SAL hosted by Nathalie - the SAL La Pensee Positive. Found a piece of white linen band in my stash wide enough to stitch this beautiful design. Here is my progress, we are at Part two of the SAL.

The band is 6 inches wide and I am using DMC instead of Nina's threads. This will be finished as a bellpull.  Please visit Nathalie's blog to see this beautiful design, she has the SAL in several languages.

There is another beautiful SAL hosted by Paulette - Mary's Sampler. She has two versions on her blog. I am gathering my fabric n threads and hope to start soon! So many SALs in blogland ha ha!

I promised an update on Dorothy in my last post, here she is! I finished the Bargello band, love it!

A close up on the Bargello Band, beautiful isn't it?

I am now on the Flowers Band, which is what attracted me most to this sampler. The flowers are gorgeous, I will enjoy stitching them very much!

Too many projects ongoing, I did not work on Sara's Summer. Hope to work on her after I finish the current SAL - Sorpresa 3.

I started on LHN's Little Sheep Virtue Series. Stitched it on a piece of unknown 30ct linen using DMC threads. It's too big, will stitch the others on 36 or 40 count linen.

I am very attracted to whiteworks after seeing Judy's gorgeous works. Currently trying my hands on Italian embroidery the Ruskin Lace/Reticello. Here is my progress on a piece of 28ct green linen. Very raw/uneven right? I am asking my friend to get books on Reticello for me, hopefully my embroidery will impove ha ha!

Love this teddy bear! We are making this bear at our weekly crafts meet. This red bear is made by my friend Sonia. Hope to show you mine in my next post ha ha!

I am crazy for scissors! Here are my recent additions to my collection... Love them!

I hope to post more regularly. Thank you for visiting and leaving lovely comments!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen

Oldies

I have some oldies to show, found them while clearing the cupboard. These alphabets were stitched on Aida years ago from a Kit I bought - The Rose Alphabets by Donna Vermillion. I just love these alphabets but not sure what to do with them ha ha! What was my plan years ago ???

Fabric: 14ct white Aida
Thread: DMC

Fabric: 14ct Cream Aida
Thread: DMC

A closer look at my initial, beautiful isn't it?

These days I stitch exclusively on linens and evenweaves, all Aida cloths were given away to friends.


An update on Sara's  SAL Sorpresa 3. We were given 2 parts to stitch during the summer holidays, here are my progress... I really love this SAL, love how the scenery unfolds itself!

More houses...

A Village Church and look at those two deer...adorable!

I am still stitching on these 2 parts, lots of evergreens to fill in ha ha!


Some small finishes to show - biscornu, scissors fobs and coaster.. This biscornu is a freebie from Casaerba. I love the needlelace in the centre!

Look at the back, isn't it lovely too? I stitched the biscornu on 28ct cream linen, so it is big ha ha! Casaerba stitched her pink biscornu on 38ct Italian linen. Thank you  for this beautiful design!

These cube scissors fobs are so cute and tiny. They are fast to stitch too! The design is a freebie by Palko, thank you. The purple fob is a gift for my friend!

A closer look at the cube fob! It's stitched on 32ct linen using Nina's thread! That red/purple one was also stitched using Nina's threads. Her threads are gorgeous and lovely to stitch with, thank you Nina!

One of my earlier smalls finished as a coaster, love it!

My two DD went for a backpack trip to Japan recently. They brought back these beautiful gifts for me, love them!

A closer look at the box, bag, scissors and button!

I really love this pair of scissors, thank you Hui and Qi!

They also came back with lot of sweets and chocolates for the family, friends and colleagues!

I will update Dorothy and Sara's Summer in my next post! Thank you for your visits and comments!

Happy Stitching!

Hugs,
Ellen