Words in the Snow, Dragons and More

There seems to be an epidemic of stitching blog give-aways lately! Here’s a run down of the one’s I’ve come across that are still open:

• Annette’s Acre – Annette is having a draw for books (which I love), pop over to enter before October 18th
• Annette’s Acre – Annette is also having a draw for some knitting things (I didn’t enter this one since most of the yarn is wool.)
• Dip Diddly Designs – Jolene is giving away the Blackbird Designs’ Midnight Ride, as well as the fibres and fabric; enter before October 7th
• Deep Inside Missy – Missy Ann will be having 13 days of giveaways starting October 19th, head over there to learn more

Do you know of a give-away I missed?  Let me know!

Now, on to my stitching!

I have finished Part 4 of Sampler de Noel, but because I’m me I have somehow misplaced it.  I’m sure it will turn up in a day or two… I hope.

Baby Man’s stocking is coming along great.  As you can see, one of the words at Santa’s feet is done.  And the way he has been behaving recently, I’m thinking I should just leave out the work “nice”.  Actually, he is a very good little boy, but he is starting to get frustrated by all the things that he just can’t do even though he wants too.  Being small is tough.

Naughty or Nice Stocking by Dimensions

I’ve also started some Halloween stitching, since it is that time of year.

Halloween by La-D-Da

It is Halloween by La-D-Da from the Halloween ornament issue of Just Cross Stitch.  The fabric is a 32ct linen, maybe natural or something very like that.  I’m stitching it using Dinky Dyes Black Coral and DMC colour variations 4124.  After I finished the pumpkin I realized that it might look more real (I use that term loosely) if I had stitched it up and down rather than side to side, but I still like it.  Besides, I see Erica did the same thing I did.  Has anyone else stitched this?  How did you stitch your pumpkin, and what threads did you use?

I’ve also finally finished Dizzy Busy Bees. I think the block I bought is too big, but that’s okay.  I’m hoping I will find some sort of pom-pom bee or something to finish it off.

Dizzy Busy Bees by Sweetheart Tree

Dizzy Busy Bees back

The fabric on the back says “Quilting Bee”.  Not exactly right, but the colours are a great match and it was the only bee fabric my mom and I were able to find.  We looked everywhere in two different cities.  Clearly, bee fabric is not in vogue this year.  I say that now, but I will probably find it all over the place at the Creativ Festival next week.

And a little bit of good news.  I finally got something from the Fantasy Exchange.  The lady who was supposed to send to me wasn’t able to fulfil her obligation for various reasons, so she sent to me the package that was sent to her from Zeb of geekchixxx.com. As you may remember, it was Zeb that I sent my exchange too.

The design is Teresa Wentzler’s You Were Hatched, one of the designs I most want to have.  And now I do, finished as a needlebook.  The rest of the goodies are great, including a lovely shell necklace, a skein of Waterlilies and floss.  I’m so glad that the exchange worked out well in the end.

Oh, one more thing!  I’ve finished book 5 and 6 in the 10 Book Reading Challenge from Reading and Stitching.  They were Norstrilia by Cordwainer Smith (aka Paul Linebarger) and Empire by Orson Scott Card.  Norstrilia is a great old-fashioned sci-fi novel and about a boy who buys Earth, sort of.  I highly recommend it.  Empire, on the other hand, is a miss.

Right now I’m about half way through Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange.  Yes, I do read a lot, and very quickly.  Anyway, it is a really good book and I can’t help but envision the actors from the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice when reading it. Oh, Colin Firth.  (Why, yes, I do like that name. 😉 )

Tomorrow, knitting updates!