Wow, can't believe that the end of June is upon me. That means that the end of "yarn & thread month" is just about here. I have to say, I could have just called it "thread month," as I did not much knitting at all!!! I am/was totally obsessed with cross-stitch.
Since my last post, I took on a couple of slightly more involved cross-stitch projects, ones that I couldn't complete in a day. The first took a while because it's got kind of a busy pattern. Plus, I had to remember a lot of stuff that I'd kind of forgotten over the years. I made a couple of mistakes, but don't think you can really see them.
I'm working on another one, one that isn't as involved a pattern as that quilted-looking Christmas tree, but it's taking a while. Plus - can you believe it - I'm running low on green thread!!! What??!! Can't be without green thread on Christmas projects. I'll have to take what I've got and see if I can match it. I bet I can. Or come super close. So hopefully you won't see where I switch out on the project!!!
I love this one. It's a great Christmas tree themed take on the sampler. I think it will be cute when I finish it. The pattern shows it as the front of a pillow. Don't know if I'll do that, or if I'll frame it, or what. At some point I'll have to figure out some of that with the larger cross-stitches I've made this month!!
I'm not sure I'll have a specific theme for July. I'll continue to knit and to cross-stitch, perhaps make a few cards out of some of the cross-stitches. I've found a new site called "Pinterest" that allows you to pin things all together, like a bulletin board, instead of having to make each website a favorite just because of one project or recipe or photo. I love it!! And I've found a lot of great ideas for Christmas projects. So, I'll probably take on one or two of those.
With temps in the upper 90's this week, Christmas thoughts are helping to keep me cool!! I'm fondly remembering some of the colder days from back in December and January!!
Jayne
It's a beautiful Monday morning in my part of the world. Rainy, dreary, kind of cool. Nature's way of reminding us that Spring still has a couple of days left before giving way to the official start of Summer. It's a great day to be inside, to be cross-stitching, reading and baking. I hope to accomplish all three today. At least I don't have to water the lawn and all the gardens!!
Up until yesterday, I spent all my time since last posting doing cross-stitch, based on the same design, a Santa Claus. Well, really, except for one (as you'll see), just Santa's head. Surrounded with a variety of holiday greetings. Loved it because they were quick and easy to do. I won't post all the photos, just a few so you get the idea.
I also did one using the entire Santa Claus. Same basic concept though.
After a lot of Santa, it was time to move on to something else!! My dear friend, Lady Caroline, sent me a book that she had. Thank you Lady Caroline!!! It's a book of Christmas cross-stitch designs. They're all fairly small and simple, so they'll make great card-fronts, ornaments, etc. I picked one to start with, based on a patchwork quilt pattern. There are four designs in this style, so you know I'll end up making all of them.
I still haven't figured out what I'll do with all of the cross-stitch that I've completed. Some of them are just right for card-fronts, but others are too big. Those might make good ornaments, but I've got work out how I would mount and back them to make them look best. I'm also toying with the idea of some kind of wall-hanging that would incorporate several of the completed cross-stitches, maybe in somewhat of a "quilt" motif. I'll have to think on this for a while.
I also need to start thinking about what comes next. I designated June has "yarn & thread" month, doing some knitting and lots of cross-stitch. I'm sure I'll continue to do both of those, but don't see where I can keep doing them all the time. Perhaps some wreaths for July? Maybe work on a couple of Advent calendars and Advent wreaths. Hmm. Still too soon to start serious baking. Really, I'm not too worried!! I have lots I still want to do.
Happy week to all!!
Jayne
Yikes, we're under 200 days till Christmas!! Everyone better get going on their shopping!!
Really, I can't believe that it's under 200. When I started at Day 300, it seemed so long to visualize being 100 days into the project. That mark has just slipped by me, hardly even noticed until I was getting ready to catch up here today. It's probably because I set a theme for the month of June, and haven't been as concerned with documenting each day as long as I've done something related to Christmas.
It's been all about the yarn and thread the past couple of weeks. Some knitting, but mostly cross-stitching and everything that goes with it. I've created a few designs on my own, and searched the internet for others. Trying to keep it pretty simple and kind of small. The original plan is to use most of the cross-stitching for card-fronts, although I've also been thinking about doing a wall-hanging or two as well. Right now I'm simply enjoying doing cross-stitch again after years of not doing it at all. That means I'm a bit slow, but doing at least some every day.
I posted several photos last time, and a lot of what I've done since then is duplicate so that I can make more than one card out of a specific design or use a design in more than one wall-hanging. But here are a few that haven't been posted yet.
Another thing I did one day last week, a particularly hot day in Denver, was to ask on Facebook for help in cooling off. I asked my friends to post the name of their favorite Christmas song/carol on my wall. I heard from several friends. And it was kind of a cool-off. It also gave me the idea that perhaps I would cross-stitch some of these favorite titles and then use them as the card-front for the specific friend who posted it as his/her favorite. Wonder if they'll even remember by the time Christmas cards are sent and received??
In two interviews last week, one for a job and one for a volunteer opportunity, I was asked to speak about what I've done while I haven't been working in an outside the home job and between temp assignments. I was happy to answer that far from being a "lady of leisure," I was using this opportunity to recapture past interests and to try new things, to not waste the gift of time that I've been given. Sure, while I wish that I had a paying job so that I could contribute more concretely to my home/relationship/family, really I have been given a gift of time. I'm doing everything I can to enjoy the gift in really creative, productive ways. I may never get anything like this again, so I've got to make the most of it. :)
-Jayne
Welcome to June!! I have declared June to be textile or yarn/thread month in the world of the 300 Days Till Christmas Project!! (Besides, it's just too early to start baking cookies!!)
I am so completely into cross-stitching right now, and some of what I'm designing and stitching can't be completed in just a day or two, and I have so many I want to do ... well, that's what I'm going to focus on for the month of June. I'll continue to do some knitting as well, to keep with the theme. Any card-making that I do will be using the cross-stitches that I finish.
Last week I posted the first three I completed. Here are the ones I've done since then.
I had forgotten how much I enjoyed cross-stitch!! I can't believe how long it's been since I've done it. I'm so excited to be doing it again. Some of these will become cardfronts -- I can't wait to see how they look.
Even though I'll be doing a lot of cross-stitch and knitting for this month, I will still post and add photos of new stuff. The project has taken a turn (to a theme for a month) that I didn't plan on or expect when I started. But I like the idea of following the spirit (of Christmas!!) where it takes me.
Off to design some new Christmas Cross-stitch ... Or Xmas Xstitch!!
Jayne
Another busy week has flown by. The weather here in Denver is mostly weird. Definitely one of the wetter Mays that I remember since moving here. 18 years ago, this summer. Wow! It doesn't really feel like it, probably because I'm always discovering new things about Denver and Colorado, and about myself.
Because I was outside doing yard and garden stuff most of the week (thank you to all my neighbors who have complimented the yard!!), I took it a bit easy on myself this week. Tired arms and shoulders don't always make for major craft projects!! At some point I'll have to post garden photos here so you can see what I do (and love!) when I'm not doing Christmas crafts and looking for a job.
I knitted for a couple of days, continuing to work on the knitted tree chain. They "sell" that project by making it sound so easy and short -- just use your leftover yarn and whip off one of these when you have a moment. Right. If I do it at that rate, I won't have any kind of close to completed chain for a couple of years!! So I plug away on it, now that my fave shows are done for the summer, while I listen to baseball games on mlb.com. It works.
Then, one day, I wrapped some empty oatmeal canisters with Christmas wrapping paper. I'll use those to package Christmas baked goodies for people. I only had two though. Gonna have to start eating way more oatmeal!!
Then, I remembered cross-stitch. I used to love to cross-stitch, and haven't done it in quite a while. Of course, I still have all my stuff -- canvas, thread, hoops, patterns, several unfinished project -- you know how it goes!! I've got a ton of ideas of what I could do with Christmas cross-stitching. So, grabbed the graph paper and created a few simple designs and stitched them up.
Since I'll be away from my craft room for part of the Memorial Day weekend, more cross-stitch and knitting will be happening, since those two are very portable. Since I'm thinking that these will become card-fronts, I'm sure I'll be card-making in the very near future, as soon as I've completed several more.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend. While we all enjoy the three-day weekend, pause a moment to remember why we have it. So many men and women have bravely served and heroically died for our freedom. I may not agree with every war or conflict, but I deeply admire those who serve, and those who serve and have died for the United States. I pray for peace.
-Jayne
It's been a much better week, creatively, than last week was. Feeling back in the groove! Of course, it didn't hurt any that there were a couple of very dreary, rainy days where I was stuck inside. I watched the lawn get greener and the weeds get bigger from my window as I worked on Christmas project.
This week there have been three projects completed.
First up, I had a few mini canvasses lying around. I decided it was time to try something with one of them. I wasn't really in the mood to paint, so I "painted" a tree on with some markers. Added some bling to be the ornaments and the star. Added a cut-out package, and there it is. Just a fun little thing.
Yikes! I can't believe, on the one hand, that it's been 8 days since I last posted!! On the other hand, given my mood and motivation, and the amount of yard/garden work I've been getting done, as well as the rest of crazy stuff that's keeping me hopping, I guess I'm not surprised.
As the weather has made overall improvement outside, I've felt the call to do more and more in the yard. It's hard to resist. I've spent several hours out there some days (big yard, needs lots of work!), and when I come in, well, all I want to do is sit and do nothing. I've also struggled a bit with motivation for this project in terms of what to be doing. It's obviously still too early to do some things, like baking, but other than make more and more cards, I was feeling a bit stalled out about what to do next.
And yet, I didn't just want to stop, so I didn't. I've written a couple of haiku on a couple of days. I've done a fair amount of knitting. I made another button candy chain. I hung some Christmas lights on the loft banister. I made a card with one of the doily wreaths, but I really don't like it, so I won't be using it. Or showing a photo of it. I did something related to Christmas every day, but I didn't love everything I did.
Then today, even after spending almost the entire day planting flowers and mowing the lawn outside and baking lavender pound cake inside, I had a good healthy urge about the Christmas project!! So, I think I'm over the hump. Or maybe it's out of the rut. Not sure, but I was glad to feel it again.
I remembered that I have a tin full of small jigsaw puzzle pieces that have all been spray-painted dark green. Years and years ago, at an Advent workshop, we made wreaths by gluing puzzle pieces together and then decorating them. I still have the one I made, and have put magnets on the back of it so I can put it on the refrigerator at Christmastime.
Tonight I glued together three of the wreaths. So much fun. Really cute. Really easy and relaxing. I seem to remember it was a good one for many ages. Anal adults like me made very impressive little wreaths, but kids could also do it and have fun with it.
Here are some shots of the puzzle-piece wreaths:
Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings!!
-Jayne
