Bent Creek, Cross Stitch, Finishes, Summer Snapperland

Summer Snapperland – finally finito!

After waiting for 9 months to finally receive the little buttons needed to finish off Bent Creek’s Summer Snapperland, I then kept forgetting to blow off the dust and put the finishing touches into this little beauty.  I finally pulled my finger out today and stitched on the 4 little sand-dollar and seashell buttons and this piece is now finish-finished.  I’m totally thrilled with this piece – I adore the fabric I chose (a hand-dyed lugana), and the colours of the project itself … it won’t be long before I get this one framed, I think, after Christmas 😀

Bent Creek-Summer Snapperland

Bent Creek, Cross Stitch, Finishes, JBW Designs, Summer Snapperland, Works in Progress

First finish for 2010 & Snapperland

Well, I have gone as far as I can with Summer Snapperland – the stitching was completed last night, and now I have to sit and wait for the buttons and snaps to arrive so it can be ‘finish-finished’ … then I will throw it place it gently into the framing pile for a few months time when I can hopefully afford to order some more frames and mattboards 🙂

Summer Snapperland whole

Summer Snapperland 15jan10

After I finished the stitching of Summer Snapperland last night, I pulled out a Christmas ornie I started stitching in about November time, and did a couple of stitches in when I was in Auckland at Christmas … I figured enough was enough, time to get it finished, as it’s only a wee thing – and sure enough two episodes of Dawson’s Creek later and it was all finished … FINALLY an actual “finish” for the year 😛

JBW Designs-Christmas Keepsakes II Tiny Motif Tree
“Tiny Motif Tree” from Christmas Keepsakes II by JBW Designs
Stitched 2 over 2 on 32ct natural Belfast linen
with WDW Garnet and GAST Dried Thyme
Stitch count 41W x 45H

Bent Creek, Home & Family TO BE FIXED, Summer Snapperland, Works in Progress

Shock, horror, a stitching post!!

I wish I could say that I was posting my first finish for 2010, but alas that appears to be a few days away yet … hopefully by the end of the week (or weekend at the latest) this one will be finished, stitching-wise anyway.  I don’t own the buttons/accessory pack for the border, so I’m having to order those, and while I’m at it I’m ordering the same pack for the Winter Snapperland as I’d really like to stitch that in the upcoming year.

In the meantime, here’s my current progress on Bent Creek’s Summer Snapperland – I’ve finished the final block, and am now working on the outside border.  I’m just marginally over half-way stitching the border, then it’s off to the waiting pile until the buttons etc arrive.

Bent Creek-Summer Snapperland 10Jan10b

Bent Creek-Summer Snapperland 10Jan10a

This last weekend Katie and I had a lovely weekend away – we drove over to Brenda and Nigel’s late Saturday afternoon (fantastic traffic – or rather lack of it – we were there in just marginally under an hour yippee!!), where we were greeted with an ice-cold Margarita on arrival.  We had another friend of ours from work and her two teen sons come to join us, and we were treated to Nigel’s culinary treats of one of his famous BBQ’s.  It was a really lovely night with good wine, good food, and really good company!  We stayed overnight, then yesterday toodled off to Castle Towers to see Avatar 3D in Gold Class … WOW, what an incredibly awesome movie – I was seriously blown away by it!!  One of the best movies of that genre I’ve ever seen, I’d have to say!

Eventually we headed back home again, after a detour via JB Hi-Fi for Katie to spend her Christmas prezzie vouchers, then we sat and watched Katie’s Dawson’s Creek DVD’s while I did a little bit of stitching.  I have to admit the characters etc are growing on me, and I’m enjoying the lighthearted viewing for a change, but it’s probably not a series I’ll ever re-watch again … but if nothing else, it’s getting me to sit down at the end of the day and get a few stitches into fabric, so that’s all good 😀

Bent Creek, Cross Stitch, Summer Snapperland, Works in Progress

Summer Snapperland progress

Yesterday my lack of sleep caught up on me, I think, and I didn’t do any stitching all day – but tonight I sat down for an hour or so after a healthy dinner (scotch fillet steak, mushrooms, fresh asparagus, carrots and baked potato wedges – yummo) to sit and watch a bit of TV with Katie … which means I got to put a few stitches into Summer Snapperland.  I’ve now completed 3 of the 4 blocks, with just one block and the border left to go.

Bent Creek Summer Snapperland 04Jan10

Unfortunately I only have one strand of Brethren Blue left, which won’t be enough to complete the border, so I’ll just replace it with the DMC equivalent in the chart … I also miscalculated quite badly the side margins of the fabric and there will be about 2 inches left on the left and right hand sides, yikes!  To be honest, I think I may have made a judgement call when I originally chose that fabric from my stash, as I thought it would be perfect for it, and didn’t want to have to buy any more … and I figure I can add a strip of calico to each side to allow me room for lacing and a mattboard or two 🙂

The photos look really washed out as it’s taken under my daylight bulb which is quite close to the fabric – I’ll take another photo in daylight once it’s all finished, as the colour of the fabric is really pretty 🙂

Right now it’s time to hit the hay for the night for another day at the mill tomorrow – but gee it’s nice to see a photo of stitching for a change 😛