WOXS 325 and Disney

It feels like it`s been ages since I last posted, and it`s because it has - usually, the publication of a new issue of WOXS triggers my memory and I haven`t had anything in the last 2-3 issues. However, the latest one (325) has not only my cute little 3D reindeer ornament as a cover gift, but there are also 4 blackwork Christmas cards in the magazine proper.

This adorable Rudolph, designed by Heather Nugent, started life as a `flat-pack reindeer` on plastic canvas:

But then as if by magic, he became a 3D tree ornament:

Also in this issue of WOXS, Fiona Baker`s four gorgeous Christmas cards are the perfect mini-break from cross stitch for those who want to try their hand at blackwork. 😊

While I`m at it, I`ve had a look on Hachette Partworks` website too to see where I left off: there have been a few of my pieces featured in their weekly magazines since my last post here, so I`m going to add my photos for issues 96 (Flounder and Sebastian), 97 (Goofy hoop), 98 (Mickey circus lampshade), 103 (Mickey road trip), 104 (Halloween Mickey & Minnie), and 106 (Cinderella clock). Hope you like them, happy stitching! 😊

Christmas Eve box

This week issue 325 of Cross Stitcher is out in the UK so now I can share some pics of the Christmassy goodies featured in it. I had so much fun with this trio of designs by Felicity Hall - even opening the envelope and seeing this eclectic mix seemed almost like an early Christmas present! 😊 First up, I got a wee chart of candy canes and hollies, these were to go on shiny gold perforated paper (I was already doing a little happy dance here: it is not often that I get to stitch on anything else but fabric. Don`t get me wrong, I`d choose aida or evenweave any day over paper or plastic but from time to time, it`s nice to do something a little different for a change, and especially if it`s something so small) 😉 Then there was a slightly larger design that said "Christmas Treats" - it was to go on sparkly cream-and-gold aida and I loved stitching with the bright yellows and oranges, it was certainly different from the run-of-the-mill "Christmas colours". Finally, there was the largest of the three, this was to be stitched on bright blue aida (Smurf-blue, to be precise). I thought it was clever the way the design incorporated the candy canes, holly and the orange lanterns of the other two charts, plus added a jolly Santa and a couple of his reindeer to the ensemble. I loved stitching the banners saying "Christmas Eve" and "One More Sleep" and thanks to the nice big blocks of colour, the project grew pretty quickly. I also like the idea of having a special box that comes out every year on Christmas Eve, maybe with some games in it that would keep the children occupied for a little while on the night that seems the longest of them all...?

I only have one picture of the 3 pieces together (because the rest of them are either too bright with the flash or too dark without it and you can never see the sparkle of the gold threads or the perforated paper anyway) but I love how, accidentally, I arranged the 3 the same way the finished items made it into the magazine. Happy stitching, folks!

Rudolph stocking - Cross Stitcher 312

Just a flying visit this time because I have a pressing deadline... make that deadlines, actually. So in between 12-hour stitching sessions, I took a wee break today to walk to W H Smith and buy the latest issue of Stitcher that has this gorgeous reindeer stocking in it, designed by Susan Bates. It took only 28 hours to stitch so compared to some of the stockings out there that you look at and think that a lifetime wouldn`t be enough to stitch all those details, this one could be an ideal choice if you wanted to make a stocking before Christmas 2016. Happy stitching, peeps! :)

My finished stitching with the (now trademark) bleached photo with the flash :D

The sewn up stocking in Cross Stitcher 312