Sinister Craftiness

Minerva’s Mouse by Just Nan
Limestone Belfast linen (32 count)
Stitched with DMC

Another gorgeous enamel treasure box by Just Nan, and better late than never, I finally got around to stitching this very quick and tiny mouse.

Thing Two loves these Just Nan treasure boxes almost as much as I do, but after a summer day camp activity where he dissected an owl pellet, he asked, “Are you sure that the mouse and the owl are really friends, or does the owl eat the mouse and this is really a stitched owl pellet?”

Hmmm.

It’s been a while, but here’s another Crazy January Challenge finish:  the Williamsburg Stitcher’s Case by Just Nan.  A colorful, cheery design – the flower beds are a much-needed dose of springtime – and a cute finish.

For more information about purchasing this shop exclusive design, visit Just Nan’s official site.

Emma’s Needle Safe by Keslyn’s
Lilac linen (28 count)
Stitched with Gentle Art Sampler Thread

I bought this chart from The Playful Needle in Portland, Oregon, as a souvenir from last fall’s JASNA annual meeting.

Yesterday I was able to stitch all the borders for the Just Nan stitcher’s case, so it’s all ready to fill in the next time I get to work on it.

Williamsburg Stitcher’s Case by Just Nan
Vanilla Gold Legacy linen (30 count)
Stitched with DMC and GAST

Well, my list was sure to include a Just Nan project, but which one?  How about this limited edition stitcher’s case, designed to commemorate Haus Tirol’s 30 year anniversary?  I think it will do nicely.

After yesterday’s list shakeup, here are the first stitches in the Leporello:

Christmas Sheep pocket by Just Nan
Country Blue Cashel linen (28 count)
Stitched with DMC, GAST and Gentle Art Simply Wool

What can I say … I’m a great fan of limited edition stitching projects and of Just Nan designs, so when the two combine, I can’t resist.  This little pocket from Just Nan is just adorable, as most of her creations are.   Not only is it cute, it stitches up and finishes quickly.  A mini candy cane, thread winder, or gift card would fit inside – it’s quite small.

My linen turned out to be a more grey-blue than shown on the package, which I like (it looks like the  overcast winter skies around here), but if you’re expecting a brighter blue, be warned.

Christmas Sheep is very limited, so why not treat yourself to an early little stocking stuffer or gift pocket for the holidays?

2010 humbug series:  Summer Wings and Autumn Glory by Just Nan
Blue Whisper and Golden Sand Cashel linen (28 ct)
Stitched with DMC

These two humbugs finish out the year’s series.  For fun, the humbugs are posing in Thing Two’s pumpkin vine.  He is hoping to grow his own pumpkin for Halloween.

In keeping with the cute bee beads on the summer humbug, here’s one of our neighbor’s honeybees collecting pollen in a pumpkin blossom.

How many humbugs can a pumpkin leaf support?  All of them!
(If you take the picture fast enough.)

It has been both a busy and mellow summer.  Thing One’s summer has been busy:  first, a return trip to Philmont for NAYLE, then three weeks away from home for the BSA National Jamboree in Virginia, followed by a week of scout camp, and he’s currently finishing up the summer by staffing a NYLT session.  Here’s Thing One at the airport, just home from the Jamboree.  He’s not quite taller than his parents yet, but he’s working on it.

All those adventures exhausted the family travel budget (and then some!) so the rest of us have stayed home.  Thing Two wanted a vegetable garden, and we’ve enjoyed tending it and watching his little crops grow.

2010 humbug series:  Spring Frills by Just Nan
Lavender Whisper Cashel linen (28 ct)
Stitched with DMC and GAST

Will it take a dash, a pinch or a smidgen of beads to finish this humbug?

The second installment in Just Nan’s humbug series took a little longer than expected to arrive, as the linen shipment was delayed from Zweigart due to the volcanic eruptions in Iceland.  But now it’s here, marking a pretty end to spring.  The special pin is a jeweled tulip.

I’m happy to report that I have my own camera again!  After the burglary I tried out several different point-and-shoot models, but couldn’t find anything I liked as well as the camera I had owned (which was no longer available in stores).  Finally one turned up on eBay for the right price and new in the box!  It is the black lens model (my original camera was the silver lens model) which led the Gimlet to remark that my camera is now wearing guyliner.  Nevertheless, it’s like welcoming back an old friend.

Butterflies, Blossoms, and Bees by Just Nan
Lilac Cashel linen (28 ct)
Stitched with DMC

My exchange partner received my package today, so now I can show it off!

My partner’s wish list favorites included purple, flowers, and butterflies, so Butterflies, Blossoms, and Bees seemed like a good fit.  This design is full of specialty stitches, which made it more challenging than I expected, but the chart comes with easy-to-follow diagrams for each new stitch.

After dithering between a few different finishing possibilities, I decided on a box lid, using Blackbird Designs’ tutorial for fabric covered boxes (part one and part two of the tutorial can be found on the BBD blog).

This was a fun project!  I liked learning the new stitches, and the end result was so pretty.  (I want to make one for myself now!)  I’m so glad to hear that my partner likes it, too.  Thanks to Zeb for setting up this exchange on the Just Nan Junction blog; it was a great way to start out 2010.

Plenty of stitching going on, but no pictures to show yet.  I finished my exchange for the Just Nan Junction blog and it’s on its way to my exchange partner.  I hope she likes it; I’ll post more details and photos once I hear that it has arrived.

Progress on the JOB accessories continues:  the scissor fob is stitched and the scissor case is half done.  My supplies arrived for the Peacock Garden Mandala, so I’m looking forward to beginning it soon.

2010 humbug series:  Winter Hearts by Just Nan
White Opal Cashel linen (28ct)
Stitched with DMC and GAST

Thanks to El Niño, we are having one of the warmest winters on record in the Pacific Northwest while the rest of the country is solidly snowed in.  Just Nan’s Winter Hearts humbug is as close to snow and ice as we’re going to get around here.  (Not that I’m complaining:  last winter was our big one for blizzards, so it’s good to have a year off.)  Assembling a humbug is simple enough, but the design was intricate with a few specialty stitches to keep me busy.  The chart comes with the pretty snowflake pin.

Aren’t these scissors great?  If you haven’t seen it already, Yuko has set up a special scissor blog where she’s selling these and other scissors.  They are all adorable (look for more of her scissors to show up in my future stitching photos), and mine arrived about one week after placing the order.  Not bad for shipping from Japan!  Thank you, Yuko!