Start of Cardinal Winter

I'm trying to make two small ornaments a year for my little Christmas tree.  You can see the two I made last year here.... really, I made them this year, but we're going to call it last year.   I bought the pattern "Cardinal Winter" by Little House Needleworks awhile back. And since I finished my 'Very Scary' , I get to start something new.  

A little magic trick I do....and I have shared this with my stitching buddies.... I highlight what I've already stitched in the crowed areas.  It helps my eyes and I can see right where I'm supposed to stitch next.

Here is a picture of this adorable pattern and my progress. I fell in-love with the birds and the trees. I am a sucker for a bird.

***************************

In other news~ We're dying flowers for Science. (homeschool)

You can see a bit of blue starting to show up on this first flower. My son is graphing the progress.

 Tomorrow we leave for a friend's wedding.  I just had to show off my husband's artwork.  On my calendar I had written " We Leave on a jet plane" and drew a plane. This morning I sit down to read what we're doing today and I find this cute artwork under mine. He writes "Going thru security" and drew the people. It gave me a good, big laugh this morning.

A couple of Finishes

I finished my 'mad scientist'..... which is really " The Guest House, Secret Lair" by Bent Creek. Putting a frog in place of the pumpkin so I could hang it year round and I think every scientist needs a frog in their lab.

I'm really excited about him and can't wait to find a frame. I went out today to try to find one , but no luck yet. Also on the finished list is my 'Winter Squirrel'...I have finished the stitching up but still need to make it into an ornament. The pattern came from the 'Just CrossStitch Christmas Ornaments' Issue 2011. Don't you just love his tiny acorn he is holding?! The pattern called for tiny red buttons to go around the greenery, but I put 3 colonial knots instead to look like berries. Really, I just didn't want to go out on a hunt for tiny red buttons. :o)

Another finish is my son's ammonite. He worked so hard on it and it only took him 3 sits ( 3 different days sitting to work on it) to finish it. Each time he went to stitch on it I could tell he had improved a bit. He was bringing up the needle from the back much easier and following the pattern much better. This little guy will be framed and hung in his room soon. Pattern from the book 'Not Lame! Makoto's Cross-Stitch Super Collection'.

Onto some 'starts'... I started another ornament out of the same 'Just CrossStitch' magazine. This time I'm stitching a cute little snowman around trees. And if you look real close you can see the sweet tiny cardinals. I love birds.

Another start.... the 4th HocusPocusVille block. I will post progress with pictures on my HocusPocusVille blocks another time. School will be starting in T-minus 2 days so that means no time to stitch after that..... that will be a good time to post it.