Winter in the Village - new start

I've wanted to do a seasonal design for a long time.  I picked this one since we really don't have a true winter season here and I miss the snow (except for driving on it). 

The design is Winter in the Village (I have all the seasons and will eventually do them all).  I'm doing it on 16ct Ivory Aida in 2x1 full stitches.  I'm also going to do the backstitch for each building once I've finished them.  Kind of like what I did for the Traffic Sampler.

Here's what it should look like:

Here's the first building done:

The Last E Ticket Ride page 3 comlete - update

So one of my HAED BB goals was to finish page 3 on this project in 2012.  I didn't finish until January 8th but that's close enough for me.

The center line on the pattern was on this page so I'm half way across the top of the design.  That was encouraging since I'm averaging about one page a year.  At this rate I'll be done in another 30 years or so.  I'm hoping to up the tempo but I've got a lot of other projects I'm working on as well.  The confetti in the castle was much worse than the confetti in the stairs.  I wonder why that was.

Japanese Beauty #1 - update

I was so focused on getting my xmas gifts done that I forgot to take pictures of some of the ornaments and frames to post here.  I also forgot about some updates of the other projects I've been working on.

I was able to finish the first page of this project around the end of September/first part of October.  As a reward I started another project, but more on that later.  When I started filling in all the color on her kimono I was worried you wouldn't be able to see the flower designs.  I don't think it's as visible as what's on the pattern booklet but at least you can see them.

More ornaments done

I'm almost done with my ornaments.  Here's just "a few" I've finished recently.  Some have the names on them already because I made them specifically for that person.  The others don't have the names because I either a) didn't know who they're for, or b) forgot to stitch the name before I took them out of the hoop. 

Iris update

It's been slow going on my Iris restart.  I'm having a harder time with the 28ct on the khacki than I am on the antique white.  I thought the darker color would be easier but I was wrong.

More Ornaments

Here are several more ornaments that I've finished.  I've done 13 so only 9 more to do.  And I've started painting the frames again for the Zodiac pieces.  Unfortunately I'm starting to get that "holy crap I've still got a lot to do and I'me not going to get everything done in time" feeling . . . and it's only October.

Japanese Beauty #1

Since I finished my Cherished Teddy Japan bear this is my next start.  I'm working on the top one first.  I decided to do it on 16ct Antique White Aida.  The precut size for 14ct wouldn't have left much room for framing with a matt so I went to the smaller count so I'll extra border around the edges.  I'm doing it 2x1 full stitches and I started in the lower left page (there's 4 pages total).  Once I finish the first one I'll start the next one after I've worked on other things.

Here's the booklet:

Here's what I've done so far.  I've just got to fill in the main color of her kimono and then the page is done.