Welcome to a New Member!

 Please welcome a new member to our wonderful group:

CARISSA

and here is some background to Carissa:

1.   How did you hear about the SAL blog? - Through an Australian Cross Stitch Facebook group (Cross stich Australia or Cross Stictch Addicts - sorry I cannot remember which one as I am a member of both). Some one posted the Big list of Cross Stich SAL page - https://www.stitchingthenightaway.com/big-list-cross-stitch-sals-2021/?fbclid=IwAR1I_sgv6TPnIykqTAN7gHM2C9bqDNlsk-8o-z5B2QlcHIVpMIvQZX_RIgc

2.   What is your stitching story/journey? 

I have been cross stitching since I was a teenager. I have recently had a renewed drive to do cross stich and make usefully items out of them for gifts and potentially  in a year or so, go to some of the local markets as a staller holder (I want to be sustainable with the craft - make enough to cover materials) 

3.   Where do you live (roughly ie country and/or state)?  

Queensland, Australia

4.   Do you have a blog? If so, what is it called?

 No

5.   Are you on Facebook (FB) or Instagram (IG), if so, are you willing to share your username? 

Both, but mainly use Facebook - just my email address ckoehl10@yahoo.com.au

6.   Name two or three of your favourite designers. 

 I have not landed on one - for so long my mum has just got me various kits (bless her) that I am still working my way through. I try to pick patterns or kits by the picture not the designer. One day I want to do some of my own designs.

7.   Why do you want to join the SAL blog? 

So that I can get in a routine of the small Christmas items, and know that others are on the same journey. It will be great to see others works and get and share ideas

Welcome, Carissa, I am sure that you will have a fun time with this SAL.

 hugs,  

Two new members plus a very cute freebie SAL.... UPDATED!

 .... Please welcome two new members to our wonderful group:

ROSARIO

and

CLARE

Rosario is fairly new to stitching and does not have a blog but would love to be inspired to do more Christmas stitching, hence her desire to join us.

Clare is probably known to many of you from her blog: Aimetu's Stitching, so she is a more experienced stiching but one who also wants to do more Christmas stitching....

... so, it just goes to show that Christmas brings us all together.

Welcome, Rosario and Clare

Now, I also promised to tell you about a very cute freebie SAL.  It is being held by Brenda Gervais from With thy needle and thread and is called "Merry and Minty". You can find it on her FB page, here.

UPDATE: Dear Jo has kindly reminded me that she has started a 12 Days of Christmas FB group for stitching anything relating to the 12 Days of Christmas song. You can find that group, here

So, sweet Stitching Elves, that is all from me today, 

Christmas is nearly here,  hugs,  

Welcome to our new member....

NIKKI

This is what Nikki tells us about herself:

I live in Maine ( born in California). Married 50 years, retired from State of Maine 2 years ago after working there 18 years. I have 4 grown children and 3 grandchildren.

I have been cross stitching for over 40 years. I picked it up when looking for a gift to make for a relative and bought a kit. I was hooked. I don't do kits now, and prefer Lugana 28 or 32ct and choose my own threads.

Some of my favorite designers over the years are Chatelaine, Paula Vaughan, Lanarte, Blackbird Designs, Rosewood Manor, Moira Blackburn, The Drawn Tread, Victoria Sampler,  LHN to name a few.

The name of my blog is Nikki's Crossed Stitches that I started probably about 8 years ago, there are some long gaps where I wasn't posting; but have started again.    XX

XX Nikki's Crossed Stitches

I am in Instagram, but I don't post there; just read and follow a few people.

I belong to quite a few Facebook Cross Stitching Groups, Victoria Sampler CHAT Group, Cross Stitching  Exchange, Chtelaine Support Group, Prim Stitcher's Society, For The Love of Samplers, Stitcher's of Moira Blackburn Designs, Our Sampler Years, and others.

I am currently working on Scotland Mandala, by Chatelaine. After I retired in Sept 2017, a friend and I took a trip to Scotland for 3 weeks and drove all over the country. I have always wanted to go, and through Genealogy found I had some Irish/Scottish ancestors. I also had become a HUGE fan of Diana Gabaldon series of Outlander books about Scotland.............so I gifted myself the Chart and all the beads and silk threads, and am still working on it. I think I am about half done with it.

I found out about your Christmas SAL after you made a comment on my Blog, and I followed your profile and was looking at your Blogs.

I need some small things to stitch in between working on the Scotland Mandala, and my crocheting, so I thought joining your SAL would be fun, and at the end of the year I would have some ornaments to keep or give as gifts!!!

I do a LOT of crocheting too.....next to cross stitch, it is my 2nd favorite thing to do. I make hats for the Homeless, and have started making blankets for The Linus Project that donates them to children with Traumatic or Serious illnesses.  I also kn it, but prefer to crochet. I love to read, and as I mentioned Diana Gabaldon and her Outlander series of books is my favorite. There is a TV series on Starz going into Season 5 next month based on her books, and she is due to release Book #9in the series, after a 5 year wait. I am so excited to read it.

I have attached some XS finishes I had done over the years.

Wow! I think that we would all have to agree that Nikki has some gorgeous finishes here.  Welcome to our humble SAL and we all hope that you enjoy yourself.

hugs, 

P.S. Love those Santas, Nikki.

Welcome to our two new members....

Jayne 

and

Kim

Jayne

"No blog for me.  I work full time and enjoy handcrafts.  I have been knitting for likely 30 years but my first foray into crafts like many people was cross stitch.  I always enjoyed it but gave it up when it seemed to have to place to go other than in frames.  I was not well aware of finishers etc.

Last year I decided I really wanted to give it a go again and lo and behold found floss tube which has been immensely helpful in terms of getting reconnected.  Funny enough after that, I discovered that my son who lives @ 4 hours away, had a local shop near him and I went in.  I was so impressed at how much stitching had changed with cloths that were no Aida and I was hooked.  Its all been uphill from there."

Kim

"I am in two EGA chapters and was president of one and program co chair of another.   I am no longer working, been married to my hubby for 42 years, live in San Jose, CA, no kids.   I have an ornament exchange party, this was the 36th one.  

I  have been stitching about 40 years and learned in a small eclectic store in Phx. that no longer exists.

I love lots of cross stitch designers!  They are all unique and offer their own thing to me.  Right now I am doing a Durene Jones design but don't really have 1 favorite.

I don't have a blog but sure subscribe to lots of them.

I am on Instagram but had trouble logging in the other day.

I am in tons of FB cross stitch groups, LLN and CCN, Crazy Annie's, EGA, Lucie Heaton, Durene Jones, Hands on Designs, are just a few.

I am working on a Durene Jones ornament now to see if I want to make it for my ornament party next year.  

I saw this SAL on the Big List of SALS sent by Craft Gossip.

I love Christmas and SAL's, sounds right  up my alley!

Just want to join and share and see what others are doing.

I am learning how to post pics, still need to work on that, my new years resolution."

I think that both these ladies found out about the Christmas Ornie SAL via this list of 2020 SALs:

Cross Stitch SALs to join in 2020

It is well worth having a look.

Also, I have created a new badge for the SAL for 2020, please feel free to download and add it to the sidebar of your blog.

On a sadder note, I would like to ask for your prayers for those affected by the almost apocalyptic bushfires that we are currently experiencing in Australia. A number of people have lost their lives and many more have lost their homes.

Click on the two images below to read articles about the size of the bushfires and the extent of the devastation.

Many species of Australian animals are at risk due to the sheer size of the fires, including our beloved koalas:

Luckily, TraderVic and I are safe at the moment here in Eaglemont, although only three or four suburbs away a few metropolitan suburbs were at risk last weekend.

So, please send your prayers out to all those brave firefighters and to the families who have lost family members and/or their homes.

hugs,