Plans change

So I tried several thread combos and stitches for the nose.  Rip it Rip it Rip it.  Move on and do it later!
Her ear muff is all basket weave with Neon Rays+ in 22 and 26.  Her scarf is worked in the Kalem stitch with Very Velvet 223.  I have started her coat with more of both of the Neon Rays+ in the Diagonal Cashmere stitch.

Working faces

The snow faces are worked all in #8 Kreinik in basket weave.  Colors I used were 100-white, 014 blue for the edges, 9200 pink cheeks.  The black 005HL is used for the Smyrna cross stitches for the eye and smile pieces of coal.  Next up, carrot noses!

A top hat

 The top is stitched in Neon Rays black 01 and the highlight is gray 93 in Oblique Slav.  The gold band is tent stitched in #12 Kreinik in tent along with the band for her earmuffs.  The ribbon is stem stitch in Neon Rays +22 red and 26 for the shadow.  His hat brim is more Neon Rays 01 worked in tent stitch.  The berries will be added after the holly leaf is stitched.

Background

I worked the background in Trebizond 651 and white using the Irish stitch.  These two are quite the pair!

Stardust!

Stardust is all framed and the stitch guide is also now available!  Framing by Maggie at Fast Frame in Asheville, NC.

And next........

This ornament is by Rebecca Woods, bb-A.  I am pulling threads and putting it on bars today.

Santa is done!

I finished all of the Bargello pattern for the beard and have brushed it.  I added the gold bell.  There was a bell painted on the canvas.  I painted over it and then stitched the end of the hat.  I then attached the jingle bell so it will be an ornament that can make noise.

Getting there!

I added the Kreinik  #8 003V in the spaces left by the Flying Crosses.  I am working the beard in Angora white 01 and gray 02 in Bargello Line Pattern A from Ruth Schmuff's book.  I also trimmed the moustache a little closer!

Petite Very Velvet

That hat is all worked in Petite Very Velvet 614 and 613  in Flying Cross stitches.

Holly

The holly leaves are all worked in Basket weave with 3 ply of Splendor 836, 956 and three ply of DMC 3347.  The berries are padded satin stitch with 6 strands of Splendor 820 and DMC 304.  Next up is the hat.

All the turkey work

I finished the eyebrows using the same Impressions 0000 with  3 ply in turkey work.  The hat  band
is stitched with Petite Very Velvet 601, 602 and 615 in Diagonal Hungarian Ground.

Just the moustache

The moustache is 3 ply of Impressions 0000 in turkey work.  I am going to trim just a bit more after I get the eyelashes  done.

Santa's face

Continuing in basketweave, I finished the left cheek with the 3 play of Splendor 1085 and then also did the lips with the same.  The highlight stitches in the center are 3 ply of Splendor 938.  The eyes and shading around the nose and under the cheeks is 3 ply of Splendor 925.  The darker lines around the eyes are 3 ply of DMC 841.  The darker lines around the blue area are 3 ply of DMC 849.  The eye is worked with Splendor 3 ply of 800-white, 86l-light blue, 801 black and 858 dark blue.

Santa ornament

This is Melissa Shirley Designs 247 that is a 4 inch round ornament on 18 count. All in basketweave:
I started with the face using three strands of Splendor 1098.  The shading is done with 3 strands of Splendor--2 of 1131 and 1 of the 1098.  The highlight in the checks and on the nose are worked with 3 strands of Splendor 1084.  The darker areas are Splendor 1085-3 ply, but only the right cheek is worked thus far.

Winter and Spring

And Winter and Spring are framed.  Sorry for the shadows, but the sun is really bright and that I do like!

Summer and Autumn

Summer and Autumn Reflections by Loretta Spears, all framed.

A stand up!

All done!  LOL, this was a fun stitch!

Stitched!

This little piece is such a fast stitch!  I beaded the letters and exclamation point with some navy lined clear beads, added some red ones as painted, and found a cool button to dot the i!

Quick and funny!

This is a Kathy Schenkel design that is x2 x 3.5 on 18 count.  It is a fast stitch as you can see.  I have worked the border and background in #8 Kreinik 014.  The checkered border is  #8 003 and 100.  The inner border is #8 in 823. I have to do the beads and the star yet.

Final steps

The outside border starts with 6 strands of Accentuate laid in place.  Then the Flamingo Waterlies diamonds are stitched.  Finally, Soie de Cristale small diamonds.  This is the last one in the series of the seasons.  Next up will be framing for all four!

All four

All four corners are now finished!  The last lesson is next!

Step Two

Two of the four corners now have the rest of the Holbein stitches--on the right.  This sure changed the overall look!

Las Vegas Gold Digger, part 2.

Next, she has a fancy fur stole and a beaded shiny dress!

 Some fancy earrings and eyelashes:

A bangle bracelet too!

Extra long strands for a beaded necklace and even beads on the ankles of those legs!  The stitch guide is also available.

Las Vegas Gold Digger

This is Las Vegas!  She is one of the new Gold Diggers in the series by  Leigh Designs  released at the TNNA show over the weekend.  You can see all eight of them here:  http://www.leighdesigns.com/Grp505x.html

A closeup of her hair and face:

I will post a couple more closeups tomorrow!