Theme-a-licious Jolly July Wrap-Up

I know, I know...I said I was going to stop working on this ornament and just work on Dancer, already. But it was soooo cloooose....

It was also the most frogging I've done on a single ornament, I think. But I LOVE how it turned out. I substituted some metallic Toho beads I bought in Japan for some scattered stitches because I was afraid carrying the thread to them would show through the linen. This great design doesn't need the extra sparkle, but extra sparkle never hurts. =) It's stitched over two on 36-count, and BOY did the 32-count of Dancer look like BURLAP compared to it.

Oh, yeah, I did work on Dancer...

I have to tell you, this piece is seriously harshing my color calm. I did change one of the pinks in Dancer's ribbon from the SHOCKINGLY BRIGHT DMC 956 to...er...something else I forget now. However, when I work on it at night, I look at that LESS shockingly bright color, and it still looks SHOCKINGLY BRIGHT, especially since the chart photo makes it look all burgundy-mauvey. Then I am overcome with doubt and want to throw it down and start over! Or find colors that actually look like the photo, which I really do like. Hopefully it will all turn out OK; I had the same color fear with Dasher and he turned out great.

Spoiler Alert! If you are awaiting official Lottlympiad results, DO NOT click -->HERE<--! Otherwise, click the word "HERE". Back there, that is. I am now officially more awesome than NBC News.

I finished beading the deer of my Lapland Santa, and I must say that he looks pretty spiffy:

I also finished all the stitching on my Eight-Pointed Star.

Now comes the fun part of this hardanger design...cutting and weaving!!

Next up is...
Altius August

Embrace the Olympic motto--Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger)--by elevating your mind. It's the perfect time to learn something new! Or maybe achieve some goals...

This month's theme was originally conceived as a challenge to learn something new. But if there's nothing you're itching to try, pick a goal and go for it. Maybe you want to finish off a project? Or organize your stash? As for me, I put quite a few projects in my Lottlympiad events that fit the bill: working on my Grandmother Star temari, blocking and assembling a sweater, trying a new beading technique with a kit I bought, and swatching and casting on some shawls (one in a two-color technique, and one lace one!) Hopefully I'll have time during the remainder of the month to work on (read: "start") some needlepoint beads from a cyberclass I signed up for and then had no time to work on (because Grandmother Star started at the same time!) That's the plan, anyway! Oh yes...and I am taking sewing classes!! What are you thinking of for Altius August?

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So how did your Jolly July go? Were there more treats than tricks? Please add your link below (to your check-in post), and visit some other Themers if you can (everyone loves comments and encouragement!) Our next post will be on the 15th, when we'll see how Altius August is...taking off. ;) And don't worry if you haven't posted before...just jump in whenever. I know I said I'd keep doing the thumbnail linkies while I had them, but they're too much trouble to convert once they're done, so we're going simple from here on out. =)

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1. Sherrie	2. Serendipitous Stitching July Update	3. Southpaw Stitcher
4. the grey tail	5. Jackies Stitches	6. yana hanim line dancers
7. Karoline	8. Topcho	9. Jolly July Wrap Up
10. Chic Crafting