"Grow Your Blog" event - hosted by Vicki at 2 Bags Full

"Grow Your Blog" hosted by Vicki at 2 Bags Full

Hello, readers!  Today, I am blogging about something a bit different.  I am participating in an event called "Grow Your Blog," hosted by Vicki over at 2 Bags Full.  It is a way for bloggers to reach out and meet other bloggers and other readers.  So, to start with, since I (hopefully?) have some first-time readers here, let me tell you about myself and my blog!

My name is Erin.  I am a twenty-eight year old veterinarian living in Boston.  I work at a research institution in Cambridge.  My official title is a veterinary postdoctoral fellow, which means that I spend my days reading through research protocols and journals, writing papers, and performing benchtop experiments in our lab.  I am also working on a PhD, and I am in my third year of both programs.

That's the boring stuff.  The fun stuff is, I also love crafting!  My great-grandmother (who has since passed away) taught me how to cross stitch when I was about ten years old.  I remember going through her stash at her house in Green Valley, Arizona, and picking out floss colors for my first sampler - it was two anthropomorphized rabbits standing in a field, à la "American Gothic."

Since then, I have continued to stitch all sorts of things under the sun!  In college and in vet school, I used cross stitching as a way to relax after hours and hours of studying, but over the past year or so, my hobby has really kicked into high gear.  I made my favorite finish to date, Teresa Wentzler's "Egyptian Sampler," and I have branched out into designing my own patterns, such as this Byzantine-inspired Christmas ornament.  I have sent handmade items all over the place: to Boston, to Kansas, to Minnesota, and to Italy!  I have also spent a lot of time working on my knitting skills, and I have no qualms about taking out my needles and working on a hat in the middle of rush hour on a busy subway train.

This blog details my crafting life.  Here, I write about my works in progress and my finishes, and I throw in the occasional free pattern and photo shoot.  If you want to see some pretty stitching, take a minute and browse through my 2012 finishes!

To thank you for browsing through my site, I am also offering a free giveaway!  I will send a free cross stitched cupcake keychain to one lucky reader who comments on this post.  So, if you like what you read here, please let me know, and you could receive a little gift for your trouble!

Cupcake keychain - free to one lucky commenter!

And, finally, because I am a veterinarian, yes, I have to include an obligatory word about my cat, Orange "Julius" Caesar.  He is an eight-year-old male (neutered) domestic shorthair - and he is an orange kitty, and yes, they are the best kitties.  :)  Keeping him away from my needlework is a never ending battle.

Orange "Julius" Caesar - my orange kitty!

So, thanks for stopping by and checking out my little corner of the blogosphere.  I hope you enjoyed it!

Have a great day!

Cheers,
-Erin

Happy New Year!

Hello, readers!

Now, I should start this post off by saying that in 2013, I resolve to stitch more.  Toward the end of 2012, I got a little... overwhelmed... with knitting, and I kind of neglected y'all over here because literally ALL I was doing was making brain hats, so... I apologize.  Now that I am caught up on orders, I promise to keep you guys updated with juicy stitching tidbits again!

So, to ring in the new year, I am going to show you my favorite finish of 2012, now that I have had time to get it framed.  Here is "Egyptian Sampler" by Teresa Wentzler!

"Egyptian Sampler" by Teresa Wentzler - finished and framed!

I chose a green and gold frame for this beauty because I liked the way it looks with the papyrus leaf stitching in the border.  I framed this at an awesome shop out in Brookline called The Framers' Workshop.  You take your piece in with you, and the gurus help you pick out a matching frame and matting, etc.  Then, they cut the frame for you, and they show you how to assemble the frame and frame your piece - all by yourself (WAY cheaper than taking it to a traditional frame shop)!  I had a Groupon for $100, so my total for framing two pieces and getting a mat cut for my friend Jenn was about $40 out of pocket ($140 pre-Groupon).

"Two pieces?" you say.  Yes, two - because I also picked out a lovely little whitewashed/distressed frame for "A Day at the Beach."  Here it is!

"A Day at the Beach" by Nikki Leeman - also finished and framed!

The Framers' Workshop is really an awesome place to go for framing, and there were also a bunch of "real" artists there getting their work framed, so it's legit.  :)  My only suggestion would be to go on a weekday if possible - we went on a Saturday afternoon and had to wait in line for about an hour and a half because the employees can only help two customers at once.  But if you are reading this, and you are in the Boston/New England area, you should definitely check it out!

I also received my first Etsy order for the year - and I have been commissioned to stitch a beautiful Santa with a few majestic polar bears!  I am super excited to start this piece, so I will post pics as soon as I receive it from my buyer.  Check back for updates and for progress on my other WIPs - 2012 was a great year for my budding little business, and I am looking forward to 2013!

Until later,
-Erin
Less Bitching, More Stitching!

The Liebster Award - and Pre-Holiday Wishes!

Hello, readers!

First, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to Andrea at Finish Friday for giving Less Bitching, More Stitching! the Liebster Award!

"Liebster" is a German word meaning "dearest," "favorite," or "beloved."  Liebster Awards are given by bloggers to other bloggers who have fewer than 200 followers to spread the word and help newer bloggers gain wider recognition.  Here is how it works:

1.  Choose five bloggers with fewer than 200 followers to whom you would like to give the Liebster Award.

2. Show thanks to the blogger who awarded you the Liebster by linking back to their blog.

3.  Post the award on your blog.  List the bloggers to whom you are giving awards, with links to their sites, and comment on their blog with a link back to your blog to let them know that you have given them the award.

Here are my picks.  I am trying to represent a variety of art styles!  :)

1.  Rambling Thoughts on Food, Firearms, and Fun - Wendy is one of the newer blogs I follow, and as a former Ohioan/Pennsylvanian, I always enjoy reconnecting with people from my home states who share my love for the 2nd Amendment.  :)  Plus, she is a "wicked good" crochet-er!

2.  ThirtyOne13 - Robin is a very gifted stitcher who has a fabulous collection of completed cross stitch pieces.  I met her on Etsy and have enjoyed reading her blog for several months!

3.  Hallbrook Designs - Missie is actually my neighbor from way back, when I used to live in Ohio!  She makes lovely quilts and also dabbles in day trading during her "free time."  :)

4.  Starry Nights Studio - Alissa has beautiful stitchery and paper designs, and she kicks ass because she also does all of her framing in house!  That is totally impressive.  Her stuff is GORGEOUS!

5.  Etsy Needle Arts Team (EtsyNEAT) - This is a collaborative effort from a bunch of stitchers on Etsy.  I really like this blog because there are frequently contests including members' needlework, so it's really nice to see what my teammates have come up with!

I am somewhat caught up on my brain hats - I finished all of my Christmas orders last night, so now I can work on my post-Christmas orders (4 total, plus a few extra for inventory if I get bored).  My stitching has taken a back burner to the Christmas frenzy, but I can't really complain.  I am still trying to finish up a few of my personal Christmas presents, but they shouldn't take too long.

I should add that today (Friday, 12/14) is the last day to place orders from my Etsy shop before I go on vacation for 2 weeks - otherwise, if you order later, you are going to have to wait until 12/28.  I have had a great first year; I met my goal of 20 sales, and the brain hats are really star sellers!  I also added a gray brain hat to my inventory yesterday, and it is already gaining favorites and has been featured in a Treasury.

New item in my shop - brain hats are now available in gray!

So, with that, I will bid you adieu - have a happy Hanukkah, or merry Christmas, or amazing Kwanzaa, or festive Festivus, or whatever holiday you choose to celebrate!  See you in a couple of weeks!

-Erin

BRAINS!!!!! a.k.a., My New Brain Hat :)

Wow.  I have been SWAMPED.

It all started back on about October 29, when my friend and co-worker asked me to knit her a "brain hat."  Quite literally, it is a hat that is knit to look like a brain - you knit a hat, and then you tack on 15-20 feet of i-cord artfully arranged to look like gyri and sulci.  I was intrigued, so I made her one.  Here is the finished product:

Knit brain hat - perfect for your zombie-phile friends!

Then, I figured, as long as I had one finished, I might as well take pictures and list it on Etsy.  So, I did... and HOLY CRAP.  The thing has taken off!  It is already in 10 treasury lists, and it has had over 300 views.  I got an order from Italy for another one right away, as soon as I finished this one, and I have had requests for a bunch more, so it looks like I will be knitting brain hats for the forseeable future.  That may not mean much for all of you stitching fans, but at least it is a passable excuse for why I have been neglecting my blog!

If you want to check out the Etsy listing (or if you would like to buy a hat - only $50!), you can click here: https://www.etsy.com/listing/114737296/pink-brain-hat-thinking-cap-hand-knit.  I can also knit them in other colors if the pink is too girly-girly for your taste.

I was hoping to get a bit more stitching done before Christmas, but I don't know if that will be happening or not.  I wanted to finish a big stitched piece (no specifics, it's a surprise!) as well as make a few more ornaments, but between Etsy and finishing up my project for the Handmade Holiday Gift Exchange, my stitching seems to be taking a backseat to knitting.  I guess that's okay - I tend to knit more in the winter anyways, and it's much more suitable for gift-giving because it's so much faster than cross stitching.  Plus, I still have about a month left before Christmas Day, so maybe I will have time to catch up.  I will just have to be that crazy lady knitting in the corner of the subway car every morning.  :)

I suppose I should get back to work - I traveled to West Palm Beach this past weekend to visit my fiancé for Thanksgiving, and I just got into the office this afternoon.  Lots of catching up to do - busy, busy, busy!

Take care, everyone, and thanks for stopping by!

Cheers,
-Erin

Bumping - Handmade Holiday 2012 Gift Exchange

Hello, readers!


Here is a link to Elfster to enter the exchange:
http://www.elfster.com/exchange/view/6974686/020ed2/


I wanted to re-post this once more as the deadline approaches. A few weeks ago, I posted a Handmade Holiday 2012 Gift Exchange and invited anyone interested to enter.  I have had a few responses, but I am extending the sign-up deadline to Sunday, November 11 and promoting the exchange more to drive some more interest.  This is a really great way to share your creative talent with a new friend - or, you could just use it as an excuse to de-stash.  :)

Just for a reminder, here are the rules:

1.) Make something handmade that you think would make a great holiday gift!  It can either be a craft made from a pattern or an original creation.
2.) Materials cost limit of $10
3.) Labor cost - no limit, up to your discretion, but please invest some time and thought!  Make something you can be proud of.  :)
4.) Sign up by Sunday, November 11, 2012
5.) I will select gift exchange partners on Monday, November 12, 2012.  This gives you approximately one month to get your project ready.
6.) Mail your gift by Saturday, December 1, 2012
7.) US and Canada residents only, please.  This is just so nobody has to pay an exorbitant amount on shipping or worry about customs - although if I receive interest from a few people from the same non-US/Canadian country, I will definitely consider changing this rule.
8.) If you sign up for the exchange, please subscribe to my blog - that way, if there are any updates, I can post them here for the participants to read.

I am also working on my wrap-up from my Trans-Con Stitch-A-Thon - stay tuned for details, including 5800 miles of knitting, In-N-Out burger, and great aerial pics of the Rockies over Salt Lake City!

Thanks for stopping by!

Free Banana Pattern and My Trans-Con Stitch-A-Thon This Weekend

It's FRIDAY!  Thank God; it has been quite a work week.

I have a confession to make.  I travel a lot (my fiancé lives in Houston, and I live in Boston).  I also like to travel.  As a result, I have low-tier Medallion frequent flier status on Delta.  There is an established ritual/rite of passage within the frequent flyer community known as a "mileage run" - basically, you buy a low fare to fly several thousand miles for the sole purpose of acquiring SkyMiles to earn or keep elite status.  If you have ever been to FlyerTalk.com, there are dozens of fora devoted to such endeavors.

Why does this matter?

Because I am crazy enough to actually be mileage running this weekend.

My itinerary?

Boston, MA to Detroit, MI
Detroit, MI to Salt Lake City, UT
Salt Lake City, UT to Oakland, CA
Oakland, CA to Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles, CA to Detroit, MI (redeye)
Detroit, MI to Boston, MA

All in all, I will fly 5800 miles in about 25 hours.  This includes about one- to two-hour layovers at each airport.  I have SkyClub access courtesy of my credit card, and I got upgraded to first class on both of the legs through Oakland, so I plan to spend most of the trip stitching and sipping cocktails (even if I have to pay for a few in the air).  :)  Not a bad way to kill a Saturday, eh?

If anyone wants to follow along on my Twitter (@LesBtchMoreStch), I will tweet updates and/or pics from every stop.  Look for #TransConStitchAThon hash tags!  I will also have a post-trip debriefing blog entry on Monday.  I may make a quick blog update en route, too.  I am really excited!  I realize some of you may think I'm crazy, but I have been looking forward to this ever since I bought the tickets in August.

Oh, and because it's been awhile since I posted a freebie, here is a free cross stitch banana pattern for you Internetters.

Free banana cross stitch pattern. For personal use only.  (c) Erin E. Turowski, 2012.

Use DMC 973 for proper banana coloring.  :)

Wish me luck!  This is my first mileage run, so hopefully I am back to normal on Monday.

See you soon, readers,
-Erin

Finished - First Christmas Ornament of 2012! Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament

Well, readers, I have been busy, busy, busy!

I have stitched Teresa Wentzler's Byzantine Ornaments in the past before, but I wanted to be able to sell Christmas ornaments this year, so I decided to make my own design.  I made up a little pattern that is inspired by TW's designs, but I used a completely different shape, added some new stitches, changed the colors, and added more sparkly beads!  I wanted to stitch something in scarlet and gray/silver, because my tree is all decorated in red and silver, and because I am a double-degree graduate and HUGE fan of The Ohio State University (Go Bucks!).  TW's ornaments are all gold, so that really isn't the best option for my tree.  So... here is the result!

Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament, designed and stitched by Erin Turowski

Close-up of center motif - squares edged with buttonhole stitching

Close-up of border motif - satin-stitched diamonds

Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament (reverse) - backed with gray felt

Scarlet and Gray Christmas Ornament, hanging on my Christmas tree!

 I am quite happy with how this turned out!  It is a very sparkly and shiny little ornament.  It measures 3" x 3" (7.6 cm x 7.6 cm) square.  I stitched it using DMC embroidery floss and accented it with Kreinik silver cording and Mill Hill seed beads.  It is stitched on white 28-count Monaco fabric, and I covered the back with gray felt and trimmed the sides with shiny silver polyester/nylon cord trim.  It is stuffed with a few pieces of polyester fiberfill.  To make the ornament, I used the technique I explained in my Pillow Ornament Tutorial a few months ago.

I also want to stitch these ornaments in different colors (purple and silver, blue and silver, and a few variations of gold), but I just wanted to finish one so I could see how this pattern turns out.  I will probably still stitch a few of TW's Byzantine ornaments this year for gifts, too, but I am really proud of my creation.  :)  If you want to bring one home for your tree or give one as a gift, check out my Etsy shop!  I take custom color requests, too.

I have also been working on Celestial Dragon - here is a photo update!

"Celestial Dragon" by Teresa Wentzler

It is really slow going, but this piece is gorgeous, so it's worth it.  (As you may be able to tell, I am a sucker for sparkly things.)

I also FINALLY found some white frames for a couple of un-framed Christmas cross stitch pieces I have laying around, so I will be mounting and framing those soon.

So... does anyone else have any fun Christmas projects they are working on?  If you do, please comment below and leave a link to your blog/Flickr/Etsy/whatever - I would love to see what my readers are up to!

Cheers - and have an awesome day!

-Erin