Halloween Ornaments Project, August 2024

This month I decided to make up an odd little wooden "kit":

I stained him black, added some purple metallic highlights, and voila: 

That seemed too small for a monthly project, and I had another project on my list that felt too big to be just a month. So I decided to get a head start on my September project: 

I had dyed some Aida a mottled purple/grey that seemed perfect for the project. I've made a good start and I'm sure I can finish it by September 13:

13x13, October edition!

Can you believe it?!? It's been a busy year and I made 13 Halloween ornaments. First and foremost, here's my October 2023 project, RIP by Satsuma Street: 

I do love her designs, especially her use of color. And I also really enjoy stitching on perforated paper. 

Last weekend I pulled all the ornaments and glass pumpkins out of the basement and set them up. I love seeing them all together!

Here's a recap of the individual ornaments:

October 2022: Nevermore by Satsuma Street

November 2022: Ravens Mosaic Ornaments Kit by Northern Whimsy

December 2022: Moonlight Ghost by Mill Hill

January 2023: Autumn Pumpkin by Mill Hill

February 2023: Persian Pumpkin by Mill Hill

March 2023: Glowing Pumpkin by Mill Hill

April 2023: Enchanted Moon by Mill Hill

May 2023: Vintage Halloween by Bucilla 

June 2023: 'Til Death by Satsuma Street

July 2023: Dark Shadows by Sue Hillis Designs

August 2023: Eyeball Martini by Mill Hill

September 2023: Spooky Cage by Mill Hill

Here there are, all together on the tree: 

I should say "all", because I think one of my ornaments managed to find its way into the Christmas decorations, so it may not appear on this year's Halloween tree. 

Because I've enjoyed this project so much -- having something small and finite to stitch outside of my larger projects -- I've decided to continue until at least next October. I'm still planning on posting updates on the 13th of every month, but now I'm just going to call the project "Every Day is Halloween".

For the "November" project I'm going to stitch up something I saved from an old Cross Stitch Halloween magazine. I'll be back on November 13 to share the finished ornament!

13x13, September edition

In August I made another of my beloved Mill Hill kits. As always, it was fun to stitch. Somehow, however, I only managed to take a crummy, dusky photo of the finished product: 

This time -- number 13 of 13! I'm making a Satsuma Street kit. I love her designs, the colors she chooses, and how spooky/whimsical they are. This one is called, simply, R.I.P.:

I'll be back on October 13 to share my finished ornament, my little glass pumpkin patch, and my now heavily laden Halloween tree. I also plan to talk about my next ongoing project, as I've really enjoyed having these little distractions from my larger pieces.

13x13, August edition

In July I kept things simple -- I stitched a Mill Hill kit. I always enjoy stitching on perforated paper and these kits are always fun to do. Eyeball Martini -- so playful! so brightly colored! -- did not disappoint!

For next time I'm going to make another Mill Hill kit -- this one's called Spooky Cage:

As usual, I'll check back in on September 13 to share my finished ornament, as well as my next project. I'm already excited about the spooky season!

13x13, July Edition

June's project was to revisit a project I started back in 2021. I ice-dyed some Aida and then stitched two of these lovely motifs from a set called Dark Shadows. And then, well, nothing. 

This year I decided to stitch another of the motifs -- the crows on a candelabra -- and make all three of them up into ornaments. I didn't really know how I would finish them... little pillows? Mounted in tiny frames? In the end, I mounted them on and old cereal box and then on some black felt. I added some fancy trims from "the weird box of fancy trims" and, well, here they are. 

Of course, I look at them now and think how uneven they look, but I actually like them. I still have one more piece of purple Aida that I might use to stitch a fourth, but these were my three favorite motifs so I might stop there. 

For next month, I'm going back to my beloved Mill Hill Beads kits. These are so compact and so satisfying, and I always enjoy stitching them. I like how playful and bright Eyeball Martini looks!

As usual, I'll check back in on August 13 to share my finished ornaments, as well as my next project. I'm really pleased with all the projects I have completed so far this year... I'm already thinking I could extend this project into next year, too. Heaven knows I have plenty more things to work on, and I love making them!

13x13, June edition

May's project was this super sweet pair from Satsuma Street. 

I love her designs, so full of vibrant colors. The charts and instructions are always easy to follow, too. In fact, you'll see more of her work in upcoming 13x13 posts (spoilers!).

It occurs to me now that I should have used WHITE paper rather than black paper for the backing... but I still like how they turned out. 

For next month I'm going to revisit a project I started in October 2021. (!!!). I ice-dyed some Aida and then stitched two of these lovely motifs from a set called Dark Shadows. And then, well, nothing. 

So this month I'm going to stitch another one -- these crows on a candelabra: 

Ideally I'll also "finish" all three and turn them into ornaments. This seems challenging; I'm not sure how I want to do that. But we'll see!

As usual, I'll check back in on July 13 to share my finished ornaments, as well as my next project. I still have a bunch all waiting in the wings! 

13x13 May edition

In April I finally tore open this (faux) Vintage Halloween kit from Bucilla. The felt-and-sequins vibe is right up my alley!

My play was to make just the skull and the cat -- I didn't think I could get all six done, and those two were my favorites. So I did!

Cute, right? When I eventually go back to this kit I think the pumpkin or the ghost is next. We'll see. 

However, for the next month I'm going to stitch another lovely Satsuma Street kit, appropriately titled "'til death": 

Her work is always so pretty and the colors so vibrant. These are stitched on perforated paper, and the hat / headpiece are stitched separately and attached after. 

As usual, I'll check back in on June 13 to share my finished ornaments, as well as my next project. I'm thinking of something new!

13x13 April edition

In March I made another black-and-orange beaded ornament, Enchanted Moon by Mill Hill Beads: 

This photo doesn't do it justice; it's much more sparkly! 

For April I decided to change tack a little bit. There are more Mill Hill kits to come, but I have been looking forward to working on one or two of the ornaments in this (faux) Vintage Halloween kit from Bucilla. Longtime readers will remember how much I love a sequin-and-felt project, so it's fun to find something Halloween-y to work on. 

I doubt I'll be able to make all 6, so I'm setting my goal to make these cuties: 

As usual, I'll check back in on May 13 to share my finished ornaments, as well as my next project. Depending on how much I like this Bucilla kit, I may do one or two more ornaments, or I may shift gears again. 

13x13 March edition

My friend Suzanne chose the February project, Glowing Pumpkin from the Mill Hill "Painted Pumpkins" ornament series. A nice contrast with the colorful Persian Pumpkin kit I made in January, Glowing Pumpkin is classic black and orange:

I liked that so much that I've chosen another black and orange ornament, Enchanted Moon: 

It's fun to have a different shape, having done a lot of pumpkins so far. 

As usual, I'll check back in on April 13 to share my finished piece, as well as my next project. Maybe I'll even go nutty next month and do a different sort of project! Of course, I really do love these little Mill Hill kits. 

13x13 February Edition

February 13 is my friend Suzanne's birthday, so I let her choose which project to make this month!

In January I made Persian Pumpkin, another of the Mill Hill "Painted Pumpkins" ornament series. However, I've just realized that, in a fit of tidying, I put away the completed piece in with the other Halloween decorations in storage, WITHOUT PHOTOGRAPHING IT. Oops. But here's a picture of from the kit:

For this month I’m going to make the final pumpkin* from the Painted Pumpkins series: Glowing Pumpkin.

I love that this one is traditional orange and black, so a nice counterpoint to the vibrant Persian Pumpkin from last month. 

I'll check back in on March 13 to share my finished piece, as well as my next project. 

* I think there are more designs, but this is the last one I have chosen to stitch. :)