IHSW and color SAL

This weekend I was participating in not one, but two different SALs at the same time!

The first one is the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (IHSW) where everyone just sets aside time on the weekend to stitching. The second one is a color SAL through Stitch Maynia, and the color(s) this time were of Libra, so shades of blue, pink, and pale green.

I got a lot more done on the Palace Garden than I expected (of course some of this progress is from the previous week, as well).

Here is where I left off:

And here is where I am after this week:

For this weekend for the SALs, though, I actually have a new start!
Yeah, yeah, I know I have several projects going on already, but this one is small (for me), and it was just screaming at me so loud, that I couldn't ignore it. I even used some fabric that had been allocated to a different project so I could start this one early.

This project is called Blue Bird, by Inna Peshkova. I have found quite a few Russian patterns lately that I absolutely adore! This one was the first one that I fell in love wit, so it had the honor of being my new start.

Here is what it will look like when finished (ignore the watermark, this was the only place I could find a picture of it online):

Here is where I am so far, after 2 days:

It may not look like much, but there are a ton of colors in this thing. I have been taking my time, too, to make sure all the stitches look really good. I have been inspired by all the people entering projects to the local/state fairs, that I really would like to submit something, as well! All of my normal projects are just too huge, though, and will take forever to finish. This one is just the right size for me.
The good thing about the pattern is that there are separate charts for the stitching, then for the backstitching, since there is a LOT.

I am still in love with it, and I can't wait to have it finished! I won't be able to stitch on it any more this week, though. My test is on Friday, and I have to cram this week for it. No time to stitch at all! It will be a little while until my next stitch update, but I do have a crochet pattern all setup to be posted automatically on the 1st.