2021 Finishes

I am looking at all the stitched ornaments on my tree, my stitched stockings, and my stitched advent calendar and realizing again what a big part cross stitch has always had in my life.  I haven't been able to concentrate on it for long periods of time since my mom died and then my husband had brain surgery and then I got a concussion, but even then it's always been there and I'm thankful for it.

I finished a number of things this year - and even finish finished one - which is amazing for me.   This Lizzie Kate ABC's of Faith hangs next to my bed and I look at it every morning.  It's one of two pieces I have that I actually had professionally framed.  I finished it during online "Cross Stitch Camp" which was really a good challenge for me. 

My word this year was harmony, so this little Shepherd's Bush Fob kit was perfect...

I finished a page of my HAED Mini Serenity Lane on 18 ct Aida...

Made a sweet freebie from Shannon Christine Designs using Antique Blue 14 ct Aida and some threads from my stash.

Made a Stitching with the Housewives freebie for Sunflower September with FQS Flosstube. (14 ct Vintage Country Mocha, threads from stash)

Finished a 6 or 7 year old WIP - Family Blessings by Imaginating (kit)

Finished 5 patterns in the Frosty Forest series by CCN - I plan to finish this in 2022. (16 count Platinum Aida, DMC)

Finished Block 1 of FarmHouse Christmas - LHN - 16 ct French Country Mocha?, Classic Colorworks.  This series is on my list for 2022 as well - and hopefully I will start the new Fall series when this is done!

Lady in Red by Heritage Stitchcraft, stitched on some fabric from my stash... Monaco, maybe?  This one is in memory of my mom.

I'm actually a bit amazed to see how many I've finished this year!  Since my last concussion a year ago - I've had a number of them through the years - I've had a spike in ADHD type symptoms and sitting still and concentrating to stitch is hard.  I've been trying to stitch for 15 minutes or more a day this year, but it is frustrating when things that used to take a couple of nights now take a couple of weeks.  And then you have to work through the mental struggle of wanting to quit because you feel like a failure and you wonder whether it is worth it.  I'm realizing that I need shorter goals, easier counts and some aspect of novelty / fun /challenge to keep going.  And I want to keep going, because it is good for me mentally and emotionally.  I think I will be making a WIPGO board for this year, working mostly on Aida, and challenging myself to fully finish my projects this year.

On a fun cross stitch related note, I've developed a love for project bags this year.  I picked up three from this Etsy shop - pamsneedleandthread - over the course of the year.  They are gorgeous!! Plus I received one from a stitching friend as a thank you for some handmade cards I made for her. I think I got the better end of that deal!!

I've also been watching the Fat Quarter Shop floss tube channel.  I love watching the incredible amount of projects Kimberly can accomplish in a year.  It continually inspires me and it's fun to see all the new things she works on.  Happy Little Stitch Shop has a lovely floss tube and shop as well.  Angela is so sweet!!

So that's it for 2021 unless I come back and post my plans for next year or I happen to have a finish.  Merry Christmas to any of you that happen to run across this post!

Happy Stitching!

Tricia

{Stitch from Stash} April

Hi everyone!  It's Stitch from Stash reporting time again!  Here are the basics...

Month: April 2015
Spent:  $11
Earned: $ 0

So my balance forward is $86.88 + $25.00 for April = $111.88 minus $11.00 = $100.88

Here's my progress report...

I worked on my HAED Nativity and finished a column or two.

I worked a little on my Stoney Creek O Holy Night... (Sorry for the color cast on the pictures.  It's really overcast here today!)

And a little more on my Precious Moments piece...  There's a possibility I'll still be able to finish this by the end of the month, or at least be pretty close.  YAY!

And I finished my Spring Alphabet sampler!!

Here's last month...

And here's the finish...

I received this chart from sweet Linda at  Stitching with my Furbabies, and I would love to pay it forward and pass it along to someone who would enjoy stitching it and passing it on in turn.  Mention it in the comments if you'd like to be in the draw!

Well, I didn't quite make my $0 spend goal through April.  My not-so-LNS had their anniversary sale and dd in I were in need of a road trip, so I picked up some fabric for a few ornaments I would like to work on and a skein or two of floss for future projects.  One must support our stitching shops a little... mustn't one?? : )  Speaking of which, The Silver Needle has their May Daily Treats coming up.  I might have to splurge if I see something I like. : )  I'd also like to get the Stoney Creek magazine that just came out.  It has SUCH pretty things in it this time!  So many fun stitches... so little time!  We'll see how I do...

Thanks for stopping by!  Have a fantabulous month everyone!

Tricia

{Stitch from Stash} September Update

Hi everyone!  Are you as excited as I am that it is fall?  I love Autumn!!  I like to stitch and watch/listen to football games.  I like the pretty leaves and the beautiful colors.  And I like that Christmas is almost here!!! :)

I hope everyone has had a wonderful Stitch from Stash month.  This has been so fun for me so far.  I enjoy seeing all the projects we are pulling from our stashes, and I'm enjoying making a dent in my own!  Here's my update this month - and sorry if the pictures aren't that great... The lighting didn't seem to catch them right this morning!

I stitched another column on The Nativity.  I'm at 5% now!!! WooHoo!

I finished the chart I picked up at Cecilia's Sampler this spring... Lizzie Kate's Thankful String.  I stitched it on 16 count sparkly fabric.  LOVE the sparkle, but working with it made my hands itch, so I glad that I was only doing a little piece. :)

Finished a little PS design for a gift...

Finished a Sheep Virtue (I'm not doing the border on this one...).  I'd like to make it into a bag for a Christmas gift.

Finished a sweet ME doggy ornament....

And worked some more on the toe of the Stoney Creek Stocking.

Here's my accounting for the month...

I started with a balance of $98.98 + September's allowance of $25.00 = $123.98

I looked at a couple of charts over and over again, but I didn't buy them, so all I spent was $0.47 on a skein of DMC floss.  So my balance forward is $123.51.

Want to see some of my "almost boughts"?

Imaginating Harvest Light

Imaginating Got Snow Reindeer

I'm sure I'll get both of them eventually... I just can't decide which one to stitch first.  I love the colors on the first one, and I just love the cute expressions on the reindeers' faces in the second one!

 Happy FALL!!

Tricia

Another Finish or Two!

Hi everyone!

Just dropping in to say "hi" and "yippee!"!  I have two more finishes!

First Lizzie*Kate's Spring String...

And then, Ellen Maurer Stroh's Bunny Baby

My new start is called Tend Faith, from the April 2011 Cross Country Stitching Magazine. I'm using some pretty hand-dyed aida that I bought on vacation. : )

Happy Stitching!

Tricia

{Stitch From Stash #4} April Update and Giveaway Winners

Hi everyone!

It's been a whole month since I posted, so this is going to be a long one!!

You might want to grab a cup of coffee... : )

FINISHES:

I visited Faith's blog a few week's ago and saw that she had gotten this chart free from Stoney Creek and I ran right over and ordered one.  I had to pay shipping, but that doesn't count for our SFS total - Yippee!!  (I think it is free through the 21st, so you still have a few days to get it if you'd like to!)  I used threads from my stash, so it is in totally different colors from the original, but I like how it turned out.  This was my vacation stitch while DH and I were on vacation last week.  I thought it was a perfect choice to work on in the weeks leading up to Easter!

WORKS IN PROGRESS:

Bunny Baby is coming right along, but she's on hold at the moment until I finish my other vacation stitch...

 L*K Spring String... using my own colors.  

STITCH FROM STASH UPDATE:

Well, I did spend some $$ this month!  We were able to stop at Cecilia's Samplers in Branson while we were on vacation.  I really was good, though!  I came away with 4 pieces of fabric for future projects, the LK Thankful String and the cute bunny needleminder that is living on one of the AMAZING bags that Annette made me...  I'll tell you about that in a minute!!

ANYWAY... Here's my report...

Balance Carried Over:  $55.89

Plus April's Budget:  $25.00

TOTAL AVAILABLE:  $80.89

 Expenditures:

Cecilia's Samplers:  $50.00

Total Carried Forward:  $30.89

Total spent through April Report:  $69.11

SWEET GIFTS

Sweet Annette from the California Stitcher gifted me these AMAZING stitching bags, the matching needlebook and two Mary Englebreit ornaments.  I feel SOoooooooo blessed!!  I packed the bags up right away with all my projects for vacation.  They are SO cheery and I love the orange!!  You can see the smaller one a little better in the picture above. : )  THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU Annette!!!

All right, if you've stayed with me that long you deserve a prize!  Here are the three Sheep Virtue

GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Love - Anne

Gratitude - Mel

Joyfulness - Simply Victoria

Be sure to email me your addresses, ladies, so I can get these out to you!  I hope I can do some more giveaways and give some joy back to you all.  You are such an encouragement to me!!

Happy Stitching!

Tricia

Stitch from Stash #3 - March Madness

Hi everyone!

It's time for another Stitch from Stash report!   Can you believe it is March already??  One fourth of the year is almost gone!

Let's see... where shall we start?

Progress...

 

Here's Bunny Baby in all her wrinkled adorableness.  She didn't get much done on her because I just HAD to stitch the chart that my Secret Stitching Angel sent me last month!

A Finish...

Lizzie Kate To Do List

Here it is!  It's framed and hanging above my desk.  I changed the floss colors to what I had on hand and I just love it.  They are such good reminders for me right now!

 A Stash Slip...

Of course, being as I had to make a trip to the LNS for the frame up there, and being as the LNS is over an hour away so I had to make it worthwhile, and being as I am LONGING for spring and I don't have a thing in my stash that is springy except Bunny Baby...  I let myself pick up this sweet LK Spring String that's been on my wish list along with 3 or 4 colors of floss to go with what I already had here.  I picked up a tiny piece of fabric, too, then got home and realized that it was too light for the white to show up.  I haven't decided if I'll order some from 123 Stitch or if I'll change the bunny color... we'll see!

So here's my March report...

Previous Total:  $0.25

March Expenditures:

Joann's: $2.86  

LNS: $16.00

Total spent through March:  $19.11

Bankrolled...  $55.89

Some Stash Sweets...

I received some happy mail!!  One from Shirlee and one from Maggee.  Wasn't that SO sweet of them!  They were on my wish list and I'm planning to start them when I can bear to look at fall and winter designs again.   I'm usually ready by June or July!! : )

A Drawing!

Rather than posting a wish list for you to drool over today, I have three of the Sheep Virtues patterns to give away.  If you're interested please let me know in your comment, and if you would only like to be in the draw for a certain one, let me know.  I'm going to draw three names, cuz I want to spread the love as much as possible!!  I'll choose the winners whenever my next post happens to be!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!!

Blessings!

Tricia

The Joys of January

I am loving this Stitch from Stash challenge!  For some reason it is really motivating me and I have three small finishes - wait, FOUR finishes since last we spoke - two were WIP's and two new starts.

First, my valentine exchange ...

OOPS!  I can't show you that!  But I can show you the one I received from Joyce.  She made me such a pretty hand towel and sent a handmade card and some silk floss as a sweet extra since my allergies made the other "extra" options not such good choices. : )

After I finished Mitten Friends, I pulled out a sweet Margaret Sherry ornament that Mouse had sent me two years ago.  I made a promise to myself that I would never again do a MS piece on aida.  That backstitching is a killer!

BTW, please excuse my pictures today.  I couldn't get good lighting no matter how hard I tried!

Next I started LHN Sheep Virtues "Patience"...

Just pretend it isn't shaky...  It's really pretty! : )

Then I pulled out a sweet LHN ornament - Good Tidings that I had won when Vicki was doing a blog giveaway last year.  Thanks Vicki!!

Last night I pulled out another UFO - WIP that I started a few years ago during the January Crazy Challenge - Dimensions "Heart and Soul".  Maybe I can finish this by the end of February, or maybe even by the end of the Super Bowl... who knows!! :)

Now a note to some dear sweet stitching angel who sent me this pattern off my wish list and didn't give her name....

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

It was my favorite of the patterns I listed and I am SO excited to stitch this!  I'm going to put it in my "to do soon" basket and use some of my budgeted $$ to kit it up sometime this year when I have the urge to spend.

That was SO sweet of you to do for me.  You really, really were an encouragement to me today, and I thank God for you!!!!!! 

Thanks for stopping by today.  I always read and enjoy your comments, even when I don't respond.  I appreciate each and every one of you!

Happy Stitching!

Tricia

May Goals

Hi everyone!

It seems I need to do an update for April!  Here are my pictures for the month...

I finished LHN Sheep Virtues "Peace".  This one brings to mind Psalm 23...  "He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul."  I love the fishies in the water and the garland around his neck!

I worked on Silver Creek Sampler's Eye on the Sparrow for a little while.  Although I must admit with this one I wish I had started on the words "Do Not" instead of on the word "Worry"!!  I'm stitching this one over 1 on 28 count and it's beautiful, but I can only work on it for bits at a time or my shoulder and back and neck bother me.  I've made good progress, though!

Here's the start...

Here's where I am now...

I finished and sent a charity quilt block...

I finished this sweet little PS block...

And started Promise Me...

All right, let's see how I did on my goals for April...

hmmm.

 April 4-10: Finish and send charity block - DONE

April 11-14:  Stitch LHN Sheep Virtues "Peace" - DONE

April 15-30:  Finish 1200 stitches on stocking - pg 2, next column - NOTHING DONE

When I need a break from the stocking tiny work...

 Finish PS Bunnies - DONE

Stitch one night on Eye on Sparrow - DONE (plus some!)

Start L*K Promise Me - DONE

Ongoing:  Work on Yesterday, Today, Forever at Mom's - NOTHING DONE

And my goals for May?  Finish Eye on Sparrow and stitch LHN Sheep Virtues Courage.  For some reason I'm in a "finish my WIP's" mood.  So I'll run with it while I can!!

Thanks so much for stopping by!!

'Til next time...

Tricia

Scattered Stitches

END OF FEBRUARY UPDATE

Greetings, fellow stitchers!

Today is the last day of February.  Time for me to look over my goals for the month and make new ones.  Let's see how I did!

LITTLE DRUMMER BOY... complete page 1 and 2

Not quite!  I have two and a half columns left on page two.

LHN Sheep Virtues... Stitch Second Sheep

Nope!  It hasn't come yet.  : (  Maybe tomorrow!!

L*K Promise Me... Start

Make one project bag

I decided to let DD stitch this one first, and it turned out ADORABLE!  She stitched it on 28 Ct Tea Monaco over 1.  I love it!  I'm going to be stitching it on 16 ct fabric so mine will seem HUGE compared to hers!  I plan to start that this month. : )

I was able to finish another project bag this month, using the same fabric as my last one.  I learned a few more things this time - like how NOT to put the zipper in - and I am still playing with the size of the bag a little.  I have another zipper, so I hope to make another this coming month.

L * K Promise Me on a new Project Bag

Other Progress...

Here's my traveling bookmark.  I never have much time to work on it at Mom's, but it's growing little by little and it's a nice take-along project.  I don't have an "I want this done by..." date on this one, it's just a time filler. : )

I worked a little on my Eye on the Sparrow (Silver Creek Samplers) WIP this month.  Filling in the red around the two R's...

And here's a new start from this week.  I wanted to stitch a block for charity, so I pulled out a square of blue Monaco and this sweet "Baby's First Christmas" pattern from the book "Priscilla's Babyland" by Gloria and Pat.  I've had it on my list to stitch for over 2 years! : )  That blob will be a bunny...

DD the Designer...

DD stitched up this sweet little design that she made up.  Isn't it precious?  If you'd like the pattern, just let me know!

HAPPY MAIL!

Shirlee was so sweet to send me her HE snowman ornament that was wreaking havoc at her house.  : )  I'm looking forward to stitching it... I think!

MARCH GOALS...

• Finish Charity Block
• Finish page 2 of Little Drummer Boy
• Start a Stitcher's Notebook like Linda's for any new starts
• Stitch LHN Sheep Virtues Love 
• Make one project bag
• Stitch for 1 night on Eye on the Sparrow
• Stitch for 1 night on Yesterday, Today, Forever
• Start Promise Me
• Kit up Along for the Ride ornament

I shouldn't need to spend anything stitching wise this month - but I do love the little L*K limited edition spring kits (flowers and chicks, especially!) that I'm seeing sneak previews of for market.  I wouldn't probably be able to use the fabric that they come with, cuz I assume it's linen (I'm allergic), but if any of you are going to get them and would like to pass on the patterns when you're done, please keep me in mind!  I'd be happy to pay for them!

Thanks so much for stopping by.  I hope you have a splendiferous day!!

Tricia