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} September

Hi again everyone!

I went on a spending splurge this month.... well, sort of.  I saw a pattern I just had to have, and I got another pattern for my birthday at the end of last month, so I decided to kit them both up and have a pattern starting party last week. : )

So first the details...

Month: September 2015
September Budget: $25.00Spent: $39.00
Earned: $16.00 (L*K Good Marriage)
Budget forward:  $52.00

Here's my finish...

L* K A Good Marriage

25 ct over 1

Threads from stash

Here's my progress on Family Blessings - the kit I started on 14 count because my eyes needed a break from the 25 count...

Then I started Got Snow Reindeer - my birthday present...

And bought and started this chart...  Not as big as an HAED, but still lots of stitching!

And, of course, I'm still working on The Nativity... (sorry for the crummy picture!)

I'm hoping to start some sort of a rotation soon, but right now it is just whichever one is calling to me at the moment. : )

Thanks for stopping by!  Hopefully I'll have more stitching to show as we get into the fall and winter.

Blessings!

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

Stitch from Stash #1 - A Finish!!

Greetings and Salapuppies, everyone!

It's time for my January Stitch from Stash post, cuz I have a FINISH to show you.   WOO HOO!  By the way, in case you are wondering, my dad would always say "Greetings", which was lengthened into "Greetings and Salutations", which morphed into "Greetings and Salamanders" and has now changed into "Greetings and Salapuppies".  And no, no one has ever accused me of being normal... LOL!! ;)

Are you ready for an overload of cuteness??  Let me present "Mitten Friends" by Imaginating.  I'll even link it, in case you want to stitch it, too!! : )

It is stitched with DMC on 16 ct natural aida, and was a JOY to stitch.  I really love the Imaginating patterns!  And, yes, I did put "2013" as the date.  I stitched most of it last year, and really thought I'd be done by December... LOL!!

OK, here's my Stitch from Stash report....

January, 2014

Amount Spent (so far): $0.00

New Starts from Stash:  Will start an exchange piece today from a 2006 magazine

WIPs worked on:  FINISHED Mitten Friends!!! : )

I thought it would be fun to post my top five wishes during the month that I didn't buy.

Here's this month's list...

Imaginating - Mantel Mischief

HAED - The Nativity  LOL - I have this on my list twice! : )  Here and again in February!

Lizzie Kate To Do List - Received from a secret stitching angel!! : )

Lizzie Kate - Spring String

Pine Mountain - Wondrous

I am saving my stash money right now to buy one of these...

Fiber Hider

I'm thinking the turtle, since I stitch so slowly!! : )

All right, that's it for right now.  I'm going to go pull fabric and floss for my Valentine's Exchange piece.  You probably won't get to see it until next month, though... Sorry!!

Happy stitching!

Tricia

Ready for Next Year!

Hi everyone!

I took some time last night to organize my sewing basket for next year.  I signed up for the Stitch from Stash challenge, so I wanted to pick out some of my favorite stash projects -- most of which are already kitted up!  It's ok if a few of them aren't, cuz we get a $25 a month spending allowance, and we can roll it over month to month if we don't use it... BUT we have to actually report what we spent each month, so we really have to be careful.

Here's my basket full of all my projects except the one I'm working on.  Looks fun, doesn't it??

And here's my current project - Mitten Friends by Imaginating.  I'd love to have it done by the new year, but I'm figuring it won't be until sometime in January.  

Aren't they ADORABLE?? (If I do say so myself! LOL!!)

I can't wait to see what everyone will work on this year.  I'm sure I'll have a LONG wish list come next Christmas!

TTFN!

Tricia

Be Joyful Always

Hello, hello!

I can't believe it has been over a month since I last posted!  I've been stitching away on this sweet design by Diane Arthurs (Imaginating).  It's called Be Joyful Always.  Isn't that perfect?!

I only have the leaves that trail down the right side to finish, and my goal is to have them done by the end of the month, because I have another fall project that I'm looking forward to starting around my birthday.  We'll see how much time I have for stitching over the next little while. My dear Mom is staying with us right now.  She had a stroke last year, so she needs a little (or a lot of?) extra attention. :)  In fact, I think I hear her stirring, so I'd better scoot! 

Blessings to you all!  If I'm not commenting, please know that it is just because I'm not able to find the spare minutes right now.

Always be thankful!

Tricia