My First 2015 Finish!!

WooHoo!!  The stocking is finished!! : )  It's all ready to be ironed and made into a stocking for next Christmas.  YAY!!  Tonight I'll start on the next WIP in my pile  - this sweet Precious Moments piece...

I want to send it to Love Quilts, so I probably won't do the words.  I have just a tiny bit of her face and her done at the moment, but I'm hoping I can finish it this month!! : )

Thanks for stopping by!!

Tricia

YOTA and Mid-January Update

Hi everyone!

Today is the first Year of the Acronym (YOTA) update!  I've been working on my chosen piece - Stoney Creek's O Holy Night, that I started back in 2012. I decided that I would stitch on it for about 30 minutes each morning and see how much I get accomplished.  Here' my before...

And here's my after...

I'm so excited to be working on it again.  It will be so pretty!!

In non-YOTA stitching I've been working on the Stoney Creek Stocking that I would like to have done for Christmas this year.  I've been working on this one for about 2 or 2 1/2 hours each night and I just finished the bottom page yesterday.  Maybe I can come close to finishing it this month!!

Thanks for stopping by today!  

Tricia

{Stitch from Stash} November

Good morning!  I thought I had better post my SFS update before I forgot!  I had a good month and didn't spend a thing. : )  YAY!!  I still have my eye on a few things that I might get before the end of the year, but we'll see.

Here's my progress since my last update.  I haven't touched my HAED's much during the past couple weeks, but I've made some progress on the stocking...

the Dimensions Nativity...

And even the Necessities Sampler!!  

So here's my report...

I started with a balance of $120.51 + November's allowance of $25.00 = $145.51 in account. : )

I'm doing pretty well with my 5 project rotation/choice.  I can always find something in the group that looks fun to stitch.  The piece I'm really wishing for on my wish list right now is the DesignWorks Oh Holy Night that looks like this...

It looks so happy!! : )  So maybe if I can finish one of my pieces this month I'll let myself order it.  We'll see!!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Tricia

Stitching Fun and Frustrations!

Hi everyone!

Do any of you have trouble with stitching a certain designer's work?  I just LOVE Lizzie Kate and Little House Needleworks and Country Cottage Stitching designs, but every time I stitch one of them I end up frogging and frogging and frogging.  Every. Single. Time.  Why is that???  They are not hard charts.  There are not a lot of color changes.  They should be easy relaxing stitches!!!  Take this lovely little piece here.  Notice where I stopped??

Yes, the bottom of the X.  Only when I picked it up again, I assumed it was the bottom of the Y and so that's what I stitched.  And then I stitched the Z and the little tree under that and the little house under that....  You get the picture. : )  Sigh.

I think I need to stick with pieces like this instead...

I just love how my HAED Nativity looks!!   I worked some on the Mini Mailbox, too, but I think I'll save pictures until I have something to show you other than a blob of pink.

Here's my progress on the Stoney Creek stocking.  I'm enjoying this one, too, for the most part!

My daughter has been after me to make out my Christmas wish list, and I'm adding a few charts and some fabric here and there.  How fun!  And Nancy keeps posting more Christmas giveaways which is fun, too!  Here are a couple more of my favorites...

DAY THREE - Floss

DAY FIVE - Hand-Dyed Fabric

DAY SEVEN - $25 Gift Certificate to Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

Have a splendid day!  

Tricia

A New Page Started!

I've been recovering from whatever cold/flu thing got me a couple weeks ago, and since I couldn't do this...

I decided to rest by stitching!

I worked a little on my new Christmas kit...

And added a few letters to my LHN Necessities Sampler...

And worked quite a bit on my Stoney Creek Stocking...

Then I played a bit setting up my new box with my HAED projects..  Isn't it pretty??

Here's the inside...

And this little box holds all the extra threads I needed that aren't on bobbins yet.

I just adore my new little Vera Bradley Kiss and Make Up case.  I have it filled with all my stitching necessities and I can grab it and take it with wherever I happen to be stitching. 

So I stitched a little bit on my HAED Mini Christmas mailbox... (which will look like a big blob of pink for quite awhile!)

And I started a new page on my HAED Nativity!  I've stitched around 11,200 stitches, and just started page 3. : )

Christmas movies start on the Hallmark channel on Friday, so I should be getting more stitching time in soon!! : )

TTFN!

Tricia

Mid - October Update

It's raining here and I have chocolate chip muffins cooking in the oven, so it seemed like a good time to update my blog.  I think I've decided that cross stitch is one of my comfort foods. :)  No, I don't eat it, but if I'm feeling a little low I love to look through my stash, window shop online, or make grand plans about next year's stitching.  I might actually even stitch a little! :)

Here's my update...

Page Two of HAED Nativity is finished! WooHoo!!!

The toe of the stocking is finished and I've worked on the band.  Little by little!!

Just a quick letter here and there when I need a stitch I don't have to think about too hard. : )

I've been having a needtobuysomething urge lately.  First I saw this...

... which is SO me.  I haven't bought it yet, because I am not sure I should have 2 HAED's going on at once, but I love it and would love to stitch it!

Then I saw this...

...which looks so fun, since I love Christmas stitching.  I didn't buy that either.

Then I saw this Petite Dimensions Gold kit on eBay.

Another sweet Christmas stitch.  I did buy this one.... : )

My Stitch from Stash account is over $100.00, I think, so I might cave in and place a small order just to get it out of my system.  But as soon as I say that, I am paralyzed, because I can't choose what to get.  LOL!!!  Should I start another HAED?  Should I just get fabric and floss and kit up a bunch of charts in my stash?  Should I buy the Christmas kit up there?  Or the two charts from my last post?  Or should I get one of those Vera Bradley Kiss and Makeup bags to stash with all the stitching goodies I always wish I had with me?  Or should I call Shepherd's Bush and see if they would kit up a fob for me with aida, since I'm allergic to linen???

Decisions, decisions!  I'm going to go ponder....

: )

Have a splendiforous day!

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

Catching Up

Hello again!

It's time for a progress report!

First up...  HAED Little Drummer Boy Stocking

It's coming along!  I got most of the next column done.  Now i'm back in the solid confetti section, but most of my threads are parked, so it should go fairly quickly... as long as I parked them in the right place, which is sometimes a question!

Next...  Dimensions Kit:  Heart and Soul

More flowers and outlining done.  I'm definitely in the mood for a new start from my basket, so I need to really, really work on being good and sticking with these until one is complete!

Then there is this Margaret Sherry kit called "Good Heavens" that is calling my name, but I can only find it in the UK...

http://www.dkhcreations.co.uk/margaret-sherry---good-heavens-1380-p.asp

If anyone happens to have it in their stash and wants to find it a new home, let me know.  I should really be sure I have all my Christmas presents bought before I buy myself any more cross stitch! : )

Thanks so much for stopping by!  I know I've been horrible at keeping up with everyone, but I do read your blogs, I just don't always find time to comment. : )

Have a lovely day!

Tricia

Working on WIP's and Lots of Goals

Hello friends!!

First ... Congratulations to Carol!  I'll be passing the Give Thanks chart on to you to stitch next. : )

In other stitching news...

No finishes to show this week.  I actually pulled out two WIP's from my piles (GASP) and set one in each of my "relax in the evenings" rooms.  My HAED stocking is in the Living Room where I watch football with DH on Sundays and Mondays, and sometimes baseball during the week.  Remember this stocking?

 I haven't stitched on it since April!  Here's my progress now... (It's a crummy picture... SORRY!)

I only managed 400 stitches or so, but I am so glad to have finished that chunk of confetti stitching at the bottom of the column!!  YAY!

The next WIP I pulled out I hadn't touched since February... of 2012!!!  It's the one in the upper left.  This is the one I stitch on when DD and I have Jane Austen or old movie marathons.  I remember why I stopped working on it.  It's a kit and the floss is definitely NOT DMC.  It shreds horribly!!! : ( 

Here's my progress...

I do love the colors in that one! : )

I went through my patterns and WIP's and such the other day and picked out a number that I would like to work on this next little while.  I definitely couldn't finish all of them in that time since a number of them are bigger projects, but maybe if I finish a few of them before Christmas I'll have my Crazy January 15 all picked out.  I didn't do the Crazy January challenge last year, but looking back at 2012, I really did well on completing most of those projects, so I think I might try it again this coming year.

Here's my list...  (The ** are WIP's)

1.  HAED Little Drummer Boy Stocking**

2.  Dimensions Heart & Soul **

3.  Stoney Creek Winter Sanctuary Stocking (Need fabric)

4.  LHN Patience Sheep (Kitted)

5.  LHN Wisdom Sheep (Kitted)

6.  LK A Good Marriage (Need fabric and floss)

7.  Precious Moments January Snowdrop (charity) (Kitted)

8.  PM March or November (charity) (Need fabric)

9.  Bent Creek Gobble (Need fabric)

10.  HE Ornament - Along for the Ride (Kitted)

11. Live Within Your Harvest Bookmark (Kitted)

12.  LK Promise Me (Need fabric)

13.  Stoney Creek "O Holy Night" **

14.  HAED Christmas Mailbox (Need fabric & floss)

15. MS Ornament **

16.  Dimensions Twilight Bridge **

17.  LHN Acorn Hill **

18.  LHN Kindness (Kitted)

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

A New Project

Hi everyone!

END OF JANUARY REPORT
Here's my end of January progress on my stocking and my "take to Mom's" bookmark...

Plus I finished Hope & Shepherd's Watched.  

NEW STASH - sort of : )

I had a happy mail day the other day that brought the fixin's for the new Lizzie Kate Promise Me chart. : )  AND, I bought it with a gift certificate so it doesn't count as new stash... or something like that. : )  I hope to start it as soon as I finish page one of the stocking.

NEW PROJECT!

Now for my new project!  I have had a project bag on my list of things to do since last summer, so today I decided to take the plunge and try it.  I used this tutorial on Karen's blog - Thanks Karen! - to get me started and just changed the fabric size to make the bag bigger.  I misfigured a little, though, cuz it won't fit a full magazine or HAED pattern page, so I'll have to make the next one bigger, BUT, it's perfect for all my littler projects like Promise Me, or my LHN charts or ornaments!!  AND... the fun part is that I had all the "ingredients" for the bag in my stash, and all I need to make another one is another zipper and maybe a zipper pull.  My dd has already asked for one for Christmas.  : )

FEBRUARY PLANS

Let's see... for February I would like to...

• Finish pages 1 and 2 of the stocking
• Finish the next LHN Sheep Virtues - end of the month
• Start Promise Me
• Start Yesterday, Today, Forever
• Make one more project bag

Happy stitching and thanks for stopping by!

Tricia