Stitched A Bit

 

September is here.  What a Wonderful month this is.  School has started, Apples are getting ready for picking.  The American Football Season has begun.  I love this time of year.  One of my daughters has moved back home (she has gotten a teaching postion at the Elementary School in the neighborhood), but another one returned to College for what I hope is her final year.  So there are still three kids at home.  Tthe moving in and out really doesn't bother me too much.  However  I do wish I knew what it was like to have an empty nest, just once.  My job is still consuming so much of my time, I have had little for blogging - and reading blogs, and that is something I really miss - the reading.  I do have to try to set aside time each day for reading blogs. 

I was able to get a little stitching done in August.  



 

Freebie from my LNS. This is a varigated thread I purchased at Hobby Lobby called Earthy. It is a silk.
This is the latest in my Laundry Mat Stitching. It is very small, the size of a nice ornament, so including it in my 2013 Ornament SAL  THis thread was TOO varigated for me, well at least in this design. And I think I should have planned to stitch with a purpose. It was a great little project to test my patience with the thread type. And I did learn a bit. 





 I have fallen a month behind with my Guys and Belles, and I did not quite finish July.  I do want to be able to have this finished before January 2014.  I have only 3 more to go (and finish All Dressed Up).  To stitch these all as one is a SAL organized by Denise at Riverside Stitching.

This is an update on my Monday SAL organized by Deb and Linda.  I was able to take advantage of the Labor Day Monday and do some stitching.  I love to work on this B Thread Cut Thru Garden Shed.

Snow People July 1

This year has gone way too fast.  Seven completed... My goodness, it seems I just started this SAL with Denise at Riverside Stitching

Lizzie Kate Snow People...

SAL - Unfinished Snow Belle

May 1, 2013 Snow Belle Ice Queen

This unfinished Belle is the story of my stitching this past month.  Not enough time for stitching or blogging - work was crazy and it just seemed I was too tired.  This is my snow SAL hosted by Denise over at RiversideStitching.

HOWEVER, here's to May full of x's.

As you can see, I will be needing some creative stitching to make this work out as one large project, as I mis counted and do not have quite enough space to place another picture in the space between the Queen, and Baby - so it will be a real surprise as to what I put in there... But by next month I hope to be back on track with the Queen completed, my next choice completed, and this little space filled.

We are having some wonderful amazing weather here.  Baseball - Little League is in full force, I have three grandkids playing, and of course Basketball never ends for my one grandson.

The girls are moving home from college - They are both too old to still be in college, but all of my children it seems are on a six year plan.  Glad they are not my loans.

Took my first YOGA class last Saturday - that adventure deserves a post in itself.  But I must say I did have a wonderful time, and due to the pressure and craziness of my job of late, I think it is a great choice for me.

I have joined (and will be starting next Monday) a brand new chart, new designer, new SAL.
 Over at Debbie's Crossstich, there is a Bothy Threads Cut Thru SAL - we stitch on Mondays

This is my choice - the Garden Shed.  This reminds me of my mom - and the shed we always had in the back yard.  The random crazy stuff, inside and out.  I had a very tough time picking out this design, there were several I really liked.  I have gathered all the materials needed, I did use some fabric I already have, and dmc thread.

Fat Men Snow Belle SAL -- December 1

 Here he is, my first WIP PIC for my first Blogging SAL Event.  Isn't he just awesome - incredible.  No Beads yet. so the bunny is missing his tail - however, my FAT GUY( Lizzie Kate) is the best.  I started with this one, Snow Friends - and he is finished.  I am not sure where I will go from here.  We will see.

This is my first update of Christmas Is - Waxing Moon Designs.  New Start in November.  And then I have an update on It's Winter,Sue Hillis Designs.

  I have a new start for December, Country Cottage Needleworks Santa's Village which is another SAL for 2013.   

 

My Stitching Goals for the month of December are:

 

1.  Finish Snow Person Number 2 for my FMandSB SAL

2.  Finish Santa's Village Number 1

3.  Finish Christmas Is

4. Finish Winter

 

I believe setting goals is great - way to stay focused and keep your eye on the prize.  This month is a tough one for stitching, with all the holiday going ons, however, when something that is so relaxing and stress relieving as stitching is, this is the time of the year where it is most needed.

 

 

Bite off more than you can chew

There are so many different SALs and other "Join this Group" starting now.  It is so difficult for me, not to join a million different ones. 

I have 4.  I hope to make a page for each one - I figure if i can keep the blog organized, I will keep my stitching organized.

1 - Snow belles and Fat Men - as one Project - Brought to you by Denise at Riverside Stitching

2 - Santa's Village - Organized by Melissa at St. John's Stitcher via  Facebook Group

3 - Crossstich Crazy 2013 - Facebook Group

4 - Heaven and Earth Designs 2013 Freebie Sal - Theatre of the Absurd


This will be a lot of stitching in 2013, and I know I will not get through the year with out starting other projects - or working on projects started long ago.  I am looking forward to these challenges. 

My first blog post will be December 1 for Snow Belles and Fat Men. 

But I do believe this is enough stitching for me.  I do get a rush out of finishing things- which is equal to the joy of new starts - so as tempting as it is, to only to Extra Large projects, or have 100 new starts - or try to complete every New Monthly Series that comes along, I am telling myself to find that happy medium.

There is another SAL - YOTA, started by Pull the Other Thread, which is more of a motivational SAL, to help us complete those we have started.  Which is another good idea - because it is about finishing some things. 

It is a wonderful world - Cross Stitching.

I am blessed to believe in me and my ability to stitch all these wonderful projects next year and not get over whelmed

Sick Day

So I got the flu, I did not have the flu shot, and wouldn't you know it, I got the flu.  Did not go to work today, instead went to the Doctors.  1 hour and half at the doctors office, which I guess is not that bad, then another hour of course to pick up the prescriptions, I have something in the lungs, so there is antibiotics and an inhaler.  And the doctor told me to make sure I wear a hat.  No doctor has ever said that before, so I did think that was a little interesting. 

 

Stitching Update

Winter - Sue Hillis, update.  Sorry the picture is so dark.  Also worked on my Snow Friends (SAL) but I will not be showing those pictures until December 1

 Mail Received

Final Thread for my Witches Pantry, Cyndi, Beach Cottage Stitchers, when I ordered my Witch's Pantry, she was short one thread, so sent it off to me and received yesterday.  Do you know what was very nice - the hand written note, from the owner, wishing me luck on my stitching, and making sure we were all okay here because of Sandy... Some special Customer Service for sure.

My order from 123Stitch also arrived.  I can't say I have any one favorite Needlework Store.  I do try to buy local, but sometimes the online deals are hard to pass up.  I needed one more Fat Guy for my Collage, and because I never can order just one, I also purchased this great One Color Design.  Reminds me of my daughter, she is a Teddy Bear Lover. 

And this is Cleveland, my wonderful cat.  He is keeping me company while I am sick.  Most of the time Dakota is with us.


Time for me to take my meds and I am very tired.  Enjoy

2013 The Year of the SALS

Another one for me.... Thanks to Melissa. St. John's Stitcher, I have joined yet another SAL for 2013.

Country Cottage Needleworks, Santa's Village series.
I had already signed up for Beach Cottages Stitchers, Autoship for this series, so it just seemed the thing to do.

 Never fear, I have calculated the approximate stitches for each design, divided by 52, to get the number of x's I must cross each week, to see if I will have enough time to complete all these SALs, and finish all the WIPS I wanted to finish in 2012, and all the other new starts I have planned on for 2013.

Well not exactly. 
But Snow People and Christmas are two of my favorite things to stitch, and The Crazy Crosssitch 2013 Challenge(15 starts in 15 days, see special blog page for my list of projects) will keep me on track.

I enjoy the journey more than the destination.  I would rather drive than fly, because there are so many things to see along the way. 

That's it.  That's the absolute last 2013 Challenge for me... Well for right this moment.

NaBloPoMo

Having great difficulty of late ignoring a challenge.  This is not a new problem for me, pretty typical, of my personality.  So the challenge to blog once a day for the month of November, I read about first in Dani's blog - well it was just one I had to take.  Now the thing about me and challenges, I am not interested if it is in competition with someone else, but when it is all about me - well you know that is right on time.

Enough already about the challenge.  Well one more thing, being I am in the U.S. and this is the month of our Thanksgiving, I figured I would end every post this month sharing one of my blessings with my readers. 

Don't know if you remember this little piece, I had started in the Summer, and then I lost it.  It has been found.  So this month while I am working on my Fat Men and Snow Belles SAL (see top left of blog for links to blogs of those stitching with me, and updates 1st of every month)

I am also going to try to get in a little stitching on this piece.   I would love it to be finished before December 1st too.  We will see.




So that's about it - well but the best for last - My blessing of the Day - A JOB.. I have worked the past 34 years for a Law Firm - Started in the Accounting Department/then to Technology/now eDiscovery.  I am so blessed to have a job I totally love,  my whole adult life.  Being a single mom for over 20 of those years, this was a must have for me.  I am so Blessed.

Here we go Guys and Belles

Today is the Day.  Here is my stash ready to go for my New SAL .  Doesn't this look like it will be a ton of fun.  All six guys and belles in one wonderful finished piece.  Of course the picture is not a true to the color of the fabric...  And we are off.  To wach all of our process, on the left side of my blog, near top, are the links to the other bloggers who will be stitching with me. 


 

28 ct New Khaki Luguna