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

Stitching update, and Grandkid Christmas Craft Day 1

Some updated WIPS  Witches, So the top half is complete, well all but the inside of the moon circle - that is like a two hour job - or it will feel like one, it is all the same color, and will seem to me like a whole lot of stitching, and no change.  I save areas like these for Car stitching, or Dr. Office stitching. 

I worked on this project, on Satuday and Sunday.  The beginning of the week I worked on Silvery Moon.  I did about 1000 stitches on her.  If you look at the bottom right, you can see the end of the chart.... That is a wonderful thing, as the page has been defined, and I know exactly how much more I need to stitch....  That makes me smile.  She has been put away now until end of September, but I am confident, I will finish her.   My current project is the Papillion Around the World in 80 Stitches, I do not have a before picture - I really only have about 80 stitches into it - but am going to try to make a dent in part 1 - they are up to part 5, and I am not comfortable being this far behind.  We will see. 

  Check out this beautiful little Hersey's Kiss Tree.  My girlfriend is making these as center pieces for her daughters wedding.  I am loving it.  So I have decided this will be a Grandkids Craft Day event.  We will make one for each family - by then the Hersey's Red and Green Kisses will be out - they are just toothpicked into the cone.  I have seen this before, but have never done it.  I bet the most expensive thing will be the kisses for sure.  SO this will be the craft for the older kids - I will have to be on Kiss Control as I want to make sure the kisses do make it to the tree. 

 

 

 

LNS plus Pictures

The Stitchers Garden was amazingly wonderful.  I learned so much about Medieval from Tanya and Chatelaine stitching, I was taking notes.  And the Shop Owner, was just so helpful.  But first some wips.

 

I babysit for my son's dog all week, so I had an extra bit of running around, his dog, does not like my cats at all -so the dog had to stay home.  So what does all this have to do with my stitching - well, while I was with the dog - I stitched on Witches - it took less concentration, so the first picture is my update on Witches.  This looks a little wrinkly, my next picture will look better, promise.  But the words are finished.  Excellent, I hate the word stitching.  I do want to finish this by Halloween, so I will be spending time on her each week.

And here is my very first WIP of  Medieval. This is the very center of the design.  If you can tell, it is a fountain and water will be shooting out of it, but I will add that later.  I am so proud of me, as I had never done Rhodes Stitches before - yes I am serious, and I learned something new..... Yes Sir, old brain, new stuff.   I did not even know there were stitches called Rhodes.  I also used petite treasure braid for the first time.  (purchased from Stitchers Garden).  What a wonderful High Gloss thread.  It was so easy to work with.....


This upcoming week, I am going to work a little on my HAEDs too.

This is the 1st HAED I ever started, it is a Story Keep and I only have the one page left, and as you can see I have traveled down to the bottom of the page.  I would like to see if I can do some power stitching this week on her.  We will see how it goes.   As Nikki mentioned in her blog, she stitches her HAED by column, this idea will work great for this chart, the lines of her dress go Down and I think working by column will work nicely.  So fingers crossed we will see how it goes.

There has not been a stitching update in awhile.  Why not,  because I was not stitching.  So what to do, what to do.  My brain wants to stitch, but it can’t convince my hands to pick up the needle.  All those wips out there, all those HAED half (quarter) done pages.

All those NON HAED pages begging for a little attention.  Some of them with so few stitches left one good stitching week and they would move from the WIP to the finished…

Knowing, wanting to do something, I started reading blogs.  Lots of blogs, lots of blogs where you guys did all types of stitching.  All different designers.   Reading about specialty stitches, online SALS and online tutorials.   Meari posted great instructions about her Chatalaine project, Japanese Garden.  There are so many beautiful  Norah Corbett’s, thank you Koehler Kreations and Joan Elliot’s, thank you Manbroider .

 Not taking anything away from my HAED, because I love HAED and I so love those projects.  But  I did not want to do a new HAED start but I wanted something different.  Michele, you know how much I love you guys.

Stitching the Night Away
Ornament Pattern Club
Changed Colors to DMC 666 and 606

So as I am blog hopping I find Stitching the Night Away and I join their blog hop, and I join their Ornament Pattern club.  So quickly I got my first ornament and here you go, I have a finish.  Yes a small one, but it’s a finish.  Like when losing weight – celebrate even the ½ pounds. 

I ordered from 123stitch my first Chatalaine Medieval Mandala – this is so me.   

From Fabulous Froggers Blog I learned about Around the World in 80 stitches and joined that at Papillon Creations basically to learn about all the different types of stitching done all over the world. 

From Gizzimono I searched out GeckoRouge and have my wonderful Whimsical Shoes, I posted about earlier this month.

Dang I feel like I just won an Oscar and who do I thank – I know it is from all of the blogs I read over the past week – please review my blog ‘s to the right – cause every author has something amazingly wonderful to show and share.  And I do have to stop this post, or no one will read to the end. 

So bottom line, I am going to change my focus for the rest of the years.  If I try to complete all my 2012 HAED goals I will get none done, but I have not quite figured out the new plan.  Do I need one, no I don’t think I really do, I think I just need to stitch.

Friday CrossStitch Update

  I am so excited to be on the last page of this SK. This is the first HAED I ever started, and I only have finished one which was an SAL back in 2009.  I can say I am on the last page - who cares if it is only three pages.  Right?  It is so tempting now not to keep working on it, but I have so many others  I want to work on also.

 SAL SK Forbidden Doorway.  Maybe, just maybe I will finish Page 1 - but I will have to work this weekend, so I will be missing out on several stitching hours.  I don't know why I am dragging my feet on this one. 

This upcoming week I will be working on 

   

Heaven and Earth Designs Sale - GIveaway

So its the Annual 4th of July Sale at Heaven and Earth Designs.  AND 4th of July is the 2nd most important Celebration of the year for the Forbes Family - and this blog is Family Business.  AND because I have recently made a vow I would not purchase any more charts for myself until I have a finish, but the urge to purchase is killing me. SO,  I am going to RAK someone a chart. 
AND even if you do not celebrate the 4th of July, there are freedoms you must hold dear to you, even if you are not an American. 

And in order for you to win
1.  If you are not a follower, please follow my blog.

2.  Please comment on this post with a quick post about freedoms and equality, before 7/2 - and I will use an application to randomly select a winner.  I will not select a winner based on your response - but please do not respond with an ANTI American response, because this is a 4th of July gift and I think that would just be an incorrect way to win.  Oh there is one other little glitch - you must include the chart name (original value $19.00 or less) you would like in your response and explain why it reprsents Freedom to you.

I am proud of my roots. 
Red, White and Blue.

Friday Cross Stitch Update

Unspoken 2012_06_14

Stitching big blocks of the same color helps me to complete my stitching goals for the week.  I was happy to put in 1000 stitches this week, I focus on completed, and not what is left -- I hope some day to be able to get that close to finishing an HAED design it will become my focus.  This was all 939 and 823 I do wish the coverage was a little better, can still see the fabric, but it will be okay for me.  This is a Jule Fain chart, HAED has retired. 

Santa Stocking NON HAED 2012_06_14

And My non HAED - I finished his sleeve and almost another finger... I am very happy.  One day this week I worked on Santa.



This upcoming week - my birthday week - off three days Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday - doing a little camping to celebrate my birthday - so not sure how much stitching will get done, but I will be working on a new start - my Winning Chart from Fabulous Frogger's giveaway - and yes I am still talking about it - This is a new start, so no pictures yet - will be starting in the top left hand corner - please see completed chart picture down the left hand side of blog - or in last post before this one.

And for my NON HAED this week, I will be working on.  This will be a quick one I hope - with no back stitching and no half stitches I think, so it will keep me in the flow. 

Have an amazing week -

New Start - Fabulous Frogger Giveaway

I was so lucky to win Fabulous Froggers Giveaway, a brand new HAED,with fabric and floss.  SO SERIOUS....  This is QS Yesterday's Gone - Molly Harrison.  I have received floss, fabric, and chart, and have everything almost ready to go.  Will do a little gridding and plan on starting this upcoming Friday.  I am so very excited.  This in not only a most beautiful chart, but think about it Yesterday's Gone.  For real.  PAY ATTENTION MINDY-- you have Today... Live it, and make a memory.

Friday Cross Stitch Update

SK Forbidden Doorway
June 2012

So here is the update of Forbidden Doorway.  As you can see my goal of finishing pg 1 did not happen.  But I am not one who will ever live or die by my goals.  I always keep the goal, but extended the date.  It has worked well for me, but I have never been a rigid goal setter - which has helped minimize the stress in my life.

Unspoken Julie Fain

This upcoming week I am going to spend my HAED stitching time on Unspoken. The BB SAL this week, is the SWIP (slow WIP) and I have chosen this to work on.  I messed up setting my 2012 goals on the HAED BB.  I tried to pick fewer  WIPs and set large stitching goals, and I don't know why, because that so goes opposite of how I think. Because I am a serial WIP Stitcher.   And I have to learn how to be true to myself, and not try to follow too many others routines, because I am just going to be me, and I am too old to change.  Besides I really don't want to.  Am I rambling.  Yes.  But also clearing my mind.

I also am going to spend a little time working on my Santa.  Because it is just too close to being finished to be ignored any longer.  I still have not located my Winter from two weeks ago, and my son has not found it at his home.  As soon as I can find it, I will posted updated picture.

I am sure it must be in the house somewhere.  Now that it is Summer, and warm, I spend much less time stitching.  So we will see how the week goes.

Enjoy

A Finish.... So Happy

True Love II

I am so happy - I have had so little time to stitch this month, but I decided I was going to finish something and SO HAPPY I DID. 

I will be working next week on Fancy Dancing - I am babysitting this weekend, and I am at a spot where I can stitch big areas of all the same color for the background and this will be great for me not to lose my place.  Also the HAED SAL for this week is America, so I can join in there with this one.

Also I will be working on the above Non HAED. Sue Hillis Designs. I am dividing my time each week (or at least trying to, between my HAED's and my nons).  As this also has big blocks of the same color, it will work out perfect while watching those little ones. 

Memorial Day Monday - I always think about my dad, WWII vet at this time.  He was the perfect dad, and was stolen away from me at a time when I needed him the most.... 

Baseball tonight - local team, Triple A.  with a good friend, who doesn't undertand a thing about Baseball.  But it will be a great time.  I am so in a Baseball frame of mind.

Also Game of Thrones - finished Book 1 of Ice and Fire and I am totally hooked on this story.  I have read so many great books this year.  I stopped myself from downloading Book 2 for a week, because while I was reading book 1 I DID NOTHING ELSE....  So I have just started book 2 and Clash of Kings - I so so love my Nook...  For sure now, I am going to watch the HBO Season 1 as I have read the book...  There truely is SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME.  I have more books on my list to read, then I have charts on my DO NEXT cross stitch list.. 

Friday Cross Stitch Update

This is Forbidden Doorway as of the end of the week.  I am happy with this progress, and I really love working on this.  I have saved her face for the very end.  Not sure why.  I am becoming less rigid in my Cross stitch "rotations".  I believe I will be working on this lady a little every week, as I can see progress quickly and it's good for my soul.

This up coming week I am working on QS Tomboy this is with the HAED SAL - it is a SWIP.  SLOW WORK IN PROGRESS, is what I think it means.  I just know I have been working on her since 2009, and I WANT to finish her.  I love her - mostly because she is named Tomboy and I grew up as ONE OF THOSE.  In fact just beginning of this week, was driving by a school at end of the school day.  There were a group of kids walking about 7 little boys and 1 little girl.  Must have been about 8-10.  WOW that was so me.  With my older brother and friends.  Remembering Steve (taken way too soon).  So now you know why I am working on her.

And this week too I will be working on a NON HAED.  This is True Love II  - Couchman Creations, Karen Couchman.  I have been working on this project since I bet 2007. I am not joking.  I added a new page to my blog - it is my NON HAED WIPS and it has a picture of what this will look like when completed.  As you can see, I am so very close, and I WANT to finish it. 



Weekly Positive Encouragement from Reggie Leach "Success is not the result of spontaneoius combustion.  You must set yourself on fire....."  Where's that match?

Friday Cross Stitch Update

This upcoming week, I will be joining the HAED themed SAL which is "Nautical".  This is last years Freebie SK SAL Treasures, I have almost finished pg 2 - my end of year goal is to finish pg3.  We will see, this is so difficult for me to see, it is on 25 ct 1 x1 full - but I have to use my mag glass, and it is just a pain, and takes me so much longer to stitch.  Also it is a adjustment with the tension, as the fabric is an evenweave, and it is not the same as stitching on aida or hardanger, HOWEVER with that being said, I just love her, and she already has the spot picked out for her completed work, so I really should finish this one.  You know I have a thing for Mermaids......

Last Week End As of 4/26/2012.  I have almost finished page 2 - next time, I am sure.  My goal for this year is to finish page and page 3. This is the most stitches I have ever put into one project.  Even the ones I have completed, I am sure had less stitches. 

Fancy Dancing HAED, Artist Teri Rosario.  18 ct aida 2 over 1 x's

Heaven and Earth SAL Week of 4/6

I am working on Forbidden Doorway for this week. I am sure the new page will be out next month and I really want at least three more rows done on my stitching.  I also need these stitches done, so I do not get too far behind on my 2012 goals.  Here is where I am starting This is 18 ct  2 over 1 full cross stitch and I enjoy this one, because it is so easy for me to see, I do not have to strain my eyes at all.   This is the Freebie SAL - M. Dillman. 

Weekly CrossStitch Update Mini Sugar and Spice

Mini Sugar and Spice - Heaven and Earth Designs, Dona Gelsinger

First WIP picture April 5 2012

Love Stitching this, maybe because I have wanted this chart forever, but knew I would never finish it, but then when I could request a mini, I don't know.  I just really,really love this chart

Update of Fairy Foal Hatching - Last Weeks SAL

Fairy Foal Hatching Sarah Pauline
Heaven and Earth Designs QS

This is my updated Fairy Foal - it is from last Friday, but I was out of town with Thersesa and Jazarath for the weekend - babysitting JJ while Mommy worked.  So much fun.   But I am happy with my progress for the week, and it is starting to take shape.  I may have to work more on this then I originally thought, during 2012

New Start - or Retired Artist WIP

Heaven and Earth Designs - 5th Weekend of the Month SAL - Choices, Choices.......

Love my Unspoken /Julie Fain, it is only background, and it would be a good project to take with me to the Seminar while I take care of Jazarah while Theresa is working.  The whole page has only like three color changes - so it would be very easy to do while watching my grandbaby..... 

But a new start - my goodness, I know if I spend too many weeks doing different projects, I will never complete my 2012 goals - and I have so many new start wishes, I know I would pick one, that does have a start point with few color changes, so I could easily keep my place, and not mess up while keeping Jazarah, happy - she is only 4 months old, so she will be very easy to watch...  I have a few new starts put aside - so I will see - have to decide my tomorrow, as I am leaving Thursday -

I also struggle with so many other unfinished projects, and so many are not HAED, and I still want to do finish those.  I just don't know - I really do want to finish something in 2012. 

Sunday Morning

So here it is the last Sunday in March and it is rainy and dark.  Sort of the mood, with SU losing I need something to cheer me up.  I am going to spend this morning stitching on my HAED SAL, Fairy Foal Hatching (Themed weekend Spring) watching this weeks General Hospital (American Soap Opera) on Hulu.com.  Plans for this afternoon - take my granddaughter to see Hunger Games for her birthday.  Will let you know how that all goes this evening.

Love you 'Cuse - been a fan for 40 years, and you guys have to be one of my top 3 teams. 

Love you HAED.  No beads, no fractional stitches, no backstitching.

Love you Sunday mornings, my alone time, my faith, my needle, its an amazing thing

QS Tomboy Updated WIP

  3/23/2012                 

Heaven and Earth Desgins, Selina Fenech
22ct white hardanger - 1 over 1 full cross This is alwasy so hard to see when I take these pictures, need a camera, not just my phone.  But for awhile this week I worked on pg 2 - the background - it is all white and I like to do the background, it makes me feel as if I have gotten something done..... 

Heaven and Earth SAL - Themed

So the theme this week is Spring, so I am going to join in - even though this project is not one of my 2012 goals, it has so many colors and my goals for this year are all blues, dark colors, or b&w so I really do want a change. 

  Artist Sarah Pauline.  The reason I love this chart, is beacause it represents my two youngest daughters - Heather loves horses, Brittney butterflies - they are 15 months apart and you would think they were twins. This is on 22 ct white - I hope I will make some progress.  It will be a busy weekend, girls night tomorrow (4 of my daughters will be joining me for movies and dinner, and gossip) then Saturday my Granddaughter Anadia is in a play, and grandson Malik has a basketball tournament.  I hope of course also SU wins tonight and they are playing on Saturday too.  Fingers crossed.

Heaven and Earth Designs St Patrick Day Purchases

Cavaliers on Wicker Thomas River Lovelace, new artist and I just had to have this chart.  It is not large - it is a mini size and if I was going to every purchase a dog, this would be my choice. 
 Dona Gelsinger, and this is a mini Sugar and Spice

 Dona Gelsinger - mini Golden Gate  I can't get my links to work.  But once again I must say thanks to Michele at Heaven and Earth Designs for finishing my mini so quickly. I have over 250 charts now, and only one finish and that was Mermaid of the Deep a SAL SK - so I have to do something different.