WIPocalypse Check In - March 2017

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

WIPocalypse is run by Melissa over at Measi's Musings and is now in it's 6th year (amazing!).  The object of the WIPocalypse is to stitch on projects that you want to complete before the end of the world! 

At the beginning of January I picked out 17 WIPocalypse projects to work on in 2017.  The full list of my 17 projects can be found on my WIPocalypse 2017 page.

So what did I manage to work on during March?

Definitely more progress on my regular WIPs this month and there is some progress to show on two other WIPs that came out of the basket during March as well.  Progress pics below for your viewing pleasure:

Deer and Grapes Mystery SAL (Jean Farish)
This is where this project was when you last saw it at the end of February:

28 Feb 2017

It now looks like this:

26 March 2017

I do a minimum of 17 stitches a day on this project and it is growing quite quickly now.

Faces of Joan Elliot (Joan Elliot)

This one didn't appear in my February update.... but it is here in March!  No more progress on the Holly Fairy - instead I started the Unicorn

12 Days of Christmas (Plum Street Samplers)

Third Day is almost done.... but I am going to leave the update photo for now and show you at the end of the month once it is completed

Halloween Happiness (Sandra Cozzolino)

Next themed part of this design (2 x E's) is also close to a finish - I will have a finish photo at the end of the month for this one also.

Snow Story (Lizzie Kate)
The last time I showed this one on my blog was at the end of Dec 2016 when I finished the "Cold Hands" section.

Stitched on 32ct Belfast - "Into the Blue" from Stitches and Spice
Threads: Weeks Dye Works
Dec 2016

During March I managed to finish the middle section (Warm Hearts)

March 2017

Only one more section to do on this now and it will be finished!

Mini Mandala II - C (Chatelaine)
Another WIP that made it's way out of the WIP basket this month for some love is my Chatelaine. This is the third Mini in the Mini Mandala II pack.  The last time I showed it on my blog there wasn't a lot to show.

Sept/Oct 2016

March 2017

I just love the colours of the outer centre piece.  The variation in the NPI silks is subtle but makes for a stunning change to the blue in the very centre.  I think I will have to stitch on this one again during April as it starting to call my name already!

So that's the update bit out of the way.... now onto the question of the month:

What stitchy blogs, groups, or flosstubes do you follow and why?
Well... that is a good question!

Blogs: I have been following blogs for a number of years now.. I started reading blogs around 2009 and started blogging in Oct 2010.  During that time I have collected a considerable number of blogs on my reading list.  I do have a blog roll list on my side bar which will give you an idea of who I follow and try to read as often as I can.  A lot of the blogs I follow are the "oldies" who have been blogging for a number of years.  I started reading them as a source of inspiration for my stitching and as a way to make connections with people who also have this mad obsession with stitching as I do!

Groups: I am in a huge number of FB groups - some of which I am more active in than others.  I love the designer groups - it is great to see how people interpret the designs and seeing designs stitched/finished often is better than seeing the original model piece (as we all know that the model photos don't always do the finished piece any justice!)  Besides the designer groups, I love the FB group "Stitch Maynia" - they have some great SAL's each month which are a great reason to get stitching on some of those unloved WIP's as you can stitch on anything at all as long as you can shoe-horn it into SAL theme!  There are a couple of other FB groups that also have great SAL's that I am also in... "Cross Stitch It's Fun", "Stitch from Stash", "Cross Stitch Finish Line" to name a few :o)

Flosstube: now there is a rabbit hole that you can go down and never come out of!!  I really enjoy watching Flosstube while I am travelling to work each day on the train, sometimes while stitching on the weekend, and always when I am doing my ironing/washing folding on a Sunday morning!  It's a great way to make those menial tasks a lot more palatable!  I do have some favourites that I have to watch (Vonna, Kay's Cross Stitch, Stash Queen, Queen of Starts, Stitcherista, Ms Oh Sew Crafty, Coffee Stitcher, Jessie Marie, Dena - the list goes on and on...) and then there are all the new people (like me) that appear each week... I don't think I will ever catch up on them all!

There is a distinct change in the stitching world these days and Blogging, FB and Flosstube are all great ways for people, both new and old to stitching, to find out more about designers, fabrics, threads, what works and what doesn't - the list goes on!  I hope that blogging stays around for a long time and doesn't get swallowed up by FB and Flosstube (even though I am involved in both of those as well!).  You never forget your first love :o)

So that's it for the March's WIPocalypse update!  Next month's check in is on Sunday 30th April 2017.  If you want to see what everyone else has posted, drop into Measi's blog and check out the March link up page.

Til then, happy stitching and good luck with your WIPocalypse projects!
Hugs xx

WIPocalypse Check In - January 2017

WIPocalypse is hosted by Measi's Musings

WIPocalypse is run by Melissa over at Measi's Musings and is now in it's 6th year (amazing!).  The object of the WIPocalypse is to stitch on projects that you want to complete before the end of the world! 

At the beginning of January I picked out 17 WIPocalypse projects to work on in 2017 but I am going to make a slight change to my list.... (hope that is in the rules!)

1.   Prancer (Nora Corbett) - started 3 Jan 2015
2.   Comet (Nora Corbett) - started 5 Jan 2015
3.   Queen Anne's Lace (Nora Corbett) - started 3 April 2016
4.   Queen of Peace (Nora Corbett) - started 8 May 2016
5.   Zenia (Nora Corbett) - started 22 Oct 2016
6.   Deer and Grapes Mystery SAL (Jean Farish) - started February 2015
7.   Jingles Flip-It Series (Lizzie Kate) - started 12 April 2014
8.   Moutons de Saisons - été (Collection Tra La La) - started 9 Jan 2015
9.   Faces of Joan Elliott SAL (Joan Elliott) - started Sept 2014
10. Snow Story (Lizzie Kate) - started 14 May 2016
11. Dog House Sampler (Little House Needleworks) - started 26 Sept 2016
12. 12 Days of Christmas (Plum Street Samplers) - started 25 Dec 2016
13. Halloween Happiness (Sandra Cozzolino) - started 1 Jan 2017
14. Mini Mandala II - C (Chatelaine) - started 1 Feb 2014
15. Fashionista Cat (Design Works Kit) - started 1 Jun 2015
16. Birdcage (Design Works Kit) - started 1 Feb 2015
17. Halloween Sneak Peek (The Trilogy) - started 7 Jan 2015

I have swapped "Dressmaker's Daughter" for an old mystery SAL project that I started back in February 2015.

So what did I manage to work on during January?

Faces of Joan Elliott SAL (Joan Elliott)

Bit more hair has appeared along with some colour on her dress and the white trim and some of the flowers in the corner.

Deer and Grapes Mystery SAL (Jean Farish)

This is where this project was when I last stitched on it in February 2015!  I have now pulled this out for a 17 A Day challenge on one of the FB groups that I am in (this is a different challenge to my 10 A Day!)

So after the weekend of doing 17 stitches each day this is where it is up to now:

17 stitches are day are going to add up really quickly!

I have also had 2 mini finishes for the month....

12 Days of Christmas (Plum Street Samplers)
First Day of Christmas is now complete!

Halloween Happiness (Sandra Cozzolino)
Mini finish - the moon is done and the witch has been started!

So that's the update bit out of the way.... now onto the question of the month:

What Stitch-a-Longs (SALs) are you participating in this year?
Maybe the better question for me is what SAL aren't I doing?? :o)

So besides the monthly Christmas Ornie and Halloween Ornie blogs, Smalls SAL, WIPocalypse, and Gifted Gorgeousness SAL's I am also doing:

Lakeside Needlecraft / Durene Jones - Fantasy SAL
Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery - Happily Ever After SAL
Ingleside Imaginarium - Birthstone Dragons SAL

The Linen and Threads SAL is on my list to think about... it is a huge design.... maybe too big for me to tackle this year!

Stitch Maynia SALs (check out the FB group for the list.... there are few of them!)
Cross Stitch It's Fun (Froggin House / Stitchwats SALs / Weekly & Monthly Challenges)
10 A Day FB Group  / 17 A Day Stitchin' Station FB Group....

...and the odd FB SAL that pops up in some of the other groups that I am in....

Most of the FB group SAL's are based around themes for the challenges so I am able to generally use existing stitching projects to fit into/shoe horn into these SAL's.

So that's it for January's WIPocalypse update!  Next month's check in is on 26th February 2017.

Til then, happy stitching and good luck with your WIPocalypse projects!
Hugs xx

Friday Frolics - Faces of Joan Elliott #1

Hi there! Happy Saturday!  I am so happy that Saturday is here... I only had 4 days at work this week as Monday was a public holiday, but that was enough to exhaust me!! Goodness knows how I am going to go next week when it's a full 5 day week!! :)

Last night was the first time in ages that I remembered to take a photo of my stitching starting point so that I could do a Friday Frolics post!  This year I am going to try and use my Friday night stitching as more of a focused stitching time with a hope/plan that I might get a long forgotten WIP finished.  This month's WIP that I want to focus on is the "Faces of Joan Elliott SAL" that I started back in 2014!

My starting point last night looks like this:

I worked on the "Holly Fairy" in the bottom corner and she now looks like this:

I managed to get a bit more of her hair stitched.  Let's see how I go next Friday night.  This piece will stay out for the whole of January so hopefully I will get that block finished during that time.

Til then, happy stitching and may the frog stay far, far away
Hugs xx

Whine and WIP's update

June is done and dusted... July has begun so it's time for me to show you the rest of the WIPs that I worked on during June for the Stitch Maynia "Whine and WIPs" SAL.

My last WIP update post was on 18th June where I showed you my "Witch and Friends" finish as well as an update on "Jingles" and "Prancer.  My Smalls post that I posted on Friday showed you the 4 x June starts and finishes, but there were also lots of other stitching going on as well during June.

So here goes....

Nora Corbett's Christmas Eve Couriers - Prancer
as at 17 June 2016

as at 26 June 2016

Prancer is now ready for beading.... and then he will be finished!

The Little Stitcher - Red Christmas Deer
as at 21 April 2015

as at 19 June 2016

I am using waste canvas on an Ikea tea towel for this one....

Faces of Joan Elliott - Holly Fairy
as at 6 June 2016

as at 23 June 2016

Managed to stitch a little bit more of her hair,,,,

Mirabilia / Nora Corbett - Queen of Peace

as at 31 May 2016

as at 24 June 2016

"Queen of Peace" was my "Pretty In Pink" piece for the colour-a-day SAL on 24th June and I managed to get quite a bit of the pink in the bouquet stitched.  I have stitched some more of her ribbon but forgot to take a photo....

Nora Corbett "Queen Anne's Lace"
as at 9th April 2016

as at 30th June 2016

So that's it for my WIP update.  I do have another 2 starts for June to show but I will leave them for another post.

Til next time... happy stitching
Hugs xx

WIPs and Finishes....

Morning All!! Today's post is a very quick stitching update with WIPs and finishes on show :o)

Let's start with my 2 latest finishes.... I did manage to get both of these finished by 31 May... but I haven't as yet posted them on my blog.

Finish # 18
Christmas Test Drive - Mosey N' Me
Just Cross Stitch Christmas 2015 issue

Started: 7 May 2016
Finished: 27 May 2016

Stitched on plain green 28ct linen with DMC threads

Finish # 19
Penguin Christmas Card
Free Gift - Cross Stitch Crazy

Started: 12 May 2016
Finished: 29 May 2016

Freebie christmas card.... stitched using fabric and threads included in the free gift.

Whine and WIPs - June SAL event for Stitch Maynia Facebook Group
The month long SAL for Stitch Maynia this month is called "Whine and WIPs".  The SAL is all about stitching on WIPs that make you whine for whatever reason..... including because you dislike then for some reason or you just wanted to get them finished... you get the idea!

My plans for this month is that I would like to try and stitch on all my current WIPs this month as my whine is that I want to get them finished and I just never seem to have enough stitching time!!

So far the WIP's I have worked on are:

Mini Mandala II - C
Last stitched date: 19 January 2016

As at 1 June 2016

Joyful World SAL - February
Last stitched date: 3 February 2016

As at 2 June 2016

Joyful World SAL - April
Last stitched date: 11 May 2016

As at 3 June 2016

Joyful World SAL - March
Last stitched date: 10 May 2016

As at 4 June 2016

Faces of Joan Elliott SAL - Holly Fairy
Last stitched date: 25 April 2016

as at 5 June 2016

One more WIP for you.... this one is the Queen of Peace by Nora Corbett.  The last time I showed this to you it looked like this:

So now it looks like this.....

"Queen of Peace" as at 31 May 2016

You may notice that I have had to frog some of what I had previously stitched.... I was out by one in the green which put everything that I had previously stitched off... I knew that I wouldn't be able to fudge it as I went along... so... out it came!! Oh well I am slowly getting back up to the same spot!

That's my update for Whine and WIPs so far.... more to come later in the month.

Til next time.... happy stitching!
Hugs xx

Stitch Maynia Update

As you will know from a previous post I am doing the Stitch Maynia 15 day challenge (15 starts in 15 days) this month.  So far I have managed to do 9 out of 9 new starts so I am on track!  I showed you the first two days on a post earlier in the month.  Below are pics of the Start 3 through to Start 9.

Day 3 - ABC Chats - F: Les Brodeuses Parisienne

Day 4 - Star Wars (Original Trilogy): The Cloudsfactory

Stitching the design as a bookmark with 2 or 3 characters and light sabers
note the Star Wars needleminder in the photo!!

Day 4 coincided with the "May the Fourth be with you" SAL on 4th May... so this is my Star Wars stitching that event :o)

Day 5 - ABC Chats  - G: Les Brodeuses Parisienne

Day 6 - Faces of Joan Elliott SAL (Dragon): Joan Elliott

I started that tiny bit of grey 3 times on Friday night.... I miscounted and didn't realise til I reached the top, then after stitching it again I realised it should have been the darker grey! So not a lot to show for a Friday night of stitching....

Day 7 - Christmas Test Drive: Mosey n Me

Just Cross Stitch Christmas 2015 issue

Day 8 - Queen of Peace: Nora Corbett (Mirabilia)

Day 9 - Trick or Treat: Pickle Barrel Designs

Just Cross Stitch Halloween 2016 issue

Well over half way there with the Stitch Maynia starts.... probably I will be back onto my ABC Chats tonight but who knows!  I must admit I am itching to get back onto the last three starts so I am counting down til 16th May and all 15 starts are down and dusted!

That's it for now... I have no idea when or if this will even post as there are issues with blogger... so fingers crossed you will see it and it won't end up in the great wide world of nothingness!!

So til next time, happy stitching
Hugs xx