WIP(s) Update

Yes, once again I have found myself starting a new project in the midst of trying to finish another. It is all for a good cause though! I realized yesterday that I had less than a week before November will be here, and I hadn't completed the November month, so I got it started. I am so glad these are quick stitches, and it should be done quickly so I can get back to the Baby Sampler.

I did spend a few hours this week working on that baby sampler, and here is my progress:

I will apologize to all of the amazing stitchers who participated in the IHSW and posted their work. I have not had time to look at everyone's work, and it's something that I usually love making the time for. Sadly, work is still keeping me very busy, and I haven't had the time to carve out of my day in order to be inspired by you. I hope to have time to get to them during this next week, and as always, I will post the comments for you!! 

IHSW Update

What a great weekend!! While I hate being away from my hubby, I was glad to know that he had a great time this weekend AND my girls did really well in getting along. What is it about sisters that they are the best of friends and the worst of enemies at the same time?? Well, this weekend, I spent most of the time with Mother/Daughter time which they loved, but I managed to get some stitching done as well.

I would have loved to spend more time on the stitching, but I really couldn't justify putting off the girls to do it. It was great to actually reach the goal that I set for myself - to finish the bear and get working on the jack-in-the-box.

Honestly, I thought that this would be a quicker stitch because I was using a kit. I hadn't realized that in the last three years, I have apparently reached more of an "Advanced" status with my stitching. I have struggled to work with evenweaves and specialty flosses, but I hadn't realized what an upgrade and change they are from the kits that I used to always purchase. 

Going back to Aida has been difficult. I'm spending the entire time wishing I was using Jobelan so that the pattern would blend better and not be so choppy. The floss?? Oh.My.God! This stuff sucks!! I'm tired of the floss shredding while I'm using it and knotting up. 

Well, I promised myself that I would stick with the original design and style for this birth sampler. Again, I am re-doing the one that was almost finished, but the girls' father destroyed to get back at us for leaving him. So, I will persevere with this kit. 

Day 2, IHSW & A Golden Opportunity!

Wow! Two days in a row, and I was able to sneak in some stitching. It was a glorious treat, and I'm so glad to be able to get some time in on my favorite hobby despite the exhaustion from work. Yay! The little bear is coming right along!! 

It's also a perfect time to share my status on my WIP because this weekend is International Hermit and Stitch Weekend!! That's right, it's here again (already)! 

If you have not participated in the IHSW, then click the picture and enjoy. There's no stress, and no one even minds if you can't stitch this weekend, but we stitchers always love to see what everyone else is working on, and there is a plethora of blogs listed for you to spend DAYS perusing!! 

Hopefully, by Sunday night, I will have made great strides in the baby sampler that I'm working on. My goal is to at least have the bear completed, and then I would love to start on the Jack-in-the Box in the center. We'll see how my time allows!

Lastly, I have seen a great blog that has a wonderful opportunity for us to share our love. There is an elementary teacher in Pennsylvania who teachers her students to cross-stitch, but like most teachers, there isn't enough money in the district for supplies, so she subsidizes with her own funds. Apparently, there was a post back in June, and this teacher is happily receiving donations, and I wanted to make sure to not only use this opportunity to go stash shopping to donate as well, but I wanted to spread the word. As a teacher, myself, I cannot begin to tell each of you how much money I have spent out of my own meager paycheck over the last 10 years for supplies. Yes, we get to write off our expenses on our income tax, but only up to $250 each year. Um, the average I have spent of my own money is closer to $1500; some years more, some years less. 

So, please go to this link - not only will you get to see a great blog, but you will have the information to help these new stitchers:

http://shakespearespeddler.blogspot.com/2012/09/happy-news-from-pennsylvania-students.html

Besides, isn't is just AWESOME to enable all of these little people into becoming just like us!!  

Back on Track

I finally found some time to stitch!! Well, actually, I had to make myself stitch tonight, but I'm so very glad that I did. Work has just been a bear over the last month, and by the time I shut down my computer, I barely have the energy to fix supper and get the kids to bed. I find myself collapsing from exhaustion, and I am always disappointed to see that I didn't get any stitching done. So, even with being utterly tired, I pulled everything back out, and spent an hour working on my current project - the baby sampler for my not-a-baby-anymore youngest child. 

Not only was I able to mindlessly enjoy watching Mark Harmon on NCIS for an hour, but I managed to get a nice chunk of the bear filled in. 

Just a small amount of time makes such a difference. I slept better, and the knot in my shoulders is down to just a crinkle this morning. I'm going to make sure that I make more time for stitching tonight as well!!  (Fingers crossed!)

The Dreaded....

It's time for another Blog Hop. The question is now: Maybe it’s a particular type of fiber that always gives you a hassle. Or maybe it’s a least-favorite color of thread to use. That one thing that when you come across it in a design you just know the frogs are coming, or something that gives you twists and tangles. 

The first thing that comes to my mine is LINEN! I tried so hard to work on linen especially since it is recommended for all of Nora Corbett's designs. However, I find it impossible to work on it - nothing ever lines  up correctly, and I know that I've followed every tutorial I have seen and found on linen. I have given away all of the linen that I had on hand to someone else who could use it, and I now have an amazing stash of evenweaves: Jobelan, Lugana and Jazlyn. I can work on these without a problem and they are gorgeous.

Another item that makes me rip my hair out is Glissengloss or Kreinik. OK, well, any of the metallic threads and filaments. If it wasn't for Thread Heaven, I would not be able to use these fibers, and they really do jazz up a piece.

Then, there's my own personal frustration with DMC. I have no problem using any of the floss. I love the colors, and as long as I routinely allow them to unwind, I'm perfectly fine. My problem seems to be a total curse though. Despite the four boxes of floss - all of which are perfectly ordered, numbered and stored in numerical order, I am always missing one color that I need for a new project.  What is that?! No matter how well I plan ahead and make purchases especially when the floss is on sale, I am always missing ONE. So irritating!

Visit all the blogs in this round of the Stitching the Night Away Stitching Blogger Blog Hop:
Find the instructions on how to participate in this round by clicking here.

A Giveaway

This was way too cute, and there's no gimmicks or games to play to get the pattern. Simply click on the picture and scroll down, and you can save the images of the pattern to your computer. Very simple and completely adorable!

October TUSAL

It is that time again! I love being able to show off what I've been working on via the ORTs.  I thought that for this picture, I would give you not only a glimpse of those little pieces left over after stitching, but one of the autumn decorations I made.

Can you see all of the Christmas colors in there from completing the boys' ornaments? Now, I am seriously hoping to find time to work on the baby sampler for my almost 9-year-old.

I will also share my new fabrics:

I placed a rather large order from Stephanie because I wanted to get some of her Fall Limited Editions on hand, and then I found that I wanted two more smaller pieces for a couple of projects, and THEN! she had a test dye that I totally loved.....Well, you get the idea.

There had better be some time for me to get some stitching done, or I will not have anymore room for fabric.  OK, seriously, I'll just buy another bin, but you get the point. Work has interfered with my ability to stitch for long enough.  

Hope everyone is having a great start to their week!! 

Letter B - Complete

It was tough getting to my stitching with all of the work that I have had to deal with, but I made it my mission to get the Letter B done this weekend. I am very happy to have these little gifts completed and ready for Christmas for the boys.

 

 And here it is put into an ornament:

For the final photo, I took a picture of all three of the boys' ornaments side by side. I have to say, that I'm fairly pleased with myself, and I really hope that they boys like them.

Blog Hop #9

I missed the last Blog Hop, but I love the discussions that get underway. So, I was really happy to see that although I'm a couple days late, I didn't miss this one. The topic:
What are your must-have stitching tools and aides? Other than your trusty scissors, of course. Is there a problem you have had when stitching that you created your own solution for, or have you purchased a tool that helped?
The best tool that I have purchased is a little "frogger."  It's a hand-made item from Stephanie Bishop, and it's basically a very blunt needle on a wire with a cute decoration that allows me to pull out mistakes without ripping the floss or tearing my fabrics. I hate that I need such a tool (because who likes to admit that we make mistakes), but it's been great to not have so much wasted material when I need to correct some stitching. Here is the one that I sent to a friend of mine:

Another great tool was my FOB that I use for my threader. I kept losing it at the bottom of my mesh bag, but the FOB helps me to find it faster AND it's really cute!!

Hmmm, I also have Thread Heaven that helps me to use Kreinik. Just a little bit on the floss, and it's pliable and easy to use which is great because so much of Kreinik is used on the Miras!

I have tried a counter and the erasable highlighters, but I find it easier to stitch without them. I MUST have my magnetic boards and magnets to keep my place when I stitch. I also have my floor stand and scrolls for my large projects, a Q-snap for my smaller projects, mesh bags to keep everything clean and tidy, floss organizers for my projects, and my Ott-Lite. I have a floor stand model in my living room, and a smaller table Ott-Lite for my office depending on where I find myself stitching. 

Now, if we're going to start discussing how everything is organized, that will be an entirely new and long discussion....  

Visit all the blogs in this round of the Stitching the Night Away Stitching Blogger Blog Hop:
Find the instructions on how to participate in this round by clicking here.