Organizing the Stash

One of the main reasons I haven't been stitching as much as I would like is because I am actually taking the time to catalogue all of the stitching stash that I have. I knew I had quite the collection going, but now I have realized exactly how much I have. Holy crap! 

A little backstory here: My Blackberry phone was dying, and I had limped it along to make it last. At almost 4 years, it was finally time to get a new phone. I deliberated and contemplated the options I had. I agonized over it because I really - REALLY - did not want to learn a new phone or have to go through the trouble of transferring all of my data over. Yuck! Well, I'm not working out of the house, so the Blackberry isn't as "job important" as it once was, and I can sync my Google Calendar to the iPhone since I use it on my iPad. Plus, there's all of the shopping apps and lifestyle apps that I have been using on my iPad that would be so much more convenient in a travel size, so I opted for the iPhone. There is a iPhone 5 out, but I chose the iPhone 4S. For 1) the 4S was cheaper since it was an older version and I got a great trade-in value on my BB, 2) There's a ton more things I can do with the iPhone than the BB, and 3) I can create really cool cases through Heritage Makers.

So, I went ahead and purchased the organization app through the Cross Stitch Guild. I had spent a long time looking at the various apps available for cataloguing, but this was the best one.  I've spoken with the creator, and they are working on some great upgrades to make it even better, which makes me happier that I purchased that one. Most of the apps are very specific: DMC thread, fabrics, beads, etc. The CSG has everything in one location - well, other than beads, but they're looking to add that. 

As you can see, the app allows you to log in everything you have or might have. It will make it so much more convenient for me when I'm looking to kit up a project or to decide which project to do next (since I'll know if I have everything or not). And then there's the ability to decide at a sale what I have and what I don't. Oh the luxury!! Oh, and notice that I can take pictures of my phone screen with the iPhone - I couldn't do that with the Blackberry - cool!!

 This shows me exactly what I have on hand for floss, what I need for a project and what I don't have.

 Jane said they're working on making it possible to create folders, so each of the manufacturers can be separated and then the colors placed in each folder.  For now, I'll have to search by name for the Crescent Colours, Valdani, Gentle Arts, etc.

 Again, I cannot separate by manufacturer, but it's still great to see what I have inside all of the bins. 

And then, I can see who it is made by, what size I have, and then a picture of it!! Whoo-hoo!

This particular endeavor for my Winter Break is taking me a lot longer than I anticipated. It would have been easier if I didn't have such the stash collection, but it's been fun to see exactly what I have on hand!

Baby Sampler Update

I missed the IHSW posting, and I failed to even sign up for this year. That worked out well especially considering we were entirely too busy over the weekend for me to stitch. 

Now that Christmas is over, I have been able to get some stitching done, and I'm happy to report that there has been some progress on Jordan's Baby Sampler.  Here is where it was when I left off:

And here is where I left off last night:

I will state that I no longer enjoy having a kit. I really do enjoy picking my own fabric (usually a hand-dyed), and I definitely noticed the difference in the floss.  This floss is knotting and breaking a LOT, and I am not enjoying all of the time that it is taking to make this. I will get it done so that my youngest has her own sampler, and I'm sticking with the kit to have it match her sisters'.  

I'm not sure what you all got for Christmas, but I am happy to brag say that I didn't have to purchase my own stitching stash. My husband knows where to find my Wish Lists, and he spoiled me rotten.  Of course, most of us have trained our hubby's/significant others to bookmark our Wish Lists on the various websites. He always knows where to find exactly what I want (and, in all fairness, I know where to find all of his). Please excuse my Christmas Morning appearance, but it's the gifts you'll notice anyway.

 Yay!! I finally own a pair of Gingher scissors - this is Ella and a cute sunflower FOB

 The Mirabilia Santa (oh, I so wanted him) and some coffee

 You can't see it clearly, but this is the Fireside Embroidery. The chart is a HAED, but 

the artwork is my aunt's, Kim Jacobs. How cool for me!

Another coffee pattern, and then Mill Hill's Margarita and Sunflower Fields. 

There is more that the hubby didn't get a picture of, the Spider Banner pattern, a Mill Hill Flip-Flop kit, a Kreinik corder, and some project cards and floss.  Oh, I definitely have too much stash, but it's so nice to be able to peruse and decide what to do next!!

Ready for the New Year

I managed to get another finish in for 2012 - the Month of January by Stoney Creek. I was planning to spend the rest of the month working on the baby sampler, but then I found myself wanting to curl up on the sofa with my girls over the weekend. We had cold and rainy weather this weekend, so I chose to cuddle up with a small project and the girls rather than have the stand out.  That one day of movie-watching and girl time let me complete this entire project in the one day. Very cool for me!

As an added bonus, our eldest son showed up to spend time with us, and he watched me complete this little pattern. He was amazed at how this came together and he started asking pertinent questions: So each symbol represents a color? How do you know where to start? Why do you get the knots and then take the time to get them out? Etc.

It was cool to have him help me put it into the frame and see it complete and waiting for January 1st. He even asked about which patterns I had left to do and what would I do when all 12 are done. HAHAHA!! Yeah, I showed him my stash - he couldn't believe how many patterns I have on my to-do list.  

December TUSAL Ort Report

Where, exactly, has the entire year of 2012 gone??? I seem to recall that just the other day I was posting on my family blog about what a great New Year's celebration we had, and now I have decorated my house for Christmas. Hmmmm......Time just keeps flying by! Wow!

So, here is my December Ort Report:

Can  you see all of the Christmas stitching that I was feverishly doing over the last month??

I am not sure if I will have a post prior, but Merry Christmas everyone! I hope that no matter what your faith or beliefs and what your situation, that you will have a wonderful holiday and being able to spend this season exactly the way that you want. 

Wine Charm - set complete

Whew!! The set of wine charms is complete and ready for my trip up North to visit with my co-workers - two of which will each receive a set of these. I am really happy with the way these turned out, and I'm actually excited to finish the last Santa for myself as well.

I loved being able to use my wine charm for the evening with my hubby.  He actually likes what I made and liked to choose his own charm for the night.

The hubby did figure out that having a wine charm to identify the glasses made it more difficult for him to "steal" my glass when his was all gone.  HeeHee

A Stitchmas Wish - Blog Hop #13

The prompt for this lucky number is: The holidays are right around the corner and gift exchanges are happening everywhere you look. If an amazingly magical Stitchmas Santa were to fly overhead and bring you one stitching wish, what would it be?

Now, I will readily admit that I "cheated" a little bit by reading some of the other responses to this before writing my own answer. You see, I was having trouble trying to decide what amazing item or idea I would want to ask Santa for. This dilemma is nothing new. Every time my hubby asks me what I want, he gets frustrated because of the "deer in the headlight" look that is his response.

What more can I add to my list other than what I already have in my life? I have a loving husband who has shown me unconditional love; our children who are happy and healthy; our home, etc. I know that it's rather "Peace, Love and Goodwill" type, but it's always how I feel. Christmas was not something I looked forward to most of my life. I tended to be forgotten and given small gifts usually without much thought. So, as much as I have loved this Season, I never looked for gifts. 

Time would be a great Stitchmas gift. I, too, have more stash than I will probably be able to get to in a lifetime.  I'm also afraid that almost everything I have will have to be gifts for others because there just isn't enough space in my house or wall space for all of the projects that I have and love.

A really great LNS would be awesome!! However, I've done really well for the past 20 years in mail order and the Internet has allowed me to find everything I want and need at some really great prices. So, that isn't really on the list either. I have many wish lists on various sites that my hubby keeps track of so he is never without an idea of what to give me. 

And finally, I figure it out! I would love to actually physically meet other stitchers and connect with them. It's great to see the love and support online - whether on the blogs or on social networking, but there is not a connection to these people for me. I'm not typically someone who gets a random email, no one really knows who I am or what it is that I do in my "real" life as well as my stitching. None of my other friends stitch and as much as my husband tries to understand what it is that I do, he doesn't get it.  I'm sure that there are other types of stitching I could learn, tips that someone could teach me or how cool would it be to just sit with someone else and stitch and chat?? Most of the Get-Togethers are back East, and I can't afford the travel let alone find the time. I find myself envious of those who live close enough to each other that they can actually have a little get-together and spend time together with their shared love of this hobby.

It seems to be a silly request, and I'm tempted to remove it so I don't seem as pathetic as this reads to me. However, a wish is a wish, and it's the one that I have.

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.

Wine Charm - almost a set

I have finished three sets of two of the wine charms from the Cross-Stitch and Needlework magazine. I am making two sets as gifts for some co-workers and a set for myself. These are quick little stitches, but the gluing and beading takes some extra time that is very well spent. 

The second wine charm is the ornament. I chose it next because there was no backstitching - the next two will have small amounts of backstitching, so I wanted to wait to do those.

Once again, the felt was stiffened and the beads attached after assembling everything together.

These are coming together very nicely, and I should have them ready in time for seeing these co-workers on Wednesday.