Great Lakes Retreat

Wow! My summer has zoomed by, but I was so glad that I could make it to Aury and Stephanie's first stitching retreat. 

The 1st Annual Great Lakes Retreat took place last month in Dundee, Michigan, and it was a blast!!

For any of you not familiar with these two, here you go:
 

Aury is on the left and Stephanie on the right

Aury is AuryTM Designs and Stephanie is Hand Dyed by Stephanie fabrics. Both are very talented ladies, and they not only put on a great retreat, but there were many goodies to be found!

There were designs from Aury and fabrics from Stephanie....

 As well as many other great stitching items from Stitches and Things - Deb brought her store to us!

Here are some of the highlights from this retreat:

If you are able to make it next year, you should! Stephanie and Aury are still looking at June or July for a summer retreat, and they are trying to find a new venue so the stitching room is larger.  Yay!  

There is so much fun when you spend time with others who enjoy the same hobby.  There was much laughter, camaraderie, stitching, and new friends to make!

Emotions Run High

Two weeks ago, our dog was hit and left for dead.  It's a horrible way to open a blog post, but it's what we have been facing in this house. We thought it was just a small fracture on her front leg and a hip that wouldn't go back in, but it turned out to be way worse. We have been fortunate in that people have donated to her care so we could afford it better, and the surgeon is working with us so we can bring her  home and give her a good quality of life.  Here is Addie:

She's a great dog, and she really helps my husband. We never put her through Service Dog training, so she isn't official as one, but she really keeps him going on his bad days.  We have had to figure out a whole new budget, but she is worth it all. Addie should be home by early next week.  The poor thing made it through her hip surgery today, and she will undergo surgery on her front leg tomorrow.  

In order to keep my sanity, I returned to stitching. I allowed Life to get in the way, and I found myself not doing something I love in order to meet the expectations and needs of family and friends.  So, this past week, I pulled out a WIP and got to work on it.  Today, I have a finish!!

I used a conversion that I found on a Mirabilia site on the internet and changed the wings to a gold color and backstitched in brown.  I think this gives her a more "autumn" look to go with the sunflower.

Now, I will put her aside and get busy on the wedding sampler that a friend made for me last year.  We are going to celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary this year - better late on the sampler than never!

New Ventures!

Boy, have I been busy, and it wasn't even for stitching!!  The new location, the new job, and a new business venture have all taken their toll on my time. (Not to mention having the hubby and three teenage girls in the house!).

So, I have a new website which is up and ready to go!!  Check it out at www.3kcrafting.com! Right now, I have patterns, embellishments and some fabric.  My hope it to finally get the floor stand finished and ready for production.  Yes, it's been a few years since I started talking about this, but it is a great stand, and I think Montana will allow me to create it and do a great job.

There have been a number of glitches to my new website, but I believe that all of them have been found.  I have a monthly newsletter that goes out which highlights the current items, and there is usually a coupon code to be found.  Be sure to subscribe and stay informed!

As for my personal stitching, I am actually very close to being done with the Sunflower Fairy by Nora Corbett.  It is my hope that it will be done before I head back to teaching in August!!

Scarlet Tanager

I have my first Finish of 2015!! It took me forever, but the Scarlet Tanager for Lori's Round Robin is finally done!

Again, this is being completed on Stephanie's Snow Drifts fabric.  There are some colors from the pattern that were left out - all of the background, and one of the reds was changed to Kreinik to give it some sparkle.  

I will be getting everything boxed up and ready to ship to the next person for this round robin.  It was great fun to work on this and to participate.  I look forward to seeing Lori post it when everyone is done. 

The Montana "Crud"

Yes, that is really the name of whatever this virus thing is around here.  I have had it for three weeks and counting, and it's seriously annoying.  I have been too tired to stitch for a while, but I managed to get some sanity time in yesterday.

Scarlet Tanager is coming along nicely!  I really hope to have this done by this weekend and send it off to the next person.

Scarlet Tanager

My plan to finish this little guy quickly has been moving along quite well.  Here is my latest update on Lori's round robin:

 He looks great!!  I know that the Kreinik that Lori chose for him is going to make him pop really well.  I'm going to concentrate on the bottom tree and leaves before working with the Kreinik and sending him on his way.

Just a Bit

I have said it before, and I'll say it again - this having to work for a living really cuts into my Stitchy Time.

Despite being busy at work and at home, I did manage to get the leaves done on Scarlet Tanager for the Round Robin.  
 

21 January

26 January

I am focusing on this piece so I can send it off to the next person to work on it rather than holding it hostage at my house while I work on the 15 Miras.  I am happy that I'll get to start working on the bird next.  Lori, the owner of this piece, does not want the background stitched, so I'm leaving that off.  She has made a couple other changes to the pattern to include using some Kreinik as well.  I love how she set this piece up, and I enjoy working on it for her.

So, my plan was to work on this until my sale items arrived from Stephanie which will allow me to start the last three Miras.  However, I have to say, that more planning is necessary before I can start.  In the meantime, take a look at these gorgeous fabbies:

Oh, I have fully fondled these lovelies since they arrived.  My husband completely thinks I'm nuts, but he knows how much I adore them.  He always loves the finished pieces as well, so he doesn't complain.  Oh, and yes, that one in the top right is not able to fit in one of Stephanie's little baggies.  It is a full yard of Opal Snow Drifts.  This will hold two of the Miras that I am planning to do next.  Any guesses??

Final Mira WIP.....for now.....

I have completed the last start on the 15 Miras in '15: it is Scarlet Tanager from Nora Corbett for a Round Robin.

As soon as I finish my portion, I will take a picture of the other work done on it - it is stunning!  The fabric is Snow Drifts by Stephanie, which is why the owner doesn't want the background blue to be stitched on it.

I was going to go back and work on a different Mira project, but I got my shipping notice from Stephanie, so I know the other fabrics are now on their way. This means that I will be able to do the last three "starts," and I hate that I have a lot of this other fabby folded while I work on Tanager. So, I'm going to get it done as fast as possible and send it off to the next person and then work on the three last starts.  Whew!

Two More Miras

Having this many projects started is killing me.  I am so afraid that I will not remember which is which, but I started an organizational method that I believe will work.

This week, I only managed to get two more started.  I should have been done with the one new start each day on the 15th, but my schedule just hasn't allowed me to do it.  

First up: Seaside Kingdom by Mirabilia on 28 ct Lugana by Hand Dyed by Stephanie in Nantucket Sky

 

Second start was the Letter T by Nora Corbett on 28ct Lugana - Spring Breeze by Stephanie Bishop.

I am really happy with both of these.  I only have one more that I can start since I am still waiting on fabric for the other three.  The good news, is that I can put some of the others back in rotation and keep stitching until the fabric shows up. Yay.

As for the organization, here is what my stitching room looks like right now:

 As you can see, the stand is front and center.  Since I have to have a movie playing, the computer is on the stand next to me, and my iPad is on the other side.  The drawer holds some tools, but it's the bags and pillow cases that really help me out. (My plan is to get a real chair and mount a TV on the opposite wall.  I also intend to add a floor Ott Lite rather than the small one.)

The larger project has to stay on the stand.  The scrolls bars were made, specifically, for this project since it is so large.  I have a new pillow case on order from Marie O'Neil of Just Add Needles.

She has done some great pouches for me, and I have a few more on order with her.  I hand picked the outer fabric, and she is going to work her magic.  Yay!! I know that I'll have more projects going this year as I prepare for the holidays, and I don't want to keep more than one in a pouch in case I need to grab it and go.

The pouches are great - I will have one for all seasons and for my tastes when Marie is done with my list.

The best part is that each is lined, and the larger ones have a tool pouch on the inside.  As you can see, I have the floss organizer with the project labeled which is helping me to remember what I was working on.  The floss holders are inside the pillow cases as well.

I won't be able to get scroll rods made for the largest project which will be an entire yard of fabric. I'm still trying to decide how to complete that one when the fabric arrives, but it will be worth it in the end.
 

 

Weekend Stitching

I have not been feeling well, but I used it as an excuse to stay inside and stitch.  Good idea, right??

Saturday, I managed to get a little done on my new start of Christmas Elegance by Mirabilia.

I'm completing her on 32ct Jobelan in "Ice Goddess" by Hand Dyed by Stephanie.  

I continued my starts with Fern on 32 ct Jobelan in "April Showers" by Stephanie.  I got a good start on her.

 
It is seriously difficult for me to have all of these "starts."  I'm too anal to have this many projects going at one time, and each time I have started one, I think, "This one will be the first one I finish."  Yeah, they are all going to be gorgeous, and I'm afraid I won't be able to choose one to work on until completion.  

I have three (well, it will actually be two since I'm combining two onto one fabric) that are waiting for fabric, so I'm stuck starting them for a while.  I think that's actually going to be a good thing though especially since I'm not sure how to handle the really large one.  I don't like to stitch in hand, and I hate the idea of having so much fabric balled up on the ends (I will be using an entire yard of fabric for it).  I still have time to plan, so that's good.

Still Working on Miras

I am still falling behind on this SAL - I have only completed seven out of nine.  That's not actually too bad, but it's still not where I want to be.  I have never had this many projects going at one time, and it has been a bit overwhelming for me - especially when I remember that there will be 15 in all.  
 

Halloween Fairy 04 Jan 2015 on 28 ct Lugana in Opal Falling Leaves from Hand Dyed by Stephanie

Sabrina 05 Jan 2015 on Stephanie's 28 ct Opal Lugana in Snow Drifts

Waterlily 06 Jan 2015 on 32 ct Jobelan in Pollywog Princess by Stephanie

Bluebell 07 Jan 2015 Stephanie's Pollywog Princess in 32 ct. Jobelan

Stargazer 09 Jan 2015 on Stephanie's 32ct Jobelan in Lunar Eclipse

Sadly, a fellow stitcher and someone I admired, Genie Heldt, passed away on Tuesday.  Genie was the founding person of the SSS-DDD group on Facebook and the organizer of the Chicago GTG that I love to attend.  Unfortunately, the loss of her husband, Jim, was too much for her.  I'm glad that she made it to the last GTG, and that I was able to hang out with her.  Sadly, I sucked at taking pictures there and did not get one with her. 

Genie was an incredible and loving woman.  All of us stitchers who had met her loved her dearly, and many of us felt that she would never recover from the death of her husband, Jim.  Many are posting on her personal Facebook page and on the Group pages.  I am happy to report that the Chicago GTG will continue this June.  The promise is to cry a little and laugh a lot - which is what Genie would want from us.   I hope that she is enjoying her reunion with Jim, and that she is getting all stitching done and she loves.  I have been very happy to hear that our group is in contact with one of her nieces, and the unfinished pieces Genie had for family will be completed by someone and sent to that family member.  Yay!!!

My hope for this weekend is that I will not only catch up on the number I should have, but that I will get some real progress made rather than just a few stitches.

For anyone new to  my blog, I am a Special Education teacher in my "other" life.  There are many days that I bring a ton of work home with me, and then there are days that I am too mentally exhausted to do anything when I get home - let alone stitch.  There are many teachers who do not work very hard as they are into a "routine," but I'm not to that point in my career.  I actually still care, and I work damn hard to deal with each student on an individual basis each and every day.

I did not get much done last year - moving sure takes a lot of time - but I don't want to fall in the habit of not doing what I love, so I joined this SAL.  

Oh, and I did join the AAN 2015 Christmas SAL, but I'm not going to get to it until the end of the year.  Rather than stitching along, I'm going to wait until the entire pattern is revealed so I can make the best decision for fabric and floss colors.  It's a perpetual advent calendar, and I'm really excited about it, but it will require a full yard of fabric.  I would rather not make any mistakes at all.
 

Mira SAL - Days 2, 3 and 4

I have had to put a reminder into my phone to daily remind me to get some stitching done.  Of course, if I hadn't procrastinated getting everything together, it would be easier on me (duh? Right?!)

Friday, I finally started on Sunflower Fairy.  This pattern was included in the Cross-Stitch and Needlework magazine some time ago.  I managed to get a copy  through the magazine directly, and the pattern cost almost as much as the magazine.  
 

Stitched on 32 ct Jobelan in Simply Sage by Hand Dyed by Stephanie

Given my love of sunflowers, I have really wanted to complete this one, and I'm really glad I started her!  She came along very nicely.  The entire pattern calls for Valdani threads, which I managed to get individual skeins of.  Hand dyed threads are always beautiful, but I find that I'm anxious when using them.  What if the pattern doesn't look "acceptable" when its finished because of the dyed threads??  So far, I like this!

Today, I spent the morning solving a major problem for myself - how to organize the threads for each project!  I know that this is the reason that I procrastinated so long, but I only had a few LoRan organizers, and my wood ones aren't large enough to hold all of the threads for a Mira project.  

Many people I know just pull out a bit from the skein, and then snip it and use a strand at a time.  I'm not that "flexible" in my stitching, and I prefer to have the colors organized in numerical order with the symbol written right next to the floss color.  This allows me to put the color back when I'm done and use them again for another project.  Anal?  Very much so, but it's my method.  

So, what the hell was I supposed to do with 15 projects going at the same time??  Dear Gawd!!  I'm not a Serial Starter - I'm more of the Disciplined Diva, but I said I would do this.  So, I improvised with manila folders, a single hole punch, a ruler and a pair of scissors.

Voila!  Not bad! This is seriously time consuming, but it's functional!!!  I worked on making all of the cards I needed, and then I'm going to spend the evening getting the next day's project ready.  So far, it looks like I have most all of the threads needed to get started.  I believe there are some specialty threads I still need, but I should be OK for most of the year.

Day 3 of the SAL was delayed - but for a good cause!  We were invited out to supper with two other couples.  Since we're still getting settled into our new community, it was nice to have the invite, and we didn't want to say no. 

We had an amazing time with these other four people.  Lots of laughing and eating and drinking.  The fun lasted until after midnight, and then I just didn't feel like stitching.  

For today, Day 4, I started on my third piece:  Halloween Fairy by Nora Corbett.  This is one of her Limited Edition fairies that you can only buy as a kit.  

The fabric is 28 ct Lugana in Opal Falling Leaves from Hand Dyed by Stephanie.  I think she is going to look great on this fabric!

Despite my intentions, I did not get to stitch as much as I wanted, but I still made progress.  If nothing else, I will be far more motivated to get some stitching done on a regular basis rather than letting Life overwhelm me.   Stitching, for me, is my stress relief and helps keep me sane.  I guess my joining this crazy SAL is a way to keep me from going crazy.

Day 1 of the 15 Miras

Well, I started this insane mess today by working a little on the Letter M, and then I worked on getting some more the Mirabilias/Nora Corbetts kitted up.  Talk about procrastinating! 

Here is my List of Intentions:

Yep, I have seriously lost my mind.  On top of these, I have the Penny Series by Hands on Design I would like to finish; that being the other half of Twice Blessed plus Winter Solstice and the next two seasons Cathy is working on.  However, I think that these 15 will take all of my time.

Here is my meager progress on Letter M (I think I added all of 6 stitches to it):

The plan is to start one new Mirabilia or Nora Corbett (who is the Designer/Owner of Mirabilia) each day from January 1 - 15.  Then, we can take the rest of the year to complete these 15.  As I still have two fabrics on order, I won't be able to start them until they arrive, but since there's no hard and fast rules in the group, I'm not going to worry about it.

Tomorrow, on to Halloween Fairy.....

If you are interested in trying this out, click this link:  15 Miras in '15

There are plenty of amazing SALs out there for 2015 - whether by size of the project, designer or interest.  I love participating in them even if I don't finish the project.  I will be receiving the latest Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks (AAN) Mystery Sal for 2015 starting on the 5th - not that I plan to get it done this year, but I couldn't resist the idea of a Perpetual Advent Calendar. 

The Final Finish of 2014!

Yay!!!  With just a few hours to spare, I finished "Thankful" of the Twice Blessed from Hands on Designs.  I chose not to use the felt pennies that are included with the pattern, and I stitched the bottom portion.  

The fabric is Jack's Rum by Hand Dyed by Stephanie as was used on the model.  I used 32 ct Jobelan and loved every stitch.  The floss is all Weeks Dye Works and Gentle Arts Threads. 

I am now going to spend the next couple hours pulling patterns and stash for the 15 Miras in '15.  I believe I have truly lost my mind to attempt this, but it will be a great way to kick start me to working on these great patterns I have been collecting over the last few years.  

Have a Happy New Year!! I look forward to seeing what you finish and start in the New Year!

New Year's Resolution

I bet you all thought I fell off the earth!! The move took way more out of me than I anticipated, so it not only kept me from posting, but it also kept me from stitching.  The job here is wonderful, but it is a lot more work that I had been told.  I love a challenge, and I happen to be good at this part of the job, so it's nothing more than taking more time than I'm used to giving.  We also had a massive leak in our new home.  Luckily, we found it quickly, but the insurance had to pay $13,000 to repair everything, and it took 6 weeks.  Ugh.

So, now that things are back on track, I'm getting some stitching done. I also found something out about myself - I actually need a television to help with stitching!  My husband and I made a decision about this new house - the television would go downstairs, in the basement for the kids.  We do not have cable.  The girls can watch movies or stream on the Apple TV, and that's it.  We never watch it, so why bother?  Our main living room upstairs is open and inviting - it is a visiting area for adults and where we read and I stitch.  

Except, that I found that even with a radio playing, my mind wanders and I get distracted from my stitching.  Huh? This is weird! So I plugged in my iPad, and brought up Netflix to watch one of my favorite Christmas movies, Miracle on 34th Street (black and white version, of course), and I stitched while the movie played.  I wasn't really focusing on the movie because I know it by heart, but just listening to it, and glancing over at it really helped.  I found that I was almost done with my latest WIP! Just one more line across the top, and I might actually have another finish for 2014. Nice!

So, I have a new plan for the New Year - set up the guest room to double as a Stitching Room!!  The best part - the hubby agrees with this plan, so now I have a new mission for that room.  It's on the main level of the house, so it would be totally convenient AND it makes more sense with my stitching stand.

The main floor is mostly hardwood as is my stand.  I could put felt on the bottom, but it would be a pain, and I would be afraid to move it around.  The designated Guest Room, however, has carpet.  So, rather than a bed in there, we are going to get a sleeper sofa - the new ones where there is no icky bar killing your back - and put in an Ott Light on the end table for me.  Then, we'll also put a small TV on the wall where I can stream movies and stitch.  Sah-weet!

So, there are my large plans for the New Year.  What are yours??  Have you purchased really cool items for this year??  

If you are looking for a challenge, take a look at this Facebook Group: 15 Miras in '15:   https://www.facebook.com/groups/819720728068854/

I have joined in on this craziness, and I'm not sure how I will get to it all, but it will be fun to try.  There are plenty of other great SALs going on, so tell us what you're planning.  I'm sure everyone would love to see new stash opportunities!

A Long, Overdue Finish

There is much to be said for moving: a fresh start, new friends, and new adventures.  However, I found it horribly frustrating.  So many other things took precedence over my craft which left its mark on my sanity.

The new house is far from completed and totally settled, but I had some time to finally get this piece done!!  It was officially completed on October 11th, but I am just now finding time to post about it.

Here is my completed "Halloween" from Silver Creek Samplers.  My fabric choice was a 28 ct. Jobelan in Witch's Brew by Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie.  I used the DMC alternative floss rather than the Weeks Dyed Works that the pattern called for.

 

I will be sending this to Lori Curtis to have it finished into a box.  I have no doubt she'll do an amazing job.  I do not have a clue, however, when I'll find time to send this to her....hopefully before next Halloween.  

 

Move Successful....A Freebie

Well, we have now been in Montana for 6 weeks.  It has gone very fast, and we have accomplished a lot around the house and getting settled into a new community.  We are slowly meeting people, and my new job is working out well.

The stitching, however, has had to take a back seat.  I have not had any time for my hobby which is really annoying, but we really want to get the house settled. 

In the meantime, here is a link for a really cute Halloween freebie:

http://gazette94.blogspot.com/2014/09/halloween.html

Until the next update....Enjoy your stitching time.  Be sure to share your updates!
 

So much time.....

Wow!!  I just thought about my blog this morning, and felt I should update a bit.  It's a good thing, too, since my last post was in May!!  So much has been going on, and I'm sorry to report that it hasn't involved a whole lot of stitching.

Personally, my position at my last job was dissolved, and there was no negotiating with them for a future job.  The good news, I found a new position quickly, but it is in a different State, so I have spent the past few weeks frantically packing up my house, and preparing my family to move a few states away.  Nothing like a little stress to keep you going, right?  We are hoping to head out this weekend, but we'll know more as we hear from the lender on the house we purchased.

The only stitching I have managed to get done is a little bit here and there.  I have been working on Halloween still, and I had so hoped to have it done and then finished into a flat fold by the season.

Every little chance I get, I'm stitching on this.  It hasn't been easy to keep finding time with everything else that needs to get done right now, but stitching is such a stress reliever for me!!

 My big escape was back in June.  I attended the Chicago GTG again, and once again, I had an amazing time!  I met new friends and visited with the ones I met last year.  It has to be said (again), if you can ever attend a Get Together - DO IT!!    Here are some of the highlights:

 Genie is the woman who puts this on, and she is just a DOLL!!  I love the ladies I meet and get to talk to, and I'm looking forward to the 2015 adventure!!