Stitch from Stash #4

Hello, just a quick update before I have to rush/run to work. There is lots of stash in this update ... and I am still in budget! Thank you to my lovely family who got me lots of stitchy things for my 25th birthday. "Quarter of a Century makes a girl think" (from 'Some Like it Hot')

First up I have some photos of that job lot I bought last time with threads.

sorted into 3 bundles

24 dmc

163 anchor

190 other companies

And I spent £35 if you can remember. So it is not too bad. Mind now I need something to use all those random threads on. And I am not 100% certain about the anchor ones as some are really old and have somebody else instead of Coats listed on the labels. But the logo is the same.

Stash wise mum got me the following kit:

It is  'Victorian Roses' by Candamar Designs. I can't wait to start stitching it ... look at all the gorgeous threads:

My sister gifted me four lovely charts by Little House Needleworks with buttons:

I have already sorted the fabric and threads for all 12 designs ... even though I only have charts and buttons for 6. I think I am going to start on 'Love' next month.

What did I actually buy then ... a magazine:

£4.25

It was a huge disappointment. The cover design is nice, and one other, but as magazine was packed up I did not realise that was all that would interest me in it. I don't think I will be buying this one again any time soon.

I also bought the Fizzy Moon kit exclusive from the World of Cross Stitching for £19.99. But it still hasn't arrived (almost a month now). And I am worried as they have put the price up to £24.99 now ... I will have to wait and see. But I would have felt a lot better if it was in my stash draw!

Okay I carried forward $/£15.06 + this month's allowance of $/£25 which is $/£40.06 I could have spent. I only spent £24.24. So I have $/£15.82 to carry forward. But the scary part next month is May ... and for some reason May and June are the worst for my cross stitching shopping sprees. Good luck to me!

And just a quick note on the projects from stash that I started this month:

Ember II

QS Poisonous Beauties

Till soon,

TUSAL #4 & Wipocalypse #4 ... some progress and new starts

Hello all,

and here is finally me with a stitchy update. I finished work early this afternoon and came home with a full intention if sitting down and posting. Instead as it was nice weather I have repotted three orchids. I have separated mum and baby (one of my orchids had a baby, or keiki), last time I potted them together, but I thought maybe they want their own pots. I could have left them for longer before repotting but the mum had two new roots one of which was growing straight into the cable tie support. I also finally braved cutting off flowers from the third and repotting it (it got left out last time). Since one of my others is in bloom (3 huge purple flowers) I am not as upset with the repotted one. I recently bought a sixth orchid to my collection cheaply thinking I could save it. But I do not know. It is very different to my others and I found 4 spiders on it so far. So at the moment it is in quarantine in the bathtub. I will try repotting it the next time.

orchid that lost its flowers and a biscornu (I might have forgot to share this finish with you)

But I promised cross stitch, so ...

Tusal:

2014 and 4th lot

2014 so far

I definitely need a bigger jar. Though I must admit some of the threads were not from stitching but the sort of my thread shopping from a charity shop (I mentioned it a while back) ... so finally got to it. But more on it in the next Stitch from Stash update.

Wipocalypse:

Christmas Candle:

March 2014

April 2014

Alright this actually looks like no progress whatsoever hmmm. I promise you I did do a few night of stitching on it.

QS Literate Dragon:

March 2014

April 2014

Slightly more progress than on the previous piece. Need to get this one out again soon. I have missed it.

Lean on Me:

March 2014

April 2014

A bit more backstitching done.

Okay now onto real progress. I have started two new projects. The kit was from stash, and the HAED was started using stashed threads and chart, fabric bought last month, and the frame my mum got me for Christmas.

So the new starts are:

QS Poisonous Beauties by Jasmine Becket-Griffith (9 pages)

April 2014

and

Ember II by Maia

April 2014

One flower is almost fully stitched.

closeup

That's all for now. I need a small finish for next week's update ... and I am at a loss. I have completed the kit my sister gifted to me on Christmas ... but as I stitched the grass in columns of 6 crosses using hand dyed floss ... it looks slightly wrong. So I do not know whether I should unpick and start that area again.

Till soon,

P.S. Almost forgot to answer ... how do I keep my stash organised? [edited to include photos]

in the cupboard on the right ...

1 shelf full of progress in individual folders/pockets (and a box of winded thread)

1 shelf full of stashed kits, free kits from magazine in the purple box, and bits and bobs including needles in the yellow one

In the centre set of drawers:

1 drawer of fabric and hand dyed floss

a bit ruffled

Then ...

1 drawer (this one in my desk) of current haeds as in box of winded threads and printed charts

the bottom box with umbrellas has buttons, needles, etc, transparent box on top has all my finishes, and behind the picture ...

2 boxes with a total of 4 drawers full of dmc threads

1 cardboard box of anchor threads under bed (top one)

2 frames next to drawers with stitching

and under drawers 5 bags of threads and some fabric ... you can see one of the bags here

and 3 boxes of cross stitch magazines:

the one in the centre ... the rest is some of the knitting ones ... I have more of those

half the box on the bottom

Mind, there is also a binder with magazines, which I forgot to photograph.

Art Dolls and other things

Dear all,

I am still here. Some of you might have noticed I had fallen behind in my emails, and blogging. Well here is the reason... We have been pretty busy in the last few weeks. There was a craft fair (as per usual I spent more than I have earned ... oh well) last Saturday which coincided with my sister's visit. She came for a week. So we were very busy crafting and creating. Very little cross stitch on my part, sadly. But in other words the two dolls we have been working on are now finished!

Some photos:

What do you think? 

I was in such a buzz after the fair that even our Etsy store got some love ... and is updated with more stock. Check the link on the right hand side bar.

The third doll that is still under construction has most of her body parts attached, and I am ready to start the long labour on the hair ... the only component that is missing is the thread. The hair is bright red and we do not have anything that is colour matching. Today, I returned some library books, went to the post office to post something I sold on eBay (probably another 11p profit!), and got on the wrong bus! It took twice as long to get to town and then it was too late and the shop was closed. Never mind, I will cross stitch tonight instead. I have started a new project from stash! (more on it soon).

Will try to post a belated (yet again) TUSAL update tomorrow... and see what I have been missing in the world of correspondence.

Till soon,