Welcome to 2016 ...

Hello all and welcome to 2016 ...

... I can't believe I haven't posted since October. I do need to be better this year (blogging is one of my 10 New Year resolutions), so here we go off to a flying start with a sum up of a year and setting up goals for the year ahead.

I have only completed 3 of my goals in 2015 ... so hopefully 2016 will be better.

1) Christmas Candle - HAED

Before:

December 2014

After:

December 2015

The goal was to complete the last two pages of the top row, which as you can see I have not managed.

The plan for 2016 is therefore the same goal as last time ... complete the two top pages. 

2) Ember II by Maia. Complete this project ... COMPLETE!!!

Before:

May 2014

After:

April 2015

3) Yiota's Xstitch: Fields of Poppies. Complete one page ... COMPLETE!!!

Before:

January 2014

After:

April 2015

Seven more pages to go ... so I think I will set myself a target to stitch another one.

4) Literate Dragon HAED. Complete the bottom left page... COMPLETE!!!

Before:

April 2014

After:

December 2015

Guess what I think I will go for the top right this year ... that way we might finish this by 2017!

5) QS Poisonous Beauties (complete page 1) - not stitched. Ditto for 2016.

6) Harmony by Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe (goal complete) ... some progress made here, but not quite enough.

Before:

November 2014

After:

December 2015

Lets get this one complete in 2016!!!

7) Venice by Michael Powell (goal: complete the first triptych) ... again progress was made

Before:

December 2014

After:

December 2015

Ditto for 2016.

8) Spring bouquet by Margaret Sherry (goal: complete). Very small progress:

Before:

After:

Ditto for 2016.

9) I feel a bit light headed by Judy Rossouw (goal complete)... no stitching

10) unassigned as Xmas chums was scrapped.

11)  'Tending the Flock' (goal: complete 2 colours) ... no joy ...

12) Making Lickle Wishes (goal: 1 colour) ... ditto ...

13) Cabin Fever by Dimensions (goal complete the cabin) ... I think I stitched about 2 crosses before giving up.

14) John Clayton - Venice (goal complete) ... this is becoming slightly monotonous.

15) 'Picture of elegance' (goal complete) ... ditto

16) Good Heavens by Margaret Sherry (goal complete) ... finally I have some progress to share (and see how good my new camera is ... the fabric actually appears blue):

Before:

December 2013

After:

December 2015

I then scheduled some starts ... but what I started and what were schedule are slightly different.

Starts:

17) Iris by John Clayton (Connections)

December 2015

18) Autumn Glory by Snowflower Diaries

December 2015

19) Twilight & Magic by Suzanne Gyseman HAED 

December 2015

20) Sheep SAL (LHN designs) So far in this SAL I should have had 6 sheep ... instead I am slightly shy of 6 ...

But I have Gratitude complete!!!

December 2015

I will try to get Faith done shortly so that I am officially caught up...

December 2015

Now I feel fully ready for 2016! With 10 New Year resolutions set and stitching plans made I just now need extra hours in a day. (To see my 2016 stitchy goals check out the wipocalypse tab)

Till soon,

Stitch from Stash - August 2015 ...

Month: August 2015
Spent: £3.20
Earned: £0


Dear all,

I have been having quite a stressful time recently, so I am very sorry for disappearing for 3 weeks. I will try to be better ... even if it is just a quick update.

My family has decided to follow me and relocate down South ... so I went to visit them for 5 days to help pack up ... and let me tell you it was a task not for the light hearted. For the past month I have been trying to find a van(s) to transport everything across the country and it has been proving to be quite a task. I almost had a meltdown today after all the issues I so far had with quotes etc (too many to mention) I finally booked 2 vans and after paying a deposit and emailing the company got an automated response that they are on holiday until the 29th (the move is meant to happen on the 26th) ... but hold your fingers crossed for me.

What I actually bought recently:

Thread pack for the following HAED (+ 2 magazines) ... I already have the 2 magazines (world of cross stitching), but by accident I found an eBay listing for further 2 copies and all the threads needed. £3.20 it cost me (+£3.80 for postage and packaging) ... in the magazine they estimate that cost of threads and fabric would be around £100, so a great bargain. I wanted to stitch this picture for some time ... so perfect. The seller is charity orientated and 100% of sale proceeds go to Midlands Air Ambulance. Money well spent.

Some progress on a few stitchy things:

Venice

I am now a third way through page 4 of 6. So pretty good progress although backstitching will be a pain.

My new start (I only took my sheep when I went up North, but it was too dark to stitch it in the evening so I started a new project instead):

This is 'Iris' by John Clayton (Connections series). I have already completed 'Calla Lily' in the same style back in 2012 (click here). There are 8 flowers in total and one day I might be able to complete them all. I have kits for 2 further ones, and charts for the remainder 4. Charts are unfortunately for the blue background. 

Last night after all the stress of van hire I was planning on cross stitching. I thought I might start something new ... maybe the one above, or my Alice and Dodo ... but then the first has no fabric and in general I could not find my blue marker for gridding. 

Anyhow till soon ... I am off to go wash dolls hair (I brushed it all out 2 weekends ago and now its lying in a puff and needs a conditioning bath to make it smooth). It is bright red in colour, so quite something! Before I go do you want to see the last doll head I have bee working on? Well here it is:

hair colour - Merlot

The best one so far, even if I say so myself! She needs her hair slightly trimmed at the bottom which will be done once she gets a head!

Hopefully hair won't take too long and I can put a few hours of woking into my sheep. 

Till soon,

Stitch from Stash + Wipocalypse - July 2015 ... something didn't quite go well ...

Month: July 2015
Spent: £0
Earned: £0

Dear all,

I am sorry but it seems I have disappeared again. Not sure what happened. I do need to get a bit of grip on my planning.

Nothing actually went on here since I last posted. I am back in college now, studying business planning tax, and financial management. I had some lessons for BPT already, but not for FM. Tax is fascinating and getting more complex every day. I am still struggling to work my head around various VAT issues. But as the next set of exams is not until December still some time to go.

My mum dyed quite a number of cross stitch threads, which I am slowly trying to add to our Etsy page:

They can be found HERE.




We have decided to put them at a bargain price of £1.80 per skein (10m). For further information check out the listing. I have started with pinks, but some other colours should follow shortly ... I just wonder where does all the time go?





What about my cross stitch endeavours you ask ...

Well I am slowly progressing with my sheep. I think I am going to set myself a task to complete it by next weekend ... that way I won't get distracted with all that other cross stitch trying to tempt me astray ... Sarah is so far ahead it is unbelievable.

Still quite a bit to go on my little 'Faith'. But we will see.

I have finally stitched a tiny bit more on 'Good Heavens' by Margaret Sherry ... (an achievement as this constantly becomes a UFO for me).

And a bit more done on 'Venice' by Michael Powell ... almost half of the first triptych. Then another two to go ... imagine quite a bit of the blanc space on the right being filled with stitching.

Till soon,

Sheep #2.2, TUSAL and Wipocalypse final post ...

Dear all,

I know I promised to have posted earlier ... but it has been really busy with the holidays (and then work) here ... my mum and little brother are were here to visit ... so we have been eating non stop, spending money, and eating more.

Hope everyone's festivities went well, I even managed to get a bit of stitching in. I got my sister a cross stitch present ... a kit for a bookmark. She is almost done with it already!!!

400 stitches in! I almost done the next lot ... but still have till tomorrow

[aside: I started composing this post earlier than it was posted].

TUSAL ... a bit of a failure on the posting front as the year worn on ... I have here September till now (as I left the beginning of the year's ORTs up North):

Next up is the Wipocalypse update ... (to some degree probably a failure):

1) Good Heavens by Margaret Sherry [Goal: Complete]

December 2013

No progress whatsoever, so back to being a UFO.

2) Christmas Candle - HAED [Goal: Complete another 5 3 pages]

So only 1/5 3 (goal) and 4/36 (total)

December 2013

only one page done a year later!

and I started the next page

Another page and a bit and I will reach the end of the first row. This project has been a struggle for me. I still love it for most part. Unlike the dragon for which I picked the wrong fabric this one is okay to stitch (apart from balancing the massive frame). It is just that I have soooo many projects, new and old, that it seems never enough time to concentrate just on one.

3) Yiota's Xstitch: Field of Poppies [Goal: Complete]

Based on Van Gogh's painting

January 2014

Nothing done at all. So a massive failure for this goal.

4) 'Picture of elegance'. [Goal: Complete]

December 2013 

Ehm, as above. This update is getting more upsetting by the minute.

5) Literate Dragon - HAED [Goal: complete the full SAL]

December 2013

This one has actually had some work done ...

1/4 pages done!

Regarding my UFOs ... lets say they remain mostly as such ... no change to:

6) Xmas Chums [Goal: Complete by next Christmas ... as if]

June 2012

Back to the lack of progress shame.

7)  'Tending the Flock' [Goal: Pick up and work on even if just a little]

Before 2012

No movement whatsoever.

8) Making Lickle Wishes [Goal: turn to a WIP]

April 2012

Ehm ... a pattern beginning to emerge of UFOs remaining UFOs?

9) Cabin Fever by Dimensions (Gold Collection) [Goal: turn into a WIP]

September 2012

July 2014

A tiny, tiny bit of progress!

10) John Clayton: Venice [Goal: complete]

December 2012

Still not unpicked!

New Starts:

11) JR01 Lean on Me by Judy Rossouw (anchor) [Goal: complete]

January 2014

  

May 2014

12) QS Poisonous Beauties by Jasmine Becket-Griffith - HAED [Goal: Complete 1 page]

So far 0/9

July 2014

I blame the move for the lack of progress.

 13) Ember II by Maia [Goal: Complete]

May 2014

14) Harmony by Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

November 2014

I really like how this project is coming along. I actually have more of the border stitched over Christmas.

15) Venice by Michael Powell

This is a triptych that I am stitching as one, and the first of the three has 6 pages. So I have done approximately one and a half.

December 2014

 

16) Brollies by Heritage Crafts (Twilights Series)

December 2014

This is actually a finish ... if you remember I had 'Boats' done from the series back in 2013 (I think).

And the photos of stash promised in the lats post:

Till soon,