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,

Sheep #1.14 and #2.1, and final post for Stitch from Stash...

Dear all,

Sorry for disappearing. It has been quite hectic at work. And updates are in general rather difficult with the whole of photograph taking. When I leave for work it is dark. When I come back from work it is dark. So taking photos with my phone is a little problematic. My camera takes pictures but as I have upgraded to a new computer (with the old one slowly dying my memory stick for the card does not work. I need to get the cable for the camera ... anyhow so what I have so far. (sorry for awful photos).

Complete!

Complete!

And the next sheep we have started stitching is 'Joyfulness':

200 stitches on 'Joyfulness'

200 stitches

We decided to up the stitches to 200 per week. Hopefully we will have the next beauty done soon. For those of you counting ... yes I have another update that should have been done today to make 400 stitches. Unfortunately as I said I have struggled with my phone and light. As you can see the last two pictures are worse quality than the first two. That is because my sister photographed the first two.

I will try and photograph/post Tuesday. Also rounding up all my various stitch alongs (the annual ones) I need to update you on Wipocalypse and TUSAL. Get excited I have completed a page on my HAED ... 'Christmas Candle'. And started on the next. Another month or two and hopefully I will move onto the next row!

With £/$65.15 carried forward and £/$25 for this month I have easily managed to fall in the budget. 

I went to the craft shop recently and spent £67.64! As we are not carrying anything forward to next year ... lets just say I fitted into budget. Some of the items are exempt, but as I said as I fell into budget I won't subtract them. What I bought ...

1m of fabric 32count even weave (white) and the remainder of 27count they had (about 30 cm ... also white), 4 ribbons/trims and 4 ropes/trims (1m each),   a marker for fabric (to do grid ding), a cross stitch kit for a pillow cover (with oranges design on it), 4 pieces of felt for finishes, and a little box that would have a cross stitch decor on top (the circular sort one would keep a ring in). All of them ended up a bit blurry on the phone ... so you will have to wait for better photos. 

The worst part is that for instance today was so gloomy that I couldn't even take photos day time! dark and grey. I think it is the season. My sister is back on Tuesday ... so I will be batting my eyelashes asking for some photo taking.

Till soon ... with my today's sheep, Christmas candle update, a finish (tantanta), some major progress on 'Venice' and generic summary.

Before I go ... there is still time to enter a few of Nancy's giveaways (I have not managed to enter many so far).

On the 22nd day of Christmas there was Christmas or a Quaker chart (remember I am stitching one of these)

Click here.

On the 23rd day you pick your own present.

Click here.

On the 24th day there was a $25 gift certificate or a surprise from Nancy.

Click here.

And on the 25th there will be a $100 gift certificate.

Click here.

Till Tuesday (I hope).

Sheep #1.12 and #1.13, Stitch from Stash - November, and another great giveaway by Nancy ...

Dear all,

Sorry for being off the grid for a bit. I had a craft fair last weekend. It went okay. Made some sales ... spent about 3 times what we made. It was nice, though I am starting to notice that more and more the sellers are quite depressed and upset. Surely that shouldn't happen. But hey ho, with people not buying, and it being your livelihood I am not surprised. I guess I am lucky that I did not pick art or craft as my job. There are those lucky few ... but in most cases you need a cool head for business that would outshine the love of your craft.

Anyhow ... I will need to post two weeks worth of stitching (again ... sigh).

Okay 1,200 stitches:

And 1,300 stitches:

I have a feeling it will be finished soon.

Stitch from stash update ... I think this is about 2 days late.

This is going to be trying as I have not properly counted ...  £/$ 45.03 was the carry forward at the close of September ... I spent a total of £2 in October on charts from a charity shop. Sorry need to upload some pictures of those. They quite old/vintage looking. And that months allowance gets me to £/$ 68.03 as at the beginning of this month (November) ... and with this months a total of £/ $ 93.03.

What I actually bought this month ... of course more exciting than actually saying how much I am allowed to spend:

£19.48

I can't believe I actually bought it!!! It is 'Miserable Old Twit-Too' by Judy Rossouw. I have been trying to find this pattern/kit for some time ... as you know I am getting quite a collection of charts by this artist. And this definitely a one that I was missing. 

I also bought some charts from Love thy Thread ... only till tomorrow left to buy (I think) or was the latest email saying Friday. I think it is tomorrow. My purchases (some will be exempt as per official exemption in the email ... on account of shop closure).

Winter Geisha £6.00

Scaredy Cat £2.40

Alley by the Lake - exempt

Quiet Town - exempt

3 Little Witches - exempt

Autumn Leaves - exempt

I had some issues with Autumn Leaves as I was unable to download it ... I have emailed and got the chart in an email (only issue it is black and white) ... I hope I get it in colour instead ... I don't see myself stitching many many many pages just in black. 

So that makes it £/$ 65.15 allowed for a carry over. 

And a giveaway by Nancy next week ... I am cutting it short (I blame the lack of posting!!!).

Click here for the 3rd Day of Christmas giveaway of hand dyed threads ... Entry by 3rd of December!!!

And I will leave you with another Christmassy item just added to my easy shop ...

Ain't he a cute little fella ... available to buy HERE.

Till soon,

A random assemble of facts ... Wipocalypse - November, the sheep #1.10 and #1.11, giveaways and Christmas cards

Hello all,

Thank you for all your good wishes. I have finally got internet sorted and life moves on. I am truly a digital age girl ... no internet and functioning becomes difficult ... bank account ends up going overdrawn and charges pile (phew did not happen this time round), another knitting pattern sells on ebay and I have no clue I need to post! If you like knitting and looking for patterns. I have a 'few' listed HERE (big thank you to my sister who helped me list them all). I have it set up that postage discounts apply automatically to UK buyers, for international I can do manually (but I think ebay only lets this happen for auction style listings). So let me know if you are interested in that.


Wipocalypse ... I have missed a month again with this whole lack of internet.

'Harmony' by the amazing Nancy of the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe has loads of progress on it: 

This is due to all that travelling I done in the last few months. It is hard to keep changing colours when you are on the train, hence this is a perfect project. Also Nancy is having a few giveaways ... so exciting ... it is the famous Christmas countdown she did the previous year. Look below for more info.

More stitching was done on 'Venice' by Michael Powell:

Well this is a little of an understatement as I am about a page and a half done and this is just slightly an old photo of progress you haven't seen. I have been working mostly on this so another update later on ... and then I have diverted to a different project. But next time.

My sheep progress is as follows:

1000 stitches

1000 stitches

And the next 100 stitches ... I need to really stop skipping weekends or I will get confused in photos by this rate.

1100 stitches

1100 stitches

I think it is really coming along.

Remember I said I was having a giveaway. Well not that many people entered so I have two winners. Snoopy and Sarah. Congratulations girls! 

The system is a little bit stuck, and it says the order is being processed so hopefully it will be with you soon.

And to leave it on a positive note. The above mentioned Nancy's giveaway ...

The 1st Day of Christmas giveaway over at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe

 And the 1st prize is hand dyed fabric.

And speaking of Christmas ... there are some handmade Christmas cards by me over at my Etsy shop. There is even hand drawn/painted detail on some.

Click HERE.

Till soon,

Sheep #1.9 and Stitch from Stash October + giveaway that I'm having...

Hello all,

Let's hope this post is not a massive failure. I am attempting to post from my phone (not great). I hoped to have had internet by now and after 10 working days wait for the line to connect all would have seemed perfect until I discovered that there was no actual line... or the one that worked. Hmmm. You know what the nice man said to me after I described my issue? Have you tried resetting? Switching on and off? I'm not that technologically behind. So after 40 minutes he decided to notify me that the line wasn't working.

My phone (same provider) has been extremely patchy, so let's hope this works. Sorry girls for not updating sheep as regularly as I should (I have been stitching just unable to post). Speaking of stitching I went a little crazy and ehm watched about 5 films in a row with lots and lots of stitching! Can't wait to show my progress on my latest wip. But you'll have to wait since I am a pain.

900 stitches

Another update tomorrow. I hope. We'll see how my phone feels like. I get my emails streamed to it... which works better than online connection... well lets say they sometimes stop coming for a few days.

Next up is the stitch from stash update. Mel was so nice to log me on an email from my patchy phone. She is so understanding. Anyhow my spend was only £2 (or $) . I bought a file with some patterns from a charity shop. They are a bit hit and miss, but a few are okay. Sorry limiting on pictures (or my internet will definitely stop working). Similarly with rest of report. Sufficient to say I haven't been spending much in the recent months. Moving is expensive.

Anyhow onto other news. I think it is time for a giveaway. Love thy Thread is having a 40% discount (and I already bought some) but more on that in the next stitch from stash post. For now (let's hope th e offer doesn't end tomorrow hehehe) I am going to have a giveaway of a chart. Which one? One essentially of your choosing. You will need to give me an email and I think that will let me access your wish list. And you will get one through a download. I have promised a giveaway awhile back but kept putting it aside due to craziness. But I decided craziness might take awhile to depart. So by that time I might have a physical giveaway of stash etc. 

Deadline will be next Sunday. The 16th, 10am my time (i.e. UK). That way I can let you know the winner in the post of sheep (I am hoping the internet situation improves by then. You should be a follower. Either a 'reply' blogger or list your email in the post. Will need to have 10 charts on your wish list (at least that is)... so I can expand my list and the gift be a pleasant surprise. 

If we are told the event is being withdrawn... the giveaway might happen earlier so comment on this post to enter. 

Till tomorrow (or today) for my next 10 stitches on the sheep. It's looking really good.

Thank you for all you lovely comments,

Lija 

Sheep #1.8 and TUSAL (october one as I missed september)

Hello all,

Life is still extremely hectic. I am still moving (sigh). How long could it possibly take?! as well as the fact that most of my stuff is still up North! So I just don't understand. I am back in my old place for some pre-moving out cleaning, a shower and laundry.  So hence a post on time.

Internet in my new place will most likely take an extra 2 weeks to sort. Oh well the next update might be from my phone, and will be a massive failure.

800 stitches

Photo taken by my phone as my computer refuses to recognise the memory stick with the camera chip in it. Well annoying. So now I am wondering what all the pink is about. Last time I complained about grey, now its pink. 

Also my TUSAL update on all the orts I collected since moving down South:

Sarah, Anne, Kaye ... sorry girls I will need to catch up with your updates soon, but I am struggling at the moment with lack of internet (even on the phone ... signal is quite patchy at my new place) and also lots of work. I love my new job, and so excited for the overtime ... I just can't believe how the time flies. I was working along to the usual buzz of the office just to realise that it went dead quiet, no photocopying, no phones no chatting or typing. Everyone left for lunch! and I did not even notice.

Also thank you all for your wonderful comments, sorry for no replies or blog visits. Promise to try my best to improve.

Till soon I hope.

Sheep #1.6 and #1.7

Dear all,

Sorry for missing last Sunday's update ... but with this moving houses still on the go (yet again sigh) I end up spending more time at my new place, tidying, constructing furniture, and not enough time at the old place (where the internet is).

As I need to catch a train soon. This will have to be quite a short update. So here are the pictures...

600 stitches

700 stitches

Sarah's latest update could be found here. The quality of her photographs always puts mine to shame.

I still need to check Anne's and Kaye's progress. I better run for train. I will try to come back to my old place during the week ... so I can update on my other progress.

Till soon (I hope),