The Sheep #2.5 and #2.6 ... have I caught up yet?

Hey all,

Only 9 days to go to the deadline! I am frequently becoming the last person out of office ... but hey ho it is great to be alive. I love it. Mind I wouldn't mind dreaming about the missing thread and fabric again! So I guess I am battling my addiction for cross stitch and becoming a workaholic? Or is that just wishful thinking? Still have the cravings to buy stash... but as I am doing Stitch from Stash (or stashers anonymous ... only joking) I am not allowed, gotta save to buy. But more on that later.

So the sheep:

1000 stitches

1200 stitches

1200 stitches

I also have some progress on 2 of my wips to share soon.

But until then,

The Sheep SAL #2.3 and #2.4 ... or in other words I am soooo behind

Hi all,

Are you surprised hearing from me? Well I am.

This is my first post of 2015! Lets hope I'm not gonna spend the year with how I am starting ... late.

Most of you know how I moved down South (of England) for a job back in September ... well the business is taking hold of me. I am a tax trainee and with the tax returns being due on the 31 January following the fiscal year this is one busy period. Last week I managed 61 hours! I love it! It is amazing ... I sit down at the desk and don't realise how the time just disappears. The only issue is back pain. It is slightly better once the lovely person who sits next to me fixed my chair (it was locked in a silly reclining position).

Anyhow that is me to the end of the month sorted! It does have a slight limitation on my other activities. I still stitch about an hour before bedtime but not always am able to work on sheep as for example I tried yesterday and could not see the holes! It is 35 count even weave. Then there is the issue of photography (I know I know excuses excuses excuses).

600 stitches

800 stitches

Believe it or not I am almost done with the next 200 (due last Sunday). 50 to go. So who knows maybe this Sunday you will see 2 sheep and me catching up.

Thank you so much for your comments on my failed goals. Some of you had amazing ideas.

I particularly liked Shebafudge's ... to pick up a UFO and work 1 or 2 strands. Surely if I follow this advise I will get it done eventually ... when I am 200 years old knowing my dedication to those pesky UFOs. 

I am also limiting myself to what I join this year ... but more on that later. And I am definitely sticking by the sheep. If Sarah doesn't kick me out for being terrible at posting updates.

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,

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,