Happy Valentine's Day ... and Love at First Sight

Dear all

Happy Valentine's Day! If you have that someone special I hope you spend the day (or evening) marvelling in each other. If you are single perhaps it is time to crack up a bottle of wine or brew a hot chocolate with marshmallows and enjoy a few romantic comedies in celebration of your wonderful... and some stitching for the stitchaholics amongst us.

Here straight from the hot press is 'Love at First Sight' by Judy Rossouw completed this very morning:

Complete - 14 February 2020

This also completes another project on my stash to stitch list ... 2 down and 39 still to go this year. Totally doable right? I may need some quick wins soon if I am going to accomplish this crazy challenge I set myself.

Until soon,

Lija

Love at First Sight is almost done ...

Dear all

I was hoping I would get to finish this project over the last weekend. I even had a good excuse (fighting a cold) for avoiding life admin. But I am not quite there.

WIP - 10 February 2020

The stitching itself is done. Only the backstitching remains. 

I do try stitching every morning together with one podcast and a cup of coffee. So perhaps I can make it for the Valentine's day. I am unsure about your plans but mine involve romantic films, hot chocolate, and maybe more stitching! Who said you need a man to celebrate loving yourself. 

Until soon,

Lija

Welcome February and Love at First Sight

Dear all

I am finally here ... on the other side of January! I have survived January and the tax returns deadline. In a way February is the new 2020 start for me and I am super excited for it. I have picked up embroidery again. And the project of choice is 'Love at First Sight' by Judy Rossouw.

Two frogs kissing ...

WIP - 2 February 2020

Do you think it can be completed ahead of Valentine's?

Anyhow I better go and start sorting my life admin, something that was somewhat rejected amidst the stress and pressures of work... and get excited for new projects and dreams.  

As of 10.06 pm of 1 February 2020 I am an aunt (for the first time) to a most beautiful boy. I am super excited to meet him someday soon ... and do need to start knitting again (the cardigan I have made him already will be to small for him)! 

Until soon (with lots of love)

Lija

Wipocalypse, downsizing stash, another giveaway and more ...

Dear all

Here goes nothing ... sometimes when I disappear for a little bit (or longer), but still stitch it is very hard to get back in to writing a report on stitching ... as there so much to address.

Wipocalypse - August 2019 check in:

As noted earlier I have embarked on a journey towards minimalism in all areas of my life. In turns this means for cross stitch, yikes,  downsizing stash.

I am saying goodbye to old projects that are no longer me and selling them on eBay ... and others I am stitching to complete. As such I had a few months of quick wins ... smaller projects that are not too huge to complete:

1) I have completed Autumn Glory ... something I started awhile back but put down.

Autumn Glory by the Snowflower Diaries
August 2019

2) Spurred on by an easy win I stitched Under the Pear Tree by the same designer which I also completed in the month of August: 

Under the Pear Tree by the Snowflower Diaries
August 2019 

3) My next project is 'Angela' by, again, the Snowflower Diaries ... can you see the theme? Progress so far (only the border and minimum backstitching to go): 

WIP - September 2019

 

4) My other progress progress includes 'Miserable Old Twit-Too'. All the stitching is done ... only the painful backstitching to go. Judy Rossouw's designs look amazing but a pain to backstitch.

WIP - July 2019

 5) Love at First Sight by Judy Rossouw ... a new start this month. I had an accident with spilled wine (red) which made me slightly unwilling to pick it up. I have rescued the work from the stain ... however I am yet to pick it up again.

WIP - July 2019

Phew that was a lot of stitching to cover. I think my next port of call is to update my stash page (101 projects that I am aiming to decrease to 50 by the end of 2019). I have sold a few on eBay already, finished (as above others) and will continue to minimise!

Another giveaway:

The last draw has taken place and the makeup bag was posted to Astrid of Dragon Stitches and Stuff by Astrid. (A slightly belated draw with no valid excuses on my part).

But there is a new giveaway ... a biscornu / pincushion. All you need to do to win is comment.

Until soon,

Lija

P.S. If you are curious about my ramblings on minimising do check out my other blog 30+ minimalist wannabe.

Bunny Love completion and new blog

Dear all

My podcast listening has continued across two weekends and I am pleased to report a finish!

This is a completed 'Bunny Love' by Judy Rossouw stitched in Anchor.

June 2019

June 2019

I wonder what can I achieve in one more weekend... I know it is not quite an entire weekend. I was stewarding an exhibition earlier, so am a little behind on the creative side. I do have a new start (also by Judy Rossouw) and a completed silk embroidery piece that I will be somehow attaching to a photo album ... that will be an interesting feat. 

Talking about my journey towards being a minimalist. I am still stitching down my stash, will be posting seven sold items on eBay (good bye cross stitch projects amongst other items), and have also started a blog documenting my thoughts and journey:

https://30plusminimalistwannabe.blogspot.com

Until soon,

Lija

Wiposalypse, sheep, bunnies, Sara Moon, another giveaway and minimalism

Dear all

I am slightly late with my entry, but better late than never.


Wipocalypse - May 2019 check in 

I have a finish to report:

May 2019 - Complete!!!

And I have moved on to the next sheep 'Kindness'. This is how far I have got to so far:

May 2019

Next up is 'Bunny Love' by Judy Rossouw (Anchor), on which I worked just a little. 

May 2019

And another project I have added to the list of work I would like to complete in 2019. It is 'Picture of elegance' of Sara Moon:

May 2019

I have had a look through my stash recently and I am very curious about the next project I will add to this list. Keep an eye out on the progress.

The question of the month is: Where do you love to shop for stash?

My answer is in my stash. You will understand why if you read a little bit about my journey to minimalism and financial freedom below.

Giveaway

The February's giveaway winner was Sue of Random Stitching. And the makeup bag was shipped on time (I just have not mentioned this on here yet due to lack of posting).

The next giveaway up for grabs is:

This is a handmade makeup or other purposes bag with a cross stitched summer witch (as can be seen in the picture). The cross stitch design is by the Snowflower Diaries. 

All you have to do is comment on this post before the end of June. And a winner will be contacted shortly afterwards, and announced in the next post after the end of June. 

Minimalism

As mentioned in my previous post I am on a journey to becoming a minimalist. If you have a look at my stash list you can start to imagine the difficulties I will face in reforming years of collecting and hoarding. 

In addition to discovering Marie Kondo, I have also started following the Dave Ramsey plan to financial freedom. I started it officially mid February and am busy with Baby Step 2. This is a step when you repay all your debt. And for those who have not come across this crazy gentleman before ... some of the things that you would not consider to be debt (e.g. car payments or a credit card that is paid off monthly) are. The deeper you sacrifice the quicker the success can be achieved.

I have been selling anything and everything on eBay as part of my minimising journey as it were. However I have been getting even more gazelle intense and have just went through my stash and am finally ready to say good bye to some of my cross stitch projects. Hopefully it will reinvigorate me into stitching more from my stash. It would be nice to decrease the projects both stashed and ongoing to 50. I have 101 officially listed in stash (however I do own a few magazines and projects I have  not got around to adding) and about 21 projects that have been started. Do you think this is doable?     

My big 'Why' that pivoted me towards this journey is a purchase of a home. If I am ever to move from the rented property I am in I would like to make the transition as smooth as possible without the need to hire two large vans! I discovered Dave Ramsey by chance and am now making the financial side of the equation possible as well.

Until hopefully soon,

Lija