Welcome back - Wipocalypse, sheep, bunnies, and a giveaway

Dear all

Welcome back. It seems I have been gone a while. Precisely for the full 2018 (and only two posts in 2017). New year comes with new resolutions, and one (or two) of mine are to blog and stitch more. So here I am. Humbly returning to the blogging sphere.

One of the things I loved a few years ago was participating in Wipocalypse SAL. So lets add that to my monthly posting list.

Wipocalypse - January 2019 check in

I like having a number of goals that I can hopefully tick off. I decided to make it easier for myself by picking one at the start of the month. I can then stitch on it or any prior month selection for the challenge.

In January I had little chance to stitch, however I picked up my lengthly ignored sheep. The desired goal is to finish them all (so far 6 done, 2 partially stitched, and 4 not started). I started them as part of a SAL a number of years ago... however fell off the grid since.

January 2019

There is only the remnants of the border left ... so hopefully I will have a finish for you next month.

I did start a new project last year 'Bunny Love' by Judy Rossouw (Anchor), although I have not blogged about it. It has progressed significantly in the initial push so here is the start image for my February goal.

January 2019

I'd love to get this one finished, however there is still quite a bit to go. So fingers crossed for this upcoming month and lots of progress.

Question of the Month: What SALs are you participating in this year?

I am participating in this one ... and maybe will join the Smalls SAL (if the sign up is still open) ... after all there are six sheep still to go (including the nearly finished one).

Giveaway

Sometime last year I have decided I wanted to be a minimalist. An interesting decision for a hoarder that took sometime to formulate in my head, and will take even longer to achieve. Many of you will understand what a difficult challenge that is (all you need to do is look at the amount of stash we stitchers accumulate!). And this is reflective of a lot of areas of my life. 

As part of the process of decluttering ... one needs to discard, sell and giveaway the items one no longer keeps. So for the embracing the giveaway ... I will host monthly giveaways. 

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

Approximate measurements:

length: 16 cm

height: 10.5 cm

width of base: 3.5 cm (decreases to top)

All you have to do is comment on this post before the end of the month. And a winner will be announced in the first few days of March. Please make sure I can contact you.

Until soon,

Lija

Sheed # 9.2 - Kindness

Hello all,

Again I have been M.I.A. for a little bit.

Recently a colleague told me a quote by Winston Churchill...

... "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm" ...

... but apparently he never said that.

My next 100 stitches on Kindness:

Thank you all for the lovely comments on my last post. It was definitely good to receive support. I keep telling myself I can cope, I can deal with it. But it whatever the mysterious 'it' is difficult. 

I am finally booked onto a revision course for my retake. I do hope it helps. The entire process has taken me about 5 weeks to organise. After I decided to tell myself to stop hiding my head in the sand I had a big decision to make ... where do I study ... do I go for something more expensive or do I just try again with the same place. After pondering this choice for a few weeks I came to a conclusion to go with the more expensive college, mainly as it is a residential course that is run mostly on weekends and came highly recommended. So I was saying ... I came to a conclusion to go with the more expensive provider... just to be told it was fully booked. But I am in luck as it turns out two weeks later, today, I was told they have a cancellation ... and I can have a place. Phew!

Until somewhat soon I hope.

Lija

Sheep # 9.1 - Kindness

Dear all

Again I am attempting to catch up on one thing or another. Blogging ... stitching...

Here are my first 100 stitches on Kindness by Little House Needleworks:

As you may know I am doing this as part of a SAL with Sarah. Who is definitely better at keeping to agreed time schedule than me. 

Until soon,

Lija

2016 in review ...

Dear all,

2016 is almost over ... and despite attempting I find myself failing again and again.

Out of my New Year resolutions for the year I managed 6 out of 10. Two of my significant fails include to blog more frequently and to qualify as a chartered accountant.

As you know the blogging has become more scarce ... and I have also recently failed my final exam. It has been a huge disappointment. 14 exams passed over the last few years and the last, 15th, that would bring me within reach of qualifying ... I panicked.

But lets concentrate on the positive and that is 2017 brings another chance at achieving the unachievable and 10 new goals to work towards. Lets say to qualify is on the list again, as well as to blog more frequently. So far I have 9 goals, and only need to come up with one more ... there is still time until the clock strikes midnight, right? If you have any ideas do let me know.

Onto the lack of stitching achievements. Out of 16 goals I sort of achieved 3 and a bit.

Harmony by Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe. 

My goal was to complete this. And I have. This was one of my earlier finishes (while still motivated by 2015 failures):

December 2015

January 2016

Alice and Dodo by Tanya Bond 

This was a new start and the Goal was to stitch 1 out of 25 pages. 

October 2016

Iris by John Clayton 

December 2015

December 2016

So now onto partial meeting of targets ...

Christmas Candle - HAED

Goal was to finish the top row, i.e a page and a partial. Unfortunately I decided to use this project to participate in a challenge and needed a new page. But this means 5/36 done.

December 2015

August 2016

August 2016

Peace (Little Sheep Virtue) by Little House Needleworks

Well completing all 12 sheep did not go down so well ... but the 6th one is now done.

August 2016

And a not related finish to my Wipocalypse goals ...

A finish of 'Take Shelter together!' - Rainy Day Kitty by Durene Jones the World of Cross Stitching magazine (issue 240).

March 2016

Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

Samuel Beckett

Until next year,

Lija

Oil painting of a robin and lack of cross stitch

Dear all,

I can't believe it has been so long since my last post.

It seems I have less and less time to do things that I love ... it must be what growing up feels like.

Some may remember me mentioning that apart from cross stitch that I am also a part-time artist. A scary thought occurred to me last New Years Eve... I haven't picked up my brush in so long that I was unsure I could paint any more.

Well one of my New Year's resolutions was to start painting again. I have managed four oil paintings so far this year. Including ...

But this may be it for 2016. With time ticking by ... and there being other demands on my time. Studies ... work ...

With light fading away as winter approaches, unfortunately I was unable to pick up my sheep. I am also unsure what is wrong with my eyes ... but my perfect vision seems less perfect as time goes on. I went to theatre recently, and I was in the first half of the hall and the actors were all blurry. And don't start me on any training sessions we have at work (I am unable to see what it says on the screen!) This is the same problem I am having with small count. I just can't seem to see the holes clearly enough.

Until soon (hopefully with some cross stitch),

Lija

#7.8 Sheep Sal - Peace complete

Dear all,

Sadly I haven't posted in some time (again). I have been attempting to catch up with Sarah in our Sheep SAL and am still failing. On a positive note here is my complete sheep 'Peace':

Complete - August 2016

Some great news is that I passed two more exams towards my Chartered Accountancy (Corporate Reporting and Strategic Business Management). Only one exam left until I am fully qualified! Study starts next week.

Until soon,

Lija

SALE, sheep #7.7 and Wipocalypse ...

Dear all,

I can't believe it has been almost a month since my last post.

It is also very hard to believe how much has changed since then. United Kingdom has voted to leave EU. Lets say since the result came out it has been a turbulent fall into the abyss for us.

Pound sterling is failing. The earrings I was planning on buying for £9 have magically increased overnight to £11! (and I am dreading to think how much other purchases I have planned cost). On a positive side for those of you outside of the UK you can now grab a bargain from our island. In addition (just to be a bit more tempting) we are having an up to 50% SALE over on our Etsy store (click).

We are trying to clear out some of our older stock ... so how about a birdhouse that you can stick your needles in while you stitch ...

50% Sale - now £6

or a linen bag to stash bits and bobs ...

50% Sale - now £6.50

and another idea for your needles, pins, buttons  ...

50% Sale - now £5

Talking about all the various changes in my life... I am finally no longer a trainee ... as of 1 July I have been promoted to a Tax Semi Senior. So after a week long depression following the referendum something good finally happened.

And now onto the stitching ...

Sheep SAL # 7.7

The next 100 stitches ...

700 stitches

Wipocalypse update ...

I haven't done one of these updates in a while, so in addition to Alice and Dodo by Tanya Bond (that you seen in the last post).

June 2016

Since then I have done some late night stitching on Christmas Candle.

July 2016

I am yet to finish page 5 and 6 ... and now page 7 it seems. I have started the additional page for a challenge I was participating in on Heaven and Earth Designs forum. Unfortunately I have not met it. The challenge was to stitch a full page in cross country method.

Half a year has gone by and I only met one out of my sixteen goals. Not a very inspiring progress, but on the other hand a few of the goals are getting quite close to being met.

Until soon,

Lija