July update

It's still early in the month but I thought I would put something out here anyway. So far I've managed to stick with my challenge. I have not started anything new since I posted last. I've been strictly working on a couple of projects. First is Book of Ink Circles. I really want to get this done. I would love to enter it into the State Fair. I missed the deadline for the county fair so I only have the State and local festival to make the entry deadline.

The second project is Castles in the Air by Papillon creations. Lots of color changes, whew! Lots of beads as well. It's going to be gorgeous when it's done, but I'm having a hard time picking it up lately. (It doesn't help that I feel the need to concentrate on it and don't have much time at the moment.)

The third project is my Tuscany scissors fob. There's a bit of color changes on this one too. However it is really cute and I put a needle's worth of thread in it here and there.

The reason I don't have a lot of time lately is that I have someone "new" calling pretty much on a daily basis. Because it's new we talk a lot and are learning about each other. Then there are lots of events happening because it's summer. I don't mind so much setting my stitching down for a little bit while something new and exciting is happening. I know it'll always be there for me to pick up when I feel the need to put the needle through the fabric.

Sad News and Personal Challenges

I am saddened by the news that we've lost yet another Designer. Marc Davis of Needlemania passed away yesterday. He was at home, in his chair with his stitching and his dogs. My condolences to his family. May he rest in peace.

I really dislike reminders of my mortality. It makes me think of what will happen to all my projects that are in various states of being worked on. So this is a wake up call to me. I'm setting a personal challenge to myself. I'm going to try to not start anything new for the rest of the year and just work on already started projects. Wish me luck! (Of course the exception is if I finish Book of Ink Circles so I can start Brambles and the Rose.)

The second challenge is to not buy any new charts for the rest of the year. I subscribed to the Gift of Stitching magazine and have the latest two issues of Just Cross Stitch. (Of course the exception there is the Christmas ornament issue of JCS.) This should help me concentrate better on the first challenge. I'll try to remember to post progress here more often.

June Update Part II

I went to Needle in a Haystack on Sunday. I got the French grape monogram book. Yay! Even better, it was an older copy marked at only $25.00. I got the beads to continue Castles in the Air. I got two packs of needles (one pack of beading needles that I'm continuously losing!) and a new nail file. The last thing I got was a skein of Silk N Colors - Camouflage for the new Ink Circles Brambles and the Rose. The sheen of the silk will give the two shades of green the rose bush look and the small bits of brown will give it an extra little dimension. I'm looking forward to starting this one.

Now, onto the disappointment! I am a self-proclaimed scissors nut. I am collecting scissors and cutting instruments. I have 30 pair of scissors, a pair of nippers and two Clover cutters. That being said, I posted previously that I was hunting the the grape bunch scissors from Uncommon Scissors. Needle in a Haystack had the entire line! I was able to pick up and feel each and every one I was interested in. Unfortunately for me, the grape bunch scissors finger holes were so small that I could only fit my fingernails into them! (I would honestly think they were made for children if I didn't know better. Or maybe they were?) I may be a nut but I'm a practical nut. If I'm spending over $25 for a pair of scissors I want them to be usable. Therefore I was very disappointed that the grape bunch scissors were not usable for me. I then tried the sheep scissors. Nope, the legs stuck out at an angle that hit my fingers when trying to use them. (Scratch those off the list.) Then the primrose scissors. Those too had too tiny fingerholes. Then the clinging vine. Their fingerholes are not round. They feel weird on your fingers. I couldn't see using them because they weren't exactly comfortable for me. So all the scissors came off my list and I left the shop without buying scissors. Sigh I was very disappointed and out of sorts that I couldn't buy scissors! But after looking at my list I found a pair of Ginghers that I don't have and they're on sale at Joann's. Maybe I'll pick them up this weekend...

June update

Castles in the air is going slowly. There's lots of changes of color so lots of starting and stopping.

Book of Ink Circles is moving along well. I've finished a couple of parts. http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/album/570412802fykkas (I hope that link takes you to my album.)

Tuscany scissors fob is going slowly.

Mickey Mouse is going even slower.

I've at least kept myself from starting anything (else) new.

Plan on going to Needle in a Haystack this weekend. I'm looking for more beads for Castles in the Air, variegated green-something (fiber) for the new Ink Circles - Brambles and the Rose, the French grape Monogram book I've seen the last couple of times I was there and hopefully a new pair of scissors - grape bunch by Uncommon Scissors. (I believe they were released that the online Needlework show. I hope the store has them.)

Done!

I finished How Does Your Garden Grow last night.

Tonight I started Castles in the Sky.

Getting closer!

How Does Your Garden Grow - Part 11 - Finished 3/31/09

I made a goal of finishing How Does Your Garden Grow before starting the next Papillon Creations mystery Castles in the Sky. I have only part 12 left of HDYGG and I'll be starting that tonight as well. It's very hard to not start the new one but I'm going to use it as a treat for getting something finished. So I'm on track!

March update

I finished the model the day I last posted. I took pics and sent it back to the designer the next day. A little over a week later I got a good reference with a "we will definitely use Susan again"! Woohoo! I'm really happy about that. I like knowing there are people to work for when I feel the need to stitch a model.

I've kitted up the new Papillon Creations mystery and I want to start it, but I want to get How Does Your Garden Grow finished first. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold out but I'm doing good as I just finished Part 10 and started Part 11.

I finally got the credit card thing corrected and received the order. However, the new bf is no longer so I have no reason (at this time) to stitch anything out of that booklet. I would feel really bad to send it back after all I went through to get it. And it's not their fault where I ordered it. So it'll go into the file.

I also picked up a Mickey Mouse kit. (It's all about the Mouse!) And I started it. I don't consider this a "serious" design, it's strictly for fun so I went ahead and used the aida that came in the kit. I honestly don't have any idea where I could hang it in my house when it's finished. But I want to stitch it!

I think that's pretty much it for at least a week. :)

Surprising even myself...

In the last post I talked about the model stitching and how far along I was. I posted that I had 6 weeks to finish. Well, at a little less than 3 weeks later I can report that I should be done today. Last night I estimated a little over two hours of work left to do. But I didn't want to stay up until midnight to get that accomplished. (I had already put in over 5 hours of work last night.) So I'm going to do my best to get it done tonight. (At last conversation, the new bf wants to come over and take me to dinner. That usually takes most of the night.) I really want to get it done and send it back as soon as possible. Not only will it benefit the designer by having it back early for photos and getting the design ready for publishing, but it makes me look good for finishing before the deadline. It's a win-win all the way around! I would so love to put it in the mail tomorrow and have a "free" weekend!

And, speaking of the new bf, the lns didn't have the Stoney Creek design booklet so I had to order it online. No problem except I was a bit dyslexic when entering the credit card number which put off the order being in the mail for about a week. That's ok, it's something I can look forward to as a reward for finishing the model. (I'm hoping to get it in tomorrow's mail.)

Other than that, nothing new happening stitching-wise since all of my time has been spent on the model. I will go back to the bookmarks soon because I want to get a couple more stitched before the May deadline.