Confessions of a Floss Licker

Monday, April 23, 2012

April Stashing!

After roughly a year of little to no stashing I got paid a bonus at work and off I went. Eary in the month my first start was Elegant Stitch. I needed a couple of things for a project already in the works. "Snowball Fight" by Dragon Dreams was started many years ago and I pulled it out of the WIP pile to work on it in the Year of the Dragon (aka 2012). I was missing the "fuzzy stuff" so I took my project and went to look for some. ES didn't have what I needed so I improvised. I picked up some Wisper in a somewhat similar color and a skein of Crescent Colors silk to match that which is going to work out perfectly. And since I was stashing, I also bought myself a new pair of scissors. I don't recall if they had a brand name on them, but they're silver and they have roses on them. I was happy they were fairly inexpensive. I got out of ES for less than $20. My next stop was Hobby Lobby. I had my eyes on the Thomas Kincaid (sp?)/Disney kits (specifically Snow White Discovers the Cottage) and I found out Hobby Lobby carried them. Even cheaper than eBay with my 40% off coupon. Along with some scrapbook stuff for the wedding I got out of HL for less than $40. About two weeks later the new Around the World in 80 Stitches from Papillon Creations is released. DF encourages me to buy them both and I tell him I couldn't find a piece of fabric large enough to fit this design. So off we were to Joann Fabrics (and possibly Michaels) to see what they had available. (I find out that Joann's also carried the TK/Disney kits.) I ended up coming home with a package of afghan fabric (on clearance), a pkg of 28 ct. mushroom evenweave, and a pkg of 32 ct cream linen. I think I got some yarn too. All in all I got out of Joann's for around $23. (Gotta love Joann's coupons!) Later that same week we were back at Joann's buying lace (6 yds on sale) for my wedding dress. Off I was back in the cross stitch section because I needed more DMC for the AtW project. I decided to use my new 50% off coupon on yet another TK/Disney kit, this time Peter Pan, pick up the last pkg of afghan fabric on clearance, two pillow shams also on clearance, and the DMC I needed. This last trip was around $50 although the xs supplies was only around $20. That will be the last of my shopping for the next year - except maybe for some DMC I may be missing.

Thursday, April 05, 2012

April 2012

I find it hard to believe that 1/4 of the year is already over. I'm glad it's over because it's been cold and it has actually rained a bit (finally). But I'm not a cold weather person so I really can't wait for the nice warm spring weather to arrive.

So here's what's going on in my stitching world!

The model arrived back at the designer's on Friday. She was very happy how it turned out. Did I mention it was for a trunk show? Anyway, she sent another project (this time a sampler - and she designed my initials in it!) and it's in progress. It's a good sized sampler (32 ct over two) so I'm happy this one is not a "rush". Although I'm not just taking my time on it. I'm hoping to have it back way before the deadline!

Crochet - I made 2 pair of fingerless gloves for a co-worker, and I got an order for two tams for people I do faire with. I got one of the tams done and I'm still working on the other. These are not rush jobs as I won't be seeing them until the end of the month at the earliest. But I'm going to present them as gifts as this couple is newly engaged!

I still need to finish my felted mary janes. They've been sitting since I felted them. I think I'm just afraid of wearing them (and getting them dirty) before the wedding. What the real problem is is that I don't want to tear apart the existing pair I have - yet again. You see I made a sample pair to test the pattern and see how much I would have to make them bigger to felt the pair I really wanted. Tearing apart the existing pair means taking out about 90% of each slipper to remake them. Maybe when I have a weekend where I have nothing to do? Ha!

I didn't like the finished product of the shrug so I tore it out so I could try a different pattern. Haven't started back on that yet.

Also haven't gotten any more work into my Snowball Fight. It's a timing thing with the model jobs I've been getting and everything else I want to do. I at least dug it out and maybe this weekend I'll get the fuzzy stuff I'm missing so I can work on the scarf and earmuffs. That will give me at least two times of working on it in the year of the dragon.

One last thing. I found out that Hobby Lobby is carrying the Thomas Kinkade Disney cross stitch kits that I've been wanting and I have a 40% off coupon for HL. We're going shopping tomorrow! Now to decide which one I'll get???