And the horse has a head...

A very productive weekend has seen the horseman stitched, horse finished and the tree half done. I love the way it is coming out. I think a few more days of stitching and I will be able to add all the back stitching and from there the beads. A lot of work and the biggest cross stitch I have ever attempted.

List making, or obsession cataloguing?

Last night as I was drooling over the Celtic Ladies patterns by Lavender and Lace (especially the Autumn one in an alternate color palette) my husband asked me to make a list of all the projects I have already so I can see how crazy I am. He said I have at least five years of projects if I were to work on them non stop, as it is those five years will take at least 20. Since, I thought having a list of all projects cataloged for easy reference when I want to start something new was a great idea I started the list last night. I finished the cross stitch pattern part and I have to say I was surprised that I don't have more than I do. I didn't list magazines that I had been subscribing to or the books of patterns I have available mainly because I don't have any plans to stitch every pattern in them. However, if I do want to stitch one then it went on the list, example are the 4 season bell-pulls from Stoney Creek. Although I have the patterns I noticed that quite a few of the projects that is as much as I have for them. I do have a few fully kitted up, the SODA patterns for Full of Love and Sunshine, Love in the Garret, Stoney Creek Halloween Fright Friends banner and a HAED Boreas. My problem seems to be that if I know I will eventually make something I don't see it as an issue to have it filed away for future use, especially if I can purchase it now with discounts/coupons/sales prices instead of at the time I can do it but then having to pay outrageously because it is then out of print. I can't be the only one like this. My answer to him after the cross stitch was done was that it only showed me that I was missing some patterns to complete my collection. After a smile and a shake of the head he let it be.

Another conflict of views between myself and members of my family, appears to be that I view my stash in categories while family members who don't craft view them all at once. They can't understand why I can't just make everything up at once and be done with it; why do I have to be in the mood for a certain type; aren't they all the same? There is a huge difference between painting ceramics to cross stitch to felt appliqué etc. Each craft has it's own process, let alone technique and supplies, and since working on a project is my means for stress relief it depends entirely on how much focus and attention my current state of mind is. Besides stress and frustration release, my craft mood depends on the weather and time of year. Spring and Summer will see me working on needlework projects, cross-stitch, embroidery etc because they are light projects that aren't going to cause me to overheat like making an afghan in 112f heat would. Late summer into Fall seems to gear up my interest for felt Applique. Winter finds me crocheting and ceramic painting (when I have available space) and sometimes the felt applique continues.

Finally the biggest factor at the moment as to why I am not working on certain projects, space restraints. At the moment this seem to be my worst enemy for what projects I can successfully and enjoyably work on. No matter how much I would like to stitch a HAED design I know that the patterns would require me to use a large floor frame and multiple color changes so a work area that will not be disturbed and taken down each night is a must. Since we are currently living with my parents for multiple reasons I won't go into, it isn't a possibility. As it is working in the Sleepy Hollow pattern is awkward because as much as I enjoy it I still feel it is talking up too much room. With the move many of my hobbies have been put in storage such as tole painting, ceramics, and miniatures. I kept a LOT out of storage but the limited storage space in my closet has been an issue. I have been slowly putting more and more into the storage unit. Originally I kept so much out and tried to work around it because the move itself was stressful, it was my first home outside my parents and it was MINE. Having my crafts around me made me feel better, as though a part of that independence was still with me, but the longer we are here the more I realize there is no way I can work on certain things until I have my own space again, and until then it is pointless to keep them out, so into storage they go.

Since this post seems to have turned into a vent, here is a picture of the progress on the upper half of the Sleepy Hollow design as of tonight. I have been working on this while watching the mini series John Adams. I am enjoying both. ~ Till next time.

Page One Finished (mostly...)

I completed page one and have moved to page two. Also, I decided to wait until all of the cross stitching is complete, take a photo and then do the backstitching and take an after photo. I'm truly looking forward to the transformation from blurry colors to defined picture. My DH agrees that they look exactly like cartoon version of my kids and suggested that I add their birthdates beneath their names and I think that is a perfect idea. So I will be adjusting the words above the boy into my son't info and beneath the girl I will add my daughter's.

For awhile now (only since before the wedding) I have been on the lookout for a wedding sampler or anniversary sampler to commemorate the day, but nothing has ever been right. Then along comes SODA an I now have the perfect pattern. It isn't a wedding/anniversary category but it is us just the same. It is called Full of Love and Sunshine. A couple sitting together, the man's arm around the lady, her head on his shoulder, he's reading and she is stitching. Just perfect. I will add some space beneath the pattern for the date and possibly our name.

On a stash hoarding front, I have even reading Spinster Stitcher's blog and have been spying all kinds of projects I want to try. They aren't cross stitch but similar. Canvas work by Laura J Perin and a pattern called Stars of the New Millennium. Although, I may have to wait till my skills are up to par before jumping in with both feet (from what I've seen they are stitched on stretcher bars and I have never seen those in real life so no clue how to use them) but once I figure out the basics I may be in trouble.

I must note that the Spinster Stitcher's blog is absolutely entertaining! I have had to start from the beginning in 2008 just to get my fill and so far am up to 2010. I have been reading this like it is the next best seller and in my honest option it is right up there. There have been times that I have literally laughed out loud, (which can be awkward when you are on break at work and they already think you're a bit strange because your office is as dark as a cave because the fluorescents are WAY too bright and you come in cheery and giddy when it is cloudy and rainy outside, and now you are randomly cackling from said dark office like a mad woman) but it has been worth it to follow along with her and Stewey.
~Till next time

Boston

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families in Boston today. It is a horrible tragedy. The senselessness of it all is heartbreaking.

Five Days of Stitching

Well my first day of the resolution, stitching while on break at work, went really swell. I set my phone on a timer and sat out in my car and stitched. I got quite a lot accomplished, or so I thought. Mr. Frog paid me a visit once I was home and I ended up frogging everything I had put in minus a stitch or two. Ooops. I persevered though and continued with the pattern. After that day though I am afraid the resolution for stitching at work was dropped. I thought about trying again but I feel so guilty it's not very enjoyable. No idea why I should feel guilt when I have ladies at work who take multiple mini breaks throughout the day to smoke, which I bet if I were to add up come out to more than the 2 sets of the 15 allotted and I'm not polluting the air with my breaks. Anywhooo, here is a progress picture after 5 days. I really wish I was a speed stitcher like some bloggers out there but I have to give my self credit for getting as far as I have. I have only every finished 2 cross stitch designs before. One was a pillow I made in my teens for my mom and the other was a wedding sampler for my parents. Neither of those were very involved. I have been stitching in any free time I can snag, which is usually 5-10 minutes at a time before getting interrupted. I did have one night, after the kids and everyone else was asleep that I stitched in bliss for 1.5 hours straight. It was lovely! Absolute silence, in my crafty chair with nothing to think about except the next stitch. It was very relaxing and I may start aiming for that more often, I got quite a bit accomplished that night. In this picture it's hard to see the white on white stitches of the pillow under the lil' girl's head. I am debating whether I should finish all four pages of cross stitching and then do the back-stitching, or back stitch after each page is completed. Hmmmm. I plan on switching back to the Sleepy Hollow if I start to get bored of this one. I am debating on that one whether or not I want to out line all of the grey borders or not. I did one little section and it is hardly noticeable. I may just back stitch everything but that.  Again more decision making... ~Till next time.

First SODA tonight

No, not the soft drink, I'm talking about the cross stitch pattern company. I saw a post the other day on one of my favorite stitching blogs about these designs. I had to check them out they were super cute. I was a little nervous ordering from South Korea in case the website wasn't legit but at 2.90 a pattern I took the risk. And I was extremely pleased i did. I had a few hiccups with my order, couldn't get them to download but it was my fault. I am so used to instant downloads that having to wait for the download to begin and end made me think it wasn't working, it was it just took a looonngg time to finish I wasted a few attempts because of that. The other problem was quickly fixed by the company and they were so friendly! I have a nice wish list started of more patterns and I am really happy I took a chance.

Tonight I was supposed to be working on the Sleepy Hollow but I was bad, I started a SODA pattern called Every Smile. It was a perfect cartoon version of my son and daughter, I just couldn't resist! It is a somewhat small design so I have decide I will start taking the 2 fifteen minute breaks we are allowed at work and stitch some on it then too. That should make work less...work... : ) I only worked about an hour and a half tonight, including the time it took to kit up so my progress was pretty nice. I wanted to take a picture but i can't find my camera and my phone has run out of picture space (note to self Download photos), maybe I'll find my camera tomorrow. Not a speed stitcher like some bloggers but I keep telling myself it's not a race. Unfortunately that little voice keeps arguing and saying "But I want I win!" Oh well, till next time~

Starts and Stops

I finished the Celtic knot afghan I was making for my mother-in-law and I think it was a hit. As I only had a few minutes after it was completed to wrap it I only got one quick shot. I really wish I had had the time to take some better photos. It was the first time I had ever tried this type of crocheting and first time I have done tassels.

 

I haven't worked much on the felt stocking since I was rushing to finish the afghan. I am definitely a Bucilla fan now. The Janlynn kit is excruciating. Some of the pieces are too big for the areas they are meant for and have needed to be trimmed down so they don't look crude and bulky. I have come across multiple pieces that have been miss numbered. If this was my first stocking I don't believe I would have continued. I am counting down the stitches till I can start a different one.

 

In the meantime I have revisited an old WIP. A Halloween sampler of the Headless Horseman. I began this either last year or the year before. I think it was last year right at the time of my surgery. I grew a bit bored of only working on cross-stitch at which point I had to switch to something else for awhile. After browsing blogs and seeing all of the wonderful cross -stitchers out there I really wanted to finish this so I can start a new project free of guilt. One for myself this time. I left off  with the bottom section empty. I did the words tonight it is has really renewed my desire to keep finish. I tend to have to take breaks on large projects because if I continue when I'm not in the mood I will mess it up.

Till next time ~

Edit: I realized as I was stitching the start of the bottom border I screwed up somewhere and the last line is off halfway by one stitch. I've been told it's not noticeable but I may have to make adjustments just so it doesn't drive me crazy.