Monday, September 30, 2013

Web of Life Update

Wow! I was able to finally take and post a decent photo of my work! So, this time I only really stitched a few hours, but it seems like I got more progress done than I thought. My ultimate goal for this project this round of my rotation was to finish the group of feathers in the upper left area of the pattern, which I did! And I got quite a bit done on the pipe as well! So, i'm pleased with my progress this go around. I really didn't think I'd do so well, as all I seem to want to do lately is watch TV. Which is very unlike me! I am not a TV watcher, really. I'd prefer reading a book to watching TV, but I got Netflix....and ooooh boy....all the shows I didn't get to watch while I was over in Japan? I am apparently trying to catch up on ALL of them now! Anyway....so I have been zoning out in front of the tube way too much! Not reading, not writing, apparently I did stitch a little. I just want to be a couch potato....Eh, oh well, every girl is entitled to a bit of couch time every now and then, right?

Gosh I can't believe tomorrow is October!! Time to pull out The Abbey already again! Wow!

Joyful stitching!

Friday, September 27, 2013

Pumpkins for Cathey

Happy Blogiversary to a very special lady out in Blog land! Lots of prayers and thoughts going out to you today!!

PS I know, it looks like an orange, but it REALLY is a pumpkin!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

A finish and two new starts!

So, last week, my black fabric that I ordered finally came in on Friday! And I couldn't resist! That night I started this piece, which has been on my "to stitch" list for a very long time. It is Mystic Dragon 2. And it is in the same Stitchery Magazine issue as is The Web of Life and Snow Valley Express. I don't remember which issue it is, I would have to look it up if anyone is curious as to exactly which one it is. I have looked around for Mystic Dragon 1, and I have seen photos of it online but have not found a place to purchase it. I would love to do it as well. But I think it is out of print. So, I will just try to finish this one. My goal for this one is to finish it by September 20th of 2014. That gives me a year. But, with so many other projects on the go now, I am not sure how that is gonna work out. Maybe after I finish The Abbey. But I was really thinking to fill that spot with one of my new Kustom Krafts pieces. So, lots of thinking and planning will be happening. 

 This is how it will look when finished. I have loved this piece since I saw it, and it always just seemed like a dream that I would ever actually start it, and now I have!!! It's gonna be sooo pretty when it's finished!
 And now for my finish!! Here is my finish on Winter Fun Ornament #3:
 Aren't these guys so cute! And love how colorful and bright they are!
And right after I finished them, just this morning, and started right into #4:

I only put one thread into it, which was just a handful of stitches as you can see here, but at least it's a start!

Also on an exciting note, my "Moonlight Bay" Pattern showed up in the mail yesterday!!! Oh! I want to start it sooooo bad!!! But, I shall refrain!!! I really want to finish The Abbey before I start any more truly big ones again. But! I am now the proud owner of FIVE Kustom Krafts patterns! Six if you want to count "Howling at the Moon". Now I just gotta figure out how to finish stitching them in my lifetime. Since I went back to the beginning of The Abbey here on my blog, and I started it 7 years ago! Although mind you, I took quite a few breaks from it, and took one LONG one between 2010 and 2012, where I didn't even touch it in all those two years. So even though I started it 7 years ago it hasn't been 7 years of steady stitching on it. But I am truly hoping for a finish on IT by years end! Good luck to me!! Ok, I'm done rambling now, thank you so much for reading and for all the lovely comments!! I love them all! I need to return the favor! I'm horrible at that. I love reading everyone's blogs. and do religiously, as they pop up on my feedly, but I usually just read and keep going. So, I am gonna try to be better about that!

Hope you all have a lovely Wednesday!

Friday, September 20, 2013

The Abbey Progress Update

Here is my crappy picture of The Abbey as it stands now! I am so close to a finish on page #9. I even started backstitching! There has just been lots and lots of confetti like fill in. It just seems to go on and on.

So, I made another order.  This time at 123Stitch. I needed 18 count black aida for a new project...which I will share more about that later. I have really been looking into buying more BAP patterns. I found a bunch I liked at The Angel Nook.com.  Has anyone ordered from them? Are they reliable? Also if anyone knows good Online stitching stores to purchase any of these big projects from let me know. I like HAED, Mystic Stitch, and Kustom Krafts.  Has anyone ordered from Mystic Stitch's website lately? Cause I am on their facebook page and alot of people were saying that they take a long time to ship out orders. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Please let me know! And please leave your favorite online stitching shop in your comment.  Thank you!!! Oh yeah and if you have any complaints about a place and could warn me away from them that would be great. I moderate my comments, and if you have negative review of a place, I won't post it, if you don't want. Thanks!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

Progress on Web of Life

Sorry about the creases and crinkles. Here is where I'm at after working on this one for the month we were on vacation, plus the past 5 days. I usually do most my stitching at night, after I put my daughter to bed, but this week I have been really tired, so have not done much on it, but over the past month I guess I got more in than I thought. I finished 2 whole feathers, almost finished a third, and worked a bit more on backstitching. I am still really enjoying this one!

Thank you all for your lovely comments on my new stash!! I cannot wait for it to come in the mail! I just may "cheat" and start it right away!  Ok, maybe not, but I will really want to! The next 5 days are "Abbey" days. I am hoping to finish the entire piece this year. I still have to finish the 9th and last page and all the backstitching!  We will see if I actually reach that goal!

Friday, September 13, 2013

I'm so excited!!

Today I actually bought some new stash.  I saw this at one of my favorite online store Kustom Krafts, and HAD to have it! So, I wasted no time!

I am realizing, after I finished "Howling at the Moon" last year how very much I really enjoy pictures with the moon in it! There are several more patterns I want to buy and stitch with the moon as well. There is just something so beautiful, mysterious and magical about moonlight. So, I cannot wait to get this in the mail! I probably won't start it right away, but I will own it, and that's half the fun! The thought that the option to start it is available is always such a comfort! I still have 5 other Kustom Kraft projects in my stash that need to be stitched up as well. If you are at all familiar with Kustom Kraft pieces, you know that most of them are very detailed pieces, usually about 9 page patterns that take quite awhile to stitch up. But, ever since I finished
"Howling"  I just fell in love with the larger pieces out there. I am even contemplating some HAED, and I never thought I would hear myself say that!  So, we shall see! I actually went through the KK site and made a wish list....I have 85 patterns I want!! I would never be able to stitch them all, but one can window shop and dream right?

Photo taken from the Kustom Kraft website!! Go check them out! They got some GOOD stuff!

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Well, I'm back!

Wow! What a month! We were out of town to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I should/could have blogged, but I barely even stitched! I only took 1 project with me (Web of Life), and I think the entire month I may have gotten 5 hours stitching in.

We got home Sunday night, and I couldn't wait to get things unpacked so I could settle into some stitching. According to my rotation schedule I worked on ornaments for the past 2 days.
I was able to finish #2 in the Winter Fun series! I really didn't have much to do to finish it.
 And I worked on #3 in the Winter Fun series.

OMG WTH?!?!?! I think my husband installed an update on this computer. My picture system is all messed up on it! It won't read my memory card from my camera. And it won't allow me to crop or change the photos at all!!! WHAT?! So, sorry for the crappy photo of #3. Dang, if I have to go through all this crap just for a dumb photo, I'm not sure how much longer I'm gonna keep blogging. It doesn't seem worth it! We'll see.

Ugh! How annoying!!! I had to take the photos on my phone, e-mail them to myself, then save them to the computer,THEN post them, and I can't even edit them the way I want?! This is ridiculous!  Anyone else having issues? 

Well, it is Web of life time in my rotation, but since I worked on it during my trip, I may pull out the Abbey and get some work into it! Who knows? Well, I was gonna tell you a bit about my trip, but right now I'm so irked I just wanna get off this dumb computer! 

Joyful stitching!