Crazy January 2012 Hangover

Wow.....my 100th post!!!

Since finishing Joan Elliot's Madonna I have been having a bit of a sort and tidy.

I finished my memory angel

And I started this:

This will be for my Christmas memory angel to hold but I didn't have enough of the green on the bobbin. The perils of a project that uses three strands.

So it's on hold for now along with Thimble Fairy until I sort out ordering supplies. But with Christmas coming and wanting to get the monies worth on the postage I'm just collecting a list together to make an order.

I have then had a look at my rotation list and have got this:

1. In arms of An Angel- continuation
2. Starry Night - that I have had stashed for a while now, I think it got put aside for Crazy January 2012
3. Christmas Houses - I don't think that there is too much to finish on these but I didn't open the packet so we'll see when I get there.
4. Gingerbread houses - I started these when I did crazy January 2012. I am really excited to see what the 3D cross stitch turns out like.
5. Tapestry Cat - I am determined that this time it will get finished. I'm going to have to work out probably to fluff the mistake (check the labels to find the previous posts on this) I just don't think after all the time that the mistake has been there and how much frogging it would take to remove. I don't think I can feasibly do it without destroying it.

I normally stick to four in the rotation but the houses aren't massive projects so I think that it is workable.

I still can't believe I'm still catching up with the fall out of Crazy January 2012 it wasn't a good option in many ways.

To recap I joined a SAL which in January 2012 which was to start a new project every day for the first 15 days of Jan. Then spend the year trying to finish them off. In all fairness this is what sparked the move from being a one at a timer to doing a rotation which has been a fantastic introduction to my stitching experience. But let's have a look at my Crazy 15.

1. Little Fairy - finished 2012

 

2. Royal Guard - finished 2012

 

3. Gift Tags - finished 2012

 

4. Winnie the Pooh - finished 2012

 

5. World of Sarah Kay - finished 2013

 

6. Middle Earth (1page) - hmmm

 

7. Felt Baubles - abandoned due to all the pieces of aida in the free kit had been cut skew

 

8. Christmas Tags - finished 2012

 

9. Christmas Ornies - no progress

 

10. Gingerbread Houses - no progress but in rotation now

11. Madonna and Child - finished 2013

 

12. Kingfisher - no prgress

13.Flaming June (1page) - no progress

 

14.Reindeer Cake band - no progress

15.Christmas Angel (1page) - no progress

 

So that's 7 finished, one abandoned, one in current rotation and 6 none movers.

 

Getting there I suppose and I have done other projects that have crept into my box over the course of the time. Maybe another year and I can have the crazy January hangover put to rest.

 

Keep stitching...

Jubilations and a finish!!!

Hope everyone has a lovely Jubilee extended bank holiday weekend!!! Plenty of stitching time :D

I treat the little man to a balloon for the weekend.

I've been trawling the web, notice boards etc to find all the local events so we have a few bits and bobs planned in. I've already seen a display of replica crown jewels in our local shopping centre- all in glass cases with beefeaters around them. Shame they didn't have one to try on for photos I would have been over the moon with that!

Were off to see what our local railway museum has on (and cos Vinnie is choo choo mad at the moment) and a fair today. Although this morning it has gone rather cloudy - typical British bank holiday then I guess lol.

I have a confession in the rotation department - I was a bit close to being finished I have done a few more hours than the 10 I should have.

Anyway here's the fruits of that Winnie the Pooh finished!!!

I'm over the moon with this I just need to press and frame it as I think I have someone it would make a good gift to. It's one of the stitches that the backstitch makes.

I don't feel guilty spending the extra time on it to get it finished and that's another one ticked off the crazy Jan list. So that's 5 done - not too bad. But I do keep getting side tracked with other things at the moment.

Other crafts I did some baking with my tot and he loved it. He thought that mixing the cake batter was hilarious.

These are the ones that Vince decorated however the plate that I decorated when he got bored don't look much different lol! I'm not one for baking but I can manage cupcakes but I don't have the patience to do any fancy decorating. It was a great rainy day activity with the tot though.

Loving that he's starting to get to be able do little projects like this. Best go as he's currently empting my handbag all over the floor!!! Catch you next time.

God save our Diamond Queen!

Keep Stitching....

Fun in sun and Xmas stitching

I had finished these the other day but have been in such a stitching zone I didn't stop to update! That and enjoying the glorious weather with my little boy - with a little bit of moaning about the heat lol it's just not kind to bumpy women. Not even a touch of mist on the beach spoilt our building sandcastles today - well hubby and I built them tot squashed them.

my boys emerging from the mist lol

This was the view out to sea but a turn of 180 to inland it was bright blue skies!!

Also over the last few days we've had picnics in the garden, the paddling pool out, seen the sailors from HMS Ocean parade through our town, and ate lots of ice cream - it's been great!

Anyway back to the stitching. I have completed my stitching for the second batch of free Cross stitcher Christmas tags. These were part of my crazy January 15.

Here's where I was after the day in Jan:

And now all completed:

I did have stuff left over to do more but the magazine said it should be enough to do about 6 so that is what I had set out to do. Plus its all in metallics and after a while it does get to you. I normally stitch with the 2 ends through the needle and leave a loop at the bottom to fasten with but I do the opposite for metallics making it loop through the eye and knot the ends otherwise it slips and slides too much.

I have found however that the kit contains a random extra brown metallic thread.

It's not listed in the key or appears in any of the designs - how strange - it had me looking for ages thinking I was just missing something but its no where to be seen.

Here's a closer look at all the tags;

The designs themselves aren't very difficult it is the metallics that add the fiddle to these.

I'm gonna have some handsome dressed Christmas presents this year.


So I'm slowly knocking stuff off my crazy jan list - 4 down and 2 in current rotation but think I'm gonna need to get a move on to get them completed before the end of the year. Think I'll replace this with another smaller kit from the crazies list.

Keep Stitching....

Rotation jitters

Stitching has been coming along nicely and I have completed my 10 hours (give or take the extra sneaky half hour I didn't count) I was really struggling to decide to move on but seen as I took the fabric out of the hoop to picture I decided to take a deep breath and roll it away for something else.

Here's my progress on Motherly Devotion and I'm sure you will all see why I'm loathed to put it down.

It's stitching like a dream too.

We'll just have to see how it all goes with rotating onto something new. I'm hoping it will increase my productivity with all these January crazies lying around. Normally being a one at a timer I'm having nightmares about the orange box

that looms in the corner with all my crazies zip locked in and also Starry Night (which I can't believe is sat there) and Tapestry cat (which is a must to finish this year). It feels like a shameful box of abandoned starts I know I'll get there but I think I rest easier about my stash than all these starts!!

We had a wicked time with Vincent's first birthday he had a great time. Can't believe he's one already and not a baby anymore :( I don't think I was prepared for how emotional I'd find his birthday.

I'm off to hang the washing up outside seen as its a nice day and dries better than when Vince spends all day pulling it off the radiators anyway lol.

Then fingers crossed for some stitching time this afternoon

Keep stitching...

Progress, WIPocalypse and plans oh my!

I've been plugging away at things nicely. I've maybe not had as much time this week as last but I've been on sorting my son's stuff for his party tomorrow and his birthday on Tuesday. I can't believe my little boy is going to be 1 year old - I even got proper choked up buying him his first birthday card!

I've also been thinking - influenced by other blogs about trying to start a rotation otherwise I think that I'm going to drowned in this pile of Crazy January starts and not even get to anything I set out for WIPocalypse both of which I started to help increase productivity not hinder lol.

So I started Thursday - I'll still work with Motherly Devotion then I'm going to see if I can tear myself away and I think next I will pick up one off my WIPocalypse list either Starry Night or Tapestry Cat which has been a UFO that was never meant to be and has been lurking for too many years now.

Anyway here's this weeks progress on Motherly Devotion

Yipee some colours!!! Baby Jesus is complete bar his halo but I prefer to do the Kreinik at the end of the X stitch. I think once the collar and cuffs are done I'm going to do Mary's head. Then I'll have probably switched project provided I don't get cold feet lol.

I've also managed to sort getting into blogger on my mobile which means I can keep up to date with everyone's blogs better as most of the time I don't get much chance to get near the laptop - hubby hogs it all evening lol! Only thing is it doesn't seem to let me comment so I'll have to just do those as I manage to snag some computer time.

Well I've got a busy few days coming up starting with getting off here and tidying up Vincent has got Nanna, Grandpa and Auntie Lottie (my folks) coming to visit today!! Which kicks off his birthday celebrations, party tomorrow, then we're thinking of taking him to the local sealife centre on Sunday cos I'm at work on his birthday day boo. But hubby took the day off so I'm sure they'll find something to get up to. So I'll be on a squeeze to fit in some lovely XX's but I'm sure in my current stitchy zone I'll make some time!

Have a lovely week.

Keep stitching

Motherly devotion progress from CJC start

I've picked up Motherly Devotion, Joan Elliot's design from Crossstitch collection from my Crazy January pile this week. Just to recap this is the design

It was one of the ones that I was loathed to put down. I love the way that Joan's designs stitch up.

This is where I got up on day 11 of CJC.

And here is where I'm up to now

Not too shabby eh? Think I have my stitching mojo back. In fact I've been feeling a bit back on my game in general which is nice. Finally going to get my first scan on Monday so can't wait to meet baby 2 and check that they are doing ok.

Shame the middle throws you straight into the greys of the blanket but I'm being good and sticking with it and I'm hoping to get that section completed first. But I'm so tempted to wander with all those other lovely colours begging to be stitched.

I was chatting with my friend, who also stitches (her Joan Elliot Celestial Dragon was in the last issue of collection - I was super proud of her) and she asked me about Starry Night. This then made me feel like I was cheating on it lol. Like I have said before normally I work with one big project and a small side project at a time so I'm not used to all this flitting about. Think maybe I'll have to get onto it soon but it's hard having so much stuff on the go at once. I love it all and want to stitch it now.

So much to stitch and so little time.

Keep stitching...

A finish as promised

WOOOO HOOO......

I have my first finish of the year about time too. Glad a got myself pulled round a bit and got to some stitching.

Margaret Sherry's Little Fairy and she's turned out rather nice. And look at those beautiful french knots. I couldn't do them a handful of years back and then they just clicked.

Seen as it's half term we've been on a film binge on an evening so plenty of relax and stitch time. Off to see Star Wars in 3D tomorrow and now let's see what's next...

May the Force be with you....

Keep stitching...

Attention!!

Well I could hardly believe my eyes... A finish!!!!

After a slog to the finish of my crazy January 15, I had a few days to recoup my stitchy vibes and yesterday was my first day back. What a way to get back into the swing of things but with a finish of Royal Guard from Cross stitcher magazine 242

Also to my surprise when digging in my work basket for the felt finishings I discovered this little fella. My 10 month old son must have posted his toy royal guard in there. I was rather impressed although I did find Captain America in there to.

So is probably just a coincidence but a cute one nevertheless. The work basket is now going to live on the top of a cabinet as I thought it was out of reach enough but obviously not and today I caught him tipping out my TUSAL jar lol. But safety first and so my workbasket with its pins and scissors is going to live out of reach during the day.

Well on with the next...

Keep stitching...

Let the stitching begin in ernest

Well I did it!!! Woop Woop. There was a little while I thought I mightn't get it done, but I've slogged it out and made a start on all my 15.

Day 10: Gift Tags Cross stitcher number 234

Stitched all of one of the tags it just needs trimming and making up.

Day 11: Motherly Devotion Cross stitch collection

Fabric Pack finally arrived this very day so I thought it was rude not to start it right away. Still had been having sleepless nights with my teething son so could hardly keep my eyes open. But I was really loathed to put this one away for the next.

Day 12: Ornies Cross stitcher magazine

 Made a good start. Uses three strands so will be super rich colourwise. But ouch on the threads so will have to see how far supplies get me!

Day 13: Kingfisher in Flight.

 After having been up since 4am I had a busy zombiefied day ended up out at the shops longer than I wanted but luckily I had stopped for a large peice of choccy cake to fuel me along. So really thought I wasn't going to get any stitching done. But being so close to the end I camped out in bed and stitched a length.

Day 14: Christmas Angel

 Did a little bit still was low on energy.

Day 15: Middle Earth

Doesn't look much but did take a bit of sorting firstly I nearly all the threads for this needed winding onto bobbins and it's stitched 2 over 1 so will look really good.

Now to sort the mess out......and where to start arrrrgggghhhhh!! lol

Keep stitching...

Crazies fatigue

I'm soldiering on with my crazy 15, have to admit this week I've found that all these new starts a bit of a fatigue. I used to think starting a new kit was the most exciting thing but I think I've took the comfortable middle stitching time for granted. I struggled a couple of days with having to get all the new bits together and starting but I'm over halfway so I'm sticking with it. But I'm so looking forward to the end of this so I can get on with the pleasure of working towards finishes.

 So here's my varying progresses on my crazies

Day 5: Reindeer cake band Cross stitcher free kit issue 245

I know barely started - too much distractions but that's a story for another day lol.

Day 6:World of Sarah Kay kit

Much better than day 5 seems a nice kit - got loads lovely colours, metallics and a huge tub of beads that look like more than the chart needs - always nice to end up with extras for the stash.

Day 7: Gingerbread Houses

Got nearly all the X stitch for one end of the house done. Took quite a while to measure out the fabric to make sure all the pieces would leave enough room for each other. So looking forward to getting these done I can't wait to see how it goes together to make the 3D houses.

Day 8: Tigger and Pooh

Again not much of a start but think I was lamenting putting the gingerbread houses away.

Day 9: Flaming June

Not bad but this was one of those where I needed loads of stuff out and didn't have to hand. So a lot of time wasted rummaging etc. I was a little nervous when I started as the chart recommended starting from the top corner which I never do but I have a large enough piece of fabric so have gave it a go. But then it also means I've started in the clouds - boring colour-wise doh!!!

Bit concerned I ordered the fabric pack from Cross stitch collection for the motherly devotion but it's yet to arrive and I'm soon gonna run out of time - although I do have other kits I can pull at the last. And here I am on day 10 saying about not having had as much time but I'm here blogging lol

So I'm off to kick my butt into action.

Keep stitching...