March 2017 Wipocalypse

It seems we've survived another month and it's time for an update. I believe I said at the beginning of  the year that I was going to try and focus on finishing old wips. Well it hasn't worked out exactly that way, other things have kept me a little busy. Since my last post I have worked on FFOs:

Some were finally finished and  given away, but not before I got pictures.

I have updated a few Facebook group SALs:

This is from the Snowflower Diaries 2016 SAL (I guess you could also call it a finish).

This one is the Linen & Thread SAL. I'm getting close to finishing the March band so I can start April's on time.   I used a gift from a subscriber to my flosstube channel and stitched this piece, it is from the WOCS magazine design library by Durene Jones. (issue 252).

There wasn't a name for her, but I will call her "Iana".   I even have another new start

this is "Marquise" from Jadin Prive'. 

This month's question is "What stitchy blogs, groups or flosstube do you follow, and why?  Well as my fellow blogger Jo at Serendipitous Stitching said I follow quit a few blogs also.  I love reading about and seeing close-up pictures of beautiful stitching and having a little visit with other bloggers. It's like reading letters from friends.   I also belong to several Facebook stitching groups, I get a chance to actually interact with my favorite designers and other stitchers from all over the world. A lot of the stitchers have decided on to make flosstube (youtube) videos, including myself. With flosstube you can watch or just listen to (while you stitch ) wonderful stitchers talk about their progress updates, their lives and most fun of all their new stash.  I love having my friends stop by to keep me company while I stitch and I make my videos to return the favor.  You can watch my videos here . I'm off now to make some more wonderful little xxs. 

  

Wipocalypse February 2017

Here we meet again, it is time for my Wipocalypse Report for this balmy month of February. Yes, I say balmy because we have had no record-able snowfall this month and usually at least one week in February looks like this.

Instead this is what I see. Sunshine and blue sky, by no means am I complaining but I am so ready for SUMMER!

Okay, I know you all didn't come for a weather report so I'll get on with the stitchy-stuff.   This  month our Wipocalypse question is "What is your favorite stitch other than standard cross stitch?" Well I have two and they are Algerian Eye and Smyrna Stitch and for the bonus points here are some how-to diagrams

Algerian Eye Stitch

Smyrna Stitch

Now I will show you what I have worked on this month first I started on the March design for the Snowflower Diaries "Joyful World SAL" from 2016.  I was trying to get ahead of the designs this year, maybe I can get them finished.

Next I worked on the Cloudsfactory "Game of Thrones Houses & Banners", eventually it will be given to my daughter. I have only to finish the last section and then it's ready to be framed.

Last but not least, the project that has consumed me is the Linen & Threads "Mystery Sampler".

I started my version of this design after the actual SAL start date and have been trying to get caught up, I'm not sure if I'll make it before the March band comes out, I am still working on January. February's bands are shorter so once I get them started they should go quickly. Well that is the end of my report, going to make some wonderful little xxs. Thanks for stopping by!

Wipocalypse Jan 2017

As usual I am a date late but better late than never.  I know I should be working on all of my wips but two of the ones  I did work on became finishes.  This one is "Pretty Little Washington DC" and I loved stitching on it.

I loved the pastel colors, it is stitched on 14ct Aida from Charles Craft it is the Golden Stardust. The next wip I worked on that became a finish was "February" from  Snowflower Diaries SAL from last year.

After finishing January last year this SAL got put aside and I decided that I would start it again this year and I'm determined to finish it. I will be starting March very soon.  This is another of my SALs that put aside it is "2015-2016 Mystery SAL" from my friend Connie Gee.

So far I have completed the simple border and started filling in the gold motifs. This is a good chart to stitch while watching flosstube videos, once I start the motifs for inside the diamonds I'll really have to concentrate, they are all different. I've been selecting random DMC variegated threads.
Our topic for discussion this month is "What SALs are you participating in this year?" The two above are the only ones so far, there is another one I am thinking about starting. It is the 2017 Linen and Threads Mystery Sampler SAL. 

A Look Back...

By now I hope everybody has had a safe Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  I wanted to look back at all 2016 finishes and WIPS, but there are so many. So I figured I would put all of the finishes in the 2016 Finish Tab (look to the top of this post) and then show the WIPs I have for 2017 in this post. That still  a lot to me but if you want to see them here goes.  In no particular order:

Advent Animals-Brooke Books

2015-2016 Mystery SAL-Connie Gee

Crosseyed Cat-Notforgotten Farm

Elphaba-Joy Egan at Keenah's Designs

Frankie the Thinker-Glendon Place

GOT Houses & Banners- Cloud Factory
(Game of Thones)

The Hogwarts Crest-Colleen Carrington

MLK Memorial-Barbara Bangser for Posy Collection

Pretty Little Washington DC-Satsuma Street

Disney Princess Tiana-Misha at The Geeks Grotto

Sea Goddess-Joan Elliott

Seafarer's Globe-Maria Diaz Designs

Three Kimonos- Joan Elliott

You have seen all of these with the exception of Pretty Little Washington DC by Satsuma Street, before and I have been carrying them for a while now, My hope ( I won't say resolution) is that I get all of these finished in the new year. Also I hope to do a lot more FFOs with the ones already stitched. It's not that I don't like them anymore, there are just so many designs out there. Well enough from me for a while, nothing will get stitched if I keep talking and not making those wonderful littel xxs.

That Grey Area

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Thanksgiving. So now we have entered what I have decided to call "the grey area", it's that time between Thanksgiving and Christmas. We've had Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday...now what's next? I don't know about you but I have been stitching away.  Here are my updates: First up is "Leilani the Hula Dancer" I got a lot more work done on her, I really like beading as I go. It all comes alive and when I finish, I'm done.

"Game of Thones Houses &Banners" is next and I finished the banner I showed in my last post. 

Six down with three more to go.  Next I worked on my Hogwarts Crest, I started doing some of the back stitch, I love the snake so far.

I am getting close to a finish on Holy, Holy, she needs her border. Who knows maybe before Christmas.

 I do have one new start, it is "Earthly Treasures" from Plum Street Samplers. I'm stitching it on 18ct Ivory aida, I'm not crazy about the border on this one so my plan is to leave it off.

Last but not least I wanted to share a project by my friend Irene's husband Joseph.  First of all, he stitched this beautiful carousel horse on the door. Then he did all of the wood working on this fantastic cabinet with the spinning carousel on the top. Lastly he picked out the lovely carousel crystal candy dish that is tucked inside all by himself.

This is one very talented man. Congratulations to Joseph for a gorgeous finished project.

That is about all for today, it's time for me to make some wonderful little xxs.

Isn't it Ironic?

I was so excited and wanted to hurry and share my retreat adventure with everyone that I was horribly sloppy and made several mindless errors in my last blog. I do apologize and hope I am forgiven.
Several months ago a fellow blogger by the name of "March Ann" at Stitching Again, sent in my name to Cross Stitch Collections magazine. I was contacted to do a written interview and told that it would be in one of their future issues. Well last month another fellow blogger by the name of "Jo I can't think of a clever name" at Serendipitous Stitching contacted me and said she saw me in her magazine and offered to send me a copy all the way from across the pond.  Of course than I was contacted by the magazine and they sent me a copy of the page I was on from the magazine. I am so excited to be featured in an international cross stitch magazine here is the picture below.

Issue #268 November 2016 Cross Stitch Collection

Thank you again to March Ann and Jo!
Since my last post I finished this small piece from Little House Needleworks that I started in the car on the way to Harrisburg, PA for the retreat. It is called "Baked Goods".

After my finish I pulled out "Leilani" a freebie from the Mirabilia Minions Retreat 2016 ( free on the website). I added a few more beads and started to fill in the flowers in her hair.

Yesterday (which was Sunday) I went to a local library for a little stitching get together hosted by Stephanie Kyne (a local fellow floss tuber I met at the retreat) and I worked on my
"Game of Thrones Houses-Banners" from clouds factory.

As promised here are a few more pictures from the retreat.

I just discovered how to make a collage, now to makes some wonderful little xxs.

WOW! and WOW!

What a fun retreat! My weekend actually started on Thursday morning, my friends Jan, Lynn and Helen and I loaded up and headed out on our road trip to Harrisburg, PA. After a delicious lunch at the Kountry Kitchen Restaurant in Thurmont, MD we finally made it to the Red Lion Hotel in Harrisburg, PA. The evening started with a meet & greet for early arrivals and of course a little stitching. At 9 am on Friday we all got checked in and turned in our exchange boxes (silly me forgot to take a picture of mine first), then the shopping could begin. On my first round I found a few pieces I really needed from Needleworker's Delight & Silkweavers Fabrics.

and these two gorgeous pieces from Hand Dyed Fabric by Stephanie. 

I then moved over to Sue Hillis' corner where I just had to have a few things

 
Including a picture with Sue Hillis.

I worked my way around to Jean Farish for a little more retail therapy where I got this one 

and a picture, saying Hi! Irene with Jean.  Next I hit the donation tables and boy did I score there I rescued these 5 Lavender & Lace and a Told In the Garden all for $1.00 each!

After a little stitching I visited some of the other stitchers and here is just a sampling of the beautiful work being done.

"Eva" stitched by Margaret McGinnis
designed Nora Corbet

"The Traveller" stitched by Renee Bruno
from Cross Stitch Collectables

"Sloth" stitched by Judy Alabek
designed by Jayne Mayhew  
    

"Sharon's Garden" stitched by Cheri Skertick
designed by Wendy KC Designs

Add c"Spooked" by Lizzy Kate

Stitched by Debbie Nicola

Pamela Swisher Linaburg
with her "Sunflower"

Melody Ritenour Smith
with her T- shirt

"Under Prairie Stars" stitched by Stephanie Allen
designed by Linda Myers

"America the Beautiful"
stitched by Patty Waldroup
designed by Sue Hillis

Here is Melita Glavin stitching "Baby Boy Design" designed by her friend here Linda Mitchell.

I can't forget this mother and daughter duo, Victoria Owens stitching A"mazing" Friends SAL by Ursula Michael and Audra Owens stitching a Christmas Tree by an unknown designer.

  

"Butterfly Lace Mandala from Chatelaine
stitched by Caitlin Twigg

"Monogram" by Jean Farish
stitched by Debbie Wallace

"Address Puzzle" stitched by Sharrin Edwards
designed by Jan Houtman

A new stitchy friend all the way from
Nuenburg, Germany- Claudia Gruber

Of course I have to show a picture of my group from left to right

Helen, me, Jan and Lynn.  I have to show my beautiful gift box I received in the exchange

from a new stitchy friend Gina Williams

This is the retreat gift bag and goodies from inside.

I made several trips to the vendors and the donation table where I picked up more goodies

Hand Dyed Fabric by Stephanie

charts from Summer House Stitche Works

I didn't forget to get a picture with Stephanie Bishop of Hand Dyed Fabric by Stephanie and Beth Seals from Summer House Stitche Works.  It was so great to meet them both.

I got this from Jayme Makowski's corner

The rest of these were rescues, I just couldn't leave them there .

 This basket was gifted to me by Debbie Wallace and it is now the home of my grime guards, thanks again Debbie.

Well there was more to the retreat but I think I have gone on long enough in this post so I'll share the rest next time. Right now I think I'll go make a few wonderful little xxs.  Thank for staying with me this long.

Sorry for the tiny print at the top, for some reason it won't let me correct the size of the font.