A multi-tasking post

My one and only stitching resolution for this year was to keep up with all the SALs that I had joined.  I did fairly well, until August (missed IHSW) and September (missed IHSW and the ornament SAL).  I have missed a couple this month but will make this my catch-up post and try to keep up with them for the rest of the year.

Before I get started, thank you everyone for your kind comments on my finishes and WIPs, I really appreciate you all taking the time to read and comment.  And yes, a temporary deal was reached on Wednesday, so I was back to work on Thursday.  Only one voicemail message but oh my aching email!!  As I work as support for our field offices, I thought that there would be minimal emails as they were all closed as well, boy was I wrong.  Seems I get more outside emails than I thought as I finally finished sorting and flagging and could start answering them Friday morning.  I should be busy the next couple of days, at least, with that.

So back to stitching and SALs:

The first Saturday of each month is the YOTA SAL - a fun, no pressure, WIP reducing SAL much like WIPocalypse but with different posting days.  As I posted photos of the WIPs that I had worked on for the last month in my last post, I won't post them again - to see them again, click here.

It's hard to tell, but I had a lot of new threads in TUSAL container (I think I am going to use something different if this one continues into next year):

Lots of new browns from 99 but a fair number of more colorful pieces too.

In addition to the pieces shown in the post linked above, I do have some new ones for my WIPocalypse and IHSW:

This is Poinsettia from Brittercup Designs.  It's from the 2007 JCS Christmas Ornament magazine.  It's stitched on 28-count Queen Anne's lace Jobelan (it's tannish not blue) with Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Mill Hill beads.

I finished part 4 of Mary's Sampler from Plum Street Samplers this morning.  It is stitched on an unknown color of 40-count linen with the recommended DMC conversion. 

As I mentioned in my last post, Mirabilia's Santa's Magic was added to the rotation.  I don't remember the last time this one was on the frame, but given where my "before" photo was in the archive, it was probably a year ago.  This is stitched on 32-count opalescent Ametrine from Silkweaver using DMC, Kreinik metallics and Mill Hill beads (I may try to convert them to Delicas as I really don't care for the way Mill Hill's sit on the fabric).  Here's where it was when I left off last year:

And here's where I left off today:

The fabric color is fairly accurate in the photo but the sparkle from the fabric is not quite as obvious in real life.  Most definitely not "normal" Santa colors but I think that's why I am so attracted to it.

I think for the rest of the year, I am going to change my rotation.  I was switching out projects each weekend, but I think a "screaming" rotation sounds like good way to finish out the year - no stress, no pressure, just stitch what I feel like.  I have started thinking about my stitching plan for next year already but don't have anything firm yet.