Good Bye 2017

2017 was a year of big occasions in my family.  The year started with a surgery (my gallbladder removal) and ended with one (The Hubs had his rotator cuff repaired on Thursday).  In between, my parents celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary, DSon moved from Vermont to Michigan and started a new job, DNephew and DNiece were both married, DSis and DBIL celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary and The Hubs' niece announced her engagement.  Phew! I'm ready for a bit of a rest.

As it's the end of December as well as the end of the year, it's time for the final  check-in for 2017.  WIPocalypse is hosted by Melissa at Measi's Musings and is a personal challenge, not a contest, to stay on goal and finish some of those WIPs that most of us have hanging around.  She gives us topics each month for discussion and December's is to recap what we've done through the year.  This is going to be long and picture heavy.  

So for 2017....  I had the same number of finishes, 12, that I had last year.  You can see all my finishes in the tab labeled "Finishes" but I am going to show them here too.  You can see all my small finishes in my last post those I'm not going to reshow.

So first up was wedding samplers. I finished To Have and To Hold Bridal Sampler and Sentimental Hearts both by The Sweetheart Tree.  There are changes made to both samplers - mostly color changes on To Have and To Hold  but a little bit of chart reworking as the names were a bit longer than would fit.  A verse and names were added to Sentimental Hearts.



To Have and To Hold

Sentimental Hearts



After the wedding samplers, I moved onto a Christmas stocking, A Glimpse of Santa from Stoney Creek:

And around those finishes, I also had Winter Wonderland from The Silver Needle which was my first finish of the year and Snowgirls from Country Garden Stitchery:

Winter Wonderland

Snowgirls

I had progress on my Heaven and Earth Design projects.

Shakespearean Fantasy

January 1, 2017

December 31, 2017

Santa and the Mouse

January 1, 2017

December 31, 2017

and It's About Time

January 1, 2017

December 31, 2017

The Enchantment of Winter was a new start:

And Santa's Magic made an unexpected appearance in December.

January 1, 2017

December 31, 2017

I finished his beard with about 5" of Wisper thread left - if anybody is keeping track it will take more than two cards of Wisper White to finish this piece.  Rather than put in another order for a thread that I didn't really like stitching with, I made an executive decision that any other areas that were charted for Wisper would be done in plain old DMC white.  If I were to do it again, I would probably use B5200 for the charted white and white for the charted Wisper.  I think that would give just enough shade difference to keep it from looking flat.  I got my order of Kreinik in today's mail, but I won't be pulling this one out until I finish my two obligation pieces.

After putting Santa away, I pulled out Japanese Zen Garden.  Yes, it's a little early to start my 2018 rotation, but it kept calling.  It went from here:

To here:

I needed the green border to hold those gold swirls in place.  As they are off center I kept thinking I was off on my count.  Now that everything is neatly contained it is going much better.  I had planned to work on this all day today, but my phone's battery has been acting up (not holding a charge, heating up while charging, etc.) and today was the first appointment I could get.  Word of advice - do NOT go to an Apple store at anytime around Christmas - it was mobbed.  Between the waiting and the fixing and the grocery store my afternoon was shot. I am not planning on going anywhere tomorrow so there should be more swirly bits by tomorrow night.

So those are my finishes and progress for 2017.  I will be participating in WIPocalypse in 2018 and will be back in a week or so to post my goals and hopefully show some progress on Zen and Goldie.

Before I commence with the baking and crafting...

I must

I just love this picture and don't get to use it enough

and not for just one piece!!  Didn't see that coming did you?  A Glimpse of Santa is finished.  

None of the embellishments are the called for.  The original uses buttons and bangles that I could not find and I spent a lot of hours searching.  So off to Michaels I went and scoured their jewelry making section.  I found the moon charm which was a good replacement for the Mill Hill Treasure I wasn't going to do an on-line order for just that as I would have seen the shipping cost and decided to see how many other things I could order for the same cost and then, well, you know the story... I used Swarovski 4mm bi-cones to replace all the button ornaments on the tree and used DMC satin thread to stitch the lights rather than the called for buttons.  All in all I'm pleased with it.  One of my Black Friday stops was Joann's for fabric for the backing and I have a red and green that I am still trying to decide between.  

I finished the stocking Wednesday evening so decided to pull out one of my WIPs.  It was nice to stitch something that I wanted to rather than had to even though the *had* was something I put on myself.  The last time Just Nan's Florentine Floral made an appearance was October of 2015 and it looked like this:

today, it looks like this:

Because the button in the middle is so large and shiny my camera had a terrible time getting things right as it wanted to focus on just the button.  Anyway the fabric color is between these two pictures and the colors really sparkle against it.  I went through my Just Nan box and pulled out Kari's Snowflake to stitch next. 

In addition to sharing my finishes, this post is also my  and  check-in. 

WIPocalypse is hosted by Melissa at Measi's Musings.  A no stress, no pressure SAL, as Melissa says, it's for fun not a contest to encourage us to work on things we already have started. Both of the pieces I showed are on my WIPocalypse list.  Melissa is hosting again next year YAAAAAAA! and all the details are here.  She is also setting a challenge for herself to not only stitch WIPs but she is also going on a stashing wagon - no purchases except for bits and pieces to finish what she has or needles.  I will probably join her, although I do have another wedding piece to do yes, just when I thought I was done, The Hubs' niece announced her engagement last week so will have that on my list although if I start it now, it will be a WIP in 2018 won't it? Very helpfully, she gives us topics for discussion each month and this month's is:  What finishing style have you never tried but would love to do?  I've done a lot of finishing but the only thing I haven't tried yet is one of the Just Nan balls.  I have the pattern and fabric for Twilight Pearls but haven't started stitching it yet.  Here's a photo of a finished one:

http://anna-zont.blogspot.fi/2014/03/just-nan-twilight-pearls-leaf-ball.html

It's been retired and I couldn't find a picture on the Just Nan website so a Google search found this one.  I'm looking forward to stitching and finishing of this one someday.

 is hosted by Heather at Stitching Lotus and is, as the name implies, an encouraging nudge to love some of those smaller pieces we have.  I am a BAP type of stitcher, so the reminder to stitch something small and actually finish pieces is helpful.  What's a small?  Well, you get to decide - isn't that a wonderful SAL?   I had been stitching The Sampler Life SAL pieces for this SAL and haven't touched that piece in ages, so I didn't think I had a check-in for this month, but when I finished Florentine Floral I looked at the stitch count and it is 53X53 so easily within my definition of a small.   I haven't checked in with a smalls finish since July so I'm thrilled to share one this month.  

I have taken this week off from work to start and finish my holiday preparations.  Just about everything has to be packed and mailed to Michigan, so I want to get it done and off.  I have a plan that should have everything done and dusted by Saturday and it all starts today with card and box making and decorating.  

So much...

When last I posted I was at the beginning of my vacation, today I'm at the end of it and have so much to post.

The trip to Michigan was wonderful.  It was great being with my family again, but the highlight was my DNiece's wedding.  Here's the new family:

And here's a photo so you can see her dress (everybody asks about the dress - the pearls are from my mother and are her something borrowed):

The new Mr. & Mrs. and a more experienced pair (DSis and DBIL)

Lots of smiles and laughter at the service and the reception afterwards.  In this post, I showed a piece of the pies that we were making for the table and thank yous.  Here's a picture of the front table with all of them:

Everyone got a lottery ticket and a lucky penny.  Didn't hear of anyone winning big, but everyone did go home at least a penny richer.  Here is my favorite picture of the entire day:

My father and my niece

I took a Dimensions plastic canvas kit with me in case there was stitching time.  I did get a bit of time and here's my start:

You can see the package photo through the canvas. 

And while I was in Michigan, I saw the handiwork of someone who was much more ambitious than I:

Yes, that's a crocheted tire cover.  It's done with, as best I could tell, rip cord.

For the first time in months (about four) I'm posting for .  WIPocalypse is hosted by Melissa at Measi's Musings.  It's an easy SAL, work on a WIP during the month and post about it on the last Sunday of each month.  It definitely has kept me focused over the years and she just announced that she's going to continue into 2018 - Yaaaaaa!!!!!!!  Mel gives us questions each month to help to get to know the other posters.  This month's question is:  How did you begin stitching?  That is easy - my Mom.  My first exposure to stitching was with those stitching cards that some of us of a certain age will remember.  When I was 5 or 6, Mom started me on stamped cross stitch and taught me surface embroidery.  Forward a number of years and while talking Mom mentioned that she'd tried counted cross stitch and thought that I might like it - the rest, as they say, is history. 

The only piece I'm working on from my WIPocalypse list is A Glimpse of Santa.  It was here on my last post:

Today it's here:

I didn't really settle in to stitching until Wednesday, so I'm very happy with the progress. A bit upset with myself for not settling in sooner, but I did identify the block to my stitching when I do finally sit down - my phone.  I didn't realize how much stitching time I was losing until I left my phone in the kitchen one afternoon.  I figured out I would stitch a bit, pick up my phone and play through my five lives on Candy Crush and Bubble Witch (yes I'm still playing them), then do a quick email check, then look something up on the internet, and then back to the games and pretty soon hours had passed and nothing, stitching or otherwise, accomplished.  I have left my phone in another room the last two days and haven't really missed it.

I let the housework slide the last couple weeks, so today has been housework, laundry, banking book updating and blogging.  Once dinner is finished and the kitchen cleaned up, I plan to sit and stitch.  Back to work tomorrow, but I am working from home, so I get a chance to ease back into it.  In all honesty, there won't be a lot of actual work happening tomorrow as I will have two weeks of emails to sort and respond to. 

 

Late, a Bit Early and Really Early

After mowing the lawn today I have decided that I'm going to let it get long and overgrown.  We have been invaded by deer flies!  I noticed them swarming the car the other day when I stopped to pick up the mail, but I didn't equate that to being swarmed while riding the lawn mower.  I have 3 bites that are absolutely driving me crazy with the itching. Living in the middle of not a lot, we've always had them. but this summer is a banner year.  I don't know if it's because we've been so wet or warm or what, but I do hope that whatever is causing it stops soon.  I read that dragonflies are predators, but I haven't noticed an uptick in them (but would be willing to import a few)   I suppose if I can't be outside, I should be able to focus on my stitching and blogging a bit more, so a good trade off.

So, my blog title.  I'm sooooo late for my June  post, like 9 days late!  ACK!! Jo at Serendipitous Stitching hosts Gifted Gorgeousness as a way to say "thank you" to those that have gifted us with stitching items or to show things we're stitching as gifts or anything else we can shoehorn into the definition.  I have progress on three pieces this month that fit (or I can make fit) into the terms of the SAL.  The first is A Glimpse of Santa by The Stoney Creek Collection.  It's a gift for my Niece-to-be (she'll be my niece one week from today)

You can see the glimpse of Santa that gives the stocking it's name.  I've started the back stitching.  That on the left is wallpaper.  There will be yellowish "dots" added later.  I may have a dig through my bead stash to see if I have something that will work rather than the random xs that are called for.

The next piece is Santa and the Mouse ornament by Scott Gustafson and adapted by Heaven and Earth Designs. This was a freebie on the website a number of years ago, so I am counting it as a gift from the designer/adapter.  He hasn't seen too much progress in the last few months, so it was nice to pull him out for a few hours.

And the final piece is Carnation by Cross Stitch It.  Rather than make you go looking for the picture I'll post it again.

This was another designer freebie, so a gift.

I am a day early for the June  post.  Melissa at Measi's Musings hosts this SAL as a little extra incentive to finish off some of those WIPs many of us have languishing.  The pieces above are all on my WIPocalypse list, so that part is taken care of, but Melissa gives us questions each month in the event we have writer's block and this month's is:  Show us your stitching space!  Where do you sit, and what is going on around you while you stitch (TV, audiobooks, etc)?  We have converted the third bedroom into a computer, crafting, and stitching room so I spend my stitching time in there.  Usually I'm listening to audio books while I stitch but lately have been catching up on some television shows on Amazon's Prime Video and Acorn TV.  I"m thinking of subscribing to The Great Courses channel and maybe Britbox (replacing Acorn TV) but I haven't decided on that yet.  If I do subscribe to either one, I'll be watching much more TV than I do now.   As far as what it looks like here are some old pictures - other than a new chair it looks much the same.  The bookshelf is an IKEA Expidit and it holds the majority of my crafting books, magazines and paper crafting and sewing supplies.

Here's a full frontal:

The samplers above it are all Just Nan class pieces (I didn't attend them, I was able to purchase them from a needlework shop that did cyber classes)  The pieces on top of the unit are from the Silver Needle's Secret Needle Night.  On the right is my yarn storage and mending pile.

The smaller set of cubbies has my DVDs (oh yeah, I watch those when I'm stitching too), kitted up projects, The Hubs' WoW books and a bunch of stuff in baskets that I couldn't figure where else to put.  But the real mess is behind the burgundy curtain: 

This is where I keep everything else - quilting, beading, jewelry making, card making and stamping supplies, there are WIP thread boxes, cross stitch patterns, and on the right you can see my fabric stash.   This is an older picture and some of the items have been donated or rehomed.  The threads you see to the right of the red box (I love those 12X12 boxes) are non-DMC threads.  I have them on split rings (one per company with the threads in alphabetical order) and hang them from the wire shelves.  The closet works pretty well, but I am constantly reworking it as my interests change.  I'm doing a lot of card making/papercrafting right now, so those items have moved to the front.  There is 30+ years accumulation of supplies/stash, so I suppose it is going to take a while to get it all just right, but I dream of the day when I have a craft room with cabinets and shelves and counter space and, and, and...

The final bit of my title - I"m quite early for the  check-in but I leave for Michigan on Thursday and won't be back until Monday (the above mentioned wedding) and I am really tired of being late on check-ins.  Heather at The Stitching Lotus hosts this SAL and it is, as you probably figured out, focused on smalls.  You define what a small is, so the only pressure is what you put on yourself.  I do have a finish this month.  Look back up to the Carnation block in the WIPocalypse section of the post for a picture.  I have started July's but forgot to take a picture and really need to wrap this up before it wins an award for longest blog post ever, so it will have to wait. 

Not Much

Not much stitching to post about, but I do have two SAL check-ins so there is something to talk about.


First off - THANK YOU to Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  The Hubs went to the mailbox the other day and said, "Whatever you ordered is here".  I was thoroughly confused because I hadn't ordered anything and said as much.  He said, "Well here's an envelope of something".     The first thing that caught my attention was the postage.  I didn't remember ordering anything and I definitely hadn't ordered anything from England.  Flipped it over and saw this .  Brain started to work a little and I remembered I'd talked with Jo about these threads and that I should check them out, but still didn't remember ordering.  It hit me then that Jo had made sure I tried them and had gifted me a skein or two.  Well I was right about the gifting but not the quantity.  She sent me a whole set!!.  This is the Halloween thread set - aren't they wonderful?  I had been leafing through my Halloween designs thinking I needed to stitch one or two of them and now I have a beautiful thread set to do it with.  Thank you again Jo.


Before I spend the day admiring the floss, I'd better move on to those SALs.  The first is WIPocalypse (my computer isn't letting me copy the badge, but you can see it there on the left).  Melissa at Measi's Musings hosts this SAL.  A very low stress, easy SAL it is too.  Just pick a few WIPs, stitch and post.  She even gives us questions each month just in case we can't think of anything. This month's is very appropriate to the SAL and is "What projects are in your UFO pile?".  My first thought was none as I expect to finish all my started pieces, but given that some of them are almost two decades old, I suppose they are technically unfinished objects.  The list of all my started pieces is on the right there.  I broke it down into Chatelaines, Other and HaEDs for no really good reason other than it made sense at the time.  The pieces that I am focusing on for WIPocalypse are in my Current Rotation list and the WIPocalypse Project List and 2017 Stitching Plan tab up top there.  In the last couple of weeks, I've only worked on two of the projects listed.  The first is Shakespearean Fantasy.   It went from here: 

to here:

Almost another column finish.  One more column and I'll have a page finish.  Moving along, but slowly.


The second is A Glimpse of Santa.  While it wasn't technically a WIP at the beginning of the year, I had plans to stitch it and planning is part of the process so it is squeezed into the SAL.  No before photo, but it is now here:

I really do need to sit down and focus a bit more on this.  It's an easy stitch and I should much more finished than I do.


The second SAL is .  The Smalls SAL is hosted by Heather at the Stitching Lotus. It's a year long celebration of all those smaller pieces that we do.  We define what is small and WIP smalls count too.  I am focusing on finishing up The Sampler Life SAL for this SAL.  This month I finished Gold and Purple Corner from Scarlet Suen.

One more will finish this row.  I have six more pieces and the majority are not 50 X 50 as the rest have been.  I think I've worked out how to fit them into the piece so they don't look too out of place. 


I think my work schedule has settled down so I should be able to get back to my normal stitching schedule this week, but I think I've said that before, so please, nobody hold their breath for that.