My first TUSAL!

Here is my very first TUSAL posting. I had actually collected all my orts last year after I learned about the TUSAL. I thought all the little jars and dishes were so pretty. I emptied it out a couple of weeks ago. It's hard to see my little pile, but it will be more obvious in the coming months.

WIPocalypse in Pictures

 I thought I'd post some pics of where my WIPocalypse list begins. This isn't everything on my list, and the Round Robins are continually circulating. (I have three more in my bag to be finished in the next couple of weeks.) I just recently kitted up Lady Alexandra and decided I'd probably rather work on her than try to accomplish a Passione Ricamo piece. She seems like a pretty easy stitch.

Since I signed up for WIPocalypse after the first full moon I didn't actually post pictures, just my to do list. So this is sort of making up for that, and gives me a visual jumping off point for the year.

Thanks to all of you that have started following me. Every time someone new joins up I start hollering to my husband, "I'm up to 13!" He's actually somewhat impressed, but he seems to have no concept of how many of us stitch-obsessed people are out there. TFL!

Mermaids of the Deep Blue

Mediterranean Mermaid

Enchanted Dreamer

Lady A instead of a Passione Ricamo

Bluebell

Trick or Treat Fairy

Shimmering Seashells Sampler

My "Something Bargello-ish" Tile-2 from Something Different

Finish Handiwork Memories for MIL (so close to done!)

Key To My Heart

My Mira 2011 Round Robin (I've started Fairy Flora in my box)

My most recent UFO RR addition

WIPocalypse!

So here is the first draft of my WIPocalypse plans. Many of these are actual WIPs, but some of them haven't been started yet, and possibly haven't even been kitted yet. I really want to get some of the earlier mentioned finishes framed this year. I decided that there is no way I'll be able to pay to have them framed. (Outrageous what they charge!) So for Christmas I asked for and received a point driver, and intend to learn how to frame my own stuff at a fraction of the cost. Maybe next Christmas I'll ask for a mat cutter so I can have some pieces matted, too.

2012 Stitching Plans (aka Wishful Thinking)

1. Mermaids of the Deep Blue - Mirabilia
2. Mediterranean Mermaid - Mirabilia
3. Enchanted Dreamer - Mirabilia
4. Queen of Fairies – Passione Ricamo
5. Bluebell Pixie – Nora Corbett
6. TOT Fairy for a special friend’s October b-day
7. Shimmering Seashells Sampler – Patricia Ann
8. Gingerbread Garden Sampler – Victoria Sampler
9. Something bargello-ish
10. My 2011 Mirabilia RR – finish my square
11. My 2011 Band Sampler RR – finish at bottom
12. 2011-2012 UFO RR (maybe someday I'll get my own back. sigh)
13. Mirabilia RR – 2012
14. Joan Elliott RR
15. Band Sampler RR 2012
16. Key To My Heart – Stoney Creek (for my Dad)
17. Handiwork Memories – Stoney Creek (nearly done gift for MIL)
18. Spring Garden – Stoney Creek (nearly done gift for Mom)
19. Hang bellpulls for sis
20. Frame at least 50% of finished projects

Real 2011 Finishes

 I sometimes feel like Peony was my only true finish for 2011, but when I look at all the Round Robin pieces I worked on, I really did quite a bit of stitching last year.

Some "Finishes" 2011 and earlier

 Okay, so here are a bunch of  "finishes" from 2011 and some earlier. The reason I quote-quoted finishes is because a. none of them have been framed, hung on bell pulls, or put on their little boxes. (Except for the Letter E box, which I gave to my kids' babysitter for 2010 Xmas.) The Spring Rose Garden Sampler I was dumb enough to date 2011, but I haven't gone back and finished the silk ribbon embroidery on it.

Yes, I know, most of the pix are terrible. I'm still trying to figure out how to take decent pictures of my stitching.

Summary of 2011 Stitches

I'm going to try my hand at adding photos to this blog. Let's see how it turns out.

In Feb. 2011 I started working on Mermaids of the Deep Blue. It has been quite a challenge, but I think it is mostly due to interrupting myself with all the round robins. This picture is not current. I have about half of the body of the second mermaid done.

I haven't managed to successfully add more pictures yet. I'll experiment and post more when I do.

Welcome!

Well, here it is...my first blog posting. If you are reading this, thank you for your interest in my nuttiness!

My name is Karen. I'm a SAHM in Illinois. I have a husband, 2 kids (9 and 2), and a whole bunch of pets. What I also have a lot of is hobbies. I paint, scrapbook, make cards, sew, and crochet, but what I enjoy most of all is cross-stitching. I started at about 18 and, like many other things in my life, I'd be very passionate for a while about it and then drop it. In the summer of 2009 I dug my stitching out of my very full craftroom closet, and I haven't put it down since.

I've become rather addicted to the stitching. I've almost completely dropped all the other hobbies, and only do them when I absolutely have to, like when I need to make the Christmas cards or when I have to sew something like a Halloween costume. I started frequenting some bulletin boards on Yuku. I especially love the Mirabilia boards. From there I discovered The Worldwide Round Robins board. TWBB Round Robins I have been addicted to round robins for the last 7 months. In fact, that's almost the only stitching I've completed this year. (more on finishes later)

I've set some lofty stitching goals for myself for 2012. Much of the ability to achieve these goals will depend on how deeply I'm sucked into the Cub Scout Black Hole this year. Last year was pretty rough. We'll see how it goes.

Well, it's nice to meet you and thank for reading!

Love,
Karen