In with the new (list)

Okay, I have revamped my "To do" list for 2013. I have decided that I don't really care if it is realistic or not. I may end up starting another bunch of things this year as they call to me. Now, that's not to say that I won't try as hard as I can to meet the goals I set out for myself, but I won't be broken-hearted  if I don't accomplish everything.

The funny thing about last year's list is that on one line there will be a project that only needs a few more stitches and/or beads, and on another line there is a round robin that consists of up to eight portions. If I start to feel bad about my accomplishments from last year, I can always take a look at my "Round Robin Finishes" page. You should look there, too. I'm fairly impressed with that.

Here's the kicker, though: There are a bunch of things on this list that are very close to done, or at least more than halfway finished. So, I really want to bang those things out and cross them off my list. Can I do it? Can I be a WIP Slayer like Melanie? Who knows?

2013 Stitching Plans

1.      Mermaids of the Deep Blue – Mirabilia

2.      Queen of Fairies – Passione Ricamo

3.      TOT Fairy for October birthday

4.      My 2011 Mirabilia RR – finish my square

5.      My 2011 Band Sampler RR – finish at bottom

6.      2012 Band Sampler RR – almost done

7.      Key to My Heart – Stoney Creek

8.      Handiwork Memories – Stoney Creek

9.      Spring Garden – Stoney Creek

10.  Passione Ricamo Mistery Fairy SAL

11.  Bellydancer No. 1 – Yiota

12.  RAK Project – Maidenhair

13.  The Book Store – Country Cottage Needleworks

14.  Overlook Café

15.  Mirabilia Large-Stitch RR 2013

16.  Joan Elliott RR – May 2013 start

17.  Butterfly Garden – The Drawn Thread

18.  Fire Goddess – Joan Elliott

19.  Joan Elliot 2013 Diary SAL

20. PIF project

 

I will be finished with Cub Scouts in late March. When I say finished, I mean DONE! My hubby and I went back and forth for a while about whether we wanted to let the boy-child continue on into Boy Scouts. We had several reasons on the "no" side: 1. We're not happy with some of the things that the BSA said last year; 2. I ended up having to commit way too much time to scouting as a Den Leader, Advancements Chair, and a Committee member; and 3. There is a leader involved with several of the local troops that has had a couple of arrests for drunk driving. I'd really like to avoid him. He is a bad man, but our BSA Council can't seem to get rid of him. In the end, my husband and I have decided to keep our son in scouts with the agreement that my husband will take over the running to meetings, activities, etc., and we will strictly limit our volunteering to small tasks.

Sorry for the digression. My point was that I hope to have more stitching time after March.

So, there it is. My new list. Keep your fingers crossed that I can make a dent this year.

*hugs and stitches*
~ Karen

Out with the old (list)

So, in reflecting back on 2012, I decided to look at my original WIPocalypse to-do list that I posted in January. It's frightening, truly, how little off that list I got done.

Here is a recap of the list, along with the status of each project:

2012 Stitching Plans (aka Wishful Thinking)

1. Mermaids of the Deep Blue – Mirabilia ~~Didn’t touch
2. Mediterranean Mermaid – Mirabilia ~~ Stitched a little
3. Enchanted Dreamer – Mirabilia ~~ Didn’t start
4. Queen of Fairies – Passione Ricamo ~~ Bought some floss and fabric
5. Bluebell Pixie – Nora Corbett ~~ Nope
6. TOT Fairy for a special friend’s October b-day ~~Stitched some; didn’t finish for October birthday
7. Shimmering Seashells Sampler – Patricia Ann ~~Nope
8. Gingerbread Garden Sampler – Victoria Sampler ~~ Uh uh
9. Something bargello-ish ~~ No
10. My 2011 Mirabilia RR – finish my square ~~ Still sitting there
11. My 2011 Band Sampler RR – finish at bottom ~~ Ditto
12. 2011-2012 UFO RR (maybe someday I'll get my own back. sigh) ~~ I finished everyone else’s. Mine is gone.
13. Mirabilia RR – 2012 ~~ Done! (Still missing mine.)
14. Joan Elliott RR ~~ Done! Yay!!! Mine is beautiful!!
15. Band Sampler RR 2012 ~~ Almost done. Two more mailings.
16. Key To My Heart – Stoney Creek (for my Dad) ~~ Put in a few stitches
17. Handiwork Memories – Stoney Creek (nearly done gift for MIL) ~~ Nope
18. Spring Garden – Stoney Creek (nearly done gift for Mom) ~~ Nope
19. Hang bellpulls for sis ~~ Bell pull hardware is still sitting on my desk
20. Frame at least 50% of finished projects ~~ Not a one.

Because that list wasn’t big enough (d’oh!), I added a few new starts, too.

1.      Passione Ricamo – Mistery Fairy SAL

2.      Yiota’s Bellydancer No. 1

3.      RAK Project – Maidenhair

4.      Country Cottage Needlework – The Book Store

5.      Overlook Café

6.      Mirabilia Large-Stitch RR – January 2013 start

I guess it's safe to say that I set my sights a little high.

I will post a new list for 2013 shortly. Do you think I can make it a tad more realistic??

Did you miss me?

It has been over a month since my last post. December turned out to be a very difficult month. I don't want to whine too much about it. Let's just say, I'm glad it's over.

I did, however, make out like a bandit at Christmas. I put, pretty much, only stitchy things on my wishlists, and I got, pretty much, only stitchy things under the tree. I finally got a needlework stand!! I am now the proud owner of an Ergo from Artisan Designs. And I received tons of new charts. I also got a gift certificate to my LNS and a little cash, which already got used on...you guessed it...more charts!

Here is my spoilage:

So I'm going to do my final TUSAL and WIPocalypse posts of 2012. Just a quick report.

What did I stitch on in the last month-ish?

I did my section of Sophia's Mirabilia RR

I have finished the center shell cluster and almost all of the seaweed on my new Mirabilia round robin that goes out mid-January. I should have the last of the seaweed done today, and then I hope to get my mermaid stitched before mailing time. (I have two Band Sampler RR sections to finish in the meantime.)

Because I apparently don't have enough to stitch (major eyeroll), I picked up a little kit and had to put in a few stitches. In my defense, I wanted to have a small kit that I wasn't extremely attached to, so that I could have one to bring when I'm out and about.

And here, with a look at a year's worth of ORTs in my bottomless jar, is Mimi. I'd heard the suggestion earlier in the year about putting the ORTs out in the spring for the birds to build nests. I wonder what I should put them out in? A pie pan? In a pile on the ground? Any suggestions?

So that wraps up my TUSAL and WIPocalypse reports. Obviously the world didn't end. (Take that, you pessimistic Mayans!!) It's a good thing, because I didn't make a dent in my WIP list.

In the next day or two I will post about the year in review and make a new useless list of stitching plans for 2013.

Have a Stitchy New Year!!

Love,
Karen

p.s. I'll try and bring back Hunky Friday soon.

Lions and WIPs and ORTs, Oh my!

I have one lonely picture of what I've stitched since my last WIPocalypse post. However, I did that post about two weeks ago, so....

I completed my portion of Sophia's Band Sampler RR. You may be wondering why it took me so long to do. Don't let the appearance fool you. It may look fairly straightforward, but WOW, that thing was difficult!!! For every whole cross stitch, there were another two or three quarter stitches. And, if that weren't enough, everything, and I mean everything, was backstitched. In four separate colors, no less! Holy smokes!

My bands

The whole piece

 I sure am glad I'm finished!

I know. Tardy doesn't begin to describe my TUSAL entry. I just plum forgot with everything that has been going on. Fortunately, Bubba seemed willing to help with my picture today.

I just had to share this picture of Honeybee and Squash playing with a rope, today. They were so cute. :)

I've been MIA

I'm sorry that I've not been around much lately. Things haven't been great here.

My father-in-law passed away yesterday. (Thanksgiving day)

Thanks to everyone that has posted their kind condolences on Facebook. It means a lot to us.



I didn't post a hunk last Friday. I was busy making a cake for our annual Cub Scout Cake Walk. The cake theme this year was "Food."

In lieu of a hunk this week, because I'm just not feeling it right now, I will at least post for you a little beefcake.


Seriously, a beef cake...

I hope to be back next week with a real hunk of beef. :-)

October? (November) WIPocalypse #11

Okay. Late again. But there is a small amount of good news. I seem to have gotten some of my stitchy mojo back. I haven't gotten lots done, mind you, but I did start getting into a groove.

So, let's check in...

 I did a wee little bit on CCN's "The Book Store." Just a bit on the door and the bricks.

 

 I did an even "wee-er" little bit on the centerpiece of my Mirabilia Large-Stitch RR. It's got me a little concerned that I won't have all my seaweed or my own mermaid done before it's time to get it in the mail.

 I'm not quite half-way on Sophia's Band Sampler RR, but I am doing two sets of colors (red and orange) instead of one. It is a series of Celtic knot bands that are in beautiful rainbow colors using all silks. Yum.

Here is my big finish! I did the last portion of the Joan Elliott RR on Jacqui's piece. I have stitched for her Joan's Goddess of the Sea. She came out beautifully and was pleasant to stitch.

 

Here is the full piece. Jacqui just needs to finish her square with Cinderella, and add, I think, verses in the blank squares. It is a lovely piece, and I'm so glad I was part of this Round Robin.

 

 Well, here's hoping my mojo will stick with me through the end of the year, and beyond!

I know, I know

I did it again. I missed Hunky Friday. But, all is not lost.

I share with you a new obsession. Sasha Roiz is currently in a show called "Grimm" on NBC. Love him!! Just to impress you further, he is 6'4", and speaks English, French, and Russian.

Heavy sigh...

Not his real tattoos, but woof!