April WIPocalypse

Yesterday was time for another WIPocalypse post. This fun blog SAL has one main goal... for us to finish our WIPs before the end of the world. Since we all keep adding to our lists I doubt this will ever happen. I know for me it's not possible by any means haha. I like using this SAL as an excuse to keep track of what I've worked on and how many days since the last post which was March 25th. So let's see what I've been up to...

Ocean in a Bottle -- 7 Days. I had just started this one for my last post. I had only 4 days into it. Here is what it looked like...

Here it is now...

Ocean of Wisdom -- 2 Days. I was able to get this one finished up after that 2 days. Here is the before and after...

To The Beach 2013 PALs Hands on Design Pillow -- 2 Days. I was able to finish this one off too. Here is the before and after...

 

Durene Jones April Calendar Piece -- 2 Days. I started and finished this one...

You Are Loved -- 2 Days. Went from here to here...

Myrtle Beach Postcard from Erica Michaels -- 3 Days. Started this one and got to here...

Got the back panel complete other than the postage stamp but it is done on a separate piece of silk gauze and attached to this panel.

14 days with no stitching. 

We are also given a question to answer...April 29 – Talk to us about your longest-running WIP or UFO. You know I honestly don't know. I don't really keep track in a way that's easy to answer that one. I know sometimes when I look through old blog posts I say Oh wow I never finished that one. Most the time it's not something I want to finish though. Luckily there are quite a few that I have finished. Like my two HAEDs. I did see a finished piece from 2007 that I need to finish finish so that's embarrassing enough to report. See ya on May 27.

April YOW Update

This year I joined a new to me Facebook SAL in a group called Soulful Stitching. They have a fun SAL called YOW which stands for Year of WIPs. The goal is to finish at least half of your list. You have to have a minimum of 15 items on your list. It was too hard to pick 15 so I picked 20 things I really would love to finish this year. Throughout the year we update our progress April 18, July 18, October 18, and then December 18 or there after is a drawing for the people who have finished half and posted the updates correctly. I finished my update today on the group and figured I would share here too.

1. August Snapshot -- Not started but I do have it kitted up and ready to go...

2. Cabin Fever -- I did get one day on this Mill Hill kit since the start...

3. Camping Out -- Haven't started this Mill Hill.
4. Christmas Celebration -- Haven't started but did get the fabric bought for it.
5. Christmas Jars -- Haven't made progress on this one. -- 2 Jars Left
6. December Snapshot -- Finished this one!!

7. Durene Jones Calendar -- 4 of these finished now but I'm using them as one project...

8. Halloween Sampler -- Haven't started but bought fabric.
9. Hold on to Hope   -- Big Finish and Framed...

10. July Snapshot  -- Finished this one!!!

11. Myrtle Beach Postcard -- I have this one ready to start hopefully tomorrow...

12. Ocean of Wisdom -- Another one marked off the list...

13. October Snapshot -- No progress
14. September Snapshot -- No Progress
15. Spring Bell Pull  -- Finished up the I block and started the N block Before and After photo...

16. To the Beach -- Finished this one!!

17. Under the Sea SAL -- No progress    5 Sections Left
18. Where Stitching Meets -- No progress
19. Winter Messenger -- Another finish marked off...

20. You are Loved -- You guys have seen this one recently. But here is the Jan beginning and now YOW progress pics though...

So let's recap...

I've worked on 5

I haven't worked on 9 

I have 6 finishes!!! 

So I'm happy happy with my progress. Here's hoping I'll have even more progress for the next check in July 18th.

Monday Update

Last week was a relaxing stitching filled week and boy I sure got a lot of stitching time. I already shared a celebration Happy Dance with my readers from Wednesday. This weekend was full of the same. It was too wet to work on our cabin spot so that plan was off. Hubby had amateur radio plans Saturday evening and during the day Sunday. So I declared a HSW (Hermit Stitch Weekend) of my own full of stitching and catching up on TV shows. It was wonderful and guess what I have to share with you....

2 new finishes!!! Plus they are finished finishes!!!

Front Side

Back Side

Info on this one: (Finish 13) April 6th, 2018

To the Beach from Hands on Design

Double Sided Pillow

2013 PALs Retreat Design

Stitched on 28ct Star Sapphire Jobelan

Used Suggested GAST, Classic Colorworks and DMC 3371 Threads

Started Jun 22nd, 2017. Took 5 Days.

 

Then I was able to start and finish...

  (Finish 14) April 8th, 2018
April from Durene Jones Calendar
Freebie available on her FB Group
Stitched on 14ct Ecru Aida
Threads are suggested DMC
Started Apr 7th. Took 2 Days.

Here is the whole little shelf area right now...

Just love it! It's so much fun to decorate this area with each season. By the way there is a 4th pillow from the Hands on Design set but my mom stole it so it's missing from this picture haha. There is one last double sided pillow left from the Hands On Design PALs pieces to stitch up. It's on my list to complete this year hopefully. It will be sad not to have a new one to add to it this coming October.

Well it's a new week. We are having weird weather. It's snowing today. Not going to amount to much maybe half an inch but still sure looks like Winter outside. We are supposed to have some 70's later this week so I'll try to hang in there. Never know what it will do in Indiana this time of year. If you are reading this I hope you have a great week and get done what you want done. I hear Ocean in a Bottle calling for attention again. Thanks for stopping by!

October WIPocalypse

It's time for a WIPocalypse check in. WIPocalypse was a fun idea in the blog world to stitch up all our projects before the end of the world. Luckily that hasn't happened as predicted many times since this SAL started. I use this a fun excuse to keep track of what I work on and how many days in the span since the last check in. The last check in is here on September 27th. Now let's see what I've been working on since then...

June Snapshot -- Finished up the June piece with 3 more days of work. Here is the finished piece...

Harvest Garden Mill Hill Kit -- I started and finished this fun kit in 2 days. Here is the finished piece...

Then I went on a vacation. I did get in some stitching while gone this time.

To the Beach 2013 PALs Piece -- I had started this one in June for the Longest Day SAL. Here is what it will look like...

I only got to here on the first day since I only worked on it for an hour...

I worked on it while attending the PALs Retreat for 2 more days. Here is where I am now...

 

I finished the first side of the pillow and got a start on the 2nd side.

To the Beach Freebie from Hands on Designs -- I worked on this one at the PALs Retreat. I can't find a picture to show what it will look like when finished. It's basically just a sign that says To The Beach with an arrow.  Here is where I got on it after the first day...

Ocean of Wisdom -- Worked on this tiny piece at the PALs Retreat as well. Then I continued to work on it while resting on vacation. So I worked on it a total of 3 days in this span. Here is where I was on it...

Here is where I am now...

I'm happy with that progress for how busy I've been this month. Hopefully next month will be even better. We also get a fun question to answer with our check in. This month the question is – How did you begin stitching?

I was always a crafty person. I loved having something to do with my hands. I tried needlepoint, latch hook rugs, and all kinds of other stuff. When I was walking through the store I passed a dragon counted cross stitch piece. I figured why not try it. I really enjoyed it a lot. This was when I was in high school. I put it down for a long time. Then when my son was born I realized when he was sleeping or playing I again was sitting with nothing to do with my hands. I picked up counted cross stitch again and it just clicked for me. It was the best stress relief. I joined yahoo groups and started my blog. It was just meant to be. I'm so thankful I happened on that dragon piece. I never finished it. I have no idea where it is. It just was the connection I needed to this wonderful hobby.

Vacation Day #10 PALs Retreat Day 2

I got permission this morning to share with my readers some of the vendors who were setup. I have a few more to take photos of tomorrow. So now you can see how lucky we are at the PALs Retreat to have these designers right here for us to shop with.

 

 

Silver Creek Samplers. Look at the 3 beautiful ocean themed designs. Yes I have them.... now to finish them so one day they look like these.

Rovaris came from Italy. I love her designs! See those beautiful key chains!

 

 

 

Blackberry Lane Designs. She does gorgeous tiny things but they can also be stitched on larger fabric too.

 

 

Noteworthy Needle has the replacement for thread heaven.. They are a lot more cute too!! Just look her up and order some beeswax. She also has beautiful projects. Look at these cute pail wraps you can get. They can also go on magnet boards.

 

 

Praiseworthy Stitches has so many gorgeous things. Look at that gorgeous ocean themed box. Oh my! I would never be able to finish it into a box though. Plus the ocean themed drum. How beautiful!! So many fun things.

I will try to get the rest of the vendors tomorrow hopefully. See why Santa loves coming here. See why I love coming here. I have things piled up to share with you ladies later.  My purchases at least. I doubt Santa will share his purchases. They are secrets.....shhhh.

I also took two classes today. One was from Fern Ridge. They do these gorgeous beaded fob kits. I bought one several years ago but when I tried to figure it out I just couldn't understand it. Here is my spot ready for class...

This beautiful sand castle was made for this class I think. How cute!! Boy I had a hard time learning this. We had to learn the 2 needle peyote stitch. Um... What?? Where does this needle go? So I did the whole first 9 rows.....wrong. So undo. Redo. Then I did up to the rows where you add new colors.....wrong....undo...redo....Wait....I think I got it! Finally. It was like a bolt of lightning hit me. Duh. What was I doing wrong. So I didn't get very far because of all my mistakes...

But I'm pretty sure now I have an understanding on what to do. Hopefully. So glad I took this class!!

My last class was from Erica Michaels to learn how to finish a strawberry. Here are examples of them...

 

 

I love how they look on display. Here is our class project...

 

The top picture is the finished example. I just really wanted to steal it haha. I'm pretty sure I got it though. Now to do the stitching and attempt the finishing....hopefully this winter.

After all that learning I was able to stitch the evening away. Remember my To the Beach piece from yesterday. I kept working on it today. I got the first side complete...

I even got it outlined for when I am ready to finish it. I got a little start on the 2nd side...

Okay that's a lot of photos to share. I sure had a great day. Lots of shopping, laughs, hugs, fun, and stitching.