April WIPocalypse

Yesterday was the last Sunday of the month. That means it's time for a WIPocalypse update. The idea behind WIPocalypse is to finish all our WIPs before the end of the world and no this stupid virus isn't going to be the end of the world. I won't allow it. I have way way too many WIPs still left to do. So I like to use this SAL to keep track of what I worked on and for how long. It's a fun way to look back at the progress I've made each month.

Pop over to Measi's blog to see what others have posted.

Here's my update and what I've worked on since March 30th...

99 Bottles -- 2 Days. Got the 4 bottles added for March and will be working on it this week to add the next 4 for my April goal...

Rabbit Freebie -- 2 Days. Started and finished this cutie up for the Easter blog hop...

All I need is... -- 1 Day. Finally got some more added to this old WIP...

April Fairy -- 5 Days. Started and Finished my monthly fairy...

Colorful Critters -- 4 Days. Started the new Stitchonomy SAL. I will give more information on this one in a later post. Two more have been released now. So far I've finished 4 parts...

Salt Water Taffy -- 1 Day.

Pizza Slice Mill Hill Kit -- 1 Day. Started this one at the cabin over the weekend...

Have to be careful with this one. Mom and Jeremiah kept trying to eat it haha.

Beer Dragon -- 1 Day. Added 254 stitches to this one...

 

13 non stitching days. Not too bad but definitely not the way I want it. I'm wracking my brain trying to come up with my May plan. I kind of want to join in Stitch Maynia but not with new starts. I don't think. Or do I? Or just a lot of progress on one piece? Or stitch with my monthly acrostic? Or do something totally different? Haven't figured it out yet.

I know tomorrow I want to start on the next 4 bottles for the 99 Bottles monthly goal. Most the time they take two days worth of time to stitch up. Guess we'll have to see what happens won't we?

Late Monday Update / FFG

I am really jealous of everyone who talks about having all this extra time. They are going crazy because of nothing to do. Where is my time??? Can you find it and send it my way?

FFG is the 10th of the month. The idea of FFG is to Fully Finish our stitching instead of just hiding it away. I've been really trying hard to finish my older stitching that is hiding in my box of shame. You would think with all this magical time because of this crisis I would have extra time.....NOPE. I finished my March fairy but I really want fabric with little Easter eggs on it and of course our fabric stores are all closed so I'm going to wait I think. Plus the day last week I was going to get out my sewing machine I just needed the day to stitch and breath. I know you all understand that.

I do have one finish to share though. You seen it in my Easter blog hop. But here it is a little closer now...

It was a fun fast stitch. Just took me 2 days. It is going to be for NeedleCraft Haven Easter Exchange. It became a virtual exchange though because some areas have the post office closed. So we are saving them for later to mail. Until then it is proudly on display.

Here is my recap for FFG now...

2019 I reported 41

Jan -- 19

Feb -- 6

Mar -- 0 

April -- 1

Total of 67
Head over to Rachel's check in post here to see what others have finished up.

As I say all the time I'm really hoping things slow down. Right now when I do take a day I just want to sit and stitch. I feel so far behind. At least I finally finished the blog hop collecting all the letters today. How much fun was that??

I did get two days into my April Fairy last week too...

 Easter was different for a lot of people. I decided to make ours special. We packed up and went to our cabin. Mom, Izzy, Jeremiah and I left Friday morning. Fred came down after work Friday. (Yes he is still working every day.) So our Easter was different. We celebrated with my Dad and Bev and had a delicious meal picnic style. Honestly it was my favorite Easter in a long time and I feel a little guilty for that. I know so many people didn't get to do what they wanted. I love our cabin. I love my dad and our new chosen family way of being together. We hide Easter goodies around inside the cabin for Jeremiah. He loved it. My dad hide baskets for all us outside......all of us. Even my mom got a basket from my Dad. How freaking sweet. I literally had tears in my eyes coming home. It went perfect. Wow. What a blessing our cabin has been. Now to just make our home the same way. 

I'm slowly getting caught up. Last thing to do is to read through my blog list. I'm so glad to see all the posts but I keep getting so far behind. Can everyone just shush for a little bit? Haha. 

Take care. Stay healthy. Have a great week. Find time.....send me some extra if you can haha. Thanks for being my readers.

Easter Blog Hop

The wonderful Jo is hosting another exciting blog hop. It's a fun way to see different blogs and maybe even meet some new friends. This one is the Easter Blog Hop. First thing first go to Jo's blog to get the starting point. Then you hop through the posts to make a phrase out of the letters you collect. It's always amazing to see what Jo comes up with. I'm sure this one will be no different.

Each participant is to share something Easter or Spring that we have created. Give you a letter that we have been assigned. Last we give you a link to the next blog in line.

So first up my new finish...

This cute little freebie is available here. I stitched it up on a light blue evenweave I had in my stash. Here is the back of the little pillow...

Here is the letter you are looking for...

Your letter is a W.

Now head over to the next blog to collect more letters...
A Patchwork of Crafts 

Have a great Easter!

**Edited April 27th. The end phrase was Be Well and Stitch April. Perfect for this year's Blog Hop Phrase **

#24HOCS April Goals

Well it's a new month. Time for some new goals. Fingers Crossed I can make more progress than I did in March. We'll see.

I need to finish up my March 4 Bottles on 99. After that I think I will do my Easter blog hop/Exchange piece for Needlecraft Haven. Then I'll do the April Fairy. Sound like a plan? Sure hope so.

Here are the April 24 Hours of Cross Stitch Challenges I'm shooting for...

1st Challenge. Stitch for 24 hours throughout the month.

2nd Challenge. My favorite. The acrostic. Letters this month SUN&SHADOW.

S - Stitchonomy Critters SAL
Connection: S in Designer
Goal: Keep up

The new SAL starts April 16th. I'm hoping to keep up but we'll see. I hope the pieces aren't as big as the plants!

U - Winter Time
Connection: Unending Season
Goal: At least 24 minutes

I love Winter but I know a lot of people think it's a season that never ends. I would love to make more progress on this beauty.

N - NeedleCraft Exchange
Connection: N in Group Name
Goal: Finish

I'm going to stitch up this cute freebie. Go here to get the pattern. I want to use it for the Easter blog hop and for an upcoming exchange.

& - All I need is...
WIPGO Pick #24
Connection: Love & a Dog
Goal: At least 2 hours

I'm now 4 picks behind on my WIPGO board. It's okay. Just need to catch up. I need to get 2 hours on this piece to mark off this square.

S - Pizza Slice MH
WIPGO Pick #18
Connection: Slice of Pizza
Goal: Finish?

Another WIPGO pick. I would love to finish this up. I bet it won't take long.

H - Happy Camper MH
WIPGO Pick #25
Connection: H in Title
Goal: Finish?

Jeremiah and Mom collect camper things. When she seen this Mill Hill Kit it was a must do. This is a WIPGO pick for April.

A - April Fairy
Connection: A in Title
Goal: Finish

My monthly fairy is another cutie.

D - Embers
WIPGO Pick #11
Connection: Dragon
Goal: At least 2 Hours

This is the other WIPGO pick this month. 2 hours to mark this one off.

O - 99 Bottles
Connection: Oats in Beer
Goal: 4 Bottles

April's set of 4 bottles to keep up with my goal of 4 a month for a finish this year on this WIP.

W - Wish Upon a Starfish
Connection: W in Title
Goal: At least 24 Minutes

I would like to make a bit more progress on this one.

3rd Challenge is to fit my stitching into fun holidays that Jen has picked for each day of the month. World Party Day should be easy with 99 Bottles. Look Up at the Sky Day would work for Embers since the dragon is flying. National Stress Awareness Day is something we all need with the craziness going on right now in the world.

I hope we all find time for lots of stress relief and maybe that stress relief will be extra stitching time. Here's hoping we all have a fantastic April. I'm off to finish those pesky bottles from March.

#24HOCS March Goals

So here's my plans for March. First up I'm finishing up that last plant for the Homely Houseplants SAL. After that I will focus on 2 class pieces that I want to have ready for my retreat that starts March 26th. Hands on Design and Noteworthy Needle are both doing classes we have homework to complete before the class.

After those are finished I'll start with my #24HoursofCrossStitch Challenge plans.

1st Challenge. Stitch 24 Hours throughout the whole month.

2nd Challenge my favorite the acrostic. Letters this month MEASURETIME.

M -- March Fairy Lili of the Valley Calendar
Connection: M in March
Goal: Finish

 E -- Hands on Design Class
Connection: Every Section Completed
Goal: Finish all 9 parts
January 8th Hands on Design posted this sneak peek of our class project on her Instagram...

A -- All I need is... from Rovaris
WIPGO Project Pick #24 
Connection: A in Title
Goal: At least 2 Hours

Wow looks like the last time I worked on this one was 2014! I tried to pick some old WIPs to throw on my WIPGO board. This month it got picked.

S -- Winter Time from New York Dreamer
Connection: Seasonal
Goal: At least 24 Minutes

U -- Camping Out a Mill Hill Kit
Connection: Use Beads to Stitch (Yeah it's a stretch but come on....U? haha)
Goal: Another Section

R -- Rabbit Freebie
Connection: R in Rabbit
Goal: Finish

Found this adorable freebie on a friend's blog. Go here to get the pattern. I'm going to stitch it up for the Easter blog hop.

E -- Noteworthy Needle Class
Connection: Every Section Completed
Goal: Finish all 8 parts.
No Picture to share of this one. No sneak peek of finished piece released yet.

T -- Beer Dragon from Paine Free Crafts
Connection: Two Hundred Stitches
Goal: At least 200 Stitches

I -- 99 Bottles from Ink Circles
Connection: I in Designer Name
Goal: Add 4 More Bottles

M -- Pizza Slice a Mill Hill Kit
WIPGO Project Pick #18
Connection: M in Designer Name
Goal: Finish

E -- Exchange for Needlecraft Haven Board
Connection: E in Exchange
Goal: Finish
Haven't picked a pattern yet.

3rd challenge is to make my stitching fit into 12 of the fun crazy holidays listed on the list Jen gave us. Some funs ones on the list. Old Stuff Day, I want you to be happy day, Blame someone else day, and National Goof Off Day. Should be some fun ways to make projects work. 

Have a great month full of stitching. I sure hope to.

Fancy Works Retreat

Over the weekend I attended my first Fancy Work's Retreat. Fancy Work's is a stitching store in Bloomington, Indiana. It's about 3 hours southwest of here. I've shopped there several times when I get close to the area. Several ladies that attend the Hoosier Stitcher Retreat also attend this one and they asked me to please consider going. Boy I'm glad they did. We really had a great time. We headed down Thursday. On the way we stopped at the store of course...

I didn't do any shopping.....Oh I mean I did a TON of shopping haha.
Let's see if I can explain it all haha.
Tiny Modernist set Dragon Biscornu, Mermaid Biscornu and Unicorn Biscornu
Erica Michael's Defining Winter and Defining Spring
Jeannette Douglas Stitching by the Sea
Hands on Design Woof Block and the pins for it
Needle Bling Designs To the Beach
Scarlett House There's Probably...
Two Mill Hill Kits Mom picked out Beach Ball and Flip Flops
Pieces of Fabric for the Woof Block and for Adjust Your Sails. Beads for Garden Biscornu.

We arrived safe and sound at the hotel and got all settled in. A fellow Hoosier Stitcher found me a seat at her table and I got my stuff all setup. Our room included all our meals except for two but we just stayed put all weekend and never left the hotel. When we got back from our first meal there was our first goodie bag...

Wonderful mesh bag, needle slider (with a needle minder and several Pat Carson needles inside), set of different sizes of needle threaders which was hilarious because I almost bought one, pair of neat scissors with a cover on the end which is so nice because you don't have to worry about it catching on your stuff, and a magnet pick up stick for finding lost needles. What a goodie bag! I got busy stitching on a Easter freebie. My goal was to finish it before going to bed. I was successful...

A freebie from Alitadesigns I stitched it on a scrap piece of blue Aida. It was nice meeting the new ladies around the room that I hadn't met before. There was a total of 61 people attending including Mom, Jeremiah and two husbands. There were even a few from the PALs Retreats at Myrtle Beach that has now been canceled.

Thursday we got another goodie bag which was a Donna Sharp bag. How nice. We also got a cute little battery powered lamp/magnifier. I won a giveaway for a bell pull kit and neat wooden needle holder. I also found a plastic project case and a mermaid pattern on the free table. Here are all my free goodies together...

Friday I started another Easter freebie. I finished it before bed again...

This one was available on Durene Jones Facebook page where she gives away freebies every Friday. Love the cashmere stitch background even though it was a pain to get into the fabric. I kept miscounting and there is a lot of color changes to make it look like it does. I used a spare piece of yellow Aida. We also played a fun round a stitching related bingo. There were other giveaways too. We had two classed during the retreat as well. Friday was Kathy Barrick. Here is our class piece and all the goodies we received from her...

Saturday the class was taught by Jeannette Douglas and it was fantastic. Look at our goodies...

We received a beautiful pattern set and everything to finish it. Here is the finished model of the set...

I got a little start on the tray while the class was going on...

It has all silks and beautiful specialty stitches so it was a fun stitch but needs a lot of focus so I put it away and pulled out Dragon Eye for a bit and got 400 stitches into it...

This is my table mates and me with Jeannette Douglas...

 It was a really nice retreat and I have next year's on my calendar. I really hope to attend again. I have posted several more photos on my Facebook if you want to check them out.

Now I have finally explained my weekend. Last night we were tired when we made it home at dinner time. I turned on my laptop and the hard drive quit working. Luckily we had saved my old hard drive from before I upgraded in November so we were able to pop that one in. Of course that meant I spent most of today doing updates and fixing my old drive so the stupid thing would work. I hope everyone has a great week. I will be starting the April pieces first and then all my new stuff is calling me. Especially that Woof block from Hands on Design.