Week with no name

This week has started out amazing to me.  Most don't know this but I've been wanting to go to school for many years for Meteorology, I'm still not there just yet but I did put in my application for Penn State University for the weather program that you can get online.  While I am working on other classes I need I figured I might as well do whatever I can before I get accepted and maybe I'll be one step ahead of the game.  Waiting is always the worst aspect of anything and I didn't know how long before I would know if I was accepted.  Well, Valentine's Day was amazing not only because it's the day of LOVE but I got my acceptance for the program I applied for.  I needed to wait a few days while the process took place but by the end of the week I was already enrolled for summer 2019.  Good by stitches and hello homework.  The only good news is I don't work summers so I think I can balance both.

Tuesday gave us all a snow day.  We received a good 8 inches of snow and a good 1/4 inch of ice on top of that.  I don't have any photos to give you but I think we all know what it looks like and I agree I believe the ground hog was way wrong.  I loved the snow day because I really got to enjoy almost a full day of stitching minus the normal things like housework and making dinner.

The rest of the week went quickly and I enjoyed stitching time and really enjoyed how far I got on my Trick or Treat.  I went with a huge goal this week but knew I couldn't make it but I love to try.

My goal was a page finish this week but I did have a lot of work that needed to be done.  However; I am impressed with the work that did get done and I know a page finish is on the books before the end of February.

I think I'll put in some stitches in the morning before work and work on my next project after work.

So here is my before and after.

A little something to brighten your week because he sure brightens mine.  Prince Declan is now two weeks old.  I can't wait for them to visit this summer so I can get as many snuggles as humanly possible.

I really hope you all enjoy your week.

Happy Stitching Everyone
Carey

Little Things make us all happy

Made it back to Pennsylvania with loads of laundry and one nasty cold and some tired people.  I have traveled a ton in my time but for some reason this trip took it out of all of us.  I started a new job (one I've been doing 😉) but I officially was supposed to start on the fourth, little did I know this cold was worse than before and I was sent home for two days to recover.  As I type I am still not sure where I am with this nastiness but I hope I'm on the mend.  Monday proved no stitching what so ever, I didn't even feel like picking anything up and slept the day away.  I am unsure how I did this because the weather was AMAZING!!  Tuesday I did finally feel a bit better but then of course the house was a wreck to my standards.. I am unsure also how a 1000 sq ft home gets so dirty so fast, so I started in on my cleaning.. I think I wore myself out but I did get some great stitching in tonight while watching the State of the Union Address and watching many people sleeping while on national television.  I don't get into politics at all but my family knows where I stand and united would be amazing but I am not sure that will ever happen.

The rest of the week proved to be very tasking, taxes and getting this together for the week.  Children needed a bit more attention to get caught up on school work because they missed about a week of school.  I have not really gotten caught up on life in general but hopefully next week proves to be more normal (my normal) as much as we can get.

So this week my focus was on Candy Cane Santa Stocking that I started I believe during Maynia 2018.  I am unsure and will have to look back on progress but I have not put as much time into this piece as I would like to.  I have a feeling it will be back again very soon.  My goal was to finish his face and then whatever I did extra I would be super happy with.  I finished his face on Sunday and did some back stitching because I really wanted to see his face pop.  I only got one color into his eye brows so there is much more to do. As you can tell by the before photos he really got some great progress and I am so pleased with where he ended.

I was unsure what I was going to do this week coming up so I think I'll work on my Trick or Treat Heaven and Earth Design because its already set up and I don't feel good still and have no desire to work on anything else at this time.  So next week hopefully you will see some major progress on this project.  

Next week is a new week!  I hope its wonderful for everyone.  Tell me what you're stitching on this week! 

Carey

January WIPocalypse

I usually have a problem with the few weeks after Christmas.  All decorations get put away and the house seems a bit empty and everyone starts back in the routine of the home.  I don't have a problem with routine but this year I got to spend more time with my family and that was very nice.  I found the somber of regular routine this year.  With that being said I've gotten back into a routine of my stitching and into a great rotation.  I have found myself really the last few months just concentrating on my Trick or Treat Heaven and Earth Design and still enjoying it every day.  With the new year I need to get back on track again.  I miss changing out projects and seeing all the progress a few days can make.

Trick or Treat I found myself finishing another line in Page 3 which makes me so happy.  I am also using this project for Celtic Stitching parade, count those stitches and trying to make great progress. I'm also stitching Halloween all year long and this is a piece I'm using for that. I really wanted to work on my Mira but for some reason she has found a place in my house and is hiding, I'm scared because I can't find her and I really wanted to stitch on her this week but my next focal piece is my Sleepy Hollow from Glendon Place so that went on my scroll instead but progress on any project is progress.  I will have to try again to find my Christmas In London because she will be up next or I'll have to change my rotation all over again.

So here is my Trick or Treat HAED before and after I have felt I made lots of progress on this piece in January mind you I didn't stitch the lat month because I flew home to Alaska to welcome a new addition.  Surprise at the end.

This was my progress by the end of the month or should I say until we left for Alaska.  I did think about this the whole time but I had important things to do. 

While I couldn't find my Christmas in London I did stitch for two weeks on my Sleepy Hollow.  I honestly found myself not being able to put this down and Enjoyed stitching on it.  I can actually see some decent progress and also can see the ending of it.  This is great because this is a focal piece this year and would love to finish it before the end of the year or Halloween and have it hanging up would be a plus.

I did bring three projects with me on my trip to Alaska and I really only work on one while I was here.  Donner from Nora Corbett made its debut again.  This WIP was a 2018 Maynia start and I really have only worked on it a few times since then.  I've made huge strides on this piece and if I would have had a needle to do beading I would have started that too.  Next month I have put it in rotation for a finish in February.

The big celebration (was supposed to be in January) was the arrival of my Grandson Declan Mathew Mackenzie.  He arrived on Feb 2 @ 12:20 in the morning and I will say not a moment to late since Meme is getting on a flight to go home later that day.  My daughter past her due date on baby #1 so we had no idea when Baby D was going to make his appearance.  I did have a one on one conversation with this young man and he didn't disappoint.  The problem with this trip is I got really sick so no kisses only looking at him and I got to hold him.

QOM: This is usually a long winded one I see a SAL someone is doing and I usually jump in feet first but this year I searched and I honestly didn't see anything I really had to do.  So for traditional stitch alongs I have not done any but for motivation I've joined other groups that help keep you motivated like Celtic Stitches they have kept me motivated by doing little contests and have really pushed me to get a lot of work done.   When Maynia has a SAL that works with my WIPS I jump feet first.  I will do Maynia again this year but so far this month has been jam packed with adventure and tons of stitching.  Till next month Happy Stitching

WIPocalypse 2019

It always amazes me how fast a year goes by.  Really where does the time go?  I think it moves faster and faster each year.  I have been working and organizing all my cross stitch WIPS. I started so many in 2018 and only finished one.  I am proud of my one finish for 2018.

A little about myself, I've changed so much over this past year.  I've moved way cross county from Alaska to Pennsylvania.  We moved from a very large home to small apartment, so adjusting has been very important and space is very valuable in our new place.  I have a wonderful husband who takes all my craziness with a grain of salt and still loves me when I go crazy on a new project.  He finds string in his clothes and fabric all over.  I have four wonderful daughters, they are truly a blessing and save my sanity and make me crazy also.  My oldest is about to bless us with our first grand baby who is coming at the end of the month.  I work full time and I try to fit as much me time in as I can.  I am planning on going to school full time towards the end of the year (goals for moving here).  I am a multi crafter and love learning new things.  I am sure I will be posting more of my crafts hence the name, I thought it was perfect for my multi projects.

I have some strong focus this year.

I have my start for 2018 that is Christmas in London by Mirabilia

This is where I left off with her.  This is my first Mira and so far I love her and very excited to see her finished this year.  Maybe before Christmas 2019 (I'm not going to hold my breath but needles will be on fire)

My Sleepy Hollow piece from Glendon Place was a December 31st 2017 start.  I've also enjoyed this very much and would like to get it complete and FFO.  This is my husbands favorite piece at the moment.

Trick or Treat HAED is going to be a focus piece this year but will be a thread or two a day (mornings before work) so I can also work on other pieces during the night.  Unless she is in rotation but I've come a long way but I can't finish 88 pages this year, maybe in five years.

I've had a couple of others that I would like to finish this year but I will have to go through my WIPS.  I am not planning on starting to much this year but Maynia is around the corner and the itch to start a new project is always around the corner and I'm always ready to go and can't stop myself fast enough with reason to even attempt it.

I will be doing a WIPocalypse SAL this year so hopefully that helps with keeping my BLOG going along with regular updates.  I am always on IG and Facebook (maybe i need to do this a bit less so I can concentrate on stitching hmmm...)



Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy the journey as much as I do.  I so love the community and enjoy watching everyone's path they take.

As most may have noticed I’ve been gone for a very long time.  I have much to update everyone on but most important we finally moved.  We drove from Alaska to Pennsylvania and not in the ordinary way (straight there) we decided to take six weeks and see some of our beautiful country and visit some family we have not seen in many years. We tented most of the way until we got to the areas where temperatures were way too hot to camp. When we did finally make it to Pennsylvania it was job search time but that is also when I finally got to pick up my stitching again.  I have been super busy with two jobs and not as much stitching time as I would like but I’ve spent at least an hour a day (even if I must wake up super early to get it in).

I have worked on several different projects since I have been here but most important I have put my Trick or Treat – Heaven and Earth Design by Randal Spangler on my Quantum frame and she is going to stay there until the end of 2019.  I have sworn to put two threads in her each day.  I have come to realize this is a lot of time since I am stitching 1/1 full X.  The lengths are not short either, so I might change that up a bit, but I am loving the progress I have made.  I am so close to my first page finish (I am already excited just thinking about it). I could have that page finished as early as this weekend, but I did realize it is 20 separate colors, so this takes time.  Why did I choose a HAED that is so large and so much confetti and my first I’ll never know? Top one is when I decided to put herb back on the frame and the bottom one IS A PAGE FINISH.  Finally something to be so unbelievably happy about.  This piece has so much confetti in it that I honestly never thought it would happen but Page 1 complete.

I have also worked on several others either for challenges or to keep up a weekly rotation.

I worked on Pleasures of Winter about a week or so and a few days on the road.  The road did not provide me with much stitch time.  I honestly was driving a lot and when we stopped it was to either sleep or see something cool.  I’m not complaining. I did get more progress in our new apartment because it was a piece I could easily pick up when we moved here.  I will say stitching in a lawn chair is not the most comfortable way but it's a way 

Our Home which was a focus piece for me end of August.  This was a Stitch Mania start 2018 and I finished it this year.. Yea first piece I’ve completed!!!!  Left where I started and after 8 days I finished her.  Not a huge project but with two jobs I can’t believe I stuck with her and finished it.

Amazing Grace was also a Stitch Maynia Start for 2018.  I didn’t get a lot done with her but she came out for 7 days and I tried each day to at least put a color in.  I am happy where she is, I won't pick this piece up for a very long time but when I do I am sure I will get it done quickly because she is such a Jem to work on and I do enjoy it. 

Hummingbirds I also believe was a Stitch Mania Start for 2018 and I keep this one at work so when Im not planning all my stitch time I sit back and relax and put a few stitches in this piece. I don't have a current photo of where it is now but she is getting slow progress on my lunch breaks.

I picked up quotes to live by from Stitchrovia and I so love doing this piece.  This was also a Stitch Maynia focus for Artist of the month. I wished I had one color I am missing because I would have gotten a bit more done but for now she is coming along.

Sleepy Hollow this was my Dec 31^ststart.. Left 2017 out with a bang.  I so love this piece and can’t wait to see this piece in a frame and on my wall.  This is one of my focus pieces for 2019 if I don’t finish it this year.

Amid Amish Life came out for a few. Stitch Mania has a stitch something outdoorsy so I worked on the walkway driveway piece.  Not to mention I really enjoy this piece even with all the fractional stitches. 

Doner from Mirabilia was also a Stitch Maynia 2018 start and I really enjoyed putting a few stitches in this piece for sure.  Now to just finish some DMC and order the Krenik and I can be onto beading.  This very well could be another finished for 2018. 

I have also come up with a new rotation to kind of play in with Stitch Maynia but I am not sure I’ll be able to do it since Trick or Treat has really captivated me.  This might slow down a bit and keep up with my two threads after this page finish. 

I have also thought of my goals for 2019 and what my focal pieces will be and what I want to finish for in 2019.  I might have a few done before then.  We will see what 2018 still has in its hat.  I have also kinda sorta planned what I will be working on and what I will be starting. I have a had a bit of time during my lunch breaks to figure this out.  I’ll give more detail later as everyone knows SAL’s come up and so many more things and plans change ALL the time.

I believe I might jump on board the WIPocalypse, I know its late but maybe it will help me keep focused on some older pieces (there isn't to much) or just get some finishes in the bucket. 

I will try to keep myself updated on a weekly if not a monthly.  I do have my Instagram which is where i update more frequently but I do love writing about my work I'm doing. 

Until next time, Happy Stitching, Tell your loved ones you love them and give them one huge hug, and keep on stitching. 

Carey

Where does the time go?

A while has passed since I have updated what's been going on.   I will hold back from the last two months MIA but this week a project I started on New Year's Day.  Sleepy Hollow from Glendon Place made its debut again this week.  The last time I working on this project was in January and I did get a lot done but I put it away so I could work on another.  This is how he looked before I stitched on it this week.

I did get a lot of progress done for five days but I did end up frogging a good portion before I put it away also.

Here is where he is today, with a lot of patients and so many other things going on in my life I did manage seven more days.  I wished I could stitch all day but life goes on.

Pardon all the parked threads but it's a work in progress and I didn't get a chance to finish them all off.  One more great thing this week was I worked with Kreinik for the first time.  It is a bit difficult to work with and isn't as easy as DMC or others but I was excited to work with it.

Up close and personal of my bat and Kreinik work.  Nothing major yet but this project has plenty of it to get done soon.  

This next week I'll be working on Quotes to Live By from Stitchrovia from Etsy.  These are going to be so amazing when I get done.  I know others have done them before but they really are so beautiful and well done.  So next update I am hoping for the first block to be finished.  That is my goal for the week.  If that does happen I will continue to work on Guardians or Classroom Sal.  

I hope you give you some great updates this week.  What will you be working on?

Have a fabulous stitchy week.  May your needles be full and your chair be comfy. 

Carey

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Can you believe it is 2018! It's here to stay and I have been looking forward to it for a while actually. I have been wanting to get into my cross-stitch more than ever and getting involved in challenges to keep the ideas fresh and enticing.  So far this year I have had three (yes, count them three) new starts and they were the ones I was most excited about.  I will share them with you because they are all I've worked on this past week.  

Last year I had seen Sleepy Hollow stitched up by a few people and I fell in LOVE with this design from Glendon Place.  They had a wonderful sale for Black Friday I believe and I dove straight in and purchased fabric and all the specialty items because I have no idea where to get all of them from.  So one stop shop worked great for me.  Not only was this an amazing transaction it was also the best shipping I've ever had.  When this arrived I showed everyone (no one cared lol) because I was shocked they also signed it for me too.  

I couldn't hold out till New Year's Day so this became my 2017 New Year's Eve Start.  I think I will make this a habit every year.   Stitched on 28ct Haunted Cashel Linen by Picture this Plus 2/2 and I have enjoyed the progress so far.  

This is in my rotation this week and I will be doing and update on Sunday (hopefully) or you can see my daily updates on my Instagram @thepatientstitcher.  I seem to update that often because it helps me keep track of everything I do.  It is really a great resource to remember when you start something. 

So this leads to my "Official" starts for 2018.  I happen to love the Facebook Stitch Maynia site because it fills my head with notions ill finish EVERYTHING I purchase or I need to buy it or I see someone stitching something and I have to have it.  Well, they also have these amazing SAL's that the admins have set up which makes my stitching even more eventful and really is up my alley when it comes to change and setting goals. 

I have written each of them down so I can challenge myself to do them all and even if I don't like some of them I can think outside the box and still participate.  So many of my projects fit into challenges set forth in the Stitch Maynia SAL's.

New Year Start was Christmas in London by Mirabilia.  I have been dying to stitch this since I purchased it last year.  Mind you I have seen so many people stitch Mermaids and many other things and I have had no desire to stitch beautiful dresses and tails.  This pattern took me by surprise and spoke to me so now I own her and we are in love stitching together.  Before the end of the year I purchased the beads and the Krenik to be able to finish her.  Mind you I have never done beading or Krenik I am still old school, I have no idea what I got myself into because the beads were OMG a lot.  Well just this past week my Stitchy Stash came in and I am going to enjoy this beautiful masterpiece. I worked on her for five days and I was happy with my progress thus far.  She will be back in rotation as soon as I hear from my stitch partner who also bought it because I was showing it off.  I would love to work in it together so we will see when she comes up again.  

I have told you that I recently started stitching again after about 20 years of not touching a dang thing.  I can't remember what exactly got me back into it but as I do with anything I dove in head first and started my stash up real good.  I do believe seeing the Heaven and Earth Designs got me back into it and I couldn't believe there was no back stitching or anything just plain ole cross stitch.  So of course I dove right in and purchased way to many that I will never get a chance to stitch but one never knows.  Right!?  For my HAED start I choose the Old World Map because my husband thought it was very beautiful.  So New Years Day I put in my first 200 stitches and I was more than elated with the progress.  This piece is a confetti heaven piece, not that I am loving that part but I am loving my progress.  I do only rotate my HEAD on weekends because that is when I seem to have more time to stitch but I think this one will be in a weekly rotation at least once a month because I love it that much.  This past weekend I put 1000 stitches in and I was excited to see a little cherub take form.  

I don't just stitch at home, I feel idle time is a bit boring so I also have a lunch project that I just keep at work and when I get a chance I work on it.  I have been working this one for a while now but it's slowly coming along.  Amid Amish Life was released in sections in Cross Stitch & Country Crafts in July/Aug 1987.  I had all of these magazines way back when but life throws you curve balls and I eventually got rid of everything.  This past summer I was in a second hand store reminiscing about all those cross stitch magazine I once had and this piece hit my heart again.  I bought all of those magazines and my love began once again.  I have been stitching this since summer and here is the progress I have made since then.  My goal is to finish this in 2018 so we will see how it goes. 

I feel like this post is going to take forever and I can't believe I have worked on so many projects since my last post but I'm not done.  I also worked on the Class Schedule SAL to hopefully have at least a boarder done before the release of January's block.  It was fun to play catch up and was fun to banter with all of the other stitchers as to what will be the first release.  I have yet to stitch January's block so I will work on that this week and post progress next weekend.  But here is what she looks like so far.  Stitched on 32 Ct Lugana in Phantom by Picture this Plus.

The last thing that I believe I need to confess is I am working on my Stitch from Stash 2018 and I am no not good at this.  I was doing great until the 2nd of January when I see this AMAZING SAL that is being done and I was in a trance and only took 2 seconds to spend $18 of my $25 this month.  I did keep myself under control because I did have about $60 worth of merchandise and saved it all for later so I didn't overspend.  I should get extra money for self control. 

So here is my totals so far.

Purchases - Guardians of Notre Dame Mystery Stitch Along $18

No Finishes at this time

Money left to spend $7 I think I can handle this we will see. I am hoping to carry most over for a few months to purchase new fabric for a few projects later this spring. 

Until this weekend Happy Stitching all.   I hope you all find your stitchy place and have some fabric fun and enjoy the moment.  

Carey