May SFS: Happy Dance!

Month: May
Spent: $0
Earned: $15 (I finished "Aurora Cabin" (Dimensions Gold): I completed one page full coverage since January, about half of which was tent stitch, but I also stitched the backstitching, couching, and French knots for the whole design, so I figure all of that equates to $15? )
Carry-Over: $28.82+ $25 this month+$15 for finish = $68.82

And...here is my finish! : )

This was my oldest WIP (I started it in 2009), so it's very exciting to see it completed! I love the finished effect of all the french knot stars. : )   I will post an updated picture once it is framed!

Happy Stitching!

WIPocalypse Check-In: May 4

Hi all,

It's finally May: whew!  I graduate this coming weekend, have job interviews lined up (fingers crossed!) and move at the end of the month!  We are moving into a bigger place, so I am looking forward to having a designated space for stitchy stuff...I may post photos of it once I get it set up over the summer. : )

Despite the continued crazy, this month was a little less hectic than March, and I was able to stick to my rotation, working on all 6 of my WIPs!

My most recent start, "Autumn Sampler" (Janlynn), only had a few stitches in it at the time of my last post:

But after 5 evenings of stitching it actually is beginning to look like something:

I have never stitched a sampler style pattern like this before, and I love it!  It just seems to move so quickly because it is not a full coverage pattern, and each section is like a mini finish.  Really enjoyed working on this project this month: it was difficult to put it down!

Beauty and the Beast
Before:

After:

This is one is actually starting to look like something too, now that I've completed the gargoyle and started on the column!

Aurora Cabin
Before:

After: 

The cross stitches and backstitching are complete: just need to finish the couching and all of the French Knot stars! Should be a finish by my next check-in. : )

Sleigh Ride at Dusk Stocking
Before:

After:

The Wave
Before:

After:

Quiet Time
Before:

After:

You can't really see it in this picture, but I got to work with some Kreinik #4 braid for the first time, adding some sparkle to the edges of her tail: very pretty but I understand why people dislike working with it!  I think the final result will be worth it though. : )

Happy May (and early Mother's Day), and Happy Stitching!

Stitch from Stash: April

Month: April
Spent: $22.58 ($15.59 on "Orchids and Hummingbirds" (Dimensions) + $6.99 for Hummingbird Quartet Leisure Arts pamphlet)
Earned: $0 (I technically finished a page on "Aurora Cabin," but I'm going to wait to count it until I finish all the couching and French knots!)
Carry-Over: $26.40+ $2.42 this month = $28.82

What I got:
"Orchids and Hummingbirds"

"Hummingbird Quartet"

WIPocalypse Check-In:April

Hi all,

Happy Easter!
Can you believe it's April already?! March has been a bit crazy with school and work: I picked up several additional hours at my second job, and was working like a madwoman on my final thesis draft (which I defended on Friday, and passed, whew!) Because I had such limited stitchy time, I abandoned my usual rotation and just stitched on what was calling to me at the moment, which ended up being 2 of my WIPs.  I finished one, so I also got a new start. : )  Hopefully this month things will slow down a little and I will be able to resume my rotation! 

The first WIP I worked on, "Winter Friend," I ended up finishing: my first finish of 2015!
I posted a picture of it earlier in the month, but here it is again:

I will post another picture when I get it framed. Because I finished this, I also put a few stitches in on a new start, "Autumn Sampler" by Janlynn:

This is what it will look like when finished:

I also worked on "Aurora Cabin," which went from here:

To here:

So close to completing the cross stitch on this!  Once that is done, there is a bit of backstitching in the cabin, rocks, and trees, and several french knots for the stars.  I'm hoping it will be a finish before I move in June! : )

The question for this post is: Which specialty stitches do you love doing on projects?  Which do you dread?
My knowledge of specialty stitches is fairly limited, and I plan to learn more: besides all the variations of the standard cross stitch, I know backstitching, french knots, couching, and satin stitch.  My favorite is probably backstitching simply because I like the way it can make a pattern like "Winter Friend" come to life, and it progresses so much more quickly than cross stitch!  I don't really have any that I dread (probably because I don't know that many yet): I know many people dislike French Knots, but I have never really had a problem with them, although I do want to improve my technique because my knots are not always the same size..."Aurora Cabin" should give me some needed practice. : )

Here's to hoping I get some solid time in on all of my WIPs this month!
Happy Stitching! : )

Stitch from Stash: March

Month: March
Spent: $12.98 (Kreinik and Mill Hill beads)
Earned: $0
Carry-Over: $14.38 + $12.02 this month = $26.40

I did have a finish this month: "Winter Friend" (picture is in my previous post), but I purchased it in October and started stitching it in November, so it doesn't count as a finish from stash.  But it is one more WIP complete! : )

I was lucky enough this month to be the winner in a giveaway hosted by Carolyn Mazzeo, a wonderful Floss Tuber who has some really helpful tutorials on parking and the pinhead stitch (if you're interested!)   The prize was a gift certificate to one of my favorite online stitchy stores, and I decided to use it to kit up the Spirit of Holiday Giving Angel Ornament (Brooke's Books):

I love the 3D nature of these ornament designs, which despite being labelled "ornaments", are pretty sizeable (5"x7"). I plan on stitching her this winter, and will probably use her as a windowsill/bookshelf decoration, rather than a tree ornament. I purchased the Kreinik, beads, and perforated paper for the design with the gift certificate plus $12,98 of my own (this is all I spent this month), so all I have left to purchase to completely kit this up is the DMC. 

I will post updates of my progress on my WIPs next week!  Happy Stitching!

Happy Dance! Winter Friend

My first finish of 2015! Started Nov 18, 2014. Finished today, just shy of 4 months old!

Please forgive the hoop marks, I was too excited to wait for the iron. : )  

This project had several firsts for me: it was my first Bothy Threads kit, my first time working with Lana and light effects thread, as well as using ribbon in a cross stitch design.
She is also the first project I have completed for myself. I will post another picture once she is pressed and framed!

A finish also means I get to start something new today (yay!), and I have chosen "Autumn Sampler" by Janlynn.  It will look like this when complete:

I really like the colors and detail of this design!  I will post my progress on it in my April WIPocalypse update.

Happy Stitching! : )

WIPocalypse Check-In: March

Hi all!

We got 3" of snow and ice yesterday and today, which in TN means everything shut down, so I got a welcome break from school, and some extra stitchy time! : )  Here is my progress on my WIPs for the month (I made myself some needleminders this month too, and left them on so you can see!)

Winter Friend

Before:

After:

Beauty and the Beast Falling in Love
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After:

Aurora Cabin
Before:

After:

Sleigh Ride at Dusk Stocking
Before:

After:

The Wave
Before:

After:

Quiet Time
Before:

After:

The question for this month is:
If money – and time – were not limiters, what projects would be on your stitching bucket list?

Oh, so many projects, I would be stitching for hundreds of years. : ) 
I definitely want to stitch at least one of the Chatelaine mandalas in my lifetime, my favorite being the Hummingbird Sparkly Garden Mandala.  There are also several HAED patterns I would stitch, especially those by Josephine Wall (Psyche's Dream, Fly Me to the Moon) and Aimee Stewart (Dance like a Dervish, Butterfly Ball), and a whole bunch of Mirabilias!

Happy Stitching!