WIP Wednesday, Rarely On Time

I have every intention of blogging last night, however my Internet Provider decided they needed to do maintenance on our network which could result in "reductions in speed or interruption in service"  well, my "interruption in service" last from 4PM to 10:30PM.  Awesome, just awesome.  So blogging just wasn't happening last night.

A Year In Chalk - June

Hands On Designs

Stitched on: 32ct Weeks Dye Works Linen, Gunmetal

Stitched with: GAST

Since last week's update I pulled out Hands On Designs - Year in Chalk series after finishing Mini River Cottages.  June whipped up really quickly from the small amount I had started.  I now have half of this series stitched up.  For the moment, I can't go any further in this series as I don't have July and August charts yet.  They're out, I just don't have them.

Stoneware Cat - Kit

Priscilla's Pocket

On Tuesday evening I went out and stitched with my good friend Janice, and I decided to work on this little cutie.  I bought this kit back in March during my trip to the Attic in Arizona.  I was a little disappointed with the kit because I ran out of thread.  I contacted the designer about this, it turns out it was supposed to be stitched over two with one strand of floss.  There were no stitching instructions at all included in the kit.  So like any good, experienced stitcher I stitched it 2 over 2.  Anyhow he's really cute, and he'll be finished into a little pillow with a nice blue pom-pom trim that came in the kit.

After some fairly straightforward/easier projects, I was still in the mood for more complex stitching.  Teresa Wentzler's Fortunate Traveler continues to hold my attention.  If I get in the stitching time I'd like to, I hope to have the border completely cross stitched by the end of the weekend.  I have I'll be sticking to this project to the end.

I have also started my July ornament.  I'm still working away on Lizzie Kate's Jingles series.  This month's addition is Cheer.  I love the wee cardinals!

Not only have I been stitching this last week, there's been more finishing!  They're all ornaments I've stitched up from the Rosewood Manor - Red Threads chart.  Again, rocking the beaded edging on all of these.

WIP Wednesday

Happy Wednesday!  I'm actually on schedule this week and I'm actually getting my WIP Wednesday post up on the right day!

 Mini River Cottage

Michael Powell

stitched on: 27ct eveweave

After last week's post I finally settled on a WIP to work on, Michael Powell's Mini River Cottage... well I finished it Monday night!  I just love the look of these and stitching them!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched on: mystery fabric

Stitched with: Threadworx

I also had a small finish as well, I pulled out this little Red Threads motif by Rosewood Manor, one of my purse projects.  It had been started awhile ago, so it was nice to have that finished as well.  Its gone into my finishing pile, I've already picked the coordinating beads for when I'm ready!

Of course with the finishing of one focus project that leaves the tough decision of "what's next?".  A few texts back and forth with Christin and for the moment, I've settled on Teresa Wentzler's Fortunate Traveller.  I started this back on May 1, 2013 as a stitch-a-long with Bonnie, Beatrice and Christin.  Of course none of us have really made any serous progress since then.  I think we keep getting distracted by other projects!

I've also put a couple of more thread lengths into A Year In Chalk - June.  I'm planning on putting an hour into this each day until its done or I decide to put my head down and finish it.  Once this one is done, I'm caught up until I get a chance to buy/pick up July & August.

Tiny Tidings

Lizzie Kate

Over the weekend I also completed another ornament, and a floss ring tag.  I started a second ornament, but haven't managed to find the time to complete it yet.  I guess that just gives you something to look forward to next week!

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Nothing exciting has been going on to share with you, I've been back to work this week after an extra-long, long weekend.  Just the stitching you see here!

WIP Wednesday... on Thursday

A day late and a dollar short, but here's my WIP Wednesday post!

Parliament Hill as seen from the opposite shore of the Ottawa River

I'm lucky to be living in the Nation's Capital

Yesterday was Canada Day and we had dinner and spent the evening with two other couples.  We all get along so well that an evening is gone before we know it!  Needless to say at almost 11PM last night I didn't really feel like blogging.

I'm already enjoying my extra long weekend, I've been off since yesterday and I don't go back to work until Monday morning.  While I've been sitting here editing pictures for blog entries, and re-watching Star Trek: The Next Generation (my inner geek is very happy right now!), I keep thinking about what I want to stitch over the next couple of days.  So here is what I've got in progress and that I may have worked on since my last post ... since I can't remember what's had my attention and what hasn't.

A Year In Chalk - May

Hands on Designs

Stitched on 32ct WDW Gunmetal

Stitched with GAST

First up I did have another Happy Dance yesterday!  Since my last post I've started and finished the next chart I had in line for the series A Year In Chalk, May.  I love how these stitch up so fast but the whole time I was working on it I kept thinking I wanted to work on something a little more complex.

Year In Chalk Jan-Jun(started)

After finishing up May in the Year in Chalk Series I started up June yesterday, but as you see I didn't get very far, I have one whale stitched up and I've started on a second.  The whole time I was stitching the whale I kept thinking of the whale in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and its monologue (again, happy inner geek).

“Another thing that got forgotten was the fact that against all probability a sperm whale had suddenly been called into existence several miles above the surface of an alien planet.

And since this is not a naturally tenable position for a whale, this poor innocent creature had very little time to come to terms with its identity as a whale before it then had to come to terms with not being a whale any more.

This is a complete record of its thoughts from the moment it began its life till the moment it ended it.

Ah … ! What’s happening? it thought.

Er, excuse me, who am I?

Hello?

Why am I here? What’s my purpose in life?

What do I mean by who am I?

Calm down, get a grip now … oh! this is an interesting sensation, what is it? It’s a sort of … yawning, tingling sensation in my … my … well I suppose I’d better start finding names for things if I want to make any headway in what for the sake of what I shall call an argument I shall call the world, so let’s call it my stomach.

Good. Ooooh, it’s getting quite strong. And hey, what’s about this whistling roaring sound going past what I’m suddenly going to call my head? Perhaps I can call that … wind! Is that a good name? It’ll do … perhaps I can find a better name for it later when I’ve found out what it’s for. It must be something very important because there certainly seems to be a hell of a lot of it. Hey! What’s this thing? This … let’s call it a tail – yeah, tail. Hey! I can can really thrash it about pretty good can’t I? Wow! Wow! That feels great! Doesn’t seem to achieve very much but I’ll probably find out what it’s for later on. Now – have I built up any coherent picture of things yet?

No.

Never mind, hey, this is really exciting, so much to find out about, so much to look forward to, I’m quite dizzy with anticipation …

Or is it the wind?

There really is a lot of that now isn’t it?

And wow! Hey! What’s this thing suddenly coming towards me very fast? Very very fast. So big and flat and round, it needs a big wide sounding name like … ow … ound … round … ground! That’s it! That’s a good name – ground!

I wonder if it will be friends with me?

And the rest, after a sudden wet thud, was silence.

Curiously enough, the only thing that went through the mind of the bowl of petunias as it fell was Oh no, not again. Many people have speculated that if we knew exactly why the bowl of petunias had thought that we would know a lot more about the nature of the universe than we do now.”

― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Prior to Cirque des Carreaux obsessing all of my needle time, I was working on Lanarte's Arabian Woman.  She is well under way now.

Also receiving a bit of my needle's attention is Michael Powell's Mini River Cottages.  I really should get this one finished sooner or later, its been in my stitching basket since last year.  Being that its not that big or complicated, it really should of been finished a long time ago.

I also pulled out my "purse project" (this is the project that goes with me everywhere so if I find myself with some free time I have some stitching with me) it hasn't received any attention in a long time.  This is one of the many motifs I've been stitching up from Rosewood Manor's Red Threads chart.  Its a great one to have in your stash, not only do you have about 24 various motifs but there's a set of monograms from the alphabet and numbers!

While in that same zipper mesh bag, I also found this!  A cute, little, simple kitty cat I had picked up at The Attic while in Phoenix, Arizona this past March!  I had completely forgotten I had started it a few months ago!

So that's it for this week's stitching progress.  I think you're going to enjoy the next blog entry I have planned for Saturday, its all the awesome finishing I've done in the last month or so.  If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook you'll have an idea of what I've been up to.

Update : Stitching

Once again I've become lax at blogging.  I keep thinking, I should blog but then my stitching seems to take precedence.  Also at work, the month of June is rather hectic as we're busy wrapping up another school year.  Sadly I'm not on summer holidays like may of my co-workers, I'm one of the "lucky" few that has a 12 month position in the school.  So I'm still working, I'm looking forward to 5-day long weekend starting after work tomorrow.  After that I won't be taking any holidays until the last week of July when I get to enjoy 3 weeks of vacation.  This year I have no travel planned, I'll be having a stay-cation or a few little day trips.

I'm going to update you on what I've done, been doing, stitching over the last month over a few blog entries.  First I'm going to start with stitching, my needle has certainly been busy!  I'll update you with all of my WIPs on WIP Wednesday, there has been a flurry of finishing, and a few little day trips that I've taken a few photos.  So, keep an eye out for blog entries every couple of days!
 

 Cirque des Carreaux (squares)

Ink Circles

Stitched on: 32ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean

Stitched with: ThreadWorx Foxy

Since the end of May all of my stitching attention when to one piece, Cirque des Carreaux.  Christin suggested that was the project I should work on during a weekend away, and I just never put it down.  I was on page 2 when I picked it up, I found I was easily stitching a page in under a week, there's six pages in this design.

This is the third piece I've stitched in the "Cirque" series.  There is just one design left for me to stitch "Cirque des Triangles" (triangles).  I'm planning on starting that one in February during next year's Dominican Experience trip.  I haven't decided on colour yet, I'll keep the fabric the same as I have with all the other pieces.  Right now I'm thinking either a nice purple or turquoise, something vibrant.

In May I decided for my monthly ornament to start stitching up the Lizzie Kate Jingles series.  Fun, colourful, and quick are a great way to describe them!

Deck The Halls

Jingles

Lizzie Kate

Stitched on: 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with: Weeks Dye Works

Noel

Jingles

Lizzie Kate

Stitched on: 32ct Taupe Lugana

Stitched with: Weeks Dye Works

So that's it until Wednesday when I'll share with you how my latest WIPs are coming along.

WIP Wednesday & Happy Dances

Sorry for a couple of weeks of silence (again).  No big reasons, I've taken to walking in the evenings which I have to admit the last thing I want to do is sit at the computer for the hour or so it takes to edit pictures and put together a blog entry.  I've also had serious stitching mojo so all I've wanted to do is stitch!  You'll see in a second!

 Arabian Woman - close up of the area I've been focusing on

First up is my current WIP since its WIP Wednesday.  After having a discussion with Christin on "what to stitch next" she talked me into pulling out Arabian Woman and making it my current focus piece.  This is a Lanarte kit that I paid a small fortune for many years ago, and it deserves to be stitched!  I've made some pretty good progress since I picked it up just this past weekend.

I also put a few more stitches into Mini River Cottages by Michael Powell since I last blogged.  Its slowly coming along and so much fun!

Now onto the really fun stuff, HAPPY DANCES!  Yes... pural! If you follow me on Instagram (tkd_chick) you'll know my needle has just been flying the last couple of weeks.

Peacock

by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks

Stitched on: 32ct Rainbow Sparkle Lugana

Stitched with: DMC

First up is the focus piece that Arabian Woman is replacing, Peacock by Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks.  I started this piece on January 1st with Christin as our New Year's Day SAL a tradition we've had for years.  Some years many of our stitching friends will join in on this SAL, but this year the interest level for the piece we picked wasn't too high.  It was just the two of us.  This piece was a real joy to stitch and I love the blues that are used to stitch it.  Originally I had planned to stitch it on white opalescent evenweave, it turned out I didn't have any in my stash but I did have some Rainbow Sparkle Lugana and I really like how the colours really pop on it.

A Year In Chalk - January-April

Hands On Designs

Stitched On: 32ct WDW Gunmetal

Stitched With: GAST

A Year In Chalk - January

Hands On Designs

Stitched On: 32ct WDW Gunmetal

Stitched With: GAST

A Year In Chalk - February

Hands On Designs

Stitched On: 32ct WDW Gunmetal

Stitched With: GAST

A Year In Chalk - March

Hands On Designs

Stitched On: 32ct WDW Gunmetal

Stitched With: GAST

A Year In Chalk - April

Hands On Designs

Stitched On: 32ct WDW Gunmetal

Stitched With: GAST

Next up is some of my purchases from my trip to the Attic in Arizona during March Break.  I had picked up the first four charts of the Year In Chalk Series, the recommended fabric and all the threads for the entire series.  I like that the same off white is carried through all of the pieces, GAST Chalk and each month has a different pop of colour.  It took me just about a week to stitch up all four!  I would say it takes about a day (if you've got a day of stitching available to you) to stitch one of these up, or about 2-3 evenings.  I'm looking forward to getting the next few later this month!

WIPWednesday, Small Finishes and What's Next?

Happy Wednesday fair readers!  Which means its WIPWednesday and one of my blogging days!

As usual I like to start with the happy stuff, and I've had two small Happy Dances since my last post.

Red Threads

Rosewood Manor

Stitched with NPI Silk

Stitched on 32ct Natural Linen

This first little guy, was already well under way, so there wasn't much left to do.  This has been my "purse project" and I've been dragging it around with me most places but not really working on it.  So I finally put the last stitches into it.

French Country Star

JBW Designs

Just Cross Stitch - Ornament Issue 2010

Stitched with WDW Garnet

Stitched Over One on 25ct Sand/Gold Lugana

Next up is this month's ornament, I had a hard time settling on which one I wanted to stitch.  I finally picked up this sweet little stitch by JBW which was in one of my Just Cross Stitch Ornament Issues.  If I can, and it may be rather ambitious I'd like to finish this star-shaped!

I haven't settled on a new focus project yet, and really that's okay.  This week I've picked away at two different projects.

I kind of have it in my mind to finish up my January 1st start from this year, Peacock by Alessandra Adelaide.  Christin and I started them together, but she's been done hers for awhile now. Usually I'm the first to finish!  I've had a hard time getting "into" this project.

When I haven't been able to get "into" Peacock I've pulled out an oldie, but goodie Arabian Woman a kit from Lanarte.  I fell in love with and bought this project a long time ago, and it cost me a fair bit.  A few years ago I put some stitches in it to make myself get back to it.  I've enjoyed working on it this week.  The fabric on this piece comes painted and there's a little "+" where to start so I've slowly worked my way from that start point, to my happy place, the top left hand corner.

As promised last week here are the other projects I have started in my stitching basket... Which project would you like to watch come to life?  Leave me a comment!

Mini River Cottage - Michael Powell

The Big Red - The Silver Lining

 Cirque des Carreaux - Ink Circles

Fortunate Traveller - Teresa Wentzler

Happy Dance Wednesday!!!!

I know its Wednesday which means its WIP Wednesday, but what's better than a HUGE Happy Dance instead?  Like a huge, epic, mega happy dance???!!!???

Last night around 10PM (and the internet was down) I put the FINAL stitches in on The Accolade!!!!!  If you look back to last week's post you'll see I kept my promise and did nothing but stitch Good Friday-Easter Monday!  My hands were actually sore by the end of Monday night.  It was hard to go to work on Tuesday morning knowing that I was a matter of hours away from finishing this long-term project!!!

The Accolade

by Timeless Designs

Stitched on: 25ct Lugana over one

Stitched with: DMC, Anchor and Kreinik #4 braid

I've gone back through my pictures and I put the first few stitches in this piece in 2006 and then I never touched it again until 2010.  In 2010 I took like 4 porgress pictures of it.  It wasn't until 2011 when I started to slowly work on this piece with more regularity.  Of course in the last 6-12 months I just started motoring along with it!

Doesn't it just look awesome?

What's next I don't know... I need to recover from my marathon sprint to the "finish line".  Also that makes an excellent additional blog post in a day or two!

A Long Awaited Stitchy Post - WIP Wednesday A Day Early

Have you missed my WIP Wednesday posts?  Have you missed my stitching... have you missed me?

The week leading up to this year's DR Experience trip was beyond hectic!  I was trying to get so much done before I left.  Not just my home life, but my work life, and of course the kids! I should of gotten stitching pictures up last week, but well there's recovering from said trip.

 I don't get a lot of stitching done during my DR Trips, but I did have a new start that I worked on during my flights.  I did more stitching during my return flight than I did on the way down.  That might of had something to do with the fact that I had to be up before 3am to be at the airport for 4am!  My new travel project (not to be confused with purse project) is Ink Circles, Cirque Des Carreaux.  Like the previous two in the series I've stitched this one is also on 32ct Queen Ann's Lace Joblean, the floss is ThreadWorx "foxy".  This project will be getting A LOT of needle time this Saturday, while I fly down to Yuma, Arizona for my March Break trip to visit Kathy!  I've got about 12 hours of travel time between flights and layovers, lots of stitching time!  We've got a trip to The Attic planned, I can't wait!

Green + White

by Bent Creek

Stitched on: 32ct white lugana

Stitched with WDW & Crescent Colours

Before I left I had a little happy dance!  Its another seasonal small, this time for St. Patrick's Day.  Of course there's no time to actually get it finished finished to be on display in time for this years St. Paddy's Day.

Heart Of Flake

Freebie by Madame la Fée

Stitched on 32ct Raging Storm Belfast Linen

Stitched with ThreadWorx 1124

After my return I had another happy dance, this piece is my February ornament which I started shortly before leaving for the DR.  I want to try to get back to stitching at least one ornament a month.  Besides this sudden need I have this year to stitch seasonal smalls.  I quite like this little heart I stitched up.

Before I picked The Accolade back up upon my return, I put a few stitches into Michael Powell's Mini River Cottage.  As usual his pieces are so enjoyable to stitch!  The only reason I decided to pick this up is because I couldn't get fabric sorted for my March ornament so I kinda gave up for a bit.  I wasn't feeling an ornament at the time anyhow.  I finally got my ornament sorted today, you'll see it in a near future post.

I'm sure you're dying to see how The Accolade is coming along, slowly but surely.  I've found myself more distracted than focused in the last week and a half.  I hope when all of my travel is done, I'll be able to buckle down and happy dance this BAP!