Wipocalypse 2014

Besides getting caught up on my PhotoHunts you really haven't heard from me at all this month!  January is almost over and its been an exhausting month physically and psychologically!  I've alternated between not being able to sleep/sleep through the night the first few weeks of the month to now barely being able to stay awake!  Friday night I laid down for a bit at about 5PM I didn't get up until 7:30AM!

I have been stitching when I've had the energy to, but lets get caught up on all of the blogging activities I decided to take part in this year!  The first thing I've missed is the first Wipocalypse of the year!  This month it took place on January 16th!

With this first Wipocalypse we are to introduce ourselves, our projects and our goals for the year.

The Stitcher:

Most recent picture of myself

I'm know by my friends and the stitching community as Dani, I'm in my late 30's.  I am a Library Technician in a High School which I've been working at for 12 years now.  I live with my partner Todd and our two cats Hunter and Zeus, no kids.

My first finish - started in grade 8 (1988ish) finished 1997

My Mum first taught me how to cross stitch when I was around 12-13 years old when "Santa" left a little cross stitch kit in my stocking.  That first project, was a disaster!  I started another project as a teen in middle school but I never finished it until I was an adult, when I was unemployed for a few months in 1997.  Since that time, I've never stopped.  I've been stitching for 17 years now... wow!

I started blogging in September of 2003, that's 11 years now.  I like to think that I'm one of the early Stitching Bloggers.  I'm hoping to keep blogging for many years as long as the ability exists and the audience is still there.

Through stitching and blogging many wonderful people have come into my life.  I am very grateful for what stitching and the online communities have brought into my life.

The Projects:

 The Accolade (NOT a HEAD)

Started in 2006 most of the work has been done in 2012/13

Almost done pages 1-7 of 12

Stitched one over one on 25ct lugana

 Arabian Woman - Lanarte Kit

Started November 2013

 Prarie Schooler - Christmas Favorites

Started January 2014

 Camelot Mini Samper - Teresa Wentzler

Started January 2014

 Mini River Cottage - Michael Powell Kit

Started January 2014

 The Big Red - The Sivler Lining

Started January 2012 - barely touched since

One over one on 25ct Lugana

 The Fortunate Traveller - Teresa Wentzler

Started May 1 2014

Combination of over two and over one on 28ct

 Stitching Row - Bent Creek

Started January 2014

Three Little Miads - Heritage Stitchcraft

Started January 2014

Goals for 2014:

• Finish all of my January Crazy Challenge Starts
• Finish The Accolade
• Finish borders and story on Fortunate Traveller
• Make progress on Big Red
• Stitch and finish a minimum of 12 ornaments

And there you have it... the first WIPocalypse of 2014

Crazy January Challenge 2014 Comes To An End

Its January 15th the final day in the 2014 Crazy January Challenge!  For the first fifteen days of the month I have started a NEW project every day!  I even finished a couple on the same day I started it.

Here are my starts from days 13, 14, and 15 more Prarie Schooler ornaments!  Top is a Santa, middle a cute little house in the snow, and the bottom will be an adorable snowman.  I'm looking forward to now finishing then finishing all of these ornaments.

On the other hand its going to be nice to get back to some regular progress on my WIPS.

Hope you enjoyed my Crazy January Challenge!

Crazy January Challenge - Days 9 & 10

I was quite exhausted by Thursday that I started to fall asleep in my chair with stitching in hand.  So I knew it was best to give it up!  Keeping things simple I started yet another ornament from the Prairie Schooler Booklet I've been working form all week.  I believe this one is a poinsettia.

Tonight I figured, why break the trend and started the angel ornament.

I'm glad with the way this week has been, that I was smart enough to pull this chart up, a nice big piece of linen and pull all of the thread.  Its really made this week's starts easy!

January Crazy Challenge - Day 8

This week is proving to be a busy one!  After work started with a trip to Costco, a quick nap on the couch, my Weight Watchers meeting that was quite long tonight (introduction to Simple Start), and a trip to Wal-Mart.  Needless to say I wasn't even eating my dinner until after 8PM.

So I needed another quick start and since its all kitted up and all the colours were pulled I started another Prarie Schooler ornament from the chart I've been working from for the last few days.  Today's start is a pinecone.

Crazy January Challenge - Day 7

Alright, seven days in - seven new starts and eight more to go!

Like yesterday I've kept today's new start small.  Another busy night for me, since my Mum passed this past summer my sister and I started having dinner with my Dad once a week if we can.  I always take a little stitching with me so I was able to start today's project at my Dad's and I kept it small because I knew I wouldn't have a lot of stitching time once I got home

Today's start is from the same Prarie Schooler booklet as yesterday.  This time I started the reindeer.

Crazy January Challenge Day 6

Well many, many, many children in my area today got a belated Chrsitmas gift, a snow day for the first day back to school!  Sunday started out with snow, then later that night I could hear freezing rain hitting our windows, by morning it was rain... then by 11am it was all going to freeze over again.  Thus making the roads treacherous!  So it was a Snow Day and a lovely way to ease into going back to work, I was able to safely get out of the driveway and to the highway so it was off to work for me!

Despite there being a handful of kids at work I was still pretty tired and headachy by the time the afternoon rolled around.  I had my date at the gym for my small group session with the personal trainer (5 of us and a trainer, much more affordable than one on one with a personal trainer... which if money were no object I would so have one!).  I discovered I managed to loose 0.2lbs over the Christmas holidays despite being busy/lazy/sleepy/eating out/eating junk/etc...etc...etc.  So that made my day!

After a shower and dinner I settled in for about two hours of stitching, its now after 10PM and I'm sleepy so its time to share today's small, new start (small, because of first day back to work, gym, being tired).  This soon-to-be Santa is from Prarie Schooler's Book No. 172 Christmas Favorites.  I picked it up for a steal when I stopped in at Because You Count in Moncton, N.B. on my trip home from Cape Breton (where I was also lucky enough to be invited for dinner and a bed for the night to break up my trip home with Jennifer Aikman-Smith of Dragon Dreams and her family!  I used to be one of her model stitchers.).

When I have time to get back to him, he'll be quick to finish.

April WIPocalypse Report

The full moon is here and the World is coming to an end so its time to kill those WIPs!  Here's my progress report for what I've worked on in the last moon cycle.

I have been VERY good and I have worked on The Accolade every day.  Each day before I've picked up my focus project, I've completed a 10x10 area on The Accolade.  This BAP has been moving along nicely since I've started doing this religiously.

 The Accolade - March

 The Accolade - April

Since my last report I've started working away at Ink Circles Winter Mandala.  The filling in is taking longer than I thought it would.  I honestly thought I would fly with this piece once all the black was stitched.  For some reason I'm having trouble "getting into" this project.  For some reason the colours came out very faded in this picture.

Seasonal Mandalas - Winter

I've also puttered with Spring as well, putting in the odd thread length of black outlining.

Seasonal Mandalas - Spring

I had a Happy Dance today!  This project was one of my January 15.  I had been carrying it around as my travel project and suddenly had the urge to get this one out of my stitching bag/purse!

Gone Fishing - Kit

cJane Greenoff

Stitched on: Mystery Fabric

Stitched with: DMC

Since the last report I've also finished the following:

 Count Your Blessings

 Reindeer

Prairie Schooler Freebie

Wow, I had a productive month!

The Travelling Pattern Is Ready To Move On!

Just a short while ago I was lucky to be selected by Julie of Julie's Stitchyknitter Journal to be the next recipient of one of the Travelling Patterns out there in the blogosphere.  I stitched it up in pretty quick order, and finished it up on Sunday

Here's what mine looks like all stitched up:

 Count Your Blessings

c2009 Shakespeare's Peddler

Stitched with: GAST where I had it DMC where I didn't

Stitched on 28ct Vintage Linen

If you would like to be the next Travelling Pattern stitcher there are a few rules that need to be adhered to :

1. Comment on this post saying you would like to be part of The Stitcherhood

2. By leaving the above comment you agree (if you are chosen) to stitch the design and send it along to the next person in a timely manner. If this means dropping everything in your rotation to concentrate on this project, so be it. If you cant bring yourself to do this don't sign up.

3. You must have an active blog to participate. if you have a blog but never post to it you wont be chosen to be the next stitcher.

4. This is a giveaway type traveling pattern. That means you must follow it from blogger to blogger to enter each time it is ready to send along. Commenting on this post doesn't make you a guaranteed part of The Stitcherhood.

This Travelling Pattern has been a quite a globe trotter and so far been stitched by:-

1. Sharon of its daffycat Oklahoma USA
2. Karen of Karens Handiwork, South Carolina USA
3. Patty of Hanging on by a thread, Florida USA
4. Terrri of chocolates for breakfast, stitching for lunch USA
5. Lynda of a cozy little place for stitching, Oregon USA
6. Nataly of Natalys needle creations, Massachusetts, USA
7. Erin of fairy tales and french knots, NY USA
8. Jo of Serendipititous stitching, Suffolk UK
9. Mouse of tales of a a stitching mouse, South Yorkshire UK
10. Sally of stitchyangels treasures, East Yorkshire UK
11. Lesleyanne of Lesleyannes life of stitches, Northamptonshire, UK
12. Michelle of stitchercraftplace, Staffordshire, UK
13. Kath of kaths stitching heaven, Barnsley, South Yorkshire UK
14. Christine of The Alchymyst's Study, Cornwall, UK
15. Kate of Kate's Flossbox, Tyne & Wear, UK
16. Julie of Julie's Stitcherknitter Journal, Leicester, UK
17 Dani Black Belt Stitching Wizard, Ontario, CAN

You have until Wednesday April 4th (one week) to leave a comment if you're interested

After I finished up the Travelling Pattern, I wanted a quick little Easter stitch.  I had received this little freebie from another blogger some time ago and thought it was the perfect little stitch.  Sorry its a crappy picture!

Prarie Schooler 2011 Freebie

Stitched with: DMC

Stitched on 28ct Black Jubilee

Stitching At Rebecca's

Roughly this time of year for the past few years, Rebecca has hosted a stitching weekend when her husband goes off moose hunting.  Lucky for us right?

Bonnie working on a scarecrow

Christin and I headed down after work on Friday, we did a little shopping along the way and stopped for a bite to eat.  We drove down in heavy, heavy rain for most of the trip.  It is so exhausting to drive in weather like that, white knuckling it for over an hour!  By the time we finally landed on Rebecca's doorstep I was too pooped to stitch.  Bonnie and Trista were already there, and more were going to arrive on Saturday.

Saturday morning we started bright and early as we stitched through the morning we were joined by Lynn, Tracey, Beth and Sylvia (Rebecca's Mom).  It was a miserable day, but a lovely group of people and perfect for stitching!!!

 Tracey putting her first stitches into a piece of Jazlyn

Tracey made her first venture onto evenweave on Saturday!  She picked it up very quickly.

 

Sylvia, winding bobbins

Staying onto Sunday were Sylvia, Bonnie, Christin and I.  We stitched late into the night and most of today as well!  We had several Happy Dances both days!  Rebecca finished up the four quilt squares she did for me.  She also finished a baby piece for her best friend!  Bonnie finished a girl scarecrow for her Mom and I finished up K is for Kitty.

Rebecca's fantastic finish!

I'm sure my usual photos do the talking

 Bonnie & Caleb

 Christin working on her Prarie Schooler block for Naan as well

 Lynn

Rebecca showing off her piece!

Between my visit with Beatrice a few weeks ago, and this weekend's visit at Rebecca's I've received a whole bunch of Quilt Blocks back from my friends!  I so appreciate their help getting these stitched up!

 Stitched by Clare

Stitched by Adriana

 Stitched by Angie

 Stitched by Anne & Naan

Stitched by Rebecca

Now that I'm done the Kitty I've moved on to the last 3.5 Quilt Blocks.  Here's where I'm at on block .5

My current quilt block (only 3 more after this!)

Of course you also want to see my Happy Dance right?

K is for Kitty

by Prarie Schooler

Stitched on 28ct Lugana

Stitched with DMC cotton floss

Stitching Progress

Despite my numerous walks during the gorgeous holiday weekend we had here, I did get some stitching in between them and the family meals!

I've been working away at one of the letters from the Prarie Schooler Alphabet.  This will be part of a friend's quilt, and I chose K is for Kitty.  as I stitch  up this kitty I'm more and more convinced it looks like Zeus!

On the weekend I'm heading up to Rebecca's, she's hosting her annual "My Husband's Gone Hunting" stitching weekend!  I'm really looking forward to a great weekend of stitching!  Fingers crossed, I'll be happy dancing before I head for home!

Not only did I take pictures during my walk on Monday but I did on Sunday as well while we were up at the cottage for turkey dinner.  I only took a few shots, and here they are.

Its A Happy Thanksgiving Weekend

I'd like to wish all my fellow Canadians a very Happy Thanksgiving!  What a Thanksgiving weekend we're going to have here in the Ottawa Valley, the weather forecast is spectacular, sun and hot, hot, hot!  So it doesn't feel like Thanksgiving weekend at all.  Since my Mum still isn't strong enough to put on the full holiday meal I offered to put on a roast chicken dinner for my family tomorrow.  We don't do turkey or ham in this family so I'm going to cook three chickens, and to make my life easier I've cooked the first of three tonight and I'll cook the other two tomorrow.  So the house is clean and I've got as much food prepped as possible.  Tonight's roast chicken is actually my first!  That's right, and it looks so yummy!  I mean why would I cook a whole chicken for just Todd and me?

I started off the long weekend with making it an extra long weekend.  I took today off of work, and I put it to good use!  I spent hours cleaning the house and prepping food.  I've been so busy doing this and that today, that I've had a hard time settling down into my stitching.  I did stop and take a picture of my Prarie Schooler WIP before I picked it up today.  I'll show you what progress I do make this long weekend, sometime Monday night.

Check out the look on Hunter's face, he is trying to look so innocent!

I think the cats have just loved it having me home today!  Oh boy they were entertaining.  When I first brought Zeus home there was a lot of growling and spitting on Hunter's part... also the odd swat.  Hunter was not pleased.  Now that Zeus has been here for almost seven months, I see moments where they're "getting along".  Also usually the trouble maker is Zeus, but I'm seeing moments where Hunter is being the instigator.

This only lasted for about ten minutes... both of them on the back of my stitching chair.

I hope if you're Canadian you enjoy the holiday with family and friends, and if you're not I hope you enjoy it whatever your plans may be!