Crazy Challenge Day 6 AND A Happy Dance!

Sorry for no post yesterday, it was the first day back to work and I was absolutely pooped when I got home.  I crashed for a few hours!

Christmas Doves I - Flowers and Vines Dove

c2012 JBW Designs

stitched on 28ct black lugana using DMCS

Leaf

c2010 Alessandra Adelaide Needleworks

Stitched on 28ct hand painted joblean spring leaf from X's and Oh's

Stitched with Glorianna Red Clay & Mill Hill 3038

Not only do I have ONE Happy Dance to share with you but TWO!  Just a short while ago this evening I put the last beads on my Day 1 start!  I am just SOOO pleased with how this piece turned out since I only had a chart and a thread colour in mind.  I dug through my stash of fabrics coming across what I felt was the coolest fabric for this piece, a hand painted fabric with leaves on it!  Then last night at 11PM I was digging around for beads to match it and whoila!  The whole piece has come together so beautifully!

So far I've finished starts #1, 2 and 6... not bad!  I do feel like I'm starting to miss my bigger WIPs like The Accolade and Christmas ABC Sampler, another reason why most of these starts have been on the smaller side.

Crazy Challenge Day Five

Pitiful progress for Day Five's start for the Crazy Challenge.  Every year I kit up a JBW ornament series to stitch up for the girls in the office at work.  This year's choice are the Christmas Doves I & II I will be stitching up six in total, so I will have to do two of the four designs twice... unless the designer releases a Christmas Doves III chart before December!  A girl can wish right?

Love Dove, Christmas Doves I

Stitched over two on black 28ct Lugana with DMC B5200

Yesterday was a busy day, I went into Weight Watchers for the first time since December 15th.  I didn't loose over the holidays, I didn't maintain either, but I think I did well, gaining only 1.8 lbs over a 3 week period where I wasn't exactly vigilant with eating and food choices.

I also had to do a little housework because my Nephew and his Girlfriend were coming over for dinner.  By the time they left, I tried to work on it at night, but because of the black fabric I decided not to struggle with it.  I wasn't really in a stitching mood either, I just poked away at my AAN Leaf for a bit before going to bed early.

Delightful Dragon Fob front & back

Teresa Wentzler

I've also forgotten to share with you a little piece I finally put the cording on.  I had done the actual finishing quite some time ago (like at least a month) but I didn't have the right floss colour to make the cording with so it waited.  Then I bought it, and it waited some more.

Crazy Challenge Day 4

Yesterday was a busy day I was out and about with my Mum getting haircuts, lunch, and groceries!  So not much stitching occurred!

In the evening I started this little kit that Tracey gave me for Christmas.  I decided just to use the kit as is, instead of swapping out the aida.  I think I can tolerate it for a little piece.

Here's what I got done, the border of the front of the scissor keep.

Tartan Thistles Scissor Keep

Textile Heritage - Kit

PhotoHunt "Add" & Crazy Challenge Day 3

This week's PhotoHunt theme is "add".

At first I thought this was going be a challenging to find just the right picture.  But you all know I have an odd sense of humour at times and an odd outlook on things.  I took this picture on New Year's Eve when Todd and I were travelling to visit with friends.

I think there's a little room to "add" a few more signs!

Yesterday's Crazy Challenge Start # 3 was this Michael Powell from The World of Cross Stitching Issue 164

Here's how far I got on my one day's work.  I spent a lot of time, wasting time online yesterday!  All of the blue sky is stitched and most of the white snow, except at the bottom.

First Happy Dance of 2013 - Crazy Challenge Day 2

Yesterday I had a fantastic day!!!  Kathy and I were actually able to meet up for the WHOLE day!  She's up here in the snow and cold for a few weeks to visit with her children/grandchildren during Christmas holidays before she heads back South to the sun and MUCH warmer weather!  We stitched the day away with frequent check-ins by her grandson Hunter who was our Quality Control Manager for the day.  He wanted to make sure we were actually making progress and not just chatting (though I don't think his mouth stopped moving the whole time I was there!).  At dinnertime we met up with Christin for a great meal at our favorite place, The Lone Star.  Kathy I'm going to miss you until you come back in the spring!

Cross Stitcher In Residence

c2002 Lizzie*Kate

Stitched on Mystery 28ct Fabric

Stitched with an assortment of overdyed threads

I must say that Hunter did a mighty fine job making sure we were on task and that our stitches were true!  I actually started and finished Crazy Challenge Project #2!!!

I keep forgetting I have a couple of finishes to share with you that I started/finished before 2012 finished!

The Stag

c2008 Helga Mandl

Stitched on Silkweaver 28ct Porcelain Linen

Stitched with DMC

I got on a bit of an ornament kick and finished these two freebies from the same designer, Helga Mandl Designs.

Waiting For Santa

c2008 Helga Mandl

Stitched on Silkweaver 28ct Vanilla Swirl

Stitched with DMC used beads for snowflakes instead of stitches

Stitch Of The Union Address and Crazy Challenge Day 1

Yes, you read it right!  This is my Stitch Of The Union Address... what I didn't get done in 2012, how it progressed and what I'm thinking for this year!!

In 2012....

I finished 40 projects!  Two of the 40 were large finishes, being Enchantment of Winter and Seasonal Mandalas, the other 38 were a combination of ornaments, small pieces, and exchanges.

2012 January 1st SAL

I participated in my annual January 1st SAL which has become a tradition with my stitching friends and myself.  Some years its just a few of us, and some years everyone gets on the boat!  Last year it was Ink Circles Seasonal Mandalas, this year its Alessandra Adelaide Designs Leaf.

2013 January 1st SAL

Last year I, for the first time I participated in the January Crazy Challenge, that's 15 new projects in 15 days.  The true challenge is to finish all 15 projects by the end of the year.  I ALMOST managed that!  I started 14 projects that I KNEW I would finish, but one I wouldn't.  That was The Big Red by The Silver Lining.  I just wanted to get this piece started so that I would get to work on it "soon".  I'm attempting the Crazy Challenge again this year.  Unfortunately this year I'm not as organized as last year.  Last year I picked, planned, and purchased supplies for all 15 projects.  This year I'm going to work from my stash, and what I feel like/have time to start.  Also all 15 are going to be smaller projects.

The Crazy Challenge that got away in 2012, the one I didn't finish

I have several projects that I did not manage to finish during 2012... In no paicular order, here they are where they stood at the beginning of 2012 and again at the end.

Kahty's ABC Christmas Sampler when I first got it 

 As of the end of December 2012

 The Accolade as of February 2012

 The Accolade as of the end of December 2012

Cirque des Circles when I started it fall 2012

 Latest progress on Cirque des Circles

 The Big Red, not touched since January of 2012

Finally here's Crazy Challenge Day 1 - AAN's Leaf, I took a bit of a creative jump with the fabric.  My hopes is that my leaf look like its lying on the top of a leaf strewn lawn!  What do you think of my fabric choice?

AAN's Leaf - January 1st SAL and Crazy Start #1

That Was Then, This Is Now... OR Goodbye 2012, Hello 2013

I am usually VERY organized for this post!  I've pretty much done one every year for a very long time now!  I talk about last year and what's to come this year.

 Ort jar filled up nicely in 2012 - now ready for 2013

First of all there are rituals to be observed!  Today saw the annual emptying of the "ort jar" (vase in this case).  It is now ready to receive my many stitching orts for 2013!  Also Todd and I finally made it down to spend New Year's with Rebecca and her family which we haven't managed in a few years due to either illnesses or bad weather.  Midnight saw us starting our New Year's SAL, but I'll expand on that tomorrow.  It is an annual ritual for me and some of my stitching friends to have a SAL that starts on New Year's Day, its either the same design or a "theme".


2012 In Review (Then)
The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Stitching
I stitched plenty this year and had some GREAT Happy Dances.  According to my little "book" I had 40 finishes in 2012 this includes ornaments, little odd and ends and big projects too!  Here are a few of the highlights...

 Enchantment of Winter - Stitched and framed for my Dad

Seasonal Mandalas - 2012's January 1st SAL

My Friendship Quilt is finally complete and on my bed!

These two finishes did take up a lot of my year, also I've still got a few larger projects on the go into this year.  More on that ... probably tomorrow.  

Travel

It was a quiet year for me in terms of travel, I did go to the Dominican Republic with a group of students for the 3rd year in a row.  There weren't a lot of great long roadtrips, I think getting a new car last February and having payments again kinda put a squeeze on the pocketbook.  I did bomb up and down the highways to my usual stitching get togethers and retreats.  I did also have a nice little overnight roadtrip to Montreal with my friend Marline.

After Ottawa Race Weeked 10K

Running

I managed to do 2 out of 4 races I had planned on doing (Ottawa Race Weekend 10K and Perth Kilt Run) I had all of these great plans for running in 2012... but a foot injury put the kibosh on that!  Everything came to a screaming halt at the end of July when I had enough of my foot hurting and started to suspect a stress fracture or something.  Since then I've had an x-ray, several months of physiotherapy  a visit with the Sports Doctor, an MRI and I'll be finding out the results of that on January 31st.  I was a little upset that I couldn't do my half marathon or Run for the Cure in 2012.

I'm not happy with my current weight or body at the moment

Battle of the Bulge
I really thought I'd take care of my weight in 2012... and boy did I, I'm now almost 30 lbs over my goal weight after loosing 63 lbs, its embarrassing to say I've put half of it back on.  This stops NOW!  My "goal weight" clothes which some are pretty awesome and hot, just don't fit any more.  Its depressing, I needed new jeans this week after the zipper broke on my old ones... I'm also two sizes bigger than I was at goal!!!

Receiving the Stephen H. Richardson Award from the Director of Education

Other
At work I won an award that's a big deal.  It was amazing to be recognized for what I do, though I've never expected to be recognized in such a manner.

Looking Forward to 2013 (Now)
This blog celebrates 10 years in September!

Stitching

• I'd like to make significant progress on The Accolade, get it 2/3rd finished at least!
• Crazy Challenge 2013 - 15 starts in 15 days... I'm not so well planned on this so we'll see if I can do it again this year based on what I have on my stash... more on this tomorrow!
• Stitch a minimum of 12 ornaments
• Start The Fortunate Traveller on May 1st
• Make progress on ABC Christmas Sampler, Cirque des Cercles, and The Big Red
• I'd like to frame/finish a few more items this year

Weight/Fitness

• This year I AM going to loose the weight I've put back on
• Fitness... well I'm still "on hold" until I find out what is up with my foot when I meet up with the Sports Doctor on January 31st.  I did start being active again as of January 27th, doing walk/run intervals on my treadmill
• If I can get my foot sorted and there's spots left I'd like to to the Ottawa Race Weekend 5K and Perth Kilt Run, just because its fun!
• With this foot issue I've also been off of Taekwon-Do since August, I'd like to go back.

Personal

• Be Happy
• Feel back in control of my life/better organized
• Challenge myself this year
• Have some awesome adventures!

I hope you've all had reasons to celebrate 2012, and what you've accomplished.  I hope you have a great 2013 -- Happy New Year!!!