Time to join everyone else ....

I decided to participate in this years SaL on the HAED BB and my choice of chart is QS Teddy Bear Tree. The chart choices for this SaL were really wonderful, so my decision was not an easy one, I figure that is a good thing, because I want to be eligible to receive the other charts at the end of the year.

I have been a bit slow at getting started on my piece, but here is my quarter page update. I was surprised by the amount of detail and hesitant about some of the colours, but the mantra is "trust in Michelle's charting", and sure enough that is so true. My teddy is currently "winking" at me, next time I get to show him to you I hope to have his other eye completed.

Until next time, happy stitching

Double the joy ....

Thats right! I was so excited about my surprise from my last post that I managed to complete my rotation on two projects over the last week. Well I never!!!

I could not believe it this morning when I was contemplating what to write about and there they both were staring me in the face. First up, we have a quarter page finish on Masquerade SK. That means I have only 3/4 of page3 to go and will have completely finished this project. The excitement is building around this project because it will be very first HAED finish and it was the second project that I ever started by HAED.

My next project that I made progress on was Eldar. I have completed page 7, but I have really completed 2 pages of the chart. This means that I have made progress on my 2012 WIPocalypse project list.

Oh and, I haven't decided yet which charts I would like to choose for this month for my present from my family but when I do I will let you all know what I come up with.

Until next time, happy stitching

He's a keeper ....

Oh yes, he is!! Its was our wedding anniversary yesterday. 21 years and 19 of those were everything that a girl could want, but the last two have been trying. Within 6 months of one another we both lost our jobs and we have been muddling along since living off our savings mostly, but no ray of sunshine on the job front. That's okay we still have our family and each other. We got married beside a lake so every year because it is summer now on our side of the world, we have a family picnic at the same lake.

Anyway DH decided that it was high time I got a special treat and he has arranged with our three children (two of whom are grown and have incomes), a special present for me, for our anniversary and just because I am always doing for them, (it's what mothers do!). Anyway I digress.

My present (Oh Wow!!!) I am allowed to get "One full and one small chart from HAED each month for the WHOLE year", and the four of them will pay. YAY! YAY! YAY!!!

How am I supposed to enjoy a picnic when I have charts spinning around in my head saying pick me please. It's time to get the picnic ready so we can all head off. I will make my choice's about the charts for this month sometime over the weekend and keep you all informed with my decision.

Until next time, happy stitching

I found something that might help me ....

I found the 2012 WIPocalypse in the last week, while browsing some of the blogs I like to visit and it turned out that the deadline for being an "actual" participant was the 15 January. So, with 5 days to spare and absolutely no time to think I decided that I would participate.  Woohoo!!! If you would still like to be a part of the Stitch-A-Long you can visit here and all the details are outlined by Measi.

Joining this SAL meant that I had to evaluate the vast amount of projects that I currently have in progress and decide which of them I wanted to make the most progress on.

I am going to focus on my Heaven and Earth design projects, because I have so many patterns and I just love them so much. Which is why I had to come up with a short list and when those are done I can add new goals or extend the goals on the projects that I already have on the go.

Sounds good to me!!! If you would like to see what I decided on I have made a special page for the 2012 WIPocalypse to keep track of progress etc.

On with stitchy stuff. I have completed half of page 2 on QS Curl up with a good book. YAY ME! I have been struggling with a rotation for a while now, but I discovered towards the end of November last year that because I print out my chart pages in quarters;

• a) so that I can see them properly (blind as a bat), and
• b) I like things to be uniform, 

that it was easier to just complete a quarter page at a time. That way I made blocks of progress on all my projects and I have been really enjoying it.

Until next time, happy stitching

2012 January WIPocalypse - I just had too ....

I was allowed to start a new project once I had completed page 2 of SK Masquerade and this is it. QS Crabby Crush by Hannah Lynn from Heaven and Earth Designs.

From what I have seen so far Hannah's (paintings) designs are beautiful. I have always loved the vibrant colors that I have seen in the WIP photos of other stitchers that have worked on her designs and I took this opportunity to try one for myself.

I am really loving the way this pattern is working up. I also tried something new and began this project in the bottom left and I'm really glad I did because this is where the crab happened to be and it is so nice to start a project and actually see something materialize rather than have background or just an indistinguishable blob.

So page 7 is completed and now I just have to decide if I am going to work up the right side towards the top or just continue along the bottom row.

Until next time, happy stitching

It's a new year, time to re-evaluate ....

I think I need to start the year off small. So, I really want to finish SK Masquerade, so that will stay in my rotation. Now, I have come to the hard part, what other projects are a real priority for me. Eldar? QS Curl Up? QS Crabby Crush? Ok!! lets work with these and the new 2012 SaL project from HAED "QS Teddy Bear Tree".

I know that this will keep on morphing over the next 12 months because something is going to take my interest away, but I have to get on to stitching and stop pondering over what hasn't even come to light yet.

 As promised here is another update, this is for the 2011 SaL QS Curl Up with a Good Book. I really love the colors and want to finish this project. Maybe this will be "it's" lucky year. I have finally moved on to page 2. Next up in rotation is QS Crabby Crush.

Until next time, happy stitching

Happy New Year!!!

I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy New Year and I hope that your Christmas was full of wonderful blessings for you all.

I have a couple of updates to share and I will add those over the next few posts. In the meantime I have managed to complete 3/4 of page 7 on Eldar and here is a before and after shot.

I get so caught up in working on my projects that I forget to update you all on my progress. Since I got my new smartphone though I have been so much more proactive about taking the update photos, but I haven't been present to do my show and tell for you all.

But there is no time like the present to make a start.

 Until next time, happy stitching