Just had to post today ...

.... because it's leap year :-)  

Anyway, I am way overdue an update - life has been rather tough lately what with one thing and another.  But all through it I have had my stitching as a constant, reassuring, presence.  It can't say anything to comfort me, it can't hold me when I feel down but it is still my friend - it is always there when I need it.  

So throwing myself into my stitching I have finally managed to complete the first page of A Princess is Born by Hannah Lynn.  I love the colours in this one so much, but the blardy confetti was an absolute pig!  I've moved on to the next page now and it's not quite as bad so I am hoping that it won't take me the six weeks page one took.  Yes, six weeks!! I can normally get a page done in two weeks max!

 

 

Next up is Tranquility (The Vintage Angel).  On to page two with this one, but I have to admit the blue got a bit much.  It will make a nice change from the confetti of Princess so I have a feeling I will be going back to this one soon!

Sadly neglected at the moment but one that really needs to be completed, is my page on the Chelsea Project of Chelsea's Gift (Hannah Lynn).  Not really that much to do but I didn't park on it, and it's driving me crazy squeezing all those odds stitches in!

Finally, is Mini Masquerade (Sessler).  Another confetti mess but so nice to have a limited palate of colours, you definitely don't spend so long finding the next thread you need!  Despite it being a mini, I really think that it has lost none of it's detail.  I am really pleased with the way it is turning out.

I've realised that I have been totally unrealistic with my stitching goals this year - it's nearly March already and I am seriously behind.  I have discovered also that I don't like stitching to deadlines! So, I have decided that I am going to drop the HAED SAL piece, Bookend Kitty.  It's cute and I love it but I really can't get in to it at the moment.  Maybe I might get back in to it later in the year? Who knows, but for the moment, it's coming out of the workbasket.

Hasn't worked very well, has it!?

The whole point of these questions was to try and encourage me to blog everyday.  Well .. uh .. nope, that ain't happened!  Here we are on 4 November and I've missed three days' worth already .. oops!  Right, catch up time.

Day 2: What is your current stitching project?

At the moment I am working on one of my HAED projects, Tranquility.

Day 3: Do you have any other WIPs?

Seriously, is this a loaded question or what lol !  Of course I have other WIPs, or should I call them (slow)WIPs?  I have - actually I am not going to say how many - other HAEDs on the go and also some kits that are in my 'deep storage' that really ought to be finished at some point.

Day 4: How did you learn to stitch?

I bought a kit and followed the instructions!  So totally self-taught as no-one in my family, or none of my friends come to think of it, were stitchers.  My Nan used to knit and crochet and my Mum can knit and is great with a sewing machine, but at the time she wasn't a stitcher (although I have now turned her to the dark side, along with my sister!).

Not really much else to blog about today and, most boringly, no photos :-( I've been making steady progress on Tranquility and had hoped to have half the page done by now but I'm not quite there yet.  Hopefully I might get caught up a bit over the weekend, children allowing.

We've had the final page for the SAL today too, so I really ought to do some more on Curl Up as I think I am a couple of posts short of the requirement to qualify for the remainder of the SAL charts.  I  also need to do some more work on Ice Wind, but I just can't seem to tear myself away from Tranquility.  On the plus side though, I have met - quite unintentionally - some of my yearly goals on the HAED BB!  Yay, go me!

Trying to get back in the blogging groove ...

I've been in a bit of a blogging blackspot for a while now so, finding inspiration from my fellow stitcher and blogger Kerry, I am going to try and answer one stitchy related question a day and what better day to start than the first of a month?  Thanks to Kerry for the questions - you can find her fabulous blog here and if you want to know what other questions there are, you can check them out in the "Coming Soon" section of my blog.

Although I may not have been blogging, I have been stitching, and got a page finish on Tranquility which I am very excited about.  It took me exactly four weeks - not bad considering that the little bit of butterfly was a confetti nightmare!  Still, it was mostly lots and lots of blue - disappointingly I haven't been able to spot the butterfly shapes that are apparent in the background of the original art. Perhaps they will become more visable as I move through the next page.

I've been having issues with iPhoto and can't get photos from my camera to my lappy which is frustrating to say the least.  I shouldn't complain as this is the first problem I've ever had with my Mac - perhaps Mr Jobs is having the last word ;-) RIP - such a cool guy.

So, here is a picture but it was taken on my iPhone so you will have to excuse the quality :-(

I have moved on to page 2 which is lots more blue and a whole butterfly this time.  I'm hoping to get through it quickly because I want to get to her face on page 3!

Finally, today's question of the day :-)

Day 1: What was your first finished project?

It was actually my first start and my first finish (I obviously was a lot more disciplined then lol) a Country Companions kit of Tom Mouse and he wore a stripey jumper and wellies.  Luckily it was lots of blocks of colour and I stitched it as a present for my Nan.  I framed it (very badly) and it hung on her wall until she died and I think one of my cousins has it now.  If I looked hard enough I could probably still find the chart in my stash!

IHSW

I had a great hermitting weekend!  Despite the girls being around and DH not going back to work until Sunday morning, I got loads done :-)  I worked on one of my HAEDs - Tranquility by The Vintage Angel.  She is being stitched one over one, full crosses on 28ct bone jobelan.

The only problem I have now is that iphoto has let me down and just crashes everytime I try to import a photo :-(  I have taken one with my phone and have posted this for the meantime, so sorry no before shot just yet ..

There has been an awful lot of blue but bizarrely I have enjoyed stitching it.  You will see that one of the butterflies is starting to appear at the bottom :-)

.. sigh ..

aaaarrrrrrgggggghhh what is it with me and new starts at the moment??  Why can't I just settle down and get something done ... or maybe even *gasp* finished! I have another newbie in the pipeline - Tranquility by The Vintage Angel.  I couldn't resist and finally bought her in the sale.  Here she is again (I know that you've seen a picture here before but she is sooo gorgeous she is worth another look):

It seems like fate that I have a piece of my favourite bone jobelan in *exactly* the right size so I have to do it ... yes?  Completely dire on the thread front though, I think I have about 6 of the 90 I need - so another order has gone off to Donna at Cross Stitch Heaven.  But, after looking through my stash, another! Ta-da! some of the threads I need for the first column are in Dragon Charmer!  I could "borrow" them and put them back when the order comes from Donna.  So ... fate strikes again ... yes?!

That means I'll have had 3 new starts in just over a month!  Yes I know no-one is counting but seriously??  These are HAEDs we are talking about ... it's not like they are a short term commitment .. I *really* need to get a grip on myself!

Wow, it has been aaaages!

I just looked at my last post and it was 11 August!  It just goes to show you that the summer holidays really do nothing for your free time.  I had so little time to stitch, let alone blog :-(   But it was good to have fun with my girls, even if the weather was - as usual - disappointing!

Now the girls are back at school, DH is back at work for three weeks and the perfect time of year for staying in with your stitching is on it's way, it's time for a little me time.  So, in an effort to get my stitchin butt back in gear I am going to join in with the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend!!  I found out about it on Joyze's blog right here and I've posted the IHSW button here on my blog too.  Just click on the button to take you to the information page :-)

I think I am going to use the opportunity to make a new start - yes another one!  BUT this new one is a big love for me and I've waited quite a while for Michele at HAED to release it - it's Gypsy Firefly by Aimee Stewart.  I totally adore this one!! I often dreamt as a child of having my own gypsy caravan and travelling the highways and byways in it.  One of my favourite books was Danny Champion of the World, which if you have read it you will know that Danny and his Dad live in one!  Here she is:

I'm also adding another gorgeous chart to my stash this week and really must resist the temptation to start her too.  It's this one - Tranquility by The Vintage Angel.  Totally gorgeous and sooo peaceful!

But what have you been stitching, in those rare moments you have had to stitch, I hear you say?! Well, I am ashamed to say, it was another new start!  I had one of those weeks where nothing was calling to me (Really? Out of the all the wips I have? Yeah right!!) so I started Moonglow by Hannah Lynn.  Well my justification was that I didn't have a Hannah in my wips ;-D  Here is my progress so far, please excuse the gaps, but I was missing some threads.

Isn't it great - I just love the colours in Hannah's work.  And, now that I've got a picture, I can really see the moon coming together, up close it has just looked like a blob!

So, that's me caught up except for the blog I drafted over the summer with my new storage stash which I will add pictures to and post in a bit.