Keeping Me Honest

Dear gentle readers, remember all the way back to Friday and my list of doom err plans for the weekend?  Well I feel I should try for a little honest recapitulation of accomplishments:



1.  ....finish at least one and a half entire rows of roses on that darned Victorian heart
                Nope.  Got some leaves done though.
2.  ....finish an ornament for Silverlotus' 2013 Ornament SAL  (Have you joined?  You really should you know.  Come on.  I know you want to.)
                 Yes!!!!!!!!!   And it was even a year-old UFO-- 

3.  ....make some progress on another xs of my fancy
             Yes!!!!  And please, dear Lord, let it not become a year-old UFO before it's finished.

That's a Doodle -- Holiday Sprinkles to be precise

4.  ....*not* stitch so long at a time as to bruise my tailbone (which I always seem to do when left without adventures for the entire weekend)
             Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I did accomplish this.  Yahoo!!!!!!!!!!
5.  ...no longer have to hop over that silly little box in the middle of the kitchen hall (It fell off a pile 3 weeks ago and I still have yet to pick it up.  Yes, I am cognizant of the fact that I am pathetic.  Thanks for noticing.)
              Yup.  Box no longer in middle of aisle.  Now it's on the top of a pile.  Baby steps, people.  baby steps.
6.  ...have an empty laundry bin... and an empty rocking chair (where the clean laundry frequently lives when hanging it up seems like way too much work).... and a lack of piles in front of the closet (where the clean laundry goes when the rocking chair is overfull)
             Yes sir.  Major accomplishment here--  6 loads of laundry all done and put as away as they can get.
7.  ...while doing the above, finishing 2 audio books -- Glock  and Shards of Honor, and get the vast majority of the way through Design for Murder which is due on Tuesday.
              Yes, well sort of.  Finished Glock.  Finished Design for Murder.  Read the end of Shards of Honor to make sure I was going to be pleased with it.  I was, now having a hard time facing the middle of it.  How do you do this, So Many Books?????  For the record, it's not like I didn't know how this book had to end.  Sheesh, it's a 20-ish book series.  I *knew* how it had to come out, just not, well, *how* it came out.  Sigh.  So instead of finishing Shards, I started Christie's Three Act Tragedy.
8.  ...have NOT spent all weekend "cleaning" my stash (aka fondling it and leaving it out in the way... like always)
               Success!   I am so proud that I did NOT play stash fondler all weekend!
9.  ....have not spent hours of the weekend flipping TV channels hoping something interesting will miraculously appear.
               Welllllll.  I was really successful at this on Saturday, I backslide on Sunday, and the parts of Monday I was home I did pretty well.  I'd give me a B/B- for effort.



Well, all things considered I think that was a successful wish list.  Maybe I should try it again.   I'll have to think logically about goals --- I'm to flushed with pride from my weekend victories to make reasonable ones right now.

Happy stitching!

Happy Friday

Well, I'm hoping for a happy Friday for all of us.  I figure if I think perky, maybe I'll get to perky.  At the moment I'm stuck at really-it's-not-the-weekend-yet.

What I need to focus on is that I can stitch (and clean, darn it) all weekend -- no shop for me this weekend and no adventures.  Just me, my audio books, stitching, and Chez Hovel... alllll weekend.   Oh the things I could do!

For instance, I hope by Monday to...:  (hysterical wish list commencing)
1.  ....finish at least one and a half entire rows of roses on that darned Victorian heart
2.  ....finish an ornament for Silverlotus' 2013 Ornament SAL  (Have you joined?  You really should you know.  Come on.  I know you want to.)
3.  ....make some progress on another xs of my fancy
4.  ....*not* stitch so long at a time as to bruise my tailbone (which I always seem to do when left without adventures for the entire weekend)
5.  ...no longer have to hop over that silly little box in the middle of the kitchen hall (It fell off a pile 3 weeks ago and I still have yet to pick it up.  Yes, I am cognizant of the fact that I am pathetic.  Thanks for noticing.)
6.  ...have an empty laundry bin... and an empty rocking chair (where the clean laundry frequently lives when hanging it up seems like way too much work).... and a lack of piles in front of the closet (where the clean laundry goes when the rocking chair is overfull)
7.  ...while doing the above, finishing 2 audio books -- Glock  and Shards of Honor, and get the vast majority of the way through Design for Murder which is due on Tuesday.
8.  ...have NOT spent all weekend "cleaning" my stash (aka fondling it and leaving it out in the way... like always)
9.  ....have not spent hours of the weekend flipping TV channels hoping something interesting will miraculously appear.

The problem with the above list is that I've been seriously coveting items from the new SANQ--

I have to say I've been really good.  I've probably had my issue for 2 weeks and I have not started a single thing!   See.  I've been outstanding!

The problem is I really, really want to start that cover piece--

or I'm also quite taken by --

Can't you just see this in a dark foresty green overdye on a fabric similar to this?  Well I can and it's calling my name.

Oh, the anguish of potential starts!!!!!   I *must* refrain.  I MUST complete some of my *hee*hee* "in progress" projects.  Honest to pete, if there's an earthquake they are going to find me under a sea of half-done stitching.

I wish you all a productive and peaceful weekend (don't you bruise your tailbones either).  Let's all meet next week to discuss our accomplishments.

Rainy Tuesdays

Don't you think rainy days are meant for being a slug and stitching?  Me too.  Unfortunately that's just not in the cards for me on this rainy day,  But you know what, I can dream!  So while I imagine I'm practicing my best slug skills, allow me to catch you up on some finishes.

Many, many moons ago (aka December 2012) I got a couple pieces back from the finisher and I never posted them.  How lame is that?  First up a little cube needlepoint ornie to commemorate my first trip to NY.

For reference, that cube is about an inch square.  I was allegedly stitching on this for several years, but really it was the finishing that slowed me down.  I saw some come back from one of our finishers and the cube looked like an ill-used marble -- not cool at all.  When we got a new finisher added to our stable I checked with her and she swore she could actually make cubes.  And, bless her soul, she did.

Funnily enough this last Christmas I went to NY again.  Want proof?

I guess you know this means I need another NY ornie.  Anyone got a vote on what I ought to commemorate this time?  I think I'm leaning to the Rockefeller Center tree since that's where my sister contends I picked a fight with a strange man.  For the record, *I*, gentle reader, did not pick any fight.  I was picked upon.  *And* he was a dufus.

The following ornie is also done by "the new finisher" -- who did up this little heart just perfectly --  For the record, it commemorates nothing... or possibly it commemorates me and my TNNA stashing since I ordered this one year at the show-- 2011 I think.

The heart is in 3 Fyre Werks (I have to stay true to my favorite metallic.) and was a treat to stitch.   Some day I really need a hovel big enough for a tree.

And I have certainly not abandoned my xs.  Mostly I've been sorting it -- you know, "cleaning" by moving it from pile to pile  (merely, as we all know, an excuse for fondling it and dreaming about new starts).  But a couple weeks ago I failed to post progress on my By the Bay summer mystery SAL --

Since this is my commuter bus piece and I have taken it out of my tote bag, I doubt you'll see much progress on it in the coming weeks.  Wish it well while it takes a little commuting holiday.

Here's wishing you a peaceful rest of your day full of frog-free stitching .... and even a new start if that would make you as happy as it generally makes me.

Turtle Trot February Check-In

Well, I said "soon" in the last post, but I didn't define it.  Apparently it should be defined as "roughly about a month."  Sigh.   I am going to try and get better.  I know, I know, Yoda says there is "no try," but, well, in this case he's wrong.  And besides he's fictional and can probably move corporatations full of bureaucracy with his mind -- there's a super power that I'd like to have!

And here's my February check in ....

1.  The Victornia Heart has has good progress -- but still no picture -- I think I'm afraid the camera will steal its soul.
3.  Sundance's powwow shawl dancer has made it all the way to:

The background is Splendor and Flair and is going quite nicely.

8. Quaker a la Six Mains –  I only just picked it up this morning for the bus commute to work.

13. Ethel (actually from a painting called something lie Market Day at St. Remy) – Ok, I only worked on this for 4 minutes one night.  Literally.  Just 4.

No progress on:
2.  Lanarte’s -- Arabian Woman.
5. Tish’s – Ladies Day (needlepoint).
6. ByGone Stitches – One Nation.
7. Princess and Me’s – Golden Gate Bridge ornie (needlepoint).
9. Labors of Love’s – cocoa cup (needlepoint).
10. Blackbird Designs’ – America.
11. Liz’ – California Quail (needlepoint).
14+  Friendly Stitchers’ – Sampler Mystery.
14+  Patriotic Heart (needlepoint).
14+  Lee’s – Plum floral fan (needlepoint).
14+ Any one of 12 needlepoint ornies I have started.
14+  Any one of 20 xs ornies I have started.

I can't even currently find:
4. Ewe and Eye and Friends – Rose City Stitchers.
12. Stitch Specialists’ -- Tree of Stitches.
14+ Chessie and Me’s – In Virtue’s Ways.
14+ Martina Dey’s – Vierlanden mystery.
14+ Trilogy’s – Gathering of Hearts.

Stuff -- TNNA report, stash, and things that make life fun.

Well, I was going to do a Turtle Trot check-in, but I don't have most of the pics I need.  Somehow I thought I was photoing appropriately, but noooooo.  So instead you get some other recent shots and generalized commentary -- Hope you don't mind.

I enjoyed my time at TNNA this year as always, but somehow I just didn't haul the camera out so much.  I don't know why.  Trust me, it's not like I wasn't shopping my little assets off!  Sheesh you should see my list of things ordered!!!   Argh.  What was I thinking?????  It's like my sanity gets exchanged for my "retailer" badge at the door.

I fell in love, but didn't settle on one in particular to buy from Canvas Works --

I really, really love that one.  It is painted so very perfectly for stitching.  Imagine it all done up in silks!   Yes, I do believe somewhere in the middle of 2013, that one will need to be mine.

But then again, Canvas Works also has:

and

Sigh.


I picked up this little darling from Associated Talents:

Sprinkles, Fyre Werks, beads, and treasures here I come!


I picked up this beauty from Barbara Russell for a shop customer--

I convinced my friend to get the whole Menorah of these from Raymond Crawford -- absolutely stunning!!!!

He's maybe 4 inches high and the central candle is maybe 5.5 inches.

In short, I was a bad, bad girl at TNNA.   I must now become a finishing fiend.  Becuase besides my haul from the show, before I even left I picked up the following from my shop's ultra sale bin --

What can I say, it was a Charlie Harper -- I couldn't let it go.  What do you think -- the tiger all in Very Velvet and the cats in Fuzzy Stuff?

And just a little ornie --

Ok.  I'm feeling really guilty now.  Back later after flogging myself for excessive shopping.