Theme-a-licious Check-in

So this is my first mid-month check in for Theme-a-licious.

I don't have any pix ready to post, so I think I'll just tell you a bit about my plans.

This month's theme is: Figural February - "Who are the people in your neighborhood...your WIP neighborhood, that is? Give your people-populated projects some face time this month."

Most of what I stitch includes people, but I will make a special effort on a couple of neglected pieces this month. (I hope.)

I received my 2012 Mirabilia Round Robin back (finally). However, the last stitcher only put in a partial section, and she stitched it in the wrong box. :(    So, I picked out the stitches she had done, and I stitched Nora Corbett's Lavender Pixie in the correct box. Dear, sweet Julie from Red Couch Stitcher , has volunteered to stitch the remaining box with Sweet Pea pixie, so I don't have to do two boxes. When I get it back from her, I will do the beading on all eight pixies. I will share a picture during my WIPocalypse check in.

I really want to put in another couple hundred stitches into Yiota's Bellydancer No. 1.

Here is what she looked like last time:

I'm almost certain that I won't reach the actual bellydancer, but I'd like to make some progress.

I have also long neglected my Passione Ricamo Mistery Fairy SAL. I completed through Step 2. We've received Step 8 at the beginning of February. I guess I'm a little behind.

This is what it looked like through Step 2 (keeping in mind that I do the beading at the end):

So, let's see if I've made any progress by the end of the month. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Tardy WIPs and Hunks

I know, I know. I'm tardy again. Being on time has never been one of my strong points. (blush)

I've been busy stitching away this month. Here are my WIPs/Finishes:

Let's start with my RAK project. You've already seen this, and I haven't added anything else, but it counts as a WIP for this month, right?? ;-)

Next, we have my RR portion of Kathy's Mirabilia piece. You saw a sneaky pic of it last time, but now it's done. I loved this one! (except for the #8 Kreinik. Blech!)

 

I finished my section of Debbie's Joan Elliott RR. This is Water Goddess. This piece is absolutely fantastic!

Next up is Linda's Band Sampler RR. She is doing an Indigo Rose-themed piece. Really stunning.

 

I finished Part 2 of the Passione Ricamo Mystery SAL, just in time to receive Part 3!

 

I added another 300+ stitches to the Bellydancer from Yiota's . 

 

I started some of the shells and coral that are going in the center of my Mirabilia large-stitch RR.

Lastly, I did a bit of work on TOT from Nora. Most of you out there know what I mean, but I'm being purposely vague. This is a birthday present for a dear friend that might, possibly be reading this blog. I don't know if I'm going to get it done in time, but I'm sure gonna try.

 

Now, for the hunks.

I've been feeling really down this week, so I think I need some extra hunkage today. One of my very favorite hunky movies is King Arthur, starring Clive Owen. There were LOTS of hunky, manly men in this movie. Here are my favorites.

Clive Owen as King Arthur

Ioan Gryffudd as Lancelot

Mads Mikkelsen as Tristan

Ray Stevenson as Dagonet

Joel Edgerton as Gawain

Hugh Dancy as Galahad

I hope you found one that you like. I found six of them!

See you next time.

August WIPocalypse and stashing

All through July I kept thinking that I wasn't getting as much stitching time as I wanted to over the summer. However, when I started taking pix for this post I said, "Oh. I guess I had a bit more time than I thought.."

 I finished Steph's little fairy for the Joan Elliott RR.

I did a Sweetheart Tree Heart for Kathy's Band Sampler RR. This one is Morning Glory Heart.

 I stitched Part 1 of the Passione Ricamo Mystery Fairy SAL. (I just received Part 2, and will stitch it after the next couple RR finishes.)

 I don't usually like to show full pix of partial RRs, but I haven't done enough on this one to worry about it. Besides, Debbie already knows that I'm stitching Water Goddess for her Joan Elliott RR.

I put in about another 400 stitches on my Bellydancer for Yiota. Not much, but I'm trying to get at least some done every month. The colors are quite pretty in person.

While the pic gives away more than I'd like, I'm very excited to be almost done with my portion of Kathy's Mira RR. Her theme is Christmas. Do you know what this is?

Lastly, I haven't stitched on her in months, and I have lots of higher priority stitching to do, but I got some kind of bug up my keister and had to pick up Mediterranean Mermaid. Her hair is almost done. She needs some more blue highlights. Speaking of which, I changed the main color of her hair to 310, because the only hair I know of that has blue highlights is jet black. (Besides, when I saw the original pic of her, that's what I thought it was. Not brown.)

I said lastly, but what I meant was the last WIP pic. I did not, however, share a picture of the results of my naughtiness. My postie was very good to me this week. *blush*

 

I ordered two extra Polstitches fabrics to go along with my FOTM. There are also two Joan Elliott charts (Goddess of the Sea and Woodland Goddess), and a whole bunch of beads. Some are the purple ones that I will put on the PR Fairy, and the orange/yellow ones are for JE's Fire Goddess. I'll post about that another time. BTW, the fabrics are left-to-right, Toffee Popsicle opal lugana, Abyss opal Cashel, and Bali Sunset L/E jobelan.

I will try soon to scan my whole collection of fabbies and put them on a separate page here.

For those of you wondering about Hunky Friday, I'm exhausted after camp. I'll post tomorrow.

Hugs!

~ Karen

p.s. Tomorrow is the deadline for entries into my giveaway!

4th of July WIPocalypse

Well, here we are. Another month has gone by. Have I gotten any stitching done? Yes, but not enough.

I finished Cat's Band Sampler RR. Boy, was that one a doozy!

Cat's Band Sampler RR

I finished Linda's Mirabilia RR. Garden Beauty. I gave her a little nose job. She had quite a beak on her.

Linda's Mirabilia RR

I'm around halfway through Stephanie's Joan Elliott Garden Fairies RR. I don't usually like to show partial pix of RR squares, but I tried being clever keeping my section unfocused in the back. (A trick I got from Laura of Passione Ricamo, revealing unfocused teaser pieces.)

Stephanie's JE Garden Fairies RR

Speaking of Passione Ricamo...I have the supplies to start the Mistery SAL (except a few PTBs), but I haven't had time to start it yet.

But, speaking of new starts...I figured I needed to start a wee bit on the Bellydancer kit that I am reviewing for Yiota's . I managed to quickly do the first two 10 x 10 blocks yesterday.

Bellydancer No 1 from Yiota's

"What else have you done, Karen?" you ask. Well, I decided that I'm not happy with my DMC StitchBows, so I'm going back to Ye Olde Floss Bobbins. I've been winding, and winding, and winding...and I haven't even scratched the surface. The Girl-child seems to enjoy watching me wind, though.

By the next WIPocalypse check-in I will need to have worked on and/or finished: Steph's JE RR, Kathy's Sweetheart Tree Band Sampler RR, Kathy's Mirabilia RR, and Debbie's JE RR. Not to mention putting a dent in the Bellydancer, completing Section 1 of the PR SAL, and starting Section 2. I'm exhausted just thinking about it, but in a good way.

That about sums up this month. See you in August!

I'm excited!

I'm very excited that I've joined the Passione Ricamo Mistery Fairy SAL!

I have several PR charts that I haven't gotten around to starting yet. (Along with dozens of Miras and Joan Elliott's, etc.) But I think they're fabulous and I've been eager to try one. I saw the post on Laura's blog and even though I'm swamped with round robins and the kit I need to review for Yiota's, I knew I had to sign up! I figured that if I can do one small-ish section a month, why I'll just have my very own FINISHED Passione Ricamo fairy next year. How awesome would that be?

In looking at the Polstitches fabrics that Laura suggested, I knew I had a piece of Angel Dust jobelan. But, it turned out, and Laura agreed, that it was just too colorful for this detailed pattern.

So, I dug back into my box and found a Limited Edition monthly jobelan from Polstitches called Bouquet. It's breathtaking in person.

The photo I took for the floss toss is making all the colors look a bit washed out, but you get the idea. (I'm missing a few of the pretty PTBs that have been ordered.)

In case you are interested in joining the SAL, the sign ups close on June 30. The first section will be sent out on July 1st. I can't wait!! Now I have to hustle and get my outstanding round robins done. Come on needles, FLY!