2012 Year End Review

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Terri | 3 comments

My 2012 Goals were:

■Get back to blogging more frequently. I think I did blog more frequently, but still feel guilty that I didn’t blog more than I did.

■Get back to rotating my stitching and tracking my time. I started out really strong on my rotation then lost my watch 🙁 I did continue to track my time, but more in the number of days it took me to stitch something than the actual length of time.

■Stick to my WIPocalypse goals and keep my page updated. Not 100% success.

■Post to the Theme-a-licious challenge as often as my rotation works into it. I was doing rather well in this, too, until I hit a “snag” then just couldn’t get myself back in it.

■Post my monthly TUSAL. I don’t think I ever did this. It was laziness on my part because I certainly kept up with it at home!

■Participate in at least 6 3 Fair and Square exchanges. (changed 1/8/12) 1 finished 2/12 I had every intention in participating in the 3 exchanges. Once I finished the first one I never saw notification of any others. I’ve since figured out what I did wrong so I can see when the new exchanges come up.

■Finish out all 6 3 received Fair and Square exchanges. My received item is sitting on my finishing table waiting on me to finish it. I’ve already decided what I want to do, I’m just having trouble finding a suitable finishing item for it.

■Stitch a Santa ornament for my Santa display. I stitched 3 Prairie Schooler Santas for my display…but they never got ornamentified 🙁

■Take at least 1 stitching related class. Oh, joy, oh, yes! I attended the Attic’s Summer Soiree and had a blast! The projects we received in class are at the very top of my finish list for 2013.

■Finish logging my charts into my spreadsheet. I am 90% finished with this!!!!

■Start organizing my freebies. Didn’t get to them or the magazines since I didn’t finish with the charts.

■Organize my magazine designs.

The first half of 2012 found Mister and I holding our breath and living a wait and see life. His retirement on February 1 scared us both a little. It was such a huge change for us going first from two incomes, down to his, then down to 75% of his. I was so thankful that I remembered how frugal I had to be when we first married. Of course back then there was no internet to peruse to find hints and secrets of how everyone else was doing it 😉 It took awhile for his disability pay to kick in, but once that happened we both felt the relief those funds could bring.

I traveled in January to Las Vegas and had a blast with Melissa, Annette and Annette’s mother, Pat. There was a lot of stitching, and laughing, and a good bit of gambling that occurred and I actually came home richer than I arrived.

I enjoyed as many open stitching nights as I could at Attic Needlework. There were several Bag Ladies stitchins, and I loved, loved, loved the Sampler Sundays I attended. I feel so blessed to be living near Attic, getting to know so many designers that live nearby, and stitching with some wonderful women.

I found a really nice quilt shop and started the first of 3 quilt classes in January. I still haven’t finished the two quilts (one needs binding, one needs quilting and binding) but I did manage to finish what I think is a beautiful quilted bag that I tote all over the place with my stitching.

I read more books than I can remember and feel bad that I didn’t keep track of just how much I read.

And stitching! Lordy, did I stitch this year! I have been having so much fun with it! I had 11 stitching pieces on my WIPacolypse list. I finished 3. I also started 7 more, and finished 5 of those. Not bad 😉

Petite Mexican Sampler – The Samplar Workes – finished
Peacock Tapestry – Teresa Wentzler – (started 9/99) stitched on for 10 hours
Harmony – Serendipity Designs – started 11/23/97 — this had about 10 stitches in it. I took it with me to Vegas and unstitched it, then gridded the bottom of the fabric. Fortunately, I measured before I started stitching again and discovered there would have only been a one inch margin all the way around my fabric. I have put it aside, and taken it off my WIP/UFO list for now since there’s nothing but a gridded piece of fabric.
Haiku – Dimples Designs – started January 2004 – finished
Fairy Moon – Mirabilia – started October 27, 2004 – this saw a lot of stitching. I am almost finished with the stitching and will keep her in my 2013 rotation until she’s finished.
QS Letting Go – HAED – November 19, 2005
Red Desert Scissor Pocket – The Cat’s Whiskers – started October 11, 2006 – needs finishing out
Quaker Needlework Treasures – With My Needle – originally started October 2006; picked back up January 11, 2010
Le Marquoir de Justine – started January 4, 2007
Hannah Beeby – finished 4/15/12
Houses of Hawk Run Hollow – Carriage House Samplings – started January 18, 2010
New Start – Rose Quaker Sampler – Wiehenburg – (Started 4/25/12 stitchalong on Wednesdays)
New Start — Hannah Gilpin 1800 – Needleprint
Mary Wigham – Needleprint – New Start 4/26/12 – finished 9/1/12 I fell so in love with this piece I couldn’t put it down!
Americana – Carriage House Samplings – New Start finished 6/9/12
America – Little House Needleworks – New Start finished 6/17/12
Betsy – Sheepish Designs – New Start finished 6/25/12
America – Blackbird Designs – New Start finished 7/8/12

I also conquered my fear of finishing ornaments!

I got a new car! I got to travel to California and see Son and Melissa. Son and Girlfriend came here for Christmas. My parents came here for New Year (haven’t visited me in over 12 years).

All in all I feel I had a really good year. Mister and I stayed healthy. Harley Quinn had a rough year-end, but it looks like she’s completely healed and we’re very thankful to be starting 2013 with her and Jasper healthy.

Mister starts back to school on Monday. I’m looking forward to the routine it helps keep me in and the uninterrupted stitching time it gives me.

Last but not least, I managed to finally start And They Sinned yesterday. I have a 25% off everything coupon for Jo-Ann so I’ll be buying DMC for Berlin Woolwork Sampler and starting on that on the 15th.

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Posted in And They Sinned, Berlin Woolwork Sampler, Goals, Puppies, Quilting, Samplers - Original, Samplers - Repro, Stitching, Weight

A new year to blog about!

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Terri | 2 comments

The last of my company has left and my house is so quiet now. I think Mister and I are going to spend the rest of today getting him ready for school (trip to the college bookstore?), running errands that have been put off for over a week, and hopefully some stitching for me (I didn’t get to start my New Year day project). I have stitch-in at Attic tonight and have every intention of going since I’ve missed the past two weeks. I’m also hoping to get a 2012 recap put together over the next couple of days.

Then there’s the holiday decorations to put away. I’m taking my time this year and weeding out what has been broken to throw away, and no longer used to perhaps be repurposed. Next stop, Mardi Gras decorating 😉

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Posted in Life

More Gratitude

Posted on December 27, 2012 by Terri | 2 comments

I ended up restitching what I frogged, plus more, on Gratitude yesterday. The magnifier did help, however, I frogged it out again. It just looks like awful knots because the fiber is so thick. I was ready to “frisbee” that project across the room after frogging it a second time! I immediately started working on Fairy Moon while we caught up on Arrow on the DVR and made great progress on it.

I had a nail appointment this morning and drove over to Attic afterward to get some new silks for Gratitude but Jean talked me into doing tent stitch with the silks I have instead of full crosses with new silks. Now I’m trying to decide if I want to stitch on Gratitude or Fairy Moon tonight.

I don’t know how much I’ll be blogging for the next week or so. My parents are leaving from Louisiana tomorrow morning and heading this way for a week. I have no idea what we’ll be doing while they’re here! 😆

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Posted in Fairy Moon, Gratitude

2013 Crafting Plans – Part 2

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Terri | Comments Off

Beading/Chaining
Needle holder kit
Necklace kit
Black and Silver bracelet (chain)
Red and White bracelet kit (chain)

Quilting
Sampler Quilt binding
Bed Scarf

Wool Work
Ornaments kit
“Spring” Pin Cushion kit
Pumpkin Pin Cushion kit

All the items on the lists above are things I already own and want to work with before buying more.

Reading
There are a few leather bound books in our collection that I would like to read. I’ve gotten so used to using my Kindle Fire that I forget about the wonderful books I have tucked away in my small library in the living room. I haven’t decided on which books I’ll read but will try to read at least 6 of them (some of the ones I looked at a couple of months ago were rather large and some of them are collections – like Jane Austen).

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Posted in Life

Happy Holidays!

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Terri | 1 comment

A belated Merry Christmas to all those who believe in, and celebrate, Christmas. Actually Merry Christmas to everyone 😉 My Christmas celebration was a day early as Son and Girlfriend flew in on Sunday morning and had to fly out again Christmas night. I cooked and we opened gifts on Monday and spent Christmas day sitting around talking and being as lazy as we could be with the thought of “we have a plane to catch” in the back of our mind. Needless to say it went by way too fast.

I was blessed though! Mister bought me a beautiful bracelet with charms that represent my Bandit (beautiful blue and white swirls), Harley Quinn (black spotted bling), and stitching (a frog prince 😉 ). He couldn’t find one that represented Jasper at the time he purchased the other two so he’ll be looking for that one next. In addition to their presence, DS and Girlfriend gave me a delicious box of chocolates and a gift card to help enable my hobbies. DS and Girlfriend also talked the whole weekend about getting married. She bought him a Klingon dictionary and they were also joking around about memorizing wedding vows in Klingon. All the marriage talk made my heart go pitter patter. They’ve been a couple for 6 years.

As planned, I started Scarlet Letter’s Gratitude yesterday and worked on it while listening to A Christmas Carol and DS and GF talking. I absolutely adore the 1938 black and white version and recorded it while we were sleeping Christmas Eve. I really need to get a copy for my collection as I could watch it more than just during Christmas. I saved what I recorded and will be stitching to it again this afternoon while the house is quiet.

Anyway, after about an hour I had to put Gratitude aside. It’s full crosses over 1 on 40 count and I’m definitely going to be stitching this one under a magnifier. Wearing my readers didn’t help much! LOL Looks like I’ll be doing some stitching space rearranging later today to see if I can get my stitching table close enough for my small magnifier. If not I’ll have to figure out where to stitch on it, or maybe just keep it as my Attic stitching piece.

I got so caught up in decorating the house and getting ready for Son and GF to get here that I slacked off on updating my blog and working on more of my 2013 crafting plans. They are many, but small, if that makes sense 😉 I’ll finish them up and get them posted by the weekend as my parents are driving in and due to arrive on Saturday. This will be the first time they’ve visited me in more than 11 years.

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Posted in Family, Gratitude, Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year, Samplers - Repro, Scarlet Letter, Stitching

2013 Crafting Plans – Part 1

Posted on December 5, 2012 by Terri | 2 comments

I have become interested in so many things this past year that I can’t make just stitching plans anymore! While stitching is my predominant obsession, there is also quilting, reading, chain maille, beading, and what I call “general craftiness.” (And, yes, I know reading is not a craft.) I have decided to make a permanent note of some things I’d like to accomplish in 2013. Nothing is set in stone. I know my tastes might change, or I may not like something after I’ve tried it, so I won’t have any guilt about altering or deleting something from my list. The main thing will be to shop my own stuff.

I’ve decided to break up my plans since the stitching portion is so large! LOL

Stitching

1. I’ve spent the past couple of weeks organizing my craft room and entering my stitching into a spreadsheet. I pulled a whole bunch of stuff out that I know I will never, ever stitch so number 1. on my list is de-stash.

2. Since I got to look at every single design I now own, I was reminded of so many of the things I bought and have put away that I truly love and want to complete. Many of them purchased as kits, or kitted up by me, most of them very small stitching accessories, or tiny samplers, that I want to stitch. I’ve put them in a basket and want to stitch from that basket first before I pull something new out of my vast selection.

Here’s a list:

Blackbird Designs – Feast of Friendship
Dessins – Deers Among Wood
Examplar Dames – And They Sinned
Needlemade Designs – ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas
Needle’s Prayse – Berlin Woolwork Sampler
NeedleWorkPress – Commemorating a Centennial
Plum Street Samplers – Beans, Beans
Plum Street Samplers – Eliza Scattergood
Scarlet Letter – Gratitude
Scarlett House – Christmastide at Holly House
Blackbird Designs – Waiting for the Harvest
Cherry Wood Designs – Acorn Pincushion
Chessie & Me – Pumpkin Stack
Erica Michaels – Mending
Ewe & I & Friends – Queen of Hearts
Ink Circles – Treble, Bass, and Alto designs
Just Nan – Needle Tweets
Just Nan – Feathered Fashion
Little House Needleworks – Home of a Needleworker
Little House Needleworks – A Stitcher’s Prayer
Little House Needleworks – Scissors Bed
Little House Needleworks – Schoolgirl Lessons
Little House Needleworks – Jessie Bell – Arizona Territory
Lizzie Kate – Life’s a Stitch
Lizzie Kate – A Good Marriage
Lizzie Kate – Less is More
Milady’s Needle – Faithful Friends
Scarlett House – Emma Mills 1839
Sweetheart Tree – Teeny Wedding Announcement
Threads of Gold – Barbara Schlater
Twisted Oaks Design – Roses and Rooster
Prairie Schooler – 1987-2012 annual Santas

A bit scary, huh. These are things that have not been started! Will they all get started? Most definitely not, and even if they do I don’t promise that they’ll get finished in 2013 either. They’re just what I’m hoping to choose from when I ~~need~~ want a new start.

In addition to the above, I will also continue working on my WIPs. The first ones pulled are going to be Dimple Designs – Haiku, and Mirabilia – Fairy Moon. Both are very close to being finished. As mentioned in a previous post I am planning on starting Scarlet Letter “Gratitude” on Christmas day, and will start Examplar Dames “And They Sinned” on January 1, and Needle’s Prayse “Berlin Woolwork Sampler” on January 15. As of this writing I am planning on these last two being my only large starts for 2013 while I work on some of my other larger WIPs during the year.

I’ll update on the other craftiness in the next few days. Right now I have a third of my china cabinet spread out all over my kitchen (been moving furniture); boxes and boxes of holiday decorations piled up in the garage that Mister is patiently (for now) waiting on me to dig through for what I want to put up this year; 3 large boxes of things in my guest room that need to be sorted out so Son will have a place to sleep when he arrives; my cutting table set up in the upstairs hallway covered with beading, chain maille, wool, and quilting craft stuff I’ve been sorting; and a Coke Zero calling my name.

Oh, and for those following along. HarleyQuinn had a successful surgery. She is still recoverying to the point where she is still having to take pain pills. We were warned it was major and the recovery would be slow (about a month). She is still having some digestive problems but we think it’s due to the medicines and then change in diet she had to have due to surgery. She had lost about a pound and a half and for her that is a LOT. She started having her regular food worked back into her diet yesterday and we’re keeping our fingers crossed that it will help with her digestive problems and get some weight back on her. Right this second she’s taking a nap with Mister and Jasper.

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Posted in Goals, Life, Stitching

Yep, I did it!

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Terri | 1 comment

I have obligated myself to a stitch-along 😀

Nicola’s Scarlet Letter Year

I have chosen Gratitude as my first SL piece. I have 3 other Scarlet Letter designs in my stash and will chose the next one once Gratitude is finished. If you’re interested in joining in click on the graphic above and it will take you to the rules. (Link repaired! Sorry about that.)

Mary Wigham is home from the framers and on the wall.

In non-stitchy news, smalls tweaks to the abode still occur. We are in the process of installing the stairwell pendant, and dining room chandelier. A longer ladder is required. The 17 foot one Mister bought is not long enough to keep me from having palpitations when he’s trying to do these things. Last night, he had a few palpitations, too. Thus the decision (naturally).

I’ve also started decorating for Christmas. For the first time in our 31 years of marriage I am “allowing” colored lights on our tree! LOL This means a new purchase. We’ve been twice and still don’t have enough! Once more trip should do it.

Pictures of the new lighting and decorations will be shared later, when all the sawdust and shredded paper has been finally dealt with.

😀

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Posted in Decorating, Domestic, Gratitude, Mary Wigham, Nicola's Scarlet Letter Year, Samplers - Repro, Stitching

Thanksgiving

Posted on November 22, 2012 by Terri | Comments Off

“For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food,
For love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

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Posted in Life

Secrets

Posted on November 16, 2012 by Terri | 7 comments

How good are you at keeping them? It’s hard for me sometimes. Look at the secret I discovered tonight!

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Posted in Carriage House Samplings

Stitchin’ and a Quiltin’

Posted on November 15, 2012 by Terri | Comments Off

My house smells so good right now! I am baking banana bread. Yummy!

Yesterday was Bag Ladies at Attic Needlework. It’s starts at 10:00 a.m. and finishes when the last stitcher leaves, or they run us off so they can close the store. You bring a bag lunch, thus the name. I have not been able to attend as frequently as I’d like since it’s only once a month and so many times this past year I’ve had a schedule conflict, from either a quilt class or a doctor appointment.

Tonight is open stitch at Attic Needlework. This is a weekly event and I go as often as I can. Sometimes I don’t feel like packing up my stitching to drive the hour to get there because I’m already sitting cozy in my stitching chair and stitching up a storm. Most of the time I go because I love the company.

Progress is still moving along (although slowly yesterday) in the organization arena. Hopefully tomorrow I’ll get a lot done. Harley has her surgery and I’m hoping I can get in my room and fret my troubles away in a productive manner instead of being a complete basket case sitting in my chair and borrowing trouble. I’ve very good at borrowing trouble when it comes to the puppies.

Edgar, over at Blacksheep’s bit of the Web, is having a beautiful gift-away if quiltin’s your thang 😉 Go give him some love. He does beautiful stitching and makes me want to move in with some of the baking he shares.