March SBQ

The latest question from Lee:
Do you participate in exchange or RR stitching? Why or why not?
I do, from time to time.  I've only done one round robin, and had a less-than-ideal experience (although I DID get my own project back, and was pleased with the finished project).  We just had some people drop out/disappear mid-stream, and that was disappointing.  Heck, I managed to keep up, and I moved and started a new job during the course of the robin, so they didn't have any excuse in my book!  LOL  Since then I joined the "Me Myself and I RR," a self-designed AND self-stitched neighborhood, which I guess was supposed to give us the comraderie of round robin stitching without the pain of slacking participants.  End result?  Well, at least on my end....it resulted in extreme slackage.  Ha!  My little Fairy Tale Towne is still in the WIP bin, with one house and a partially-stitched castle...  At this point in my life, I'm not in a hurry to join any more round robins.  I just don't have the time.
I've done several exchanges, too, all via the Hooked on Exchanging blog.  These are a lot of fun, and I've received some lovely things!  Is everything exactly perfect for me/something I would have stitched for myself?  Of course not.  But to me, that is part of the fun - seeing what others like and what they think I might like.  I've actually discovered new designers and styles this way, and everything has been beautifully stitched and finished.  I love when exchange mail comes!  I can only hope that the recipients of my stitching are pleased with it, too.  Exchanges, with their themes and mailing deadlines, are something I can handle and enjoy.  And the nice thing is, I can always chose not to participate for a round or 2 if things are getting hectic on the homefront!

Marching toward the WIPocalypse

I'm not sure where the time is going this year.  :(  March has seemed especially crazy so far, with birthdays (DH and Wee One), travel for work, and assorted other randomness.  I was in Syracuse for a work-related conference earlier this week, and I did take some stitching with me...but accomplished nothing but staring at cable TV for a couple hours.  Oh well.

For this round of the WIPocalypse, I tried to focus on the Stoney Creek fox cubs.  Some nights I'd get in a groove, others it felt like I did a handful of stitches and then quit...but it does look like there was some progress made.  (I'll move this pic over to the WIPocalypse tab, too, so you can compare!)

And then I kept working on the Stag Sampler.  The top is actually finished, hence the rolling up on the frame!  I've made a few changes - the "jewels" in the crown are different colors from the pattern, and I added the year under the crown.

Finally, I caved and made a reservation for Celebrations in New Hampshire at the end of April.  I was all set to give up on going this year, but then they posted the pic of Keslyn's Butterfly Garden project, and I couldn't resist.  So I'll be there Wednesday night - since the class is at 9 am Thursday, and it is a 6-hour drive for me - until sometime Saturday.  I'd originally planned to arrive Thursday and leave Sunday, but again, it was the Keslyn's project that really called to me, so I altered my plans accordingly!  If anyone else will be there or lives in the area (Carol?  Measi?), I'd love to meet up.  Oh, and I decided to go to the Friday night dinner event, too.  But I'm still free Thursday afternoon/evening, most of the day Friday, and Saturday morning/early afternoon.  And if no one is around, I'm sure I can entertain myself STITCHING!! LOL

Feeling ranty (and not accomplishing much)

Having a toddler in the house is exhausting.  (Tonight we had a fit of hysterics over crackers.)  I AM stitching - some nights I have to just to hang on to a bit of sanity! - but too often I stitch until it is bedtime and neglect to take a picture/download said picture from camera/upload picture to this blog.  Sigh.  Rest assured that I HAVE been working on the Stoney Creek fox cubs, and also a few lengths of floss on the Stag Sampler.  I'll get a picture or 2 for the WIPocalypse check-in, I promise!

I'm also getting very annoyed with the folks over at Celebration of Neeedlework.  I've gone twice - 2009 and 2011 - and DH has told me to take a little time for myself and go again this year.  Well, I've requested some time off from work and am ready to go, but I refuse to make reservations until the class schedule is complete!  They haven't posted class times or prices yet.  And as the cost of gas keeps rising (almost $4.00/gallon here in western NYS), I have to plan carefully.  So if it takes too long for them to share this information....I may not be going at all.....  (I'll just pack my suitcase and my stitching and find a lovely bed-and-breakfast somewhere ALONE...!!!)

ETA: Woo-hoo, I think I managed to turn off the annoying Captcha code.

February TUSAL

A quick post with an update from Morticia -

She is posing with the Stag Sampler, which I HAVE finally managed to put aside for a little bit!  I've worked on the Stoney Creek fox cub pattern for a few nights, and since DH will be traveling for work later this week, I might get out Labyrinth then.  Although with just a stitch here and a stitch there, I'm already beginning to doubt my ability to actually FINISH anything during this WIPocalypse....

Lovely Mail Days

I've gotten a couple wonderful packages in the mail this week...I received both a Valentine exchange and a Santa ornament! 

First, the Valentine.  This was stitched by Diana, using Gloriana and Dinky Dyes silks.  She says the pattern is a freebie from GiGi.  It is absolutely gorgeous!

 I also received my Santa ornament, stitched by Edgar.  I've admired Edgar's stitching on his blog for quite a while now, and I'm thrilled to have something of his for my very own!  This pattern is from Mary Garry, and it is just too cute.  Thank you, Edgar!

And finally, my progress on the Stag Sampler.  I know, I said I was going to put it up and get out a WIP, but this just keeps calling to me.....

My heart is in Australia!

My Heart/Valentine Exchange arrived in Australia yesterday...what great timing!  (Can I take credit for planning it that way?!?  LOL)

I stitched Passione Ricamo's 2011 Valentine heart freebie on a piece of 32-ct. Tarnished Silver Lakeside Linen, using 2 colors of DMC and a few beads for sparkle.  My partner asked if I'd used an over-dyed floss - nope, just DMC 815 and 304!  The red fabric is the backing of the little pillow.

And here is the whole package I sent - a little tea towel, some ribbon, a cherry lip gloss and some M&Ms!  (plus a skein of pale pink HDF silk floss that missed the picture somehow)

As for me, my own stitching mojo has majorly stalled.  And yes, I know I was going to do a giveaway.  I even drew a name, and was all ready to post something....when I decided I should paw through my stash and FIND the pattern (I'd just pulled the pic from an old post).  Wouldn't you know, the pattern seems to be missing.  :(  My pattern database SAYS it should be there, but it just isn't.  So please forgive me for not following through on my giveaway?  I promise I'll try to come up with something to make up for it in the future....

One of those days...so let's do a little giveaway!

Yesterday was a total wash in terms of stitching projects.  First, it is the day I work 10-6, but since Little Bit goes to daycare at the usual time, I have about an hour and a half to myself to stitch.  It isn't worth driving home from daycare and then back to work - what a waste of gas and stitching time! - so I find either a quiet parking spot or coffee shop and relax.  Well, yesterday I had "Labyrinth" in a bag and I thought all ready to go...until I took it out and discovered I had the fabric, pattern, and needle, but no floss!  I did have the Victoria Sampler "New York" Hearts of America kit in my bag, too, but the specialty stitching really needs some sort of fabric tension and I didn't have a hoop or a frame, either.  I did a little bit of the regular cross stitching anyway, and then put it away.  Sigh.

At work we've been discarding old VHS tapes, and someone asked if I could use the empty clear VHS boxes for some sort of crafty thing. I had the brilliant idea that I could put my hand-dyed fabric in them - even sort it by color and count, and then have them all lined up the shelves nicely.  When I got home, I was all excited to start trying this...but the boxes are too small to hold much more than one or two pieces of fabric, which is barely worth it.  Booo.

I stitched for about an hour last night on the Stag Sampler, but I was all fidgety and distracted, so there isn't much to share.

So, giveaway!  With Valentine's Day coming, I thought I'd share an old something from my stash.  I stitched this once, and don't think I'll be doing it again.  It is Twisted Threads' "Share Love" pattern.  Here is a pic of both my finished piece (top) and the pattern pic (bottom).

It was originally a kit, so the fabric and silver heart charm are gone.  There is a bit of the floss left in there, but I don't think there is enough to stitch it again (although you could use it to compare and find similar colors - or you could toss it and do it in a brand-new colorway!).  Also, the original is stitched over-one, but you could certainly do it over-two.

THE RULES:
- Enter once by leaving a comment on this post before 12 noon EST on Sunday, February 12.  I'll draw a name Sunday night.
- If you mention this/link to it from your own blog, you get 2 entries (let me know if you do this in your comment!)
- Make sure there is a way for me to contact you either in your comment or Blogger profile.
Good luck!