Spring Storms, Stitching and Stash

 

This is the progress report on Eva.  Last evening I finished the broom under her posterior.  I thought my progress was rather slow but then when writing this entry, I saw I had started this a little over 3 weeks ago!  Not bad considering how many times I have had to rip and restitch. 

Stitching has been going smoothly now.  I am going to start on that backward "C" shape above the broom.  The spots in the broom are for beads, lots and lots of beads.

I did receive the Barbara Ana chart I spoke about in the last post.  I really like it.  I also received the new tablet I ordered with a Christmas gift certificate and $14.00 of my own money.  I am learning how to navigate it.  I did purchase Pattern Keeper but am not using it as of yet. The photo above is taken with the new tablet.  It is a pretty good picture.

We had our first big thunderstorm of the spring season move thru during the night on the 13th/14th.  Hubby asked me to take him to work so our Jeep wouldn't get hail damage sitting in the parking lot at the office.  It was safely ensconced at home in our garage. 

I did find a new Italian blog call "It's 5 o'clock".  There are some cute free designs there. Love this camping Santa design!  Look at the reindeer in the tent.  Really darling. Here is the link to that blog: Il est cinq heures....... (il-est-5-heures.blogspot.com)
I am wishing you all the happy spring stitching your heart desires.  God Bless!

Design: Eva designed by Nora Corbett

Link to design: Nora Corbett Eva (Bewitching Pixies) - Cross Stitch Pattern - 123Stitch

Started: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Finished:  

Fabric:  Picture This Plus 28 count Lugana in color "Haunted"

Fibers: As called for

Plodding, Patternmaker and Purchases!!!

 

I had not worked on Eva for several days this week.  But I picked it up for a few stitches on Friday and again yesterday, Saturday.  The black arms have been the bane of my existence as they once again were stitched in the wrong place by apparently some unknown novice stitcher.  But alas I believe I have correctly corrected the situation.  

So, I have begun the broom under Eva's fanny with the hem of her dress flowing out like a jet stream behind her as she flies silently in the haunted night sky.

I have purchased an inexpensive tablet which should be delivered today by the wonderful Amazon truck.  I was given a $50.00 Amazon gift card at Christmas by my baby sister.  I used it and $14.00 of my own money to purchase it.  I want to try PatternKeeper and see how well it works for me.

I did purchase a new Barbara Ana pattern called "Holy Night" from 1 2 3 Stitch! I have been waiting for it to come back into stock.  Here is an image of it: 

That is about the last of the stitchy news.  I have begun reorganizing my stash with Dollar Tree bins I purchased.  I also found some cute Easter decorations up at the Tree for my tablescape. 

Life is lovely as the stitching plods on and spring is creeping towards my Lilac Thicket much too slowly. 

Design: Eva designed by Nora Corbett

Link to design: Nora Corbett Eva (Bewitching Pixies) - Cross Stitch Pattern - 123Stitch

Started: Tuesday, February 20, 2024

Finished:  

Fabric:  Picture This Plus 28 count Lugana in color "Haunted"

Fibers: As called for

I am never leaving my Happy Room once I get the kitchen & bathroom in there!

 

I have been slowly reorganizing all my leaflets this past week.  I intend to take most of them down to the basement and store them on my bookshelves down there.  They will be in alphabetical order by designer name.  Each designer will have a file folder filled with their leaflets. I had them that way at one time maybe 10 years ago but somehow didn't stick with it.  It was easy to find what I was looking for and also I avoided duplicating purchases.  Designers like Lizzie Kate and my beloved Just Nan have magazine organizers or in Nan's case a storage box with leaflets and kits in it.  Nan will not go downstairs, her designs are protected with my life and will remain in my Happy Room.  Magazines will be organized in magazine organizers according to name. Just Cross Stitch Christmas Ornament magazines will stay with Nan.

Freebie charts will also accompany leaflets in the appropriate file folder according to designer.  This is a lot of work but in the end, it will make me happy. I believe it will help me refrain from shopping for more stash.

I did get a Temu order last night. I had been anxious to get it.  I got some silicone baking pieces, like cupcake molds, ice cube trays and such.  I also got a felt piece for jigsaw puzzles and a nice pair of pink slippers with fleece like lining.  But then I got some things for stitching.  Straight pins with buttons on the heads, rustic looking jingle bells, 5 zippered project bags, tweezers, and a plastic project case. I saw these little booklets for saving money where cash is tucked in a pocket each week.  I thought those could work with floss for a project with a lot of floss colors. I could put a little label on each pocket with the color number or name. I purchased 3 of those books.

This is the progress on the baby Jesus I am working on.  I have a ton of projects I want to start.

Project particulars

Design: Lavendar and Lace complimentary 2004 design (Baby Jesus)

Link to design: 2004 Christmas Design (tiag.com)

Started: Saturday, December 23, 2023.  

Fabric: 32 count Kiwi Illusion's Southern Sky

Fibers: Called for DMC, Mill Hill beads & Rainbow Gallery Treasure Braid

I am looking forward to getting this stash project done so I can get my Happy Room reorganized and rearranged.  Christmas 2022 my husband won a 43" JVC Roku TV and he told me it was for me.  I know where I want it now. I just have to move things around to make it happen.  If I could move the bathroom and kitchen in my Happy Room I would never have to leave. Now that thought makes me giddy with happiness.

My Lifetime Stitch Box

I have so much stash after 37 years of stitching and stashing.  As much pleasure as it has brought me it is paralyzing and ridiculous. How in the heckydoodle can I have nothing to stitch?  Or worse how can I not decide what to stitch with thousands and thousands of dollars in stash?  

I have gone thru what I have upstairs in my happy room and pulled out things that I definitely want to stitch. I have put them in a shoe box.  I have enough in this shoe box to last me a lifetime of stitching.  The rest is going down in the basement.

There are no rules for what can and cannot be put in the box.  I have kits, free designs, magazines and of course charts in the box.  I can take out or add anything I want.  I laughed because as I was sorting it all out to take these pictures, I was wondering why I put several designs in there.  It's madness, it's insanity, it's ridiculousness.  I think of all the money I have spent and I shudder.

I just want to stitch like I did when I first started.  I stayed up way past my bedtime working on a project.  I would go to work dragging because I stayed up thinking "just one more stitch".  I was so passionate about stitching.  I still am however it is more in my head then actually doing it.

Perhaps that is the key. As long as I am thinking about stitching, I really am enjoying thinking about it. I suppose I am looking for the end all answer and I am not sure there is one.  Happy stitching my dears!

 

$51.31 in shameful consumer driven spending spree!

Artecy Cross Stitch

Cardinals and Holly from Artecy cost $6.96!

Just Nan "Spider Moon" was $14.39 with $3.49 shipping. Just Cross Stitch 2020 & 2021 Ornament issues $17.98 plus $3.49 shipping.

Sweet Wing Studio

Let Heaven and Nature Sing cost $6.00.

Shamefully I admit to spending $51.31 for stash in the past 2 weeks.

 

Deeply, Madly, Passionately in ♥♥♥

Wandering around at Nordic Needle I once again fell in love with the needlework set "Miss Lilly" from @MyNeedle.  I need this frothy, girlishly delicious, piece of pink heaven.  Into my cart it went.




Here are the erotic details:

A beautiful Hardanger and pulled thread accessories set featuring a dainty biscornu and scissors fob or pincushion. The biscornu stitch count is 72 x 72. The scissors fob stitch count is 32 x 32. Tetiana includes exquisite close-up photos with detailed diagrams and step-by-step charts. She also urges stitchers to visit her YouTube channel for even more stitch instructions to create the amazing stitching she uses in her designs. Suggested materials: 9" piece of 32 count pink evenweave or linen fabric (851-665-0034); DMC #8 and #12 pearl cottons in white or 5200. Please note these patterns are for the advanced or master Hardanger stitcher who has the ability to stitch from very detailed pictures and limited written instructions.