January WIPocalypse

It is time to post my very first WIPocalypse update.  This month we are supposed to introduce ourselves and  talk about our projects and goals.  Basically, I am married and have two children, one is really an adult now and a sophomore in college, and the other is 14.  I cross stitch and crochet and read lots of books, mostly mysteries.  As for projects and goals, I want to make some serious progress and see some finishes this year from this list of projects:

1.  Beacon House by Praiseworthy Stitches
2.  Winter White Woodland by Blue Ribbon Designs
3.  Gingerbread by Madame la Fee
4.  Dear Diary Sampler by Little House Needleworks
5.  Strawberries and Cream from Cross Stitch Collection Magazine #158
6.  Strawberry Field Farm by Victoria Sampler
7.  Mon Beau Chalet from De Fil en Aiguille Magazine
8.  Sunflower Inn by Little House Needleworks
9.  Buttoned and Beaded Latte by Mill Hill
10.  Buttoned and Beaded Dashing Reindeer by Mill Hill
11.  Greenland Santa by Mill Hill
12.  Winter Snapperland by Bent Creek
13.  Coeur au Printemps by AMAP
14.  Deer in Winter from Agenda 2009 

Probably the one I would most like to finish is the Dear Diary Sampler, made from all the Dear Diary charts by Little House Needleworks.  Next would probably be Gingerbread by Madame la Fee.  But we'll see what happens.  

This month I have so far stitched on three of these projects.  I have almost completed Elizabeth McGuire's cabin on the Dear Diary Sampler.  Hopefully she can move in soon.

And so here is a picture of the whole project also.

I also worked on Sunflower Inn by Little House Needleworks, which was also a Theme-a-licious project.

And finally, I got some stitches into Winter Woodland by Blue Ribbon Designs.

I am enjoying my stitching again, and blogging also.  Hopefully, I will have more to show for next month's WIPocalypse. 

Theme-a-licious

This year I am going to try and participate as much as I can in Theme-a-licious.  This month is Jardin January and we are supposed to stitch on projects that have flowers or gardens in them.  In light of this, I have been working on Sunflower Inn by Little House Needleworks.  I finished the grassy area beneath the house and the sun that is up at the top.  The sun was fun, but for some unknown reason, I really don't like stitching grass, which is probably why this has been languishing in my pile.

Here is a picture of Sunflower Inn before I started working on it:

And here is the picture of where I am now, with the sun and grass.  

Next up will be the border.  

I have also been stitching on the Elizabeth McGuire square of my Dear Diary Sampler, and should have a picture ready of it soon.  

Happy Stitches!

First TUSAL Post

This is the day to post my first TUSAL update.  If you don't know about TUSAL, the Totally Useless Stitch-Along, go here and you can read all about it.  I actually started collecting orts last year, but didn't participate in TUSAL.   This year, I have decided to sign up and do the whole shebang with pictures and everything.    I don't have a whole lot yet, being only 11 days into the new year, but here it is.

and another view:

Most of the threads are from Winter Woodland by Blue Ribbon Designs, and here is an update on it.

Finally, we got a new furry family member back in November.  Meet Logan, our new beloved German Shepherd puppy. He is now four months old.   So far, he doesn't get what all the fuss is about fabric and threads and charts, or the laptop either.  They just keep me from playing with him.

Two Finishes

I finished the Faith, Family and Friends Sampler from Cross Country Stitching. I am not sure how I am going to finish it, either as a bell pull or framed as a picture.  I like the country kitchiness of it.

I also finished Hide and Seek by Diane Graeber last year.  I love pumpkins and black cats, so this was a fun one to stitch.   I hope to get through more of my UFO stack this year.

TBR Reading Challenge

I saw a link for the Embarassment of Riches TBR Reading Challenge on Ruth's Little Leprechauns blog, and decided to sign up.  I have cupboard full of books that I have acquired that are waiting to be read.  I have signed up for the Bronze challenge, which is to read 12 books from your TBR stash this year.

I have already made a start and finished The Twelve Days of Christmas by Trisha Ashley, a light enjoyable romance set in a remote corner of England.  My favorite part of this book was the main character Holly Brown.  She was a hard-working, dependable, practical kind of woman who loved to cook and bake, and also loved animals.  I also revelled in all the English Christmas foodie content in this one.

Plans for 2013

Well here I am again, and with the beginning of a new year, the first day of a new 365 day adventure, I am responding to that inevitable compulsion to make a list of hopeful goals and plans. Basically, what I would like most is to finish some long-standing WIPs that have been long reposing in dark dresser drawers and would dearly love to see some daylight and have an escapade or two with my needle.

So, in light of that over-arcing goal, I have joined this year's WIPocalypse over at Measi's Musings.  Just to make things more complicated, and therefore more captivating, I am also going to make an effort to participate in Theme-a-licious for my stitching in 2013.  So here is a list of the WIPs that I plan to stitch upon... some are nearly done, some are barely begun, and many are around the midway mark.

1.  Beacon House by Praiseworthy Stitches
2.  Winter White Woodland by Blue Ribbon Designs
3.  Gingerbread by Madame la Fee
4.  Dear Diary Sampler by Little House Needleworks
5.  Strawberries and Cream from Cross Stitch Collection Magazine #158
6.  Strawberry Field Farm by Victoria Sampler
7.  Mon Beau Chalet from De Fil en Aiguille Magazine
8.  Sunflower Inn by Little House Needleworks
9.  Buttoned and Beaded Latte by Mill Hill
10.  Buttoned and Beaded Dashing Reindeer by Mill Hill
11.  Greenland Santa by Mill Hill
12.  Winter Snapperland by Bent Creek
13.  Coeur au Printemps by AMAP
14.  Deer in Winter from Agenda 2009

Since it is Jardin January over at Theme-a-licious, I plan to pull out the WIPS that have flowers or gardens for some needle time this month.  That would be Dear Diary Sampler, Strawberries and Cream, Strawberry Field Farm, Sunflower Inn, and Coeur au Printemps.

I have also signed up to participate in TUSAL this year.  I have my jar ready and will start keeping those snippets as of today.  I have been amazed how much some of you accumulate over the year.

So, Happy New Year, Happy Planning, and most of all, Happy Stitching!