WIPGO 2022

 Well, I decided to join Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching   and try  WIPGO. I am hoping that I am able to get some finishes in 2022.

Here is my board:

1-St Paul Snowdrift by Teri Bay. This is a class that Cyberpointer's is having in January.

 

2-Springhill by Rosewood Manor

3-Catherine by Gay Ann Rogers

4-17th Century Whitework Sampler by Thistle Threads

5-More Than a Rose by Melinda Sherbring

6-Lizard Painted Canvas

7-Reptiles HAED

8-Angel of Love by Lavender and Lace (I just started)

 

12-Mill Hill Kit- I will decide which one when the number is called

Everything else is a repeat. If you want to learn more about WIPGO, check out Jessie Marie Does Stuff on YouTube

IHSW December 2021

 I did a bit of Christmas baking over the weekend, but managed some good stitching time!

Here is the photo of my HAED at the beginning of the month:

I stitched on it the post few weekends, and here is where I left it last night:

Lots of confetti in what I have been stitching but I hope that the next time I pick this up, I will be able to work on some of the huge blocks of black.

I also have been stitching on Pour ta Fete:

It is a nice project to stitch for about 30 minutes a day.

I will be joining WIPGO 2022-thanks Jo ! Will post my board next week and maybe photos of what I put on the board.

2021 Online Advent Calendar

 Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching has the most fabulous hops over the entire year. She is super creative and I think has done so much to keep blogging alive!

She always gives us a topic to include in our posts. This year is Christmas Tree.

If you go and read the other bloggers posts (and you should), there are tons of good stories about Christmas trees.

My story has to do with this Hardanger Angel. 

 

Many years ago, I belonged to the Coffee Mill Stitches in Elkader, Iowa. We were going to do a sale of some sort and  I was stitching this angel. I figured, sure, I will donate it to the sale. I got it stitched and one of the members finished it and then they said-"you really don't want to donate this do you? " I thought, no, I really don't. I believe  I made a monetary donation to the sale instead. I'm glad they talked me into keeping her. She looks lovely sitting on top of my tree every year. But she needs a bath.....Maybe after this Christmas.

Here is my tree:

And see where that needlepoint piece sits? That is where Angel of Love will go when I finish her!

I haven't stitched anything Christmas this year. I noticed that I had the same issue last year. Sad. Hopefully I will have something new in 2022. Hey! That rhymes!

A Little Stitching and It is IHSW!

 I have been working on this piece for 30 minutes most days and have finally completed the tent stitch. Yipee!

More Than a Rose by Melinda Sherbring.

This is the 3rd weekend of the month so we have an International Hermit and Stitch Weekend. The idea is to spend some extra time stitching if you can.

My game plan is to work on my HAED this weekend. Yep, I still have it and haven't abandoned it.

It is Reptiles by Escher and here is where I was at the beginning of the month:

Hopefully I will take some time this weekend to stitch and be able to show you some progress.

Gifted Gorgeousness December 2021

 Well, I don't have stitching to show. But I did make some gifts!

Chocolate biscotti and craisin/pistachio biscotti:

This is what we call Homemade Snickers or Space Food:

Thank goodness my college kids are coming home to help me with all these sweets! And I am sending a batch out to family soon too.

Oh! GG is the brainchild of Jo over at Serendipitous Stitching . She is running her Advent Blog Hop right now, but go check her blog out!

Not Much Stitching

 But I made some toffee! Maybe I will have something to show tomorrow.

Well, I Couldn't Bring Myself to Do a New Start

 But that doesn't mean that I won't before the end of the year!!!!

But I do have this lovely little sampler going:

I have gotten back into Pour ta Fete by Lindsey Lane Designs. And no, it is not little! I am stitching it on 53 count sycamore seed pod with Soie Surfine from Access Commodities and it is still huge! I changed out the purple thread for a light blue. I got the kit from The Attic but I ordered extra Soie Surfine from Kim at Sassy Jacks. 

I ordered two sets of of her Sassy Six and I think I will be adding the blues to my version of Pour ta Fete. But look at that orange! I need to find a project for it and the dark green and browns....

I Started A New Project

 And I may start another one tomorrow! Horrors! It is the end of the year and I have tons of WIPS, but I decided that life is too short to worry about such things.

So Angel of Love by Lavender and Lace has been in my stash for years. And when I say years, I mean YEARS! Before my oldest was born. Maybe even before I got married. That is a long time for me to keep something and not stitch it.

It does have a bit of history. My original plan was to stitch it for my mother. She loves bling and I knew she would love it. But I never put needle and thread to fabric. 

Fast forward to Thanksgiving this year: my kids were helping me put up decorations and I realized the spot behind the tree really needed something. I have a small needlepoint piece there, but it is too small to make much of an impact. Now the smart thing to do would be to pull out an old WIP. Right?

One of these would have worked:

Star of Wonder:

Or Florentine Ornaments:

But neither spoke to me, so I pulled my threads, beads and fabric for  Angel of Love. 

I started her a few days ago and she is quite lovely. She will be perfect behind my tree!

What will I start tomorrow? I'll try to remember to share it with you.

Trying to Get Through the Boring Bits

 Do you ever feel that way about a project? That some of it is really boring?More Than A Rose is that way right now. Well, the tent stitch on this piece is really boring to me. Not sure why as it isn't much different than doing little x's on linen...

Maybe it's that the next part is much more challenging and interesting....And do you think I need to add a little french knot on my bunny's nose? 

My Daily Project

 I have been working on Blue Larkspur by Avlea Designs almost every day. I have a feeling that will change soon.

Here it is from November:

And here is what it looks like now:

I really want to keep this project for Sunday's when I visit my mother-in-law. I need something that is easy to see and count when we are there. This fits the bill.

TUSAL 2021 December

 Wow! I can't believe it is December! Today is the New Moon and so it is time for the Totally Useless Stitch-a-Long. What is this? It is just the day we post photos of our orts from the previous months stitching. I know you have ort containers. Someone I know even has four, but I won't mention any names. Post some photos! I always enjoy seeing the bits and pieces people have left from their stitching!

Now, these are my orts from the year. I will dump them January 1 and start again. But looking at them reminds me of Royal Garden, Agnus Dei, and all the other things I stitched this year.

And here is my calendar from November:

I have a friend who suggested that I start adding the amount of time I spent on each project. Not an exact time, but within 30 minutes. I find the information interesting.

Well, I Finally Switched Projects

 I realized that I was no longer enjoying stitching on Springhill. I spent time swiping on my phone, walking around the house, etc. So I decided to move my painted canvas upstairs.

Here is where Springhill currently is:

I think the leaves on those big trees finally got me! I had hoped to add another color to them, but that will have to wait until I bring it out again.

Here is where I am on my painted canvas:

Well, not really. I started to do the basketweave as my background when I realized the yellow I am using is too bright. The background needs to be the background! So I ripped it out and will start again.

IHSW for November 2021 Wrap-up

 Well, my weekend started poorly with the discovery that I stitched Pour Ta Fete in the wrong orientation:

I ripped out the few letters and left it for another day. Oh well. At least I didn't stitch all the way across the piece.

Blue Larkspur got some attention, put not a ton:

I put some stitches into Springhill:

Lots of starts and stops, so I feel like I made some serious progress although I have a lot of hill left to do.

I also stitched a little on More Than A Rose. Here is where I started:

And here it is at the end of the weekend:

 

Beginning of a Hermit Weekend!

 Well, I almost forgot what the day was, but remembered in the nick of time! What is the Hermit Weekend or the International Hermit and Stitch Weekend (IHSW for short)? It is the third weekend in the month where we try to take extra time to stitch. Won't happen for me as I have college kids headed my way. Yipee! But they always come hungry for home cooking....

Anyway, I plan on stitching a few things:

A new start that I haven't even shared on my blog! Pour Ta Fete by Lindsay Lane Designs on 56 count Sycamore Seed pod and Soie Surfine. I must be NUTS! (I am further along than this photo shows, but this is the only one I took.)

Here is what it will look like when I finish it:

Avlea Folk Emboridery Blue Larkspur:

And some on Springhill:

That should keep me busy! Now off to dig up my peanut brittle recipe as I need to get a batch made before my kids show up.