Final SFS 2015

Hello all,

Today is my last post for Stitch from Stash 2015. I participated last year and the first half of this year. I have a handle on how I spend money on stash. This last year and a half helped me to see where I was spending my money and what I can do to help offset those cost just a little and I want to thank Mel over at Epic Stitching for helping me to get a better handle on my stash finances. I still plan on following all the posts and keeping track of all the new tips and tricks to continue to safe and reduce my spending. I have noticed that keeping track of my spending in this area is also having a positive effect on my spending in other areas.

Now onto the final numbers:

Month: June

Carry Forward: $165.04 ($97.04 + $25.00 current month budget)

Spent: $ 81.33
A trip to Hobby Lobby and Jo-Ann's for floss and fabric for three charity stitching projects, and an order from Stephanie's Hand Dyed Fabrics for a wonderful Quaker Hearts pattern by Aury TM Designs and the fabric to stitch them on.

Earned: $ 20.00
Monthly Cupcakes June & July ($2.00 each)
Stoney Creek Life's a Journey 2013
Stoney Creek Take Time for Yourself 2013
Stoney Creek - Halloween pt 2 2015


Final: $103.71

This month I was able to get quite a few things completed. Go Me!!

First up is a Stoney Creek pattern of the month from 2013 Life's a Journey.

Then I worked on and completed the second in the series take time for yourself. (I've been working on the third in the series, but didn't quite finish by the cut off).

Then I was able to finish both June and July's cupcake's (my work projects).

And last but not least, the new Stoney Creek's pattern of the month for June Scary Sights. The more I work with the glow in the dark thread, the better I get at it. I am going to have to add this thread to a couple of other Halloween projects. :) I will add all the buttons and beads at the end. Only two more months to complete. This is stitched on 32 ct Jobelan Calypso Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie using the recommended threads

Just a quick little note...

Nancy over at Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe is hosting another one of her wonderful giveaways.

This one is for some of her beautiful rick rack.

Stop on over and tell her I said hi!

Off to the orthodontist for Baby Girl.

Ta Ta for now,

Angela

Giveaway Winner

Hello all,

I forgot to post on Friday the winner of my giveaway. Kaisievic who wrote:

Kaisievic said...

Hi Angela, Lovely stitching - I love your new start and yes, please include me in the giveaway - #1 is the design that is calling to me. Thank you so much.

June 1, 2015 at 5:57 PM 

was picked by Baby Girl.

Congratulations Kaisievic!

I didn't stitch a bit during the week but I sure made up for it this weekend. 

I completed stitching up Stoney Creek's November 2012 Pattern of the Month. I sure do like how these are turning out. I do have to say that there are a lot of color changes in such a small area though. 

Next I put another two threads in Ink Circle's Blue Morpho. I can not seem to get into this project. But at least I put in a few stitches.

Next up is the start of Stoney Creek's December 2012 Pattern of the Month. I was able to get the main body of the owl in before I became too tired last night. I hope to be able to at least finish the wings tonight before I head to bed. I am stitching these up on one piece of fabric (recommended) using the charms but not the buttons.

Progress as of last night

What it will look like when done.

Need to get back to work.

Ta Ta for now,

Angela

Don't interfere in the affairs of Dragons

...for you are Crunchy and taste good with ketchup

SFS May 2015 and a Giveaway!

Hi all,

Another month has passed and it is time for another SFS 2015 update.

Month: May

Carry Forward: $122.04 ($97.04 + $25.00 current month budget)

Spent: $ 12.00
Floss: 30 skeins DMC

Earned: $ 30.00
Monthly Cupcakes March, April & May ($2.00 each)
WOCS Silhouette - Bloom
Q4OC Bloom (color)
Stoney Creek - Halloween pt 1
Lord Give Me Coffee

Carry Forward into April: $140.04

I have been going through my stash and decided to find new homes for some of the projects and patterns that I knew I was not going to do. This allowed me to pick up some more fabric for some of the projects I plan to get started soon.

Now onto some pictures. I posted some of my finishes so I won't bore you with those.

This weekend was wonderful! Stitching to my heart's content. I was able to finish the first installment of Stoney Creek's pattern of the month. This was stitched on 32 ct Jobelan Calypso Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie using the recommended threads

Lord Give me Coffee by the Stitching Bear. This was started and completed this weekend. It went a lot faster then I thought it would. This was done on 28 ct Monaco Tea using the recommended DMC.

Now onto the Giveaway part of the program. I have completed the following patterns and will not stitch them again and I would like them to go to a new home. I can only ask that when you have completed them, you pass the pattern along to the next person. Comment with which pattern(s) #1, #2, and/or #3, you would like to stitch next. If you leave a no reply comment, please make sure that you leave your email so I can contact you. I will be picking the names on June 5.

#1

#2

#3

Now onto deciding which project to work on next.

Ta Ta for Now,

Angela CG

Mid Month Update

Hello all!!

I have a couple of finishes to share with you and an overall progress update.

I have been going through my stash looking at what I have kitted up, started or completed trying to decide if I am ever going to actually stitch these items. Those that I decided I would never do or finish I posted on a FB stash sale site to make room for new projects (or to complete the kitting up of ones that I do plan on completing). I was able to re-home quite a bit. The side benefit of this is I now have money that I can spend on new stash guilt free.

For the month of May, Stoney Creek started a new Halloween Series as their free pattern of the month. I fell in love with it the first time I saw it and had to pick it up as soon as it was available. Since I had the funds available from my previous sales I went ahead and picked up the glow in the dark DMC and the one Week's Dye Works that I did not have and the button pack. Since I just finished a quick little stitch and I have everything needed to complete this, I think that I will start on this one today once I can tear myself away from the computer.

I completed two charity stitches earlier this month. They are the same pattern but using different colors. WOCS needed an urgent silhouette pattern I started a dove pattern but the pattern would have come out too large for the requested piece. I tried on a 20 ct aida 1 over 1 but I did not like how the stitches looked. I had found this online and liked the way it looked and saved it because I wanted to stitch it at some point.  I really like how this one came out.

Next up is the piece for Q4OC. The second challenge piece was to be a flower design. I knew that I enjoyed the pattern and as I was stitching the silhouette, I was imagining it in color. This is the result.

I am participating in an Ink Circles SAL on one of my Face Book groups. I started out strong but have been distracted with the charity stitching and one of my other loves...reading. This is my current progress. Not much, but any progress is good progress.

The other thing that I have been working on is these little monthly cupcakes. Aren't they just the cutest. And they stitch up so quick. I started March sometime last week and finished on Friday between my appointments. Then yesterday I was able to start and finish April's yellow cupcake and make a start on May. This morning was spent finishing up May and sorting the treads purchased to finish kitting up July to Dec's cupcakes, and two other projects.

Not very interesting today I know. I think it is time for me to let you all go. Have a great rest of your weekend.

Ta Ta for Now,
Angela CG

Don't interfere in the affairs of Dragons

...for you are Crunchy and taste good with ketchup

SFS 2015 & Late IHSW

Hi all!!

How is everyone doing? Let's start with the numbers...

Month: April

Carry Forward: $101.54 ($76.54 + $25.00 current month budget)

Spent: $ 16.50
Floss: 5 skeins from Mo's Sale
Pillow Tucks from FB Group
Patterns: 2 Silhouette patterns from Etsy 

Earned: $ $12.00
Monthly Cupcakes January and February ($2.00 each)
All Hallow's Eve $4.00
Valentine SAL for Q4OC $4.00

Carry Forward into April: $97.04

Looking at my numbers I am doing pretty good with keeping within budget. I like that I am finishing about the same amount that I am spending.

Now, this month I also signed up to participate in IHSW on the weekend of the 17th. I have to laugh though, because the only time I have signed up I only put in about 20 stitches on one project. There was no excuse since all house work had been completed through out the week and we had no where to go. It seems as if I lost my stitching mojo for about a week. Yikes! So what I think I will do for now on is not sign up officially but participate in my small corner of the world in spirit. lol

Now onto some pictures...

I started a FB SAL where each of us pick an Ink Circle's pattern and all start on the same day. My pick was Blue Morpho. I haven't made as much progress as I feel I could have but it is still good progress. First picture is the finished result as charted and the second is my version. I didn't like the green that makes up most of the design so I changed it to Freedom. (I am doing an all blue version)

Next up is my first finish...All Hallow's Eve by Lizzi*Kate. Stitched on a piece of 18ct Aida that I dyed myself sometime ago. Didn't like how it turned out for the original project. Kept it in case I could use it for something else.  These one color Halloween designs work perfectly on it.

I really thought I took a picture of January's design, but I can't seem to find it anywhere right now. I must have moved the picture off my phone to my computer at home. I put a quarter next to February to show how small the design is. Aren't these cute? Was able to complete Feb and start March in the same day. (This weekend I had turbo needles).

I was able to finish Q4OC Valentine SAL. I used all the same colors as Baby Girl's Heart from last month. I still don't know what the color of the blue is but don't you just love it?

Below are the beautiful floss I purchased from Mo's Sale this last week. Such pretty colors. I can't wait to use them in a project. I think I might just have to go through a couple of patterns that are waiting on floss and kit them up with more of her floss.

The two patterns I purchased (today actually) I will be using in my charity stitching will show the completed designs hopefully within the next week or two.

Sorry for the long post. Thank you for sticking with me till the end.

Ta Ta for now,
Angela CG in TX

Don't interfere in the affairs of Dragons

...for you are Crunchy and taste good with ketchup

Weekend Update (updated)

I'm back again. And I have two finishes to report.

I know, I'm shocked too. lol

First up is "I love you more" by Bent Creek.

This is so cute. Since baby girl has claimed this one, I'll have to do another one. I'll wait a couple of months so that it feels new again. I think I have a couple of heart buttons in my stash somewhere I can use.

Next up is "Spring Welcome" I talked about a couple of posts ago.

With the stitching complete, I rather like how it turned out. I did work a little bit on one of my charity stitches, but couldn't get into it. Now the question is...what to work on next. There are a couple that I am itching to start, but I am doing them as part of a SAL on FB so I will just have to wait. I think I have narrowed it down to two. Might just start them both. :)

Ta Ta for now,
Angela

P.S. I have been updating my 2015 page and I was a little shocked on how many pieces I have stitched and it is only the first quarter. Now don't go expecting the same results the rest of the year. lol I do have some quick stitches planned this year, but there are also a couple of larger projects I would like to work on this year as well.

Now it is really time for me to get off this silly computer and get ready for bed.

Night all

Surprise!!

Hi all,

Surprise!!! I decided to drop in and say hi before I needed to post my numbers for SFS2015.

When I left you last week, I was working on the free pattern offered by LHN called Welcome Spring. Well, I have to tell you I am not feeling this one right now. I don't know if it is the combination of the colors on the fabric I chose or what, but I just can't seem to get on with this one. I found myself not stitching at night or on my lunch breaks as I normally do.

What did I do you ask? I went stash diving. I pulled out my binder of patterns. I put my free patterns or the single page patterns that I have picked up over time. I started flipping through it trying to get some inspiration to stitch on my current piece.

Instead of inspiration, one of the patterns started screaming at me to finally pick it up and stitch it. I picked this chart (Bent Creek - I love you more) on my very first trip to my LNS two years ago. I loved it from the first moment but others kept calling my name. It is finally this one's turn.

I am stitching it on 28ct blue lugana that I picked up somewhere along the way. You can't tell in the below picture, but I really am stitching the main part of the heart with the called for WDW Cocoa. It looks gold here but in real life it is a rich brown. I think this is the only color I had on hand that the pattern called for, but I think the ones baby girl and I chose are looking good. Baby girl asked to make this into a little pillow when I am done with it. ( I think she is intending to keep the pillow so I might just have to stitch this up again for me lol).

Hopefully with just a couple more nights, I will have this one done. I will go back to Welcome Spring for a little and maybe be able to finish that one as well.

Ta Ta for now,

Angela

SFS 2015 March Update

Hi all,

It is times like these that I am very happy that I joined Mel from Epic Stitching for Stitch from Stash 2015. It makes sure that I come visit with all of you at least once a month. I have been finding it hard to find the time to actually come online and post.

Let's get the numbers out of the way...

Month: March

Carry Forward: $44.54 (I realized that I didn't add the $25 budget allowance in February)

Spent: $7.00 ($60 gift card minus $67.00)
-Nashville Market purchases $42.12
-WDW Floss Bundle, Classic Color Works Floss Bundle, L*K Buzz kit and and Aury TM Quaker Halloween chart
-Fabric.com $18.96 2 yards of 14ct aida fabric (to be used in my charity stitching)
-123Stich $5.92 28ct Jazlyn fabric

Earned: $14.00
Spooky Tree by Breanne Jackson in the 2013 Just Cross Stitch Halloween Issue
Music Note free pattern
Mini Heart - designed by baby girl


Carry Forward into April: $76.54

My co-worker and I were both given a gift card as a bonus in early February for going above and beyond what our normal year end duties required. It was a surprise but I knew exactly what I wanted to spend it on Nashville Market. lol So I saved and was able to spend a little more than I would have been able to otherwise.

For some reason I am on a real Halloween kick here lately and I am loving it. So until I get bored I will continue with the patterns that have caught my eye. I do have a couple of stitches that I promised I would complete that are not Halloween but that is good cause I don't want to get burned out too quick. There are so many patterns that are just calling my name to do.

This month has also proven to be quite busy. We to see my brother and attend a niece's birthday party at the beginning of the month, then two weeks later on baby girl's spring break we took a trip to the coast and then went to my brother's for the weekend.

The first weekend after the birthday party of course, we had a very relaxing time and I was able to get quite a bit of stitching done.

First to be completed was the first bonus pattern that came with L*K Things Unseen Mystery Sampler. I think I used a 20 ct white mystery fabric that I had in my stash. I didn't count this in my earnings. I love how the threads in this pattern pop on a bright white fabric. Not sure how I am going to finish this one but until then, into the finishing drawer this one goes.

Next to be worked on and completed is the second free pattern with L*K's Things Unseen Mystery Sampler. This time I went with a scrap piece of 25 ct Dark Red Lugana that I had in my fabric bin. Again I am surprised that this came out so cute. Surprisingly the colors also stand out on this fabric. Again I did not count this in my earnings total. Now I just need to finish it as a pin pillow. Until then, into the finishing drawer it will go.

Once those were done I started looking around for what to do next. I found this cute little music note with a heart and just fell in love with it. It was stitched on 14 ct white aida for Q4OC. I joined them on Yahoo, but they are now on Facebook. This is the group that I purchased the 2 yards of fabric for. I was searching and searching in the stores for 14 ct white that would produce more than one square at a time and couldn't find any. So I did a quick search and found Fabric.com. They sell this count by the yard and each yard is 60" wide (for only $9.48 per yard). I figured at that price I would go ahead and stock up.

Since that one stitched up so quick (one day) I had to find something else. Baby girl had designed a little heart some time ago and had asked then if I would stitch it for her. Well...she saw me digging around for another project and brought it back out. She even went in my stash and picked her own colors to be used. I think we might have a budding designer in the house. lol

Once that was done, I decided to give a little love to a name tree "Peace". I can't remember where I found this pattern but I am enjoying how this looks.

But after a day of stitching on this piece I was in the mood for something different so on the hunt I went again. This time I went looking in my project basket (the one for kitted but not started projects) and found Spooky Tree from the 2013 Just Cross Stitch Halloween issue. I used a 28 ct Misty Blue Cashel and stitched with the recommended DMC 310. This was a fun stitch. The only problem I had was the 2 over 1 for the bats. OMG was this difficult. I don't know if you can tell but there may be a couple of stitches that I crossed over two instead of one when making my second stitch.

Last week was baby girl's spring break and we went to Galveston then popped over to my brother's for part of the weekend. We originally planned on staying the whole weekend but he forgot we were coming by and he made "Guy's Weekend" plans. Of course I had to rib him a bit over the mix up, but in the end it all worked out because we were able to relax at home on Sunday before work and school started. I couldn't believe how foggy it was. Here is a couple of pics of the two of us. :)

On the jetty (only about 50' from shore)

Foggy look at the Pier

While gone, I didn't do very much stitching but I did make a new start. It is called Welcome Spring by LHN and the pattern came free with the purchase of Classic Color Works Floss Bundle at Market. I am making a few thread changes but I will get into that when I finish. I am stitching on 28 ct Lt Gray Lugana. Not sure if I am really liking how the colors look on this fabric yet, but I am going to give it some time. I have only used one color so far.

I am sorry for the long post. I will try to make an interim
post to show off some of what I get done in April.

Ta Ta for Now,
Angela

February SFS 2015

Uh Oh, I am late.

That's ok, I am still going to make my post so I don't loose my place. :)

Month: February
Beginning Balance: $26.50
Spent: $18.96
Finished $ 12.00
End of Month Balance: $19.54

This month found me working on a couple of different things.

I started working on Lizzie Kate's Things Unseen Mystery Sampler but found I ran out of threads. Thank goodness I received a gift card at the beginning of the month. I was able to order them and finally complete the piece. I love how this piece came together and how it looks now that it has had the embellishments added. This piece does not count in the finished bonus because it is not over 6 months.

 

Surprisingly enough, this picture actually shows the fabric color pretty well. (maybe a little darker but I think that is the lighting in my room).  Now let me tell you about my service at 123stitch.com. I placed the order for the threads I needed and as usual, they sent an email stating that the order was processed and another when the order when out for shipping along with the tracking information. I waited impatiently, checking the tracking every day to see where my threads were at (obviously I really wanted to finish this piece) lol. The day finally arrived when the tracking stated that it had arrived in my mail box. What an unpleasant surprise when I checked the box that day and no package. So I waited another day and still no package. I had to wait an additional two days before I could contact the post office and ask what had happened. Of course I got the run around a promise of a phone call (which never came) and another two days of still no package. On Tuesday I contacted customer service at 123stitch.com via email and explained my problem. They were very sympathetic and said that while I contacted the post office they would see what they were able to do. Then on Wednesday I called the post office again and stayed on the phone for over an hour. Spoke to at least 3 people with the result of again receiving a phone call. During this time I received another email from the 123 stating that they were gathering new threads for me and were going to ship them out to me the next day with the only condition that if I end up receiving the original package, that I send it back to them. No hassle, no fuss, no muss. I did end up receiving the original package and contacted them so that they did not send out a second one, but I have to say that the customer service at this company is wonderful. I will not receive any compensation for these statements, I just wanted to share what great customer service this company has.

 

While I was waiting for the threads to arrive I had to work on something, so I picked up this piece. Nancy over at the Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe designed the sampler below. I loved the saying but I am not a pink person and asked if it was possible for her to help me to chart the flowers in a purple color, which she agreed to do. If you know her sight you also know that she also hand dyes her own threads. I love using her colors. So I purchased the chart and asked her to include her own dyed threads to use. She not only provided an updated chart, she gave me two options to use for the flowers and provided the thread for both options. This has been sitting in my to do pile for about 7 months now and decided it needed some loving.

 

 

Next up is my first finish for the month. I used Stitching the Night Away's brushstroke butterfly and added a saying I found a while ago. I stitched this for a group based in Europe - Stitching Out Stigma. I wanted to express that even though we may think the world is ending, I is only the beginning of a new part of our lives.

 

 

Next up is a little flower I found as a freebie from Blueladie Designs for the charity group WOCS. I loved how the little violet came out. I forgot that I started stitching this on 18ct aida, so the flower came out really small. I added a border. Of course, at the first turn of the second row, I forgot the number of spaces I originally intended and by the time I realized it, I was already on the third row of the border. Even with this, I think that It came out looking pretty good if I say so myself.

 

 

 Next up is a piece that has not seen much loving but I did manage to add in another 100 stitches or so. This is not a piece that I normally would have picked up myself, but will finish so I can gift it completed to the co-worker that originally purchased the piece. This is obviously something that she would enjoy seeing in her home. I am so glad that I switched out the fabric on this piece since this has so many 1/4 stiches. I would never have been able to get this done on the 14 count aida that was supplied in the kit..

 

 

Well that is all for now. Need to go get my hair cut and some errands run.

 

Ta Ta for now,

Angela CG