December is my favourite time of year as it's such a magical month. Apart from it being Christmas it is also my birthday a week tomorrow so it's extra special for me. I love the magic of the season but I find myself quite stressed in the run up but come Christmas Eve when everything is done and we can relax I start to enjoy things a little more.
I've been missing in action for a week as DH had the week off and we've been Christmas shopping. Thankfully it's all but done now. I have been stitching but not as much as usual as by the time we've got home, had tea, done bits on the PC and finally got relaxed time has been getting on. So I'll catch up now on what I have stitched. All WIPs except one finish as I can't show the others.
Monday was Christmas Carol SAL night with dear Barb. I didn't get much done and honestly don't think it's going to get finished in time. I decided to frog the snow and try DMC B5200 as it's a much brighter white but I have to finish frogging and restitch it yet!
Tuesdays are Jane days with Barb at the moment. I was horrified to realise that I have messed up on this one but there's too much to frog so it's staying as it is. I started the word meetings too far across but as I'd got the whole of the verse, the top and below the word stitched before I realised there's no way it's coming out!
Another SAL ( I'm doing 4 at the moment!!!!) is with my surrogate sis Lisa and it's L*K 6 Fat Men. We are both on Snow Friends and loving this piece so much.
My final SAL is the December SAL with Chris and Lesleyanne. Chris and I started this tradition a few years ago and this time the design we're stitching is Tra La La Snowman and Lesleyanne is stitching Lizzie*Kate 2010 Snowman. Loving the Tra La La Snowman already! Looking forward to seeing how Chris and Lesleyanne have got on.
Final stitching is my finish of Renato Parolin Love and start of Joy.
1st December meant I could start on my personalised advent calendar which my surrogate sis Lisa made up for me. I can't tell you how much I'm enjoying opening these gifts each day. Here is our Father Christmas showing the first 4 days gifts :)
Day 1 was the Shepherd's Bush Merry Be chart. Lisa stitched and finished this beautifully recently :). Day 2 was a very cute Sharpie highlighter. Day 3 was a Wish chocolate ( yummy!) and today was some lovely Kiwi Illusions fabric:)
If all goes to plan Chris is coming through on Friday afternoon which I am really looking forward to. I'm hoping to have her ornament made up by then so I can give it to her.
I was reading my dear friend Michelle's blog and noticed that she was planning on having a new start at Christmas and that is Plum Street Samplers Christmas Tea. I have loved this design since it came out so emailed Michelle to see if she'd mind me stitching along with her and she said she would love it:) So I've just ordered the chart from 123 Stitch ( never ordered from them before but have heard good reports about them) along with a couple of Crescent Colours threads. I'm using cotton as opposed to the silks as I just can't afford those. I'm really looking forward to starting it ( please postal service get it to me in time!) as I love settling down with something to stitch on Christmas evening.
Lisa and I were chatting yesterday and she asked if I had a new start planned for New Years Day. I said I'd like to start something as I have the last few years and she mentioned she might start something small like the Kelmscott Designs Miniature Monogram Hornbook-Margin Marker which I have so we've decided to start that! That is if I've decided on a thread colour by then :) Lol!
Now I'm thinking I have finally lost the plot as I've decided to stitch from my chart stash from 1st January to 30th June 2012! Yes I know I'm crazy. I've tried this before and failed but this time I am determined to make it work and get my chart stash down a bit. I buy new then the older stuff goes to the bottom of the pile and it's such a shame as I have some lovely charts. Lisa is possibly joining me. The only thing I will be buying is the 3rd BBD Loose Feathers chart as I'm on auto for that. It was supposed to be released this month but I think it might be late seen as the 2nd one was. So I'm going to ask y'all to encourage me please!
That's all for now! I have loads of finishing to do so thinking I might do some tomorrow once I've done some housework . Who invented that dreaded thing???? Lol!
Take care everyone.
Love & hugs
Sally
xxx
32 comments:
I'll be looking forward to 2012 and seeing what you pull from your stash. Even if you don't perfectly adhere to your challenge I know that it will be a success as you'll be pulling from stash more frequently. I have so much ready to go that I should do the same thing! Or at least pull them out and start them and put them in some kind of rotation.
I can't believe you have your Christmas shopping done! YIKES - I better get busy!
Happy Early Birthday!
Lovely WIP's - I think I need to get hold of the charts for 6 Fat Men, they look fantastic. Looking forward to seeing your stash come to the fore!
Sally at least you wont get into mischief as you are just too busy!!!!
Oh no ,do you want me to hold off a while until you catch up on Christmas Carol, although if I stop heavens knows if it will get done. I too made a mistook on GT but it was not too far back for me to put myself in reverse.
See you tomorrow lovely wips there.
Hugs
Oh Sally you do sound like my type of girl , i thought i was the only one who was this mad , I am also going to challenge my self this coming year . I have just pulled out two UFOs now ready for over Christmas and the New Year.Then i always start about 6 new ones. The start of the year.There will also be Easter stitching And i thought about stitching Christmas and Autumn all year to.Oh i do need another pair of hands from Santa.
Have a Happy Week.
great and so sweet wip's..i love them all so much..
so much looking forward to seeing your more lovely stash :)
stitchy hugs xx
Lovely stitching Sally as always. Good luck with staying on that stash wagon!
So many lovely pieces you are working on. I don't even notice an error in the Jane piece. I haven't actually seen the design/chart, so it looks pretty normal to me, lol!
Love your Santa!
Beautiful stitching Sally! Congrats on getting your Christmas shopping done...ours is almost done too :)
Good Luck with the chart reduction!!!
oooo love your wips ... can't see any problems with them :) and way to go on the goodies too :) you have a lot on and can't believe you have done all your shopping eeeekkk ..lol love mouse xxxx
Wonderful update, Sally! The Fat Men are getting cuter and cuter and that TraLaLa Snowman looks like he's going to be adorable, too! I *love* the idea of the personalized Advent Calendar!! How very fun!!!! Have fun stitching from your stash. That's what I'm trying this year, too!
Lots of lovely progress.
Well done on getting the Christmas shopping done, just the wrapping up now then!
Your wips are stunning as usual Sally. Good luck with only stitching from your stash next year. I would try but I'm too weak. Lovely new start on our SAL. I made only a small start as it was parents evening. Hopefully I will get going on it soon after I get the pressies and cards wrapped and written.
I love all your WIPs! Beautiful as always! It'll be fun to watch what comes out of your stash as you stitch away in 2012!
What lovely things you're working on!
I hope all goes well with your plans to stitch from your stash.
I also get a bit stressed these last couple of weeks before Christmas, i love it when the shops are all shut on Christmas Eve and cannot be tempted to do any more shopping, lol
I have got all (most) all my present shopping done now too - just need time to wrap it all!
Have a great week x
Sally - Icannot begin to tell you how excited I am about starting a Christmas Day SAL with you - it will be wonderful. Like you I won't be using the silk threads! Lovely stitching Sally xx
What lovely progress on all your stitching! I love your advent gifts, too. I am trying to do a similar thing with my stash, though I know Market will be the downfall. Eek!
Happy birthday!
Next year I'm hoping to do more stitching from stash, too; it's so hard, though!
Enjoying your wips especially the snowmen!
I am also trying to stitch from my stash in 2012, hope I can adhere to it, ha, ha!
Hugs,
Happy Birthday!!!
Great projects you are working on.
Good luck with your challenge to not buy anything during the first part of the year - I don't think I could be so good!
Good luck with your stitching from stash plan, Sally. I tried this year, but failed--there are just too many tempting new charts out there each month!!
Love your WIP--especially Christmas Carol... You'll get very good service from 123 Stitch--they're my favorite--so speedy and reliable :)
Beautiful stitching as always Sally. The JA sampler looks fine to me.
Hope your Plum Street chart arrives in time.
Lovely gifts in your advent package
Busy busy month for you then! I'll look forward to see what appears from your stash in 2012 - might even jump on the Wagon with you! Lovely update on your stitching.
que de belles choses c'est sublime !
bisous bisous
Great stitching and lovely goodies Sally! I hope you have a nice birthday. I'll look forward to your stitching in 2012. I think I will challenge myself to no stash in the new year too like you. I need to force myself to stitch the BAPS I want to see hanging on my wall and stop getting so distracted!
Have fun stitching Christmas Tea! I love it. 123 stitch is wonderful although I had this chart in my sale album. Those PSS designs are some of my favorite!
Your wips are looking gorgeous Sally, it's great seeing them grow and they're all so perfect for the season.
I'm so happy you're enjoying your advent calendar, hope the rest of the pressies bring a smile to your face as well.
I can't believe I'm joining you for the challenge in 2012, we must be mad! We are really going to have to support eachother through this lol.
Lucky you! To have all your xmas shopping done this early! I'll be getting a start on it later this week.
Your SAL are looking great.
I'm actually going to start one on January 1st this year, Ink Circles 4 Seasons Mandalas! CAn't wait!
Love all your WIP's and I am so impressed with all your plans for future stitching - good luck!
Hi Sally! Found your blog this morning & what a delight it is! Do stop over & visit me at my blog when you have the chance : ) I see you've made your first order with 123 Stitch. Great company! I am always recommending them to people. They answer your questions & give super-fast service. I, too, am planning to work on Christmas Tea by Plum Street Samplers. Sadly it will have to wait until I finish my Christmas gift stitching ... sigh! Blessings, Shirlee
Oh Sally...I think that I am also guilty of thinking that I can stitch more beautiful projects than there is really time to do before Christmas!
You have some really wonderful Christmas WIP's, and after all, and even if they are not all done by Christmas, you are having lots of fun! Blessings to You!
Lovely progress on all your WIP's Sally. Good luck with your stitching from stash. I'm going to try and do likewise - just as well the new BBD's came out before the end of the year though!
Sounds like you've quite a lot plan for 2012 :) Lovely WiPs. I'm itching to start 6 Fat Man after seeing yours. I know what you mean about December being a magical month. My birthday is in December too (in fact, it's today 8 December ^.^)
Hugs,
Veronica.
Stitching from the stash is something I also love doing. That's why I joined the 2011 Crazy January Challenge and why I have also joined the 2012 one. It's so much fun to go through the charts and magazines and look for the projects that appeal to you most. I'm sure you will have a lot of fun stitching from your stash only.
I loved to look at the progress on your WIPs.
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