August 2023 Goals

 

Weekly progress March 1-21

 So I missed posting progress so far this month and decided to do a month to date instead.

Blueprint for the rainbow city

Serenity prayer

Plum pudding

I restarted Blackstone fantasy garden on different fabric

Mother’s bliss

Christmas break progress

 Christmas was very, very quiet.  None of the usual family get togethers happened this year following the recommendations of the Health Unit to not gather.  This meant that I had much stitching time.

Top of the basket: Blackstone Fantasy Garden

 As the end of 2020 approaches an update on projects that actually saw the top of the project basket this year.

Blackstone Fantasy Garden by Ink Circles on 32 count white opalescent with Carrie's Threads

 

State of the stitching - the catch up edition

I decided to post an update picture of the projects I have been working on recently.  

Blackstone fantasy garden 

Plum pudding

Autumn reflections

Serenity prayer

Templar prophecy

Sometimes too much is a bad thing

I have decided that I have too many projects on the go; there are so many choices that I can't decide which ones to work on.  So I made a short list of ones I will work on until I finally see some finished:

 Serenity Prayer version 2 - My Big Toes Designs

Autumn reflections - John Clayton/Heritage Stitchcraft

Tour des Marques - The Silver Lining






Plum pudding - Glendon Place

Blackstone fantasy garden - Ink Circles

February recap

I had planned to do some update blog posts during the month but those didn't happen.  Instead I give you the February Stitching In One Shot post

A finish!  

Dark Shards

Ink Circles

32 ct. Antique white

DMC threads

An ornament

Snowflake 

Scissortail Designs

DMC threads

Progress on Plum Pudding

Serenity prayer - the words on the first page are almost done

And finally I did a little filling in of the border on Blackstone fantasy garden

All the pretties

August has been super busy.

It started with a family lunch, then my birthday, the Knowledge and Needles Open House and a stash zone still waiting to be finished.

Also - my boss was away most of the month so work was busier than normal.  

Needless to say, blogging hasn't been the highest on my to do list.

But I have some progress pictures to share.

First: so of the glorious stitching on display at the Knowledge and Needles Open House.  I keep waiting for Ann to include drool bibs.

On my way to the Open House I picked up Teresa Wentzler's The Castle from the framers.  This guy is all mine

I have managed a little stitching progress

Blackstone fantasy garden

Canada sampler

Serenity prayer

In the merry, merry month of May

Here we are in June and I didn't get a last post done in May to show off all the stitching progress I made.

So to start off June here is what happened in May since last time

I finished Lorelei Lamb by Just Nan

I did this one on 32 count lugana instead of linen

I managed to finish frogging Blackstone Fantasy Garden by Ink Circles and then made some good progress on the green border

I did a little on Tour - which is so hard to see over one on 25 count

And I did a little bit on Serenity Prayer version 2

I am also having a debate on this one - the pattern is actually two colours - there are some flowers coming up and I am trying to decide if I should do the piece all in one colour or use B5000 (bright white) for the flowers.... must decide soon


I also did some work on my genealogy project which took much longer than I was thinking it would.  I made some really good progress though, although having ancestors with super common names is so frustrating.

ICM November 20th edition

Yesterday was Ink Circles Monday so I worked on Blackstone Fantasy Garden.  I am still working on the middle cross and made it to the bottom.

Slow but steady progress is better then no progress right?

To cut or not to cut

Yesterday was Ink Circles Monday, which meant that it was time for Blackstone Fantasy Garden.  Progress was minimal but I did finish the third loop of the middle cross

While I was working last night I once again considered the fabric.  It's 32 count linen opalescent - linen which I am not a fan of.  But that is not why I was considering the fabric - no I was considering the size the fabric.  The piece is too big for a fat quarter - so I got a fat half, which is too big.

I haven't cut the fabric to size yet.  I admit it I'm a wimp when it comes to cutting fabric, so I keep procrastinating - I know at some point I have to do it. Why does fabric cutting have to be so scary?

Ink Circles Monday

Yesterday's stitching was all about Ink Circles.  Bonnie and I had decided earlier this year to dedicate one day a week to an Ink Circles project and Monday seemed to be the best choice.

I made a little progress on Blackstone Fantasy Garden.

Blackstone Fantasy Garden Update

I've been working on getting the middle cross done on Blackstone - I have managed to reach the left and right sides

Action packed

It has been a busy month.. and a bit.

On the 9^th I went to see my parents, during this visit we planned a day trip.  My aunt joined us as we went on the 1000 Island Cruises Lost ships of the 1000 Islands cruise.  It was a little cool and windy for the first part of the trip but was bright and sunny by the time we got back.  This cruise does not include a stop at the restored Boldt Castle but it did go around it.  It was very pretty but I am not sure of the practicality of living in a castle in the middle of a river.

After the cruise we enjoyed a lovely bbq and visit.  And the next day I returned home.

I had a fairly quiet weekend the next week.  A friend and I went to see Wind River and to lunch.  The movie was excellent though the subject matter is not for everyone. 

On the 20^th I took the train from Ottawa to Toronto where for the first time I went to Union Station before getting on the GO train and heading to Burlington.  Why would I go there you might ask?  I had a work meeting the next day but had a lovely dinner and walk along the pier.  After my meeting I got back on the GO and headed off to Oshawa to meet Bonnie.  We spent a few days in Toronto going to the Royal Ontario Museum and doing some shopping.  On Saturday morning we went to Gitta’s where we met friends for stash shopping and lunch. 

It was a packed few days, the weather was hot and not at all normal for the time of year.  Still we had a great time and managed to do almost everything on our list.

I headed home on Sunday very tired.

The last weekend of September was the Cataraqui Embroidery Guild Marketplace and Show in Kingston.  Dani and I headed down for the day and had lovely afternoon/evening visit with local stitching friends before we headed back home.

This past weekend was Thanksgiving (Canadian) and once again I travelled to see my parents.  On Saturday my aunt joined us for dinner and then I made her help identify some old photos.  We seem to have a lot with no names or the “grandma and I”. …. Not helpful!  They will be labeled shortly and I have scanned them as well.

We went to see another aunt for a large meal on Sunday before I was back home on Monday morning.

So much travelling and many things going on! This is not normal for me and I am ready for a few weekends at home.

I have managed to do a little stitching and have been trying to make progress on the stash zone:

Added some drawers to the stash zone

Touching the Autumn Sky

Started the second page on Cougar kitten

Blackstone Fantasy Garden

Second round of Serenity prayer

Merry Ho Ho Lizzie Kate