End of Year Wrap-up --- and plans for 2011

Well, 2010 wasn't my most prolific stitching year with only 17 completions (3 of which were long-standing UFOs) but I did manage two of my goals: I completed the 2010 Bead Journal Project (although each 5 x 5 piece needs to be "finished" as a flat fold still) and joined a quilt guild (even though I never actually did any quilting, there are blocks made for part of a mystery quilt which may, someday, be assembled...)! And my two entries in the county fair won blue ribbons (just entering the fair was a goal; winning was icing on the cake! Whee!)! So I guess I didn't do so badly after all.

I end the year with 2 WIPs: "Fountain Mandala", designed by Elizabeth Almond and published in issues 53 and 54 of The Gift of Stitching, which I started last night, and "Palm Tree Elegance", a Dimensions needlepoint kit, which I worked on while on our cruise.

I have five UFOs still in the cupboard:
"Angel of Love" - started before we moved to England in 1992!
"Celestial Angel"  - started before we moved to England in 1992!
"Map of England and Wales" - started in Saudi
"Harvest Sampler" -- started in Saudi
"Nature's Song" (excerpted from a larger chart) - started in Saudi
to say nothing of that ancient crewel-work pillow and all the top work on six or seven needlepoint pieces that all predate 1992! And a slew of piece-worked tops from quilting classes in Saudi...

And then there is my Round Robin piece from 2006 --- I really need to finish that off.

So 2011: WIP Myself Into Shape will be the theme over at Cross Stitch Crazy, and while it applies primarily to stitchery, I intend to apply it to ME as well. First off will be back to the Gym, walking, every day if possible!

And another goal is already underway... entering again in the fair. Nine of my completions this year --- "Greek Window" for 14ct picture, the four Art deco cats for set of related pieces, "Witches Wheel" for 16 ct picture, and "Celestial Tree-O" for Christmas ornaments - were purpose made for the fair, assuming those categories still exist. Of course, just to make back my entrance fee, I'd have to win 9 firsts which is highly unlikely --- five more different pieces of blue ribbon caliber seems beyond me, especially since the sampler categories are off limits for me since I won last year,  but I can but try!

As for stitchery, I did a survey of the kitted up projects in my project bag and here is what I found. In addition to the two continuing WIPs ("Fountain Mandala" and "Palm Tree Elegance", the latter reserved for travel) there are 6 cross-stitch pieces:
"Purrfect" and "Cat Pack" by Marilyn Robertson (I did four of her black Art Deco cats this year)
"Sewing with Mama" by Sandy Lyman Clough
"Quaker Gone Spooky" and "Quaker Gone Tropical" by Michelle Ink
"Garden Stars" by Ink Circles
and one needlepoint kit - a freebie I picked up on board our cruise called "Paisley Jacobean". And there are two sets of ongoing San-Man Original freebie ornaments, one Christmas and one Valentine's Day, in my travel kit...

I wonder how far I can get with these before falling flat on my face! LOL

Especially since I am enrolled in Bead Journal Project 2011 (desperately searching about for a theme) and still in the quilt guild (I'm their webmaster now --- isn't THAT a joke --- and I have all those blocks to assemble...).

Ambitious? Yes, but if one doesn't set goals...

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Fifty-two

Well, three ornaments in one week was pretty good.  Now to choose another project... or maybe head down to the basement and assemble all those ornaments and bead journal projects that are down there... That's the part I like the last: the FINISHING! All that hand stitching !

Happy New Year everyone --- I'll be back Saturday to wrap up this year and set the stage for next year. I have some planning to do...

The third ornament

in the Celestial Tree-O: Celestial Snowman. DMC floss on the same blue-grey Monaco (cross-stitch, back stitch, straight stitch, Algerian eye stitch and lazy daisy) along with Kreinik metallics (cross stitch, straight stitch and back stitch) and Mill Hill beads.

Another ornament...

"Celestial Angel" from that "Celestial Tree-O" I'm working on. She's on the same blue-gray fabric in DMC thread (cross-stitch, back-stitch, Algerian eye stitch, lazy daisy stitch and bullion knot roses), Kreinik metallics (cross stitch, back stitch and straight stitch) and a few Mill Hill Beads. Celestial Snowman is next up...

An ornament

Designed by Janelle Giese, it's called Celestial Santa (on of three in "Celestial Tree-O" in the January 2011issue of Cross-Stitch & Needlework. Stitched on 28 ct Monaco (it's really a grey blue although it looks a little greenish here) in DMC floss (3 over 2!), Kreinik #8 braid and Mill Hill Petite Seed Beads. Some speciality stitches (satin stitch for the beard, Algerian eyes for stars and his cheeks). All in one day! It felt good to stitch again after so much beading!

So one down, two to go in the "tree-o"!

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Fifty-one

Bead Journal Project 2010 is complete. I cheated a little --- used the design of a piece of Christmas fabric border and played with bead placement and color. Outlined in #4 Kreinik braid, which you can't rally see but to my eye, it smooths the edges, much like backstitch does in cross stitch! I call it "Traditional Christmas"!

Now to come up with an idea for 2011!

Meanwhile, I have three ornaments kitted out which I will start on this weekend, I think.

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Fifty

Another week struggling with time and interest in stitchery (the missing beads and threads did arrive for that ornament set I want to stitch) conflicting with the need to finish December's Bead Journal Project piece. At least a week needed to finish the BJP --- and I really don't want to start anything new until I do finish it. But like Topsy, it seems to be growing (in number of beads to say nothing of time needed)!

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Forty-nine

All I accomplished this week was a few beads on the December BJP and eight gift card envelopes (paper). I seem to have lost my stitching mojo so I am trying to boost it by kitting up three ornaments (just what I need --- another project kitted up!). 

Wouldn't you know, in all my stash, I STILL don't have the exact Kreinik braids or Mill Hill beads called for in the cherts. I'm willing to fudge a little re color (I'm using a 28 ct linen in lieu of the specified 14 ct Aida), but I need petit seed beads (I don't have any even close to the color range in the petit size range) and Kreinik #8 braid (I seem to have spend all my $$$ on blending filaments!). So an order has been placed and I will start with the floss parts this weekend --- either that or unload a few boxes of cookbooks (still packed in boxes in the basement) for the new shelf in my pantry!

Back to Basics and Learn a New Technique, Week Forty-eight

More beading: I finished November BJP and have started on December... Starting to miss embroidery and I have two projects in mind... but haven't decided which i will start when I finally finish up with BJP this year. Of course, I have re=enrolled in BJP for next year so...

November Bead Journal Page

When I selected this fabric, and the beads, it was because I LIKED it, not because it reminded my of November in any way. For some reason, when I am at a loss for a theme, I seem to be drawn to this ferny batik fabric. And after all, purple and gold and green are Mardi Gras colors, right?

But as I stitched away, I was thinking of a specific song from on of my favorite musicals --- and then yesterday I found out that it was St. Andrew's Day! Now I'm 25% Scottish and I love the Highlands and the only time I was ever able to visit them, it was in late October/early November, when a frost had turned the bracken brown-gold. There was still a touch of purple of heather on the hills... (the song with that title was from Brigadoon...)

So... introducing "The Heather on the Hill"!



Sorry for the glare. That large "bead" is a sort of lavendery gold, with a green "flower" motif in the center... and my flash insisted it was needed.