New Year, New Resolutions!!

Yes the time has come to start thinking about my stitching resolutions for 2011. Last year's were set so long ago I can't even remember what they were! (thank goodness for blog archives)

So my resolutions last year were:

• Finish all WIP & UFO's from 2008/09 before begining anything new
• Limit any stash purchases to threads & fabric 
• Work on and complete one project at a time!
• Try Evenweave

 Ok 3 out of 4 isn't bad, I did try evenweave and I have no UFO's left from 2008/09, although I did start a lot of new projects before finishing them, also all new starts are completed except Halloween Short Stack which will be done before the end of January! I ended up working on one project at a time during the run upto christmas just because it is so much easier than trying to stitck to any kind of rotation.

 

So onto the shiny new 2011 resolutions!

• Start working through some of the gorgeous kits and charts in my stash (check out my stitching pile page to see what I'll be working on this year!)
• Keep my stash organised
• Work on my finishing skills
• Work on my time planning (more often than not I set myself a deadline that's achievable but then don't put in the time to ensure I meet set deadline)

I think that's everything for this year. Hopefully these resolutions will help me to become a more organised and well planned stitcher!

Hope you all enjoy the new year festivities and I'll see you all in 2011 for the first TUSAL update on January 4th!!

Happy Stitching & Happy New Year!

sadly won't be finished this side of the new year.

It's my own fault really, I haven't really done much stitching the last couple of weeks and so I haven't yet finished Halloween Short Stack. I'm hoping to finish the pumpkin tonight and possibly the withches hat which means I'll have very little left to do. It will be done by the end of January (I have to start stitching a birth sampler on Monday so it'll have to be put to one side for that)

Bit belated but Merry Christmas!

Hope everyone had a lovely time over the holiday period! (some of us had to be back at work on Boxing Day for the sales) We spent Christmas Day at my little brother's house in Coventry with his girlfriend and her family. Lots of fun, food and toy story 3! (and 3 hours of Wii Party!)

Everyone loved their stitched gifts, even my mum, who's present was sewn together at the last minute and bled on just a little bit...stupid pins. However she's pretty sure she can get the small stain out and if not I'm going to cover it with some ribbon or something.

Recieved some lovely stitchy gifts from mum and dad, a new sewing box and some new kits, aida & bobbins which I've been desperate for! LOL. My brother's gift was sweet, a lovely retro print pincushion shaped like an apple. Was just cute until I read the box 'not suitable for children as fuctioning sharp points are included'

'fuctioning sharp points' AKA 'pins' I laughed so much I was crying!!!

Also received some lovely handmade stuff from my mum. A bag charm with a little shoe, mobile phone and music note charms on and a gorgeous Amethyst necklace. This is the first bit of Amethyst jewellery I have ever received and I love it because not only do I love purple but Amethyst is also my birthstone.

Mushroom Pattern for Blu.

LOL I'm glad you liked my mushroom pattern, its avaliable on Spritestitch.com, just click the link below to open it and save it:

Mushrooms Pattern

just download the PDF file in the first post on the page, it's my pattern so feel free to download it lol

PIF received from Michelle!!

Today I came home from work to find a lovely little package from Michelle waiting for me :)

Isn't it lovely! Thank you so much Michelle, I will treasure it always xx

A finish...(or 14!)

*WARNING VERY PHOTO HEAVY POST!*

Yes the time has come, with only half a design left to stitch this side of the new year. I feel I should probably start sharing some photos of the designs I have been stitching in the last 6 weeks.

Wine A Bit

design by Sue Hillis Designs

Dad's Christmas present

Cozy Christmas Wishes Orny

freebie from Lizzie*Kate  website

Stitched twice, once for an exchange and once for me :D

Cinderella is Proof

design by Lizzie*Kate

Brother's Girlfriend's Christmas Present

Tea Lover

taken from the 'tea crazy' chartpack by Lizzie*Kate

Brother's Christmas present

Little Cups of Friendship finished as a glasses case

taken from the 'tea crazy' chartpack by Lizzie*Kate

Grandma's Christmas present

Mr Tickle card

design by Bothy Threads

for a friend's 24th birthday

Fall into Autumn

free design from rainbow braid website

love this design and have the perfect fabric to complete it.

Be Naughty

design by Lizzie*Kate

fell in love with this design as soon as I saw it, finished as a cushion

Reindeer Yoshi

design found on spritestitch.com

Bah Humbug Orny

featured in a old issue of UK Cross Stitcher

Tatty Teddy

design featured in Cross Stitch Crazy #137

Mum's Christmas Present

Black Hat Society

design by Sue Hillis Designs

A design I finished a while back but only just got round to sewing into a cushion

Halloween Fairy

design by Nora Corbett for Mirabillia

So glad this is finally finished after 2 years, will be framed in the new year.

Super Mario Mushroom Cushion

designed by Me.

I actually stitched the design a while ago but have only recently found the perfect fabric to actually do something with the finished stitching!  

Hope you enjoyed looking at my finished projects, don't forget to sign up for my PIF, closes in 2 days!

Happy Stitching

xX Fiona Xx

Finishing Updates AND a PIF!

Although I still haven't managed to do any stithcing this week I have spend today doing some finishing, sadly I can't show them just yet as they are Christmas presents but there isn't much longer left to wait now!!

*12 days till Christmas!!*

In other news I also won another PIF, this time hosted by Elisa so now I have to host another one myself. If you would like to receive something stitched from me in the next 12 months please reply to this post :) I will leave this open to sign ups until Christmas Eve.

*I know last time a few people were put off entering because they felt their finishing skills were not upto a high standard, well neither are mine! I dread using the sewing machine but I'm entering and hosting these PIF's so I have a reason to practise my finishing skills and try different finishes/techniques.*

*please don't let the fact that I'm a novice when it comes to finishing put you off entering either, I'm getting better all the time!*

it's official...

I hate being ill :(

I've done no stitching this week and now I can feel Christmas looming. Although I have finished all my Christmas stitching I still have to frame and finish several pieces... there is still time for that thankfully (and mum has agreed to help me!)

Hopefully will get some stitches in this weekend as I really wanna finish Halloween Fairy off so I can carry on with Halloween Short Stack.

no stitching to show :(

Sadly I haven't finished Halloween Fairy yet as I seem to have caught some form of cold/flu type virus and have spent most of my weekend in bed sleeping. Was also sent home from work today as my boss felt I was unfit to work so spent most of today asleep too. Hopefully back to work tomorrow as I can't afford the time off before christmas.

Should get Halloween Fairy finished by the end of the week, only her hair & face to go now :)

Report on Friday to do list

Well I completed Tatty Teddy at about 3pm, so backstitching took around 6ish hours. *I really do detest TT backstitch!* I was very good and pretty much stuck to the pattern rather than make it up with was very very tempting at times! The completion of Tatty Teddy also completes my Christmas stitching for 2010!! =)

Went out and bought a mount for 'Wine A Bit', however it is fractionally to big for the frame so I shall have to trim it slightly on Monday after dad has gone to work (it's his christmas present)

Have started stitching on Halloween Fairy again, I don't think I will get her finished tonight but I am aiming to finish the actual cross stitch part of it so that I can do the backstitching of her head and finish the beading off on Sunday as i am out in Milton Keynes tomorrow and out in the evening for a friend's birthday.

Didn't manage to get onto Halloween Short Stack as I have been trying to finish Halloween Fairy off first as it's the older of the two projects. These are now the only two projects I have left in my workbag meaning I will most likely reach my goal of ending the year without any outstanding UFO's or WIP's!!

To Do List For Friday!!

1. Backstitch Tatty Teddy finished!!!!!!
2. Complete Halloween Fairy (head to stitch & backstitch, beading)
3. Find a mount to fit frame for Wine A Bit sort of done, bought a mount but it is slightly to big, may have to cut it down to size.
4. Carry on stitching on Halloween Short Stack

Wish me luck!!

PIF winners!

Hey can you both email me please at crazy_strange161@hotmail.com as I can't seem to find yours! and Kath yes it is you over at http://kathsstitchingheaven.blogspot.com/!! I will need your addresses, and likes/dislikes when it comes to designs & finishes! Thank you xx

PIF Sign-Up is now closed =)

Finally have two willing sign-ups for my PIF which should have closed on monday so congradulations and many many thank you's to stitcheranon & Stitching Kath!

You will both recieve something stitched by me in the next 12 months (you shouldn't have to wait very long!)

Right now I have to run off and go to work otherwise I will be late but I will email you both this evening to find out what sort of thing you woud like to recieve from me.

Oh....

doesn't look like anybody wants to enter my PIF draw :-(