Enchanted Fairy 55 Hours

Who would think to expect a stitching picture on a blog that started as a place to display my works of needle and floss.

Here is my latest bit of work on Enchanted Fairy. This piece has been in my so called rotation for 2 years now. How sad is that?!

Let's see if I can't find some time this month to work on another piece for a 5 hour block and come back even stronger with a progress pic. All I ask is you don't hold your breath. It may not happen.

Happy stitching day to you.

Enchanted Fairy - 50 hours

Here is my headless beauty as of this morning. I'm famous for creating headless pieces. I much prefer to work down rather than up hence the headless habit.

I can imagine this will be my last stitching pic for a while since I'm working days for the next 2 weeks and that severely limits my stitching time.

Thanks for looking. As always, your kind and encouraging comments do a girl's heart good!

All Over The Map With Things

House Chatter ~
I'm at work which enables me more time to read and stitch and just be a bum! I love this shift (6p-2am) and I hate this shift. I love it for the quiet time it allows, but get so sick of 2am bed time. This is my last shift this week since I booked Thursday and Friday off to move. You see that - MOVE! I'm finally moving.

This move has been a work in progress for 1 year and 10 days! Cute Boy and I looked at that most amazing house January 4th of 2008! Can you believe it's been that long? I can and can't. Those of you that have been around for a while, remember the renovations?! Goodness, how could you forget them!

I packed up about 10 boxes today. Do I really need 6 boxes/totes of clothing? A box of just flip flops? Flip Flops! An entire box of flip flops and the same with baseball hats? How many heads do I have?

BLBE/Healthy Lifestyle/Gym Thoughts ~
Not much been going on. I had lofty dreams of making it to the gym this week, but it just isn't going to happen. The eating has been scary to be generous in trying to describe. I fully expecting a gain. I have no one to blame but myself. I'm better than I've shown my team this week. I'm better than this for myself, too! Damn it. Soon though, very soon there will be no more excuses.

I did fall in food love this morning. I knew I was going to be out of bed rather early from a 2am bedtime and didn't want to eat garbage on the go while doing lawyer stuff for the house, so I took with me a Salba Organic bar (tried to find a good pic on line and couldn't). It was absolutely one of the best things I've ever eaten. It was crunchy and seedy (love seeds) and the flavour was awesome and only 4 points. It is a great cheater breakfast for those days when life gets in the way of a sit down breakfast for me. I will definitely be carrying of those babies around in my purse from now on. Ya me!

BLBE Team ~
I think I'm caught up on all your blogs. I'm pretty positive I've commented on everyone's blog. If not, I apologize. I'm working on getting Angie's team blogs added to their folder and I will get to caught up them soon enough! For the first time since the teams were formed, I've had my google reader down to under 100 entries! You are an inspiring bunch of people. I'm really looking forward to kicking this thing in to high gear with each and every one of you.

Stitching/Reading ~
I've been reading and stitching here at work this week while working this crazy shift. I can't see much of either hobby being done in the next couple days. I'm hoping to have a WIP to post tomorrow. I'm about an hour outside of a pic on Enchanted Fairy. She is a pretty one. I guess the only way to get the time block done is to step back from the keyboard and put needle to fabric.

To all my readers, far and wide - You're awesome!

Happy healthy days to you. Those of my stitcher friends, may the frog be busy doing what frogs do when not wrecking havoc on unsuspecting stitchers pieces.

MAWWHHH

Blowing Bubbles In The New Year

This is going to be my focus piece for 2009. Pam and I usually always start a new piece every Boxing Day, but as of late it's been New Year's Day and for 2009, not at all.

This coming year we've decided to move away from that tradition somewhat and choose something from our WIP pile, specifically a piece that has been neglected. The decision has been made that we are going to focus on Bubbles, at least that was the way it looked the last time we talked. We both have a few pieces that we've started together so there was no shortage of pieces of choice.

My plans are simple this year - stitch. When I'm stitching the goal will be to flip between the following pieces:

1. Wildlflower Rhapsody (more than half done)
2. Enchanted Fairy (1/4 finished - relatively quick piece)
3. Halloween Fairy (need supplies - so close to finished)
4. Bubbles (a very long way from the finish line)

I have a few things I would like to start and hopefully finish this year, but that is for another time and another post. I will just enjoy the craft and post the updates as they come. No pressure this year to work a certain amount of time or this ridiculous list of pieces I want to start or finish. I want to just enjoy myself and see what I can do.

So barring any catastrophic happenings in my world, I should be able to accomplish something and if I don't no big deal. I will try to return to the days of stitching while I'm working evenings and maybe be able to find some time to stitch at home, when I finally have a home again.

Enchanted Fairy - 45 hours (almost)

This is just shy of 45 hours, but close enough. I feel like I've made some good progress in this 5 hour block.

As much as I'm enjoying this piece, I'm starting to wonder what I'm going to do with it once I've finished it. I have no idea where I'm going to hang it or what part of my house it will match. How about, no where! This is becoming quite the concern with most of my pieces I've stitched. Will they match the decor of the new house?

Thanks for looking. Here's to hoping I'm not too long with another update on either this piece or Wildflower Rhapsody.

Enchanted Fairy - 40 hours

Isn't this special? Another update on Enchanted Fairy. The going is slow since I don't have the greatest light in the condo from hell, but I've decided I've wasted enough time with my stitching that I'm attempting to stitch even in poor light.

I've been stitching all over the place on this one lately. One night I'll stitch downwards on the left of the dress, the following night to the right. The most recent addition is the small section of the arm you see. I love that part for some reason. I am going to try in my next rotation to fill in the holes to the right. I think I will start with the bare section in the purple just below the arm and work my way down. I say that now, but wait until you see the next WIP pic, I'll probably do something completely different.

Thanks for looking. Your awesome comments are awe inspiring and greatly appreciated!

Enchanted Fairy 35 Hours

Can you imagine? Another entry pertaining to stitching. I know there are some or one (Krista) out there that wants more substance to this blog. Enough with the books, music and stitching! I know I know! This is all I have right now, and even this is from last week, not even current stitching.

I hope to find my way back to myself and my days filled with more than working and being sick. I've been not feeling myself since Thanksgiving, so much so to the point that I've called in sick 4x since then. I've worked where I work for 9 years before ever calling in sick and now that I'm full time and have sick days, I've called in 4x. Is that a coincidence or I am just really suffering something!

I miss you all bunches and bunches. I am reading, but not always posting replies. That is nasty of me and I'm sorry.

Love and hugs,

~T

158

What is that number you ask?

Is it my weight?

Is it a monetary value?

Is it my IQ?

That would be the number of stitches I added to Enchanted Fairy this evening. It has been well over a month since I stitched, so I figured it was high time I turned this train wreck around!

I was able to add 157 stitches in 1.5 hours. After such a long time away, I feel as though I've found my way home. Lets see if I can't build on this number and add something to it tomorrow night too. Now, wouldn't that be something! I keep this up I just might have a progress picture to share by the weekend.

Enchanted Fairy - 30 hours

At the start of this rotation - 25 hours


And, after. Currently sitting at 30 hours.

I thought I had a mistake up where the brighter colours meet the Ecru, now I'm not so sure. I counted from a spot I knew was correct and filled in and up to find the mistake. Have yet to find it and things are lining up properly. I'm going to concentrate on filling in the blank spots my next rotation.

I'm so excited to be posting WIP pics again. I'm putting these 6p-2am shifts to good use this week! Yaaaaaaa.

As always, thanks for looking.

Enchanted Fairy - 25 hours

I'm home today because of Thanksgiving, and not feeling well, so I figured I'd put my down time to good use and do some stitching. I've hit another 5 hour block. I normally only post updates at 10 hour marks, but I no longer have the attention span to stick with something for 10 hours. Sad, eh.

I'm not 100% if there are mistakes in this or not, so I'm all over the map in regards to filling in and trying to determine if there is a mistake or not. It is making for a less enjoyable and relaxing stitch. I'm still really liking it though. The colours are so soft.

Thanks for looking.

Enchanted Fairy - 20 hours

Another blob of pastel stitches. This time I'm displaying my most recent update of Enchanted Fairy. She is coming along nice enough, but with not a lot of time committed to her, there isn't much to show.

I am going to choose another focus piece now that Job's Tears is complete, but rotate through my other pieces a little more consistently than I have of late. It seems as though I love every piece once I work on it and that is the case with this piece, as with Bubbles.

I started this piece for a reason and I now remember why. The colours are so soft and it moves relatively quick. It feels in some ways, as though I'm stitching on Middy again which I loved working on at the time.

Thanks for looking and commenting!

Happy stitching days to you.

Mid Month Check Up

I'm really struggling with having no camera to post pics. I would be able to post a 30 hour pic, but I not able to do so. In place of posting a WIP pic, I'll have to torture you with a mid-month update of how I'm doing in achieving my stitching goals.

So far, I've worked on the following 4 pieces.

Halloween Fairy - I've worked 3 hrs 5 minutes (goal - 3 hrs). This little beauty now has a head, both arms and legs. I'm short on a one, possibly 2 colours. I'm not sure when I'm going to be ordering the floss I need because I don't want to place an order for $4.00 and then pay ridiculous shipping fees. I'll try and wait it out and see if I *need* something else to go along with my one little floss.

Rose of Sharon (Finisher's piece) - There is an additional 6hr 55 minutes done on this piece. I was hoping to contribute 10 hours, but not sure if I will bother now. Since it is being sent on to another person, if I don't think I can finish up a section in 3 hours, I may not even start it since the colour continuity is always a concern of mine. I will try to get a pic on here of my progress. No promises though.

Special Piece - 3 hours 30 minutes contributed (goal - 10 hours). I was thinking I could add 10 hours to this piece, but this piece really isn't all that big and I know there are a lot of people signed up to contribute so I'll restrain myself and not be a hog. Probably another half hour should finish it up for me.

Job's Tears - 1 hour contributed so far (goal 8 hours). I don't think I'll have any trouble meeting the 8 hour goal on this one. I couldn't stitch much more on it last night. The lighting was terrible so I had to pack it in before I was really expecting. I have this week to stitch in the evenings and then again this weekend when I'm at work.

Bonus Goals - Summer Breeze 5 hours and Enchanted Fairy 5 hours. I haven't even thought of them yet. It is still early. I might just surprise myself and get something done on one of them. Watch, I'll pull out Summer Breeze and then be inspired to work on it longer than 5 hours. Just my luck. Soon enough it'll be in the rotation and then it will drive me crazy. Isn't that always the way.

I think that's all I have on the go stitching-wise. Back in another couple weeks with the final totals.

Happy stitching days to you.

UFO Sunday

I've really been so busy with holiday travel and work to dedicate much time to my stitching. I miss it and hopefully with life supposedly slowing down in the next couple days I should be able to get back to somewhat of a routine with my pieces. That is unlikely to the point it is probably laughable. A girl has a right to dream!

I'm always tooling with my approach to work pieces and trying to get closer to finishing things up, so here is another new one from me. Since I'm trying to work 1 hour per week on my UFO's, chosen piece Halloween Fairy I've decided since I work most weekends, I will use Sunday as my day to work 1 hour on my UFO. I am going to work 1 hour on Halloween Fairy every Sunday and then the remainder of my shift on Enchanted Fairy so I can still make some progress on her. She's much too early in the process of being worked to be neglected just yet.

Any stitching time I find throughout the week will be dedicated to Love with A Capital. I'm getting close to the finish line with this one, so I'm hoping another 40 hours will see this one complete. Can you imagine that, a finish within the first quarter of the new year? WOOHOO!!

Off to put needle to fabric with a wonderful cup of Chai tea at my side. The small wonders of life surround and astound me.

Enchanted Fairy - 10 hours

Here is my colourful blob of nothing, really. My goal for starting this piece was to get 10 hours done and then go back to my other pieces. Well, here is my first installment. Doesn't look like much of anything yet, but I think for 10 hours it's a pretty good amount of stitching. This piece is going to be a lot of fun, at least that's the way I feel right now. There are blocks of colour that move quickly and enough other colours to keep my interest.

My next goal with this piece is to work on it on Sundays. Sunday is usually the day of the week I choose to work on my 1 hr per week UFO commitment piece. Since most of that will done at work, I will work 1 hour on my UFO and the remainder of my shift I'll work on Enchanted Fairy.

Thanks so much for any and all compliments. You're awesome support!

Another Start? You're not Serious?

I feel a new piece comin' on! I know I'm supposed to be working towards finishing Love with A Capital L, and I will.


My new piece is going to be Enchanted Fairy

You see Pam and I have started a new piece together every Boxing Day for the last 7 years. This is 2008's Boxing Day piece, but a little early. We aren't sure what our work schedule is going to be like for Christmas this year, so we're shaking things up some. I was looking at our schedule and Pam and I are working together next weekend 2-10 and 6-2, so we're starting it then! I've been bugging her for a bit about starting it early, but is was all in fun and done just to get her going. In case you're wondering, it worked. I've not even seen nor touched the fabric as of yet, because she doesn't trust me not to start it without her. Has she no faith in me whatsoever? Anyway, work being what it is, we are starting her December 1st, only because of the work schedule and not because I'm a pest.

I also happened upon Chris' blog, I'd Rather Be Stitching and she has talked about doing a UFO challenge for 2008. She did have an ezboard started for it, but it has been closed. Not sure why. Her idea is to work on a UFO piece for 1 hour per week . You can focus on one piece or any of your UFO's. I have too many pieces to list every time I talk of them, but suffice it to say I had more than enough pieces to choose from when deciding to join in the UFO challenge. My UFO challenge piece is Mirabilia's Halloween Fairy. I'm going to do an hour on her today for the 2nd week in a row. I love it and don't know how I let her get to the point that she is an UFO. So sad and very silly. The challenge I face now is putting her down after the hour, but I did the first week and will do so again today! Not putting her down would defeat the purpose if I kept working on her, right? I would then finish her and in my excitement to do that, move Love to UFO status.

Who ever thought stitching could get so complicated?

I'm off now to find bobbins so I can start winding floss for Enchanted Fairy. This kind of high is better than any drug I could ever think of, not that I'm prolific in drug use! This is my addiction of another kind!