Imagine That!

75 hours

Paula Vaughan's Wildflower Rhapsody

Well, isn't that something! A stitching picture on a blog that started as a place to share my love of cross stitch. Please excuse the quality of the picture. It was taken with my cel phone. Not the best quality, but you get the idea. .

It has been ages since I've stitched and even longer since I've been able to share a picture update with you. I don't know what has sparked the desire this week. I'll take it though and go with it as long as it lasts.

It was 2 years ago this month that I started this piece. I never imagined it would take me this long to finish it. Hmph! What do I mean finish it? I'm nowhere near to finished! It's not that big a piece. I've about 11 other pieces on the go, not that they have occupied my time in anyway. I've just had no time and worse than that, no desire to stitch.

This piece is being stitched as a retirement gift for a girl here in my office. It is a retirement that is far off in years, but may not be in all actuality. The woman's health is not good AT ALL, and as it appears to me from time to time, she could be out and gone from the office as soon as tomorrow. It may sound as though I'm overreacting, but that is really how it appears to me.

Hopefully it doesn't take me another 5 months to be back with an update. May not be on this piece, but something. Let's hope.

Thanks for looking.

Wildflower Rhapsody - 70 hours

Before - 65 hours

It has been ages since I've worked on this piece and updated. I spent a relaxing weekend at home from Friday night until late Sunday night. This quiet time allowed for me to log some stitching hours. 5 to be exact.

I'm stitching this piece as a retirement gift for a woman at work. She isn't due to retire for many years yet, but I figured I'd best get to focusing on this piece and get it finished. Who knows what tomorrow will bring.

This is the progress as of 70 hours. It boggles my brain that I've accomplished that much stitching in what seems like a short period of time. It seems every time I touch the needle I'm changing floss colours. The insanity of it all!

As with every other post, the feeling stay the same. Thanks for always being here!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 65 hours

Still plugging away. Not sure how much, if any stitching time I'm going to get this month, so this is my mini effort of keeping this stitch-y blog stitch-y filled! LOL

Lots of blank spaces that I will have to concentrate on. I will eventually. This is one piece I would like to see finished this year. I think that may be all I will get finished too. It's something though, right!

Thanks for looking and commenting.

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.

Wildflower Rhapsody - 60 hours

Checking in with another WIP update. As Cathey said after my last WIP update - She stitches!

I was able to hit another 5 hour block yesterday while sipping tea and doing more strenuous than pushing remote control buttons for television flicking. I would have liked to stitch longer, but the lighting in this condo is so poor I run out of good light rather quickly. It seems as though so many things are working against me.

I am working 6p-2a this coming week and that is a good stitching week, so I'm hoping I can get some progress on both pieces. I'm not holding my breath, so please don't you either.

I focused on the right side of the design this rotation. My goal for the next rotation is fill in the space to the right of the water jug.

Thanks so much for looking.

Wildflower Rhapsody 55 hours

Last update photo for comparison

Where it sits today.

I'm still amazed with how much I enjoy working on this piece. I'm still scatterbrained about where I'm stitching and not focused on any one section. Each stitch needs to be crossed so, in the end does it really matter?

I'm working days this coming week and that means little to no stitching time. It will be somewhere near to 2 weeks before I'm back with another update. Can ya handle it?

As always, thanks for your kind comments!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 50 hours

Imagine a blog dedicated to stitching and there is finally a picture and a picture pertaining to stitching no less.

I didn't realize I was so close to a another 5 hour block or I would have worked harder at finding some stitching time to get the opportunity to share another picture with you all.

I'm really enjoying this piece and that is somewhat of a miracle with all the colour changes. I think my love has more to do with the lack of stitching time than anything else. It's not a job right now, but an escape, an opportunity to do something just for me and something I really have to struggle to find the time.

I hope not to be so long with another update. We know the road being paved with good intentions and all that jazz. I bet it's another couple weeks anyway! How sad is that?

Thanks for looking, my wonderful cheerleader friends.

Stitching Stuff

I'm just cleaning up my stitching for the evening errrr, for the morning. I'm here at work and I'm exhausted and happy all at once.

I was able to stitch just over 5 hours the past two nights while working 6p-2am. Tonight's showing has 17 colours on my desk and another near pic update. As much I seemed to be changing colours after only 2 or 3 stitches, I think you can really notice a difference. The flower section is much fuller looking. My week is pretty full from here on out, but hopefully by next Tuesday or Wednesday I'll have another update shot to share.

With my upcoming move to the condo, I had to switch some of my shifts around to enable me to be around on Todd's schedule to help him move stuff. This is good and bad.

Bad: I'm working evenings.
Good: I'm working evenings so I can stitch while I'm at work.

I'm a really sick turn around shift tonight. Off at 2am and back in to work for 7am. Ugly and gross no matter how you slice it! I will fall into bed tomorrow night a zombie.

That's all the nattering I have for you tonight.

Sweet dreams to all!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 45 + hours

I'm figuring when life gets crazy, put needle to fabric and you can create magic. I'm not so sure about the magic, but I'm certainly making some good progress with my stitching.

I pretty much finished up the flower jug and then focused on cleaning up the remaining stitching on the left side of the design. I'm nearly finished all the stitches between the water pump handle the edge of the pump. I'm getting in to the time consuming part now. All and all I still love working on this piece which is good!

I'm working one more late shift this week 6p-2am, so I could very well be back with another update sooner rather than later. Don't hold your breath though, because we all know how hectic my life can get in the blink of an eye!

As always, thanks for looking and for your wonderfully supportive comments!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 40 hours

I'm back!

I've been trying to commit to my stitching a little more the last couple days. It's amazing what you can accomplish if just given a desire and the time to spend.

I'm so happy to have found my stitching mojo again. I know there are some that have commented on other blogs about their missing mojo. Well, rest assured your mojo just may be on the way home to you. I thought mine was lost forever, but it seems not to be the case. I couldn't be happier to know I'm working towards another finish.

As with each time before this and for every time to come, thank you for your encouragement and kind words. It is for my adoring public I strive to be the person you 'see' before you. It is with you in mind, I pull each thread and cross every 'x'.

Wildflower Rhapsody - 35 hours

Hard to believe I actually have a stitching entry on a stitching themed blog. Who'd a thunk it?

I've been so busy with life lately that I've had no desire or better yet, time to stitch. I'm working evenings this week and I was determined to make progress towards another picture block! I did it and couldn't be happier.

I'm going to focus on this piece until it is finished, as much out of a desire to get it finished as I am because the only other piece in my possession is Halloween Fairy and I'm in need of supplies for her.

So, Wildflower Rhapsody it is, all in it's mish mash point of completion. Is it obvious that I have issues with focusing on one thing. There is a plant pot that is partially finished, one that is 99.9% done and then the water jug started. I'm avoiding the flowers a little bit because are beautiful yet nasty to work on all at once. I guess every stitch needs to be crossed so how I do it shouldn't matter right?

As always, thanks for looking!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 30 hours

I've been neglecting my stitching in a major way this past month. Last night I tried to rectify the situation with showing a little love. Sorry for the creases, I am too lazy to iron them out.

I brought myself to another 5 hour block on this piece. I love the way it is coming together. The colours are gorgeous, albeit a little tedious always switching colours unfortunately.

Here's to hoping the next update is not months in coming.

As always, thanks for looking!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 25 hours

OMG what an atrocious picture. I'm sorry it is sooo grainy and for the fact that I didn't redo it. I'm just too tired to bother right now. I may replace it tomorrow.

This the first time I've touched my stitching in over a week. I knew this was going to happen when I started working full time. I'm not complaining because I really do like the routine of full-time shifts and having the weekends off. I just knew I would be so busy with every day chores that my hobby time would be minimal.

I've finished a book this week and did a little stitching, so all is not bad. I will eventually find a balance. I will, right?

Thanks for looking and happy stitching days to you!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 20 hours

Ta-da! Another installment in my ongoing love affair with Wildflower Rhapsody.

I'm stitching this with no rhyme or rhythm. I want to see it come to life, so I'm all over the pattern, not finishing or filling in as I would normally do. The colour changes are insane, but that is typical Paula Vaughan. It is those very colour changes that draw me to her patterns in the first place, especially since I get bored quickly with solid one colour pieces.

It will probably be next weekend before I will be back with another update, and that may only be a 5 hour addition and not the normal 10. If I bore you with updates I apologize.

As always, thanks for looking and for all your comments.

Happy stitching days to you!

Wildflower Rhapsody - 15 hours

I don't normally post pics at the 5 hour mark. I know! I know! Beat a dead horse already. I put out the option and had 2 ya's, so here is my most recent update.

I've been making really good progress on this one and loving every minute. The problem is, as of this morning my stitching time will be to a minimum for a while. Oh well, it's not a race. I'll get to it when I'm able and love it all the more for the time away!

Quick post this morning, since I should be getting ready for work. Running on 4.5 hours sleep right now so I'm not the most articulate anyway.

Happy stitching days to you!

Foolish Chatter

Wildflower Rhapsody has become my new obsession. In the last 2 days, I've added 5 hours to this piece. I am just loving it which is really saying something because there are so many colour changes it is ridiculous.

I stitched 2 hours on Saturday night with a total of 20 colours and tonight it was 3 hours with 24 colours. It seriously looked like the rainbow exploded around me.

The question I have for you is this: Do you want to see an update now (5 hours) or would you rather wait until I'm at another 10 hour block?. I'm not sure how long it will take me to find another 5 hours to put to this piece. I am hoping to be able to stitch a little bit throughout the week. Being realistic I'll probably not have another update until next Monday if I go for the 10 hour block. You'd seriously think I was trying to bring about world peace with the amount of thought I've put in to this. It's not rocket science, but you'd not know it by the way I'm prattling on.

Could the prattling and nattering have anything to do with the fact that I'm dog tired and I'm down to less than hour before I get to go home? I think, just a little bit.

The call is yours. Post now or in another 5 hours.

Is It Bedtime Yet?

I am exhausted and my day has barely begun.

I just got home from playing a round of 9 hole golf with Cute Boy and 3 of his co-workers. It was a lot of fun and I was a much better golfer once I quit hitting from the tee on my tip toes! Thank, Cute Boy for the insight BAAHHH He may regret correcting my form since I out drove him on a hole, or was it 2 holes! I love it! Our golfing partners were a very nice couple of people, Kim is the cutest ever! Percy, well there isn't much I can say about him, he's a Boston Red Sox fan... what is up with that! One hell of a golfer though. And about Cute Boy, well what can I tell you about him that I haven't already! Cute boy!

I'm now killing time waiting to head to Walmart, pick up a few things then go get Lily from work. I'm working tonight 6p-2a then turning around and heading to work for a 9am-5p Monday - Friday. This is going to be a long week, but nothing I haven't done before. This is my last weekend shift for a while, so as much as I'm already tired, I'm soooo excited to put this one behind me. I hope my office isn't looking for much support tomorrow because this girl is going to be running on empty!

Things where I work are changing in the next little bit and it will really affect me. I'm hoping it will affect me to the better, and when I know something more concrete I'll fill you in.

I'm going to work on Halloween Fairy tonight for an hour then the rest of the night on Wildflower Rhapsody. I'll probably not read much for fear of falling asleep. I will miss the Yankee ball game tonight as well as the Nascar race because of my social activities, but since the job pays the mortgage AND the cable bill, I must go to work! Edited to add: I'm officially out of Dandelion Stem and Black Coffee floss. Any other work on this piece will be the remaining work with other colours until I place an on-line order for additional floss.

Happy Stitching days to you!

WHOA Wildflower Rhapsody - 10 hours

This is my first 10 hour block. I'm loving this piece and was sad to see the emergence of 10 hours so quickly. I'm sad to have to put it down, so I'm not. I took it off the clamps to take a pic and it is going back on in short order.

Is it just me or does it not seem as though that is a lot of work for only 10 hours? Could be that I didn't get too involved with the flowers and trust when I say they will be slow going once I do focus on them.

I'm off to cuddle in with my stitching and watch the hockey game since my plans for this evening are rudely interrupted with me not feeling well at the moment. I had my cry over not feeling well, I know I'm a wimp, but I hate feeling sick especially when I've made plans, and plans with Krista no less. Off to lick my wounds with my tea, my blanket and stitching.

Hope to be feeling better soon.

Happy stitching days to you!

Wild Flower and Wild Stitching Shake Up

The time has come once again when I'm going to fine tune my rotation.

I've been talking with Pam again about some of my obligation stitching - another retirement piece for a girl at work. I started this particular piece, Wildflower Rhapsody not too long ago. I say not too long ago, which is probably more like 6-8 months ago. Not years though, so that is a vast improvement over the most recent retirement gift finish.

I'm currently acting in a full time position at work for a girl that is off from shoulder surgery. Along with previously diagnosed ailments, she has just recently been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Knowing the pain my mother suffered at the hands of this merciless disease and other diseases, I know the road for my co-worker is not going to be an easy one. The job we do, is one that demands full flexibility of shoulder, arms and hands, so to say this job will be a long term challenge is nothing if not an understatement.

I'm getting side tracked. So easy for me to do, I know. I thought I would have more time to plug away at this particular retirement piece, but I now see that may not necessarily be the case. In light of this recent development, I've decided to move Wildflower Rhapsody in to the focus piece slot. I will work on it in 10 hour blocks, with a UFO piece worked 1 hour per week. I'm running out of floss for 2 sections on Halloween Fairy, so I may move another piece to the UFO slot as well. I'm considering Summer Breeze or Enchanted Fairy. The logical choice would and should be Summer Breeze. Still thinking on that one.

You'd think there was some science to how I do what I do. It is my own foolish fault I'm in this particular predicament. If I'd shown some restraint at any time during the past couple years I would not be currently sitting with 10 WIP. 10! That is even after weeding through the list and eliminating pieces for people I no longer want to stitch for, at least not right now anyway.

I'm off to round up the supplies for WR and then head to bed. It has been a long exhausting day. I'm off tomorrow (Tues) so all is good. I have some cleaning and laundry, as well as an 8K run to do. If I can get up and get moving (read stay off the computer), I should hopefully be able to stitch some in the afternoon.

Thanks, as always, for letting me prattle on and figure all this stitching out. I'm sure in the near future I'll be back with an update of some sort.

Happy stitching days to you!

September and October Stitching Thoughts

I made some progress on this piece as much as you can't really tell. I played host to that damn frog most of this rotation. The very bottom part, I miscounted 3 times. I ask myself, 'If I can't count past 4 properly, how in the hell did I graduate Kindergarten?' Anyone?

I am going to keep Love as my focus piece for now. I really want to have this one completed sooner rather than later, so I'm going to keep working on it rather than moving all around my rotation pieces. Wish me luck!

This is a new piece I started in September. It is a gift for a friend. What you see here is about 5 hours of work, not a lot, but with all the colour changes, not too bad.


My contribution on the Finish It 3 piece from the CSC board I worked on the red part around the edge and some of the browns, doing fill in work. The fabric that has been used for this piece is amazing, a little difficult to see at times, but absolutely gorgeous. It is now off to Velda. I think she's going to love it and will probably make a lot more progress than I.

September Accomplishments
I was able to stitch a total of 29 hours. I shoot for an hour per day, but fell just a wee bit short this month. I love my life, but sometimes I'm so busy that getting time for 'me' is just not in the cards. Thankfully I have a job that allows me to stitch while I work!

October Goals
There is a month long stitch-a-thon on Cross Stitch Crazy board which is always an inspiration to put needle to thread. It is such fun. I've set my personal goal at between 5000-8000 stitches. I can do this!

Will work on:

• Love With A Capital L
• Finish It 3 piece - Enchanted Alphabet
• Maybe another rotation piece, maybe not.

Happy stitching days to you all.