Woo Hoo Giveaway Fun In The Blogosphere!

I'm playing catch-up with the blogs in my reader. As I am reading I'm finding lots of giveaway contests. I will add more as I come across them.

Whoo Hooo!! Lots of giveaway fun is going on in the Blogosphere!

Daffycat of It's Daffycat is having a giveaway for her Blogaversary. Visit HERE for more information.

The Hera Chronicles is also having a Halloween giveaway. Visit HERE for details!

Linda of Stitching With My Furbabies is also having a giveaway. Visit HERE for details!

Rachel from Come Stitch With Me is also having a giveaway. Visit HERE for details!

Challenges/SAL/etc

At the beginning of 2011 I remember lots of people starting the crazy 15 challenge, which was to start a new project every day for the first 15 days of January 2011. I have enjoyed watching people's progress on their blogs. As well as that someone created a similar challenge but instead of new starts it was to complete 15 UFOs/WIPs. I've also enjoyed watching progress on those as well. Then there is the TUSAL (totally useless stitch-a-long) where people post pics of an ort container on the full moon of every month. And so many other sal's. For next year Measi of Measi's Musings has come up with he idea of a WIPocalypse. It is kind of a joke over the idea of 2012 being the last year before the Apocalypse occurs. The idea is to get as many of our WIPS/UFOS completed before that happens. Updates are to be posted every full moon during 2012. I haven't joined in other blogging related SAL's before but for some reason I want to join this one, so I did.

Here are the links to further information should you wish to learn more or join up yourself:

1. Rules and sign up page on Measi's Blog is here
2. FAQ on Measi's Blog is HERE.  
3. List of signups is HERE.
4. YUKU board for the group to keep up with each other and encourage each other is HERE. 

My list:

• Woodland Fairy by Teresa Wentzler
• Stroke of Midnight by Teresa Wentzler
• Christmas Dreams by Joan Elliott
• Sentimental Sampler (AKA Anniversary Sampler) from a magazine
• Quaker (I forget full name but I think Marquior was part of it) by Mon Ami Pierre (I think)

I will add more WIPS as I find them. I know I have an LHN on the go, but can't find it right now and I don't remember it's title. Since the lists can be changed over time, I can add it later. Here's hoping I can keep up with this WIPocalypse. I tend to fall so far behind on everything because the depression and pain just seem to eat up all my time. I've spent most of this year just sort of "coasting" along because my mobility has been so severely decreased, daily pain level increased, and my motivation for many things decreased. So I figured I'd give this a try. It can't hurt I suppose and it may help me motivate myself.

Posting dates for progress pics:

Jan. 9

Feb. 7

March 8

April 6

May 5

June 4

July 3

Aug. 31

Sep. 29

Oct. 29

Nov. 28

Dec. 28

Wish me luck! LOL

Update on Sentimental Sampler used as Anniversary Sampler

I realized that the picture I uploaded of Sentimental Sampler (using it as an Anniversary Sampler) is an old one. When I pulled it out to work on it I realized that I was further along than that picture showed. So I took a new picture. I did a bit of stitching last night and am hoping to get some more done today after I do a bit of cleaning in the bedroom.

Sentimental Sampler © The Cross Stitcher
28ct Jobelen with DMC floss over 2 threads
Closeup with decent representation of colors

Sentimental Sampler © The Cross Stitcher
As of Oct. 18, 2011

I had to alter the chart a little bit in order to fit the names into it. So I removed one line from the center and altered the line below the names. I kept the same dimensions (stitch count, number of rows etc.) so I would not have to figure out how to alter the borders of the piece. I was so nervous making these changes, but was very happy when the first border fit perfectly. I was so worried that my count might have been off and the border wouldn't fit anymore, but it did (that's the zig zag border just around the middle part).

Thank you all for your comments on my last post about Quaker Welcome and my daughter's stitching. I really appreciate it. Your support and well wishes do help me a great deal. Sam (my daughter) says thank you for the compliments; they made her smile.

Jenny said: "Isn't it wonderful when the passion for something finally returns?"


Yes Jenny it is fantastic! I was beginning to think my stitching bug was eaten by the frogs somewhere. LOL

OK I am off to do some cleaning and then hopefully some stitching. I am going to try to use my stitching as a coping mechanism for my pain. Cleaning my room will make my pain level go up. Stitching used to help me cope with my pain by distracting me from it. For a while now it hasn't been though I'm not sure if that is because of the pain or because I was in a bout of depression again. So I will try today. I am hoping that my stitching will once again help me deal with my pain.

My first finish for the year and daughter stitches

YAY!  I finally managed to finish something! I finished Quaker Welcome by The Stitcherhood. It is for my mother-in-law. I will give it to her for Christmas if I can get it framed by then. Here are some pictures:

Quaker Welcome
© The Stitcherhood
Finished Oct. 2, 2011 on 28ct Silkweaver's Jobelen
DMC 820

The backside

I am very proud of this piece. I did not carry threads between motifs, and I tried hard to keep the back neat. I love the dark blue on the sparkly light blue. Sue, my DMIL, saw it when we visited and it was almost half-way done and she really liked it. It felt so great to finally finish something!

I was stitching with my daughter. She is working on a piece that is a combination of two EMS baby designs. She will add a heart and some words between the two. The piece is for her friends who are engaged to be married. Here are pictures:

Penguin Baby © Ellen Maurer-Stroh
14 ct White Aida with reccomended DMC floss
Stitcher: Sam C.

Turtle Baby © Ellen Maurer-Stroh
14ct Aida DMC Floss
Stitcher: Sam C.

Carnation from book 2011 Cross Stitch Designs
14ct Aida DMC Floss
Stitcher: Sam C.

It was really nice to spend some time stitching and even better was spending that time with my daughter. I've been focusing on spending time with my family. I am once again homeschooling my son Kyle. My daughter Sam and I have been watching DVD's or movies via Netflix, chatting, and stitching. Due to my back not getting any better DH and I can't get out much, so we've also been watching movies and various documentaries on Netflix. So lots of chatting, goofing off, and just enjoying being together and it feels great. I think that is why I was finally able to feel a desire to stitch and enjoy every stitch, instead of just doing a few stitches because I "had" to and not enjoying it. I am hoping to pull out the wedding sampler I started for DH and I and continue working on it. If I remember correctly it is half-way done already and the changes I made to the chart (extending it to fit more words) were all worked out.

Sentimental Sampler
From a magazine

The colors are off on this but hopefully when I get some more done I can get a better picture of it.

Well that's pretty much it for me, hopefully I will have a new update soon!