Pics and SALs

Yep, I'm quite sure I've been remiss and a bit absent.  Busy, busy, mostly in the personal sense..not so much in the stitching or business sense.   Probably will be still hustling a bit over the next couple months. Trying to get an organized routine down---as helpful as it is hurtful!!

Anyway, so a burst of the other last pics of 2012 that I didn't get out here.  Top is Fractal 76 from Cross Stitch Collectibles, 1x1 on 28ct white.  Then SK Blossoms, SPML, HAED, 2x1 on 18ct white.  Letter R, Selina Fenech, HAED, 2x1 18ct white(sparklies are Kreinik #4 braid 1/2 only 2 strands).  And Forgiveness, Galbreth, HAED, 1x1 on 28ct white.

Other than that, main progress has been starting the HAED SAL, Mystic Garden, 1x1 on rose 25ct.  And a FB SAL, with a Tilton Crafts one, Vermilion Paradise 1x1 on 28ct white.  I had thought I was moving right along on QS Pale Rose, too....but messed up on it pretty good I guess while I was sick, so I tossed that--we just won't talk about that one right now.  At least I do want to restart it.

HAED, and just an update here

So, I've seen all the buzz lately about HAED having a tough time keeping their doors open, and Appreciation Week Sep 10-14.  Nice, but I don't know why it took so long for people to pick up on this/panic.  I know I've been hearing they've been having real trouble, for I dunno...the last year??  My timeline is screwy, don't ask me.....it's probably been even longer.  Just sayin'.  Nothing mean-spirited in that, kudos really for people stepping up(although I think that has probably become a headache to handle as well, in itself)....just wondering why it took so long for other folks to notice--and no, I'm not some secret insider.  I know it would be an absolute shame if they couldn't continue, same owners or not; this stitching and art brings such a joy to people.

Anyway, yep, I've been MIA for far toooooo long. I've been tied up with this medical stuff for the better part of this entire year so far, and nearly nothing else.  I'm a bit tired of it, but I'm trying not to think about it.  It's been life altering, in nearly every facet, some of which I am really not liking at the moment. And, generally speaking, it seems like I am starting over....at nearly everything.  Physically, I don't have a lot of strength either, so I am juggling multiple things, at a pace that is even making me pretty impatient, have to go really slow.

My stitching site? Still in the works.  With the medical issues, as I heal, that is one of the few things I should be able to do and would be good for me.  The continual slow track, I'll need something to keep me busy.  I just don't think it would be ready, or wise, to open anything before at least Jan 1....I'm not in shape for XMAS, etc.  I have only started stitching again in the last week or so. Bits and pieces on October Birthstone, the blue fractal, SK Blossoms, even Summer (Mucha) and such... Did I mention I was in on the 2012 SAL?  SK Blue Moon, gridded, but nary a stitch.....blah.

Some Progress, Pics, Order?

Ok, so some pictures finally. The weather is a little weird here, not that it usually means much....but good for any picture taking is hit and miss. I was hoping to have one more picture, but maybe in a few days. Anyway, SK Treasures at the bottom, not a lot of stitching. Once again, not sure I will finish it--I have sooo many other things going on (and for pay) that it may get put away for quite some time. SK Blossoms in the middle, tried to adjust the colors, but still not quite it. I haven't worked on it in the last week or so at all, but it's been coming along nicely; not as confetti heavy as I thought(top and bottom, middle is easier). And at the top, my blue fractal. Lightened that a little too, so you could see some detail better. That is what I have been working on the most right now. BAP for sure, but enjoying the big blocks of color, and a nice scattering of other colors as they come along. Really thinking I would like to get this finished in a reasonable amount of time.

No big progress on Summer, either, so no pic there. And I do have Forgiveness on the frame, so maybe I'll have something worth showing next month!

I've been resisting buying charts that are being retired. Really hard with Julie Fain, but I did not buy any and do not have any of hers. Now Drazenka Kimpel, that's another story. I did buy Purple Orchid already, so I am not totally distressed(still need the Anchor threads). That is on my bucket list, and probably my favorite on my bucket list. But I am very big into faces, bodies.....and I love her stuff. Most of it. Still torn over HAVE TO HAVE Breath & Lady of the Camellias . Luna was on the list for a while, but I think I can pass on that one. So, anybody up for an order? I need to place an order anyway, but I wasn't for sure planning before 11/15. I will not be getting extras, so if you want one, 15% off, plus shipping, prepaid on paypal---let me know!

And yes, I do need to place an order, soooon. I've been on the fence where I wanted to order my next ones, and it looks like it will be HAED, not sure I can manage an order from two places at once right now. So, next couple days on the retiring charts please. I specifically want to get some of the charts for the new site in the works. Frustrated that I don't hardly have those here. Some are BAP, too, wow.

I will be doing some updates and revisions to my info page(see link on left, to stitch), and the website itself. I may publish the full website soon, and just let it hang out for a couple of months, tweaking it, before being really ready at the start of the year. This includes a tiny bit higher pay amounts, and longer deadline times. Also, I hope to get/make a list of acceptable chart submissions, for the smaller sizes. Not talking about mini's--yet. But the SK, PAB, QS, small items, for those alternate misc projects, that I would like to see most. And some that just stitch up faster.

And the mini's. Whheee. Great idea for HAED. Little dismayed that it will all be about mini's now though. Working a BAP will be for old timers and stubborn......hey! that's me, all the way. The jury is out. I'll accept them in the Misc section of my new site, but am otherwise on the fence. And I don't know of anyone working both a full size and a matching mini, the exact same way, for a comparison. I wasn't thrilled with the mini mockups. More on that later. But certainly, more than nearly anyone anyway, I am all about FINISHES. Completed work. So, we'll see.

Basic FAQ for interested stitchers

So I've created a page, website..... for those thinking about stitching for me. There is a little more to add to it, but for now, the basic idea is up and rolling. I've had some interest already, (yes, interested enough to do it), and some other inquiries. At this point, there will not be a limit to how many can stitch. I may, however, have to restrict some categories, the smaller, easier ones. I have to have the BAP's worked on, and some variety--plenty with the options I've made. So it doesn't matter if I have 5 stitchers, or 15, or 50.....there's room. I will work on the sales end, as long as the product is available, and/or requested. (Of course, the longer you wait, the longer it will take!! And this is definitely the slow race.) Stitch For Me

Anyway, I've been trying to stitch. Bad timing, just getting hard with the holidays and end of year stuff coming up. I should be putting the finishing stitching into Frogpile(not yet), and working SK Treasures(nooo),Summer(barely), and the felt XMAS stocking I started while I was resting......but alas. I have, however, done a bunch on SK Blossoms, pulled out the bap blue fractal. And I need to finish SOMETHING, anything....but I can tell I will get Forgiveness on the frame, any day, I just can't stand it any more. I'll see if I can get a couple progress pics up later this week.

HAED Sale, Latest Start

HAED is doing their Mother's Day sale, 25% off through 5/9.

My latest start, a non HAED. The blue fractal I was telling you about. This is pretty much page 1 completed, of 45. It's on 28ct, 1x1, my smallest count yet. I really like it, even though these parts are "boring", works for me---but it's still the largest piece of fabric I have worked on as well! Hopefully the colors will come out a little more correct next time. Thinking I'd like to get more, but this one is luckily only a few colors, and 500x375. Most of the others are even worse!

I will not be doing the contests, they are too time consuming for the pieces I want to finish. And, of course, can't sell them. If I can still get them finished, I'd like to do giveaways, but I don't see finishing any of them in any near future.

I have ordered some of the HAED charts and will be listing them on my sites once they are in. I have a few coming from my bucket list even!

Terra Update

Ok, the latest update to Terra Fairy for the HAED SAL. Pleased that I have been able to have some umm, noticeable stitching time. I have stitched on all the other projects as well, except Mermaid, just not doing the pics of those for now.

I have also gotten a new start, White Rose from Mystic Stitch(discontinued, I think.) I thought it would go quickly, since it's a huge black background, but I guess that is all relative! It should be quicker than these other pieces, but I am not working on it much yet, still trying to finish out some ebay unloading. And, it has no white; no shades of white. I was thinking of doing some sparklies in it, but hard with no really white areas, will have to think about that. It's on white fabric, so perhaps when I get all the top black done and get to any color (35 lines), I'll start with some pics of it.

I have bought a new piece, too, on ebay. A fractal, (geometric style) blue....sigh. I may get another one or two, don't want those disappearing on me as ebay morphs again. But it is rather large, larger than many HAEDs. I've gotten all the threads, a lot, but it's only a few shades of color, and big blocks of color. Itching to start it, but likely not until I finish something else.

Couple other updates, I will post about those soon!