Realizations...

So you may have noticed I haven't been blogging this week. I've been stitching, just not blogging. I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about this blog and I think for now I'm going to be taking a break from blogging in general. I've really gotten into doing my FlossTube updates every week, and it feels like I'm duplicating my efforts to do things both here and there.

I'm keeping this blog up and I may totally change my mind in a few days or weeks, but for now, this blog is going on a hiatus.

That doesn't mean, though, that you can't follow my updates! If you're interested in still following me and haven't done so already, I do videos about all of my WIP's and a whole lot more on my FlossTube channel. Come follow me!

http://www.youtube.com/TheStashQueen

Thanks again for everything and as always....

Until next time,
Katy

Bad Blogger

I've been a bad blogger these days. Ever since I came back from vacation, honestly. I'm sorry about that, I really am! I promise it's not intentional, and I'm going to try to do better!

Since my last update, I've worked on several pieces. First, I worked on Victorian Lady by Joan Elliott.

I was very tired the day I worked on this piece so didn't get a lot done, but progress is progress! Here is where I stopped this time around:

This picture is a bit dark, but I'm doing this on 28 Jazlyn in Strawberry Swirls from Under The Sea Fabrics.

The second piece I've worked on was my Wedding Sampler designed by Carolyn Manning.

I love this piece because it's one of a kind. It's going to come up again next week as part of my August ABC SAL for Stitch Maynia. Here is where I stopped this time around:

I'm almost done with the greens on the second page and then I'll be able to work on filling in the roses. This is being done on 14 Count Aida in Crystal Fresco from Picture This Plus.

The last piece I have to report is my second August ABC SAL piece, which was my Doctor Who Clock by Cloudsfactory.

I was able to put in nine hours of time in it for the SAL and was very pleased with my stopping point.

This is being done on a 32 Opal Lugana jewel from Under The Sea Fabrics using silks from Mo's Sale for everything except the white (B5200) and the skin tone, which is Mo's Flesh cotton floss. There really isn't a ton left to do beyond finishing Doctors Two through Twelve!

That's about it this time around! I am going to try to get better about blogging daily again. Never meant to get out of the routine in the first place!

Until next time!
~Katy

The World's Postage Stamp and Tuscan Greeting

The pieces I've been working on the past couple of days both have a very international feel to them and I have the urge to travel abroad again. Maybe someday!

The piece I worked on for Wednesday was The World's Postage Stamp by Soda Stitch.

This is just a fun piece that made me miss many of the places I have been to that are represented in the stamps. Here is where I stopped on Wednesday:

This is being stitched on 32 Jobelan in Meadow from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie. Those background squares really are a tedious process!

Thursday saw me working on Tuscan Greeting from Dimensions.

I cannot tell you the number of errors I've made so far in this piece. I'm trying to fudge/fix them as I go along, and I think it's working okay for now, so hopefully that will continue! Here is where I got to on Thursday:

Can you tell where the errors are? I sure hope not!

Today is also TUSAL reporting day! Yay! My bowl is very full for this year. I don't think I'm going to be able to fit it all into one ornament!

Until next time!
~Katy

The Medieval Town Mandala

Yesterday I spent some wonderful time working on The Medieval Town Mandala from Chatelaine.

I love, love, love, LOVE this piece. It's entirely done in specialty threads, no DMC whatsoever, and it's just a wonderful pleasure to work on. This is how I far I got yesterday:

I'm holding off on the beading until the end, but I am doing the backstitching and specialty stitches as I go along because this piece is entirely black and white rather than color and the backstitching can be very difficult to see. I figure doing it as I go along will be better for my sanity than waiting until the end!

Until next time!
~Katy

The Bookshelf and The Little Mermaid

On Sunday, I spent some time working on The Bookshelf by Little House Needleworks:

I'm doing this on 32 Lugana in Doubloon from Picture This Plus, and here is where I stopped:

And then Monday saw me working on The Little Mermaid by Thomas Kinkade for the Disney Dreams Collection again:

I'm definitely still well trained on the expecting the timer to go off after an hour! Ha! Here is where I stopped yesterday:

Overall I'm happy with the progress on both pieces so far! Yay!

Until next time!
~Katy

Sweet Pea Fairy and The Biggest Stash

The past couple of days saw me working on two pieces. First was the Sweet Pea Fairy by Joan Elliott:

I love this piece, this is the first of her fairies that I started working on. Here is where I stopped:

The last few times I worked on her before this time I was focused on the one over one skin, so it was very nice to work on her hair this time. Plus I think the hair just brings out the beauty of the one over one skin even more! This is being done on 28 Jobelan in Fairy Dance from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie.

Yesterday saw me working on The Biggest Stash from Cross Point Designs:

This really is an adorable piece I fully plan on hanging in my Mom Cave when it's finished. Here is where I stopped yesterday:

I plan on backstitching this as I go, but still need to finish a little more on the chair (specifically the blanket hanging on the back of it), but I should be able to finish that next time around. I'm doing this on 32 Jobelan in April Showers, also by Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie.

Until next time!
~Katy

Sugar is Sweet Sampler

Yesterday I spent some time working on the Sugar is Sweet Sampler from Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery.

You may recall that I am totally changing the color schemes on this piece. Here is where I was able to get to yesterday.

I'm doing this piece on 28 Jobelan in Highland Heather from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie using flosses from Mo's Sale. The alphabet specifically is being done in Gelato - I plan on changing nearly all the colors as I go along.

Until next time!
~Katy

Vacation Update

Well, I'm back from vacation! We had a wonderful week long vacation in Colorado! We went to Denver first, then Boulder so hubby could do the Ironman (he finished! Yay!), and then finished the trip in Breckenridge. We did so many things and had so much fun, it was a really great time, though I'm glad to be home!

I did complete a lot of stitching during my vacation, though. I did have two finishes, one the night before my vacation, one on the way to the airport on our last day!

Wine Glass by Mill Hill

Started: 5/15/15

Finished: 7/28/15

All Things Noah by Dimensions

Started: Sometime before 2001

Finished: 8/5/15

All Things Noah was my oldest WIP and my first project for Alphabet ABC's for Stitch Maynia this month! I'm so excited to have it done!

I also worked on several other pieces this week!

Spirit of Cross Stitch Angel by Brooke's Books:

St. Peter's from John Clayton International:

Stardust Fairy by Joan Elliott:

Stitching ABC's from Design Works:

Storytime Sampler from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery (OMG Phantom of the Opera! LOVE!!):

Walking Through The Stars Zodiac Sampler from Cloudsfactory:

Lots of great progress, lots of fun, but now it's time to get back to the real world!

Until next time~
Katy