WIPocalypse 2015 - January Update

Hi everyone! Welcome to the first update for the WIPocalypse for 2015! It's not too late to join in - just visit Measi to sign up!

For January, we are supposed to introduce ourselves, our projects, and outline our goals for the year, so here goes! My name is Katy, I am 34 years old and live in the Dallas, Texas area. I have been married for 12 years to my college sweetheart, P (we'll have been together for 17 years this February), and I have two kiddos. T is my sweet daughter and is 8 years old. She's tried stitching a few times and I have a feeling one of these days the bug is really going to hit her bigtime. I was about 10 when I started stitching, so she's got time! D is my wild, crazy and wonderful son and he is 4 years old. Both of my kids are the lights of my life, I love them dearly! When I'm not stitching, I love to read, write, spend time with the family, lose hours on Pinterest and Facebook, and binge watch Doctor Who and Sherlock! I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you this year! I will say in advance that I love comments and commenting on other blogs, but I'm horrible at responding to comments made on my blog, so don't be upset if I don't get back to you!

Now, the projects...there are a lot, and this will be a picture heavy post (even if all the pics aren't the best). You've been warned! The full list of all of my projects for the WIPocalypse are included in my WIP list on the side. After a few other minor goals are taken care of (see my goals from yesterday), I'll be doing a daily rotation on all of these projects, so you will likely see any number of them in a given month!

1. All About Noah - This is an old Dimensions kit that I started waaaaaaaaaaay back in college that I just found again, still with all the pieces! I probably stopped working on this shortly after I got engaged (in 2001) to work on all of the projects I gave as bridesmaids gifts! It is, by far, my oldest UFO, but really there isn't much left to go!

2. American Flag Quilt Sampler by Rosewood Manor - I have seen this done by so many other bloggers and I absolutely love it, it's just one of those pieces I can only work on in short bursts, so the rotation will work well!

3. Angel of Compassion by Selina Fenech (Heaven and Earth Designs) - This is a BAP (Big A** Project) I started as part of a Crazy January Challenge a few years ago. There are three other angels in this set, too! Doesn't look like much, but trust me, with a project like this, any progress is progress!

4. Beauty and the Beast Falling in Love by Thomas Kinkade - This is a kit my daughter fell in love with, and seeing as we're both Disney fans and Belle is my favorite princess, how could I refuse?

5. Butterfly Fairy by Joan Elliott - It's hardly a start, and I haven't worked on it since the CJC a few years ago, but I love Joan Elliott's fairies and hope to have many of them stitched up one day!

6. Butterfly Rose Cross by Brigid Ashwood (HAED) - Another BAP! I'll be happy for any sort of progress on this one this year!

7. Christmas Countdown - A Dimensions Advent Calendar kit that I've been working on off and on for years now. I have the ornaments for it all stitched up, it's the calendar portion I'm working on now!

8. Dreaming of Tuscany - This will be a new start this year and is a kit by Dimensions. No pictures yet!

9. European Bistro - Another Dimensions kit (I tend to stick with them for kits) that reminds me of the bistros we visited throughout Europe

10. Fall Fairy - Another one of those Dimensions kits I've honestly barely started.

11. Flames of Desire by Lee Ann Seed (HAED) - This is a beautiful firey fairy BAP I'm excited to get back to!

12. Italia Vista - I love love LOVE this Dimensions kit. It makes me want to go back to Italy!

13. Mediterranean Flavors - I'm noticing a theme with my Dimensions kits...ha! This is a cute little project I plan on hanging in my kitchen when it's done.

14. Once Upon A Time Sampler by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery - This is the project currently in my hoop. I don't have a great current full sized picture of the complete project right now, I take those pictures when I finish each month. I've got this full sized picture from when I finished June's block, and I'm currently working on July!

15. Rapunzel by Joan Elliott - Along with her fairies, I love her princess trio and have Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty both on my wish list!

16. Skater's Village Tree Skirt - I have been searching for this Dimensions kit since I finished my son's Christmas stocking four years ago as it goes with the theme of all four of our stockings. I paid WAY TOO MUCH for this kit, but I'm so excited to start it!

17. St. Peter's by John Clayton International - Barely started, but this is one of my absolute favorite places in Rome and I can't wait to see it come to life!

18. Stitching ABC's - I couldn't resist this kit by Design Works! It will hang in my craft room when it's done someday!

19. Story Time Sampler by Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery - This is a year long SAL that starts on January 15th. No picture yet, but I'll share when I have one!

20. Sweet Pea Fairy by Joan Elliott - Another for my fairy collection!

21. The Little Mermaid by Thomas Kinkade - This will be the last of my new starts in 2015 (for now!), so pictures will come soon!

22. Tuscan Greetings - This cute Dimensions kit will hang by our front door when it's done!

23. Wedding Sampler by Carolyn Manning - Carolyn personally designed this as a wedding gift for me and my husband 12 years ago when she and I became friends at a writing site we were both a part of! I love it, and am determined to finish it!

Whew, think that's enough to work on this year? Goals? To make progress and have fun!

I'll be swinging by the other WIPocalypse blogs tonight to see everyone else's projects too! Can't wait until the kiddos are in bed!

Until next time!
~Katy

Goals For 2015

So, I've gone through my stash (and gotten addicted to the XStitch app on my iPhone, by the way), took out pieces that I've stopped doing, added a few new pieces that are kitted up and ready to go and I think I know what my plan is for 2015!

1. I got behind and never completed the Once Upon A Time Sampler from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery last year. I have July-December to complete. My first priority is to try to finish that piece this year. It stitches up quickly, and I want to try to get as much done by January 15th because....

2. I've joined the Story Time Sampler SAL from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery this year! The first installment comes out on January 15th and then monthly after that. My goal is to focus on that piece when each new installment comes out so I can have it complete on time this year!

3. Once goals 1 and 2 are taken care of, I plan on going back to my old rotation habit again. I will be joining the WIPocalypse for 2015 and doing a daily rotation between all of my pieces on my WIP list over on the side, going in alphabetical order. Four of the pieces listed, including the Story Time Sampler, will be new starts that are already kitted up and ready to go, so I'll throw them in. Why not, right? As I finish a piece, I'll evaluate with my massive stash and see if I want to start another piece at that point or if I want to just try to whittle down my list my year and eventually join the slew of challenges and SAL's that start every January next year. I haven't quite decided yet. I will save my official WIPocalypse introduction for tomorrow.

I think those are pretty good goals for the year. Off to do some stitching now!

Until next time!
~Katy

I'm Back!

Well, after a very long hiatus due to health issues, family obligations and life in general, I am back! Stitching has taken a long hiatus as well, and I am excited to get back into both following my fellow bloggers, sharing my accomplishments, and stitching in general!

I'm going to be working on some updates here over the next several days as well as getting back into visiting the blogs I've missed visiting over the last several months, so stay tuned!

Until next time!
~Katy

Once Upon A Time Sampler - May Edition

I'm so sorry for the delay in posting the adorable update to the Once Upon A Time Sampler! I've been a bit under the weather most of the week and haven't felt like blogging or stitching, but hopefully I've turned the corner and can get the latest block finished quickly!

May's block is Jack and the Beanstalk. Isn't it adorable? Jack with his red hair reminds me of my son (he turns 4 on May 7th), who also has red hair. In fact, he was the first part of the block I stitched:

Now whenever my son sees this little guy, he excitedly says "Mommy, that's me!" This is the overall progress I've made so far. It's not much but it's a start!

I know the lines look a little bit curved/not straight in the picture, but that's just due to the tension in the hoop. They are actually straight.

And as if this wasn't enough, The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery announced that they will be hosting The Mysterious Halloween Town Club, another monthly pattern club that will run from June 19th to September 18th. The color palate and the sneak peek were too much to resist, so I've totally signed up for this one too!

Until next time!
~Katy

New Start

So I worked for a few days on American Flag Quilt Sampler, and while I love this piece and adore seeing other people's progression on it, it seems to be one of those pieces I'm only able to do in short spurts for some reason. This is especially true when the urge for a new start strikes! So here is where American Quilt Sampler was left when I put it away for now:

The next installment of the Once Upon A Time Sampler is due out in a few days, but in the meantime, I gave into my urge for a new start with another Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery creation, this time selecting there Halloween Spooky Sampler! This is what the example looks like:

Of course, I had to make some substitutions, and here is my floss toss for the piece:

The fabric I am using is 32 count Jobelan in Bewitched from Hand Dyed Fabrics by Stephanie, and except for black and white, the flosses are all from Mo's Sale. This time around, I am using Darkness, Brownie (silk), Waterlily (silk), Rose (silk), Candy Corn, Sun, Flesh, Golden Sun (silk), Leak (silk), Grassy (silk), Mona (silk), Eggplant (silk) and Regina (silk). It's becoming a habit with pieces from The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery to make these substitutions - it just seems like they make pieces that are much easier to make substitutions for!

I did make a little bit of a start yesterday. It's not much, but it's a beginning!

Until next time!
~Katy