The Crowning Touch..........

Not much accomplished as my girls have decided they are right full of energy! LOL They are great kids but sometimes I wish I could get a tranfusion of just a little of their high octane fuel.....they make me downright dizzy!!!

Long and short of it, I got Catherine to sit down and choose the Petite Treasure braid I decided I would like to do for Sleeping Beauty's crown and necklace. Now a 4 year old might be a strange choice for decisions, but since it will be hers, might as well make it the way she would like. Black gold now adorns Arora's head. LOL Her necklace was old gold and that has been completed as well.

She has no face, neck or shoulders, so there is a ghostly Disney thing happening here, but otherwise it's proceeding nicely. Having my daylight bulbs operational again have made it a pleasure to stitch and my eyes aren't nearly as sore the next day. Now to remember to install the kill switch so my kids can't kill it again with the continual on/off playing they do with the light switch. :( One thing that keeps me from going completely nuclear is the fact that they will have their own kids one day.............what a glorious form of punishment. ROFL

Briar Rose is blossoming as pretty as........

any rose!!! Now that my replacement bulbs arrived (thank you Fed-Ex!!!!), I have enjoyed getting extra hours stitching again last night. She now has almost all her hair and I'm very close to putting on her crown. Though the pattern calls for DMC, I have been entertaining the idea of changing this and using a Petite Treasure Braid that will give it a lovely sparkle and golden sheen of a real crown. Also some really lovely choices in Kreinik braid too, so I'm back to that awful situation of making yet another decision! LOL I think Catherine would really love that little touch, so I shan't make 'mountains out of molehills', but I do want it to be special for her.

I have seen many that are working quite earnestly on their Challenges. It is so wonderful to see what everyone is stitching and the quality of the stitching is gorgeous!!!! Alas, I know my journey will not be a quick one. Yet, it does not really upset or depress me. With finances being so constrained just to get through the month without any extras, this has been a wonderful balm letting me enjoy what I already have. Oh the joys I have had wondering through patterns stowed away in basement filing cabinets; meandering my way through all my freebie patterns on my computer; my head swimming with the choices of fabric or changes that I would want to make. Nor do I feel deprived. Sometimes seeing the new releases actually add a measure of stress.......when would I ever be able to do it, where would I put it, would I do it for me or give it away, how much more can my credit card take??????? This challenge has liberated me from much of this connundrum. It will also allow me to focus on some of the really large projects that have been sitting on the proverbial back burner. My Heaven & Earth Designs (Unicorn Pool and A Small Thought) have been languishing far too long and I enjoy working on them so much, yet they have entered the dubious realm of UFO.

UFO's.....what a vile designation for a project!!! I have many, but not because they have lost their lustre or appeal, simply that I suffer from the disease of Serial Starter. This Challenge will allow me to have the best of both worlds ~ my UFO's will be actively stitched and I still have the ability to start new projects with complete impunity. Now if I could just learn to limit my time spent at this computer!!!! LOL To which, I shall make note to myself that once Sleeping Beauty is done, I shall finish Enchanted Alphabet and begin Skating Fun (Polarbear Baby). It might be well if I establish for myself a guide to not begin new projects without completing some.....might make this challenge a little more productive. Still, just the wonderful journey of putting those little crosses in, painting away with thread and needle is all I need to enjoy my craft. Now if I could just get my DH to see it this way!!!

Still in the Pink............

Though my stitching time has been at a premium, I have managed to get some more work done on Disney's Sleeping Beauty. She now has the bodice and I've started on some of her hair.....this was so I could get to her right arm without miscounting. LOL

In true fashion of Murphy's Law, my youngest has been playing with my stitching light and burnt the bulb out. So now I can only stitch in daylight (I have become totally spoiled with these true lights) and revamped my schedule to work on projects in the morning after I take the girls to school. I've ordered a new light but it can take up to 2 weeks to get here. But this is not a bad thing.....I can catch up on the housework and when the light comes ignore it all again! ROFL And I'm not really kidding here.

I lost alot of time this week because my oldest daughter (8) needed a costume for a field trip to Blackcreek Pioneer Village. Being about as handy as a pet rock, no pattern and the sewing experience of a nat......it has been it's own challenge. Being told on a Friday that they need it for the following Monday did not add much padding for the mistakes you just know are going to come a'callin'. All in all, it has gone pretty well. The blouse is done, the jumper is done, the apron is done with it's cute little flounce, we found the perfect 'boots' at the Salvation Army and I've got the main part of the bonnet completed. One more session today and it will be finished.....thank heavens!!! Definitely not a project for a beginner or for the feint of heart....which I am a founding member! LOL Still, when she saw the main parts done she was so excited and her face just beaming, I almost cried just because she took such a great delight in it and I was able to do it for her. I also have a new found respect for the pioneer ladies that did all this work without the aid of a sewing machine or today's modern gadgets......they really are in inspiration!!!

Adding to my List.............

I have to admit it, I am really having alot of fun with this challenge. I am a confirmed Serial Starter and do not want to be rehabilitated. You can imagine how this is just feeding a wonderful frenzy of activity in my little mind. Actually, you can probably hear my husband groaning now.

Just got back from the EMS board and saw a cute freebie called "Polar Bear Baby--Skating Fun". It is so adorable I just can't resist! LOL I've even got the perfect fabric for it, a wonderful hand-dyed aida from Silkweavers called Winter Storm......the soft colors will look fabby against it as it has the greyish/brownish winter sky to it. As the aida is 28 count, the design area will be 6.14 by 6.21 inches. This will make a really cool mini wall hanging!!! Hahhh, now I know there's something going on.....I never know how I'm going to finish a piece. ROFL

Well, I'm off to kit this darling up and get to work on it. My poor snowman is still waiting for me, so I'll do him first and then I can get to work on this one.

Have a great stitching day all!

There are Rules to this Challenge.............

Oh My Goodness, I never thought of that concept!!! LOL So, in good conscience (and because I have the world's worst memory), I'm pasting a copy of the Rules For the 50 Challenge here. It's also probably the safest way to keep me honest. ROFL Without further ado, they are:

Due to the interest in the challenge I have decided to post a list of rules for it. There have also been requests for smaller challenges (thanks xstitchqueen for drawing this to my attention). For those of you who would like to join the challenge but can't commit to the 50 project...there will be a 10 project and a 25 project challenge. If you would like to join us in one of these challenges please post your intent, exemptions and modifications. Also, some people have already created blogs as way tracking their progress. Bloggers if you would like to share your journey with us please post your addresses. Purpose of the challenge: to reduce the amount of patterns you have not stitched. This challenge can also be applied to other areas of you stash if you wish (please post your personal modification).

The Rules:

1. Have fun reducing your stash.
2. There is no time limit- people have different size projects they would like to work on.
3. Thou shall not purchase any new patterns until 10, 25, or 50 projects have been stitched. Pattern size does not matter. WIPs and UFOs finishes count.
4. This challenge can also apply to knitting, beading, sewing and crocheting patterns.
5. You can make some exemptions - I am not placing limitations on this due to commitments that people might already have. Remember, though, the goal of this challenge is to reduce stash so too many exemptions will sabotage these efforts. I have declared three exemptions.
6. Gifts, gift cards, trades, RAKs and patterns bought with gift money are not a violation of this challenge.
7. Freebies count as part of your total and you can aquire them at any point.
8. You do not have to declare the projects you intend to work on. (If listing would make you feel better please do so)
9. The offical start date of this challenge was Sept 1, 2006 since I have been posting about it for awhile and want to make sure the everyone's projects have been included. All projects finished on or after this date count for the challenge. Example: you have been working TW's Peacock Tapestry for the past 36 months and you finally finished it on Sept. 12th... it counts as part of your total for the challenge.

~~~~~~

Okay, so now I have OFFICIALLY read the rules and they seem very reasonable and all in the in best interest of reducing stash and having fun. And no time limit, what more could a girl ask for????

Now for my part of the rules:

I shall do cross stitching only (finishing not required but it would be a novelty);

I shall declare my exemptions as thus: floss or fibres only to complete the project;

I have finished nothing since September first, so it's not an issue.

That's it. Let the stitching begin!!! Please, all stitchers act responsibily, No Drinking and Stitching; No Eating Cheezies or Chocolate in the location of ANY Needlework and always remember to keep to the posted 100 stitches per hour limit (or whatever your local regulations are).

In the pink of things...........

On May 14th of this year I started a piece for my youngest daughter, Catherine (4) of Disney's Sleeping Beauty. For some reason I haven't ever taken a scan of the progress on this piece but now that I'm in the Challenge, I thought it might be a good idea. LOL

As of September 16th, this is the progress on Aurora in all her pinked splendor!!! That skirt is over 8 and a half inches wide!!!! This is worked on 32 count lugana, 2 over 2.

I probably won't get any stitching done on her today as I have to make a Pioneer Costume for my daughter, Sabrina, for school and it has to be completed so that she can wear it for the week starting September 25th. Oh yeah, like there's a challenge......this from a woman who has trouble sewing on a button. LOL

Tonight I've got the final ornament in a set of 3 designed by Pam Kellogg. 2 are stitched and I just have the last little fella to go, so I want to finish him this month. These are the 2 that are done:
This is Moe and Flurry (thank heavens for marking their names in my picture file!!!) So the only one missing from this trio is Merry!!!

So tonight we shall make Merry. Oh I love a good pun. Yes, well, once I get him stitched, then I can decide if I want to finish these 3 guys together as a bellpull or if I want to turn them into ornaments. There always seems to be some kind of decision to be made whether its fabric color, adding or taking away something or how it's going to be finished. One good thing about having children.....they love to share their ideas and opinions.

What's Cooking............

With the challenge in full swing......at least my commitment to it anyway, it might be a good idea if I post what projects are on the go. I'll start with the currently active projects. UFO's will take the place of completed projects as the challenge continues. At the moment, we are working on:

1) Disney's version of Sleeping Beauty (no picture as of yet)
2) An adapted version of Lavender & Lace's Enchanted Alphabet:(as of June 26, 2006)

3) L&L's Angel of Healing: (as of October 16th, 2005)

4) Mirabilia's Lilly of the Woods: (as of June 6, 2005)

5) L&L's Angel of Summer: (as of April 2, 2006)

6) The last of Pam Kellogg's snowmen (known as Moe, Merry & Flurry)No picture

7) Welcome bellpull from Dimensions featuring birds and snow (No picture)

Ahhh, a plan and a place to start.....what more could a stitcher ask for?

I have deicded to take on the challenge issued by a member of astitching board. She has made her mind up to reduce her stash before she can acquire any more. Most reasonable when you consider the expense that such an investment as stash can require. Her novelty approach was to complete 50 projects ~ with no specific time limit before she can purchase anything new. She proposed for anyone interested to join her.

So today, I begin the journey of 50......or should I say Completing 50!!! LOL Considering the number of UFO's and WIPs I have on the go at present, I shall have no difficulting in finding projects to do.

This blog is therefore dedicated to those who have risen the the ocassion....for I am but one of many. I suspect many interesting stories and tales along the way.....not to mention seeing some absolutely gorgeous pieces.