Michelle Bendy: May 2018

Thursday, May 31, 2018

May WIPocalypse Update

How is it the end of May already? (Wait, is that how I started my April post too?) Anyway. Enough denial. Let's talk stitching.

May was a PROLIFIC month for me. I had seven finishes. SEVEN. One was a WIPocalypse, one was a Maynia start, three were for swaps, and two were just for me. Wow. And the REALLY great thing is that I only started one thing in May that I didn't finish in May. Now there is an improvement for you!

So, what did I finish for WIPocalypse? One of my oldest WIPs! It's Stitchrovia's BeInkspired (it's actually called Be Inspired, but I like my title better):

It's available on Emma Congdon's Etsy store, Stitchrovia and you can click on the picture above to go directly to the listing.

I started this on August 9, 2017 (thank goodness for spreadsheets) and finished it on May 28, 2018:

I used almost all of the called for colors because Emma Congdon is a GENIUS with color. I did, however, make a few changes. The sailor girl and one of the hands I turned brown by using 436 and 835. Then, you may have noticed, I changed the word "Yourself" to say "Science". It's a sentiment that we appreciate here in this house.

Here are some close ups:

WIPocalypse Blog Prompt:

Each month, Melissa at Measi's Musings gives us a topic to muse (har har) on. This month's topic is: Where do you like to shop for stash?

Well, if you know me, you know I LOVE to enhance my stash!! My number one favourite place to do so is Acorns & Threads:

I'm ridiculously lucky to have such an amazing LNS (only) a two hour drive away. I make it a point to get there on the first Thursday of every month for the Pacific Northwest Stitchers' stitch in. And I know I can call Jeannine for ANYTHING that I need and she will kit it up for me, order it for me, set it aside for me, or convert it to silks for me. 0_0

Don't believe me? Call the shop: 503-292-4457

We can't all drive to Portland, I know... so for online shopping, my shop of choice is Gulf Coast Stitches

Julie can get you just about anything that you need, and if she can't get it right away, you had better believe that she will be looking for it till she finds it! The customer services is personable and kind and the shipping is FAST.

Plus, she's my friend. <3

Plans for June? Well, the Eliza Bell Cox 1832 SAL is starting on June 1, yay!! Check out the Facebook group if you'd like to join or just follow along and watch the awesomeness.

Other than that, more swaps!

Thanks for stopping by WIPocalypsers!

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

Flosstube #61 Show Notes

Happy Last Tuesday in May everyone!! Here's a closer view (complete with links!) of what I talked about this week:

Best New Thing:

Sandy Bakos (on Flosstube!!) and her husband Bob are participating their local Parkinson's Moving Day! Sandy and Bob made a great video on her Flosstube and we can donate to their walk by clicking HERE.

My mug:

It's my Dunkin Donuts Maine Mug from Pam & Steph: (click on the picture to buy from my Amazon Associates)

FFOs:

Garden Cross Stitch ATC for the Facebook ATC and Card Swap group. It's from Better Homes & Gardens Cross Stitch & Needlework August 1996 issue:

I took an excerpt from the Berry Sampler:

And here is my finish:

Finishes:

It's the Sally Spencer samper from Birds of a Feather, started May 1: (click the picture to buy)

Here's where it was last week:

And I finished it:

I was SO CLOSE last week, it only took another two or three hours after the video to finish it all up. I'm in love. And I found the PERFECT frame at the thrift store:

I stitched it with none of the called for colors on a random piece of 25 count greenish linen. The full conversion is on my Stitch With Me #22 Show Notes post.

BeInkspired by Stitchrovia from the Summer 2017 issue of Cross Stitcher Magazine:

The chart is available from the Stitchrovia Etsy Store:

Here is my version:

It's stitched on a 25-ish count linen that I found by the bolt at a thrift store and dyed with a bit of Navy Rit. I used most of the called for colors, except I changed the skin color on one hand and the sailor girl. They are stitched in 436 (Latisha's base color) and 835 for the shadows.

I also changed the center word from "Yourself" to "Science"

WIPs (Works in Progress)

I actually haven't started anything since last night when I finished BeInkspired!!

Purchases:

eBay purchase of an old, dirty, smelly sampler (don't worry, it was cheap):

Thrift Store Finds:

A little kit from Needlecraft Hawaii called Ohia Lehua:

If you're interested in the leged of the Ohia Lehua and you'd like a better version than my fumbly one, check this out:

And here is a poi pounder:

A gorgeous Dimensions chart called Flower of the East:

Don't look for that on the destash page; I'll be stitching it. =D

a random bag of trim:

And a REALLY great something for finishing:

Happy Mail/Gifts

Pass the Stash/gifts from Amy H at Amylovestoads:

That little pillow is from Amy's own stitching of the A Walk in the Woods piece. She didn't like it so she made tiny pillows!!

Some for me and some to give away.

Flosstube Shoutouts:

Kathleen, Kathleen's Trodden Trail

Books:

I finished American Gods by Neil Gaiman: (click on the picture to buy)

5 stars. I loved this book. It's about a guy named Shadow whose life is ruined on the day before he's scheduled to be released from jail. It's about the man who offers Shadow a job; just call him Wednesday. It's about a series of murders in a small town. It's about coming to America. It's fantastic.

Outside Links:

Stitchrovia on Etsy
Acorns & Threads
Gulf Coast Stitches
@themulticraftyhermit on Instagram for bags
The IPS Needleminders on Etsy for Alzheimer's Needleminders

Flosstubers Mentioned

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Stitch With Me #25 Show Notes, May 25, 2018

Happy last Sunday in May! It's Sunday High Tea with Caroline at Off the Grid Needlearts, but rather than making a new start, I'm going for a finish on Be Inkspired by Emma Congdon (Stitchrovia) from the Summer 2017 issue of Cross Stitcher:

It's also on the Stitchrovia Etsy shop, so click on the picture to buy.

I super love this piece! It's not small but it really does stitch up fast if you use the Weasley method and stitch the black first. If you want to see them all, check out #TattooTuesdaySAL on Instagram.

At the start of the video:

I'm stitching this 2/2 on a mystery 25 count linen (WHY am I doing 2/2 on 25?!?! AGAIN) that I picked up at the thrift store and hit with a little bit of Navy Rit to mottle it up with MOST of the called for flosses. My only changes were to the word "Yourself" to make it say "Science" instead and the skin tone on the sailor girl and one of the hands is now a combination of 436 (Latisha's base color) and 869.

At the end of the video:

I'm totally in love with this and I can't wait to have it finished!!

Alzeheimer's Needleminders from Heather the Imperfectly Perfect Stitcher!

Heather, the Imperfectly Perfect Stitcher on Flosstube and TheIPSNeedleminders on Etsy, is selling Alzheimer's Needleminders to support my Walk to End Alzheimer's in October. Here are her minders: (click on the picture to buy)

They're $7 and ALL $7 goes to my walk!! So THANK YOU Heather!!

Every October, the Alzheimer's Association hosts a walk and fundraiser in Eugene, Oregon. This year ours is on October 14. I didn't realize this till I was grabbing the link to the page this morning, but y'all, we are the HIGHEST SINGLE PERSON FUNDRAISER SO FAR THIS YEAR!!!

Thank you all SO MUCH for donating and helping find a cure for Alzheimer's!!

And speaking of finding a cure, here's the graphic that I found that shows how much of our money goes to research vs administration:

That's 77% of all funds straight to care, support, research, awareness, and advocacy! I can get behind that!

If you'd like to donate directly to my walk without buying a needleminder, go ahead and click on this picture: (because we all walk together)

Acorns & Threads Fall Retreat!!

The fall retreat is Nov 2-4 with events at the store and ALL the stitching at the Oregon Bar Association. Cost is $180 with $65 non-refundable deposit due at sign up.
Call the shop to register: 503-292-4457
Email the shop to register: http://www.acornsandthreads.com/orders/
There are 60 total spots and only 31 (or so!) are taken!! Get your retreat on with us at Acorns!

WIPocalypse

It's a phenomenon, started by Melissa at Measi's Musings. Here is the link to the explanation page.

And the WIPocalypse SAL Facebook group is pretty fun too!

Get the app: Bloglovin' (click on the picture to get the app)

Flosstube Mentions:

Outside links:

Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Flosstube #60 Show Notes

Hey y'all!! It's Tuesday again, so welcome back to the blog! Here's your close up of what I talked about ths week:

Best New Thing:

AccioStitchery on Etsy new pin!!! (click on the picture to purchase)

It's Maleficent in her dragon form guarding a golden egg that Harry Potter is trying to steal. I. Love. Crossovers!

My mug:

It's the Starbucks You are Here mug from Taiwan! From Lucy! Thanks Lucy!!

FFOs: two, but I don't want to show them until the recipients get them.

Finishes: none

WIPs (Works in Progress)

My only WIP this week is the Sally Spencer Sampler, started on May 1:

Here is what it looked like last week:

And here is what it looks like now:

I'm SO close!!!!

I'm stitching with none of the called for colors on a random piece of 25 count greenish linen. The full conversion is on my Stitch With Me #22 Show Notes post.

Purchases: (click on the pictures to shop)

May's Colour & Cotton Flosses:

I love, love, love Deep Pine, the green.

Purchases from Acorns & Threads: Gloriana Highland Heather, Scissors for the Jeannette Douglas My Sewing Box class piece, and part 6 of the Harbor Haven By the Bay SAL: