WIPocalypse August! And July... and... June...

On the upside, I'm blogging SO MUCH lately! On the downside, I've missed TWO MONTHS of WIPocalypse blogging. Ugh.

Luckily for all of us (all of us?) Measi keeps an amazingly beautiful and organized blog that allows me to catch up! (TOTAL sucking up right there!)

Without further ado (sucking up), let's get to it:

Two months ago in a galaxy far, far away....

June:

Measi gives us a topic for each month, and this month's topic is: tell us what you think the ideal stitching retreat would include.

Well. That's a loaded question since StitchCon was in June.

My ideal retreat is probably 30-50 people large. It should include stitching, my besties, good food, a smalls exhange, door prizes, maybe a guest designer? I love, love, love an all-inclusive location like the conference center where Michelle R holds her Midwest Retreats, especially for out of towners who don't have a rental car. Then again, it was REALLY nice to walk from the StitchCon hotel to a bar in town. It was only about a mile and the weather was SO nice.

I'm sure I'm forgetting things, but let's just look at my finishes: 

That's Brenda Gervais' Stars & Stripes, stitched for the Midwest Cross Stitchers' swap; In Lieu of Flowers by Prairie Moon, stitched for ME; a hama bead pattern turned ATC for #crossstitchatcs on Instagram; Ginger Gerald Designs Windmill, used for the smalls exchange at StitchCon; and a little goat for a card on the FB Cross Stitch Card and ATC group

July:

Again, we'll start with the monthly topic: half year review: how are you doing on your goals so far this year. 

Well... I'm stitching a lot. Like, a LOT a lot. TONS. and I'm finishing. All the things. But none of the WIPocalypse things. Mostly this is because I keep starting things.

So. How am I doing with my 2018 goals? Just fine, thank you. ;-) I'm not too worried or bent out of shape about whether I finish my WIPocalypse or Year of WIPs pieces. I want to focus on them but I also want to start all the things. so it appears we are at an impasse.

But, like I said, I did FINISH things in July, so here they are: 

These are the borders for the TinyModernist #HauntedMansionSAL; there is the Martha Agnes Sampler Roll and inside pocket from Stacy Nash; Starry, Starry Night from Bent Creek; the start of my #CountryStitchersRR with a motif from Blackbird Designs Garden Quaker; my modified project from Midwest Cross Stitchers Retreat 2017; and that atc again (CLEARLY a June finish!)

August:

Look! We're all caught up!!

Let's get into it--the question of the month: which is more satisfying to you--the process of stitching or finishing things? 

Well! Melissa is a GENIUS! Because could there even BE a more appropriate question for #ArbitraryAugust?!?  The short (and cheating) answer is that I love BOTH. I waffle between "I'm just happy to be here; hope I can keep stitching" (I'd love my life to be a little more like Bull Durham)

And MUST FINISH ALL THE THINGS!! So I think that the real answer is I like to stitch and I like ot be stitching. Whether I'm chugging along or finishing all the things, I'm happy. 

Speaking of finishing all the things!! I finished a Year of WIPs piece in August. I dont' think it's a WIPocalypse piece.... but it's a finish! This is Here Lie My Needles from Shakespeare's Peddler: 

And I am ABSOLUTELY in love with it. This is my favourite thing that I've finished this year. It's on a weird uphosterly fabric that is very much like a 14/16 count uneven Aida and was pretty beautiful to stitch on. I have an idea to frame it, I just need to find a large enough frame. 

I also had a couple of non-Year of WIPocalypse charts this month: 

This is October 31 from Kathy Barrick. And I love it. It's stitched 1/2 on 40 count linen with all of the called for DMCs except for the basket which was stitched with Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe Americana Bronze. 

On the SAME DAY I finished two tiny Prairie Schooler bees: 

These will be finished into a small ornament for a dear dear friend, despite the black one being a teensy bit wabi sabi. ;-) I kinda wish I were keeping them, but they were about 90 minutes each in stitching time, so I could just whip up a few more! 

Thank you for catching up with me! I love, love, love these blog posts and can't wait to read everyone else's!! 

Flosstube #71 Show Notes

Happy Flosstubesday!!! It's August 21, 2018 (I need to stop being shocked.....)

Best New Thing: 

• It's not new, but I get a lot of questions about this, so it's the Tiny Decisions app (for iPhone only) click on the picture to get the app: 
  

I use this app every day to choose my #ArbitraryAugust project and it's SO much fun!!! I *HIGHLY* recommend it. There are also Android versions. =)

FFOs: (none this week)

Finishes: TWO this week!!

• First up is Here Lie My Needles from Shakespeare's Peddler: 

I'm SUPER stoked with the way this came out. I stitched it on a 14/16 count Aida-ish unevenweave that I found at an estate sale. 0-0 And here is my floss conversion:

• WDW Havana = WDW Oak
• GA Avocado = WDW Oscar
• WDW Loden = WDW Moss
• GA Grasshopper = same
• WDW Confederate Grey = Mo's Sale Hagrid
• GA Old Hickory = WDW Pecan
• WDW Olive = WDW Sage
• WDW Dirt Road = WDW Chestnut
• GA Linen = SM Between the Shadows
• WDW Schneckley = C&C Golden Ale
• WDW Charcoal = GA Black Coffee
• WDW Baked Apple = C&C Gingerbread
• GA Shaker White = WDW Fawn
• GA Raspberry Frost = C&C Fig
• WDW Red Pear = same
• GA Old Red Paint = WDW Aztec Red

WDW = Weeks Dye Works; GA = Gentle Arts; SM = Ship's Manor; C&C = Colour & Cotton

• I also finished my part of Tina's (@emilyannskloset on Instagram) #CountryStitchersRR. Here is a pic of the whole thing so far: 
  

And here is my part:

I took my motifs from Quaker Garden by Blackbird Designs. Everyone in my round robin will have a slightly different motif from me but they will all be from that chart. I'm obsessed with this Round Robin and I can't wait for another round!! 

WIPs (Works in Progress) SO MANY this week!! Thanks #ArbitraryAugust! 

• August 14: I spun my Statue of Liberty conversion of Lady of the Flag, Moe. And I didn't touch her. So here is where she remained: 
  

• August 15: The wheel chose Pretty Little Hawaii from Satsuma Street: 
  

This was a new start last time and a repeat for the month. Here is what it looked like after one day: 

And here it is now:

I put in a lot of DMC 3865 on this Auld Lang Sine opalescent fabric from Joydiri Designs. That was a challenge but it's looking SO good!! 

• August 16: Quotes to Live By by Stitchrovia on Etsy! My oldest WIP! I started this in February of 2017: 
  
  
  
  I haven't worked on this since StitchCon, so here is what it looked like last time: 
  

I managed to finish block 5 AND start block 6 today! Woohoo to being DONE with those full coverag blocks!!

Here is a close up of that block. I dig it and the quote: 

• August 17: because it was a Friday and I had to go to work, the TinyDecisions app pulled my HAED. (Of course). So I worked on Alice Under the Dreaming Tree from Heaven and Earth Designs: 

Here is what it looked like last time: 

And here it is now: 

That is two days' worth of work, because I stitched on it on Friday and of COURSE I had to get it back out on Saturday for #BAPSaturday! I'm *REALLY* closing in on a page finish and on a monthly finish for the By the Numbers event in Full Coverage Fanatics on Facebook.

I'm stitching 2/1 tent stitch on 28 count Lugana in Lambswool from Wichelt. 

• August 18: I spun a new start for First Winds of Autumn from Blackbird designs: 
  

I didn't actually start it. I needed a working copy and didn't have one. I also didn't think that 9pm was a great time to start a new start on 36 count linen. Meh. 

• August 19: I spun Skeleton Crew from the Cricket Collection and put in one X... because I finished Here Lie My Needles today!! So... on to...
  
  

• August 20: I actually worked on Skeleton Crew!! 
  
  
  

Here is what it looked like last time:

And I barely worked on it, so here it is now:

Like I said, that's not a lot of progress at all. But I love it. And that's what's important, right?

• And for today, August 21, the wheel says..... October 31 from Kathy Barrick, a WIP gift from Darlene Baumgardner: 







Here is my starting point for today. I'm getting it out NOW: 

• My bonus travel WIP this week was Here Lie My Needles which I finished. So my SECOND travel WIP was a cute little Prairie Schooler Bee: 
  

I'm stitching this twice, once on 30 ct onyx and once on 30 ct Old Mill Java. And I'm stitching them both 1/1 in my own fancy floss choices. 0_0 -_-

They're crazy adorable and I'm pretty sure I can finish them today. Fingers crossed. 

Thrifting: (none this week!) 0_0

Purchases: 

• Again ONE purchase!! What is going ON!??! It's great for the budget... but geez!!! 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

I'm OBSESSED. 1) It's Star Wars. 2) LOOK AT THAT LITTLE ZIPPER PULL. 3) Vikki is my HOMIE. 

Happy Mail/Gifts: 

• Another best new thing in the world today is going halfsies on floss clubs! The Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe floss club really lends itself to this, because if you go halfs, you STILL have 10 yards of each!! So here is my half of EJ's (@ej_creates on Instagram): 
  
  
  

Flosstube Shoutouts: 

• Carmen, Broadway Stitcher
• Deanna, Tuxie Twins Stitches

Books: (none this week)

Instagram Auction Items!!

• Auction will take place today through Tuesday, July 24 at 0600 PST on @michellebendy on Instagram. Here's an amazing diagram describing how to bid: 
  

Under the picture of the item that you'd like to purchase, you put your bid in $1 increments AND you tag the person who bid above you. Only the person who bid DIRECTLY above you!

• Here are the winners of last week's auctions, with all of the donations going to Rose's Alzheimer's Walk so she could earn a t-shirt .
• First up is an FFO pillow of a grumpy cat. This was stitched and donated by Theresa Vennett, Kitten Stitcher, and it's filled with Walnuts, SO cool! This was won by Kim!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


• Next is a Twisted Stitcher finish from Vonna, it's a flat of one of the LHN/CCN Frosty Forest patterns, won by Marysa. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


• Another Twisted Stitcher finish from Vonna, this time it's the one that broke the internet, her Snow Globe finish!!! Also won by Marysa. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


• FINALLY! It's Vonna's featured piece from this Fall's Punch Needle and Primitive Stitcher Magazine: HOW AMAZING!!!! What else is amazing is that Marysa won this too!! Thank you Marysa!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• And the new auctions: These will end on Tuesday, August 28 at 0600 PST. This week's theme is FFOs and bags and all of the donations go to Wade's Walk!! 
• First up is a gorgeous bag from Lesley Hurley, PERFECT for the #TisTheSeasonSAL that's starting in September: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Next is a BEAUTIFUL project bag from Faye, the Carolina Stitcher, absolutely begging to have autumn and Halloween pieces held inside: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Third we have a great project bag and floss buddy bundle from Corina at BagzPlus; it's Alice in Wonderland and it's an exact replica of my set! (minus my HAED supplies of course!)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• Finally, it's not a bag, but it's a FANTASTIC needleminder from Clay by Kim!! 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Outside Links:

• Acorns & Threads
• Reflections Framing & Stitching
• Gulf Coast Stitches
• Starlight Stitchery
• Vonna Pfeiffer, The Twisted Stitcher
• Victorian Motto Sampler Shoppe
• QnVikki, Vikki, Stitch N Button on Etsy
• BagzPlus by Corina

Flosstubers Mentioned

• Vonna, the Twisted Stitcher
• Drew & Phil, Weasley Studios
• Lolly, LollypopStitches
• Diana, itiskismet stitches
• Heather the Imperfectly Perfect Stitcher
• Caroline, Off the Grid Needlearts
• Gary & Christine, Fiber Talk
• Joan & Kelly Show
• Vikki, StitchNButton
• Jessie Marie Does Stuff
• Carol, Saltbox Stitcher
• Theresa, KittenStitcher
• Liz & Deb, Country Stitchers

And don't forget about the Alzheimer's Live Sale on my YouTube!! Mark your Calendars!!! And please, please, click on the picture to fill out a Google form to pre-register for the sale; this will help me a BUNCH!