IHSW and TUSAL!

Happy Monday! I hope everyone had the chance to get some stitchy time in for the IHSW! A big thank you to Joyce for putting this wonderful SAL on this year, and if you haven't signed up, don't forget about next month!

This was one of those weekends where everything that could go wrong did, so I didn't get as much stitch time in as usual...I had to work on my truck, as the 4x4 stopped working, then my Ott-Lite bulb burnt out, and no one in the province carries the replacement bulb, and finally my heat pump stopped working...and the replacement part needs to be ordered and installed, and it is going to cost a pretty penny! Sigh, I just can't seem to win lately, and now I can't stitch on any of my HAED's cause my light is burnt out and I can't see the fabby in regular light. But, I did get some work done, cause the light bulb was kind enough to last until Sunday night! So without further ado and complaining (it is Monday, lol) here is my latest progress pic, currently 26730/117600 (22%) complete.

I am still not totally happy with the pinkish-beige color close up, but when you look at it from further away, it does blend nicely. It is nice to finally see some more detail come through, like her hand at the bottom, and her nose!

My TUSAL jar (well goblet, I don't own a jar, rofl!) has lots of ORTS from January so far, the bottom is from my finish on Baby Hugs, the middle is from Sadness (look at all the grey!) and the top has a few threads from my Welcome Friends kit, as I had to switch to a bigger count project until I get a new bulb...

Hope you all have a wonderful week, I am off to stalk blogs, as you guys and gals and your wonderful stitching always put me in a better mood! Here is to me having a better week and having some more pretty stitchy pics for you soon!

/hugs,
Nikki

WIPocalypse Update!

Hi everyone! So excited for my first 2012 Wipocalypse post! This is kind of an update, as well as a list of my goals...since I got a little lazy and didn't get them together in time, lol. The list from this post is available on my Wipocalypse 2012 tab at the top of my blog, and I will be updating photos and totals as I take them, so feel free to stalk!

So Sadness is up first, with a lot of progress since my last post. Sorry for the photo quality, had to snap fast cause my camera was about to die. She is definitely coming along, the confetti in the hair is a pain, but the detail is great!

Anywho, speaking of stalking, I think I see some beau-ti-ful blog posts on my bar I need to check out! Even if I don't get a chance to comment, I love drooling over everyone's work! (not literally of course...that would be gross, hahaha) Take care and happy stitching!

hugs,
Nikki


Sadness of an Angel (focus piece) - HAED

Goal-50% completion

Current-19%  (22490/117600)

Progress pic:

Ascendant - HAED

Goal-20% completion

Current-5% (13400/240800)

Progress pic:

Baby Hugs - Dimensions kit

Goal-finish

Current-completed!

Progress pic:

Lightning McQueen - Janlynn Kit

Goal-finish

Current-WIP

Progress pic:

Welcome Friends - Dimensions Kit

Goal-finish

Current-WIP

Progress pic:

First finish of 2012!

Hey everyone,

I hope the holidays treated you well! I managed to get quite a bit of stitching in, but am still slacking on doing up my Wipocalypse list...but my finish tonite was definitely one of my goals for 2012. This piece is for my honorary niece, who was born in July to my best friend.

Forgive the hoop marks...I was so excited that I didn't wait til I washed and pressed it, lol. And just cause I am OCD, here is the back view.

So I promised myself that for 2012 I would not start anything new or buy anymore stash until I produced some finishes, so I am going to try and rotate some older WIP and UFO kits and patterns in from my stash. It's looking like I am off to a good start so far, so hoping to keep the momentum going, will be posting another update with my progress from Sadness tomorrow! (teaser, she has an eye Joyze!)

hugs,
Nikki

Saying goodbye to 2011....

Just wanted to take a quick minute to wish everyone a happy and blessed New Year. Where ever you are, and however you choose to celebrate, be safe and enjoy the company of friends and family.

A very special thank you goes out to all my blogging friends for your wonderful comments and support...I have accomplished more stitching in the last 3 months with your help than I have in over a year, so thank you for keeping me motivated and allowing me to share in your lives and beautiful stitching! With that said, I will have an update post (with pics!) in the next day or two, I have a lot to show you!

So again, thank you, take care, and all the best to you and yours in the new year!

hugs,
Nikki

IHSW update!

Hi everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic weekend, and had a bit of time to stitch during this busy time of year! I managed to get some stitching in on Sunday, as Saturday was my dad's "Feedom 55!" party. He turned 55 on December 17th, and retires December 23rd, so very good reason to have a major bash! I ate way too much, and drank a wee bit (so much for weight loss, lol) so I didn't start stitching until around noon on Sunday, but managed to get almost 1000 stitches in on Sadness. Still kinda looks like random blobs of color, but as the next few columns stitch up, it should look a little more like a piece of art rather than random stitches.

At the top, you can see her hair and face come in slowly column by column, but I know the end result will be worth it. Here is a close up on the top part, which is what I worked mostly on this weekend...crazy confetti in the hair, but the detail is amazing!

It's funny, it really doesn't look as nice in the pics as it does in person...maybe because of the closeness of the photos, or the lighting? The colors blend much better when you look at it from farther away it seems.

Anyways, thanks for taking the time to check out my blog, and a big thank you and hugs to Joysze for another sucessful IHSW, I can't wait for the next one in January!

hugs,
Nikki

Long overdue update!

Hi everyone, and a big welcome to my new followers! I can't believe 16 people have taken the time to check out my strange stitchy life on a regular basis! Speaking of stitching, I have some progress on Sadness of an Angel I am pretty excited to share...do you see what I see?!

That's right...something besides background! Here's a close up!

It still doesn't look like much, but I am so excited it is starting to look like SOMETHING! lol. I am now 12280/117600 stitches in, and finally to the start of her hair; I was beginning to think I was never going to get to anything before X-mas...

And also, speaking of X-mas, I did start a few small projects over the last week or so, only have the backstitching (yuck!) left on the first one, so as soon as I am done I will post a pic!

I haven't been stitching quite as much over the last little bit, I figured it was soon time for me to lose the rest of the weight I have been carrying around for the last few years, so I have begun walking again with the dogs. I am managing to get out around once a day, (since the pups are pretty busy with doggie daycare and get lots of exercise) and am hoping to build up to twice a day. When I split with the ex-hubby last October, I lost 32 pounds pretty quickly, stress and all that, but I still have not reached my target weight, I am aiming for 10 more pounds. Been gradually adjusting my diet over the last month and a half to cut down on the junk food, and try a few more healthy choices, which is going okay. My sis and I are going to Cuba in April, so I really really REALLY want to be happy enough with my body to enjoy spending time on the beach and stuff without worrying about who's looking at my spare tire...sigh...I definitely have body image issues. Right now I am around 195 pounds, and am 5'10, so I figure another 10 pounds is realistic, since I have a bigger body frame. Of course, trying to lose weight around the holidays should be interesting, wish me luck! lol

Anywho, I have an hour before bed, pups are tired, and mummy is itching to get back to stitching! Talk to you soon!

hugs,
Nikki

 

IHSW update...finally!

Ugh, what a week! And the weather today just takes the cake; 30+ cm of snow, and freezing rain. Have spent most of the evening shoveling...sometimes it sucks being single and alone...no man to help out with the fun stuff, lol

I managed to get about 1800 stitches in on Sadness, I finished column 3 and onto column 4...and soon, the start of something besides background!

Sorry for the photo quality, so tired, eyes wouldn't focus, and apparently neither would the camera, lol

I also have done a whole bunch more work on Lightening McQueen, but haven't gotten an updated photo...will try and post tomorrow nite...finally my last overtime shift! Woohoo! So hard to try and run a house by myself and keep 2 puppies tired and happy with the free time I have, so working extra hours is especially tiring. But, extra money for X-mas is definitely nice! Limited budget this year, so have been flipping through my X-mas projects books to see if I find any quick stitchy gift ideas. I will let you know what I find!

hugs,
Nikki