Stitch from Stash April/May

Well. I was a baddd girl and only submitted my april stitch from stash via email.
In a nut shell, I only worked on my Halloween mystery SAL thanks to way too many visits from the horrible Frog.

I did however, spend some bday money and...23 dollars of my own money at a LNS my sister and I found while going to visit great-family graves in another state....

I have a video of that haul  HERE

Also my sister purchased a lap frame for me for my birthday an older petite ks creation lap frame that I LOVE!!!

This month I have done much better stitching wise...I have actually worked on all four of my WIPS.

As always HERE is the video of my updates.

Now for this months spending.

I only spent 16.10
On 1 custom pattern
1 happy camper pattern by imaginating
Then some pens and hair clips to hold fabric as well

I know the pens and hair clips do not technically count..but I am sort of "stashing" them so I counted them hehe.

HERE is a video of that haul :)

My dad is working on a frame to hold my millennium I am super excited!!!

Happy Stitching!!

CRAAAZZZY March.

Okay some of you may not get the Plants Vs. Zombies reference in the title..but it is there :)

So here we go with my March updates....don't hold you breath they aren't too exciting.
As always here is a link to my Vlog.
Stitch From Stash:

I mentioned last month that I purchased a bunch of charts on clearance from Crazy Annie's big event...well...one of those sorta fell into my stash. So I contacted Mel and she said to just include that price into this month's budget, so that was $1.50. Then I found a huge bulk of like 48 needles for either 1.99 or 2.99 I will say 2.99 to be save and honest. I also had to buy a skein of DMC. 0.30. That puts me at roughly...$4.50 for this month.

I did however splurge on a day light lamp, but when I again, contacted Ms. Mel (sorry for all the emails) she said since it is not something you "hoard" it counts a tool and is exempt. (happy dance). It sells on Amazon for $109.00 I got it for $49.99.....I LOVE THIS LAMP!!

I am going to include a picture of my stitchy setup later so you can see it in action. I also have a video on my VLOG talking more in detail about this lamp.


The stitching:
Well this month my bug was a bit on the run I did not get a lot of progress done, Life happens my son needed surgery, it was my hubby's bday month, I tried some paper crafting, and we got an Xbox 1 and I am addicted to a plants vs Zombie game lol hence the reference in the title ;)

Here is my AAN Christmas Cardinal Ball only some of the ribbon completed.

I did more on my 99 bottles than anything this month I am actually pretty proud of this progress.

And then comes the problem of my month. UGH I don't think I stitched a single section without Mr. Frog visiting I mean to the point I was going to give up...but DH and Sister talked me out of said mutilation of fabric etc LoL. I am plugging on. Not a lot of progress. But it will get there!

And I had a comment asking about my setup, asking for a video about my set up and me stitching. I will try to do this, I just don't know what to put in that video but for now here is a picture of my stitchy setup when I sit in my stitchy chair. I also sit in our bed and stitch on our couch LoL I am a mobile stitcher I guess.

Hopefully next month will be better! You guys take care!!

February Updates.

Well well. Another month already gone.
How did you guys do with your Stash Budgets? I myself stayed under my budget but spent more than last month and had a harder time sticking with the budget.

Here is a link to my Vlog in case you would rather watch than read, or if you want do both :)
Video #27 February Updates.


My online LNS on Bonanza called "Crazy Annie's Stitchin" had a HUGE super bowl sale and had her clearance 50% off. I did purchase a few items there, but I am planning for most of them to be a possible give away gift and Mrs. Mel said that it did not count if it was a gift and DID not end up in my stash.

All in all I spent 12.65 this month.

~$3.00- spent on 3 spools of kreinik random colors.
~$1.40 - spent on floss needed for the verse for my coworker I was running low on a few colors.
~$1.25- spent on a pattern during that extra clearance sale this is the only pattern I purchased for myself.
~1.00-  on 3-2 piece packs of needle threaders with a thread cutter on the end. I mean 6 for 1.00 who can resist that?
~6.00- on a pair of "snips" that I have been drooling over for a while hey...they were 9.99 and I used a 40% off coupon. hehe.

I did replace some q-snap clamps but from what I understand these do not count toward the stitchy budget.


I stuck to my rotation pretty well this month!!

My first week I worked on Christmas Cardinal Ball by AAN

I am loving stitching this!! It is so much fun, my DH suggested the solid ribbon, what do you guys think, it calls for the ribbon to be the same as the ornament. I like it this way plus HE made the suggestion on MY stitching like I am going to ignore his input ;)

My second week I worked on the verse for my coworker...it was a lot easier this month for some reason I even got more done on my breaks at work too!!

I only have one whole page left, after that they are all "half" pages there are four half pages so I...am counting it as only 3 pages left! yay!


My third week we started the AAN mystery sampler....
Just some info on this, I am a member of the AAN fan page on FB she made this sampler just for us on the fan page (it is an open group BTW!!) we paid by a certain date to join in on the SAL and were added to a separate (private) group for the SAL. 

It is a 7 part SAL which covers 8 months there is a free month for catch up included. Here is my part 1

Once I got started it was a quick stitch and a fun stitch too, but I must say it was hard to start. it is a non middle start which I am usually fine with as long as I have my grid lines, but I didn't grid and this one did not show where it started. AAN was GREAT in giving us several types of charts...color...black and white and several ways of where to start measurements and even counted out the stitches from the middle herself. SHE is WONDERFUL she is a very active part of both groups and that makes me want to purchase even more of her patterns she seems to care about her stitchers!

Last and definitely not least...99 bottles by INK circles

not a lot to update here just plugging along I treat each bottle like a finish. It is a fun and easy pattern to do, I did get the "frogged" black stitches to finally disappear my version of a boo boo stick ( a cheap unused toothbrush) did the job perfect it was just fuzz from the floss showing where the stitches had been.

Hope you all have a great March see you guys with the next update! As always...Take Care!

   

January Stitch from Stash Update.

Okay some of you may know I have a vlog and a blog. I feel I put more into my vlog, it is easier and I talk a lot better than I write. As of now I will be posting a blog post about the Stitch from stash each month it will be the down and dirty of what I spent and what I stitched. If that is what you are looking for you will get that all here. But as I do each month I will post a vlog on my youtube and now I will include updates on this challenge in that video as well as a more detailed stichy/life update. I will list a link to my vlog each month with the blog post.

My January Vlog.


Well as the first month of the challenge closes in, I find I did pretty well. I guess it may help that I do not have a dedicated LNS here in my hometown so I have been a bit used (due to shipping costs) thinking "Do I really need this now". But it is crazy it is like the temptation doubled with this month, just knkwing thay I couldn't buy what I want when I want LoL.

I was a little unclear as to how the SAL worked. I knew that payments towards the SAL itself did not count but I was not sure about the floss etc for the SAL.

I am part of the AAN group on Facebook and she is doing a special mystery SAL for the members. I had already purchased the pattern, and fabric but not the floss. I got the floss about 8.00 I went to the closest thing to a LNS in my town ugh supporting local business does not helo my budget LoL. But it does my concious ;). Imalso went thrifting that day and turned down some stash just in case the floss counted. I found out later, it did not count oh the stash that I didnt need that I coukd have had LoL.

So anyways, I did purchase a floss that was intended for a gift project, but I have decided to not use, it was 2.80 and Imfound a pair of folding scissors for .60 When I opened them...were not worth the .60 lol

So that puts me at $3.40 this month. I did get some floss away bags but used an Amazon gift card that was a Christmas gift so that doesnt count. LoL

I started Christmas Cardinal Ball by AAN on New Year's Eve it has been kitted up and waiting.  Imam loving stitching this, just some what wishing I had gridded butnthen AAN doesn't put the large grid marks on her patterns so I don't know how much helpmit woukd have been. Plus I am trying to get away from that...too much time wasted I could be stitching.

I have also worked on my starry night some I finally finished the second page. Here is a before and after picture of that project.

I did give away some stash and have taught a friend to stitch I am really excited about that
, she started on a lady bug and finished it now she is working on a kit. I hope it is not too overwhelming.

I have lost my stitchy bug this month. Gonna try to find him again tonight by working on my 99bottles by ink circles. Here is the last picture I have of that one.

Hope you all are doing well and have had plenty of stitching time!
stay safe!!

Ready for 2014

As those of you who follow my blog probably know, I am not that great at keeping up with my posts. I would make that a new years resolution, but why set myself up for failure so early in the year?!?

What you may not know is that I have started a vlog on youtube My Vlog and I do keep up with it pretty well usually a monthly update on my stitching and basic life things. I have also added a preview on my left hand side bar of some of my videos. I guess it is easier for me to talk than type LoL I have always been a talker.

I  kept up with my stitching pretty well this year, in fact I had five finishes. I am hoping to do as well this year. Starry night is still a daunting shadow. It keeps getting pushed back for things that have a deadline.

My son is an ever growing 2 year old and at almost 3 feet tall and 34 pounds you would never know he went through the obstacles that he went through unless you know him or catch a glimpse of his scar while he is running around playing.

My hubby gifted me several large stitchy items last year for various holidays and because of that I am limiting my self to a stitchy budget this year, he laughed btw and said we will see. I did however find a nice blog Epic Stitching who is hosting a "group" of stitchers that are doing just that. There is a $25 per month allowance and we are entered in drawings for prizes along the way a a grand prize of a gift card if we stick it out 11 of of 12 months.  click the image Stitch from stash 2014 on the right to go to the direct page about the group. It adds a bit of incentive plus several of the members from my forum are joining in as well!!

I will probably do a small blurb on here or just post a link to a video if I do a video in my vlog, I am not sure how it will work. I guess I will figure it out as I go and see which works best. Hubby has also since stated that I am looking to buy stash just to meet the budget LoL.  I do tend to buy stash in weird patterns I will go a while without getting anything an then find 10 things that I "must have".

Hope you and yours are doing well, thanks for reading!! Stay safe!

"That" Mom

Ugh, I drive myself crazy trying to be the perfect mom, to make sure my kid is eating perfect, he is on the exact path every other kid his age is and that he is safe, happy and knows he is loved. Really all that matters in those is safe, happy and loved.

But why do we all strive so hard to be, or not to be...(sounds like a famous quote I once heard) "that, Mom". Either we compare ourselves attempting to make ourselves feel better "well at least I don't  fill in  your blank like that mom" or "I should fill in the blank like that mom." I find myself pinning crazy toddler recipes that I know IF I am able to get around to making them that more than likely C will take one bit and say "no" or maybe even not take a bite.

With that said, my son is not a picky eater. When it comes to fruits and veggies he will eat anything put in front on him. He would live on carrots and sweet potatoes and green beans if I would let him. He even likes beans and brussel sprouts. The issues is meat/protein items. Yes I know all you vegan mommies are blanching that I am trying to get my kid to eat meat. The beans he will eat are few and far between. He does love eggs, sausage and the Hebrew International hotdogs. I don't use these because of the kosher label except that I know they aren't by products they are 100% beef and probably the best option for hotdogs.

We do fast foods but try not to let C do a lot of fried or sugary foods. So chicken nuggets ARE NOT something I want my kid to learn to love...no offense to anyone whose kids only eat them...I get it now...you feed your kid what they will eat..

At what point does doing that becoming spoiling your kid, at what point does making your kid try a little bit of everything become being to strict and going to cause food issues and eating disorders as and adult. Every time  you turn around there is new research..;"making your kid clean up after themselves causes their feet to be to big as an adult and they won't get a good job and end up a depressed adult" okay so maybe not that extreme but still...

As if us mom's don't put enough pressure on ourselves to be perfect now the collective "they" have to point out the things we do let slip that seem like a non issue now are causing life long ill effects.

I guess the point to all this babble is I am trying here and the more I try the more I feel like I am messing up...I know that when I look at other mom's I think wow she has it all together...is she inside freaking out like I am, is there someone out there looking at me thinking.."Wow she has it all together." And if this is constantly happening...why are we voicing this to each other more....what is the matter with me saying "hey" you doing this is really cool etc

Instead it is as though we feel if we compliment said mom...it proves that we weren't doing that ourselves and didn't think of it ourselves so that will make us be a bad mom. People think moms as a whole are judgemental but I think we are truly only judging ourselves against others but it comes as a catty comment against the other...it is really directed at ourselves...

*steps off of soap box*

thanks for reading!

A year already?

I can't believe it has been this long since I have posted I guess 2012 was so busy that I just didn't have time for anything but keeping little man healthy and strong. He is feeding tube free and bottle free and walking and getting into everything!! So since this year is hopefully a lot less stressful than the last, I made a resolution to stitch more in 2013. So far I have been doing really well and stitching at least every week if not almost every day except when I work, if even just for five or so minutes. I have way too many projects going. The enablers over at Crossstitchforum have corrupted me..I am currently actively working on Starry Night (yes still :( ) a sampler by The Frosted Pumpkin Stitchery called Woodland Sampler, and a custom chart which was made for me by a member of the forum mentioned earlier. I have two more projects ready to start once I finish one of these, and then another that I know for sure I am going to do...its just choosing the colors and purchasing the items. See I am being bad very bad.

We have also been working on the house repainting etc and are thinking of adding on a bedroom, but we got our first estimate back this week and it is just scary how much these things cost. So we will see I don't know if we are both willing to spend that kind of money for an extra room. They say it will pay for itself in adding on the home value but still whew. For such a basic room, it is pretty pricey.

I am going to try and be more attentive to my blog as well. Most of my followers though are from the forum and that is why I don't always post so much I don't want to bore with the same updates everywhere LoL.

My birthday is this month and I am supposed to be getting a floor stand from the hubby and son but can't quite decide on which one to get, I am leaning towards the Ergo from artisans designs but I can't find any stitcher reviews online. If it is as good as it looks I am super excited, but really wish I could find someone who uses the stand. 

I am trying out the pages function on here but not sure how it works. Going to try out the What's in a name reading challenge. And going to keep a list of my 2013 finishes. We shall see how this goes!!