SFS February: Forecast dismal, but stash acquisitions on the rise!

Due to the continued influence of the 80%-off bin at my shop, I continue my dismal Stitching from Stash trend from last month --

Month:  February 2015
Earned: Monthly allotment = $25;
Earned by stitching = 0 -- not a darned penny/farthing/rupee/yen
Spent:  $25.40
Hold Over from last month:  -$47
Grand total year-to-date: -$72.40

Anyone want to take odds on March being a better month?   Yes, I don't feel it is a very safe bet either.  

But, Gentle Reader, I may be a shopper, but I have also been a stitcher lately.  I got a whole bouquet put in Ethel courtesy of embellishments and beads by Sundance--  and I plane some serious hours this weekend on the sky, the remaining sheep, and possibly the head scarves.

I finished the stitching on a king from Boothy's Kings and Queens (and I just might feel his backstitching and a buddy for him coming on for this evening!

a couple rows of penguin fanny happened on one ornie --  this is by Vee and Co and I call it "big tree"-- as it nears completion, you will see why.

I worked out what to do with Mrs.' uneven bands of pink  (some of those vertical stripes are 4 across while most of them are 5-- vexing, I tell you, vexing!)--

This ornie by Full Circle Designs "Ho! Ho! Ho!" was going to be my "earnings" for finishing this month, but as you can see, that didn't happen.  Oh well-- leg up on March I guess!

And then there was my downfall..... The Dreaded 80%-off Bin.  Frankly I am beginning to think of it  as The Badger''s Play Bin because I have such fun in it.

I picked up this Ruth Schmuff piece with stitch guide (which, yes, I shall probably stalwartly ignore).  I plan on doing this as an ode to my reading "club" that went on the Bouchercon adventure with me last year-- So Many Books, Elaine, and I.   It might be a pillow eventually or possibly a bag insert.

I also picked up this scissors case from the bin.  I'll be switched if I can remember at the moment who it is by.  I plan on doing it as a pair of especially sparkly ornaments like shields in honor of my friend who lost her battle with leukemia last year.

I also got 2 identical little yellow chick canvases (if I have one, my sister will want one too), but the picture once again INSISTS on being sideways.  Maybe this weekend I will be able to work out why this is happening, or, more likely, simply retake the pictures that are behaving badly.

I wish you a happy weekend filled with stitchy joy.  I have big plans to lounge about, clean, stitch, read, and generally do my best not to get out of my PJs.  I hope I'm more successful at that than I am at cleaning my desk or winning the lotto!

Hey, just for laughs and because I'm in one of my list-making moods, let's see how I do.  Here are my hopes for the weekend:

1. cleaning
2. chili or spaghetti making
3. 4 books finished 
4. 2 ornies done   --- I'm aiming for Ho Ho Ho and one of the LKs I have started but currently can't find (see item #1 on this list!)
5. progress on:
• Ethel
• Ellen's flag
• Boothy's Kings and Queens
• Serenity Harbor
• the needlepoint flag

Cross your fingers for me and I'll see you next week!

Stuff has been accomplished... just not nearly enough. (or, What Was I Thinking)

Hi all -- happy Year of the Sheep, though by The World's Most Important Calendar, that of Sir Terry Pratchett's Discworld, it is the Year of the Spinning Mouse.   All hail the Spinning Mouse.

I know this will come as a shock to you, but, honest and true, I have been stitching.  Just not fast enough to suit me and my GIANT list of things to do.

Last night I unearthed my Carriage House "A Mind Independent and Free" last night.  It's over-one in Vicky Clayton silks, Belle Soies, and some Thread Gatherers on some evenweave--- why, yes, it has been a long time since I started it, how could you tell?

Want to know why I unearthed Independent and Free?  Well it is/was a confluence of two Ruth-isms. 1.   I downloaded my sidebar WIP and UFO lists into Word to make a table and made the mistake of letting Word number the entries.  OMG, I have 59 things started!   And that's not even counting ones I probably forgot to put on the dang sidebar.  Fifty-nine!!!!!!   Sheesh.  That shock caused me to really look at the lists and remind myself of how cool I thought all of those 59 items were and how much I wanted to get back to work on them.
2.  I saw how short my WIP list was (defined as anything worked on in the last two months) and how few cross stitch pieces were on there. This caused me to think especially fondly of all the xs pieces on the UFO list.
#1 + #2 = I unearthed Independent and Free.   One last confession -- it got unearthed because it was the first of the UFO xs pieces I could find in the piles of Chez Hovel.   I am figuratively hanging my head in shame for my lack of order.

I also found these beauties near the to of the piles this week and got them out for some stitching time.

There's the Susan Roberts engineer nutcracker who got a cap and his train completed this week:

And Mrs come out to play.  I sincerely hope to have her done for Christmas this year.  Which means she needs to be done in September.  Dear Lord I just realized I'm going to need to get her her own suitcase to haul her to Christmas!   Why did this seem like such a great idea?????

It is easier to see her progress from the back -- this week her feet got finished as did the vertical black lines on her "skirt."

I made anti-progress on my By the Bay Serenity Sampler because the rose colors I picked did not work in the least when I got them stitched in.  The pink flosses in the picture below are what is called for, but I wanted red roses like the ones that grew over my Grandma's garage.  My new selection are the floss and the Splendors--

And there they are in.  I think they work much better.  Opinions?

I leave you with something that I am currently obsessed with -- this pigeon mural that is along my bus route in to work.  Before Christmas he appeared thusly:

Mid January he started morphing --

 And currently he looks like this --

What can I say -- growing up with a backyard full of pigeon coops with largely homing pigeons in residence makes me quite fond of the little blighters.  And this guy is just a homing pigeon extraordinaire!

Once again -- go forth and enjoy this second month of The Year of the Spinning Mouse!  Reading a Pratchett can help improve your day/week/month/year immensely.

Take care and happy stitching!

P.S.  For the record, I have refrained from buying that crow on a pumpkin canvas thus far.  Yes, I know, it is early days.  I have, however, visited the 80% bin again.  I would show you how bad I was, but the pics from that keep insisting on rotating sideways........ possibly a hint to me to stop shopping?????

Little bits (and fights with Blogger)

Dang Blogger.   I'm telling you up front that you would have more pictures of other projects, but Blogger has decided to flip the and not allow me to get them right side up.  Sigh.   I don't have time to deal with this nonsense today.

I have had progress on things that Blogger does not object to showing you in their proper alignment, including this old friend, the baseball flag --

Since it is hard to tell what is stitched on this without seeing the back.....

 I swear on all my stash that I have spent hours and hours on this and it goes sooooooo slowly.   It could be because it is 18-count basketweave, but sheesh.  At this pace it will be done in 10-12 years.

I have also done some small stitching on my other flag -- Connecticut is a little more present --

I hope to make major progress on this in February.  I need it off the to-do list.  And, joy of joys, when it is done I get to start another one of it for me.  Sigh.

Last weekend I had great fun with my shop owner pulling down all the canvases on the walls and putting up all new stuff.  Nothing like the joy of resetting all the canvases in the shop to get me all excited ----  unfortunately, I get all excited about stashing NOT stitching.  Sigh.

I am eager to get to work this Saturday and see how many of these beauties have found new homes.

Personally, I fell in love with this guy by Share One's Ideas.   Isn't he cool?   I am not a Halloween girl, but I do like pumpkins and he is a pretty fine bird-- not quite menacing enough for the average crow, but cool.

I almost want a round of applause, please.  I did NOT bring this canvas home.  I don't suppose I should get all that much credit since I have a hard and fast rule at the shop-- everything has to stay up on the walls for at least a month before I buy it because I want actual customers to have a shot at seeing how cool everything is.  After all, I know where the order books and the rolodex of designer phone numbers are.  My desire to call for a round of applause is also tempered by the fact that as we redid the walls, new things landed in the 80% off bin.  And, yes, gentle reader, your friend hopped right in there and brought MORE stuff home.  If I get sealed in my apartment by a snowmageddon, I may run out of food, but I have stitching enough to last me though at least 5 years of full time stitching. ...... hmmm-- I need to stock up on light bulbs and snacks just in case. 

Happy stitching to all and to all a good day!