Page 4 is done!

 So, I haven't posted the past couple weeks because I was trying to finish Luminaro. I really wanted the page finish to be my next post. However, as I'm sure everyone has experienced, I ran into a couple snags. 

One reason that I haven't been working on it as much is because I have been loving and spoiling my stitching buddy like crazy. He's 16 years old, my family has had him since he was a kitten, and he hadn't been eating lately. He had lost so much weight that I had to take him to the vet. He was so frail and weak that I felt there was a good chance I wouldn't get to bring him home.
The doctor kept him a couple days and when she called me and said he probably has lymphoma, I broke down. We've had him on meds, which has seriously perked up his appetite, luckily. He seems to have gained a bit of weight back, too. I have a call with the doctor later today to go over his progress. Previously he wasn't even well enough to be able to handle surgery.
So, of course, I have been giving him all the love and snuggle he could possibly want. He's my snuggle bug, and snuggling is his favorite thing to do of all time. I've been giving him wet food, rather than dry, and just enjoying every bit of time I have left with him.  

Here is my latest picture (ignore the wild and wacky pants):

 The second snag is, I had 2 stitches that I had missed previously, and of course they were each different colors than each other. I went to complete them, and both colors were not in my floss box. Ugh.
Now, I never actually fully kitted up Luminaro, for some silly reason. I have a core set of threads set aside for it that weren't specifically for another project, and I have been borrowing thread from other projects, as needed. As you can tell from my posts, though, Luminaro is my main project. So now, anything I have been borrowing from others, gets reassigned to Luminaro permanently. I looked through several projects for these 2 colors. I did manage to find one, but the other was missing. With everything going on, I got a bit sad since I didn't have a chance to run to the store to get more until yesterday. 

I put Luminaro aside for a bit, since I was just waiting for that color. Then, suddenly it hit me. Duh! Just go ahead and start page 5 until you can get to the store for that color. So, that's what I did. I got some progress in on page 5, and then yesterday I finally got page 4 complete! 

Here is where I left off last. 

Here is my page finish! This is page 3, 4, and the start of page 5. 

I peeked ahead on the pattern, and thank god page 5 is the last bit of the carousel. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love this project and the carousel. But after 5 straight pages of practically the same thing, I want a bit of a break. I can't wait! Maybe this will motivate me to work on it more. 

 

(OK, I have a little confession. Another reason I didn't finish earlier is because I bought myself a new video game on black friday week. )

It happened!

 It finally happened! I got my stitchy bug back! 

It has been soooo long since I have stitched anything. Lately I have been working on chainmail to stock my booth, and that has been taking all my time. I like that the chainmail is quick and I get a finish right away with each piece I make. And yet, taking time to finish a complex project also feels great.
But, looking through some of my patterns that I have, it sparked the urge in me to start stitch again. So, this week, I dug out Luminaro, and got stitching on it! 

I had a few days during the week that I was able to get off work a couple hours early, which gave me some stitching time. Plus, this past weekend, my husband was off playing paintball, so I had lots of time just for me!

When I first pulled out the project, it took me a little bit just to figure out where I was. I thought I was on page 3, but nothing was lining up right. I had to consult this blog to confirm that I am actually on page 4!
I was hoping I could somehow finish up the page before today, but it just didn't happen. I am very close, though! Most of what is left is just one color. 

Here is where Luminaro left off last, many many moons ago: 

 Here is where I am now!

Another IHSW this past weekend!

 There was another IHSW this past weekend, so I decided to get some stitching in. I really need to get back in the habit so I can start the monthly challenge I set again in September! Since I failed in August, I really haven't been in the mood to stitch, so I just haven't. 

I got stitching again over the weekend, and I completed about 10-12 colors on my page. It may seem like a lot, but considering some of these colors only had a few spread out stitches across the whole page, it really didn't add up to much. Most of the progress seen is from about 2-3 colors. 

Here is where I was last update: 

And here is where I am now:

You can see most of the progress visible in the circles across the bottom half and the half-circles at the top. 

I'm getting motivated to start stitching again, trying to finish this page! I wanted to have this page done a long time ago, I just wish there was more time to work on it! Work just gets in the way!

Challenge failure, but great news!

 So, I did make it through July for my 30 day challenge. Yay! I was going to give myself a pass for the 2 days of the Enid con (from my last post), however once I got home, I quickly realized how much I am out of con shape. I was sore for a couple days and just couldn't bring myself to stitch at all. I will post an update, though, since I have progress that hasn't been posted, yet. 

Here is were I left off with my last post:

Here is where I am now: 

I want to pick it back up again, but I have been working on some chainmail again. This brings me to my good news!
So, I have so much inventory for chainmail, that I wasn't planning on making more things until cons start back up and I start selling again. However, I got a message from a friend of mine about a game store that he likes to visit up in his home state. Apparently, he was there for an event, and the store owner expressed interest in his chainmail dice bag he had purchased from me. Long story short (too late, I know!), he connected us together, and I will be selling some of my things through their store! I had my first shipment of items going to them this weekend. I hope this builds up some business for me and my website! I am very excited about this opportunity!

So, between getting things ready to send to the store, plus the con last weekend, plus I also sold my car and had it shipped, it has been a pretty busy week. I am hoping to stitch some more on it this week, and start up my daily challenge habit again. 

In the mean time, I will post some of the chainmail things that I have made lately in my next post!

I have a con this weekend!

This weekend will be my first convention back since all the quarantine stuff started. My last one was at the beginning of March, just before everything started to shut down. Before that, my last con was in November. Having only had the one con since November, I have been really itching to go!

This weekend is the Enid Comic Con, and it is the 3rd annual one being held in Enid, OK. This is my second year attending this one, and I am just as excited. I can see how much things are growing with this con, and I hope they continue to do so.

I will be having another convention in 2 weeks, as well. I'm hoping things start going back to normal. I will still be taking full precautions, thought, with masks and hand sanitizer.

That being said, I also have a small update for Luminaro.

I took this picture a couple days ago, so there is more progress now, but I'll post about that later. I don't think I'll be able to stitch this Saturday (since I have to leave my house at 6am for the con), and Sunday is iffy, since I won't get home until late. I'll just count the progress I have made since this update as my next post, though.

Here is where I was last update:

And here is my last picture's update:

Something that is slowing me down a lot is just how many colors are on this page. There seem to be a LOT more colors on this page than the last one. The color in progress in that second picture has been completed for the page, and there was quite a bit of it, so there is a big update coming. Hopefully, I'll get this page done soon, although the rate I'm going, it may take another few weeks, LOL.

Long weekend now over

I just had that looong weekend to stitch, and.... I didn't finish the page. I didn't even get close.
This weekend was just one thing after another, so I didn't get as much done on my page 4.

I did get one good day of stitching, so there's that, at least. 

First, I decided to go over to my mom's for a bit and take this to work on. I had decided to work on the blue circle in the top right quadrant, to see if I can get it done. Well, in the course of trying to work on it, I came across 5-6 colors in it that I didn't even have! Now, I knew that there were several colors I was missing, but I didn't expect them to all pop up at the same time! 
I got discouraged, so I moved to a different area for a while. Later, I swung by Michael's to pick up those colors.

Then, I started working on that spot again. I got most of it done and was really looking forward to finishing it so I could move on to another area. Yeah, I came across another color or 2 that I didn't have. This just irritated me so much that I just couldn't bring myself to stitch the rest of that night.
I did make a list of ALL the colors I was still missing (only about 9-10), and the next morning I went over to Michael's AGAIN to get them all (except for 1 that they were out of). I got to work a little more on the page after that.

Now we come to Tuesday, my birthday. I was looking forward to stitching all day long and just relaxing through the day. Well, I slept on my neck funny that night before, so I had neck pain all day. Because of this, I couldn't stitch. I was able to find one comfortable position in my recliner, and if I moved, my neck would bother me. So.... I didn't get to stitch much until that night.

So here is where I was before my nice long weekend:

And here is where I am after the crazy weekend:

Long IHSW weekend coming up!

This weekend is IHSW, plus it is my birthday!
 Here is info for IHSW, if you are interested: https://www.facebook.com/groups/757401391130415

I have a nice 4 days off from work coming up, and I want to get as much stitching in as I can!

I'm working on Luminaro (still!). I have gotten some progress on page 4, now, too. I can't wait to finish page 4, because then I will be halfway across on this row (there are 5 rows total).

Here is last post's update:

And here is where I am now, just before my long weekend.

Page 3 completed!

In less than 3 weeks since picking up Luminaro again to work on it, I have completed page 3! I'm on a roll!
I would say that I have certainly made up for that missed day of stitching on my challenge, since I have a page finish already!

Here is from my last update:

Here is my finished page! I'll show a picture of the whole thing so far when I move the Qsnap. Until then, it is too much of a pain to deal with. Since I moved it too far over, I can get 3 pages done before having to move it again, so it will most likely be after page 5.

After my page finish yesterday, I had more time to stitch, so I just kept going into page 4!

I'm hoping page 4 will go just as fast! There seems to be more colors involved on this page, though, so we'll see. Plus, I have an extra long weekend coming up next weekend for my birthday, so I'll have more time for stitching!

My husband said again that he can't wait to see this project finished. He is enjoying seeing it come together, page by page. This is the biggest project I have done so far (at least with this much progress). He hasn't really shown much interest in what I work on, whether it be chainmail or cross stitch, so for him to say this multiple times is keeping me motivated, for sure. Especially now that I am on to page 4, which is pretty much the same as 1-3 so far.

Once done with page 4, I'll be halfway across the pattern, too! I will be 10% done at that point.

Happy crafting!

Windows update caused my challenge failure!

So, crazy enough, I have already failed my daily challenge. How funny is that?
I did get a lot done over the holiday weekend, though, so maybe that can even it out a bit?

Anyway, I was getting my stuff together to do some stitching last night, and I noticed that there was a Windows update for my tablet that I keep patterns on. I had some other stuff to do before I got to stitching, so I went ahead and started the update, thinking it would be done by the time I was ready to stitch.

Boy was I wrong!
This update took FOREVER to complete. I could see it was still working because the % kept increasing, but only 1% at a time. By the time I gave up and just went to bed, it was only at 21%. I had to just leave it and not get any stitching done last night.

Here is an update, though. I had a couple extra days off this week and got extra stitchy time in (that just makes up for none yesterday).

Here is from my last update:

Here is where I am now:

I am getting so close on this one! There are only a few more colors left (besides the big patches of 2 colors, where that big white swath is). There was a tiny bit more done on the next page, as well. I was going along with an orange, and since I had a long thread, and there wasn't a lot of it on page 4, I just kept going. Now I don't have to worry about that color at all on the next page!

Daily challenge: 5 days down

So, since it was so last minute (and since I think I only have 2 or 3 people who actually read my blog anymore), I didn't have any takers for my daily challenge. I'm going to keep with it, though, and try to get stitching done each day in July.
Who knows? Maybe I'll inspire someone to join me come August!

This past weekend was a lovely 3-day weekend because of the US Independence Day. I got a lot of stitching time, in, as well. I was really hoping to finish the page I am working on with Luminaro, but that just prove to be out of my reach, unfortunately. I do have  another day or two off work this week, so I may finish it very soon.

Here is where I left off last:

Here is where I am now:

I decided against taking pictures every day of my progress. Mostly because all those pictures will take up space and not show much progress day-to-day. I will take pictures every few days, but I will definitely stitch every day.
Once I get people to join in the challenge with me, I will take pictures every day.

Stitching challenge: Day 1

Well, I know it was last minute, and I guess not many people are reading my blog anymore, but I don't care. Maybe this challenge will bring more people to my blog?
I'll just keep going by myself for now. To get in on July, I will leave it open to the 4th. Just comment that you would like to join for July! 

Here is Day 1 of stitching on my daily challenge. I think I'll post once or twice a week on it. I was thinking Wednesdays, but I'm not sure that would be often enough to actually show my progress and that I am stitching every day.


Here is where I left off last:

Here is where I am after my first day of my challenge.

Yes, there is more than one day of progress in there, but I didn't take a picture before working on it yesterday.


It's weird. I'm on page 3, and so far nothing I have stitched really looks like anything, even if I were to finish this page. And yet, I can't seem to find the will to work on anything else. This is soooo not like me. Normally I get bored with things, especially when I can't really see much progress after a lot of work. This one, though... lately I just don't want to do any other projects. This one keeps calling out to me the most.

While I am still in love with this one, I am going to keep working on it as much as possible.

Cross stitching again!

Since all but 1 of my conventions has been cancelled so far this year (my next as-of-yet-uncancelled is Aug 1st), I haven't had the need to replenish my chainmail stock. This has freed up some time for me to work on my own things!
My last post was about the banner. By the end of that one, I was really wanting to do some cross stitch again. Having a color inlay (design) was enough like looking at a stitch pattern, so once it was complete, I pulled out my cross stitch stuff again.

After my page finish on Luminaro, I went ahead an moved the Qsnaps over to give me a nice open spot to work on. As you can see in the picture below, I kinda moved the Qsnaps over a little too much, and the edge was almost too far over. If I lift up the felt I have between the Qsnap and the project, it is just barely usable. I didn't want to mess with moving it over a little more, and this way, I can stitch 3 pages before having to move again.

Here is were I was last, with pages 1 and 2 done.

Here is where I am now, after about a week or so of working on it:

Oh, and I felt the need to change my grime guard, just for fun. I bought this woodgrain patterned one for another project that I have yet to start, and I just had to use it! (It doesn't show up too well in this picture, but I'll have a better picture in another update).
Also, I had only a little bit left of a certain color on my current page (3). Rather than just end it, I just moved on to the next page (4) and went down the row that way. I actually got all the way across the page, and that last little tiny smidge on the right is on page 5! The row finally ended, but I was at the end of my thread, anyway.

Luminaro page 2 complete!

I've been just so bust lately with all the conventional that I have been making lots of chainmail, and haven't had any stitch time.
Now that I have a few months off until my next event (3 cons in March, ouch), I picked up Luminaro, and I finished page 2 altogether!

Here is where I left off a long time ago.

Here are pages one and two, complete!

I'm not quite sure what to work on next. I may just stay with this one for another page, who knows?

Craft fair this weekend, and more Luminaro

I really like switching to large blocks of one color every once in a while. The progress seems to go so much quicker. I finished up a color on my current page of Luminaro, and you can most definitely see the progress, just with that one color!
The detail you get out of confetti, though, is just amazing. It's just such slow going. 

Here is where I left off last:

And here I am after just one more color finished:

Also, I have another craft fair this weekend, so I don't know if I am going to get to start Sleepy Hollow, yet. Besides, my supplies aren't here just yet, anyway.
This is, thankfully, my last craft fair until the convention in a month. I need a break, I think I scheduled too many this Spring. I don't think I'll do that again.

Still no Sleepy Hollow

I didn't get around to ordering the rest of the stuff I needed for Sleepy Hollow, so I didn't want to start it this past weekend. Instead, I worked on Luminaro some more.

Here is where I was last, when I left off:

Here is where I am now:

To save my sanity, I started working on a color that had more than just a couple stitches here and there. The confetti was getting to me.

Luminaro

I had a craft fair this weekend, so I didn't get a chance to start on Sleepy Hollow. Not to mention, I still don't have all the supplies for it (I am ordering them this week), so I don't have any updates other than just a blank fabric on a qsnap. That's not very interesting.

I haven't stitched much this week. My brother came in from out of town and we went to our cousin's memorial service together. I spent my time this week just being with him. I hadn't seen him in a long time. 

I have managed to get some progress done on Luminaro, though.
Here is where I was with my last update:

Here is where I am now:

Lots of confetti in there.
My husband said to me last night that he can't wait to see this one come together. Because of this, I have decided to make this my focus project (until I get sick of it). He normally doesn't show any interest in my projects, so this is a big thing.

Lots of Luminaro

After saying goodbye to San Francisco, I ended up picking Luminaro right back up to work on. I just got busy with it, and before I knew it, I had a bunch done!

Here is where I left off when I switched to San Francisco for a day:

Here is where I am, now:  

Yes, I have my glitter bees grime guard on it at this time. The jelly beans needed to be washed.

Also!  A couple days ago I got accepted to have a table at the convention I was wanting to go to. I ended up getting it, after all! I'm so excited! I'm going to switch back to making more chainmail stuff to gear up for it. I'll still do cross stitch occasionally, but won't have as much progress. 

So excited!

Some progress on Luminaro

My stitchy bug has been missing a lot lately. Things have been building into a perfect storm over here.
First, I got a not-quite-demotion at work. I was moved to a completely different team, which I am not happy about. Then, on the crafty business side, I just found out in a backhand mention online that the convention I was hoping to have a booth in this year is completely full. I was never officially notified, they just left me hanging for weeks. Seems a little unprofessional to me. Then, on the family side of life, my niece has just turned 18, so she has decided to move in with her boyfriend and transfer schools to where he is.  This is about 2 months before she graduates, which is stressing out the family, as well, hoping that she doesn't just drop out so close.

With all the stress coming from all sides, I have been in a major funk lately, and I haven't wanted to do much of anything. Things could be worse, I know. Just having everything hit all at once is not so great.

I realize that I haven't posted recently on Luminaro.
Here is where Luminaro was with my last update (this was just after my page finish):

Here is where I am now:

I have decided to pick up another project to work on for a while. My momentum and enthusiasm on this one has waned a bit.

Luminaro page 1 complete!

I have finally finished page 1 of Luminaro! There was quite a bit of confetti near the bottom part of the page where all the different colors are. That the top part of the page with the dark areas, though, it went pretty quickly since most of it was only one color.

Here is where I was on my last update:

Here is my page finish!

This page seemed to fly by quickly!
I used the Random Picker app to choose the next project that I work on. Wouldn't you know it? It actually chose Luminaro. LOL! So, I have started page 2, now.

Progress and Saturday SAL

 I wsa out of town over the weekend, and I got to meet my goddaughter. She is so cute!
While I was out, I decided to take the Palace Garden with me, since it travels really well.

Here is where I was last:

Here is where I am now:

I also realize that I haven't posted my Luminaro progress lately.
Here is where I was last

I hit some confetti areas around the circles, so my progress slowed down a bit. Here is where I am now.

I miss having a Saturday SAL. A few years ago, I remember having a Saturday SAL where 2 or 3 of us would be stitching the same project on Saturday, then post about our progress on it the next day or two. The project we did was Candy Cane Christmas, and it is one of the few finishes I have had with cross stitch.

Now, I know I can't do this with the huge projects I tend to gravitate toward, but I was thinking of doing this with smaller projects. I actually have one in mind to start with: my Mario project. In case you need a reminder, here is a picture of it:

I want to see if I can get anyone to join me on Saturdays stitching this one. Then all we have to do is just post our progress from that one day, then do it again the next Saturday.
I love seeing how different people go different directions and stitch things differently. If anyone is working or planning to start this one, let me know! I think I will begin my Saturdays with Mario next weekend on 2/2. Anyone is free to join me!

I even have some ideas of what to designate the next Saturday SAL project, once Mario is done. Thinking of Sleepy Hollow by Glendon Place.