Goodbye San Francisco

When I first picked up cross stitch again big-time, I had only done a few projects, and still didn't know all that much (even after finishing my Monopoly board). Now that I have picked up up and joined a few groups and done the research, I have grown so much with this hobby!

One of my first projects I decided on when I picked it back up was my San Francisco project. Here is what it would look like:

I do still love it! When I put Luminaro aside, I used my spinner app to pick what I worked on next, and it picked this one. I was actually hoping that it would, anyway!

I pulled it out, and immediately was irritated. When I started this project, the only fabric I had ever used was Aida, so that's what I bought for this one. I also bought whatever count I could find for fabric this large (I think it is 14). I started San Francisco, but I didn't even get one page finished.

Now that I have experienced different fabrics and counts, etc, I can't go back to this one. I tried. I added a little more to that first page, but I can't stand the coverage, and the aida is so huge. I didn't get much done on it.
Here is where I ended up.

I have given it some thought, and I have decided not to continue with this.
Whenever I hear of someone giving up on a project, I always feel like I would never do that, and my time getting as far as I had is precious. I couldn't even imagine giving up on one of my "babies". Now that it is me making the choice, though, I feel amazingly at peace with it.
I still love this pattern, don't get me wrong! I may buy some different fabric for it later and start again later. In the mean time, I will probably cut up this large fabric into smaller pieces for other projects. I already have a few in mind.

New Post for 2015! HAP beginning update

Happy New Year!

Earlier I mentioned that I was going to join a new SAL for HAP (Huge ASS Projects) for 2015. Crossed Stitches is hosting the new year HAP SAL. I only have 2 projects that qualify at this time (technically only 1, but considering the size, anyone in the world would consider the other a HAP). Here are pictures of  my progress on both of them, as of today.

 Qingming Festival

San Francisco

I think my biggest progress will be on Qingming this year, but you never know. San Francisco may start screaming at me the way Qingming did to finish page 2.

I don't have any progress to report on the mousie. I found an addictive game for my phone, and I had a sudden interview at work for a promotion, so I haven't been in the stitchy mood. More will be coming soon, though!

Success!

I took my exam last Thursday, and I passed! Woohoo! I am now Security+ certified. I'm moving on in my studies to the next certification for the day job.


And now, on to the real post, my craftiness! I picked up San Francisco to work on some more. It was screaming at me to work on it. I haven't had a lot of time to stitch, but here is where I am so far:

I have also worked ever so slightly on my Pirate's Creed. I have only gotten a few more letters in, but I like the obvious progress on this one vs all my other huge projects.

Also! I have finally finally finally found someone on eBay selling some fabric that I have been looking for for months. I am confident that I will win this auction, and if I do, I will be able to start another project that I have had on hold! I'm sooo excited, I hope I win or I will probably cry.
Back in February, I acquired some old cross stitch magazines. In one of them is the beginnings of the Town Square Afghan. Unfortunately, this is one of those designs that they release piece by piece over the course of a year's issues. I have managed to track down all but 2 of the 7 issues containing parts, and I have a lead on getting those last 2. Once I have the fabric, I can start even if I don't have those 2 yet, as I have plenty to work on from the other issues in the mean time.

Here is a picture of what it will look like once completed:

This isn't the best picture of what it will look like, but there are not many pictures I could find! You can sortof get an idea from the left of the picture. Once I'm able to get the fabric, I will post  progress pics, as well.

A few updates today

This week I have a few updates!
The first one is not such a big deal, but I wanted to share it anyway. I know that it is difficult to get a feel for the Qingming project, as I have only been taking pictures of just the very very edge of the project (since I haven't gotten very far yet). I had a picture on the left side of the blog of just half of the project, but it came out so tiny, that you still couldn't get a good look. I went ahead and found a better picture online. I have updated the picture to the left, and I have even added a link so that when you click on it, you will get an even bigger picture so you can see what it will look like (and of how huge it really is). I am in love with this project, and I want my love and enthusiasm to be shared by everyone!

That being said, I have been working on it for a while this week. Here is where I was as of my last update:

Here is where I am currently:

Also, since I kindof switched projects in the middle of the week, I have a little bit more progress on San Francisco that I haven't posted yet.

This is where I was last update:

Here is where I was when I switched over to work on Qingming some more:

San Francisco progress

I have completed to the edge of page one for the top two rows. I had to escape the confetti area for a little while. I think I'm going to work on this for a little while more, then switch over to Qingming for a while so I can go back to the large spaces of only a couple colors.

Here is where I was last time:

Here is where I am now (forgive the picture, it was early and I was in a hurry to get to work):

I do see some progress there, although not as much as I would have liked. I have been having some stomach problems lately at night where I have a bad burning feeling. It keeps me awake until it decides to go away, so the amount of sleep I have been getting recently has varied. So, by the end of the work day, I'm usually too tired to even cross stitch.
I have seen a doctor and am taking some medication that worked for a few weeks, but this weekend the problem started returning, so I may have to run to the doctor again. Ugh! The only good thing is that it doesn't appear every night, or I would go insane from lack of sleep!

Be careful what you wish for!

This week I have been working on my San Francisco project.
Remember when I said I got bored with the large open spaces with only one or two colors on my Qingming project? Well, I take it all back! This San Fran project has so many different colors and is so confetti heavy that it is driving me nuts!

Here is how far I am as of today:

I only completed just one block from last time (just above the loose threads). There's a good reason for that, though. I went through that one block on the pattern, and there are 17 different colors! 17! In a 10 x 10 block! Holy cow!
Also, as  you can see, I couldn't bring myself to stick to the parking method that I have done on Qingming. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Not only that, but with so many colors, it would turn into a nightmare.


On another note, I have been having some picture issues lately with a few photos. I believe I have gotten it all sorted out now, but if a picture doesn't appear right, let me know!
I uploaded some pictures to photobucket using the app on my phone, and the app (for whatever reason) decided to keep uploading two of them over and over. I have gone through and deleted the duplicates, but managed to get the ones that the links were to, as well. I just went ahead and deleted the app from my phone so this won't happen again. I didn't want to keep having to go through and delete the duplicates, then have to fix all my pictures all over again.

A new start

So... yeah. I know, I know, I know! The last thing I need is more projects, especially since my large one will most likely take the rest of my life to complete, but I couldn't help it!

Whilst perusing the awesomeness that is the internet, I came across a website that has all kinds of cross stitch patterns available. It isn't organized all that well, and there are many places where you can tell that English is not the first language of most of the people there. If you spend the time, though, digging through all the stuff that is available, they have some awesome stuff.

It was through this website that I became aware of my newest project. Once I saw I picture of it, I immediately started looking around the internet to see where I could find it. It is a cross stitch of a painting of San Francisco. San Francisco is my favorite city! I found two different cross stitch versions of this, both of which are extremely similar. One is a Thomas Kinkade painting, and another is one that I couldn't identify. As much as I love Thomas Kinkade (lots!), I actually like the other one more.

So, I got the pattern, went off to the craft store, and have used up most of my gift card funds purchasing the supplies for this one! I still have a handful of thread skeins left to buy, but I have most of them, now. Good thing my birthday is coming up next month so I can get more gift cards (I always get one for birthdays and Christmas from my in-laws, and from my mom when she can't think of anything else to get me).

On Sunday afternoon, I pulled out my fabric and started gridding. Now, I have never actually done gridding before on any of my project, but having used it on my Qingming project (somewhat, since the design is printed on there, too), I could see advantages to it. In my Etsy store, I have been selling water soluble markers, but I hadn't used any myself, so I pulled one out and got to work. I only gridded (is that even a word?) the top left quarter of the project so I could see if I liked it enough to keep going. From the picture below, you can see how far I have come along, and the gridding is definitely helpful!

Anyway, here is my progress since Sunday (just some grey sky so far, but the building is showing up! Yay, color!):

At least this way, I'll have something that will eventually get finished.