Weekly Update and New Starts?

Since (technically) I'm supposed to be switching projects every Sunday, I'm going to try to make Monday my weekly stitching update. I planned to spend the week on Evil Queen but, of course, I didn't do that. I did start gathering for some new starts (I can't believe how expensive this hobby is), but more on that later. As I was loading some of the new projects into Markup R-XP, I noticed I had loaded Evil Queen wrong. I had forgotten to exclude the page runover. I had to reload it, which changed, not only how much I had already stitched, but the total stitch count. At least for now, I'm not going to give totals on this one because I didn't do this change until after I had stopped stitching for the week. Next time this circles around, I'll give the totals as new. I left off here:

All the black background was wearing me out, which is why I didn't switch to Hook and its all white background. The only spec I can give is the time, an additional 5.49 hrs for a total of 23.12 hrs.

I ended up switching to The Blue Marble is So Fragile by Unconventional X Stitch and artist Borda Danut Adrian. It was one of my Leap Year New Starts for 2024. Since it's been a while, here is what it will look like:

It's one of the two projects I have in Q-Snaps because they were too big for scroll rods (I hate Q-Snaps). I left off here on 2-28-2024 and had only completed 0.85 hrs (161 stitches out of 298,350 or 0.05%)

I probably spent more time fighting with the snaps than stitching (did I mention I hate Q-Snaps?), but it did get a bit better when I moved the stitch area down. I added 11.25 hrs (a total of 12.1 hrs), another 2572 stitches (a total of 2733/298,350), and am now at 0.92%. The funny thing about this one is how tiny each page is. What you are seeing here is almost a full two pages!

Instead of being smart and switching to something easier, my brain was very much "let's get the Q-Snap debacle over with" and moved back to the biggest project I have, SS/MC Once Upon A Fairytale, an Aimee Stewart by HAED (have I mentioned I hate Q-Snaps yet?). This project could not be moved down in the snaps. As a reminder, here it is:

The multitude of projects I started on the 28th of February 2024 just to get them under the gun for the Leap Year starts meant I didn't get very far into any of them. I only did 1.53 hrs and 275 stitches for its first run:

And, even though I only have yesterday's progress to show, I put in another 6.58 hrs (a total of 8.12 hrs), another 1475 stitches (for a total of 1750/713,265 stitches) and am currently at 0.25%. Usually Sundays means 8-10 hrs, but my arms (and my brain) were tired of Q-Snap-gate. This one is already warping under the snaps and, to add to the Q-Snap hate list, even with snap extenders, the fabric is so large, it has a LOT of excess fabric on the side and bottom, which can't really be folded, so it's all scrunched up. OCD nightmare! Here is where I am now:

I have to get these two projects on scroll rods. I've already tried to make my own (massive failure), so that idea is nixed. It's been a journey to even find scroll rods at least 48" long (both Fairytale and a new start need rods that big). I'm still shopping around, but the options are limited and not cheap, plus, my newish stand won't hold scroll rods that long (it already tips with the too small 30" rods on Sleepy Hollow, that project really needs 36") and it HATES snaps as much as I do. I'll need yet another floor stand that has a center mount system. That cheap floor center mount from Hobby Lobby won't cut it because it's not tall enough or stretches over wide enough for my chair (or the couch for that matter). I have one from the 90's (the design hasn't changed) and I did try, hence failure.

Which leads me into my new projects...I had decided on ONE kit (that number will be important later) and two PDF patterns from my stash, ones I debated during my 2024 Leap Year starts, but ultimately decided against...a decision that has haunted me ever since. I ordered the thread, no problem (although don't get me started on prices). The fabric was another issue. I ended up having to get the easy guide from HAED (and only because 123 Stitch was out of stock), but I didn't figure right and only ordered fabric for the actual size of the stitch and not a 2" border all around, meaning I should have ordered the middle and largest sizes instead of the smallest and middle. I went back to HAED to order the bigger piece, but they wanted $24 in shipping...ridiculous considering the largest piece of fabric couldn't weigh as much as the smallest and middle pieces put together (that shipping was $10). I eventually found it cheaper on ABC Stitch Therapy (both cost and shipping), but it didn't say backordered until AFTER I ordered it, so it's now in waiting mode. If I wasn't so addicted to the easy guide fabric, this would be a non-issue. I probably have enough fabric in stash, but alas, I get set in my ways. Maybe I can use the smallest fabric for something else. I'm not in a hurry to start them anyway but, in case you were wondering what the new projects are (and I don't think one of these will be a surprise), it's Strangely Lonely a JBG by HAED:

And A Discovery of Witches by Modern Cross Stitch, which will be my second largest piece once I started it, at 499,999 stitches and the one missing some thread because the directions didn't give stitch counts (so I either had to guess, or didn't want to overshoot) and is also the one I still need to get that large fabric for:

Then I had to choose the kitted project. The first option was Amour et Vengeance from Dailen Ogden and GeckoRouge (although not my original option for Leap Year, that one is #2). I had originally nixed this one because I was already doing a Hook stitch, but oh well. I'll still need to buy new fabric because it comes with 25ct, which just isn't my jam, but I'll figure that out later (and, unfortunately, the smallest piece I bought from HAED is 2" too short on either side):

Choice 2: Kitchen Fun, which is a Design Works project. I've already stitched this in my youth but, thanks to my ex-husband, it came to a grizzly end. Years ago I found the kit on eBay, and it's been in my stash ever since. I actually have the whole set of the Design Works mouse kits. I've finished Tea Time already, but there are still several and, like the DoNa Stitches princesses, I'd like to get them framed all at once so they match. After years of full coverage pieces, half and quarter stitches and backstitching will be a pain, but this is an easy enough pattern. And, 14ct, sheesh! This kit is pretty old and I'm not sure if the fabric and/or floss needs to be replaced, but the floss will definitely need to be sorted. I remember that process taking for-ev-ah! It might just be easier to use my nicely-labeled stash floss rather than trying to sort through a pile of unlabeled thread. You can tell that non-stitchers created these old kits, am I right? At least now kit floss is (usually) sorted.

Choice 3: Garden Path by Monet and Yiota's X Stitch. This was from when Yiota's just started and she sent a bunch of kits to bloggers for review (including myself). Blogger threw a fit and asked her to have everyone remove their reviews, but I don't think I did...it was an honest review about the kit only, so why should I remove it? Plus, I just don't like being told what to do. I figure it's about time I actually stitched it. I've had it for literal years and it's not really that big, so why not? I'm not sure what fabric it comes with, but I'll be doing it on 28ct, so it will barely be 12x12, just a hair bigger than Faces of Faery 167. The thread is on bobbin cards, so it should be fine.

And last, but certainly not least, choice 4 was The English Garden, a kit I've had since the 80's and possibly my oldest stash. I'll probably also have to replace both the fabric and the thread for this. They have been literally sitting around for over 40+ years and I can guarantee the floss isn't sorted. How did we manage back in the day with a pile of floss shoved in a bag? I remember the reason why I never did this originally was because it was 18ct and I was scared of it! Funny now that my preferred fabric is 28ct!

I scanned all of them in and created PDF's because I wanted to see how they'd load in Markup R-XP, a step that was going to determine which kit I chose, but I think the whole process of scanning (copying in the case of Kitchen Fun and then scanning), etc, got me pumped to start them all! Bad me! Between the money I've already spent on floss and fabric, adding the already needed scroll rods (not to mention the ones not originally factored in for the kits) and a new stand will be outrageous! If I were a patient person, I'd buy new rods a bit at a time and add the stand last. But patience is NOT one of my virtues (says the multi-year cross stitcher). I want it all NOW! Oh well, who knows if I'll live long enough to finish any of my WIPs anyway! As Wilma Flintstone and Betty Rubble used to say "CHARGE IT!". How do people with 100's of WIPs afford it?

Focus=Low, Drive=High

For someone with the attention span of a gnat, I'm still making progress on stitching. I think both my ADHD and OCD are kicking into gear, so it's causing me to stitch almost everyday even though I can't pay enough attention to make much progress. I tried really hard to work on Faces 167, but I literally couldn't see it! I already had an eye doctor's appointment this week, so maybe I can get it straightened out next time this one rolls around. I should have never tried 32ct, it was a test run for the SS/MC bookshelves (which I didn't want to be gigantic, but I started the first one on 28ct anyway, so why did I torture myself with a test run that would be a total project?). Oh well, lesson learned! As I mentioned in my last post, I left off on this one on Jan 29th, 2024 with 14,533 stitches done out of 50,175, which makes a total 28.96% done (as well as 68.43 hrs in):

I literally worked on it for one night, moving up to only 14,817/50,175 (or 284 stitches) and another 1.84 hrs of stitching (I think I spent more time squinting than stitching, which is what you'll have to do to see the progress):

I gave up and decided on Sleepy Hollow Mural by Lewis T. Johnson, another HAED (I've been on HAED kick I guess). I left off on this one Feb 11, 2024, 10,407 stitches in out of 246,000, or 4.23% and 150.93 hrs.

The issue with this one is it is so dad-gum wide! I thought it would be easier if it was on scroll rods instead of a q-snap (I still can't get the hang of q-snaps), but apparently not. The q-snaps really warped the fabric as well, probably because I'm not good at using them. I had issue mounting Sleepy Hollow on my newish stand because it kept tipping over due to the width and the weight of it, so I put it in the stand that these particular scroll rods go on, but it's a center-mount lap stand that doesn't work well when you have a pup sitting between your legs. I literally have to sit the stand on his back, which he doesn't mind, but it makes me uncomfortable and constantly aware of the pressure I use. He is, afterall, only 9lbs and really old. I think he thinks of it as shiatsu-Shih-Tzu massage...I personally wouldn't like it if there was this constantly-moving, twice-my-size, wooden cross stitch stand moving all over my back. And it's not like I can put him down, he just sits in the floor in front of me and barks until I pick him up again. Spoiled brat! After two days of fighting with it and him (technically three, but you'll see in a mo-mo), I gave up on this one too at 11,958/246,000 (or 1551 stitches in), or 4.86%. It was an additional 6.49 hrs, making it a total of 157.42, but the third day was only composed of 0.08 hrs, so that's why I'm only counting two days on this one (and here it is in all its wide glory):

Friday night was a tornado night (it's that season again), so I was paying more attention to the weather instead of stitching. Saturday, I spent the day cleaning carpets, washing various blankets and whatnots, and putting down the new throw rugs I bought weeks ago. I also went through all the pending printed cross stitch patterns that have been sitting in a box in my entryway for over a year or maybe two. I sorted them into their various binders as well as ordering new binders for the ones that were left (not that there is room on those shelves for more binders, so I guess they will all live in the closet). Overall, it was just a crappy day for stitching. I did, however, pick up Evil Queen, which is a pattern from Thread Geeks, late on Saturday. I last left off on her on Feb 26, 2024 (one of my leap year starts) and she previously only got one day of love, which got her 3.7 hrs, 934 stitches out of 86,688 and 1.08%.

Since I only stitched a bit Saturday night, I was super-determined on Sunday and did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself! I'm sure it's because this one is a non-dithered pattern, but I literally put in 13.92 hrs Sat night and all day Sunday (and 10.5 hrs of that was Sunday alone). I'm now up to 4595/86,688 (or 3661 more stitches) which is 5.3%:

Regina is my project for this week, but I'm just gonna take it day by day (I could literally change projects tonight if the mood hits, and I'm just going with that mentality). The thing about this one that bugs me is it's all greens and tans and blacks, even though the mockup looks all blues and purples and pinks and blacks (and the purple-blue family are technically more in Regina's wheelhouse anyway):

I would chalk it up to not being at the purple-blue area yet, but there is not a single thread in the box for those shades. I'm really curious to see how it's going to turn out and I'm a bit worried as well. I would hate to get pretty far into this and realize all the colors are off (another Alice and the B's quandry). Oh well, we'll see how this week goes. I still have numerous stitch projects I haven't touched yet before I rotate back around again. Plus, as of now, all that area to the far left on Regina is nothing but black, and I'm not sure I want to get into another Hook issue where I'm stitching nothing but a solid background (and Hook will be coming up soon because the background triggered me).

Speaking of Hook, the issue with it is, I'm constantly thinking I should restart it on white and just ignore the background instead of stitching it. But I also don't want to get far enough in (like Snow White) where I can't go back because I'm too far gone. Plus, I'm thinking about the other three that make up this set (there is a Jefferson, August and Graham to match and do I really want to do all this background stitching three more times?). I left off on Hook by Tilton Crafts on Feb 1st, 2024 at 61.1 hrs in, 14,418/148,750 stitches in or 9.69%:

But, as you can see, there is still a ton more white to do yet. Ugh. I'm just not ready to let it go and start over though. I just keep thinking (and probably stupidly), what an accomplishment all that background stitching will be and how amazing it will look when finished (again, probably a stupid thought). I wish "work smarter not harder" was my motto, but apparently I missed the day they handed out "logical goals".

And, just for reminder, here is Hook, followed by Jefferson, Graham and August (and that's a LOT of white):

Here's something I need your guys help with...how do you exclusively use electronic patterns? I'm still stuck in paper world (hence the bindering up of patterns on Saturday). Since I stitch two-handed on scroll rods, they cover my legs completely and block my view of the tablet. I keep the paper copy clipped to the top with a hair clip and can use my right hand well enough to mark off with a colored crayon (but there is no way my right is dexterous enough to use an iPencil on an iPad). The paper pattern is constantly in my face and makes it easy for my eyes to shift back and forth, whereas I only use the tablet to keep track of progress by marking off the stitching at the end of the night and clocking in and out of a time keeper app for time. The project isn't strong enough to hold the iPad and I can't see a smaller Android tablet (and I don't like them, I just live in Apple world). I can't stitch one-handed anymore because, well, it's way slower, and my right hand just cramps closed around it and I have to pry it open (and it hurts). That's the reason why I had to stop playing video games, the neuropathy keeps me from knowing how hard I'm gripping something. Do you guys use a tablet stand? Not that I have any room on the left for it, but if I thought it would work, I could try it. Do you just keep pulling the tablet up and down? I can't be the only person that works two-handed, am I? Any thoughts or ideas you have would be greatly appreciated!

Still movin' along

I have been a stitching manic the past week or so! I did start a new project on Sunday, but it isn't going to last through this week (I barely made it through Sunday). For the week (plus some), I put in 57.81 hours total and 14,958 stitches total. First up though, I worked on Harry Potter Bookcovers just a bit more before I stopped on the 28th. I left off here last time at 8231 stitches out of 121,975, which is 6.75%.

I managed another 11.78 hours (not much, but another 2470 stitches), which brings me up to 10,701 stitches and 8.77% finished overall.

I was aching to go back to a JBG, so I went to Belle of Bonaventure (a HAED). It was one of my Leap Year starts in 2024, and I left off on her on March 4, 2024, barely 15.92 hrs in and 3719 stitches:

And, apparently I went a bit nuts on this one. Starting on the 28th until the 9th. I was literally flying through this and I really didn't want to stop, but I was afraid of burnout. Not to mention I was having issues with the scroll rods not staying tight (they are one of the first ones I made, so I can cut a break for myself on that, next time I know to get bigger dowels and longer hanger bolts). I put in another 41.71 hrs and 11,219 stitches (seriously?...even I'm impressed by that for just a bit over a week), which got me to 14,938 stitches out of 118,000 and at 12.66%. Here is where she is now as of the 9th:

I was trying to stick to my Sunday switch, so I went with Night Wish by Annie Rodrigue (another HAED), but I immediately knew that was a mistake. I SO was not feeling it (probably because of that darn moon). I left off on her Feb 12th of 2024 at 197.8 hours in:

I decided very quickly to shift out of the moon and start on the far edge of the row, but that didn't help either. My new(ish) stand just doesn't hold it right and I can't go back to my old stand because the holder clamp doesn't work anymore...only those projects mounted on the straight dowel will work with it (aka Alice and the B's). I tried to move it down some, but again, just didn't work. I only got 4.32hrs in and 1269 stitches (which is HORRIBLE for a weekend day) and left her off at 47,806 stitches out of 206,000 and 23.21% complete.

I can pretty much guarantee I'm switching again tonight. I don't want to stay tied to Night Wish for a solid week. Right now I'm leaning towards JBG Faces of Faery 167 (another HAED), which I left off on Jan 29th, 2024 at 14,533 stitches done out of 50,175 and 28.96% done (as well as 68.43 hrs in):

But, considering all the issues I've had with fabric this past month and this one is my first (and probably last) piece on 32ct evenweave, I'm just not sure. There are quite a few I could try before I start the loop over again, but I guess I'll know once I get home. I guess you'll know for sure once I post again.

I also really need to start posting daily stitching status posts to Instagram again, but I have never been good at social media (I'm not counting blogging in that, but honestly, I've pretty much sucked at that too for the past year or so). I deleted my Twitter (or X) account for obvious reasons. I did sign up for BlueSky, but I haven't posted a thing on there yet. I have TikTok, but I can't stand the way those videos auto play, so I just don't go there (and I wouldn't even attempt to post anything). TikTok is NOT made for those on the spectrum...too much noise and no control! I have been watching FlossTube again and I think I might have found a software that can line up all my status photos into a nice timelapse video (other than the expensive Photoshop), but I haven't tried it yet. If I can get that to work, I'll made a timelapse of all my finished projects and post those on the Tube (and I'll let you know when and if I do).

One other thing I got done this week is I finally got Maleficent mounted and taken to Hobby Lobby for framing! I wanted to take it to Michael's (since we have one now), but apparently our Michael's doesn't have a frame shop. And I guess Hobby Lobby is wary of the competition because it only cost $47 to frame her (mat and frame included)! If they are that cheap now, I may have to take my Highland girl (and the other one that is broken) up there to get reframed. Right now, those two just have tape holding the frames together. That's what I get for trying to frame them myself in a "normal" frame! I'll post Maleficent once I get her back (which should be on the 13th).

And, as a final note, all this stitching may come to a screeching halt soon (for at least a while). I'm going to have to have surgery on my right hand. I have several ganglions that popped up at random, but one of them is squeezing nerves in my wrist and causing electric shocks constantly. I don't think I will be out of commission long, but my doc also says I have severe carpal tunnel in both wrists and both shoulders, and he's insistent on doing surgery on them as well. For now, I'm holding off on those surgeries, partly because I don't have enough sick leave to cover them (thanks to my knee surgeries) and partly because neither particularly hurts, so why bother? He says I'm going to have long term nerve damage if I don't get them cut on, but again, I'll deal with that when the time comes.

And that's about it for this week!

Stitching ups and downs

I've had my good days and bad days stitching since my last post. I was moving along on Alice and the B's, but I have since switched four times (but more on that in a bit). I left off last post here:

And, after another 2876 stitches and 12.75 hours, I stopped Sat the 22nd. I'm at 186,830 stitches out of 329,175 total, which is 56.76% complete. The lack of dithering makes stitching this one a breeze, I'm just in a weird area of the picture and don't care for it (which is odd because faces are kind of my thing, it has to be the colors). I left off here last post:

I know I had planned to finish the row, but I was getting so bored with it and I decided if I didn't switch, I would quit stitching again.

So about mid-day on the 22nd, I switched to The Bride Dollmaker by Medusa Dollmaker (a GeckoRouge kit). It was one I started in Jul of 2017, before my stay at the "Hotel California", so she's had ups and downs of her own. I left off on her back in Nov of 2023 here:

As a side note, the level of dirt that accumulates on these things is just horrible, so please ignore. It will get stitched over eventually.

After a sparce week of stitching, days on and days off, I got 2563 stitches done in 16.17 hours, which is a total of 46,024 stitches out of 107,269 and 42.91%. I stopped last Friday here:

I wasn't feeling the dithering on this one (you guys know how I feel about dithering and the fit I threw when HAED switched to that method of charting, but that's an old fight best given up now because it can't be changed). I love the picture, I just don't care for the charting method. It will be great once it's finished.

I decided to switch again to Snow White (a non-dithered HAED retired pattern) by Jessica Clark when I got up last Saturday (I didn't even get up until 3, so weird weekend all around). It was one of my 2016 New Year's starts, so it's been hanging around for a while. I also left off on her in Nov of 2023 at the second row finish here:

And very quickly remembered why I don't like this one...crappy fabric. By Sunday the 23rd (the next day), I was just done. I did a measly 10.23 hrs and finished 1318 stitches (which is shameful). That leaves me at 42,769 stitches total out of 69,374 and 61.65%. I could probably finish this one easily by the end of the year if I could stand the fabric, but I just can't take it for long periods of time. I still don't know why I didn't restart it from the get-go. Maybe I didn't have spare fabric? Oh well, again, a dead fight. I did manage to cover a chili stain from like 5 years ago, so not all bad. I am more worried about the dirt on this one since there is so much blank area that's part of the picture, but anyhoo, another dead subject. I left off here (which looks like more than it is):

By this point, I was struggling and debating quitting again. I think my mind was just in a weird place last week.

I took Sunday night off and started again yesterday with Harry Potter US Bookcovers by Fox and Teacup Designs. This one was one of my Leap Year starts in Feb 2024 and I stopped here that same month:

Since I decided to switch later last night (I wasn't going to stitch at all), I only got 5.1 hrs in and 1508 stitches. It was slow at first, but I picked up once I had literally done almost 2/3 of a page! That's not as great as it sounds because they are weirdly formatted pages and probably only equal about 1/3 of a large-charted HAED. So, even though it was just one night, that makes a total of 8231 stitches out of 121,975, or 6.75%. I'd like to finish the row this week (which is another 2 1/3 pages), but I'm taking it one day at a time. This isn't dithered and the fabric is the pre-gridded 28ct evenweave, so I can't use those excuses on this one. It will probably just be boredom that stops me. Last night, I stopped here:

I'm not sure where the rest of the week is going to take me, but I guess time will tell. My "change every Sunday" policy is obviously going out the window (for now), but whatever I have to do to keep interested, that's what I'll do. I have also decided to change my 55's on my stitching from 55 total stitches on every project to 5500. I think that's an easily obtainable goal at this pace, at least on most projects, probably not the UFO's though. I said I would pull UFO's back out too, but those may stay at 55 stitches total. They are, afterall, UFO'ed for a reason. For right now, one day at a stitchy time for me!

Working on my 55's

Since this year is my "Year of 55's", aka New Years' Resolutions consisting of 55 items per category, I've been moving along slowly but surely. I finished the final Gabriel books by Sylvain Reynard (to go with the Gabriel series on Passionflix), so that has me at 3 books (I read the first one at the end of last year). I've gone through 7 movies and shows that I have never seen before and I'm still working through a few more. I have gone through a few things to throw out, a few household repairs and chores, a few new food dishes (some wins, some losses), and at least 10 uncomfortable things (but since most of my life is uncomfortable, I'm having issues with those). I haven't touched any new music, lost any pounds, paid down any debt (of note), or saved up for a car payment.

But, and the thing that you guys will care most about, is that I have started stitching again! I'm swapping out projects every Sunday.

I started last Wednesday with DoNa Stitches Merida. It's probably my easiest project because it's on 18ct and it's solid blocks of colors. I had barely started on it back in March of 2024 and left off here:

Although it was really slow stitching at first, I'm getting better (it's been almost a year since I stitched on anything). I worked on it for 14.97 hrs (most of that was on Saturday) and got 3185 stitches done (so I hit my 55 stitches on every project mark with Merida). If I keep up (even with switching every week, I should be able to finish this one by the end of the year). I ended Merida on Saturday night (well, technically early Sunday morning, but that's just semantics) and left off here:

Once I broke myself in with Merida, I switched to Alice and the Bouguereau Princesses by HAED. Bit of back story: I cleaned off my Jasmine Becket Griffith wall in my house, put the prints in a storage box, and only left up the stitches (and one print). The other half of the wall now holds a few of my Disney cross stitches, but now the whole wall looks pretty blank with only about 5-6 on each wall. I need a JBG to make that wall look a bit fuller since that is the most lacking side. So I think, if I can keep stitching, Alice and the B's will be my focus piece and I'm going to try to finish it by the end of the year. I may not switch it out this Sunday and keep going on it for a while. But, if you remember, I left off here in January of 2024:

Today is only Thursday, but I've already put in 21.32 hrs and 4556 stitches. Hopefully, with a full day on Saturday (and possibly Sunday), I will be able to double that. Here is where I am now:

I'm still incredibly dissatisfied with the colors in this project, but it was designed that way, so I'm kind of screwed there. I'm over 55% done on this one, so it will be a hard sell to get it done by December. Even if I do, I don't know when I'll get it framed. Maleficent (which was my focus piece in 2023) is still sitting on the kitchen table in a ziploc. That will be a chore for me to complete this year, get Maleficent framed and, if I finish Alice, get it framed as well. Merida is part of a set (I've already finished Rapunzel), so that one will not be on the framing list. As a matter of fact, I even bought the Tiana and Mulan projects, so now I have all of them (until more come out). I want all of them in matching frames, so I'm going to finish them all first.

I'm also starting to get the hankering to start at least three new projects. I want to start A Discovery of Witches (which I haven't even printed out yet), the JBG of Strangely Lonely (which is the one print that is still on my wall), and one of the mouse kits. But, maybe I should finish another project first. I'm out of scroll frames, I'm trying to save money (so spending a fortune on fabric and threads is kind of stupid right now), and I do have so many WIPs, it's a itch I'm trying very hard to not scratch.

But that's the update for now. Sorry for the mid week update, but I was in the mood for it!

Happy Hogmanay and Happy New Year!

Still the horrible blogger, but I'm working on changing some things...in the form of something I never do, New Year's resolutions. I've decided that 2025 will be the year of 55 (yeah, it makes sense in my head, so let's just go with it, eh?).

As some of you may know, I HATE New Year's resolutions. I have typically thought that they tend to jinx the year and make everything worse. But for the past several years, everything has been worse anyway, so why not try a more strict regiment of plans? It couldn't hurt right?

Why 55? Well, firstly, I will turn 55 years old in September of 2025, so that's where my skewed logic comes in. I just don't think 25 things are enough of a chore. I wanted to ramp up the stakes. Every resolution I make will have 55 stipulations, like, for example, read 55 of the books I already own and 55 new books (which means that I can only buy 55 new books this year...might be the hardest resolution to keep, I tend to buy WAY more than I read).

Another resolution? Put in 55 new stitches on every single WIP I have, even the ones I hate and haven't touched in years. I haven't stitched since like May? I started out strong with my ORT's, but this is how it ended up since I've been a slacker:

There isn't even use in showing you my progress for the year. I still haven't gotten photography editing software, so I haven't edited any of them (or vacation pics from the last several years). But that particular task goes under "55 chores to do around the house" (although I'n not sure why it will fall into that category, but I think that's where it should go).

Other ideas? Try 55 new meals, do 55 things that make me extremely uncomfortable, watch 55 movies I've never seen (which means more French and old black and whites probably), lose 55 lbs so that I can go to Universal for my birthday to see Harry Potter world, visit 55 new towns or places, pay off $5500 in debt (although I hope to pay off WAY more than that), throw away 55 things that will make a dent in my house, listen to (and like) 55 new songs (and that might be one of the hardest as well considering how I feel about new music, although, because of The Summer I Turned Pretty, I started listening to a lot of artists I wouldn't give the time of day to before, so maybe not as hard as it used to be, but I've also been getting more into Classical music, so there is always areas of "sort of" newness there, at least new to me), save $5500 for a new vehicle (it's past time), and I may think of others, but that's the bulk of the list for now.

Oh, and I made it through both my fall trips with flying colors! Boulder was amazing and I can't wait to go back someday, although the major highlight was the trip home through Mount Rushmore the Badlands. Just a way home that turned into an amazing experience! Allentown and the concert, well, let's just say I think I now prefer to go to concerts alone (or at least Duran Duran)! I also stopped by my cousin's house in Holliston on my way to Gloucester (since the coast of MA is only a few hours away from Allentown) and, although I loved it there, my time was too short and I had to cut it even shorter because of a dead headlight. I ended up spending about 5 hours in Lawrence, MA to get it fixed (ironic, since I love going to Lawrence, KS so much), but it was well worth it, as was the drive home through upstate New York. Such beautiful country!

Right now though, I need to finish my Scottish steak pie so that I can dish up the Crananach I've made for Hogmanay. I hated digging into my last bottle of Sassanach, but I didn't want to go to the liquor store (it's not 2025 yet, so no need to make myself uncomfortable just now). Thanks to our crappy governor, I can no longer order alcohol online, so I may never be able to get another bottle of Sassanach or El Tequileno (and I never got to try Sam Heughan's gin), but oh well. Maybe one of my uncomfortable things can be to find a store that specializes in just Scotch.

And there is another crappy blog post for this year, only my 15th of the year. I started as a strong stitcher with a floss tube addiction, and I'm ending as a voracious reader with a Passionflix addition...a great new romance TV channel that literally takes romance novels and turns them into movies or shows! It's not Skin-a-Max by any means, but it's WAY better than the Hallmark Channel because at least there is something more than chaste kissing! I've bought every book to everything on the channel, and have almost finished reading them all, and it is literally, verbatium from book to screen. It's fab! I've watched the same stuff for months on end, but I still haven't gotten sick of it.

I'm going to take Stephen Fry's advice on the state of America because there is basically nothing we can do about it now, so just see how it all pans out and hope it doesn't kill us all. He said some other things (I think apoplexy was mentioned in regards to a certain someone), but Stephen Fry is a god, so he can say whatever he wants. Me, on the other hand, before I jinx myself already, I hope every one has a great holiday to end out this year, no matter if your year was good or bad, I hope that everyone has an amazing 2025!

Happy 13th Blogoversary to the worst blogger ever!

Yep, I'm still here. This is the first time I've touched any blog in months. My focus has been in the "me" world. I have a new therapist and it's still early days, but I'm doing much better both mentally and physically. Work always sucks, so that's already a dead horse. And both pups are still hangin in there.

My last post was probably the last time I stitched or at least my last Instragram post was. Maleficent still isn't framed, she's still in her ziploc baggie on the kitchen table. Bad me all around. I'm getting worse at this whole social media thing, what little I do. My job is tech burnout, so by the time I get home, the only tech I touch is my TV. The thought of creating a blog post or human communication in any way is just too much.

I do have two vacations coming up, so that's exciting, right? I haven't felt like sharing, so very few people around me know about these. The first is a birthday trip to Boulder, just to relax and finally get to the Rockies. I'm not sure how much extra I'll do, Colorado is VERY expensive, but I have also booked one night at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park (the hotel from The Shining, which I may end up regretting since it is haunted). Some of you may remember my horrible day-trip to Denver back in Aug of 2023, but I always felt like that trip was skirting greatness. For some reason, I think Boulder is going to be the push to make CO one of my favorite states. We'll see.

Secondly, in Oct, I got a ticket to see Duran Duran in PA...5th row center in front of Simon. I'd like to say it's not the farthest I've ever gone to see them, but it is actually! And it's also the closest I've ever sat. More on that in a mo-mo. I should have gone this summer and I could have chosen a closer location. I just kept putting it off because of the ticket cost, until I just decided that I wanted to see them bad enough that the cost was irrelevant...to a point (remember when $100 for a concert ticket was outrageous...yeah, I miss those days). I really wanted to see them on Halloween at Madison Square Garden in NYC, but I just couldn't garner the courage (or the money). Allentown will have to do. I'm trying to tone down this trip and not get wild on the side quests, but there was a lot I didn't do last year that I wanted to. I guess it depends on how Colorado goes and how much I spend there.

To be honest, I'm more scared about Boulder than Allentown. That fear sinks in pretty quickly when I haven't traveled in a while. In Boulder, I'd like to at least go to Pearl St. once (at least in the daytime). It's not like it's Bourbon or even Beale, or so I keep telling myself. I surely don't want to spend the entire trip locked in my hotel reading Jane Austen (that's only an hour and a half of my life). I also always find myself at a major national park on National Park day with the rest of the world, lucky me. If I think about Allentown, no one ever enjoys D2 as much as I do, so that makes it easier to go alone. I am way more worried about the 5th row situation...is it too close? I could have been 2nd row on John's side (couldn't handle that and I knew it...definitely too close), or to the edge of a section in the middle of John and Simon, but 8th row. Simon is my guy, so right in front of him was the place to be and I've never been directly in front of him before. We're usually more on Nick's side than anywhere (although last time we were in between Simon and John, just further back, like row 24 or 29 something, although we have been closer). Alas, it will either be the best experience ever or spoil me forever. As long as I avoid eye contact, I should be fine. I'm just hoping that being that close will make looking up and over the tall person in front of me easier (which invaribly will happen).

Speaking of last year's road trip, I still haven't edited the photos. I just can't justify yet another monthly subscription charge, this time for photo editing software, for just one batch of photos. Why is EVERYTHING a monthly subscription charge now? It's ridiculous! Maybe if I have two more batches stored up, I'll be able to do it for a couple of months at least (I haven't used Lightroom in so long, I'll also need a refresher course and practice time, ugh, the thought is too daunting...change of subject).

Trip wise though, I have no plans to go to any Disney park in the future...the burnout is still strong. I have been debating Universal next Spring maybe. For now, I am enjoying traveling to other parts of the country. I only have a handful of unscratched states on my scratch-off map, and that's my focus, but with me, plans can always change.

Other than that, all is quiet in my world, hence the radio silence in Blog Land. This particular Blogoversary, more than any other, the debate of closing down my blog has been brought back to the forefront. I'm not the same person I was when I started blogging. I rarely stitch anymore, except in weird OCD spurts. All my Disney reviews are WAY outdated (some of the restaurants and rides are even closed now and the hotels have been refurbished several times over). I'm never NOT going to be too wordy and no one likes an overly wordy blog. I haven't been active with other blogs or blog events in I can't remember when. Doesn't leave much for a stitching and Disney blog to do, right?

The few of you that still come here, thank you. One day, you'll either see a new post, or I just won't be here. But for now, I think I'm going back into the shadows until I can let this all go. But hey, by my standards, for a long hiatus, this was a pretty short post, no? Happy Blogoversary to me!