HAPPY DANCES!!

I completed my first RR piece for the EMS RR. This is for my project in the rotation. The first mailing date is April 15th so I am ahead of schedule.
I can't wait to start the next project.

Another happy dance is that I acquired some stash today. A needleroll from Sheperd's Bush. This will be my first attempt at making a needleroll so I am kind of excited about it. I am making this for my mother for Mother's Day. This will be my next piece that I am working on until I receive my RR package.

Here is SBQ of the week:

Have you ever participated in a needlework mystery (i.e., a design that you started before knowing how it will look in the end and by which you receive parts of the design via the internet, magazines, or leaflets at spaced intervals)? If so, why did you decide to do the mystery? What appealed to you about it? Did you enjoy it? If you have not done a mystery, would you ever do one?

No, I have never participated in one of these for two reasons. Don't know if I would like stitching something that I have never seen before. The only Mysteries that I know of are Chatelaine and those are way too expensive for me.

Here is an update on my RR piece. I got the other bird done - still needs to be outlined though. All that is left are the snow covered branches and pine needles.

In looking and reading everyone's blogs, I have decided that I must be a slow stitcher. I never thought so until I started seeing all the progress people are making on their projects. Mine just doesn't seem to go as fast. I mean I only have two completes for this year and it is already March. I know I just need to stitch for enjoyment - and I do - I was just making an observation and wondering if there was anything I could do to speed things up a bit so I could feel like I was accomplishing something.

I have numerous projects at different stages of completion. I work on them in a rotation but it just doesn't seem like I am getting anywhere with them. I do like having a smaller piece almost finished. Maybe I should work on some smaller ones inbetween working on my larger pieces - I might feel like things are being accomplished when I finish smaller projects.

I will have to think more on that...

Have been working on my RR piece. With my bird theme I have finished one bird and a few branches, I have another bird and some more branches left to do. Then I will be sending it on and receiving my first piece from someone else.

Haven't done any stitching on any of my rotation because I want to get this done and out of the way. The next item coming up in rotation I really want to work on - so I would like to have this RR piece done before then. It is the afghan that I am making for my mother - Shoreline Beacons.

WOW...I can't believe it has been almost a month since I last posted. Life has this unhappy way of overwhelming you. I loved watching the Olympics although by the time they were over in the evenings - I was too tired to post.

Since I last posted I have worked on my daughter's unicorn from Stoney Creek. I have started on the flowers that hang around its neck. I also started on a Dimension Kit of kittens looking through a window at some birds - the name escapes me - however, I started this in place of The Promise in my rotation. I just couldn't bring myself to work on that eagle so decided to replace it in the rotation.

This week I am working on a Dimensions Petite called Enchanted Cottage. However, during the day I am working on my first Round Robin piece. I joined a RR through the EMS message board and am working on my piece. I chose the theme of birds and am stitching some Stoney Creek birds (black-capped chickadees) that was part of their Flight of Fancy afghan series. This RR contains 6 people so I put together a piece of fabric to hold 4 birds and then 2 individual smaller pieces. That way I have one big picture with a small one on each side when I hang them on my wall. I am really excited about participating in this.

In between all this I am working on my first afghan - Stoney Creek's Shoreline Beacons - I am doing the stitching around the edge of the afghan for fringing first before I start any of the lighthouses. This may seem odd but I really wanted to get this part out of the way first - it is rather tedious and I didn't want to save it for last.

Hopefully life has settled down a bit so that I can keep up with this blog more regularly - have caught up on reading everyone elses - it is good to be back!!

Have been busy watching the Olympcis and have lost track of time!!!

My goal rotation on Columbine went extremely well. I completed the next petal just like I wanted. I think I will stick with goals on my WIPs instead of "weeks". Since I accomplished my goal I am moving on to the next one in my rotation. This will be Universal Unity. This is another one that I started many years ago and was tossed in a UFO pile. My goal on this project is to complete the giraffe (and maybe some background if all goes well).

Have found many blogs that I am interested in keeping up with - However, can't seem to get BlogRolling to list them all on my site - will work on that this week. If I can't get it to work then I will just list them myself. I am also working on getting progress bars added to my sidebar on all of my WIPs.

Finished my rotation on Underwater Paradise. Got some more background done and since that seemed to be slow going - I decided to complete the Lion Fish which is at the center of the design. Filled everything in and even backstitched it. Now I can't wait to get the other fish done after seeing that one come to life.

Working on Columbine by The Silver Lining this week. I loved working on this and watching the colors come to life. He designs such beautiful flowers with each one being more vibrant than the next. He has a couple of new ones that have just come out and I am dying to buy the patterns. You can see what I have completed so far in My Photo Album under WIPs.

Having some health insurance problems in regards to my daughter so most of my time this week has been spent on the phone...on hold. I long for a day where I can just sit down, relax and stitch to my heart's content. Well, maybe when the kids are grown and gone, LOL.

I am so enjoying this blogging thing. I have greatly enjoyed reading about everyone's lives and stitching. I am getting up the courage to start commenting on some - but reading has been fun. I am also trying some things out on my own site and slowly but surely getting used to editing my page.