Must be karma - the original WIPocalypse check in at the full Moon and the new check-in on the Last Sunday

have converged into the same day!!  So it must be a good omen if you believe in such things, so go here to see who else is stitching their projects.

http://measi.net/measiblog/

The question this month is:

Do you enjoy the stitching or the finishing most?

Good question, if I had to choose one, it would be the finish.  Once I get down to the last 10% of the project, its like I can't put it down because I can "feel" the finish and can check it off my WIP list.   However for me the best part of my stitching journey is picking out the perfect project.  I stitch mainly for other people, although in the last few years I've been doing more with me in mind.

Generally it's seeing something and thinking, wouldn't that perfect for (fill in the blank).  Like when I did SamSarah's The Flock of Birds - it was perfect for my sister who was battling cancer at the time.  Her daughter just hung the picture in her new house.  Anyways, I think about the project, pick out the perfect linen and count and get the floss.  Then I put in those first all important stitches and its like.....look there is a new shiny object over there.....and I'm off on another project.  I think I need more discipline in my hobby and not go off in another direction every time I see a new project that is begging to be stitched.  But then on the other hand, I can't die until I have everything stitched right?

This past month has not been much on the stitching front for me.  I went on vacation to spend time with our daughters and see my parents.  I had a great time and even got in a little shopping therapy.  While my daughters talked me in to new clothes, I also able to find a few minutes to spend at my favorite shop in Saginaw and got the following charts.

Ink Circles "Three Little Kittens" is my new shiny object :)  I will have to look in my thread supple to see what I have available, and then figure out what I'll need to get.  It's not very big, so maybe it will stitch quickly.  Half temped to start at the bottom and work my way up :)

The L*K charts will be rotated into my at work projects once my current needlepoint is done (working on Glenda).  They should stitch up fast because I spend about 45 minutes 5 days a week working on my "at work" projects.

The last one "Arc of White", I saw sometime ago, and think I even carried it around for while at a shop, but then put it back at the last minute.  Decided to get it this time - don't think I'll use the over dyed floss because this one will most likely be for me.

 When I travel, while I will take one or two (dozen) x-stitch & needlepoint projects with me, I tend to enjoy knitting.  I don't knit complicated things, so it's easy to pull it out of my carry on and knit while waiting to board or while in the air.  So to that end I managed to finish two baby hats that I posted in my last post and also did this one with the left over yarn.  I will do the same with the left over yarn from the bumblebee.

I also finished my second sock, so the pair is ready to send off to its new owner shortly.  Again I had some yarn left over, but not enough for another full pair of socks, so I'm doing a baby's pair.

But fear not, yesterday was the Southern Cal stitching GTG and I played hooky from home and work and went and stitched for several hours.

When I started with the group, there was a lady Debbie, who would bring a project that she knew she needed to finish, but really didn't want to work on.  Debbie's spirit is still with our group (she passed away), so in her honor I have started to pull a project that I know I need to finish, but really don't enjoy stitching anymore for one reason or another.  The project that will continue to be part of these GTG for me will be Nora Corbett's Letter A Mermaid.  It's not that I don't like the design or the designer, but I am just way over doing all of those stupid waves around the A and the mermaid.  I figure if I spend even 2 hours a month on this one, it will get done at some point.  Then it can be framed in hung next to the Letter D Mermaid.

I brought another such project, but decided that my limit is ONE such project in a stitching day, so put it away quickly and pulled out my SB stocking.  I'm enjoying stitching on this one, once the angel is done, I figure I'll be about 50% done.  So I'll be close to tasting the finish and will get my stitching mojo in high gear.

Sadly on my vacation home we had to see our beloved Sadie across the rainbow bridge.  We had Sadie for 14 1/2 years.  She watched over our oldest grandson and granddaughter in her prime.  She provided lots of love and friendship to us as well.  She was a rescue dog when we got her, and hopefully we provided her with a wonderful life.  We will miss her with all of our hearts.   The picture is Sadie and our grandson Michael, they grew up together.

I hope you all had wonderful time stitching this past month and that weather is getting cooler.  While I live in sunny california, I really do miss the cool falls and cold winters.  You can take the person out of Michigan, but you can't take the Michigan out of the person.

Sandy