WIPocalypse END of YEAR - 2024 is now in the books

 Wow, can't believe we are at the end of the. year and it's time to look back at what we accomplished, which for me wasn't a lot, but that's OK.  I did manage to stitch on all of my WIPS during the year!!  I didn't do that in 2023, so that is a win for me!!

If you want to know more about WIPocalypse you can find more information here:  WIPocalypse

2025 is getting ready to kick off next weekend, so a great time to join and show off your work.

but first lets put 2024 into the books - 

L&L - EarthDancer - (or is it SpritDancer?) any ways I didn't do a lot on this one, just wasn't feeling it, but did get some done.  I really need to get back on track with this one and just get it done.  I'm calling this one about 20% done.  

I think I burned myself out on angels - but I have 4 going, so I really need to get them done.  

Next picture up is a finish - I put it into a box.  This is the Storyteller by Lulu who did painted canvases.  I purchased this canvas probably 20 years ago from a sale table.  My sister Carol had some Indian designs in her home - she had several woven rugs and a x-stitch I had done for her.  So the intension was to get this and stitch it up fast and give it to her.  

Well that didn't happened and as life our happen we lost my sister 9 years ago to Ovarian Cancer.  Almost 2 years ago her daughter got married and I thought this was the perfect gift for her and had my siblings and Dad write some stories of my sister to put into the box.  

My niece had a baby in October, so thought it was time to get this done and out to her.  She got this with a stocking (see the picture farther down in this blog)

Next one is a new start for December - I'm doing the SAL with the Sunshine Stitchers, they have a floss-tube and a FB group.  This is Put a Bird on It by Modern Folk Embroidery.  

The chart was charted in monochrome, the picture had 4 or 5 colors and I was going to do the colors from the picture, but when I started I decided to change it up.  The dark blue, light blue and dark green will be constants in the design, but will put other colors in as I go along as the mood changes.  I really love quaker design, but don't want to go too over board with the number that I ultimately do.  

I've stitch a little beyond the monthly challenge, but that's OK my work life gets busy in March, May and July, so I'm sure I will fall behind again.

Next up is SB stocking Peter's stocking.  I finished this one for my new great-grandson.  I can't believe I'm old enough for a great anything!!

I left off the very bottom row of the stocking - didn't like it and I added a small kitty cat in ivory that was from my Mom's charm bracelet.  My grandson and his girlfriend are both cat people.

My someday to be daughter-in-law asked me if I would stitch another one for her as she wants a little girl.  I told her I would - which btw she gave me the best Christmas present - a DMC color card and DMC box with threads.  Told her if she and my grandson ever break up I'm adopting her!!   She also said she would love to learn to stitch, so maybe I'll have someone to left my stash too one day.

Next up is another SB stocking - this one is Marie's stocking.  I changed the section to the right of the angel.  My niece is not a dog person, and this one had a dog there.  So I added a few more mushrooms.  

It was also missing the red buttons on the skirt, so I added lady bug buttons and like my great-grandson's stocking I added an ivory cat and a jade owl from my mom's charm bracelet.    

My niece said she got the stocking and loves it.

the next up is my Simple Gifts - Courage by Praise Worthy Stitching.  This one is being done in colors that will range from dark blue to teal and purple.  I will add the names of each person in our family who has had cancer and my Mom for her dementia.  While this one got worked on earlier this year, I pulled it out to give it a little more love.

I would love to have this one done in 2025, but not sure that will happen.  

Next up is Good Heart by Dirty Annie - this one is about 1/2 done now and another week it will be a finish!!  

I like this chart because I've found as I've gotten older (note I'm not only a grandmother, but now a GREAT-grandmother) that the filter on my month is dissolving and I have no patients for nonsense!!  

I think I will finish this one into a pillow vs. framing it, but we'll see what happens when it finished.

OK - the next two are finishes from this year!!

Inspire Others by Heart's Content is done on 32ct over one with one thread.  The middle part took forever to do and then all of a sudden, the rest of it seemed to stitch itself!!  When I picked it up this year I had the middle and maybe four corners done, the rest was done in a week's worth of stitching.  Like I said it just seemed to stitch itself.  

I plan on putting this into a wooden box for my granddaughters high school graduation in May.  She lost her Mom almost 10 years ago to stomach cancer - it was less than a year from being diagnosed and her death.  My granddaughter was sent to live with her dad, someone she knew, but hadn't spent a lot of time with and his wife and soon to be 9 other siblings.   She was not welcomed into the family, but there wasn't anything we could do, but continue to get visitation as much as possible.  We are very lucky that we are still very close to her and have been there for her.  I am so proud of her - she was accepted at 4 different colleges and has decided which one she wants to go to next fall.  She will do great things!!

The last up is my Vexation Sampler by Plum Street.  The colors are basically my choice.  There are errors in it, or as I like to call it - personalization.  At some point I will frame this one, I have another table that I want to do.  

in 2024 I did most of the numbers, the right side, bottom and finished the border.  

So all in all I completed 5 things this year, one being a start and finish in 2024.   Last year I had more finishes, but didn't touch all of my WIP.  This year less finishes, but more stitching on all of my WIPs.  

Now to get organized for 2025.  My goal is about 10 finishes, so we'll see where we land.

Sandy