June WIPacolypse

It's time for my WIPacolypse post for June.  This is a SAL run by Measi at  Measi's Musings where we try to finish all our WIPs by the end of the world.  You can see what others are doing by clicking the link above.

I've been using this SAL to keep track of my goals for the year, but since most of my goals, plans, etc. changed during the middle of June, I've decided to just report my WIP stitching which is what this SAL is actually for.  I'll report my modified goals in my monthly recap which is where they belong anyway.

The only WIP I worked on this month was Big Trees and I only got about four hours on it.

As of 4/4/2019

As of 6/30/2019

Question of the Month: Half-year recap:  How are you doing with your goals so far this year?
I was doing satisfactorily until this month when I decided it was time to reassess them. 

Smalls SAL

It's time again for the Smalls SAL hosted by Mary at Mary's Thread  This is where we share the small projects we've stitched during the previous month. Click the link to see what other stitchers are sharing this month.

Most of which I stitched this month are smalls so I have several to show you.

Palko Lap - May

Palko Lap - June

Special Delivery - 2018 JCS Ornament Issue (Pickle Barrel Designs)

Fabulous Pear - Cross Stitch Crazy #192 (Jenny Barton)

Fabulous Grapes

 - Cross Stitch Crazy #192 (Jenny Barton)

Happy Dance - Fabulous Grapes

Started: 6/23/2019

Finished: 6/27/2019

This is another one of the Fabulous Fruits designed by Jenny Barton for Cross Stitch Crazy #192.  It's stitched on white 14-count Aida with the called for DMC.  It's stitched as charted with one unintentional customization--both legs are one row longer than they should be.

I accidentally lied last time when I said I had four more to stitch; it was actually only  three.  There are currently a watermelon and a peach left.  I had planned to set these aside for awhile, but I finished the grapes at the Angels game last night and since I had all of these with me, I decided to start another one.

Next Up: Fabulous Watermelon; Goal: A finish

Happy Dance - A Few Finishes

I just realized that since I didn't post any Wednesday updates in June, I missed posting some of my finishes, so I'll post them now.  I think you've seen them all, but I haven't shared the details.

First is the May Owl from Leslie Teare's free Facebook SAL.  It's stitched on 14-count Aida in Lite Oatmeal.  It's stitched as charted with the called for DMC except for the reds, for which I used darker shades.  This will go to WOCS (World of Charity Stitching) and is one of my favorites!

Started: 5/11/2019

Finished: 5/31/2019

I also stitched the Palko Lap SAL squares for May and June.  May is stitched on 25-count Lavender Lugana with DMC Color Variations 4260 and June is stitched with on Pink Blush 25-count Aida with DMC Coloris 4507.  I did stitch the borders on these two with two strands of floss because I felt one strand didn't show well enough so now I'm planning to go back and restitch the borders on the first four.  Fortunately, the frogging should be easy!

 Started: 5/29/2019

Finished: 6/4/2019

 Started: 6/5/2019

Finished: 6/9/2019

Tractor Show Weekends

The AGSEM Spring Festival is the third and fourth weekends in June and David and I were able to go both weekends for a change.  The first weekend, we went down on Saturday morning and stayed in a hotel in Oceanside.  I spent the whole weekend helping David at the rope braiding machines.

The second weekend, David was able to get the air conditioning fixed in the motorhome, so we went down in it.  Kyleigh loves both the tractor show and staying in the motorhome, but she had a conflict on Sunday so she went down with us Friday night and was a huge help setting up.  Saturday morning, Janice brought her best friend's daughter, Dina (who is like a younger sister to Kyleigh) and spent the day with us.  I was in charge of keeping the girls busy and they definitely wore me out; Janice said they both slept on the way home so I think they wore themselves out too.

First off was breakfast in the Assembly Building and then a scavenger hunt in the Clock Museum where they had to match pictures to the corresponding clocks and each earned a piece of candy.  On the way to the rope braiding machines, we stopped to look at the craft vendors and they each bought a necklace.  This couple was dressed in period costumes and was so nice that I asked to take their picture.

Our next stop was the rope braiding machines where they helped mama make and package some jump ropes. 

Then it was off again to the Model Train building where they did another scavenger hunt looking for a list of specific items in a large layout and each won a couple of prizes.  They also got to run one of the trains and have their picture taken in the frame provided.

Janice joined us at this point and they rode a train, played on the playground and each got a chance to learn to drive a tractor.

 

Then there was the Potato Pickin' Race.  This started as an actual race between adults, but several years ago, they turned it into an event for kids and now they just do it for fun.  They do get a prize though. 

 

 

 There was also a Kids' Zone where the girls were able to play ring toss, ball toss, participate in water squirter races and a couple of other games, all for candy or various character ducks.

Finally, they got to ride in the tractor parade with a friend of ours and then participate in the breaking of a pinata that actually went through the parade on a tractor. 

 

I can see that I should have taken a few more pictures to explain some things better, but maybe next time.  It was a fun day for all of us.

Happy Dance - Fabulous Pear

Started: 6/19/2019

Finished: 6/23/2019

This is another of the Fabulous Fruits designed by Jenny Barton for Cross Stitch Crazy #192.  It's stitched on 14-count white Aida as charted with the called for DMC.  I now have just four of these left to stitch before I can make them into a wall-hanging.

Next up: Fabulous Grapes; Goal: a finish

Thank you for the comments on my being overwhelmed and backing out of SALs, etc.  Part of the problem is I want to stitch everything which leads to trying to do just that and some of the SALs were to help do that.  As several of you mentioned, I only stitch SALs that can use the things I'm already stitching with one exception.   It's just that I've gotten so far behind in other parts of my life that stitching and the computer can't take up as many hours in the day as they have been.  Hopefully, I'll find a happy medium soon.

Happy Dance - Special Delivery

My rotation and stitching plans flew out the window earlier this month through no fault of their own  because of a changed deadline that I didn't know had happened..  It also happened because life is overwhelming and I have too much to do and not enough time to do it and I don't seem to be able to get anything done. So I've decided to simplify things somewhat. 

First, for my stitching, I'm going to stop (at least temporarily) my Wednesday updates.  I'm also going to become a OAAT stitcher and will set a goal of how much I want to accomplish before switching to the next project.  In most cases, the goal will be to finish that project or complete a page, but there probably won't be a stitch count or time limit involved. I will post an update whenever I switch out a project.  I may also simplify my goals for the year and drop some SALs as well as some Facebook groups, but that will be decided later.

So, on with the reason for this post, my Happy Dance.

Started: 6/10/2019

Finished: 6/19/2019

This is Special Delivery by Pickle Barrel Designs from the 2018 JCS Ornament Issue. 

It's stitched on gold dusted 14-count Aida as charted and with the called for DMC with the exception of the lettering which was stitched in DMC 4518.

It's the June ornament for the JCS Stitch-a-long on Facebook.  At the moment, I haven't decided how I'm going to finish it yet, but it's really too big for an ornament.

Gifted Gorgeousness - June

Gifted Gorgeousness is a SAL run by Jo of Serendipitous Stitching.  For this SAL, we post anything that was received as a gift or is being stitched for a gift.  You can click on the link to see what others are stitching.

Most of my stitching this month will most probably be for me and wasn't gifted, but I do have two projects that qualify.

First is the May owl from Leslie Teare's SAL on Facebook which will be going to WOCS when the series is completed.

The second is the Fox Magic Doll that is being stitched for Q4OC.  There is a lot of detail and "picky" backstitch in this one and I was rushing, thinking it was due July 1st, but then I found out it wasn't due until December 1st so I've set aside temporarily, but it's still on the floor stand so it will get some attention again soon.  Unfortunately, I know nothing about the designer as the chart was provided, but I was told it was a free chart off a foreign website.  It's also being stitched on fabric that I won in the April Fun Event on the group.

Fully Finished Gallery SAL - June

 It's time for showing our entries into this month's Fully Finished Gallery, courtesy of Rachel at Ten Hour Stitcher.  These are items that have been framed, pillowed, backed, etc.  You can click the link to see the rest of the gallery.

I have several things to show you this month, the first of which is my May ornament for the JCS Ornament SAL on Facebook.  I used the same cross stitch fabric for the back of the ornament and did a running stitch to attach them together, then stuffed and fringed them and attached a hanger.  This is my most used finishing method.  This time I used gold beads from my stash for the hanger.

Next is the Mill Hill ornament, Harvest Barn, which I backed with tan felt and added a magnet.  It currently sits on my refrigerator. 

Kyleigh came to visit last week (twice) and wanted to see what was in my "drawers of shame".  Of course, she had to have some of the items, so we did a quick finishing on six of them.  The first three were backed and put into the frames that came with the kit.

The next three bookmarks are backed with felt in coordinating colors.  I had originally intended these for WOCS, but Kyleigh said she needed to do a lot of reading this summer and that she could really use them.  I'm a sucker and I know it, but it got them finished and out of my drawer so that's good!

Stuff and Kyleigh (Picture Heavy)

Earlier this week we had central air conditioning and heating installed.  We've lived in this house since 1975 and after the heat of last summer decided it was time.  And we did it just in time for the heat of the next few days.

Kyleigh and Janice came over both Wednesday and Thursday.  Wednesday to ask grandpa to check her list of materials for the hut she's building for VBS and on Thursday to bring the purchased PVC pipe over to be cut into shorter lengths.  Kyleigh wanted some 3" pieces cut too, so I'm curious as to what she's making.

Kyleigh is very crafty herself and will be doing lots of crafts and science experiments this summer.  She brought her first project over to show me on Thursday.  It's a Mermaid Cat and the first project she's done with needle and thread.  The other item in the photograph is a key chain that I took off her purse.  She's done a lot of perler beads this year and she made this one as well.

Friday night we (Kyleigh and I) went to the Angels' game with my friend, Bob and his coworker, Karla.  The giveaway was the cap she's wearing.  Notice the "straw" she's using.

Wednesday was her last day of 5th grade, so now she's in Middle School.  She earned 7A's, 1B, 1C+ and 3E's on her report card for the 4th Quarter.  The school had an area set up where you could take pictures and Janice sent me a couple.

As you can see in the above picture, taken on the first day of fifth grade, she's definitely done some growing and maturing this year.

Since she's now in Middle School, she's eligible to acolyte (light the candles, hand out the offering plates, etc.). She took her first turn Saturday night and several people told her she did a good job.  I took a couple of pictures and later wished I'd taken more.  Maybe next time.

Finally, we had a feral mama cat give birth to four kittens in our backyard.  We borrowed a trap and were able to catch two of them before the mama moved the others to another yard.  We decided to keep one and make it an indoor cat--which we've never done before--and Kyleigh took the other one so each of them (Devin, Janice and Kyleigh) now have their own cat.  Since the kittens are feral, they love to cuddle, but are very hard to get close to pick them up.  Tazzie is ours and Tony is Kyleigh's.  As you can see from the pictures, they're almost identical and Tazzie loves to help me stitch.

Tazzie

Tazzie

Tazzie

Tony