February SfS update

Budget carried forward from January £18.50

February's budget £25.00

Spent £4.99 (CSC magazine)

Finishes Stitching Witch and Honeysuckle Courtyard Stitching Witch doesn't count as it's not more than 6 months old but Honeysuckle Courtyard does!  As a mix of speciality stitches and cross stitch I think it falls in the £8.00 category.

So carry forward to March is going to be £46.51

This month I have bought some fabrics as well but they have been put away for my birthday and so don't count. I never even got to open the packet!

Cross Stitch Collection SAL - February progress

February's progress for the Cross Stitch Collection SAL was this really cute (and very quick to stitch!) design, which will be made up into an ornie in time for Hallowe'en.  This was in the October 2014 issue of Just Cross Stitch magazine and is by Maria Warmke of The Stitcherhood.  I stitched it with a thick perle thread to make sure the black was a really solid stitch as I hate the way that 2 strands of DMC can sometimes be a bit thin with the coverage.

Archery (not stitching)

If you are looking for something stitchy to read, please move along...there is nothing stitchy here today.

Today, I want to tell you about my archery.

I signed up for a beginner's course for archery around the start of October.  I chose archery as I had tried it on the year 6 residential trip and thoroughly enjoyed it. In all honesty, I am totally rubbish at it, BUT I thoroughly enjoy it so I don't care!  Thursday nights are coaching nights and I keep looking at Dave's (the coach) head to see if there is any sign that he has been banging it on a brick wall!!! Seriously!  I am THAT bad!  Last Thursday, he had me change how I was shooting and he kept telling me that I was improving (glad he thinks so as half the time I can't see it!)

Today I went to shoot and all I could hear was this little voice in my head telling me what to do (Dave is now a 'virtual' devil on my shoulder!) and I kept practising and practising...when suddenly...this happened...(even if it's blurry!)

I was shooting 6 arrows at first but I broke the nock on one so was one short.  It's a rubbish photo but what it shows is all 5 arrows in the gold...some are 9's but 1 is a 10.  It is the first time I have got ALL the arrows in the gold at the same time.

Then later on, also for the first time ever...I shot the X out of the centre of the target!  So I am really hoping that something is cliking now and that I am starting to improve.  In a couple of weeks time, I am having a trip over to Leeds to buy my first bow and the rest of the equipment I 'need'. 

I CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!

Gifted Gorgeousness and Turtle Trot

All I have worked on this month, and not very often as is seen by the pathetic progress I have made.
I have been trying to find a backstitch alphabet that will work with the design to personalise it for them.  I'm finding it quite tricky though as it only wants to be 4 stitches high and I don't want anything too fancy or too plain.  Let me know if you have any ideas?

On the way back into the house after archery today, I noticed how many flowers were already out in the garden.  We have daffodils showing a bit of colour too but not enough to make it worth a photo.

Can you see the little bee on this next one?

January reveiw / February goals

January goals

• A new project every day...yikes!  Some of these will be WIP's...well more UFO's so they will seem like new projects anyway :)  FAIL - I got really fed up of keep getting a new project (or a different project) out every day and quit the challenge.  As one commenter told me, Debbie would have been the first to remind me that stitching is supposed to be fun.
• Stitch Holmsey Hare for January. FAIL - I want a nice piece of fabric for this one and as yet haven't found it.
• Make good progress on Honeysuckle Courtyard as Colin's parents 50th is in April (at least 4 bands).  WOOHOO - one that I actually managed to do! 
• Not spend any of my SfS budget. FAIL - but in fairness, if I had bought the JCS ornie issue last year when I thought I had, I wouldn't have spent a penny :)

February goals

• Make good progress on Honeysuckle Courtyard.  It would be nice to pretty much finish it off if possible so that I can send it off to be framed.
• Stitch an ornie from JCS.

I'm not going to have too many goals as I do want to focus Honeysuckle Courtyard.

WIPocalypse - February update

There has been very little stitching going on in the last month what with college applications and interviews, archery, school stuff (both mine at work and the kids).  In fact, the only thing that I have worked on is Honeysuckle Courtyard.  I am doing this for my soon-to-be-ex-husband's parents for their 50th wedding anninversary.

Note the cute little needleminder that Justine sent me recently.  I've never had one before and am loving it!  So is my daughter actually, she doesn't keep getting stabbed by me needles in the arm of the sofa now!!

The topic this month is 'How do you overcome the feeling that you are in a rut with a particular project?'   Well, I hate to say it, but if you know me you will know the answer to this already!  I tend not to.  I tend to move onto a new project although I always intend to go back to it eventually.  My worst habit is not unpicking mistakes straight away which always makes it harder to go back to it.  I did try stitching a length or two of threads in 'unloved' projects once, but it didn't work for long!  I am looking forward to hearing the answers to this question for a bit of inspiration!