February 19, 2012

I've been a lurking about

I have been so absent from posting. I have only posted the necessary posts for Tusal, Oldest Project Stitch Along and WIPocolypse but I have checked in to follow all your fab posts, wonderful progress and finishes. It is like a kid window shopping in a candy store.....but anyway....

Where have I been? Well, let's see.....no where special. Nothing fabulous that I did to report. I did take a Hearth Cooking Class in Old New Castle (DE).   It was my fourth year and we all had a good time.   I did finish reading The Lovely Bones but I can't get into A Time In Between.   I guess I am in a slump. No, truth is, I think I need to allocate my time better. Really? I actually have more hours in the day then most according to friends that claim they don't know how I do what I do. So what is it? Hmmmmmm, I think I go overboard (think??)......

Here's the deal, when I start something, I go hog wild then I hit the point of where I become exhausted because starting something new does not mean backing off of anything you already do.   Right?   Nothing to do with I can't do what I did when I was 20 years younger and haven't realized that yet. Nothing to do with thinking I can do it all. Nothing to do with I try to do too much. I am thinking my slump is because I started exercising again three mornings a week. And by mornings I mean I am in the gym at 6:15. After being off the routine for two months with a bad knee it is wearing me out to get back into. No dramatic weight loss to report or no increased comfort around the midsection with the jeans but in salute of healthy heart month, I am getting heart healthy. The down side is I am totally pooped at night. I am hoping that given a few more weeks my energy level will be back.  Maybe I should start up those daily vitamins!  You think?

I have been dedicating my stitching time to completing the assembly of my etui.....putting in an hour 4 or 5 nights in the last two weeks and I am getting close....and here it is again.....I have gone overboard and have worked almost on it almost exclusively.....which is so out of the norm for me. I have more projects going then you can shake a stick at and to be decide to work exclusively on something it a new concept. Oh the times they are a changing.  I admit it is making me antsy.   I really want to work on something else but I am trying to stay true and look at what I want in the end (to be finished) and not the eye candy right in front of me to start.   Stay the course is what I am telling myself.

I have all the sides assembled together and the bottom attached. It won't be long now.





I did take a small (and necessary) sidetrack to work on my oldest project. I was stunned to realized with posting the my progress for Evalina's Oldest UFO SAL at This and That, that I had not added a stitch all month. This is what I stitched last night while watching The Bodyguard, an all time favorite movie of mine. The difference the back stitching makes. I don't want to go overboard and put pressure on myself with this one but I feel pretty sure I will be able to move it to the
finished column by my retreat goal. 

 



This is just one section of the entire piece but I am getting there and I will be proud of my perserverance when I get this off the scroll bars, cleaned and framed!  Twenty years in the making!!!  I can date it because I know I took this on the plane with me on my first cruise in Feb. 1993 and it was already started at that point.  This was probably my first big cross stitch.


Here is the overall piece as it was in December....see not much accomplished but also, not much to do to finish.   I must remember my mantra.....Stay the course......stay the course..... Between this one and the etui, I am sure I will feel like a reward of a bit of stash enhancement or a new start come Retreat!

10 comments:

  1. Time is flying all around these days! I honestly don't know where all mine goes! Love your etui project! So beautiful! Here's to staying the course!

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  2. Your etui is gorgeous! I cannot imagine all the hours you have put into it already!

    The backstitching really makes your oldest UFO pop...I really hate to do backstitching myself but it just adds so much to a piece! I have an UFO that only needs all the backstitching...your post has jogged my memory...maybe I will dig it out and finally finish it after having it sit for a decade untouched!

    Enjoy your day!

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  3. Your stitching and etui look wonderful! I really enjoyed seeing your work! I can relate to the bad knee thing. I, too, am back on the treadmill, although a lot slower because of a knee injury. But at least I'm doing it, right? Keep on posting your lovely work!
    Cathy

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  4. wowee! the etui is really coming along!!! I'm thinking of taking a cross-stitch project with me to Maine next weekend - hope I still remember how to do it. :-P

    I don't like to think of 1993 being almost 20 years ago. YIKES!

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  5. I'm in a slump too. I can't get into The Red Tent. I've been reading it for months now. Pathetic!

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  6. Your etui is coming along beautifully! I'm stitching it too, and I'm more than a little intimidated by the assembly. I can't wait to see your finished one, and hear how many hours the assembly takes you. I'm hoping that it's not actually difficult, even if it is very time consuming.

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  7. Oooooo, your etui is so pretty! It's just fabulous.

    I actually have that bottom piece done up and framed in my house. It's an older pattern but I love all the tiny details in it. You're in the home stretch now with it!!

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  8. Your etui is looking really great!
    Kudos on sticking with the UFO.

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  9. OH WOW! Robin your etui is just incredible looking! I can't wait to see it complete :o)

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Thanks is much for stopping by. I so enjoy your comments even if I do not always reply. Have a great day that hopefully includes a bit of stitching.