Kicking butt and taking names!

That is how I feel when I look back at what I got done this week in the way of stitching.     I finished my pre-stitch for the Prim Society Retreat in April. Sorry it is sideways.

This is Measure Twice/Cut Once from Dames of the Needle

I finished the commemorative piece for the event.    If we wish to participate, we can turn over our stitched piece to Carolina Stitcher for her to stitch up a project bag for us.     I am now rethinking if I want to participate in the exchange.    I originally decided no because I didn't think I had enough time and I didn't want the pressure of the deadline.   Now I don't know.

I modified slightly as I was using a gold floss left over from a kit and there was not a lot.

Because I finished my pre-stitch, I started my pre-stitch for the Betsy Morgan class at our Guild in April.    It is her Christmas Etui.

This is the finished piece as it appeared in Inspirations Magazine.

As soon as I get this pre-stitch completed, I have a Blackbird Design I want to start.   It is an oldie called Easter Parade.   Our Guild challenge this year is to stitch any design from Blackbird Designs.   Lucky for me, pattern, fabric and fibers could all be pulled from my stash.

As for my progress on the 52 Week Blackwork SAL......it doesn't look like I did much.   That is until you see below that I frogged everything and started over.   I saw on InstaGram how Stasi of Bee_Stitcher was laying hers out so I had to rethink and restitch mine.   I am glad I wasn't any further along.   This is such a great carry alone project.   I may pick this up tomorrow night to work on.    Well that is since I can't watch Outlander!  I saw the first episode this season and when I tuned in last week to watch the second, I no longer have Starz.   No notice, no nothing.   It is all in a 'bundle' and now they want more money to subscribe to Starz outside of the bundle.    I wish I could convince my husband to drop the cable and stream what we want instead.   He is afraid he will loose all his sports channels.   This cable tv racket is a crime.....hundreds of channels and nothing to watch!  OK, got that off my chest.

  Frogging blackwork has to be about as bad as frogging over one on 40 count.   It is the same banding and floss above and below just photo'd in different lighting.

For finishing this week, I Fully Finished three ornaments that have been sitting in the basket all stitched up.

Fun fun fun adding the beads.

I finished these two perforated paper designs as ornaments.   They were to be made into Pinkeeps but I eliminated the batting and will hang a ribbon on them instead.

And then I got fancy.   I spent time in my craft room kitting up stitched projects with the finishing supplies I need for each.   I pulled and matched fabrics for backings when needed, cut batting and comic board as needed so theoretically I only have to grab one and everything will be there to finish it.    I am well aware that the best laid plans often go  awry.

I can't decide on the bats or the ghosts for the backing on this one.

Not looking forward to finishing this one with all the angles. 

I've had a couple of meetings with my financial advisor and getting 401K's rolled over and brokerage accounts opened.   I felt like a was getting a mortgage with all the paperwork that I had to sign.  But it  all good.

I've managed to get myself on the stationary bike 3 out of 7 days this week.   I know, that is nothing to expect a medal to be pinned on my chest but it is three more days than the week before.    I find I don't get tired on the bike as much as I get bored.   I do have a rack on the handle bars where I put my iPad and read.   I will just have to keep at it......maybe my earbuds and an audio book.....hmmm.    Flosstube!   There you go.  I've got a plan.

I have been enjoying staying current on some of my favorite blogs instead of the quick drive by I was doing when I worked.    It is funny, when you go down the rabbit hole and check someone's blog and then check out some of the blogs they follow and so on, I found there are many blogs that are no longer active.   I guess many crossed over the Instagram or Flosstube.   It does get hard and time consuming to try to keep up with all the different media platforms.  I did find something interesting on  Stitching Dreams Blog.  Carol used blog2print to have each year of her blog printed and bound into a book.   I know I can always review my past posts but I'm old school and like a book in my hand.   What a super cool way to create a diary of sorts.   I might have to look into it and try it.

Coming up, I am off to Fort Myers, Florida to visit friends who used to be snowbirds but have become full time Florida residents.  Carol has a lot of plans for us for the week.   I'll have to share our any shenanigans when I return.

Thanks for stopping by and keep on stitching.