Happy Fall Y'all!

Spoiler Alert....I'm not good at Blogging!  Ha!  I update on Instagram fairly regularly, but can't quite get into the routine of updating here.  I apologize.  

Yesterday I  managed to finish the stitching on Sophia by Summer House Stitche workes:

I was not 100% happy with the finish. I used the called for colors of DMC on white 14 ct. Aida.   Nothing against the design at all, it needed something. So, I steeped a 1 gallon tea bag in 1 cup of water and poured it over the piece.  Then dried it in the oven:

Much Better!

I made some lofty goals for October.  I'm going to work on Green Damsel by Ink Circles, Autumn by Mirabilia,His Name , 2017 Linen & Threads Mystery SAL & Start Bountiful by Trilogy for the instagram #turkeysal.    Feel free to follow me on instagram, @farmboyslove  

So far I'm managed to start & finish Bountiful: 

Chart called for 2 orange pumpkins

I've made good Progress on Green Damsel (my conversion), but failed to take a photo.  I'll work on it over the weekend and see how far I can get.  It's finally feeling like Fall around here, so I'm off to enjoy the weather. 

Until next time, Stitch on!  = )   Pam

WIPocalypse February Update

Well another month is in the books and its time to check in for WIPocalypse.  This month the focus is Gadgets.  I have 2 that I  love, one I absolutely can't live without!  I never leave home without a needle threader.  I don't know how it happened but my eyes got old.  I didn't, but my eyes did 😂.   I tend to be a "bull in a china shop" and break the ones with a wire, so I'm inserting a photo of my favorite threader to use.

My other favorite Gadget is my OTT light.  Mine recently bit the dust and I had to purchase a new one.  Praise the Lord, Joann's had a 50% off sale and I had a valid coupon for 20% off entire order as well.  Can I tell you, I got a deal!  This lamp is regularly $50, but I got it for $20.  It made my heart happy I tell you!

I managed to work on 5 WIP's in February.  I keep His Name is Jesus @ work.  If I have extra time in the mornings, computers go down or extra time @ lunch I will pull this out & work on it.  Pretty good for it to be my New Year, New Start!

I've also worked on Gingerbread Lighthouse.  I have all the colors now, but it's a lot of changing from one color to the next.  Whew this is gonna take a while to complete.  

Shannon Christine Designs

I managed to complete 3 projects this month.  Cappucino, Chocolate Mania & the Love Quilt square I started in January.  

Little House Needleworks Kit

Old Magazine Design

Brooks Books Publishing--Modified (Sorry for bad quality photo)

That brought my beginning of the Year WIP # down from 23 to 19. However, a sweet stitchy friend has let me borrow an Ink Circles chart, so I started it right away. 

Green Damsel (Modified Colors)

I just cant leave well enough alone 😂

I have one final thing before you go.  Last month I finished an item, that I FFO'ed it has now been received.  Wanted to show it off.  Until next time, thank you for visiting & Stitch on!  = ) Pam

WIPocalypse Jan Update

Wow January has flown by!  I have certainly had some good stitching days for 2018. Hard to believe it's time for my WIPocalypse check in.   This months questions are 1) Are you participating in any SAL's this year 

Yes, I will be participating in Several SAL's this year.  The first one actually began on Dec 28th which is the #PCForestSnowfall SAL with Priscilla & Chelsea in honor of Chelsea's birthday.  This was a new start for me. Despite have 2 additional starts in January(see last weeks post) & working on another WIP,  I have a Finish!!

Completed x's 1/28/18

I'm in the Stitch Maynia Facebook group & they LOVE SAL's.  I've signed up for several random ones throughout the year, but the 2 reoccurring ones are Work that WIP  & Color A Day. Of course I  will participate in the SAL that started the group, where you have multiple new starts in May--hinse Maynia. 
In Work That WIP,  I will work on a project that I've started in a prior Maynia Year.  Since my goal is to finish those projects anyway, its a good way to spur me along.  For the Color A Day SAL I will try to find a wip containing the chosen color & put some of those color stitches in for that day.  This year it will change with the zodiac calendar. 

 I also plan is to stitch a modified version of Maynia. I will only focus on the first 15 days of the month.  If I have a previous years start still unfinished, I'll stitch on it that day.  If I've already completed the prior years starts, I plan to start one of the Gingerbread Village charts by Country Cottage Needleworks.  As I mentioned before, ultimately my goal is to have all of the Gingerbread Village Designs finished before Christmas 2018.

2) Will you be participating in any Olympic Challenges?
I do not plan to participate in the Olympic Challenges.  My plate is full and I don't want to stress out about my stitching : ).

Last week I revealed a swap piece that I'd started which I also completed on  Jan 28th.  I still need to FFO & get it in the mail.  

Old Magazine Chart

I also worked on this WIPocalypse piece.  

New Year/New Start !

All in all, I'd say January has been a very good stitchy month! 
Until next time friends--Stitch on!  = ) Pam

January Progress

Ta daaa...I have a WIPocalypse finish!! 

Design by Little House Needleworks

To celebrate I have 2 new starts--ha ha! One is a swap: 

Old Magazine chart

The other I am excited to say is for Love Quilts USA .(click name for link)  If you are not familiar with Love Quilts, I'll give you a little background. Volunteers all over the world cross stitch squares & send them in .  Sometimes they fit a specific theme chosen by the recipient, other times its a  predetermined theme that doesn't  have a deadline.    Parents of children with lifelong illnesses or terminal illnesses can submit an application for a quilt for their child. Each month new children are featured who are waiting on a quilt.  The stitchers have 4-5 months to get the squares mailed in.  Then a volunteer quilter puts it all together & then out to the child. 

I would love to see more people in our stitching community volunteer to stitch for this cause.  They can use more cross stitchers & quilters.  There are currently only 329 members in the Facebook group.  If this interest you, please go check out their webpage!

This time I've signed up to stitch for an Emergency quilt in the Pink & Girly theme.  This quilt will be made available for a girl aged 3 - 7 years old who cannot wait the time it takes to get a quilt thru being a featured child.  I chose to stitch the May Birthday Cake (Pink with Butterflies) by Brooks Books Publishing. I will be omitting the candle


   

I have until May 1st to get it in, but would love to have it in by early March. Here is my progress so far.  

I also stitched for this same theme last year.  Since I never updated my blog with the finish, here is a photo of the final quilt.  I've circled the square I submitted.  

The finisher did a wonderful job putting all these together! Thanks so much for stopping by today.  I'm scheduled to updated again on Sunday. Until next time, Stitch on!  = )  Pam

Joining WIPocalypse for 2018

Happy 2018.  If you're new to my blog, Welcome.  If you're returning, Welcome back!  

My name is Pam, aka @Farmboyslove on Instagram.   I've been stitching off & on since forever.  I still have my first finished piece stitched in Junior High Home Economics Class. Who knows,  I might even fully finish that this year : D. 

 I am happily married for 27 years now and we have one teenage son.  Oh the joys of teaching him to drive and sending him out into the world "alone' with the car--aak!!!  Our fur baby girl passed over the rainbow bridge in May of 2017.

 After 6 months our son brought this little guy home.

Excuse the mess, I was organizing!

I have decided to join a ton of other stitchers in WIPocalypse this year (click here for link).  First of all, b/c I want to focus on getting more stitching this year. Second of all, I'm hoping it will help me update my blog on a more regular basis.  My goal is to finish as many current wips as possible while starting & finishing all of the remaining Gingerbread Village charts by Country Cottage Needleworks. I've completed 2 so far.  Its a big undertaking, so we shall see!  

My WIP's in no particular order:

1)  CCN Forest Snowfall  started on Dec 2017

Last stitched Jan 2018

2)  Gingerbread Lighthouse by Shannon Christine Designs Started Oct 2017

Last stitched  Dec 2017

3)  4 Seasons by Lizzy*Kate   Started Sept 2017 (stitching as the season changes within the year)

Last stitched  Dec 2017

4) WINTER by Cricket Collection Started May 2016

Last stitched  Jan 2017

5)  Frappuccino by Little House Needleworks Started Jan 2016
I'm hoping to have this finished by end of January.  

Last stitched  1/7/18

6) Cappuccino by Little House Needleworks Started Jan 2016

Last stitched  July 2016

7)  Whole Lotta Latte by Dimensions  Started Jan 2016

Last stitched 1/7/18

8) Afternoon in London by CCN  Started Jan 2016
 I really thought I was farther along on this one.  Maybe I'll have it finished in February?

Last stitched 1/7/18

9)  SPRING by Cricket Collection started May 2016

Last stitched May 2017

 

 10)  SUMMER by Cricket Collection started May 2016

Last stitched May 2017

11)  I Stitch  from Magazine started May 2016

 Last stitched May 2017

12)  Chocolate Mania from Magazine started May 2016

Last stitched  Oct 2016

13)  Snowman Kiss by Dimensions Started May 2016

Last stitched  May 2017

14)  AUTUMN by Cricket Colleciton started May 2016

Last stitched Nov 2017

15)  Snowman Table Runner Kit  started May 2016
  This is one of those stamped kits and I do not love how uneven my stitches look  :  /

Last stitched May 2017

16)  O Holy night by Dimensions Started July 2016

Last stitched  July 2016

17) Sofia by Summerhouse Stitchworks stated July 2016

Last stitched  Dec 2017

18)  Linen & Threads 2017 Mystery SAL  Started Jan 2017

Last stitched  Nov 2017

19) Autumn in my Garden by Mirabila  Started March 2016

Last stitched  April 2017

20)  Elizabeth by Mirabila stateted Sept 2017

Last stitched  Sept 2017

21)  Nativity Ornament from Magazine Oct 2012

Last stitched  July 2017 (Fabby is actually Navy)

22)Autumn Prayer from Magazine started May 1996

Last stitched  April 2017

23) His name is Jesus by Joyful Expressions started Jan 2018 (New Year, New Start)

Last stitched Yesterday

Well if you've made it this far down the page--Congratulations!  I'm excited to see what I can accomplish this year on my stitching.  I hope you all have a great year.  Stitch on!  =) Pam