S.E.Xperience aka Longest Post EVER

Stash Enhancement eXperience, for all you perverts wondering how I had sex at work. Gutterminds ;)

I am going to document my WIP, new starts and goal's for 2008 in a long winded, photo heavy post. I have nothing else to do right now and I feel bad I've neglected Blogger again. Here goes.

OK so here's the lowdown on the S.E.X I mentioned. STASH! I bought this stuff for Spaz to give to me. Every year it's a struggle for us to figure out what to get each other for Christmas so this being the year of The Bigger Staff Discount (yay!) I went a bit nuts at work. This is what I got myself, from Spaz:

I spotted this chart and thought the concept was so beautiful I couldn't resist. When I opened the leaflet I was amazed to find ALL, absolutely ALL, of the recommended hand dyed's IN-STOCK. That NEVER happens. So I bought them. Then the fabric. Then the stash organizing tools to help keep lovely hand-dyed's tidy. Then more Q-Snaps, because I admired how my friend Dani managed to make a work of art inside a 6 x 6 set. Then I came home and hid it all in the basement, not to be fondled again until Christmas morning.

Advent Calendar by JBW Designs.

Gentle Art Sampler Threads and Weeks Dye Works, 28ct White Linen.
6 x 6 Q-Snaps, Floss Away Bags, Floss Box, ordered threads for
Celtic Banner and a Gift Certificate from the Boss.

Months ago I ordered this pattern, I've wanted it for a while and it finally arrived and that's what I have been stitching for the past week.

Flosstitute by Glitter Gulch Needlework

Flosstitute WIP as of last night and the pretty new needleminder
my Dad insisted I buy myself, from him.
Needle Necessities #1471 Painted Desert on 28ct Ivory Jubilee.

I have had dismal success with Celtic Banner. At this point I have ripped and restarted the darn alphabet 3 times so I figured it would make more sense to start the border, giving myself more reference points to count off. All the hand-dyed threads arrived so I could proceed. I am going to hold off a bit now though, I resent this one a bit because of all the restarts.

Last HD of 2007, a few PERMIN OF COPENHAGEN kits I had tucked in a drawer. Thanks to a visit from Dani I spotted them and got them stitched but not framed yet. The mat will cover the Aida cloth, I hope I can find a frame I like.

I work with a nice lady, Elaine, and after a visit to my house last month she thought of a pattern in her stash that she thought would look good on the walls here and boy was she right! It's a DMC freebie that she coveted but is apparently impossible to find anymore so she generously loaned me her copy. I think if I replaced all the white DMC with Rainbow Gallery Wisper I would get the little fuzzy pussy willow's to really pop.
I have been holding on to that previously mentioned skein of NN#1471 as well as Elaine's skein. We had originally thought it would do for my Cirque Des Cercles on Water Lily Jobelan but I was afraid the palest colours would dissapear and I didn't want to use it on an ivory fabric either (even though I am using it on ivory now for my Flosstitute!). So I offered Elaine back her skein or to stitch something for her with that floss and she jumped at the chance! Here's what I am doing for her.

TW Knotwork Bookmarks II (top left one) and the

handy ear-mounted light I also bought myself.

Speaking of Dani I haven't yet had the chance (been sick!) to mention what a great time I had, she came over for a sit 'n stitch in early December and I had a really good time. We have a lot in common and even Spaz thinks she's pretty neat, so I am looking forward to hanging out with her again sometime soon. It was thanks to her of her that I found a Michael Powell freebie online and have started it too, but it's on break right now while I am excited about other things. I look forward to finishing it though, it's really nice. My WIP only has the dark blue sky part done so I won't bore you with that picture! Here's what it will look like, eventually.
Every year on New Year's Day I start a new project, so this year it is going to be the Advent Calendar. Last years big start was Flower Power which I haven't touched in months. It will be done this year though, I promise. Here it is as of today (not quite half done).

Phew! Done! Have a great day and thanks for reading my blabbings. I am going to go stitch.

Happy New Year!