Final page finish of 2012

So I posted my final WIPocalypse update a little early.  I just finished page 20 of 1900 ABC tonight.  

I hope 2013 brings everyone lots of stitchy goodness!

2012 WIPocalypse

Since this is my last post for the 2012 WIPocalypse, I thought I would share some before and afters of my WIPs.  I didn't get as many finishes as I would have liked, but I did make progress on most of them.

1. Chatelaine's Spring Knotgarden finished 7/3/12

Before:

After:  

2. Chatelaine's Watergarden about half done  

I don't think I even touched it this year.  Here's the top gate.

3. Petit Sampler (with Sticklounge) finished 2/12/12

Before:

After:

4. Bygone Stitches One Nation about half done 

Before:

After:

5. Mirabilia's Garden Verses might have to restart

Didn't even touch this one much less make up my mind what I want to do with it.

6. Chatelaine's Summer Knotgarden part 3,4,5,6 in progress

Before:  There was a little more done, but not much.

After:

7. Stained Glass Window (Sticklounge) finished 12/5/12

Before:

After:

8. Adriana B (Sticklounge) finished 3/20/12

Before:  

After:

9. Christmas tree skirt (kit) approx half done

This one hasn't seen any love either, though I did pull it out of the bag and look at it at one point.

10. Chelsea's block   finished 6/16/12

Before:

After:

11. HAED Lust third row of stitching page 14 completed

Before:

After:

12. Chatelaine's 2012 Mystery Deep Blue Sea part 7complete

This was a new start so there's no before picture.

After: 

13.  1900 ABC (Sticklounge) part 19/24 complete

Before:

After:

So, I didn't make as much progress as I would have liked, but since I'm no longer an OAAT stitcher, I think the progress I did make is pretty darn respectable.

Now on to the 2013 WIPocalypse!  May it bring you many stitchy finishes and may the frog stay far, far away!

Iris

First, I would like to thank you all for the kind comments I received about my last post.  

Thank you!

After we got home from the funeral last Wednesday, I had something start churning in my head.  My sister read a poem during the service that just resonates with me.  So, I sent my mom, brother and sister a text asking what colors they thought of when they thought of dad.  I like color, but I think they all thought I was a little crazy.  Maybe, maybe not.  Anyway, mom said purple for dad's irises. That got me thinking beyond the poem.  Sticklounge had a new project that was called Iris.  OK.  I had it mostly kitted up, just had to pull some Petite Treasure Braid instead of the Krenik as charted and I was off.  Here's the first part of Iris

Before I forget though, does anybody know of any charts out there of celtic knots?  I think at one time, I saw a website that would help you chart whatever you wanted, but that could be my imagination.  

December 14

I know I usually post about my stitching here, but since I hadn't posted my usual stitching update, I thought I would let you know why.

Friday night, I got a call from my mom to tell me that my dad had collapsed at home and died.  On Monday, December 17th, he would have turned 61.  We buried my dad today not far from where we buried my grandmother, his mother two years ago.  She was 91 and was ready to leave us and we understood.  This was too sudden and I'm still reeling from the shock.  My mom was going to retire in just three weeks and dad was going to follow suit soon.  I thought we had at least 30 more years so there are so many things left unsaid and undone.

Growing up, he always encouraged me to do what I wanted, within reason.  I grew up doing many things most boys didn't do.  We went to the gun range every Sunday, weather permitting and I hunted as much as I wanted.  More recently, I've started wood working.  You've all seen my work here.  He encouraged me to do that too.  He even gave me a table saw that he was no longer using since he had upgraded to a bigger saw.  He just wanted me to be careful so I didn't leave my thumbs on the floor while using that saw.  I think that's one of the biggest things I'm going to miss is learning more about wood working and becoming better at my newest hobby.

Love you dad!

South sea

I finally finished part 7 of Deep Blue Sea last night.  This part drove me absolutely crazy!  You'd think I can't count or something.  I originally miscounted the coral placement which is what got it pulled off the q-snaps and put away for a little while.  Then, after I got the coral back in and the pink fish finished, I discovered I still can't count.  At that point there was absolutely no way I was going to frog it all and restitch.  Thankfully, everything fit in the space without frogging and I think it looks fine as is.  So, here's the whole thing

And here's just part 7

I moved the q-snaps last night to start part 8.  Work sucks today though, so we'll see how far I get at lunch.

I've also started thinking about my stitching wish list for 2013.  Measi is doing a WIPocalypse for 2013 too so, since it worked fairly well as incentive this year, I've joined for 2013 too.  

Here's my current list:

1. Chatelaine's Watergarden about half done

2. Bygone Stitches One Nation about half done

3. Chatelaine's Summer Knotgarden part 3,4,5,6 in progress

4. Christmas tree skirt (kit) approx half done

5. HAED Lust third row of stitching page 14 completed

6. Chatelaine's 2012 Mystery Deep Blue Sea part 7 complete

7.  1900 ABC (Sticklounge) part 19/24 complete

8.  Loara Standish sampler new start

9.  Dorothy Walpole new start

10.  Ann Bowers new start

This weekend, I'm hoping to get a bunch of things done.  I need to finish putting the doll bed together, I've started cutting pieces for the quilt, I need to stitch a quick ornament or two for my baby sitter and finish finish them, the village Christmas party is Saturday and Josh is celebrating his 7th birthday this weekend with a movie and a couple of friends.  I'll let you know how much I actually accomplish.

December Wipocalyse

Yay!  This month I actually have a finish to share!  I was up till 12:30 last night trying to get the last section of Window finished and just couldn't manage it.  So, I finished the last couple dozen stitches this morning which only took 15 minutes or so.  

Since Window is finally finished, I pulled Deep Blue Sea out for another SAL this weekend.  Part 6 shouldn't take too long, there's just the coral and the fish left, then I'm hoping to make good progress with part 7.  Here's a picture of the whole thing.

and an up close picture of part 6 after I frogged the coral last time I had it out.