Aloha, faithful blogger minions!  Here it is, the last post of 2018 and it might be a bit long!  I've once again copied my list of finishes and I am so (overly) excited to see that I surpassed my previous record of 18 finishes with a grand total of 27 for this year, YAY!

2018

1. January - Birdhouse - 18-count white Aida, kit by Design Works Crafts
2. February - Tiny Parlor Cat - knit, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
3. February - FFIII Logo - white hardanger, pattern by me
4. February - Gingham Bird - 14-count white Aida, freebie gift in Enjoy Cross Stitch, Christmas 2012
5. March - Floral Bouquet - 14-count perforated paper, kit by Mill Hill
6. April - American Flag - 14-count white perforated plastic, kit by ?
7. May - Fan Bookmark - crochet, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
8. May - 4th of July - 14-count white Aida, freebie pattern found here
9. June - Nargacuga - 20-count light tan jobelan, pattern by me
10. June - Basic Socks - knit, freebie pattern found here (ravelry), modified to fit my feet
11. June - Fan Bookmark - crochet, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
12. June - Star Stitch Washcloth - knit, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
13. July - A Flowering Hat - crochet, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
14. July - Serendipity - sewing, rewired and ready to run!
15. August - Chair Boots - crochet, pattern in Crochet World Omnibook, Fall 1981
16. August - A Flowering Hat #2 - crochet, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
17. September - Vintage-Inspired Coasters - crochet, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
18. September - Ghost Microkit - 14-count black perforated plastic, freebie pattern found here
19. October - Curtain Transformation - sewing, remaking single panel curtain into two lined panels
20. October - Tranquil Tea Wrap - crochet, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
21. October - September Aster - 14-count ecru huck towel, freebie pattern found here
22. October - Cuore di Halloween - 14-count orange Aida, freebie pattern found here
23. November - Chair Boots, set #2 - crochet, pattern in Crochet World Omnibook, Fall 1981
24. November - Gingerbread House - 14-count perforated plastic, kit by NeedleMagic, Inc.
25. December - Ceadeus - 20-count light tan jobelan, pattern by me
26. December - Fan Bookmark - crochet, freebie pattern found here (ravelry)
27. December - Husband Cube - 20-count light tan jobelan assembly of six stitches, pattern by me

The Stitches

an eclectic ensemble

This was a pretty big year for stash-busting stitchy things.  Dyeing fabric I already had, using up old beads and buttons, stitching little kits from giveaway wins or thrifted finds...

III and VIII

The biggest deal for the year was finishing Final Fantasy III and getting both it and FF VIII framed.  While I wasn't happy with the framer, I am pleased to have all three stitches (including the previously framed VII) up on our wall.

fine artistry at its finest

I also finished the last of the sides for the Monster Hunter cube and turned it into, well, a cube!  There will be more on this in January's Gifted Gorgeousness but for now, have a little teaser picture of my glorious 3-second sketches trying to work out placements. :D

missing Oct Nov Dec

Only managed one huck towel this year, but there's just three more to go!  I keep playing around with other ideas for these.  I wonder if they'll ever truly be finished or they will become one of those projects, where you just keep adding to them as whim presents itself. :)

The Knits

cat feet cloths

Knitting kind of had a low presence this year.  But I did two things I've really been wanting to accomplish -- an amigurumi and socks!  Yay!  Too bad the socks took a zillion years of restarts but I eventually got a finished product that I can wear.

The Hooks

hook it all!

Crochet was everywhere this year with nine projects!  I made a modification to some of the speaker cozies, whipped up some chair boots, a couple of these flowering hats, a shawl to match the one hat, several fan bookmarks (not shown), and a set of eight coasters.  The shawl is my first ever and will also be included in the next GG post.

The Sewings

Serendipity!

Ooo, a new category this year!  This was the year to fix up the sewing machine found waiting to be scrap metal.  So exciting for me!  I haven't really sewed anything new with her but I did hem a ton of curtains.  I've had some heavy winter drapes for years, but they were puddle length and that Does Not Work with my cats.  So I made them floor length.  Much better!  I think it was 8-10 panels I shortened.

an appropriate length

I also hemmed my kitchen curtains.  This was a single, long, unlined panel with tabbed tops.  It became two shorter, lined curtains with just a regular top.  I also made some "tiebacks" with some of the leftover scraps and reused two buttons that were up on the original tabs. From more of the scraps, I also made a very small pillow stuffed with a little catnip from a destroyed kitty toy.  Item-Stealing cat loves it!  And has currently hidden it...???  I've checked under all the couches!

Random Blog Stats

Most Views: 191 views - A Heartfelt Hallowe'en Blog Hop
Most Comments: 28 comments (excluding my own replies on no-reply bloggers) - Easter Treasure Hunt ~ A Blog Hop!
Least Views: 54 views - September Smalls ~ The Return of the Microkit
Least Comments: 10 comments - September Smalls ~ The Return of the Microkit

All of the blog hops are my most viewed and commented on posts! An odd one out was November's GG post which had almost double what other GG posts had.  It still wasn't enough to topple the Hallowe'en Blog Hop though!  Serendipity, Redone was also a fairly popular post which makes me really happy.  That was an amazing project for me!

This year as a whole was down from previous years.  Blogger has gone through some changes (not necessarily good ones) and had some issues.  Instagram and Facebook seem to be taking a lot of traffic away from here.  I'm not going anywhere, yet.  I very much dislike what FB has become and am considering deleting mine altogether; I rarely post on it anyway.  Instagram is owned by FB so I have no desire to even start an account there. 

2019 Goals/Plans

I wound up not participating in the 2018 Ravellenics, probably because of those dang socks haha.  Kind of a bummer but there will be others where I can try again!

As far as SALs, I'll be joining Gifted Gorgeousness again (this is 2018's linkup).  It seems like the only SAL on the planet I feel like I can actually contribute to seeing that I love making gifts and making use of items gifted!  And possibly making liberal use of shoehorns (cough).  I will be dropping the Smalls SAL.  I felt too pigeonholed for some odd reason.  Maybe there wasn't enough shoehorning power available.  Due to Sheer Stubbornness™, I don't like jumping in and out of SALs as a project presents itself nor forcing myself to work on a project just to have something to fit in.  It makes me feel like I'm neglecting things which is not the point of any SAL!  So, a great idea for a lot of stitchers; it just didn't fit in with my rather random crafting style.

I would like to start the next Final Fantasy stitch.  I feel like I must have something nerdy going on or my life is incomplete!  As for which one... I'm still not sure.  There's one I'd really love to do, but the logo will be difficult, both to make into a pattern and actually stitch.  There's a "small" one I'm considering as well which would have another one done rather quickly (in terms of my pokey stitching :D).  I'd also like to have at least one more of the Flower-of-the-Month huck towels done.

For the other crafts, I would like to knit my first sweater.  No particular sweater or cardigan in mind; it could have long sleeves, short sleeves, tunics, fair isle, anything will work as long as it goes on the upper body and isn't a shawl or scarf.  I would like to knit another Tiny Parlor Cat; possibly a little Peanut for my husband's desk herd. I'd love to make use of the sewing machine to make actual clothes!  I'm not sure how much "from scratch" items I'll wind up making.

Did you read all that?  :)  Thank you for sticking with me!   Even if I stitch a lot of weird things, I draw encouragement and inspiration from other bloggers.  Here's to 2019 and 30(?!) finishes!

Hello there, everyone! Are you all doing well with your Christmas preparations?  I feel like I've reached the "Yep, Good Enough" stage hah.  Things are going a little slower for me this year as shortly after Thanksgiving, I wound up doing something to my shoulder.  I was moving one of my potted plants (a small jalapeno) to position it better under the grow light.  When I lifted the pot, the most horrible grinding and then a sharp POP happened.  How I didn't drop the planter, I'll never know.  I toughed it out for a week, but as it was still quite painful, I made a doctor's appointment... which couldn't happen for another 1.5 weeks eep.  I finally got in this week.

Luckily, it's not serious and is healing nicely~  At first there were fears of a partial dislocation or a torn rotator cuff.  Instead, it seems to be tendinitis.  I got my first x-rays ever which was kinda neat.  There are no chips in the bone, and in fact, I apparently have excellent bone density hah.  I guess loving milk helps.  In my case, the fact that I work out has highly mitigated the damage.  My husband and I do P90X every evening, 5-6 days a week.  I am still able to (and the doctor encouraged continuing to) exercise, though at a slower pace and lighter weights. I'm on prescription-strength painkillers for a while which have made me very groggy.  My husband has already told me no driving and I'm listening to him.  I also have a few stretches to do to help get the full range of movement back.

One silly thing about all this whole adventure was that I discovered my husband had no idea that such a thing as a hot water bottle exists!  You know, these things?  He thought I was imagining up some impossible to find thing (to be fair, I do have some wild ideas sometimes) and I thought he was surely joking with me because it's a hot water bottle!  We poked around the store trying to find this Mystical Item to no avail, and he was growing more and more convinced I dreamed up this thing ahaha.  I finally asked an employee who thankfully proved my sanity LOL.  It feels wonderful on my shoulder and my husband enjoys it warming up the foot of the bed when I set it there after I'm done for the evening.

But enough about my Gardening-in-Winter Mishaps, this is Gifted Gorgeousness, the last of 2018!

click for more info

First up, we have a winner of the giveaway mentioned in the previous GG post.  The Prairie Schooler chart, Starry Night, goes to: Carol from Stitching Dreams!  Yay, congratulations! She already has many (many, many!) PS charts but miraculously not this one. We've already been in contact so the chart is currently on its way to its new home~

before

after

As for my stitching, I give to you The Final Side! The tail took a bit longer than I would've liked but I am just not fond of working with grey.  I like how his tail turned out though.  While stitching, the greys seemed awfully similar and I worried it would be hard to see the details.  It turned out okay in the end as things tend to do.

Technical Details

• "Ceadeus" glyph from Monster Hunter 3 Ultimate, pattern charted by me.
• 2 over 1 on 20-count light tan jobelan fabric.
• Finished size: 3.50 x 3.50" (9 x 9 cm).
• Started: August ??, 2018, Finished: December 7, 2018, unknown hours.  

death from land, sea, and sky

I have thought up how this will be finished and am currently in the process of doing just that.  So I will have another object for January's GG!  I've never sewn anything up like this so hopefully it will turn out like I'm imagining!

Also in the spirit of GG, I have been making my Christmas cookies.  With my derpy shoulder, I am SO glad for the stand mixer this year!  I will try to keep track this year of how many I wind up making.  We send them out to friends and family (mostly in Hawaii) that we don't get to see during the season.  Plus I make more for the friends and family we do get to see, but these are usually the more delicate cookies that wouldn't survive the mail.  It's a very cozy way to spend a few days!  Plus the house smells delicious hah.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

envelopes

Because this post is a little bit sparse this month due to being secretive, I will show you some things I've been gifted.  As you may remember, I went back to my grandmother's house in October.  She asked me to get down a box that was high up in her closet and we had a great time going through it.  It was various sewing and crafting supplies of all ages.  This magical Christmas tin provided me hours of entertainment, and her hours of amusement at my entertainment.  What is in it?  Buttons!!  They are mostly white.  But in the same box was a large bag with envelopes.  She had more buttons separated by color family.  This isn't even all the envelopes!  I'm the type to keep buttons all jumbled together but having her writing on the envelopes is pretty awesome so I'll probably keep these as-is.

Did you know I love buttons?  My mother also has a huge tin of them at her house and I can remember going through them several times as a kid (and as not a kid).

buttons and hooks

Here are a few of my favorites from the collection.  I love that little aqua flower and sparkly four-leafed clover!  The white one is an older mother-of-pearl, which I found a neat trick for determining.  A mother-of-pearl button is super cold when held up to your cheek.  The difference is very obvious when compared to a similar-looking plastic one!  A MoP is like ice!  The little red one reminds me of a raspberry; doesn't it just look so ripe and delicious? (No buttons were eaten in the making of this post).  The small round, metal one is a field of very tiny flowers.

Also, the white hooks on the right are bone, though not necessarily super old since they have the price engraved on them - 10¢!  The one on the left is a bit of a mystery.  It's very plain and slightly warped with use.  It's either bone or ivory (I suspect bone).  I'm not sure that I will use these hooks because I know I do my work too tight.  I would be afraid of snapping them.

Okay, have I talked you to death yet?  This was a very rambling post!  I'd blame the painkillers but I've rambled a lot before.  No excuses. ;)  My next posts will probably be recap posts for 2018 (egads).  I hope you all have a Wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hello there, jolly blog hoppers! It is time for this year's Advent Calendar hosted by the fantabulous Jo at Serendipitous Stitching.  You can go here to see the others in the calendar so far and the doors yet to come!

5 Christmas Lane

This is my ornament for this year! I picked up this little kit at a truly amazing yard sale (I love crafter sales!) along with a small box of several others of the same type (plus a plethora of other items).

a delicious house

A little gingerbread house with a good amount of backstitching to make it pop.  I really like how small and cheerful it is but that thread!  It was like stitching with crochet thread (or maybe perle cotton?) -- very twisty and thick.  I wasn't much for the single strand of gold for the loop so I cut it in half and found another leftover bit from a different kit that was the same type.  A braid should be a little more sturdy!

Technical Details

• "Gingerbread House" Item 3356, a Stitch 'N Hang ornament kit by NeedleMagic, Inc.
• 2-over-1 on a 14-count plastic canvas.
• Finished size: 2.5" x 3".
• Started ????, finished November 27, 2018, unknown hours.

without backstitching

This was one of those pieces that have what seems like an absurd amount of backstitching for such a little piece but it really made a nice difference!  I still like backstitching so this wasn't a troublesome task for me but it was a bit difficult with that twisty thread!


The theme for this year is our favorite Christmas song. This was tough for me! I like so many of them and usually sing my way through the days, especially while decorating and baking cookies.  Though it's already been in the calendar, "O Holy Night" is one of my favorites, particularly the version by Willie K.  The Hawaiian language (second verse) is beautiful!


And if I can be so silly, I will include a bonus Christmas song that I'm sure most of you have never heard before: The Twelve Days of Starcraft.  This version is from the original PC game when Blizzard (the maker) made a special map for Christmas one year, each day being sung by a different unit.  It definitely makes more sense to have played the game hah.  My favorite part is when the archon gets annoyed and makes up new lyrics. :D

Peanut wants the vent, Klondike wants to play, Oreo wants the package

That is all from me this advent!  Be sure to check out everyone else's beautiful Christmas pieces and listen to all their songs~

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*MERRY CHRISTMAS!*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

As usual with these blog hops, I've scheduled this post to appear overnight here so the people in the future (read: the rest of the world) can have the post in a timely fashion.