Stitch From Stash September & Metamorphosis Pics

Well I didn't make it at zero this month. This Stitch From Stash no spending or minimum spending is really tough! I think I should have called the group Stop from Spending (lol).
However because of the evil place called eBay I ended up with some amazing deals and alas, did spend money (and too much!):
$16.50 - 10 x Fantasy charts (6 of which I love, and a few that will be future giveaways likely)
$5.99 - Lavender Sampler (eBay purchase)
$40.00 - Eve Gingher Scissors (these were a preorder that finally came in)

$12.40 - 4 x Vintage charts (ebay of course)

= $74.89

So where does that put me... it means I need to use my skip month. :( 

I really didn't want to... and wish I'd spent more for it (LOL) but if I don't then I blow the entire years worth of budget that is left... I gotta go another zero month or at least inside $20 so that I can make it to years end... So tough esp. at this time of year with all the new items I want! 

Though... my husband did indicate that one more bonus would be in order this year... I don't pick them or how much they are he does. So maybe ladies we can count on that? I hope anyways. 

In better news. 

I had an amazingly productive stitchy weekend. 

Evalina and I did something we haven't done in a long time, and I'm so glad we did it, which is to have a virtual stitchy weekend where we email each other quick pics and updates. It was fantastic. I got the middle motif of 7 done (4 of 7 complete) on Metamorphosis. 

It now looks like (click to see larger pics): 

I also made some serious headway on Counting Bats. I'm hoping the next pic I show is a finish! Or at least a finish minus beads and charms!! 

And I did put some stitches in Dragons. The head is coming along on my 2nd dragon. I need to focus on it a little more. Once Counting Bats is suddenly dead and gone (I mean finished...lol) I will really push on Dragons and use Metamorphosis for "break" times. 

We're also coming into the busiest time of year for my Etsy store with holiday season so I may get bogged down there. But with only 4 day weeks until Xmas at the office (woohoo extra vacation and flex days that need to be used) I am hoping I can stay ahead of it. *fingers crossed* 

Thanks for stopping by! Happy stitching! 

Counting Bats - WIP Photos

Remember that project I pulled out back at the beginning of the year that was a UFO... well it remained mostly a UFO the last 8 months... and then I finally told myself to just work on it and get the darn thing done!
So I've been forcing myself to work on "Counting Bats" from Just Nan. I couldn't figure out why I hated this project so much, give it's on a great purple dyed fabric, with silks and a Just Nan. But I think I've finally figured it out. There are two reasons:
1) I really hate the Weeks Dye Works fabric it's on. the color is perfect! BUT... it's really course, not soft at all and a bit uneven in the weave. so it's a real pain to work on!
2) Backstitching... ugh there is a lot of extra detail on this Just Nan, and it's mostly the spiders I hate (I think).

So not my fave piece, but that's okay. Once it's done then I won't feel bad that it cost me more than $100 to kit it up b/c of the silks.

So here she be to date, I've very close (working from bottom to top as per my usual backwards way). There is a header above #1 with a lovely moon and bats (I'm looking forward to that part) and some more 1 over 1 lettering that says "Counting Bats".

There are still beads and some embellishments to put on once I have the top layer done as well. 

Again I'll just be happy to say I finished this one just to get it out of the WIP/UFO bag and justify the amount spent so many years ago. 

In other news: Been fairly sick (again!). Got some sort of flu bug or food poisoning. On day 3 since got really sick and already mostly bounced back so at least it was quick (though nasty). I think I need to look at using my immune essential oils again as since I stopped using them a few months back (no real reason just stopped...) I've been a lot more sick. So back to the nightly regime I go. Damn compromised immune systems due to other health concerns. 

I just got the new Just Cross Stitch Ornament issue (digitally) and printed off a bunch of great new ornament patterns for Christmas. As usual I'll likely only get one or two done but it's something I suppose. Look for those in the near future as starts. 

Dragons has not progressed at all! (I know bad). I've having a hard time motivating myself to start the second last page as it has the Dragon head in the corner I start from and it's all scales, which means confetti nightmare (again). But I am going to start on it before the end of the month (my goal) and hopefully that will get it rolling along.

Hope you're all doing well and Happy Stitching!