WOYWW 817/37 - spot the difference...

Well - hello!  Welcome back to WOYWW as hosted by the fabulous (and Chalet School Friend!) Sarah of Sarah's Craft Shed, who is the most able successor of our dear Julia.

Thank you all for your lovely and kind comments last week. Nobody is to feel bad about missing previous news or not commenting etc.  I've been AWOL for a long while and am not the most diligent/frequent of bloggers or readers, and I've missed a lot of everyone's lives. Sympathies, love and hugs are automatically given from me and should be assumed as sent whatever your situation.  This community has been a family for a long while and whilst prodigal son I am not, occasional returning sheep I am.  I know you all are supportive and I am blessed to have you within my circle, albeit quite a widely spread one. That said, I mentioned to Mr B that there's a WOYWW crop coming up (mentioned, as one does, with one internal eyebrow raised to see what the response would be hehehe) and he said to book somewhere to stay overnight as Stoke is a loooooong way north.  Although permission is not required, blessing is generally sought and I would say that was definitely given!

I'm sorry I didn't get round to y'all to return the comment favour but I plan on making sure I do this week. I might even remember to answer some of your questions either in this Blog or in my visits, so if I forget, do please give me a poke!  And come back here later in the week in case I've added (or corrected) something...

First the desk.  As the title says, spot the difference. LOL  

I did actually complete two projects that have been waiting to be dealt with. Well, not projects per se but "things wot need fixing".  One was a zipper pull I'd previously made for a project back for Mr B, but the clasp of which had broken so the whole thing needed taking apart and remaking.  It's two inches long, took me all of 5 minutes to fix, but has been waiting at least a year.  What am I like?  So, job done.  It was in fact hidden on that pile of a desk last week, and is gone now - but you'll never spot it.

The other task was the embroidery scroll frame that was on the chair last week.  The staples had rusted through the webbing (to which you stitch your fabric) and new webbing needed stapling onto the rods.  Finally got round to that as well.  Another 5 minute job.  An easy win.  A quick dopamine fix, so to speak.  I do not know why it took me so long to sort out but it's done now.  The scroll frame is ready to go back in service and another item ticked off the list.

Stitching wise we have progress further into Siren's Lament, now on the next couple of rows below where I was....  can't wait to work more on her face.

BJ asked if it was cross stitch - it's actually tent or half-cross stitch.  Some would say needlepoint.  There's no hard and fast rule with full coverage, just personal preference.  With this particular design, and there being such a large area of pitch back, I decided to use three strands of floss over one thread on the fabric, and do tent stitch.  It gave me the coverage I needed in the black.  another one I'm doing is two strands over one (we shorten it to simply 2 over 1) tent stitch, but some folks do 1 over 1 full cross.  I work on the theory that I can stitch twice as fast with two strands and tent stitch but it does have its issues, such as warping the fabric if you're not careful.  I try, but it won't be until it's finished and washed that I'll know for sure.

And the Alluring Sorceress has moved on further too - squint and you'll spot a third shade of blue appearing.  The colours are just gorgeous....

Angela (Crafting With Jack) - I'm happy to have been of storage inspiration!  You asked how I reached the top shelf and the answer is simply - with a step ladder!  I have my very own two-step ladder in the craft room.  It never leaves and is solely for the purpose of hopping up and down as necessary.  Sometimes I stand on the futon to reach the shelves above there but the rest of the time a mini ladder suffices.  In answer to your second question, I try to put things up there that I rarely need.  So that I don't have to get up and down too often.  That said, both myself and Mr B are quite short so the next shelf down sees a fair bit of ladder action!  I hope that answers your questions?

Well, I'm late posting this and now the dogs are complaining that I haven't walked them so I'd better fly....

Happy hopping!

Morti x

WOYWW 816/36 - A very belated Happy New Year!

I'm here, I'm alive and I'm ok!  A very belated happy new year to everyone.  Life kinda caught up with me, overtook me, and left me standing still.  LOL

So first things first - let's get the elephant in the room out of the way.  I pretty much left everyone hanging and so I'm pleased to let you all know that my results from my operation came back and they're all clear. No cancer, and no need for accelerated re-scans.  Once every three years is sufficient, apparently.  I have what is called a "radial scar" or a "sclerosing lesion" and whilst there is a risk of malignancy much later on, it is a very low risk.  Or so I'm told.  I'm not going to worry about it as there's no point stealing joy from the now on the off chance there may be trouble a long way ahead.  I'm well now and that's what matters.

Let's switch topics and talk about what you're really here for - WOYWW.  What's On Your Workdesk Wednesday.  Once hosted by the lovely Julia, we now have it hosted by the equally lovely Sarah over at Sarah's Craft Shed.  The idea is to show your work desk, warts and all. The Chaos behind the Creations.  Well, we still have chaos...

Much as I love my crafting, and my craft room, I never seem to have the time to create and when I do, I don't have the energy.  Well, if I'm honest, I have the time if I stop wasting it on pointless pursuits (doom scrolling, anyone?), or stop stitching.  Sometimes one feels a little like a hamster on a wheel where the stitching is concerned, hehehhe.

So as you can see below, chaos has indeed resumed.  I mean, technically it's been reshuffled.  But there have been some biggish changes (new boxes in the Kallax, for example, to hold my DMC Threads) and the desks are still holding WIPS to be completed. I WILL get there.  

I just need my job to quieten down a little after the flurry of a new start and all that goes with it - answering immediate queries and dealing with post-Xmas issues, onboarding new clients who failed to return paperwork pre-Xmas, supporting a client as they bring in new HR software systems (and drag their reluctant employees into the 21st century!), and getting to grips with my own new systems.  Then I also start a part time job in February - still working from home but it's likely to be a big time suck three days a week as any job is.  So as I see it, I have this week and next to clear that pile on my desk and to get back to creating new stuff.

Stitching wise, here's some of the latest progress:

Siren's Lament - finally got to the end of that row!

The "Alluring Sorceress" by Dimensions is really starting to become more defined and you can see the patterns appearing in that robe,

And Lilith of Labrador's tail is really coming along with gaps being filled in.

I have a list of outstanding tasks that need doing (I owe a certain H an ATC - I've not forgotten and I WILL do it!) so time to sign off, and get on with clearing that pile of finishes waiting for me. And I'll document them and share next week so there's my accountability!

Happy Hopping!