First 2015 YOTA and Turtle Trot update!!

Well, winter has set up shop in Texas. And I have been hibernating like a big bear. Could use a warm fuzzy cover up, tho!
Hibernating has it's advantages. Have made lots of progress on UFO's and some new SAL starts.
First my YOTA UFO update. In this case I have 3 that have been stitched upon since january 1.
I finally found Mirabilia Silver Tea Moon.
#1 Before

After

HAED Fun Guys Snowball Stocking

#2 before

After. About 400 stitches.

This rose afghan is stitching up fast!
I finished five roses and started 8 more. This afghan is definetly a TRAP!!! I had planned on just the five roses, along with the 9 already finished. The more I look at the afghan the more roses I start. Marking each square with colored ribbon so I don't have to keep laying it out to see which square needs a rose.
#3 Before

After 

This is the progress on each of the 8 unfinished roses. I keep looking and adding them.... Assembly line style!

Okay, this is also an update for the Turtle Trot SAL. Both links for YOTA and Turtle Trot are on my side bar if you would like to join. The object for the Turtle Trot is to work on 10 projects at any one time in the month and see if you can make progress on them for a finish. Of course any stitch is a stitch to a finish.
Soooooo, I am willing to claim my 5 roses, on my UFO afghan, as 5 individual finishes. By the time I finish with 8 more roses there will be a total of 22 roses.
My Turtle Trot update includes my 3 UFO's and these new starts WIP'S.
#4. This is an Angie Designer Fleurs du Ciel (Angie's site link is on my side bar, cost 5$ for complete SAL) that started today, although I received the 1st part last night. I hand dyed some white 32 count opalescent fabric to a slightly darker violet color than The Maiden's fabric. I wanted a slightly darker fabric to show the white stitches better. The opalescent fabric dyes up very nicely and doesn't affect the opalescent strands. I changed the colors to aqua marine colors and 5200 bright white.   

#5. This is a new start. Also one of Angie's designs called Ancient and Romantic. This was the 2014 january SAL which I missed out on. Loved the pattern so much that I bought it last year when Angie had it on sale. I realized that I have never stitched a wedding sampler for DH and me. Thought this would be a good one to adapt to what I want. Fairly large piece at 24 inches by 24 inches. I decided to take the alphabet section of the sampler and enter our wedding anniversary date in its place. Will use the letters to create our names and date. Which fit in the spot perfectly, so no redesigning or moving motif's around. This fabric is the second cut from the Fleurs WIP. Using DMC 5200 bright white. IF I can find some. I had 4 boxes and used all but 5 skeins. Those are divided up between Fleurs and this one. I don't like doing that as DMC has been changing colors lately. Wally world and Hobby Lobby have been out. But, in writing this, something just ocured to me. I do have a full cone of DMC 5200B white. Now to find it in my craft room. Ahhh! The hunt is on!

#6. Christmas Bear, new start
I love this bear! Have stitched three and this will be my fourth ornament.

#7. New 2015 HAED SAL QSUndercover. After no 2014 HAED SAL the administrators decided to have a 2015 SAL. Received the first page over new years and finally started it yesterday. I decided to try out the 25 count magic guide. 1 strand DMC over one fabric thread. Making this 25 stitches to the inch. The pink lines are not much help with counting as they are on a 20 thread grid, the chart is 10 grid and the fabric is 25 count. But, they do seem to make my eyes center on a specific square in the grid and keeps my eyesight focused on the one area. In that respect the fabric is helpful.

After the start. About 250 stitches.

and #8 to #12 are my 5 rose afghan squares finished.

Good thing I like roses!
As always, Happy Stitching and thank you for visiting!
Deb
I Have a post script....
My apologies to those of you who have google+ as a blog page. I try to leave comments and google+ is being a problem with the information they require just to leave a comment. Then it is not posted. In some cases I try to join a google+ blog and that is not being recognized either. Please know that I am still reading your blog and admire all the wonderful work posted!