Happy New Year!

I did not expect to be away for so long! Christmas preparations took so much more time than I expected--and that's with dropping projects all along the way! My father decided he wasn't able to travel this Christmas, so the dude and I went to him. (My mother came up to spend Christmas eve with us.) On Christmas day we all flew to Florida. Over the next couple of days we went to Spanish Point, the Dali Museum, the Italian Market, and shopping--I was visiting my mother after all. Once we were back home, I had to read, read, read to make progress toward my Goodreads Challenge. I tried to read 20 books, but only did 18--which I'm quite happy about since I was only at 11 at the beginning of December.

With the loss of Picasa, I can't make the fabulous collages I've made the past couple of years. Google Photos limits you to nine pics. Here, we have almost all the smalls from this year (No small in September or October). I do have one more to share from December, but I am one strand of Tropical Ocean from being done. 

Most of the finishes
Sadie's Stocking
Light House
Hawaiian Santa
Winter Row
French Country Owl
Ties that Bind
Greenland Santa
Mary's Stocking
Wisteria Snowman
Love Bird

I finished 19 pieces (including the nine smalls) when last year I finished 12 pieces (seven smalls). My goals were to "stick to the rotation and see where I get." Some months I was able to stick to the rotation better than others but I think I did well!

For 2017, I'm going to stick with the rotation again, and sign up for the Smalls SAL. Maybe this year I can get even closer to 12 smalls for the year.

1. St Nick's Noel
2. Christian's Stocking
3. Our Souls
4. Forty Seven Hearts (new, anniversary present)
5. Love Me, Love My Dog
6. Deruta Biscornu
7. Lapland Santa
8. small
9. Ladybug, Ladybug
10. Tis the Season

I'm also going to celebrate Craft Month with the helpful input you gave me last year. 

Onward, stitchers!

Year in Review: 2015

One last finish for the year! You may remember how I got thisclose to finishing this one in July before I ran out of Forest Glade. And apparently out of energy because I didn't pick it back up until the holidays were over. Since we celebrate Boxing Day, and my aunt's birthday is on the 27th, that wasn't until the 28th.












You can see here, I worked around my mishap by using a different color for Merry Christmas. I like the way it turned out. I also needed to find another color for the seven stitches in that last "E." I used a couple of different colors, and even in the sunlight, I don't think you can tell.







Twenty fifteen
Not my best year for stitching. All told, I had only twelve finishes, and seven of those were smalls. I did great when it came to finish-finishing--but only because I made that my focus in March. I want to stitch more often, and I want to complete more pieces. If you could tell me how to fit 28 hours of life into a 24 hour day, I'd be indebted.

Thanks for following along with my stitching (and gardening and farm share) in 2015!

Halfway There

And so we are halfway through 2014. Some of my goals are being accomplished. I just worry that not many of them are related to this blog. Earlier this year, I laid out some of my creative goals:

• Stitch more smalls--I've done two. Not as successful as last year's ornaments.

• Finish-finish 12 stitched pieces--None, but I have six more months!

• Keep the craft room tidy--I wish it were in my nature! LOL

• Make cards in advance of needing them--Some. I could use more sympathy notes, unfortunately.

• Plan Craft Month, and work ahead--Oh, so sad. I don't think I could have planned for how sick I got in March. 

• Stitch two threads each night--Started off well, tapered off. I plan to get back to it.

• Complete stitching eight pieces (in addition to the smalls)--A lack of stitching leads to a lack of finishing, unfortunately.

Wow, we're not doing well. I do have to keep focused on the big picture, though. I have six months to achieve some of these things, I have goals and am not floundering around trying to find direction in my life, I am being successful in other areas, and well, no one will die if these things don't get done.

In fact, let's look at the goals the dude and I put together in January:

• Volunteer--this was really for the dude; and he is teaching ESL and serving on the library's board. (I volunteer with an animal rescue and the library.)
• Attend more cheese tastings--went to one at DiBruno Brother's recently. 
• Weekend walks (some with Stella)--The dude has been great about this, bringing Stella to Ridley State Park and Valley Forge. Over Memorial Day we did another with the dog at Ridley again. The heat and humidity might curtail such activities temporarily.
• Eat more fruits and vegetables--We joined the CSA and are up to our eyeballs in vegetables. The fruit share is coming in slowly, but we're eating it!
• Take quarterly weekend trips--Yes
• Unusual Tours--Have you heard of Sidetour? They do some unique things and we had meant to do one for my cousin's husband's birthday but his schedule is hectic. Anyway, still opportunities for tours in NY and Philadelphia.
• Union Game--on the docket
• More dinners with friends--we have been pretty successful at this. Everyone has to eat!
• Go to -----'s party (We get invited to a specific one every year and never go. This year!)--Haven't been invited yet. 
• See more movies, especially at BMFI--define "more." LOL. We have gone a few times. We could step this up.
• Write a will--we have a couple of lawyers, now to choose.
• Write to Maggie, Rita and Edith monthly--very good at this one!
• Paint trim (the whole house)--nada
• Clean out the basement--tis the season. It's unfinished, so summer is the perfect time.
• Declutter--we've been working on it, but could step it up.
• Use elliptical trainer regularly--again, could do more.
• Enter Maryland State Fair--Better remind the dude about this one! The deadline is coming.
• Dude, see dentist and doctor--Better remind the dude about this one; soon he won't be able to get appointments until next year. ;)
• Build a house with Habitat--We had pegged this for fall.
• Visit more gardens--We've been to Longwood and Chanticleer so far.
• Plan trip abroad--Working on it.
• Try new restaurants--We've done so well, I've crossed it off the list!
• Find another group like cookbook club--We were going to the Read Around group but it conflicts with the dude's tutoring. But the point is, we are trying!

I like having this opportunity to reflect and see where I've been successful, and where I need to concentrate my efforts more.

Looking Back

2013 Finishes

1. Home Sweet Home, The Goode Huswife
2. Starry Wreath, Bent Creek (O)
3. That Dern Parrot, Sheepish Designs
4. Top Ties, Pine Mountain
5. Christmas Trimmings, Mosey n Me (O)
6. Snowdon, Jemini Designs (O)
7. Me & You Sampler, Midsummer Night Designs
8. Rolypoly Snowman, Bent Creek (O)
9. Crazy Love, Cross-eyed Cricket
10. Joyeux Noel, Monsterbubbles (O)
11. Boris, Plum Street Samplers
12. Believe, Sisters and Best Friends (O)
13. Joy, Blackbird Designs (O)
14. Star Light, Star Bright, Little by Little Designs
15. Christmas Puppy, Brittercup (O)
16. Pear Tree, Little House Needleworks (O)
17. Black Snowman, Shepherd's Bush
18. Gift to Be Simple, Trail Creek Farm (O)
19. Mistletoe House, Prairie Moon (O)

As it turns out, I didn't list any public goals last year. I did mention that I was doing that sparkly year workbook. Going back through the list I made in that, I had written "finish five wips" and "stitch more ornaments." I certainly succeeded in doing the latter: I stitched eleven ornaments! I finished three wips, but made significant progress on a few more. I also did my personal craft month challenge during March. And, you know, I got a job! Overall, I'm going to say it was a good year. :)

I've been making plans for next year. Stay tuned...

Year End

When I worked in my grandfather's office, I remember how crazy everyone would get when we were running year end. Fortunately, those days are behind me. I find this stock taking to be so pleasurable.

What I set out to do:

1. Start nine new projects in my Modified Crazy January Challenge.--I started nine and finished five
2. Finish 1/3 of my WIPs, or six. -- Only three
3. Expand my freelance business, including getting my website running by January 31.--Instead, I decided to focus on getting back to work full-time. I had a wonderful experience working at a local college on a temporary basis. And there's a thing that looks good, keep fingers crossed. Or make a novena, either one.
4. Read more, at least 25 books and preferably from our shelves.--Done!
5. See one movie a month. We are woeful in our movie-going. So many things we want to see come and go before we know it.--We did it! There were still movies we missed but far fewer of them. Let's face it, it's impossible to see everything!
6. Do two punch needle pieces.--Not so much. I have all the materials in one room now. But I'm going to have to find a refresher course.

2012 Finishes:

Bent Creek, Red Holly Berries
Bookmark for a friend
JBW, English Plum Pudding
Shepherd's Bush, Red Snowman
Carriage House, Curse of the Raven
Lizzie*Kate, Snowman '10
A little two hour piece
Pine Mountain, Being Together
Sisters and Best Friends, Button Border Pumpkin
Shepherd's Bush, Poor Robin
Bent Creek, Snowman Stocking
Hands to Work, Love, Me
Just Nan, Owl Winder Pocket
Miss Crescent's Crown, JCS Ornament
Lizzie*Kate, Peace Oranment
Plum Street Sampler, Halloweenies
Kincavel Krosses, bat

Sure it's only 17 projects but did you see that I completed a craft project every day during National Craft Month? (Actually in 2010 and 2011, I only finished 15, so it looks like I'm on track!) Not a bad year.

Year in Review

Our week hasn't slowed down much. On Thursday, we drove back to my sister's in New Jersey to say goodbye to my parents. We ate leftovers and played Wise and Otherwise. (Where my father created an old Korean proverb, "Eating pears...is better than eating singles." He also hit it out of the park with a Cameroonian proverb about a man and his nutcracker, but we can't remember the exact words because we were laughing so hard.) Last night, my parents decided we needed to play the game again, this time with my BIL who had been at the gym the first night. He wasn't as enamored with the game, but one of his friends came over and she took to it like a duck to water giving us "Dogs and small children...like to sniff butts" which we blamed on my poor father. He, however, scored big by keeping a poker face and taking the blame! My folks are well and truly underway, but we are celebrating tonight with my sister so it's another trip out there. On Sunday we'll be back to Sunday dinner at my cousin's. Monday we are going to crash; I swear.

 Last year's goals were to

1. Find a job. I think a job found me. I've decided to throw myself into the freelance work I've been doing for the past three years. If *WHEN* I can get enough clients, I can work part time and still make more money than I did in an office. 
2. Crazy January Challenge. See Below. 9/15 Not terrible! I never really thought I would finish all of them, but it was a fun thing to have done. Especially since I never feel like I am starting new things for myself...or finishing them.
3. Work on the marquoir--finish one page (of the 22 remaining) each month.This started well but I stumbled. Maybe this will be my Olympic Stitching project for the London Olympics.
4. Finish-finish one project a month.--Things were looking kind of bleak for a while, but I caught up and stayed on it. I finished 12 projects (leaving plenty in the finishing pile). 
5. Complete one quarter of my WIPs (see below)--or four. I'm down three even though I only finished two. I'm also very close on the Bent Creek stocking.
6. Learn to crochet. I did it. I crocheted a lip for a fish. A fish lip. As you will...
7. Become proficient in Photoshop. I did look into a class. I'll do it. And soon.

CJC

1. City Stitcher, Willow Trees Sampler Completed August 25
2. Lizzie*Kate, Dog Lessons for People Completed August 17
3. Little by Little Designs, Star Light Star Bright
4. Mill Hill (Sticks), Love Me, Love My Dog
5. With Thy Needle and Thread, Hoppin' Along Sampler Completed April 16
6. Hands to Work, Love, Me Completed March
7. Sisters and Best Friends, Winter Peace Completed March 
8. Sisters and Best Friends, Button Border Pumpkins
9. Shepherd's Bush, Blue Snowman Completed August 16
10. Sheepish Designs, That Dern Parrot
11. Raise the Roof Designs, Off the Deep End
12. Just Nan, Owl Winder Pocket
13. JBW, French Country Pumpkin Completed September 2
14. Just Nan, Screamy Mimi Completed February 25
15. Cricket Collection, Frost Completed October 7

WIPS

1. Moss Creek, Elizabethan Rose
2. Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania Completed January 16
3. Heartland House, Tree of Life Window Completed November 15
4. Linda Jary, Majestic Rooster
5. Nutmeg Needle, Treasured Tulips
6. Liz Turner Diehl, 16th Century Knot Garden
7. Bent Creek, Snowman Stocking
8. Watercolor Geranium
9. Theresa Layman, Mermaid
10. Mirabilia, Emerald Mermaid
11. Corinne and Gigi, Marquoir bleu et rouge
12. Dimensions, Santa kit
13. Dimple's Designs, St. Basil's Cathedral
14. Heart's Content, Merry and Bright
15. Hardanger Napkin Rings   I got rid of these. They had some kind of stain, and I wasn't thrilled with them any more.

I finished 15 projects this year, which is about 10 off my usual. I'm not sure what I did instead of stitching. 

Thank you for stopping by my little piece of the blogiverse, double thanks to those of you who leave comments and send emails. It's always such a pleasure to correspond with you. Let's do more of that in the new year too.

Happy New Year, everyone. 

All best for a happy, healthy, stitchy 2012.

Year in Review

Pretend there's a photo of the two Shepherd's Bush stockings I finished here. And there would be, but I seem to have deleted the photos before I uploaded them to the computer. D'oh. I had a hard Christmas season, people.

My goals for 2009 were

1. Make sure that I am always happy stitching on a project. That means if deadlines are stressing me out, I will change the goal. No more panicking! I think I did well with this.
   
2. Finish-finish more projects for myself...I'm going to shoot for 12 pieces from the finishing pile finished by myself for myself. I started out gangbusters on this, but fizzled. Actually, when I counted (see below) I did better than I realized.
   
3. Mermaid SAL with Michelle. This is for my mom's 65th birthday, and if she's lucky it will be done in April. If it's not, it'll be a helluva Christmas gift. Or a helluva 66th birthday present...Michelle, where did we go wrong?
   
4. Flea Market Souvenir SAL with Linda and Rosa. (Someday I am going to Iceland. Really.) Hey, I finished! (link below)
   
5. Put at least one Saturday a month into the French marquoir. I didn't touch this all year! Horrors.
   
6. Make a dent in the WIP pile. (I know I say this every year.) I finished four from this list: Anna's Bird, Anna's Stocking, Brett's Stocking, and Monthly Mania November.
   

Also...

1. Make tiny little changes to make myself healthier: take all my meds as directed; eat more whole grain; drink more water; exercise 30 minutes every day. On that last one, Geggie's going to keep me honest. When Geggie disappeared, Stella appeared. I've walked at least three days a week (more like seven) since she came into our lives. I've done pretty well with this.
2. Find a new job. No comment.
   

Pieces I stitched:

1. Blackbird Designs, Flea Market Souvenir
2. Shepherd's Bush, Brett's Stocking*
3. Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania, November
4. Good Huswife, Anna's Bird*
5. Shepherd's Bush, Anna's Stocking*
6. Ink Circles, freebie June 2007*
7. Ink Circles, freebie 2007*
8. And again*
   
9. EE&F, rose fob*
10. Kathy Moenkhaus, Playful Patchwork*
11. Fair and Square, this from Christiane Dahlbeck's Fadenspiel
12. JBW, I love to Shop at the Silver Needle*
13. Primitive Needlework, Halloween freebie*
14. Patriotic Needlebook (from camp)
15. Sheepish Designs, Peace freebie*
16. Lizzie*Kate, Cinderella*
17. Blackbird Souvenir de France
18. Monsterbubbles, Don't
19. Workbasket, Mermaids Singing*
20. Mill Hill, martini*
21. Hinzeit, Sisters* (I really need to get a shot of the framed piece.)
22. Shepherd's Bush, 2009 scissor fob
23. little mojo, Harry Potter boxes*
24. "Eat Me" apron

Mayhaps not as many as usual, but notice that 70% were finish-finished.

Pieces I finish-finished:

1. EE&F Plum Pudding
2. Trilogy, Happy Bunny Bunny Day
   
3. EE&F, pea scissors fob
4. Mary Garry, freebie needlecase
5. Heart in Hand, Woodland Noel
6. Snowman ornament
7. Trilogy, Spring is in the Air
8. EE&F, Vous et Nul Autre
9. Chessie and Me, Be Thee Mine

This list includes three framed pieces, but I did them myself, so I am counting them (I had originally specified "alternative" finishes). I was only three short of my goal. Not bad...

Maybe 2009 was a better year than I thought!


* These items were stitched and finished.

Review

I should have done this on July 2, the halfway mark. Oh well. Aren't I always a week late? My pledges for 2009 are italicized below, assessment follows.

1. Make sure that I am always happy stitching on a project. This means that if deadlines are stressing me out, I will change the goal. No more panicking. Not bad. I only had one post about how my mother wasn't getting the gift I had planned for her, and it was written by someone who wasn't panicking despite the great unstitchening. Nice!
   


2. Finish-finish more projects for myself. Last year I did 13, including ones I sent for framing and things I finished for gifts. This year, less framing, more alternative finishing. I'm going to shoot for 12 pieces from the finishing pile finished by myself for myself. I think that's specific enough! Started off really well, but I have lost steam on this. I think this has fallen by the wayside as my ability to schedule myself completely unravels...still, I've finished 7 which is on track for 12 this year. I've also framed three others. I impress myself.
   


3. Mermaid SAL with Michelle. This is for my mom's 65th birthday, and if she's lucky it will be done in April. If it's not, it'll be a helluva Christmas gift. Michelle! What are we doing here? I haven't touched the mermaid since March. Also, I am thinking birthday 2010.
   


4. Flea Market Souvenir SAL with Linda and Rosa. (Someday I am going to Iceland. Really.) Woohoo! I finished stitching the Flea Market Souvenir last week.
   


5. Put at least one Saturday a month into the French marquoir. So very sad. I haven't done this even once. And we're getting into Christmas present season...


6. Make a dent in the WIP pile. (I know I say this every year.) I finished Anna's Bird. I finished Monthly Mania November; that leaves three more months. I worked on the Layman mermaid and Tree of Life Window. Anna's Stocking, Brett's Stocking, and Miribilia Christmas fairy are on the list for this month. Not bad.


7. Make tiny little changes to make myself healthier. I changed over to whole wheat English muffins (without high fructose corn syrup); I'm drinking 8 glasses of water a day; and I'm taking the meds. I started off the year pretty well, exercising half an hour every day. Then I fell off that wagon. Now that Stella is here, I walk between 80 and 120 minutes every day. And we walk. Stella doesn't believe in doing her business on the walk. (It's fine; we have a mutually agreeable solution, but I talk enough here about my own poop, you don't need to know the dog's business too. Though her "go" command is "get busy," which my sister thinks is a riot, but that's how she came to us.)
   
   
8. Find a new job. Working on it. But it's like pushing a rock up a hill, one that slowly rolls back to crush my spirit.

Another Year in Review

Lee is encouraging us to do a Stitcher's Year in Review. And so it is.

1. Did you discover any new (or new-to-you) designers in 2008? And your favorite was? Sampler Girl and a lot of French designers that give their stuff away.
2. Same question - New Fabrics? Oooh! Love the colors of the Weeks Dye Works linens. I used it for Angels Sang.
3. Same question - New fibres? Belle Soie was last year; I didn't try any this year.
4. Same question - New finishing techniques? Nothing new I'm afraid.
5. Did you have a favorite "theme" in 2008? It was supposed to be Selfish Stitching.
6. Did you try any new gadgets? No, but I did buy a cord maker finally. No more pencils and sore wrists!
7. Did you discover any new (or new-to-you) LNS in 2008? No new stores.
8. Same question: new or new-to-you online stores? Boy, am I ever boring. Nothing new...
9. Same question: new or new-to-you bloggers?
a) stitching bloggers: The sisters and the people who are on the yahoo stitching bloggers group. It'd be a long list. Oh, let's not forget the blogs I discovered from comments left here.
b) bloggers in general: Marie Claire Idees
10. Same question: communities/forums? I am not really a community person, but you knew that. I joined the Craft Circle at my local library a couple of times. I may have to go back to that.
11. Whose blog in 2008 was the most inspirational for keeping you stitching? When I hacked off my finger tip, I stitched vicariously through all of you. If I visited your blog between April and June, consider yourself the most inspirational.
12. Whose blog was funniest in 2008? Spinster Stitcher. Before she started a blog, she sent me a doozie of an e-mail. I knew her blog was going to be a good read.
13.Which blog's posts did you "star" the most in your reader in 2008? Craftzine.

Since I didn't have any great finds to share, here's a website that I used a lot this year: StitchPoint for those times you need some letters charted quickly. Cheers!

Here's to a happy and healthy 2009!

PS Just so you can be sure you're on the right website, I've seen a lot of people writing about "bringing in the new year." I don't know if that's some crazy regionalism--hey I don't put anything past you southerners--but the phrase is "ringing in the new year" like with bells. Which we don't use often enough. So put some bells on and ring it in, will ya?

Year in Review

This year I had very few goals:

• finish-finish two projects a month: My original intent was to finish-finish things that were in the pile rather than new things. And I did mean *I* would do them, but I am going to count everything that got finished. I finished 23 pieces--10 of them to give away. Thirteen came out of the finishing pile and 10 were new stitches. I think I should be more specific next year.
• hang Toy Gatherer in my house this Christmas: It was so. (There it is hanging where the mola usually goes.)
  
• stitch a lot of things for myself: 13 of 29, I don't think that was more than usual.
• I also said I'd like to start these projects: some I did, they're italicized; some I finished, they're struck through:

Hillside Samplings, Folk Art Threadkeep

Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania

4 My Boys, Pumpkins Three for Thee

Sisters &BF, Button Borders: Pumpkins

Mirabilia, Emerald Mermaid (SAL)

BOAF, Spring Garden

Raise the Roof, Off the Deep End

Blackbird Designs, Flea Market Souvenir

Little House, Curly Q Ewe

Lilybet, Spots II

Cricket Collection, Skeleton Crew

Little by Little, Star Light, Star Bright

Fancy Work, Sampler Scissors Box

Liberty Street, Rose Bunnie [sic]

2008 Finishes

1. Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania February
2. Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania April
3. Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania May
4. Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania June
5. Heart in Hand, Monthly Mania July
6. Fancy Work, Sampler Scissors Box
7. Liberty Street Designs, Rose Bunnie
8. Liberty Street Designs, In the Tall Flowers
9. Sue Hillis, Why Men Fish
10. Quaker fob
11. Quaker scissor pocket
12. Quaker biscornu
13. Heart in Hand, Mother's Day Roundabout
14. E&E&F, Heart Fob for Stephanie's birthday
15. Waxing Moon, My Needle and My Floss
16. Heart in Hand, 2001 Collector's Heart
17. LHN, Willow Tree Inn Edgar's Neighborhood RR
18. Heinzit, Family Matters
19. Quaker stitching set prize
20. S&BF Pumpkin
21. S&BF, Leaf
22. EE&F, flower fob
23. CCN, JCS ornament preview for Melita
24. JBW, Silver Needle Freebie, blue
25. JBW, Silver Needle Freebie, red
26. LHN, Dog House Sampler
27. Shepherds Bush, Toy Gatherer
28. Yankee Stitcher, By the Sea
29. Lizzie Kate, Home for the Holidays for Paula D.
30. LHN, The Angels Sang
31. LHN, Curly Q Ewe

Edited to add my last finish of 2008.

Curly Q Ewe
c Little House Needleworks
stitched with the called for DMC and Crescent Colours Floss
18-count Waterlily

Most of these were small pieces, but Toy Gatherer, which I can't stop yammering about, feels like a majestic triumph. Now to think about what I hope to accomplish in 2009...

Best Laid Plans

Last year, I planned to tackle 18 projects:
six UFOs--Finished Alpine Garden, made progress on Anna's Bird and Tree of Life Window
Anna’s Bird
Elizabethan Rose
Frickin’ Chicken aka Majestic Rooster
Alpine Garden
Tree of Life Window
Watercolor Geraniums

six new starts--started five! Finished Summer Place.
Curtis Boehringer's apple sampler
Summer Place
18th Century Knot Garden
Tall Flowers Sampler
Christmas Carols Stocking--I didn't start this one
Snowman Stocking

six obligation pieces--Completed all of them!
Dolly Mama Kitty
Dolly Mama Poodle
baby White announcement
baby Palmer announcement
SB Jillian’s stocking
SB Elisabeth’s stocking

Maybe 18 is too many projects?

Finishes in 2007:

1. Prairie Grove Peddlar "Bee Bitchy"
2. Needlebook from Camp
3. SamSarah "Patriotic Heart"
4. February birthday biscornu
5. August birthday biscornu I
6. August birthday biscornu II
7. Friendship grows ornament
8. Sweetheart Tree heart
9. My sheep RR
10. bestpal's Christmas tree RR
11. VT's stitchery RR
12. embroidered (dirty) apron
13. Phillies biscornu
14. SamSarah Whole Heart
15. Hillside Samplings Animal Samplings
16. Country Cottage Needlework sheep ornament
17. Summer Place
18. Dolly Mama Kitty
19. Dolly Mama Poodle
20. Lizzie*Kate Baby Sampler
21. Sweet Dreams, La D Da
22. Jillian’s stocking
23. Elisabeth’s stocking
24. Alpine Garden

Okay, 18 is not too many but apparently those weren't the right 18. Next year's list is going to be more...manageable? (Stop laughing!)

A happy, healthy, and creative 2008 to all!

2006 in Review

So what did you accomplish this year, oh fickle stitcher?

1. Wee Fancies Sheep, Homespun Elegance
2. Miss Mary Mack, La-D-Da (individual over one)
3. Holiday Ewe, Heart in Hand Needleart
4. I Saw Three Ships ornament, Fancy Work
5. Souvenir Sampler, Drawn Thread
6. Folk Art Topiary ornament,
7. Learned to sew trim on ornaments!
8. Patriotic Needlebook, Silver Needle
9. Garden Thread Pallet Case, Old Colonial Needlework
10. Bunny in a Basket, M Designs
11. Cancel My True Love's Order ornament, Flower Thread
12. three (3) swirly santa ornaments, Barbara Sestock
13. Frosty Santa ornament, Mill Hill
14. Room for Ewe, Ewe and I and Friends
15. You are My Sunshine, La-D-Da
16. Once the Ocean Called My Name, X-Appeal
17. Happy Bunny Bunny Day, The Trilogy
18. 40th birthday gift, Subversive Stitch
19. Enchanted Alphabet, MLI
20. Me Voila, Rouge du Rhin
21. October Monthly Mania, Heart in Hand
22. Pumpkin Sampler,Window Garden Designs
23. Peace Tree Ornament, M Designs
24. Pumpkin Keeper, Drawn Thread
25. Polka Dot Scissor Fob, E&E&F

Not all I had hoped, but I seem to be about average based on what I've been reading on other blogs.

Year in Review

At the beginning of 2005, my WIP/UFO pile included:
Shepherd's Bush, Toy Gatherer--made headway, in fact, it's nearing completion
Heart's Content, Williamsburg Doorway--completed!
Drawn Thread, Baby Band Sampler--completed!
L&L, Enchanted Alphabet--made headway by sending it as a round robin
Moss Creek, Elizabethan Rose --no, magnifier in storage
Forget-Me-Nots-in-Stitches, Pins and Needles Smalls--completed!
Hardanger Napkin Rings--did not work on it
Drawn Thread, Alpine Garden--did not work on it
Nutmeg Needle, Treasured Tulips--did not work on it
Dimples Designs, St. Basil's Cathedral--did not work on it
Watercolor Geranium--did not work on it
Majestic Rooster--did not work on it

---

I completed the following pieces:
Heart's Content, Williamsburg Doorway
Drawn Thread, Baby Band Sampler
Forget-Me-Nots-in-Stitches, Pins and Needles Smalls
Prairie Schooler, 2x2 Animals II, baboons
Bent Creek, Flower Arch Angel
HIHN Angelica, Wool Whimsy
A Whimsical Element, Flip Flop Fun
Indigo Rose, pin cushion
San Man Originals, patriotic freebie
Lavendar Wings, Sara
Mary Garry Sewing Cabin, Needlebook freebie
Anne, Petite Bergere
Ewe and Eye and Friends, Vous et Nul Autre
Mill Hill, Polar Santa
Yarn Tree, Grandfather Frost
BOAF, Moon Garden
La-D-Da, A-Z and In Between
Krienik, Enough is as a Feast

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And I knit:
handpainted yarn Booga Bag
brown and pink Booga Bag
black and purple eyelash Booga Bag
purple Sophie Bag
Sissy's poncho
hat and scarf for cousin
Scarf for Sissy's best friend
Scarf for neice

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Although I did finish 25% of the UFOs, I wish I had been able to make more headway on the that list. I have to admit that I wasn't very dedicated, but I also had issues related to the move--so much essential equipment was in storage, including some of these UFOs. I am going to make completing these and, in fact, finishing many of the completed projects a priority in 2006. In between fixing up the house. Right.