2005 Goal Review, 2006 Goals and January Goals

Time for me to set down in print how I did for my 2005 stitching goals, what I plan to stitch in 2006 and what I hope to accomplish in January.

2005 Stitching Goals

1. Noah's Submarine - I finished another page and a half of this during 2005.
2. Celtic Banner - I only worked on it New Year's Day in 2005 (this is becoming a tradition)
3. Ottawa Sampler - Finished!
4. Start Bug Collector - Nope
5. Start Arabian Woman - Nope
6. Start Celtic Band Sampler - Started and Finished
7. Scottish Castle Sampler - Nope
8. Mini Mandalas 1 - Nope
9. Dragon By the fireside Stocking - Started and Finished

Now I may of not started a lot of the projects I intended to last year but I did get a lot of stitching in! I'm not going to review everything I did do... you can visit my webpage as of January 1st and see all I got stitched in 2005.

2006 Stitching Goals - A little more modest this year I think.

1. Finish Noah's Submarine
2. Finish Celtic Banner
3. Start and Finish Santa Fly Fishing Stocking
4. Start and Finish Bug Collector
5. Start Enchantment of Winter
6. Stitch 12 Ornaments

Now for my December recap and January goals

December Goals :

Finish Midi Mystery 1 - Finished!
Finish Dragon By the fireside Stocking - Finished!
Stitch one ornament - Stitched two!
Decide on What to Stitch over the Christmas Holidays - Stitch those ornaments!

January Goals :

Stitch on Celtic Banner on New Year's Day
Finish one page on Noah's Sub
Stitch one ornament
Start model for Great Bear Canada when it arrives

A New Blog To Read

Well I don't really push other blogs here but my best friend has started blogging, so stop by Christin's Ramblings and give her an encouraging word or two!

All Caught Up!

Yay! I'm now all caught up on my Ornament Round Robins! Wednesday night I got a very small start on the next round of the JCS Retro Ornament RR, but I finished it this evening at my friend Chrisanne's in Cornwall.

Here's Pointsettia c2002 Amarillys Artworks. Its stitched on 28ct Silver Blue Linen using SNC silks, Anchor threads and Kreinik Braid. I really love this ornament, how it turned out and I've wanted to stitch it since I saw it in the 2002 JCS Ornament Issue. This design had one new stitch to me, the Arrow Head Cross Stitch.



I had a nice over-nighter at Chrisanne's. I headed out to Cornwall on Thursday afternoon despite the freezing rain we had the night before, and the threats of more to come. The highways were just fine and I made it there in good time. We exchanged Christmas presents, Chrisanne loved the Victoria Sampler Christmas Kit I got her. Lindsay of course loved the huge Scooby-Doo. Their gift to me just made me laugh! A t-shirt that says Coronation Street, Rover's Return! (Yes I'm a Corrie junkie). We went out for Chinese for dinner, and stitched the rest of the evening away (Chrisanne couldn't help her self and started her new VS kit).

Today we started out stitching. Went to Alexandria and had lunch in this great hole in the wall resturant that does only breakfast and lunch. Thanks Chrisanne's Dad for lunch! For a while in the afternoon I played video games with Lindsay on her new game system. Then it was time to go see Chronicles of Narnia. Wow what a fantastic movie and they've kept it pretty true to the book! It was wayyyy better than King Kong! This evening we stitched, I had to put some Queen Stitches on Chrisanne's piece as she thinks her's look like garbage, and I finished my ornament. Now I'm back home watching TV with my other half and blogging.

Finally Its Stitched and SBQ

Well its taken me a lot longer than I thought to finish that darned over one ornament... almost 10 hours more stitching to get it done! Its quite nice in the end, and its all very fine work I had to take a two hour nap at one point today my eyes hurt! It was kinda neat stitching this, as I had met Maureen Appleton, the designer this past October and she has so many stunning over one designs.

Anyhow, here's Hark c1997 The Heart's Content Inc. from the Just Cross Stitch 1997 Ornament Issue. Its stitched on 25ct lugana using GAST and DMC all over one!



Sigh, I have exceeded my Bandwidth limit again over at www.tkdchick.com so I've posted this at my webspace allotted to me by my ISP. I seem to be running out of bandwidth on a monthly basis lately. So if you can't see any of my other photos at the moment I can assure you they'll all be back on January 1st!

So now that this Ornament RR selection is done I'll be moving onto the next one. It'll be nice to be all caught up again with my RR's. Yesterday I was bad, and did a little online shopping. I ordered from Elegant Stitch their Cube-It Instruction Booklet. I also took advantage of Stitching Bits and Bobs sale and ordered two Judy O'Dell Finishing Books, the Ornament book and the Flat Fold book. I really need to finish some of my finished unfinished projects! While I was there I also ordered the letters E&F from the M Designs Monogram Series, at some point I'd like to have the complete alphabet. So this means I'll now have A-F and S,T. That'll probably be the limit of my shopping for awhile, I'd really like to start making a dent in the charts I have in my stash in 2006.

However, this might not happen right away, as I've just agreed to take on some model stitching work from Great Bear Canada. Jennifer of Dragon Dreams passed my name onto Great Bear as they were looking for stitchers. Its great to get recommended like that! Its been awhile since I've done any stitching and seeing as I have no obligation/deadline stitching in the foreseeable future I thought it would be a good time to do a little model stitching again.

Now onto this week's SBQ!

Q : How do you balance your stitching time with your other obligations such as work, household chores, etc.?

A : I probably don't balance my stitching and my life very well. I tend to give my stitching precedence over most things. My job does come first, my promises and commitments come next and then my stitching. I have to admit I neglect my home a lot... I'd rather be stitching then cleaning any day! When life gets busy to get in my stitching fix, I will stitch during my lunch hour at work, or if I have to hang out in a waiting room somewhere, I always have stitching in my bag. I find I tend to get too stressed if I don't get to stitch!

Stitching Away!

Well the last couple of days have been quieter for me. Yesterday was a day, completely at home I stayed in my jammies and I didn't go anywhere! Today I had an appointment for my hair (it was getting way too long!) and dinner at the In-Laws.

Besides that I've been either online, napping, or stitching. I've been working away on Hark by The Heart's Content Inc. from the Just Cross Stitch 1997 Ornament issue. Its all stitched over one so its taking me awhile. But I need to get it done and out in the mail! Its part of the Retro JCS Ornament RR I'm in and it should of been mailed out the week before Christmas!

Tomorrow is another at home jammie day and hopefully I'll HD this ornament and move onto the next one which I received in the mail last week.

Persistence Pays Off

For years now I've been asking for diamond stud earrings for Christmas. Normally its kinda been a half-assed request. Well this year it was a full on assault. Todd got me a beautiful pair of diamond stud earrings with white gold.

Thanks Toodles!

Merry Christmas!

Well Christmas is now minutes away so I'll take this chance to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas!!! May your day be one of fantastic memories and family traditions.

Today was yet another very busy day for me. I'm starting to wonder if its ever going to stop! Todd, I and my Nephew got up at about 9am this morning. I was straight to work as soon as I got up. My good buddy Jason had asked me if I could frame his brother's Christmas gift to his parents. I got the piece itself late last week, I was able to pick up the supplies last Saturday. However this past week was spent finishing Christmas items for my family. So this morning was spent framing an time that was 35x48 inches! I've never framed anything that big in my life. But its done, Jason has picked it up and everyone will have their presents for Christmas.

The rest of my morning was spent finally putting up my Christmas tree and sweeping the floors. Before I knew it, it was time to take Nick home! Todd and I went and had Christmas with his parents. I think tonight we had the best turkey ever with all the traditional fixings!

Finally at 11pm tonight I was able to settle down with my laptop and some stitching! I don't think I've put in a single stitch since I finished Nick's stocking on Monday! So tonight my latest ornament RR piece has gotten some badly needed attention... I'm sure I mentioned earlier this week... I was supposed to mail it out this past Monday? My only complaint about this ornament is it will not be a quick stitch. It measures 66Hx70W stitches and its done over one! Why do designers put out over one ornaments that big?

So this over one ornament is my must stitch item until its done. Since my next ornament in this same RR has arrived that will be next. Then I can finally pick Noah's Sub back up. If I'm not tempted to pick up something new and small and stitch that up over my holidays!