Good Bye 2011

I just wanted to pop in here and wish all of you a very Happy New Year!  2011 had it's ups and downs (especially healthwise) so I know that 2012 will be better.  The new year gives us all a chance to start over with a clean slate.  So good bye 2011 and hello 2012.  May we all have a blessed and happy start to 2012.  Oh, and if you're on the roads tonight, stay safe.

Next Year's Plan

So, I've thought long and hard about my stitching plan for next year.  Did I want to do something different every month?  Did I want to start a rotation (which I never liked because just when I started making progress on a piece, I had to put it down to work on something else)?  Did I want to try and finish more UFO's or WIP's?  How about a combination of things?  I think I have just about decided on a plan for 2012.  I have possibly 2 SAL's that I want to participate in: Quaker Gone Tropic with some of the stitchers at the 123 message board and another one with a friend I met last year, Kathy A.  Then Sherrie asked me last night if I had finished her graduation sampler.  Now she graduated a year ago and I really didn't know that she was interested in having one stitched for her.  I had started a Stoney Creek design but didn't accomplish much on it.  So that will go into the pile.  Then there were the UFO's I was trying to finish last year.  So I think my projects for next year will be:

Quaker Gone Tropic
Autumn Abstract or Desert Mandala
Cirque de Triangles
Cirque de Carreaux
The Wave
Sherrie's graduation sampler

I think I'll assign specific days to the SAL's, perhaps Monday and Tuesday.  Then I think I'll play it by ear for the rest of the week and just stitch on what I want to out of the remaining projects.  That way I won't feel pushed to stitch something I really don't feel like working on that particular day.  I may even manage to finish one or more.  I also reserve the right to insert smaller projects into the lineup should I feel the need arise. 

So there it is.  Bette's Stitching Plan for 2012.  It's manageable and I might actually complete more this way.   Now to go dig out the graduation sampler and add it to the pile.

Next Big One!

This is the project that I plan on starting on January 1, 2012.  Now I don't honestly remember ever specifically having a project to start on the first day of the year before but I'm changing things up this year.  There is a SAL for Quaker Gone Tropic over at the 123 message board and I thought since I had the pattern already, I would join right in.  It took me a while to decide on the fabric.  I finally chose one from Stitches & Spice over in Australia.  It's 25 count lugana and the color is called Eureka.  I plan on stitching it over one and I just love 25 count lugana for that.  The pattern calls for Silk 'N Colors thread but I just couldn't see spending that much for silk when to be honest, that isn't even my favorite brand of silk.  I managed to convert 3 of the colors to Threadworx overdyed threads but just wasn't happy with anything I tried for the 4th color.  So I just decided to bite to bullet and get the silk color for that one thread.  Overall I'm very happy with the results.  It's a fun, tropical piece and I think I succeeded in finding fun, tropical colors.  So, come January 1st when I'm watching the Rose Parade, I'll be stitching on my new peoject.

Last One !

Well, this is my last finished project for 2011.  At least, that's the plan for now.  I just don't have any projects that I want to start between now and the first of the year.  Now that may change if I can find a quick project that I can stitch up in a day or two but I honestly don't think that's going to happen.  I stitched this one as a Christmas present for Sherrie, who is a middle school choir director.  I thought it was so cute with its primary colors and the sentiment is perfect.  She likes it a lot and is hoping to find a place for it in one of her classrooms.  The fabric is actually blue fiddler's cloth that I found in my stash.  It just doesn't look very blue in the picture.  But it is blue.  I love the bright colors.  It made me so happy when I was stitching it.  So I'm saying farewell to 2011 and am hoping 2012 is even more productive.

We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

I'd like to wish everyone out there in blog land a very Merry Christmas.  As many of you have, I worry about the state our poor old world's in.  But I also have to remember the many wonderful things that have happened this year.  So my prayer for you is to have a very Blessed and Merry Christmas.  May this season of love remain in your hearts through all of 2012.  From my heart to yours,
                                                           MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Rosie the Red Nosed Doggy

Now I've never had an animal that would let me dress it up in different outfits.  Actually I've never wanted to dress any of them up.  But Brian was visiting over the weekend and he decided to see if either Rosie or Annie would tolerate the antlers I usually wear at work.  Annie didn't want any part of them but Rosie actually seemed to enjoy wearing them.  Who would have thought it?  This is the best picture I could get of her wearing them.  She was too busy running around showing them off for me to take a picture.  So from Rosie the red nosed doggy to all of you, a very merry Christmas!

What's Up?

Wow!  It's hard to believe that's it's been a month since I updated my blog.  One of my New Year's resolutions is to update this more often.  I do have a good excuse though (I think).  I not only have been dealing with Valley Fever but now I have a shoulder problem as well.  Someone just shoot me, please!  Seriously, I've had a tremendous amount of pain and tightness in my left shoulder for about a month now.  I've been going to a massage therapist and I have an appointment with an orthopedist in late January but it has slowed my stitching considerably.  But I keep on keeping on and hopefully will at least finish Sherrie's Christmas present before Christmas.  I'll post a picture of it after Christmas since I'm not sure if she reads my blog or not.  I do want it to be a surprise for her.  But she's been coming home almost every weekend now and that cuts into stitching time. 

Ive been thinking a lot about next year.  I think I want to continue my program where I try to finish some UFO's.  I'm also planning to participate in the Quaker Gone Tropic SAL that is staring in January.  I have the fabric and all the fibers and just have to mount it on my scroll bars.  Then there's Lizzie Kate's Inspirational series that I love.  So many patterns, so little time. 

I also want to continue reducing my stash.  I started selling things on ebay again and was pretty successful at it over the summer.  I just have way too much stuff and will never get to most of it.  So all the patterns I culled out a couple of years ago will be going up for sale.  It is amazing how much you accumulate over the years.  And equally amazing how our tastes change.  What I liked 10 years ago I wouldn't look twice at today. 

So what's on your agenda for 2012?