WIPs carried over from 2008:

• “Fairy Flora,” Mirabilia – Finished in 2009
• “Spring Queen,” Mirabilia – Didn’t even look at it.
• “Summer’s Magic,” Dragon Dreams (SAL with Dawn) – Finished in 2009
• “Tapestry Cat,” TW Designworks – Disassembled and abandoned
• “Snowman Wisdom,” Stoney Creek – Finished in 2009

Projects for 2009:

• “Too Cute to Spook,” Stoney Creek (SAL with Dawn) – Finished in 2009
• “Skeleton Crew,” Cross-Eyed Cricket (SAL with Dawn) – No
• “Lady Rose,” Joan Elliott – Started, didn’t like the fabric.
• “Kitty Cottage Sampler,” Little House Needleworks – Finished in 2009
• “EduCATed,” Bent Creek – No
• “Little Ballerinas,” Country Cottage Needleworks – No
• “Choo Choo Train,” JBW Designs – Finished in 2009
• “Princess Parade,” Country Cottage Needleworks – No
• “Robert’s Cats” set, XStitch Happy – No

Now, on to 2010!

I debated about whether or not to make any kind of stitching goals this year, but like Kathryn, I think it is a good idea to at least have some things to think about when planning for the year. Besides, after I looked at my list I realized that out of my 12 finishes, 6 came from this list, so I guess goals can be useful after all.

The main goal for 2010 is to finish all of my WIPs from 2009 except one that I think will more than likely end up as a UFO, so here they are:

WIPs carried over from 2009:

• “Butterfly Bungalow,” Country Cottage Needleworks
• “Castle Sampler,” TW Designworks
• “Austrian I,” Bleu de Chine
• “Portrait of Lauren in Blue,” Nora Corbett
• “The Old West,” Little House Needleworks
• “Spring Queen,” Mirabilia
• “Navajo Style,” Joan Elliott (this may possibly become a UFO)

And of course, I wouldn’t be content with only working on WIPs, so I also have a few projects that I’d like to start this year, although as you can imagine this list is subject to change and expansion as I see fit!

Projects for 2010:

• “Lady Rose,” Joan Elliott (I have the fabric now)
• “Little Ballerinas,” Country Cottage Needleworks
• “R,” Nora Corbett Alphabet Series
• “Celtic Summer,” Lavender and Lace

And now, off to stitch!

In fact, in keeping with the idea of simple, cute, and fun, I have decided that since I don’t have a lot of stitching time these days and I am sort of burnt out on large designs that, at least for a while, I am going to focus exclusively on small designs… And to start with I am going to stitch as many of the Halloween designs in the new JCS Halloween issue as I can until I get bored with them. I’d like to actually finish them into ornaments so I could create a “Halloween Tree” for my favorite holiday, but I don’t see that happening this year.

Now, since I didn’t set any goals for August, I don’t have anything to compare my progress against, but just to remind you, in August I managed to complete “Too Cute to Spook,” and stitched two small designs (”Kitty w/ Frog” and “Boo Moon”). Although this isn’t much compared with what I used to do, I am pleased to have had some happy dances (no matter how small) again. Before this month, the last happy dance I had was in MAY!!

I will set a goal for September though. And that is to stitch as many simple, cute, fun designs as I can, but only when I feel like it!

I should also do a goal review I suppose.

For June, I wanted to:

Participate in the June SAT. – Nope

Work on (and maybe finish) “Too Cute to Spook” with Dawn.- Just barely

Work on “Castle Sampler” or “Spring Queen” or both. – Worked a bit on “Castle Sampler.”

Work on “Navajo Style.” – Nope

What can I say? I was too busy studying to do much. And since July looks much the same, I am just going to list two tiny goals.

• Work on (and maybe finish) “Too Cute to Spook” with Dawn.
• Work on “Castle Sampler.”

That’s it.

P.S. If you would like to see the pictures of fireworks that I took over the Fourth of July weekend, click here and here.

Next up, a review of my May goals and what I hope to accomplish in June.

For May, I wanted to:

• Participate in the May SAT. – Yep! I even remembered to post over there too!
• Work on “Too Cute to Spook” with Dawn. – Yep! We are getting dangerously close to a Happy Dance too…
• Finish “Choo Choo Train.” – Yep! It’s hanging on my wall waiting to be framed.
• Work on “Castle Sampler” or “Spring Queen” or both. – Yep! Worked on “Castle Sampler.”

I am going to keep my June goals simple, but I may end up stitching more than I had planned in June. I found out today that my Summer I class might get canceled due to low enrollment. I won’t know for sure for a few days though. Anyway, for June, I hope to:

• Participate in the June SAT.
• Work on (and maybe finish) “Too Cute to Spook” with Dawn.
• Work on “Castle Sampler” or “Spring Queen” or both.
• Work on “Navajo Style.”

Hmm… “What is this ‘Navajo Style’ piece she is talking about?” you ask.

Well, you ask, I answer.

“Navajo Style” is a piece by Joan Elliott and is in The World of Cross Stitching March 2006 issue. I started it a while back for a non-stitching, non-blogging, but beading and over all quite crafty friend of mine and have put a few stitches in it here and there over the last couple of months, but tonight I decided to pull it out and start working on it seriously so that maybe I can get it finished by the end of the summer.

It’s a good thing my friend doesn’t know I am stitching it for her though… that way the only pressure I am under to finish it comes from within.

It’s already the third day of May and I haven’t done my goals, so here they are:

For April I hoped to:

• Participate in the April SAT. – Yep!
• Work on “Castle Sampler” until I get bored with it. – Yep. I finished the bottom border before I got bored.
• Work on and hopefully finish “Four Seasons Cats – Fall.” – Yep! Happy Dance!
• Continue beading and possibly finish “Fairy Flora.” – YEP! HUGE Happy Dance!!!

Much better progress in April than in March…

Now, for May I hope to:

• Participate in the May SAT.
• Work on “Too Cute to Spook” with Dawn.
• Finish “Choo Choo Train.”
• Work on “Castle Sampler” or “Spring Queen” or both.