Assessing August Goals

Well, it's been another month where the progress has been somewhat spotty. Yes, there has been progress on the stated goals but I have also succumbed to the seduction of a few must-stitch-now projects that weren't on the goal list.

First the stated goals

1. Finish the Prairie Schooler Santa cards: so far I have finished the 1995 [photo on 8/2 post], the 2004 [photo on 8/16 post], 2005 [photo on 8/24 post], 2006 and 2007.
2. Finish the Peacock biscornu: didn't even touch the poor neglected thing.
3. Focus on the Mystic Stitcher's Hideaway 2007 projects, only an hour of stitching this month, on the very last day of the month, just to be able to say I did get to it.
4. Focus on the TW Autumn Faerie: another neglected project
5. Stitch a set of four tea towels with herbal motifs: I did dig out the proper chart, does that count?
6. Start Liz Turner Diehl's German Garden: Nope
7. Start TW Woodland Angel stocking for Liam: Nope
8. Start Miribilia's Halloween Faerie: Nope
9. Finish one more Celtic Tarot card for Angela's set: Nope
10. Finally, finish Sean's Name Tree ornament: this is getting monotonous, but yet another Nope
11. At least two sewing finishes: The Sweetheart Tree's Pumpkin on Gingham Halloween ornament and Elizabeth's Designs Peace, finished as a pin keep.

Now for the side trips into Startitis

• Cross Eyed Kat's Jolly Roger Cat: finished 8/7/08
• Plum Pudding's Blessed Be: finished 8/8/08
• Top for the pink biscornu: finished 8/8/08
• Lizzie Kate's Housework...: finished 8/16/08
• The Sweetheart Tree's Pumpkin on Gingham ornament from JCS ... finished 8/31/08
• Started Prairie Schooler's Night Owl ornament from JCS
• Started the Debbie Draper Spots of Fun SAL: this last has become an obsession. I am using all sorts of different fibers for the motifs but one color way ... it's like eating potato chips or M&Ms ... just one more motif before I put it down ... after all I wasn't supposed to even start it until 9/1/08 but I have already completed 12 motifs ... and that's most of the first two pages of a four page design.

I'd say there is a pretty clear pattern here ... I have been getting bored with my own goals ... and have, consequently, been playing hookey with all manner of interesting new charts.

Kaloo Kalay, some pictures today ... finally

Finally, I have learned to post pictures on my blog... the first of many, I hope. Pictured above is the Sue Hillis Spool Tree ornament from the 2007 Just Cross Stitch ornament issue.

This is the Pine Hill Designs freebie, Jacob's Ladder ornament. I played a little with the colors and the stitching, using a rice stitch in the points of the diamond. I edged it with green and gold beads.

This a European Freebie, Olive Branch biscornu, stitched on Mushroom 25 ct. Laguna with a Homespun Elegance Starburst button

I am calling this my Halloween Cat biscornu. The original chart, a European freebie, had black cats with a red frame on a white field. I changed the fabric to a mushroom laguna and used NN Autumn Leaves for the frame and added a Homespun Elegance Pumpkin button for a Halloween look.

This is the Glory Bee NOEL ornament, a free chart. I added a beaded hanger to this piece.

The above is the Knotted Tree Santa ornament from JCS 2007 ornament issue ... I beaded the edges by whip stitching red and white beads along the edges for a candy cane effect.

this is the Prairie Grove Peddler USA 1776 freebie chart which I finished as a pinkeep. Tomorrow, I shall try to post pictures of the Sue Hillis Santas that I finished earlier this month and a picture of my current WIP, Raise the Roof's Crabby All Year.