Weekend results

This weekend I have to admit that I didn't do as much crafting as I had hoped but did take some time for me which is important.  I did take a bit of time to sit and stitch and now Creating Yourself is starting to look like something.

Sure there is still quite a bit of work to do on this piece but at least now it is starting to look like something which makes me happy.  I am thinking that I am going to try and work on it Wednesday evening as that is suppose to be my stitching night.  I want to add in the outline of the other butterfly so that I can have them to fill in at Gitta's stitch night next week.  Being able to work on simple things at stitch night is great because it also means that I can be part of the conversations that take place.

Besides this stitching I haven't got a lot of other stuff completed this month.  I did realize that I didn't achieve on of my goals for January.  I didn't draw for 10 hours this month so am going to have to make up for it in February.  Part of my challenge this month was studying for an exam which has taken quite a bit of my time and energy.  Hopefully after Friday I will be able to focus on relaxing things each evening instead of stuffing my brain with Project Management material.

One finish and one start

Three Butterflies - One completed

As you can see I put the final stitches in my first of the Three Butterflies by Calico Crossroads.  This was the project that I had to finish before I started working on organizing all of my cross stitch kits on Sunday.  This pattern didn't take me too long to complete other than all the light gray background.  I am happy with this but have to admit that instead of starting the next butterfly from this pattern I had to start something different.  Yes that is my problem but this is one pattern I have been waiting patiently to start so it's now underway.

Creating Yourself

The pattern is Creating Yourself by Imaginating and I liked it when I had to put it up on Gitta's website.  The link will take you right to the page it is on so you can see the completed one, it's about half way down the page.  What I really like about this pattern besides it being butterflies is the saying "Life Isn't About Finding Yourself, Life Is About Creating Yourself - Shaw".  I think this is such a true quote because I don't think there is another person just like you out there so you won't be able to find you.

This is the project that is now going to be getting quite a bit of me attention until it's completed.  The picture is what I accomplished Sunday evening after getting all the other kits put into boxes and ready for my attention when I need something to work on.  Well maybe I should say something different to work on because I always have something to work on.

Now back to studying so that I can take some time this weekend to sit and cross-stitch to give this new project a bit more life.

Organizing my cross-stitch patterns

So on Sunday I decided to take a break from studying for my exam and to try and organize some of my cross-stitch patterns.  I have been reading quite a few blogs and cross-stitchers have been saying that they kit up the various projects that they want to work on so it's ready when they want to start it.  I sure thought this was a good idea so decided that was what I was going to do.

I have to admit that I didn't realize how many cross-stitch projects I have actually started over the years.  Yes a lot of them are from the various Creative Festivals that I have attended but some are starts of other projects as well.  So as of Sunday night I found 53 cross-stitch kitted projects of which 35 are started.  I know that there are more around because I couldn't find some projects that I know I have from 2010 so now to look for them and add them to the list. 

Now to see what I can accomplish this year as I would like to get a few of these projects from started projects to completed items.  I do have a picture of another cross-stitch project that I finished on Sunday morning but will try and post that tomorrow when my camera is close by.

Time to work on some studying now so that I will be able to spend some time this week curled up and cross-stitching.

Progress on butterfly

before last night

as of this morning

Last night I did sit down and work on the butterfly for the evening.  All of the grey is backstitches or blackwork and it does take quite a while to see any progress on it. 

A couple of times during the evening I wanted to put this cross stitch down and pick up something else but decided the only way to get it done was to sit down and continue to work on it so that is what I did.  Knowing that I am getting close to finishing this one is making me feel really good because I already have a couple other ones that I want to work on. 

Oh, on the weekend we were at Gitta's at DH bought me a cross-stitch that I have wanted for a while.  It is of three polar bears so I am really looking forward to working on it but I have one other butterfly pattern that is waiting to be done so that is what I plan to do next.  I figure I need to also work on some of the cross stitches that I have already started so that I can get some of them done as well.  Yes, I love starting the different projects and of course then I find something else I like and start that.  Now this year is going to be partly a finish up some of my WIPs and maybe try to even do one pattern from start to finish in a calendar year.

This year I also want to ensure that I have something that I really want to work on at Gitta's Getaway so that I can make some good progress on it during that weekend.  I still have the project I started at the first getaway on the go and this is the 3rd so let's see what I end up working on this year.

Now to try and focus on completing some of my cross-stitch projects that I have on the go instead of just starting more and more of them. 

Remembering to take time for yourself

Three Butterflies by Calico Crossroads

The subject line of this post really does sum up what I am currently feeling.  Remembering to take time for myself is sometimes rather difficult. 

I am finding that right now between work stuff and trying to study for an exam on Feb 3rd I am forgetting that I need to take sometime for me and just relax.  I will admit that I am a little more stressed than normal right now so think it's time that I lose myself in a craft for an evening that is for me.  Tonight I am going to work on a cross-stitch that I haven't worked on for a while.  This is called Three Butterflies by Calico Crossroads and I am working on each butterfly on separate linen so that I can frame them separately.

Now to see how much of the background I can get done in one evening as I want to be able to get this one finished soon.  Yes this is another one of the pieces that is a goal for this year.  Now off to do some work and then study so I can take the evening off and stitch.
 

1st cross-stitch completion for 2012

Crown of Squares

Last night I finally completed something that I have been working on and off on for almost a year.  I started this cross-stitch in April 2011 and am happy to say that it's done.

The pattern is Crown of Squares by Ink Circles and I used over-dyed threads for my version of it.  The pattern had it in pinks and I am not a pink person so I decided to change all of the colours and here is a picture of the finished piece.  The picture isn't the best but considering it is dull and rainy out right now it's the best I can do.

This was also one of my goals for 2012 so I have finished one of the items already so now to work on the rest of them.

I have so many cross-stitch patterns started that I think once I finished the other cross-stitch on my list of things to complete this year I am going to focus on finishing some of the started ones.

2012 is really here

OK, I said last week I would post my goals for this year in a couple of days.  I had planned on doing it but I was talking a Project Management Boot Camp last week and by the time I got home each day I was exhausted. 

Here are my 2012 goals
1.  Get yarn stash below 300 pounds
2.  Complete 225 items
3.  Make 4 things for myself
4.  Finish cross-stitch - Ink Circle
5.  Finish cross-stitch - Butterfly
6.  Finish one page of Mystic stitch petit point
7.  Achieve my CAPM
8.  Spend 10 hours a month drawing
9.  Blog four times each month
10.  Use 20,000 grams of yarn


Yes I know that it looks like I am a little crazy with some of my goals but I have decided that this year I am going to take a bit more time for myself and make sure I am happy.

For goal #10, I am going to keep a total on my blog so that I can see how I am doing as well as everyone else can see.

Happy New Year

Another year has come and gone and it's time to start thinking about what I am going to do this year as my goals.  I think that is going to be a post in a couple of days once I figure out what I am going to do.

I know that I didn't accomplish all my goals from last year but that is OK because I accomplished other things instead.

Goals I accomplished
1. Complete 180 items, I actually completed 268 items in 2011.
2. Make three things for myself, this I accomplished and actually made 5 things for myself.
3. Design my name tag for retreat, I completed this and wore it at Retreat in April.

Things I didn't accomplish
1. Design a needle case to go with my name tag from 2010
2. Compete at Markham Fair
3. Get my stash under control (under 300 pounds)

Other things I accomplished
1. Started drawing again after way too long and am loving it.
2. Learned to take time for myself, still not great at this but it's a start.
3. Figured out what makes me happy and decided to concentrate on that instead of trying to please everyone else instead of pleasing myself.

Now to figure out my goals for 2012.  I know a couple of them already but will wait until I have them all figured out before I post any.

Well off to take some time for myself as it is January 1st and that would be a good way to start the year.