A sampler for Sunday and other finishes to start the year...

Well, yesterday I talked about my quilting goals and it was pointed out that I left out time spent on cooking, cleaning,chauffeuring, errand running, personal hygiene, stuff like that. Ummm, yeah, I will work diligently to do as little of those tasks as possible, except personal hygiene, I think my friends would preferred me to be clean and fresh and have my roots touched up every month - I know I would - LOL! Anyway I have been pretty productive so far this year. What is that about 44 hours? Hey, I'm on a roll. Anyway here is my first cross stitch finish of the year, the Beatrix Potter Quaker Sampler.



This is on 32 count Roasted Crown, a lovely golden color and I used DMC threads. It finished about 17" X 19". Here is a close up of the personalized motifs - my initials and my sons initials.



And I didn't notice this until last night when I was stitching it. There is a bee! I love bee motifs.



I started this last year sometime between Christmas and New Years so it has been a year long project which is the time frame I had set for myself so this is a big success. So for 2011 cross stitching wise I want to finish my Blackbird Designs Anniversaries in Time. This is my current progress.



Pattern #10 is due out this month and they still have to release the last 2 sections and the bonus section, so I have time on this. I perused my lovely stash of cross stitch patterns and saw several that are calling my name. Some are even kitted up and ready to go. There will definitely be more BBD in the next year - I'm thinking Willow House, Flea Market Souvenir (I'm only using one background fabric) and Summer Garden.

Knitting will bring more socks and more shawlettes. I love the portability and short finish time of these kinds of projects and I have ample sock yarn to select from -not that more purchases won't be made - like this week -LOL! And I have a finish in the knitting area to start the year. Here is my Shaelyn shawlette.



I used a Araucania Multi colorway #309. I love all the shades of golden yellow, peach and a bit of dusty lavender. I will be making this one again. I think I'll use a more semi-solid and I'll go up a size or two for the needles. Oh, aren't you glad there is no pic of my flabby white arms? I remembered I have a dressmaker dummy and its perfect for shots like this.

So armed with the glassy eyed enthusiasm of a fresh start I shall march forward and try to do as many fun projects as I can -- the heck with cleaning and cooking - no one on their death bed said they wished they'd spent more time in the office or cleaned more toilets.

Happy stitching everyone!
carol fun