Do You Make New Year's Resolutions???

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope that you've had and are having a wonderful and healthy start to the new year!!!  Can you believe that it's 2010???  It feels like I just watched the ball drop on 2009 yesterday?  Where the heck does the time go???  I guess it's true what they say about time going faster as you get older.

Do you make New Year's Resolutions?  Do you start a new project on January 1st?  I'd love to hear what you've resolved to do in the coming year and any projects you hope to start.  I started a couple projects before the ball dropped on 2009.  On the day after Christmas, I started (or should I say restarted) the Sarah Pope sampler by Sheepish Designs (excuse the poor quality of all these pictures - it's a gloomy day here):

Sarah Pope 1773

36 ct. Reindeer Fabric

DMC Threads

I originally started this back many years ago and put it down because the dreaded Queen Stitches were used throughout the design.  I resurrected it again and posted at some point (back in May, I think), that I had her on my hit list to finish up.  Well, I pulled her out, but hated the fabric I originally did it on (36 count natural linen, I think), so started her over.  I also anguished over the colors used - mainly rusts and light rusts.  The chart reads more mauve, so I spent a few hours with my head swimming over that.  I ended up going with the original colors and like it.  Lots of different stitches (the border is Rice Stitch), and yes, those dreaded Queen Stitches, but I rather like doing them now so it should be a lot of fun.

And then last night, I started And All Was For An Appil by the Scarlett Letter for my New Year's start:

And All Was For An Appil

The Scarlett Letter

40 ct. Busy Bee Blend

DMC Threads

I really went back and forth on the fabric for this one.  The picture above doesn't show really any color but it's a yellowish fabric with some mottling.  I think it's going to look great when it's done, although it's going to take me a while.  I have to admit that I spent about five hours circling the floss toss I did and asking everyone's opinions on it.  All the fill-in is time consuming, although mindless, and think that I'll probably do a little section at a time and then move on to another project through the year.

I also got my A block done on the Prairie Schooler Alphabet SAL and a little bit of the B block:

This is a lot of fun to stitch.  I'm planning on doing one block a month.  Yes, it will take me over two years, but that's okay.  These look small, but there's a lot of stitching going on in each one.

As far as resolutions go - I'm only making two.  I usually don't stick to any resolutions I make, so I figure why embarrass myself even making them.  I have the true Gemini personality to be sure - I'm always back and forth with my stitching (among other things).  Stitching ADD is what I have.  So I'm just going to embrace it and go where my heart wants.  Who cares if there are a ton of scroll rods with half finished projects lurking in the corner - it's all about what's fun (at least I'm telling myself that - LOL).  Anyway, the first resolution I'm making is to stitch from stash this year.  Yes, I did order a chart and fabric for my New Year's start (which was to be Ann Rayner and which never showed up in time), but I realize that I have so many great patterns in my stash.  It's time to stitch those babies up!

The second resolution I have this year is to finish Ann Medd:

Ann Medd

The Scarlett Letter

DMC Threads

What a whopper!!  At this point she measures 32 inches long!!  When I unrolled her to take this picture, I fell in love all over again.  I think that having her wound around a scroll rod makes me forget just how wonderful a project this is (although so large).  I just have a little bit of lettering to go in this section and then it's down to the final section.  Looking at these pictures, I think I'm going to have to give her some love tonight!!  So there you have it - I've made two resolutions and I'm going to try like hell to live up to them!!!

Christmas was good around here.  I asked for nothing really (I'd rather the kids get what they want), but DH surprised me with a new IMac.  Seems that it was just too expensive to fix the old computer when we could have a new one for pretty close to the same price.  I just love this thing, but after having a Dell for so long, it's taken me a little bit to get used to - but it's so fun!!  And then DH also surprised me with this:

I've wanted one of these for the longest time! Perfect for the craft room!!  Ginger has one other plate that I've got my eye on for the bathroom in the basement (where the Mermaids are residing) and maybe I can scam that for my birthday (fingers crossed).

Well, that's it for me.  I need to get that Christmas tree broken down (yes, the one that's going to find itself on the curb this year for sure).

I want to thank everyone who has visited my blog and left comments or emails for me this year.  I have loved reading each and every one of your comments and wish I had the time to answer each one of you back.  I've met some wonderful and very generous people this year.  People I hope that I know for years to come.  Your stitching and blogs are a source of amazement and inspiration to me.  I wish all of you a healthy, peaceful, prosperous and stitchy New Year!