Month of Crafts

Apparently March is the Month of Crafts. While I'm primarily a needleworker, I do like my crafts. I haven't done any projects for awhile, but I stockpile project ideas like they are about to disappear from the face of the earth soon and if I don't save them, I won't have any projects or ideas. So it's time to take some of those ideas and turn them into reality.

Given the success I've been having with WIPoclypse, I thought I would apply some of the same logic. So the first step is to create a list.

1. I think I need to make some stars: Lucky Stars
2. In the spirit of trying things: Baking Soda Clay
3. Under the thinking big category: Craft Suitcase (I have my Great-Grandpa's old suitcases in my closet, this would be fun to do with them)
4. Playing with colours: Spring Wreath

I think that is enough for now. There is no time schedule for these, but I would like to try to do them in the next 2 months. I'm also taking a needle felting class in April. That should be fun.

Full Moon - Month One

It's time for WIPocalypse check in and since it's also the first time I've posted pictures, these will serve as my "beginning" post as well. I've only worked on one piece since the New Year so it truly is where these pieces were at the beginning of the year.

In Progress
1. Swirly Sampler
This one is the closest to completion and just may be done this week.

 2. On Grandmother's Quilt
All I have to do is stitch my nephew's name and birth date on it, wash it, iron it and sew on the crystals, buttons and ribbon.

 3. Rosebud Lullaby
I'm proud of this one since I changed the colour of the roses from pink to purple. All that is left is the same list as for On Grandmother's Quilt.

 
4. Newborn Joy
It's hard to see the progress on this one since it's mostly the white on white stitching. This is for my CSB's youngest son - must remember to e-mail her and ask if she wants the colour of the roses changed on this one. I believe they are yellow.

 
5. Blackwork Pansy
Am teaching this as a workshop in April, would like it done by the beginning of March.

6. My Way Canvas Work
This is from the workshop in November 2010. I was told by my guild mates I may be the last person to complete it. But I can think of at least 3 other people who aren't done either. I can't start on any of my other kitted up canvas work pieces until this one is done.

7. Once Upon A Time
The oldest one on the list. Also very close to completion, but keeps being pushed aside for "obligation" pieces.

New Starts
1. "M" is for Mother - it's a surprise for the recipient.
2. Fairy Moon - I have had this kitted up since I started Once Upon a Time
3. Lost in the Garden - canvas work
4. Victorian Garden - canvas work
5. Whatever else catches my eye - oh look, shiny!

Test, testy, testing, test

Let's see how posting from my phone works. Including a picture now.
The picture is of Easy on Christmas Day. At some point he didn't want to wear his shirt anymore.
edit: hmm not sure I'm happy with the picture quality. Maybe I won't be posting that many pics from my phone.

New Year's Resolutions

Yes, this year I'm declaring what they are - resolutions, not just intentions. I only have two.

1. Do something about the needlework drawer in my coffee table.

My coffee table is fabulous, I designed it and my dad built it. It's a large chest on wheels and it has four large drawers. The upper right drawer is where I keep my stitching stuff and in the last year I've only added stuff to it and not taken anything out. So my intention is to finish things this year and have that drawer be neat and tidy - not a dumping ground when company comes.

This has been brewing for a while - I've already refused to do the fall workshop last November from my guild or sign up for a correspondence course for this winter/spring with my guild. These two activities took a lot of my stitching time the last 18 months so I'm trying to redirect my focus.

The plan at the moment is to finish three pieces quickly that are really close to being done. Then focus on the piece I'm stitching for my CSB's youngest son - he'll be one in a few days so I'm seriously late with this one. After that I'm hoping to finish the large canvaswork piece that was my guild's workshop piece from November 2010.

I'm sure there will be interruptions along the way, but that's okay as long as something is done about the needlework drawer in my coffee table.

2. "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing twice expecting a different result." What am I doing where I don't like the outcome?

I play a lot of Angry Birds and quite often I find myself doing the same thing over and over again - using the birds the same way and the outcome doesn't change. So I remind myself that I'd repeating myself expecting a different result. What else am I doing the same thing?

So this resolution is about being aware of when I'm unhappy with the results I'm getting and asking myself what I need to change to get a different result. I hope with this one what will happen is that at the end of the year I will be doing things where I'm happy with the result I get.

A bit of a side bar to this one - I sometime get into the thought pattern of when I get all these ducks in a row I can do/have what I want. Once again I want to rethink some of these. Is there another way to accomplish my goal?

There you go - actual resolutions even if they don't meet the SMART objective rule. (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely) However I think this will work better for me. Let's see.

Blue Moon

So it's New Year's Day, or as I like to call it the Official Day of Good Intentions. One of my good intentions is to reactivate this really old blog to record my other good intentions. This time, I'm going to be really brave and tell people about my blog. And I won't lose it again - hopefully.

Last night was a blue moon. The picture was taken by my grandma. We went looking for the moon when I picked her up last night. She spent the night since she didn't want to hang out at my parents while they were having a party. We had a quiet evening. I made a simple supper, we played Mexican Railroad (in which I slaughtered her, the game was close twice - before we started playing and after the 6th round where I got within 30 points of her), watched the end of the exciting Canada/US World Juniors hockey game and went to bed before midnight.

So my hope is that I will post more frequently than once in a blue moon. (Since a blue moon occurs about every 2 1/2 years, I haven't even managed that type of frequency yet.)