Annette's Acre

 Voting tallies as of Sun 2:30p below!

As I mentioned yesterday, I’ve got an open slot in my “Fab Five” WIP List.  I pulled four projects that I’ve started…at some time, somewhere.  It was random.  Just the four easiest to find

(All pics clickable)

Candidate #1:

The Needlework Shop by Brightneedle

Candidate #2:

Skeleton Crew by Cricket Collection

Candidate #3:

Brave Hearts by Little House Needleworks

Candidate #4:

Christmas Village Toy Shop by Mill Hill

So which gets the coveted #5 slot?  I’ll pick up the blog choice next week (after Poppy is done!).

Current vote tally (2/1 2:30PM MST)

• Toy Shop: 12
• Skeleton Crew:16
• Brave Hearts: 2
• Needlework Shop:4
• Total votes: 34

I finished DH’s Valentine piece for this year:

Valentine 9 Patch by Pine Mountain

While waiting to return to Poppy, I’m working on Joyful Summer by Country Cottage Needleworks.  As of last night (House):

Pale blue fabric – I hate taking pictures at night!  More time tonight (Idol, Fringe and Leverage).

This makes the current four WIPs:

1 – Summer Queen

2 – Poppy

3 – Sea to Shining Sea (I’ve finished the waves since this)

4 – Joyful Summer

5 – <open>

Following my rules, I’ve got to put an existing WIP in the fifth slot…. what will it be??   I’ll pull a few tomorrow night and let ya’ll decide for me!

It’s been a hectic week…  and considering it’s only Wednesday, I have little hope for a quiet finish.

First, GO CARDINALS!!  My Poppy-mojo held firm and the Cards won on Sunday!

(Fabric is white – evening pic)

The empty holes on the bottom are all one color.  I’ve got those to fill in, silver on her wings and beads and she’s done!  I’ve put her aside until the Super Bowl on February 1.

I took Autumn Queen to the framers.  Copper metallic bottom mat, chocolate brown suede top mat and a frame with some vine-y things and copper highlights.   It’s a new framer, so we’ll see how she does.

Work is… work.  More layoffs.  More projects cancelled.  A reshuffle in my group will give me the third boss since I’ve been there (2.5 years).  We’ll see how that works out.

Battlestar Galactica has started again!  But the fifth cylon… are they kidding?  So anti-climactic.

The best news this week?  I made it in to the Loopy Ewe Sock Club this year!!!

• Stitching:  Valentine 9-Patch (Pine Mountain)
• Reading: Academ’s Fury – Jim Butcher
• Listening: Hoggin’ all the Covers – Band from TV
• Watching: Fringe & Leverage (on Tuesday eve)

I made it home safely from Las Vegas.  Mom and I had a great time and managed to visit the local needlework shop: Stitcher’s Paradise where we “stimulated the economy” a bit.

I kept it pretty low:

The floss and beads the final bits for Summer Queen.  Fabric is Splash by Picture this Plus (a *much* lighter quarter than I received) for Bluebeard’s Princess.  The Pine Mountain kit is DH’s annual Valentine.  I’ve done one for him the last two years.  The palm tree nail file had to come home with me and lastly, the license plate frame says “I break for Needlework Stores”

When I got home, I found a bit of stash waiting for me:

The first three “Boo Club” designs from Lizzie Kate and two skeins of Loopy Legends.  On the left is Debra’s Celtic Treasures and Katrina’s Memories of Oregon on the right.  I couldn’t resist the colors.  I’m thinking scarf… or a pair of fingerless gloves.  We’ll see.

Mom and I saw The Phantom of the Opera and it was glorious.  Our seats were right under the (restored) chandelier and if you are familiar with the story, you know there was a take-your-breath-away moment near the end LOL  (the chandelier falls for those who are not familiar with the story).  It was simply amazing

The conference will be going back to Las Vegas next year and I’ll be ready!

The good thing about lots of playoff football is that it means lots of stitching time.  And can we say “Woohoo” for the Arizona Cardinals?  Holy cow!  What a great game!

Friday and Saturday (during the Cardinals game) I worked on Poppy:

(click to biggify)

I will put her aside so I can work on her next weekend during the NFC Playoff on Sunday.  Don’t want to mess with success!

On Sunday, I started WIP #3:

(click to biggify)

LHN’s From Sea to Shining Sea – Natural Belfast and Crescent Colors silks

Not all that much progress as I was finishing off Battlestar Galactica Season 4.0 in preparation for the last 10 episodes starting on Friday!

I’m off to Vegas for work late tomorrow, returning on Friday.  Mom is going with me, so I’m sure we’ll find our way to the LNS there.  We’ve also got tickets to see Phantom on Thursday.  (I saw it two years ago, the last time I was in Vegas for work!)

Today marks the end of my “101 Things in 1001 Days” time.

I accomplished 31 of 101 things.  Yikes.

However, it is interesting to look back 1001 days ago and see the changes in interest that have happened…..and thus why I didn’t accomplish many items on the list outside of the “Professional” category (which I managed 5 out of 6 and the last one “Join a professional organization and attend three meetings” is in progress).  Does that mean I have some work-life balance challenges?  Maybe.  Or it could be the new promotion ( #81 in the form of a new job) is far more demanding than I anticipated?

In any case, it’s time for a new list.  I’ll take some time to work on it.  Let’s set a goal for end of January to debut.  If you have suggestions for tasks or just want to see what I’m coming up with, just click the “101 Things” tab up on the top there.

I’m up to two stitching pieces in progress now:

#1 – Summer Queen (started at the bottom)

#2 – Poppy (picked up again this week and will probably work on her thru the weekend)

Thanks everyone for your kind words on my Autumn Queen finish.  I still can’t believe she’s finally finished!!!  I did get a small start on Summer Queen last night.  I was amazed to find that she has neither Wisper or any Krenik braid… woohoo!  Those were the bits I left until the end on Autumn LOL

It’s the time of year of looking ahead, and I’ve been giving it some thought for the last few weeks.  What can I realistically resolve to do for 2009?  Here’s what I came up with:

General….

Listen to More Music – I have multiple iPods filled with great music and I rarely listen to them.  Both DH and DD have music as their constant companion.  I need to have more music in my day.  To that end I asked for one CD for Christmas (David C00k) and bought two more afterwards (Prince – Purple Rain and Styx – Greatest Hits).  I also bought a new set of headphones as too much time with the little Apple buds hurts my ears.

Play More Games – We are a gaming household but I will go weeks without touching any of my games.   I will watch everyone else play, but no controller hits my hands.  How can I finish PuzzleQuest or Lego Batman if I don’t play?

Work Smarter – I won’t work more, nor can I work less, but I do need to work smarter.  I  have a surplus of things that need to be done…and when I try to do them all, I do none as well as I’d like.  So, I need to be more proactive about setting priorities and delegating what I can.

Read – I read 66 books last year, with 19 of those in December.  Based on my GoodReads updates, I can see that since I received my Kindle, my books/month has increased.  Of course, part may also be that I’m paying attention to what my GoodReads friends are reading and add those to my “to-read” list!  In 2009, I want to read more than I did in 2008.

Stitching….

I’m taking the idea of Guilt Free January to new heights….

Unless I’ve worked on a piece since January 1, it is not considered a WIP and I’m not feeling guilty!

That’s right.  As of this moment, I have ONE piece in progress…  Summer Queen.  Now, you and I both know I’m not a true One-At-A-Timer and I’ve already planned for two more starts this month.   I want to keep that WIP number around five, not counting my Winter RR or the Fair & Square Exchanges (the only not-for-me stitching I plan to do this year).  That means once I’ve touched five projects, I’ve got to finish one before I start another.  Thankfully, I’ve got lots of small-ish items either started or kitted.

Goal – alternate new projects and pre-2009 projects.  It’s a goal, we’ll see how close I get….

So that’s the plan for the year.  :)

My first finish of 2009:

Mirabilia’s Autumn Queen

32-ct white Jobelan (click for bigger pic)

Finished: Jan 3, 2009 (started 2003!)

Next in the series will be Summer.  While I had planned to stitch her in lavendars, when I pulled her original floss today I found she’s actually Tiffany blue and not the turquoise-y color that the picture suggests.  I’ll keep her blues.  She’ll also be on the same white Jobelan.

Tomorrow I’ll post stitching plans and other goals for the year.  For now, I’ll just say I had a very nice Christmas

What I have left on Autumn Queen:

•  Strip of wisper on the left side of her skirt
• Backstitch around wisper on the bottom of her skirt
• Crystals and beads below the fold (below her waist)
• Tassel to the right
• Bead ropes (done after she’s washed and pressed)

The three new starts:

• Mirabilia Summer Queen (in lavendar)
• From Sea to Shining Sea (LHN)
• Lizzie Kate’s Boo Club (DH bought me the floss and fabric for Christmas)

I would add Mirabilia Bluebeard’s Princess to this, but I am having a heck of a time finding fabric.  If I can find something I like, it will be four starts.

Happy New Year to all!

A quick update:

All gifts arrived in time and were well received for Christmas.  I’ve added a pair of gorgeous sapphire earrings to my jewel box

AQ is close…probably today and some of tomorrow to be done!

Three January starts planned.