A Look Back...and goals for the New Year

Well, I just looked at my stitching goals for 2008, and I laughed out loud! This list perhaps wouldn't have been so laughable had I not gotten pregnant and had a baby this year...but either way, I'm "proud" to say that I completed exactly NONE of my written-out stitching goals for 2008! Impressive, I know. And again, just for embarrassment and posterity sake, I give you the 2008 goals (failures!):

1. Complete Red Thread Snappers
2. Complete LK Doubles
3. Stitch at least 6 Christmas ornaments
4. Complete the my remaining 6 LK Flip-It Blocks (May-Oct)
5. Complete and finish at least 1 stocking
6. Complete O Beautiful-Shepherd's Bush
7. Complete Quaker Samplings
8. Complete Shepherd's Bush Monthly Musings (I have 7 left...I think)
9. End the year with less WIPs than I started it with (I don't know the actual number right now...mostly because I'm too embarrased to admit what it is...but I will count soon and "own up" to the real number!)

Now, again, having a baby put quite a damper on these goals, as I didn't stitch for approximately 6 months this year!

Now for my goal for 2009:

1. HAVE fun stitching with no pressure!

Yep, that's it. Between working full time and two kiddos under 3, I don't need any more pressure. So, the goal for 2009 is to stitch whatever I what, when I want. That's it. Maybe someday those '08 goals will be completed, and when they are, you can bet that you'll see a post about it!

I am participating in the Peppermint Twist SAL this year, so that is the only thing that I'm "committing" to. I'd also like to start Quaker Christmas this year.

Oh, and I'm not going to make any crazy quotes, like, oh I'm going to stitch only from my stash, or I'm not going to get any new stash...that's just setting myself up for more failure :)

Don't get me wrong, goals are great. I have goals for many things in other areas of life. I've just decided that this year, my hobby will not be so "serious" as to have formal goals.

And with that, I wish all of you a very Happy New Year! I hope that you truly enjoy every stitch in 2009 :)

Sale updated

Just a quick post to send out a big Thank You to those who have visited my sale blog. I have just finished posting some more items up (including some Shepherd's Bush lovelies!), so feel free to pop on over and check it out! http://suburbanstitcherwish.blogspot.com

A Star on Top Finish

I just put the last stitch in A Star on Top, a Blue Ribbon Designs freebie. I believe that eventually this will be made into an ornament...but probably not for a while, as I'm not really in the finishing mood.
Now that the gift has been delivered, I can now reveal the mystery sewing project! An APRON! It's made from two fabrics, obviously, and has ric rac trim. I made this for my sister, who does read my blog occasionally, and that's why I couldn't show it until now. It is being modeled by my neighbor, who graciously allowed me to take a picture of her hips...as long as her face didn't show with it :) I am contemplating making some more of these to sell...but not sure if others would be interested in them. My husband's aunts and grandmother do lots of craft fairs in the local Houston area, and I'm thinking of doing a test run with them to see the popularity, and then go from there...
That's about it. I hope that all of you out there in blogland had a wonderfully Merry Christmas. We here at the Brown Household were very blessed this year, and we all got more than we deserved!

As for my next project...I think that I might stitch some of Peppermint Lane by LHN. I started this one evening a while back when my husband was reading and I needed to work on something on large count. I doubt it will be finished by the new year, so I imagine that it will be the first finish of 2009? We shall see :) Until next time!

Opinions needed please!

I am sort of on the fence if this frame works with this design...let me know what you think! Right now it's just sitting on top of the finished piece. I got the frame 1/2 off today...and the size is just barely right. I can't decide if the white is too white...
I finished this cute little Heart in Hand today. It's been sitting in my unfinished finished stack for literally 3 years now (I stitched it while on bed rest the week before Nicholas was born 3 years ago!). The great thing about this type of finish is that it's a no-sew finish! My favorite type!
I've been working on this little freebie from Blue Ribbon Designs. I started it about a month ago and then it kept getting pushed to the side. I'd like to finish stitching it before Christmas...but if not...then before 2009!
Lastly, here's a pic of Nicholas and Jack before church yesterday...pretty cute!

For Sale Items

I have started a sale blog (see the right sidebar), and I've added some items for sale. Info is all located on that blog. Please email me at diannebbrown@hotmail.com for more information about purchasing any charts.

I will be adding more charts and stash to get rid of periodically! Happy Stashing!

Celebrations all around

My first celebration today is because I finished Holly and Berries. I had several comments about the fabric that I used for this one...it is 40 ct. Abecedarian Blend by R&R. I think that this is BY FAR my favorite fabric color and count combination...I love it! It was stitched using the recommended DMC fibers.

Holly and Berries
Little House Needleworks
40 ct. Abecedarian Blend
DMC Fibers

The next celebration for today is that it is my oldest's birthday! Nicholas is 3 today...and time has definitely flown by! So, in honor of him, here's some pictures for you to enjoy :)

Some decent progress

Now that birthday is over, and Christmas shopping is basically done, I've been able to stay at home and do a decent amount of stitching! Here's how Holly and Berries looks:
Hope you all are well! Thanks for all the comments lately on my blog! Keep it comin'!

Gift from Autumn

A few weeks ago I won a contest on Autumn's blog...and this is a picture of what she sent! I'm completely blown away by this gift!

The package contained...a Periwinkle Promises kit, Silkweaver Fabric, Jubilee Fabric, Carries Thread, Gentle Art fiber, Silk 'n Colors fiber, Valdani fiber, and some really cute ME stickers! All of this was packaged in one of those really neat zip mesh bags. I have always wanted to use Valdani, and now I get to use it on something...I can't wait! Thank you Autum for a lovely gift!

Big Project Done!!!

Only the project isn't cross stitching! I have been sort of procrastinating working on this project for a while now...but now it's done! But...I can't show it to you! It's a Christmas present for someone who I think reads this blog...so I can only show you this tiny preview...
On to the stitchery...and there's little update in the last few days as I've been using every spare few minutes to finish the afore mentioned project. Here's Holly and Berries...
Here's Jack's Stocking...
That's all for now! Until next time...

WARNING...Picture Heavy Post!

It seems that we all "warn" people when we post lots of pictures. As I thought about that, really, that's what I love to see is pictures...don't you?! So, next time, instead of a warning, I shall have to announce it in a much happier way...something like "Yay, lots of stitchy pics!" or something equally as cheesy :)

Anyway, on to the pictures. First I will begin with some family pics. Over the weekend we went to our little downtown area for "Miracle on Morton Street." The downtown strip of about 6-8 blocks is barricaded so that street vendors, food vendors, etc can set up shop. We went Saturday night, and we got to play some kiddie games, sit with Santa, and most exciting of all (according to Nicholas) was that we got to sit in an old fire truck. So, here's a couple of pics from that outing...

Next up is a progress report. I didn't stitch much this weekend, but I did start...yes I said start...on Holly and Berries by LHN. I'm stitching this on 40 ct. Abecedarian Blend by R&R (my all time favorite fabric color) using the recommended fibers.
Next up I have some cute finished finishes :) As I think I've mentioned before, my mom does all of my sewing finishes (pillows, wallhangings, etc.) She used to have a custom drapery workroom, and now she has retired from that and is a full-time MiMi to my boys and a full-time stitcher! When I saw her for Thanksgiving, she brought in a slew of finishes...it was an early Christmas for me :)

Easter Parade - bunny
Blackbird Designs
Recommended Fabric and Fibers

BHG Freebie from website
Days Gone By Fabric (count unknown)
Crescent Color Cupid
Strawberry House
Little House Needleworks
35 ct. Dark Espresso by R & R
Recommended Fibers

Faith Threadpack
Little House Needleworks
Recommended Fabric and Fibers
A Queen (kit)
Shepherd's Bush
Scatter Freedom
Shepherd's Bush
unknown 32 ct. fabric
Recommended Fibers

Also, I'm going to show you a picture of Jack today...because he's 8 weeks old! My how time flies!
Now, last but certainly not least, I HAVE to show off a finish of my mom's! She started this many months ago, around March or April, I think, and because it's so gorgeous, I just have to share! This is a picture of Quaker Virtues by ByGone Stitches. It is stitched on a Fat Half of 32 ct. Pear linen by Lakeside, and she used Hand-Dyed Fibers by Vicki Clayton. I love the octagonal frame...it's perfect!
Well, that is the end of this massive picture post. Hope that you enjoyed it as much as I did! I do also want to thank some of the new visitors that I have had recently. I love seeing your blogs...many of you inspire me to keep stitching, and you certainly inspire new stash buying!

Happy Stitching to all :)

O Christmas Tree

Here's the stocking after working on it for a couple of days. Wendy asked if I was using the recommended fabric and fibers for this...and the answer is yes! I love the colors in this stocking. This picture was taken in front of a bright window and consequently it looks a bit washed out. The fibers are actually MUCH bolder in real life. It's coming along slowly, but nicely. It is quite a change to stitch with Perle Cotton on 18 ct. over 2!

Just for fun...here's a picture of my Christmas Tree this year. The bottom portion of the tree is a bit cluttered with ornaments right now...Nicholas likes to move and redecorate :)

New Start

Here's a really cruddy (sorry) picture of what I've been working on for the last couple of days. I started this last Monday or Tuesday, and this is only about 1.5 hours of stitching. I decided that even though I'd love to start one of those LHNs, I really needed to get a jump on Jack's stocking (which is Brett's Stocking by Shepherd's Bush). I feel pretty confident in saying that this WON'T be done for this year!

I hope that everyone out there had a happy Thanksgiving. Mine was wonderful, and I ate entirely too much!