My Totally Out-of-Reach Goals for 2012... :D

EDIT: December 12th, 2012 - Reached my goal of two of these projects completed this year!! Yay! I actually reached my modest goal!!! Buahahaha!!! :D

EDIT: April 16th, 2012 - Bought "Leopard Cub" today... I was totally surprised to see it at the Mary Maxim... And I had a coupon... Yay! Still working on "Cardinals on Sled"...

EDIT: March 25th, 2012 - Bought "Love Birds"... Quite a while ago, actually... And started "Cardinals on Sled" today... There's a progress picture posted...

EDIT: February 28th, 2012 - **So, I changed the date on this post... It's going to stay at the top of this blog until the end of the year... That way, I can edit this sucker to within an inch of its life, and not forget about these projects that I want to do**...

So, I want to try to get some of these things done this year... I know, I am not the most constant of stitchers... I work, and study, and play, and my life sometimes cannot keep up with my hobby aspirations... But, I do get some projects done from time to time... This year, I want to get at least two of these things done... I have motivations for a couple of them, and others are purely for me... 

 "Cardinals on Sled" is a kit I currently have twice... This one is on comission from a co-worker... It has to be done by August or September so she has time to get it framed for her mother for Christmas...
EDIT: Started March 25th, 2012... Progress picture posted...
EDIT: Still working on this as of April 16th, 2012... Will post another progress picture soon! 
EDIT: December 12th, 2012 - Finished...

"Chickadees and Lilacs" is what I have come to believe is the prettiest of kits I own... I really want to start on it this year...  

"Faith Ornament" is already started, but I probably won't be working on it anytime soon...

EDIT: February 25th, 2012 - Finished...

"Leopard Cub" is adorable... I don't own this kit, yet... It just came out, and I haven't had a chance to buy it... I know I have a ton of things in my stash already, but I really can't resist... I just have this thing for big-cat kittens...
EDIT: Purchased April 16th, 2012... It's so freakin' cute!!!

"Love Birds" is a beauty... I don't own this one either... I am hoping to get it soon, and then stitch it for my parent's anniversary in May...
EDIT: Purchased back in February... Shortly after I originally posted this entry...

"Sled Dogs" just looks like fun... :D

So there's my list... I have no real hopes of getting all these done... I have exams in March that I'm somewhat furiously studying for, and that takes up all my spare time... In the meantime I am working and trying to etch out a small life of fun times... And take care of two cats... And not neglect my friends or family... Balancing acts are my specialty, you know...

And has anybody else noticed my complete love affair with Dimensions Cross-Stitch Kits yet? Sheesh... I stitch almost exclusively from them... I just think they're awesome...

"Cardinals on Sled" Finish!!!

"Cardinals on Sled"

From Dimensions

Designed by Donna Race

Finished December 12th, 2012

Finally... I feel like I've run a marathon... This took me so long to finish, and now that I'm done I'm kinda stitched out, but raring to start something new... For me, this time though... :D

Goals for the Month of May 2012...

Well, my goals for April were a total bust... It's hard to concentrate on anything when your face is in agony... Pain can take a lot out of a person... I never understood that before... I'm hoping this month will be better for cross-stitch...

1. Get half of "Cardinals on Sled" finished...

2. Finish two small projects that are in my coffee shop carry bag... May 6th, 2012 - Just finished "Horse Pair"...

3. Finish the needle book from the latest edition of CrossStitcher Magazine...

I'll be finding out if I passed the MCQ and OSPE this month... Cross-stitch may keep me sane for the next two weeks...

Goals for the Month of April 2012...

1. Get half of "Cardinals on Sled" finished...

2. Finish two small projects that are in my coffee shop carry bag...

3. Finish the needle book from the latest edition of CrossStitcher Magazine...

Yet Another Progress Picture...

And here's where I'm at after session number three... I'm pleased with this progress so far... The beauty of this one is that a lot of the picture is in half-stitches, which means I can cover large amounts of area quickly... All the blue is half-stitch, and the tree trunk which will eventually be in the background will be half-stitch too... I love half-stitch... But, for now, I am working on the full crosses... Takes longer, but they are beautiful...

The picture has been edited, due to my crappy picture taking skills at night... I auto-adjusted it, making it less yellow from the overhead lights, then I resaturated the colours to make them pop more... A much nicer picture than last time... :)

Progress on "Cardinals on Sled"...

So, I started this today... Currently it looks like a certain Pokemon's fur coat... I was tired, so I couldn't do any more without my eyes going blurry... I was tired because I have just finished my professional licensing exams for being a Pharmacy Technician... The OSPE and MCQ were tough, but I got through them... Now I just have to wait for my results... Gulp... Until then, I'll be keeping my mind on this thing... :)

I finished another cross-stitch during the drive to London yesterday... I'll have to take a picture of it and post that tomorrow...

Adventures in Another Country! (This is Probably Only Exciting to Me)...

Okay, so, that "other country" is the USA, specifically, Michigan... Not even a highly populated area either, like Detroit... More like Port Huron... Or, for the more name-picky of you, Fort Gratiot...

My brother and I went shopping on the other side of the bridge today... We do that about every 2 to 3 weeks... It's easier then driving the car an hour to London, and to be honest, there's just more stuff to buy and it's cheaper, regardless of the dollar these days...

Well, a few days ago, I was hanging out with an over-due pregnant friend of mine, drinking several cups of tea, and admiring some artwork on her kitchen wall... It looked quilted, but she told me it was covered foam pieces and the fabric was just tucked around into the creases... I asked where she found something like that, and she said Mary Maxim... And then went to go pee... Multiple cups of tea + overdue = small bladder apparently...

So, today, I wanted to find this Mary Maxim place... I have heard of it in passing, but I've never gone there... Nobody would really give me specific directions... So, I looked it up online... And it's on the way to the freaking mall!!! Literally, we pass right by it!!! Argh!

Which means there's now three craft stores I have to pilgrimage to...

And my brother bought this for me today for my birthday...

I have a great brother, don't you think? And there were so many things to choose from, and he was in awe of the sample pieces that were stitched up and framed... He thought they were paintings... It was fantastic seeing the look on his face...

I'm still working on Panda Delight... The panda part is almost done... Then just the greenery in the background...