Recent Stitching and the Year in Review

Between the holidays and ogling too many other blogs, I don't have too much to add to this one (but notice it's not stopping me from trying). I only have one finish to show - it took me forever to get the Tulip Belle Soie I needed to pull it off the Q-Snaps. I'm still not happy that the blue isn't that variegated, but it's a pretty piece none-the-less. I'm not quite sure what to do with it - it's a little small for a pillow but too big for an ornament. Hopefully inspiration will strike one of these days.

Singing the Blues
Little House Needleworks
Unknown Cashel linen
Belle Soie threads

Jenny Bean is coming along but I really blew it on the size of the linen. The left and right sides only have about 1 1/2 inches to spare from the border stitches. I hope I will be able to frame it once it's done, which won't be for awhile, because something else has been calling my name:

This is such a quintessential winter project - I think Jenny is going to go on the back burner for awhile. The linen I got isn't quite the same shade as is suggested - it's a little lighter and brighter, but I think it will look okay. It's called Misty Meadows - isn't that a pretty name?

I will start The North Wind sitting under my new/old LUX floor lamp, which I found for peanuts at a rummage sale. What a difference a daylight lamp makes!

As a slow stitcher, I tend to compare my output to that of many others and find it quite minimal, but when I looked at my notebook in which I've started writing down my projects, I was quite surprised to find a respectable number of finishes. Here's my list:

Sew Animalistic - iStitch Designs
Netherfield Park - The Sampler Girl
February Little Hearts Sal by Sylvia
Necessities Sampler - LHN
Pear Tree - LHN
Laura's House in the Woods - The Sampler Girl
Sew Peacock - iStitch Designs
The Snowman and James - DMC
The Secret Garden - JBW Designs
Red Bird Freebie - Gazette 94
Do It Well - Silver Creek Samplers
By the Full Moon - Ink Circles
Wash Day - Carriage House Samplings
Tidings of Joy ornament - Heart in Hand Needleart
French Country Star ornament - JBW Designs
Sew Spooky - iStitch Designs
Country Wall Postbox - Janet Granger
Halloween Hoot and Bat - Oakhaven Designs

Victorian Christmas Motif - Joan Elliott

If I had to pick favorites I'd choose Sew Animalistic and Sew Spooky, Netherfield Park, Wash Day and Do It Well, but I enjoyed them all. I'll have to look back at the end of this year and see if 2011 measures up to 2010. Here's to a happy year of stitching for everyone!