Start Less, Finish More

Waaay back on May 21st of last year, I made a list of unfinished projects that needed some attention. Here's what's left to do:

1. Pink/White class quilt binding
2. Bee hexagon quilt
3. Buttercup quilt - need to cut more strips

Strips cut for the Buttercup Quilt

4. Broken Blues quilt - Very first quilt top I ever pieced.
5. Red/Brown squares quilt
6. Welcome Home cross stitch
7. Tomato Crate Label cross stitch - which is farther along than I remember!

Tomato Crate Label

8. Sublime Stitching ABC
9. Emily's yellow rug - I really will finish them some day, Emily.
10. Emily's blue rug
11. Blue table runner - needs quilting and binding
12. Red/White/Blue table runner - top is finished


All of the above projects are in some stage of completion, as you can see from the photos.

These projects were actually finished:

1. Art Beat Yarn Bomb

Mine wasn't her favorite, but she was nice enough to pose by mine anyway.

2. Sarah's purple and green quilt binding
3. Practice piece binding
4. Nana book bag
5. Hand Made Gift Exchange pin cushion
6. Jessica and Nick beach glass heart

I must really like them to give away my beach glass.

7. Charlotte's Strip and Flip Quilt
8. "Sarah" pillow


And these projects have been abandoned for various reasons:

1. Sarah's purple sweater
2. Sublime Stitching frame for Jessica and Nick
3. Julie cuff bracelet for myself
4. Snake amigurumi

And of course, more projects have been added to the list for finishing:

1. Aidan's birthday gift - finished 1/19/13
2. Tara's birthday gift
3. Fruit Punch afghan

As hard as I try, I know I will start more projects. It's just what I do. But, the plan is to finish what I have, and use supplies I already own to make any new projects that do pop up.

Well, that's the plan anyway...

Creativity Day 10

It may not seem like much but it's important. My blueberry and romaine lettuce smoothie for breakfast today. Good stuff. 

Day 3 - Creativity in the Garden

Today we spent time outside working in our gardens. Really, what's more creative than that?

Here's my gardener. Isn't he hunky? 

Also, I sent him to Lowe's for mulch and he came back with the mulch AND this Wine & Rose Wiegela. How awesome is that?

  

This is the same garden from two different views. The front of this one was very full and making me really happy. The back was looking a little empty so we added two different ornamental grasses (moved from the backyard) and some of "Grandma" Betty's daisies (also from the backyard).

Here's the back garden. I honestly can't remember how many years it's been since we started it but it has plants from at least three friends yards and that's just awesome. It makes me think of them every time I look at it. 

This is just a little area we've carved out in a corner. Again, I don't really remember putting those daisies there with the ornamental grass. We call them "junkyard" daisies because they can and do pretty much spread themselves and thrive anywhere.

This is along a fence in our back yard. My favorite is the lilacs that are already way past flowering for this year. But I also really love the Rose of Sharon that also can from a friend.

This area has become the herb garden. They all do very well here. We have chives, tarragon, basil, lemon balm, lavender. Cilantro is elsewhere in the yard. 

Finally, here's a quick look at the front walk. We moved these two hosta plants from the back yard to the front. Precious few plants have thrived in this area because of the amount of roots in the soil and the fact that this is a highly shaded area (our house faces north). Here's hoping the hostas do well. 

Day 2 of Creativity

So for day 2 I started a new project. I totally forgot about my list. Silly girl.

I'm using some beautiful hand spun yarn. It's oh, so nice to work with. And I'm making this scarf, which is a free download from Lion Brand Yarn.

If you take a look at the pattern you'll see that I'm using yarn that is way thicker than what's in the pattern. I started working with some very fine Scrumptious yarn from Fyberspates. My fingers are just not configured for yarn that fine. It feels more like thread to me. I just may actually use it for embroidery or some such type of project.

I love, love, love the yarn I'm using though. It will suit me much better anyway.

This pattern is my first foray into knitting short rows. I really thought that it was way harder than it is. The truth is that it's totally easy. I feel so silly when I try things I've avoided because I thought they would be too hard to figure out.

Anyway, I guess I'll have to add this to my list now since it's not finished. Maybe I'll actually finish a few during this month. Here's hoping.

30 Days of Creativity

I'm planning to play along with the Yarn Revolt folks. They have created the 30 Days of Creativity page on Facebook. Since I usually do crafty things almost 30 days a month anyway, I thought I would join in.

Tonight I traced this for transfer and went ahead and ironed it onto the fabric. Thinking the stitching will begin tomorrow.

Who knows if I'll actually make it thirty days. Goodness knows I have enough projects to work on that I have more than enough work to do to last way more than 30 days.

What do you think? Wanna go thirty days with me?