February Stash Diet

First, I feel like I have been bad all month. Not much stitching. Too much shopping. It will be interesting to see what I end up with.
First,  a new finish!

Cameo Blue and Imperial Emerald-Gay Ann Rogers

These are hearts that I stitched in 2015 and 2016 but never got around to finishing. My finisher does a lovely job and is worth every penny I pay her, but I wanted to save some money so I finished them myself.
You saw this already-put I mailed it to my sister so I am counting it.

The above two photos are my purchases from Gay Ann's sale. I need to save my pennies for Eleanor.
No journal pages done, but I sent some art cards to my nieces.
So lets do some math:
Started with $181
                   +   25 monthly spending
                   +    5 Busy Bee (It needs something for the center, but I think it will be a pin)
                   +    8 Fishing Vest
                    +    5 Vest sent to Dad
                   +    5 Sugar Skull(sent to sister)
                    +    8 Cards sent
                    + 70 Finished Hearts
                    -     5 weight GAIN
                    - 138 Gay Ann Rogers
Total $161   Not too bad, but I hope to get more done in March.
                  

Day 12-A Heart by Gay Ann Rogers

I am not sure which heart I will stitch, but I know I will pull one this year and work on it.  Here are pictures of two finished hearts that I hope to hang before February 14. When I pull my next one, I will share it here.

Cameo Blue Is Beaded

Now I just need to finish it to a heart shape!

Beading on my Heart

This is what I really want to work on.  I am a little worried that my bugle beads are too close together and won't make the "necklace" for this piece work.  I think I have some extra beads that I can use to make it work.

All Done Except for the Beading

I know it doesn't look like much, but all the stitching is done on this heart. I just need to add the beads which really makes these hearts sparkle.  But that will have to wait as I need to work on the project for my guild, the doodle drawn thread sampler and the next crazy quilt block that has come may way.

Some More Heart

I haven't made much progress, but I am making some.  Hopefully I will have some time this week to get the stitching finished on this piece so I can get to the beads.

Ripping Out my Heart

I gave myself permission to work on my heart yesterday and I thought I was zooming along. And I was....incorrectly!!! I probably should have left it alone and stitched the right side like the incorrect left side, but I removed the stitches.  Now I have holes in my canvas where there shouldn't be(congress cloth is very unforgiving) and I have more stitches to take out.  Sigh.  I think it will be fine no matter what and my mother has offered to take it off my hands when I am done.

A Little Heart Progress

Thanks for your comments.  They made me laugh as I can tell you are all dedicated stitchers and love new projects as much as I do.  But I really need to make a dent in my stash before I add more.

Having said that, my "goal" was to have this heart done before Valentine's Day.  Why?  Besides the obvious fact that it is a heart,  Gay Ann Rogers
is having a sale starting on Thursday.  I think she will have at least one new heart that I will have to add to my stash.  So much for will power and self-control.

Heart Update

The other day a friend asked about projects and starting new ones.  It made me think about the projects I am currently working on. First, there is the year long project I am teaching my local EGA.  Next is my large project which right now is  Doodle Drawn Thread Sampler by Gay Ann Rogers.  Then I have a small project to work on which is usually a Mill Hill bead kit or one of those Stitch N Zip Projects. And I usually have a medium easy project going which currently is this Cameo Blue Heart by Gay Ann Rogers.  When I finish one of these projects, I start a new one(either a WIP or a totally new project) in the same category. So when this heart is done, I will start a new one or work on a Santa by Janet Zickler Casey.  How about you?  How do you decide to start a new project?

Day 2 Start

 This is my start for today.  It is nativity Trilogy-Baby Jesus by Mill Hill.  I found the center and got the face in.

I was able to get the outline done on Cameo Heart.  Then I started working on the scotch stitch that goes in the center. I hated putting this away.  I have a feeling it will be the thing I work on after I get my Santa done.

Crazy Start One

I have not gotten much done today.  I keep miscounting.  I would fudge this part-the outline-but I know it makes the rest of the stitching easier..Maybe I can get this right before I go to bed tonight.

Cameo Blue Heart-Gay Ann Rogers