The Lists and Challenges

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! 

I wish everyone a happy and productive year. I know I'm looking forward to a year of change and getting stuff done - things I've had on my TO-DO list forever.

I am excited to turn a new page and start over! One of the things I decided to do to accomplish my goals was join the Magazine Monthly Cross Stitch Challenge group on Facebook. I need to focus on my projects listed below, and this group is going to be a big help accomplishing that. This month, we are playing BRR-ingo and there's also a monthly Acrostic. I'll be doing both - the BRR-ingo has a lot of my listed WIPs and the Monthly Acrostic will be focused on stitching from my magazine stash. It's about time I put them to good use!

Today's number is 3 - which is The Silver Needle's exclusive kit called Mitten Tree Snowman. Linda Stolz of The Silver Needle and Stoney Creek paired up and Linda did some modifications to the Stoney Creek's snowman pattern. She changed colors and threads added/subtracted things to create a lovely and quite large snowman. 

Here's how my snowman looked before I started working on it today:

And today's progress:

For us to be able to cross off our bingo square, we are required to put in at least 1 hour or 100 stitches. I have a bit over 3 hours in. I would have had more done, but found there was an error with the thread that was provided in the kit and what was used in the instructions. The instructions said to use 1 strand #3 DMC Perle Cotton but only #5 was supplied. I didn't notice the discrepancy until I stitched the red and green area and really, really didn't like the coverage - or lack thereof. I then looked closer and saw the weight difference, so decided to do the blue area using 2 strands and see if it may be too heavy. 

I preferred the 2 strand coverage, so I went back and restitched the red/green area. It looks so much better to me now. 

This piece is on my Brr-ingo card 2 more times, so I should see some nice progress on him by the end of the month. 

I can't wait to see what the next number called is. This has sparked a new excitement and interest on getting these projects done. 

The following lists are what I want and need to work on. My goal is to have some finishes but also to touch each project listed below at least once this year. Some things on this list haven't been touched in about 20 years!!!

CURRENT WIPS STARTED IN 2023

Dimensions - Laundry Day Kit

Janlynn - Live Simply Kit

Riolis - City Cats in Autumn Kit

The Silver Needle Exclusive - Snoman Mitten Tree Kit

THE WIP LIST

Art Ventures - Old Sentinel - 15%

Cross Stitch & Country Crafts - North Woods Stocking

Crossed Wing Collection - Hummingbird Garden 35%

Dawna Barton - Dinner Call - 60%
Diane Arthurs - Happy Everything - 60%
DMC - The White Bindweed Fairy - 15% - found mistake must rip
Dimensions - A Bird For All Seasons - 5%

Dimensions - Magic In Motion - 5%

Dimensions - Wolf Portrait - 65%
Drawn Thread - Miniature Reversible Sampler
Drawn Thread - Winter Spot - 10%
Hearts Delight - Noahs Ark Kit - 50%

Jiffy - Fateful Night 

Just Cross Stitch 2001 Ornament Issue - Cinnamon Bear 85%

Just Nan - First Stitches
Just Nan - Last Stitches
Lanarte - Romantic Picnic 15%
Lavender & Lace - Celtic Spring - 35%

Pat Rogers - Hearts & Lace Sampler 70%

Paula Vaughan - May

Pegasus - Pekingese Dogs V. 4 15%

The Silver Lining - Aymars Amber Rose 30%

Sweetheart Tree - Olde English Needle Roll - 15%

Sweetheart Tree - Teenie Tweenies Spring Has Sprung 30%

Teresa Wentzler - Stretch 15%

MYSTERY/SALS/MONTHLYS

Bent Creek - Snappers (12 w/border) - 12 completed plus 1/3 of the border

Curtis Boehringer - Needlewomans Murder Mystery

French Calendar free weekly - 23 of 52 finished

Helga Mandl and Barbara Ana - Mystery Sampler - 45%

Marquoir Mystery Sampler freebie SAL 4 of 9 finished

Pamela Kellogg - Cupids Garden Mystery SAL 15%

BAPS

Carriage House Samplings - The Houses of Hawk Run Hollow

Kustom Krafts - 4 Horses of Apocalypse
Kustom Krafts - Fire & Ice
Kustom Krafts - Sofa Cat

Marty Bell - Hideaway Cottage

Sunset - Gettysburg

Teresa Wentzler - Under the Evergreen

The Cross Stitch Pattern Gallery - The Baby by Harrison Fisher

Vermillion Stitchery - The Holy Family

PULLED OFF LIST FOR DONATION

Leisure Arts - Noahs Ark Baby Afghan 50%