Brrringo List and January 2026 Mag. Monthly Challenge

My planning lists have been solidified and I'm done well BEFORE the new year. This is a good thing! I don't know why this December has been more about planning throughout the month instead of concentrating on it during the last week of the year, but it seemed more important for some reason. And that wasn't just for stitching, either. 

I sat down a few days ago, went over list upon list and ended up with this list as my final choices:

and my final pick for Brrringo Numbers.

The January 2026 Magaline Monthly Challenge was quite easy since the main theme was Monochrome and the Acrostic was SAMPLER

Monochrome - French Mystery 52erre ru

Acrostic:

• S - Snowman Mitten Tree
• A - Aymar's Amber Rose
• M - My Husband
• P- Purrfect Halloween
• L - Laundry Day
• E - Eastern Bluebird
• R - Icy River

The lists can do double duty, so if a number is called during Brringo and it's on the Challenge list, it can be counted on both lists. If I do that or not will be a different story. 

Brrring is requiring 2 starts for me, but there will be no more starts until at least there is a finish. My WIP list will not grow that way.

Happy New Year!

 Here we are - in 2025. I still can't wrap my head around how that happened. Where did all the time go?! I know I'm not the only one that has commented on how quickly the year has went by. Good-bye 2024. There's so much of you that I won't miss! 

I'm looking forward to this year. Plans include a No-Buy year for yarn and pretty much the same for Cross Stitch. Cross stitch won't be as strict, because I'll be needed threads, beads and possibly other supplies to finish my projects. I am enjoying the idea of working from stash. I want to complete the projects I have going and as a reward, I think I will have my large pieces framed - maybe even professionally. I've only paid for a couple of pieces in the past to be framed. Unfortunately, although I loved the finished pieces, my LNS who did a gorgeous job has since moved to another state. I've been putting off sending my things to Michaels or Hobby Lobby, just because of all the tales I've hear about the chain craft stores. I need to do some research before I do decide where to take them. 

Professionally framed by 
BushMountain Stitchery

Someone asked me a bit ago why I have so many OLD WIPS. Well,  it just sort of happened. I would be working on something that I liked for myself and then I'd get a model stitching job, and that personal project would be put aside. Then when I'd send the model back to the designer, I might have a gift that needed worked on or just not feeling like picking the set aside piece back at the moment. After a while, those pieces just piled up. Honestly - I really don't like starting a new piece. There's something about finding the right spot to start, getting the first hour of stitching correct before I start feeling it and wanting to continue. Weird, isn't it?!

Organization and Plans

I am a multi-crafter. I have never been satisfied with one niche but have always needed to branch out and learn everything I could. My mother, grandmother and great-grandmother were the same way and they passed it on to me. Mind you - for them, it was more of a necessity, especially the further back you go in my history. 

My great-grandmother saw it and made it. The family would take a trip to New York City and go to the posh stores and window shop. She would sketch the clothing she saw and liked, then went home and made them. Oh to have that talent and the many talents that ran through my mother's line. Yes, I do make things, but it wasn't until the last few years that I started doing things without a pattern or changing a pattern to fit what I like.

Why do I tell you this? Well, it's because my house is overtaken with all kinds of crafting items. There's not too many things I haven't tried and I have the supplies for all that I have. Woodburning, woodworking, jewelry making, beading, cards and paper crafts, painting, drawing, etc. and that's on top of cross-stitch, knitting, crochet and sewing. So, you see where my problem is. The supplies are taking over - they need organized and pared down. I hate knowing that I have something somewhere but not being able to find it. 

I have been on an 8 month stretch of not buying any yarn and that includes kits. I'm going to continue on the "Cold Sheep" Wagon and this year it's going to reach into other crafting areas. This year I'm not buying any new crafting or needlework products - including cross stitch. I will only be stitching from stash but I will reserve the right to purchase any threads or materials needed to complete an item. 

A no buy year for 2025. Maybe I'll have more success with organizing and finding things!!!

Looking Ahead to 2024

 

I really need to concentrate on all the stuff I have in my "craft room". Next year should be using from stash only. Between the prices going up and things I'm coming across that I forgotten about, I shouldn't be feeling too deprived. LOL

One of the things I need to concentrate on is Houses of Hawk Run Hollow by The Carriage House. This was gifted to me by a wonderful person and although it was started, it was quickly abandoned as my eyesight turned worse. At the time I didn't realize it, since it was slowly creeping up on me, but by the time I had the blood clot issue - my eyes were not allowing me to stitch. I had given some things away, but kept the HoHRH because I had always been hopeful that one day I could stitch on it again. I'm hoping that will be happening next year.

My plans are to do one block a month and by the end of the year, I'll have the BAP finished. I started stitching on the 3rd block in the second row years ago, so that's where I plan to pick up. It's been put on stretcher bars and is ready to go. Now - if only my eyes agree with it. I'm armed with magnifiers and reading glasses plus my bifocals, so.... 

December Already

Here it is, December already. Where did the year go? It's been a difficult one. A year where I almost lost by husband to a birth defect that never was correctly diagnosed until this year. After a cardiac arrest and tons of tests as well as a life saving surgery, he's on his road to recovery. Thank the good LORD for that! 

As for this blog, it's been really neglected and mostly because of Ravelry. I can post my knitting and crochet there since the database is really great and easy to use. However, there's the issue of all my other crafts. I think this would be a good place for them and I'll probably just keep the knitting and crochet mainly to Ravelry. 

I had thought I would have to give up on counted cross stitch. In fact, I did have to put it aside for a few years. My eyes had the issue of an ocular occlusion and made it hard to see. It was just off the center of my dominant eye. Between that, extreme amount of floaters and persciption changes, I had to go to larger print and reading with a backlight and bright light. It took a long time adjusting, but I've finally gotten to the place where I can see pretty well again. With that change, I started cross stitching again! Oh, I really did miss it!

This craft page should be revivied since I now have things I will be able to post. I'm hoping for a finish or 2 before the end of the year and then there's the lists - end of year and hopes for next year. 

I'm looking forward to dusting everything of and just getting back into the stitching and crafting mode. I hope to have lots to share with you!!!