*tips her hat to Governor Schwarzenegger* I guess I should update on what I've been doing in the cross stitching world since I initially started this blog to detail my daily adventures in stitching, but almost immediately changed my mind and made it a stream of my bizarre consciousness type of thing.

For those who know the super secret link, I finally finished something for friends of mine who got married in August. I've finally got new frames and mats ordered (for it and something else) and will have that up to them by the end of the month, hopefully.... at the very least, they'll have it in time for Valentine's Day - and won't that be appropriate!

I've decided, after spending the bulk of 2003 doing models and gifts, that 2004 will be my selfish year. I stitch only for me (with the exception of one model that I hope I get in the summer, depending on things that are out of my control). And I get to help a friend make sure she stays with her goals of completing a couple of things this year - likewise, she's going to keep me on the straight and narrow too.

Independent of her, I decided I'm also going to try and stitch an ornament a month (two, if I'm feeling particularly ambitious, or maybe I should start B's Christmas stocking instead) - so two nights a month will be spent working on ornies. The ones I have in mind shouldn't take much more than that - they're the beaded Mill Hill Charmers. I've spent 3 hours on one so far and all I have to do is the beading now.

In the meantime, Teresa Wentzler's The Guardian is going down. I've had that as a WIP since May 2001 - almost 3 solid years. It's my oldest WIP, and while I still love it, I'm tired of hearing that dragon whine at me in the closet where I've put him while I work on other things. So this year, he's going to be completed and framed and hung in A & B's room.

I think the next oldest wip is either Celestial Dragon or Floral Bellpull. I'm actually working on CD at the moment, so no fear there, but after a dreadful frogging (where I had to rip out stitches *rip-it, rip-it*) incident on Floral Bellpull I've not gone back to it. So, it's going to stay in its lovely baggie for a little while longer - they'll be dried flowers instead of fresh.... that's still nice, right?

One of the other "must finish in 2004" projects is Above the Clouds, on some lovely cloud fabric - I can't remember if it's Silkweaver or old Blended Needle, but either way, I think it's going to turn out gorgeous. And it's small, so I should be able to get it out of the way during breaks from Guardian. No, I don't have a formal rotation but I don't think I want one at the moment... I think I need to pare down the WIP list a little more.

Desiderata and The Fortunate Traveller will be worked on liberally during 2004 - Of course, I need to decide if Desiderata will stay on the 28 count bone lugana I'm working it on, or change the fabric out (and rip out my existing work) to a 28 count white Quaker. Decisions, decisions. For you non-stitchers reading this, trust me, this is a hard decision to make even though I've only finished the second band past the bottom of the G motif that starts the piece. Which, to look at the picture doesn't seem like much, but considering that the whole piece will end up being about 40 inches long, I really have completed quite a bit. Progress which no one can see, since I've not taken a picture of it yet.

I started Mirabilia's Shimmering Mermaid before the end of 2003. It's on a most lovely fabric called Charizma from Silkweaver that's got the most beautiful purples and blues to it... Yes, I know, no new WIPs until I finish something, but that's the 2004 vow. New starts in 2003 were exempt. The stitching buddy who's going to keep me on track fully understands this - she's the one who inspired me by doing the same darn thing herself.

I reserve the right to not make a statement about Noah's Ark and Storyteller at the moment because I don't know what the year ahead will have in store for them. I guess I should work some on Noah since I do moderate that forum...

I have a very nice little piece called Because Nice Matters. Someone sent it anonymously to me last year (I've never figured out who), and I've treasured it ever since. It was my work project, and it's almost done. I'm going to finish it up at home, and then frame it and figure out where to hang it. I thought about my office at work, but I think over my computer at home might be more appropriate so that I see it every morning regardless of workday or weekend (since I keep my car keys and briefcase and cell phone on my desk)....

...because yes, Nice does Matter. To paraphrase a friend: Nice things happen to nice people, because they deserve it.