Christmas crafts with kids and looking forward to 2015

The Christmas season is well under way at our house. We broke up a week earlier than most schools in the area and I really needed that break. To be honest, I have been very ill this last term on and off and even now, after having a full week off, I am still full of a head cold and sinus trouble. My face is in a lot of pain. So I haven't actually wanted to do very much other than stay in and hunker down in my own home.

A few days ago, knowing the kiddos were getting a little bit stir crazy, I set them off doing some Christmas crafts using this book that I had purchased a year or two ago.

We made paper chains...

And snowflakes....

these were a bit trickier..

And I was very proud of my wee man who spent hours on making stuff. 

I still need to write cards and do a bit of baking but truth be told I'm really not in the mood this year. I'm just plain old worn out! 

So I thought I'd start looking ahead to next year and begin to make some goals. I failed miserably the last few years at making and sticking to my goals so thought I'd try a different approach. I have seen a lot of people doing the stitch from stash thing which looks good but I think I need to be even more stricter than that with my finances. So I'm not sure. I had thought about having a kind of finishing pot so that every time it finished something I would pay myself a certain amount and put it in the pot so to speak. Then after I have a few finishes under my belt I can treat myself to something new. 

I have a few charts already kitted up in my stash that are waiting to be started. One of which I have just started as a bit of a Christmas treat. It is Heartstring's Samplery The Stars are Brightly Shining. 

I have done quite a bit on it already and looking forward to squeezing in another finish before the end of the year. 

I am loving working on this which uses GAST threads and is stitched on 32 count desert sand. 

I have also recently finished CCN ornie number 3 and now awaiting for the next one. It seems to be taking forever for these designs to get over here. 

I have decided to stitch them all up first and then "finish" them off into ornies. I hate the finishing bit. 

The other project I have started is another ripple blanket which is a gift for my sister for her birthday but I literally only have about 6 weeks to do it in so I need to get this done quickly. The colours are turning out quite pretty although I wasn't so sure at first. 

I hope she likes it. She might not, truth be told, but at least I can say I have tried to make my peace.

So stitching plans for 2015?

I desperately need to finish Elisabeth Lillie.

I must finish Lizzie Kate ABC Christmas

I must make some considerable progress on A Quaker Christmas

It would be nice to get at least 2 or 3 blocks done on Shores of Hawk Run Hollow

I should really get going on A Most Noble Pursuit

Helen Bell's multiplication sampler has been sitting far too long 

and these are just WIPs

I won't mention the Just Nan, the HEADS and the Yiota design. 

I would like to start more - like I said I do have some ready kitted up to start but I do need to get some of these BAPs finished first. I think looking at how much I have to do on them, I should start with Elisabeth Lillie and get her finished up. Also the Lizzie Kate one won't take long, I'm sure. 

This is going to be my year of finishes! 

Watch this space. 

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