My Not-So-Crazy January Challenge Wrap-Up

1. Paw Prints by The Stitchworks –
    Finished!
2. Hardanger Embroidery Emery Cushion by Roz Watnemo –
    Finished!
3. Crystal Pink Pincushion by Lorri Birmingham –
    Finished!
4. Nantucket Basket Topper “Butterfly” by Lorri Birmingham –
    Finished!
5. Blue Rose Teacup by Lorri Birmingham –
    Finished!
6. Heart to Heart (teacup) by Lorri Birmingham –
    Finished!
7. Jingle! Tin Topper by Just Nan –
    Finished!
8. Jingle! Biscornu by Just Nan –
    Finished!
9. Happy Wishes by Shepherd’s Bush –
    Finished!
10. Sarah Belle Scissor Case by Lorri Birmingham –
      Finished!
11. Sarah Belle Needle Keep by Lorri Birmingham –
      Finished!
12. Butterflies & Hearts Decorative Tin Cover by Lorri Birmingham –
      Finished!
13. Sweetheart Decorative Tin Cover by Lorri Birmingham –
      Finished!
14. Sweetheart Decorative Tin Cover by Lorri Birmingham –
      Finished!
15. Star of Wonder (Punchneedle) by Homespun Elegance –
      Finished!
16. Barnabee’s Quest by Just Nan –
      Finished!
17. A Very Merry Summer by JBW Designs –
      Finished!
18. Acorn Nantucket Basket Topper by Lorri Birmingham –
      Finished!
19. Irish Needle Roll by Lorri Birmingham –
      Finished!
20. October Birthday Needleroll by The Victoria Sampler –
      Finished!
21. Celtic Ice by Ink Circles –
      Finished!
22. Peace on Earth by Indigo Rose –
      Finished!
23. Angel Heart Ornament by Charland Designs –
      Finished!
24. Heart and Flowers Scissors Fob by Twisted Oaks Designs –
      Finished!
25. Christmas Hearts Bellpull by The Victoria Sampler –
      Finished!
26. Butterfly Scissors Fob by ??? –
      Finished!
27. Pagoda Pincushion by Lody Steward –
      Finished!
28. Hearts & Flowers by The Sweetheart Tree –
      Finished!
29. Friendly Frosty by Mill Hill (Tiny Treasured Diamonds series) –
      Finished!
30. The Sweetheart Tree Hearts Round Robin –
      Dropped off at framers, so it counts as a finish.
31. Holiday Hounds Stocking by Dimensions –
      Finished!

To refresh your memory, here is my original challenge statement:

My Not-So-Crazy January Challenge of 2011 is to take 15 finishes from your waiting-to-be-finished pile and finish-finish them. They can be framed, made into ornaments, sewn into bellpulls, hand-stitched into biscornus, whatever strikes your fancy. My goal is to clear out that finishing pile in which some pieces have been languishing for years. If you choose to frame any pieces, you can either complete the framing yourself by the end of January or take them into a framer by the end of January, your choice and either one counts.

I totally knocked this challenge out of the park! I started by finishing more than 15 pieces in less than 15 days. I originally pulled 26 pieces out of my waiting-to-be-finished pile and I have finished all of them. In addition, I had two pieces that I had finished stitching at the end of the year which I added to the mix. I then pulled another piece out of the waiting-to-be-finished pile, found one hiding in the basket near my stitching chair and decided to add cording to Phoebe’s old stocking, which has now been repurposed into a generic dog stocking.

That’s 31 finishes total. One for each day of the month. I cannot tell you how ecstatic I am to have not only cleared out a significant chunk of my waiting-to-be-finished pile, but to have so many more pieces to display! I have to figure out where to put them, but that’s such a pleasant quandary in which to find myself. I have literally been jumping up and down. Well, more like happy dancing, I guess.

Here is a photo of all of the finishes (minus what I put away and was too lazy to retrieve just for this photo, plus the piece to be framed, etc.):

And here is what’s left of my waiting-to-be-finished pile:

The dusty purple butterfly at the top right can be finished into an ornament at any time; you can even see the paper template next to it. I need to complete a slightly brighter purple butterfly that will meld better with the others and then I will either make them into a bellpull or save up for an expensive framing job. The castle at the lower left is one of my earliest stitched pieces and I actually just purchased a little pre-made frame for it; I just need to cut the mat opening a little larger. The purple purse… I don’t know; maybe it will go to whomever wants it? The Pennsylvania heart is waiting for its companion New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland hearts which will all be made into a wall hanging or framed. The cherry blossom needlebook in the bottom left corner just needs to be finished. So, there are really only 3 remaining pieces waiting to be finished. That, my dear readers, is how I spell success!