2015 WIPocalypse - January 5

My first WIPocalypse post! This is year four, I believe, of the WIPocalypse. "Stitch like it's the end of the world!" It started from an "off the cuff" remark by a friend relating to the Mayan calendar predicting the end of the world in December 2012. She decided she'd better work on finishing some of her WIPs (works in progress) if she wanted to get things done "before the end of time." It quickly became "a thing," sort of like an in-joke, and she started an official stitch-along for it and everything. Since the world didn't end, she's kept it going every year since then. Despite having been around for a while now, this is my first year participating! It's just for fun, there aren't any requirements or anything, just a way to remind you to make progress and share the joy. There is also a discussion topic for each post. Posts will occur on (or near) the full moon, so roughly monthly. And here we go!

Topic: Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!

Hi, my name is Erin, and I'm a "streaky stitcher." I'll use all of my free time to stitch for several weeks or months, then I will put it away and not touch it for several weeks or months (or years). I'm hoping that officially participating in the WIPocalypse will help me be more consistent, despite having failed on a few other attempts at other SALs (stitch-alongs, for my non-stitchy friends). Remember, this is my year to "go do," and I really want to make some progress on my Mirabilia fairies, hopefully finishing one by the end of the year. I have a few other things in progress as well. Below is the official WIP list (including one new-start-to-be for 2015) and a current picture of each to use as a progress marker (note: this does not include UFOs, or unfinished objects, that just are not being worked on; there are, um, several of those, too). I reserve the right to alter the list at any time, including adding new things! But these really are the ones I'd like to focus on. All of these images are "fresh," taken January 2, 2015.

Titania, by Mirabilia


Adia, by Mirabilia


Baked Alaska, by Glendon Place


Tiramisu, by Glendon Place


Taj Mahal Mandala, by Chatelaine


So that's it, that's all I've got. I'm hoping to actually make some visible progress on these this year, though I may not stitch on every one in a given period. We'll just see how it goes. Thanks for reading!
Currently feeling: like stitching

2015: Stop Meaning To, Go Do!

Copyright: letyg84 / 123RF Stock Photo

I'm certainly hoping for a Happy New Year in 2015! Let's face it, 2014 flat kicked my patootie, and not in a good way. This blog itself is proof that I just spent way too much of the year running behind. Not only was I behind, I didn't get done half of what I intended. How could I be so busy and yet have so little to show for it? I realized I had spent an awful lot of time "meaning to" do all kinds of things, but I never got around to *actually* doing them. I can't tell you how many times those words came out of my mouth over the Christmas holiday. "Sorry, I kept meaning to do that." It was embarrassing. STOP!! Just stop it. Like most folks, I do use the start of a new year for reflecting back and trying to make plans to move forward. Several friends picked a "theme" last year, a word or phrase to act as a guide or goal all through the year. I've decided to try it for this coming year.



Stop Meaning To, Go Do! Several things in December have pointed towards that or something similar being my "motto" for the coming year, including my friend Terri deciding that her phrase for 2015 will be "quit saying, start doing" (sound familiar? I actually came up with the wording of mine before I saw hers, but seeing that she made it her plan for 2015 prompted me to do the same). There was also an amazing blog post by the daughter of a friend (who is wise far beyond her years) explaining why seizing the day may be easier than you think. To quote Miss Haley, "In order to seize the day all you have to do is act upon your list of 'I should...'s. It's simple, but not easy because LAZINESS. It's real. BUT, trust me the more you DO instead of DON'T, the easier and more natural seizing the day becomes." Pretty smart for a teenager! (The whole post is worth a read, if you have the time.)

So what kinds of things do I plan on will I be doing? We actually don't have a ton of things on the slate for this year (unlike last year when half of our summer was already booked by this point). I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. I really want to specifically *do* something most days, with the express intent and purpose of overcoming the "I meant to"s, no matter how big or small. It could be taking a step towards a larger goal, or just something small to get over and done for that day instead of putting it off. Some of the big things I would like to will accomplish in 2015 are:

• Eat at home 100 times (we got very bad about eating out in 2014)
• Lose at least the 40 pounds I regained last year
• Throw Luke a Harry Potter themed 11th birthday party
• Have a get-together with my local stitching friends (who I literally haven't seen in years)
• Finish another Mirabilia fairy

(See the crossing out? I originally just edited this post when I caught those phrases, then saw that it would be more meaningful to show what I had originally typed and purposefully change them to "action words.") There are plenty of other things I would like to will get done and/or try this year, but those are truly the top five. I am trying to make making a "go do" list to "keep in my hip pocket" for days when I haven't come up with anything to go do. Some days it will be clear and obvious what the go do should be, and I am open to spontaneous bouts of carpe diem-ing, but it's always nice to have a backup plan (you know me!).

So, that's what I mean to do this year. Now it's time to go do!!
Currently feeling: ready to DO!