2023 WIPocalypse - time to introduce myself and my goals for the year

I can't believe we are in 2023 already - I can remember thinking that I'd be SO old when 2000 came, but here I am still kicking and it's 2023!!  It seems like 2000 was just here and yet there is a whole generation what wasn't even born yet when we rolled in that year and was sure the world as we knew it would come to an end.  

So Here is the challenge for this posting:

Topic(s) for next time: Introduce yourself, your projects, and any goals you have for the year!

Who am I?  I am the middle child of 5 kids who grew up to be a mother of 4 and a grandmother of 5.  I am also a CPA, who specialises in Healthcare accounting (I know your eyes are glassing over and you're wishing I'd move on - most people do).  I retired 1 1/2 years ago and decided that since we aren't able to travel or come and go as we please, that I might as well work and fund my stitching obsession.  I provide assistance for my parents who are still able to live in their home, but my Mom has dementia, so some days are challenging.  My employer is great and since I can work from home, they are very accommodating to letting me flex my hours as long as I make my deadlines.  So it has been a win-win.

I have always been a creative person - some of my creations were epic failures (like the first dress that I tried to sew on my own) and other have been epic successes.  Stitching has always been my first love and when I discovered counted cross stitching I never looked back.  I have been stitching for about 45 years now, have very little of my early projects as I gave them all away, but have been keeping a lot of my later things.  I don't rotate what is on my walls, I just find more space to put it, so you will find Halloween up all year around and if I ever do any other holidays, you'll see those up too.

What are my projects?  Here is a list of my current WIPS, but this is not an all inclusive list as it doesn't include my needlepoint, knitting or quilt projects, just my counted cross stitch. 

Designer	Chart Name	Theme
Heartstring Samplery	His Eye is on the Sparrow	Antique Sampler
Plum Street	Vexation Sampler	Sampler
With Thy Needle & Thread	Coming to America - The Women of the Mayflower	Sampler
Scarlet Letter	Elizabeth Eyles	Antique Sampler
Heartstring Samplery	A Dog's Last Will and Testament	Sampler
Shepherd's Bush	Angel's Song	Sampler
Lavender & Lace	Peace Angel	Angel
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Tiger
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Urial
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Vicuna
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Wolf
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	X-tra Large Hippos
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Yak
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Zebra
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Noah
Curtis Boehringer	Noah's Ark	Yesah, Noah's wife
Needle Work Press	The Mary Ann Aldred Sampler	Antique Sampler
Dragon Fire Designs	Family	Sampler
Unknown	It’s a Girl (birth sampler	Sampler
Carriage House	A Mind Independent & Free	Sampler
Tempting Tangles Designs	Arc of White	sampler
Glendon Place	WITCH	Halloween
AuryTM Desing	Alice	Quaker
Lila's Studio	Nevermore	Halloween
La-D-Da	The Raven	Halloween
Heartstring Samplery	Winter Comes	Sampler
Little House Needleworks	Blessed is the Life	Sampler
Symbolic Gestures	Summer Basket Sampler	Sampler
Needlwork Press	Ann Kirby 1845	Sampler
Heart's Content	Wicket Was Here	Halloween
Stitchy Posel	Frankenstein Sampler	Halloween
Rosewood Manor	O'Santa	Christmas
Lavender & Lace	Ice Angel	Angel
Indigo Rose	Walking to St. Ives	sampler
Barbara Ana Designs	All Creatures Great & Small	Sampler
Lavender & Lace	Earthdancer	Angel
Shepherd's Bush	LOVE	Sampler
Rosewood Manor	American Flag	Sampler
Heart's Content	Inspire Others	Sampler
Scarlet Letter	the Four Angels Mouring Sampler	Sampler
Rosewood Manor	Autum Quaker	Sampler
Shepherd's Bush	Peter's Stocking	Christmas
Lizzy Kate	Things Unseen	Christmas
Thistles	Family Tree	Sampler
Lavender & Lace	Guardian Angel	Angel
Courtney Collections	PeliCan 9	animal
Carriage House	Halloween @ Hawk Run Hallows	Halloween

 

There are a few WIPS that are not on this list, such as my 2 afghans that were started back in the 1980 and while not worked on for a long time.  I don't consider them abandoned, just not in the current rotation.  I'm sure there are others that I've forgotten about, and if I come across them I will make a note about them and add them in next year.

What are my plans for 2023?

I belong to two challenge groups - WIPGO - which you put different challenges on your BINGO type board and each month 2 numbers are called (except for one month there will be 3 numbers called) and you try to achieve those goals.  This will be the second year participating in that group.  Last year I thought if I put projects that I really didn't get excited about stitching on board I would actually work on them.....NOPE, I have 3 projects that I really don't feel like stitching and when the numbers were called I did anything but them.  This year some of them on the board again, but as a secondary stitch and the challenge is up to 6 thread lengths on them when called, but they are NOT on the main challenge.  If I pull them out and even do one thread I've met that goal, the idea is to give them some love and see if I can't spark the love they once had.  I will post this board when I do my update at the end of the month.

I'm also participating in WIP Warriors - which has about 5 different groups within the main group.  You select one for the year.  I'm doing the Work Your WIP (WYW).  I have listed all of the WIPS above so I can pull and work on any one of them as I want, and if I have a finish I can replace it with a new start :). I have included some smaller projects so I know I can get some finishes, but also make progress on my larger projects.  To make sure I had all of the starts I wanted I started the following projects between 12/13/2022 and 12/31/2022.  I will admit I went a little bit crazy, but that's OK.  I think I have these all labeled right, if you are a WIP Warrior you can see the chart picture in my album :). 

I went with the WYW because last year I did the 22 in 22 where you pick 22 projects to work on, but if you don't get a finish you don't get to add anything new.  There were several projects that I really wanted to stitch on, but couldn't.  So this year I'd adding them all and all the new starts that I wanted - there are 39 in total, so not too bad.

I'm hoping to have lots to post this year, I'm excited.

Nevermore by Lilic Studios

The Raven by La-D-Da

Winter Comes by Heartstring Sampler

Blessed is the Life by Little House Needleworks

Summer Basket Sampler by Symbolic Gestures

Ann Kirby 1845 by Needlework Press

Wicket Was Here by Heart's Content

Frankenstine Sampler by Stitch Posy

LOVE by Shepherd Bush

Things Unseen by Lizzy Kate

Creatures Great & Small by Barbara Ana Design

Halloween at Hawk Run Hallow by Carriage House

O'Santa by Rosewood Manor