After being inspired first by Missy Ann last week, and again by Annette yesterday, I have decided to put myself on another stash diet challenge. I won’t be purchasing any more stash until I finish at least 25 projects.

Here are my rules:

• No stash purchases (exceptions outlined below) until 25 stitching projects have been completed. This includes charts, fabrics, canvases, scissors (gulp!), etc.
• Effective start date: Tuesday, April 21, 2009
• Exceptions:
  1. Open orders (Lizzie Kate ABC Lessons [LNS], three remaining charts for Lizzie Kate’s Boo Club [LNS])
  2. Letters from Nora “M” when it is released (pending I like it, of course ;))
  3. Class kits (already have a couple lined up for this summer)
  4. JCS ornament issues (Halloween & Christmas)
• Fibers needed for any of the projects I’m working on during the challenge are permitted, but any fibers not immediately needed for a project are not.
• I should have more than enough needles to get me through my 25 projects. In the event something should happen and I don’t, purchasing needles is also allowed.
• Trades are acceptable – based on already owned stash

I’ll be adding a new tab along the top of my blog to track my progress for my 25 project challenge. As I finish pieces, they will be added to the list. My sub-goal is to really try and get some more of my WIPs knocked out as well. It would be great to not only curtail my stash spending a bit, but to also make some progress on getting my WIP pile down to a more manageable level.

Some of you who have been reading my blog for a while may remember that I did a variation of this challenge last year. That particular challenge was to not start any new pieces until I had finished 10 of my WIPs. So, in many way, that challenge was a bit easier than this one is going to be because 1) I didn’t have to curtail any stash purchases, and 2) I didn’t have to finish nearly as many projects. I decided to push myself a bit further this time so that it wouldn’t be quite so easy on me. Wish me luck!

As promised yesterday, I do have some more photos to share. Since it’s been so long since I updated my stitching-related photos, there are still more even that what I’m posting here today, so I’ll try and get the rest up in the next day or two. The ones I’m sharing today are of some new stitching goodies I got. As always, just click on the image to see a larger view.

Bunny Thread Drops:

My friend Cindi gave me these as a belated birthday gift. She actually gave me two packs, but I only photographed one of them. I think they are absolutely adorable.

New Scissor Fob:

The fob was made by my friend Cindi. I purchased the little cup charm and letter beads when I went to Disneyland for my birthday. I just handled them off a few weeks ago to Cindi and asked if she would make them ointo a fob for me. I think she did an amazing job! As soon as I got it from her on Saturday, it went right on to my Dovo Centennial scissors. I know she peeks in on my blog from time to time, so if you see this, thanks again, Cindi!

Speaking of Cindi, I also snapped pictures recently of a couple of her finished stockings. She did the needlepoint toppers and then sent them off to the finisher to be made into the actual stockings. They are simply stunning and these photos do not do them justice. Check out those tassels, too. WOW!!!

Well, I guess that’s it for this update. As I said, I do have a couple more pics to share, so be on the lookout for them in the next couple of days.

Until next time …