The 1, 2, 3's of Inspiration and Restraint

I don't have photos of Tina's book yet. I needed a few more supplies and picked one of them up today. I'm following Judy Odell's instructions for GTK because I want it to be a book rather than just a flat fold stand up. I find the instructions a little intimidating, but perhaps it's clearer when you are actually doing it. I've read them through a few times and I'm still not sure I can pull this off. Cross the fingers on your non-stitching hand that I'm successful.

The inspiration in three parts:

1. I've been planning something for a dear friend for a few years now. It's gone through some design changes a few times--primarily because I tossed the first color scheme (something about blue...). Now I can't seem to find the parts I drafted (on several, separate sheets of paper) pre-fire. I was daydreaming recently and I realized that this design by Teresa Wentzler almost perfectly matches the colors in my friend's home. I could personalize it and it would be better than anything I could dream up on my own. We'll see what she thinks.

2. I think I've found the perfect Delicas for the Amethyst Mystery. Now I just need to order the Swarovskis and I can finish a Chatelaine.

3. I finally finished the first page of my HAED Challenge SAL piece. That feels like a major happy dance all on its own. Now I just have 14 pages remaining. At this rate, I will finish stitching in 9.3 years. Sad to say that won't even make it one of my longest running WIPs.

Now for restraint:

1. I have not purchased Pompeii yet. AND, I have almost convinced myself to wait until Martina releases it as a chartpack. Almost. I know there is still time for me to cave and join the group, but so far, I'm behaving.

2. The HAED BB is having a new start SAL at the end of this month. I was tempted to the point that I perused the HAED charts in my stash and narrowed my choices to five. Then I settled on Bedtime Tales by Lisa Victoria for Kian. However, I have been finding more WIPS, SWIPS AND UFOS, as I have rummaged through my stash looking for supplies. I think the list on the side is complete and that total is over 40. I can't justify starting another big project until I finish a few of the designs on my list, some of which are so close to completion that I find it appalling they aren't done. I think most of them were abandoned after I erred and had frogged a bit.

The fact that it would conflict with the ornament SAL helped my decision.

And I was really hoping for a background only SAL, which appears to be unlikely, since the bb said the next special SAL would be a holiday SAL. Anyone want to do a HAED background only SAL with me?

3. There are a few really good sales right now in the ons world. I'm limiting myself to just acquiring supplies for Midi 3 and Polar Lights, both will be started likely in mid to late September. It depends almost entirely on when the supplies arrive.

I am allowing myself some new (big) starts (excluding ornaments for the monthly SALs and a few other smallish designs I'm toying with stitching) in the next few months:

Midi 3--because no-one is posting on that forum at the bb or at the Yahoo Group. I love this series and I want to see it continue.

Polar Lights--It's been in the stash too long. If I finish Amethyst, I'll let myself start Polar Lights.

1814 Butterfly Collection--I plan to stitch this for the Houston Holocaust Museum's Butterfly Project once I have completed my Love quilt piece.

Bedtime Tales--Even though I won't be starting it for the SAL, it will likely be the next HAED I start. I'm working on Bedtime Story for Angie so I think I ought to work on a big design for Kian as well. Of course, I really ought put some stitching time on Bedtime Story--see why I don't actually need any new starts?

And do you see why I am the Grand Poobah of the Serial Starters?