My rookie year of stitching!

After years (and years) of subtle (and not so subtle) suggestions from my wise slightly older cousin that I should start cross stitching, I finally gave it a real try last January!  I've started pieces over the years but never really got the hang of it and never even came close to finishing anything.  So this year, with the help of detailed emails & cute illustrated cards from the aforementioned cousin and some videos on YouTube, my first completed piece took about a week! Let's review my rookie year! 

First ~ My cousin sent me a cute beginner kit of a Panda from Bucilla for my birthday. LOVE the pink bow! You can also see I didn't have the hang of signing the piece in a good place yet!

Second ~ A birthday gift for my aunt who loves Hummingbirds! A pretty kit from Counted Cross Stitch for Dummies, Hummingbird Floral on 14-count white Aida.
 

  
Third ~ One of my favorite pieces of 2012 came next... a kit called Equestrian Duo from Dimensions for my mom's birthday. I changed the fabric from the included 14-count Aida to 28-count Antique White Evenweave.

Fourth ~ Another gift! This time for our family neurologist who was awesome! When her dummy of a husband got a shiny new job in another state, she made sure her replacement would still treat me uninsured! The chart was a full wreath in a Just Cross Stitch magazine... I'll have to look up the date. [Update: March/April 2012] Stitched on 28-count Country French Linen, I changed it to a smaller spray and changed the bird from a Robin to a Goldfinch to match the Wild Roses -> both are state symbols of Iowa, where our Doc was relocating.  That worked out nice.

I did manage to complete the stitching on 2 more projects but they aren't finished yet.  Pics to come when they are! Also looking forward to finishing my 4 WIPs, starting my list of 2013 charts, and finally making some progress on my first annual SAL with my cousin - the insanely cool, wait for it... Skeleton Crew from Cross Eyed Cricket! 

Do you have a Stitchy New Year's Resolution?  Don't go 3 days in a row without stitching at least 20 stitches. Let's hope this resolution will last longer than February! Happy New Year!!! (Yesterday.)