4th quarter projections

Our couch

4th quarter projections sounds like I need a power point presentation to go with it, but instead i'll have to settle for a blog post. So the end of the year is just around the corner, and my thoughts have turned towards what I would like to finish before the year is out. My daily planner has a "goals" sheet every three months, and looking back I did okay on the goals I set for myself in July. Now coming up to the last 3 months of the year I feel a bit of extra pressure to end the year feeling accomplished.  I'll bore all of you with my goals here (but share some photos of cute cross stitch to at least keep it at least visually interesting).

Grateful by Lizzie Kate

First goal is to lose 35% of my body weight. So far I have lost 10% which is still a big deal health-wise. I have been better about doing my Weight Watchers, going to meetings and tracking what I am eating. I am down a size in jeans (14 down to a 12), and my ultimate long term goal is size 8 jeans again. I have lost 20 pounds already, and would like to lost about 50 more which seems like a crazy big number to lose. But I am taking it slow, five pounds at a time. So my 4th quarter goal is to lose 15% more, which would be 50 pounds total. So 30 pounds in 3 months, or 10 pounds a month which is 3 pounds a week. I know this is more that WW recommends, but I would really like to reach goal by my birthday in March. Plus fall and winter is when I do most of my running outside since the weather is so nice here (yes yes I know it snows in the rest of the world but here in AZ it's a lovely 60-70 degrees during the day so winter is my favorite time to be outside)

Autumn Arches by Bent Creek

Next goal actually has to do with running. I would like to run a 10 minute mile by the end of the year. Right now I do about a 12 minute mile, or a little under on most of my runs. It's funny how fast I go depends on the dog I take. One of our dogs is a border collie who is straining at the leash on all of our runs. She has actually nipped my heels a few times when I try to walk (typically border collie). So with her I can shave a good 30 seconds off my time. On the other hand our shepherd who just turned 10 this year likes to take a more leisurely pace, never pulling at the leash, and stopping to sniff every few yards. So with her I can add a full minute to my pace, but really I can't blame her she is 70 years old in human years! 

Harvest of Love by Lizzie Kate

Speaking of dogs here is our latest foster Rider. The second picture is in April when we had just gotten him from the pound. He was supposed to be euthanized that day due to the mange that made him lose half his fur and pretty much made him un-adoptable. He looks so sad in that picture. We have fostered several dogs with the same thing, and it is such an easy thing to cure that I couldn't stand to see him killed because of it. And above is Rider now. Looking much happier and with a glossy black coat again. He is such a good dog. I run with him also, and he is so much younger than the other dogs that he can shave a good minute off my time which unfortunately leaves me panting and a little light headed! So now we are patiently waiting for his forever home to find him. If you know anyone in Arizona looking for a super smart gorgeous dog he is up for adoption through underdog rescue.

Goal is to have our foster find his home by the end of 2016

What a difference!

So my next goals actually have to do with crafting. I would like to finish 25% of my quilting and cross stitching WIPs before the end of the year. Sadly due to the sheer number of WIPs I have (and forgotten I even had) this is a HUGE goal for me! So right now I am doing a 4th quarter accounting and just trying to document in a list and through pictures every project I have. I have three different stitching baskets in my house, and this is just the one by my couch which is all of my most recent projects. It held 18 WIPs total. So if each of my stitching stashes has the same that would be 54 projects total, and 25% would be 13 projects done by the end of the year. Fingers crossed the other 2 baskets have less projects. On the plus side most of my projects are over 75% done, and I still LOVE each and every one of them. My tastes haven't changed much over the years. 

So my goal is 13 WIPs completed by the end of 2016.

Halloween Mystery Sampler by Lizzie Kate

 As far as quilting WIPs go I am guessing I have about 25 quilts in various stages of completion. So 25% of that number would be 7 quilts finished. On the plus side of that is I rarely make bed-sized quilts, I much prefer crib or lap size. So most of my quilt WIPs are small. I can also think of at least a few where all I need to do are sew some rows together. Expect pictures of my quilting WIPs and my other two stitching baskets in my next two posts. 

Spring Hare by La-D-Da

 Lastly I am a member of the Hooked on Exchanging blog. But I know many stitchers have joined other exchanges through Facebook or other things, and sadly I have not participated in an exchange in a while. Would anyone out there be interested in doing a Christmas or Halloween exchange with me? I know Halloween is coming up soon, but we could do a mailing date of right before Halloween so it could be a Halloween "present". Or of course Christmas gives more time. I just enjoyed the surprise of doing exchanges, and miss doing them. So if you are interested leave a comment or email me!

Autumn in the Village by Stony Creek

Playing with Jacks by Cricket Collection

Spooked by Lizzie Kate 

Autumn by Cricket Collection

Ode to Snow by The Trilogy

Harvest Light by Imaginating

Witches Hat by Sharon Pope

September flip it by Lizzie Kate

Halloween Rules by Lizzie Kate

Harvest Wreath from x-stitch magazine

Blackbird Trellis by Plum Street Samplers

Schoolhouse Sampler by Birds of a Feather

Blessings Sampler by Imaginating

Halloween Quilt Sampler by Rosewood Manor

Rest & Be Thankful by Cricket Collection

Gobble by Bent Creek