Guilt Free January

Yes, I took two weeks off from the blog. Call it part of my hiding from the real world - and denial of returning to the real world. Now I see that there is no hiding. Work came, and bills came, and no one is here to cook for me (any longer) so grocery shopping and cooking came. Big Sigh.

This month's theme, however, is Guilt Free January. So, while others are out there attempting to destash and organize, I have embraced the Guilt Free-ness by starting a new stitching project (Wooly Winter by Shepherd's Bush), purchasing more sock yarn, casting on for a shrug (with more new yarn from the end of the year sale), not to mention knitting a new scarf (only to determine that it was too short - and now ripping and rewinding are being performed by Jean and Richard). And I've also been knitting on my Booga Bag, trying to do a row or two whenever I can.

Now don't get me wrong. I completely understand the need to destash and organize. And I, too, have these needs. But I must stay true to the monthly theme. Also, according to another friend, this is the Year of Abundance. It's hard to destash and embrace abundance.

It is January and being such I do yearn to need to set some goals for the year. And, in no particular order, they are:

1. Read 50 books - I joined the Book Challenge Group on Ravelry and am keeping track of my reads on goodreads.com (Jillnole)
2. Finish 12 things (3 of them UFO's) - I don't feel that I can detail which or how many stitching vs knitting, but I do know that I need to finish more this year than last.
3. Complete my JCS ornament stitching by April 30.
4. Be ready to knit a sweater - this means finishing one of my smaller sweaterish projects like the shrug (above) or sleeveless sweater or vest.
5. To not be left out of the destashing, I will not purchase any new stash in Feb and March (that's Feb 1 - March 31). I'd like to go cold turkey like Heather, but I'm afraid that might send me into some unrecoverable shock.
6. Clean out my rubber stamps and sell unneeded ones on eBay.

In terms of Abundance, it will (hopefully) come in the joy that I receive from completing each of these and in the occasional chocolate fix.

Carry on you destashers and organizers! I'll be joining you soon, but for now I'm waiting for my UPS man and Postman.