With the 2005 commitments winding down, I find myself daydreaming more often about the cross stitch projects I would really like to do next year. Naturally, there's much (much!) more that I want to do than is actually possible. (Is it time to try a rotation schedule?) Since I'm a list-making kind of person (if not a list-following kind!), I thought I'd jot down a few thoughts before I take the kids to the zoo this afternoon.

For myself:
(these are only the must-have projects - there are many more that I want to do)
CHS alphabet (over one?)
CHS Houses of Hawk Run Hollow (over one?)
Neighborhood RR with Dianne, Su, Annemarie, Novia, Rachael, and Veronica

For the kids:
A too-cool counting-sampler (French freebie download)
What Are You Looking At (for Rowen)
Sea Dragon (one-off design for Max)
more dragons for Max?
various sheep freebies for the nursery
soft toys
Pear doll (by Sisters and Best Friends for Rowen)

For gifts:
a cross stitch quilt kind of thing for Somebody Special
ornaments for everyone next Christmas! (and maybe some for us, too)
an anniversary gift for my PIL, maybe
other birthday and Christmas gifts that come up through the year

For exchanges:
3 or 4 MA exchanges

For charity:
more ornaments for more charities (but especially for Healthy Families because Ms. Toch, the coordinator is so incredibly nice)
six quilt squares or more, various charities
an idea I've been thinking about that would bypass weird nursing home staff (ha ha) that I'm affectionately dubbing 'Random Acts of Kindness' but I need to think on it some more

On a side note:
It's recently come to my attention that some people think that charity stitching is a way of bragging, a waste of time, etc. At first I didn't understand this point of view, and when I did, it hurt my feelings and made me sad. I've had some low points in my life that have been made much lighter thanks to the gentle attentions of friends & family - and a gift from someone's heart & hands is always treasured. The world has enough ugliness in it - it seems to me that any tiny bit of beauty we can bring in has to be good. Doesn't it?