Another craft reenters my life

Went to Hobby Lobby (I usually avoid it, but it's the closest craft store to my house) to get some stuff and while there, perused the clearance bin. And found this:

Now, wasn't I just thinking about picking up needlepoint again? It includes cotton floss and I would prefer embroidery wool. But hey, it's on clearance and it was the only one left. It was a sign. I had to buy it.

When I got home, in a show of great self-restraint, I did not open it right away. I waited 2 days. The canvas is printed with the design and it also comes with a chart. Very good.

But I really shouldn't start any new products (thought BrooklynTweed's post from May 12, 2008 kind of makes me feel like I have permission. Yes, self-delusion is strong.)

I think I'm just in a rut with the knitting works in progress (2 baby blankets, a shawl, 2 afghans).
Tonight I finished up a scarf:

It's a skein of Suss Twisted. Can't remember the name of the colorway, but it's a strand of navy and a strand of cloud blue together. Knitted on big needles and voila, a quick project done.

The logical thing to do would be to work on any one of the five works in progress. But the needlepoint pillow calls me.

Instead, I went to my cross-stitch/needlepoint drawer of my craft armoire (courtesy of Ikea), and pulled out my existing needlepoint projects. They've been folded up for years.

I designed this one, based on a sketch I made to carve into a tile, years ago. In the original sketch, a cat is napping where the top of the sofa dips down. Not sure what I'm going to do with it. It's only about 6 inches tall, so it wouldn't make much of a pillow. Plus there's not enough canvas for it.

The original idea for this piece below was to be a long scroll, at least twice as long as it is now, with a sun at the top. A wall piece to hang somewhere narrow. I guess I could scratch the needlepoint itch by adding more of the blue.But I think I'm going to work on this, my first needlepoint piece, and just finish it. I designed it based on a doodle developed over years of grad school. My friends would tease me for doodling and drawing during lectures, even small group lectures. However, I always participated in discussion, so clearly I was paying attention with my ears even as my hands were busy.

I stopped working on this because I ran out of the cream colored yarn for the background. Tomorrow I'll go to Nease's Needleworks or the Needle Nook before lunch. Hopefully, they'll have some yarn that's close in color.

Whether or not I'll be able to resist temptation and buy another needlepoint project (something small, just to take the edge off), is another matter.