Mulberries and Magi

I know I really don't need to be starting new projects, but - I did it anyway.
Well, technically, I already had the three little hearts stitched, so it's not a new start! That counts, right? It's a UFO!
This is 'Shaker Mulberry Tree' from a very old cross stitch magazine (I can't remembe which, because I had to make the pattern much bigger to be able to see it, but it's old enough that the pattern symbols are hand-drawn) The original was done on cream aida, but I decided to stitch it on 28-ct Annabelle. The fabric didn't have a name, but obviously, it's pink.
^__^

One tree down, one tree, a house, and an alphabet to go!

Now for my other start - and this one, I can't claim as a UFO. But it still had to be started!!!
About three years ago - yes, it was 2005, I was in Wal-Mart a few days after Christmas and saw some 5x7 kits on clearance. There were 7 or 8 different ones, and I, being me, bought them all.
I stitched His Kingdom in 2006, and A Savior is Born in 2007, and I just realized that if I'm gonna stick with my little tradition and stitch one in 2008, I'd better get to it!

Out of the kits I have left, there's a nice simple one of a white church in a field with a few trees around it. I could get that done easy, right? Right! So, let's stitch it, right? Wrong! I decided on a nice, complicated one of the Magi presenting their gifts. Hey, it wasn't the most complicated one left! I exercised a tiny bit of restraint!
And here's my start on it: A floating turban and a purple triangle. Go me!

Oh, I also feel the need to tell on myself, for some reason:

I was watching a movie with my sis today - well, she was watching, I was working on Vash (I'm down to 5 colors!) and I cut my floss, marked my pattern, found the next stitches I needed to do - and then I started looking for my needle.
I couldn't find it. It wasn't stuck in the couch arm - yes, I do that - it wasn't neatly in a corner of the fabric, I didn't see it in the floor or on my lap. So I start getting a bit frantic, and tossing cushions and my lap blanket around. About this time, I notice my sis staring at my like I'm crazy.

'what?' I say.

'what are you doing?!' she says

'I lost my needle!' I say. 'Help me find it - you don't want it in your foot or your bum, do you?'

'You mean the needle with the ten inches of bright blue floss in it?' she says

'yes,' I say

'the one you're holding in the corner of your mouth?' she says.

'yes,' I say, very quietly, and go back to stitching.

...

x_x a genius I am not.