I do a bit of both on my crafty projects! The baby blanket in progress has a deadline (birthline?), as does the other baby blanket in my queue. I usually do an "Imbloc jumper" as tradition in early February. The cross stitch kits in various states of abandonment... ha ha. Not so much.

I used to do crafting challenges/communities--10 years ago they set my whole crafting calendar!--but these days find them a bit too smothering, although I revisit them now and again because I have such fond memories.