artsy-crafty babe

2006 Goals in review

One of the things I like about blogging is being able to go back and read what I've written.  I always seem to make new year's resolutions, but rarely do I remember them at year's end.  If I had written them down, rarely can I remember where I wrote them.  That is not the case this year.  My 2006 goals were blogged for all the world to see!  Let's see how I made out:

2006 Goals

General Crafting Goals:

• Track money spent on fabric/craft supplies. I did this until I had Ava.  Once I went on maternity leave all hell broke loose.  Those 5 months that I recorded my purchases I learned that I spent waaaaayyy too much money on craft supplies.  I have a problem!
• Set up specific time to craft/sew.  Never happened. 
• Make money with my handmade goods.  I made a teensy tiny bit, but not nearly enough to support my habit.
• Finish my sewing studio. It's kind of finished, good enough.
• Make some jewelry, especially necklaces.  I made a few, good enough to check this off my list.
• Finish two paintings that I've begun.  Didn't happen.
• Experiment with paper and fabric cards.  I did a little.
• Participate in more swaps. Check

Sewing Goals:

• Berkley's duvet cover. Check.
• Second String swap.  Check. 
• Make a rag quilt for the baby.  Nope. 
• New purse for spring.  Check. 
• Diaper bag.  Nope. 
• Skirts for me. Check. Check. Check...
• Nursing tops for me. Check.

House Goals:

• Finish the nursery: (bed skirt, coverlet, roman shade).  Made the bed skirt, bought the coverlet, never got around to the roman shade.
• Finish my bedroom: (paint, drapery panels, table skirt, bed skirt, pillows). Never happened.
• Make a roman shade for the kids bathroom and paint walls.  Nope.
• Lily's room: (repair pillows, cafe curtains).  I made the curtains, but still haven't hung them.  Never did repair those pillows.
• Start kitchen remodel: (refinish cabinets, new counter tops, new flooring).  Not even close to starting this.

I had 20 goals in all. Overall, I did best on my Sewing goals.  I completed 5 out of my 7 goals.  My General Crafting goals came in second, with 4 completes, 2 half dones, and 2 incompletes.  And last was my Household goals.  My poor house has suffered!  I didn't complete any of my goals, only half finished 2 of them, and didn't do a thing with 3 of them.  Oh well, there's always next year.  That's it, 2007 will be the "Year of the House". 

At first glance I didn't think I did too well, but after further reviewing it, I think I did okay.  More than half of my goals were completed or half way done.  Well, I guess that isn't stellar, but better than not completing any at all!  Hmmm, I suppose now it's time to start thinking about my 2007 goals.

Where to begin?

Thank you for all the warm holiday wishes, we had a nice one.  Christmas this year was very low key, which is how I like it.  We went to the in-laws on Saturday night and my family visited Christmas Eve.  On Christmas day we didn't even leave the house, nor get out of our pajamas.   I cooked a nice meal, we ate like pigs and lounged around like sloths.  Bliss.  I didn't even freak out about my house being a total pig sty, which it still is.  I did manage to clean up a bit yesterday, but after nap time the toys were pulled back out and chaos resumed.  That's okay for now. 

The kids loved their toys.  Santa did a great job this year.  I don't think Lily has taken her red cowgirl boots off her feet yet.  Matt and I keep fighting over the Leapster.  Who know you could get so addicted to a kids toy?  Alex and Matt have gotten all the 'weird monsters' with their light sabers.  They're finding them all over the place - under the stairs, under the kitchen cabinets, in my bathroom, but Alex swears that there are no weird monsters in his closet, no way!  And Ava, she was quite happy with the wrapping paper.  I don't even know why Santa worried if she'd like her gifts.

I was most impressed with the gifts that Lily bought/made for the family this year.  Her school had a little Santa shop where the kids could buy gifts.  She bought mine.  It was a doll.  I told her that she could keep it in her room, but she really wanted me to have it.  She made Matt and Alex gifts.  Head gear was the theme.  She made Matt a paper visor and a crown, because he's the King.  Alex got a one of a kind Lily creation.  He loved it.

I have lots to share, but I'm still in sloth mode.

Twas the Friday before Christmas...

Yeah, Christmas is just around the corner and I'm already thinking about spring.  Yes, spring.   Yesterday may have been the first day of winter, but I'm thinking ahead.  I'm not really a fan of winter.  The other night I played with my fabric stash and combined bunches of springy fabrics.  I love that!  I have no idea what I'll do with those fabric combinations (probably end up putting them back on the shelf), but it was fun none the less.

Perhaps this WIP is putting me in a springy mood:

I love the bright green and white.  That contrast is so fresh and clean looking.  This is a gift that I hoped to finish last weekend.  As you can see I didn't accomplish that.  No, it isn't a Christmas gift, but it has the same deadline.  Hopefully I can finish it soon to drop in the mail.

Since today is Friday, it's time be grateful.  Because I like lists, here it goes:

• hot crawfish dip
• Frito's corn chips
• brownies
• chess squares
• chicken fingers
• cream cheese
• friends
• family
• elastic waist bands (because I need them after all those foods)
• christmas lights (because they make me happy)

Though I curse the caloric and fat content, I am so grateful for party foods.  Oh, what a sucker I am for dips, cheeses, chips, crackers and sweets.  YUM!  Yesterday was our office party, and I made a total glutton of myself.  Yes, I paid for it that evening (sick) and will continue to pay for it weeks from now in the form of tight pants, but I think it was worth it.  I do love parties not only for the food, but for the socializing.  It's nice to talk to coworkers, friends and family in fun festive settings different from the norm.  I'm so grateful to have all those people in my life.  It is our friends and families, and our experiences with them that make our lives rich.  I still have a few more parties to attend this weekend, which I'm looking forward to.  May you appreciate all those in your life and have a fun, festive weekend filled with many blessings!  Merry Christmas!!!

Looking back at 2006

How can it be time to reflect back on yet another year?  2006 has come and gone in a flash.  Krista posted this on her blog, so I thought I'd give it a try.  The idea is to list the first sentence of the first post of every month for all of 2006.  Seems easy enough, here it goes:

• January: Today is Jan. 1 2006 and I'm exactly 22 weeks.
• February: So swaps really haven't worked out for me so far (no back tack II nor jewelry from purple pink and orange), but I can't complain about the nice things I have received and the people I've met online.
• March: The Belly!
• April: No, I'm not in the park, but I can't get that Chicago song out of my head.
• May: Beki had a baby girl at 8:28 this morning!
• June: It sure has been a while since I've done one of these, but I'm aware everyday at how blessed I am.
• July: Look what came in the mail yesterday?
• August: Welp, I'm a working (outside the home) mom again.
• September: To refresh your memory on what 5-4-3-2...etsy is, head on over here.
• October: Oops, I'm a little late for my September submission, but here it is.
• November: I originally did one of these over a year ago, but felt the need to do it again (kinda in a crafting slump). 
• December: Argh!!!

Though a lot of my first sentences aren't too exciting or descriptive, the one that brings the biggest smile to my face is May, the announcement that my sweet Ava was born.  What a fabulous, scary, trying, blessed year it has been.  I can't wait to see what 2007 brings!

Quilts for the Kims

Quilts for the Kims

Yesterday while blog surfing I came across this blog put together by Shanna and Patricia.  I'm no quilter, but I couldn't help but join in.  There's still room for participants, if you're interested.  Go check it out.

Way to go Mom!

Today my Mom graduated.  She received a Technical Diploma in Office Systems Technology.  Not only did she graduate, but she received an academic excellence award for finishing with a 3.8 grade point average.  Words can not express how proud I am of her!

I know that this was a challenge for her, probably that first step the most challenging.  But she took that step and saw it through.  I hope that this is the beginning of many good things for her future.  I can't think of anyone more deserving!  I love you, Mom!!!

trouble

See what happens when I leave the room for just a few seconds?

The boy found some yarn and proceeded to wrap it all around the living room.

Ava was not amused.

Alex, our middle child, our only son, the spice in our life!

We broke her down

Lily gave in.  She let us eat the gingerbread house.  The gingerbread men were the first to go...

followed by the Christmas tree, the chimney, then the eaves.

Now the roof is quickly disappearing. 

It was surprisingly better than I thought it would be.  We'll be picking at this for a while...

Note worthy info: gingerbread + M&M's = good.  Gingerbread + M&M's + skittles and/or sweet tarts = yucky.  Pick off the brightly colored candies before eating.

Gingerbread house

Another little project from this weekend.  It was lots of fun making it, but Lily wouldn't let me eat it. 

I see someone else in the family shares my desire to munch on this yummy goodness.  Who could resist gumdrops?

Weekend recap

I have a real easy weekend to tell about - sick kids, wore PJ's all day, got little accomplished, never left the house, the end.  I'm not complaining.  Amongst all our nothingness I managed to bake cookies Friday night, do a little sewing, and decorate a gingerbread house this afternoon.  Oh, and we (I) ate A LOT.  All that time at home equated to lots of cooking.  Hmm, and I wonder why I'm still hanging on to 20 lbs of pregnancy weight!

Okay, enough about me, on to my sewing. Remember that list of things I want to make before Christmas?  After this weekend I can only cross off one thing, the bags for the teachers.  It's time to re-evaluate.  I'm really not feeling my crafty vibe right now, so I'm going to start shopping this week.  The only other thing from that list that I plan to make are the gifts for my co-workers, and I'm still not sure what that's going to be.

Here are the teacher bags.  These bags were inspired by Machine Made Patchwork 1 & 2.  I used a pattern from #2 adopting that flower applique from a bag in #1.  I was real excited that there was a pattern at the back of #2, but it did not work for me.  After sewing the bag up I realized that the opening was way too narrow, so I had to chop off a few inches off the top.  I also ended up narrowing the bottom width, so I guess this bag doesn't look much like the pattern at all.  I think they're cute enough, but smaller than I would have liked.  Oh well, I'll change that next time I make this style.  I really do love that flower applique.  You can bet I'll be using this motif in bags to come.

Okay, time to get the kids ready for bed and do some picking up around the house.  Monday morning here we come.