And It's Gone In a Blur.

Goodbye 2007. Hello 2008.

The holidays have come and gone in (a somewhat stressful) blur.

Now to hunker down in the new house. Regroup, relax, and most likely fight our way through a snowstorm/ice storm or two.

As you can see, Christmas was a blur of excitement. Five days of family, family, and more family. But the traveling was worth it for one of the only Christmas I ever remember being at home on Christmas morning. Opening presents on Christmas morning (I know that must sound weird to most of you). And if you can't tell, the real excitement of Christmas comes at age three. Bray has become a pro at ripping through presents.

Our New Year's celebration was more subdued (though we couldn't have it easy, we drove through some nasty road conditions into the middle of nowhere). A quiet evening with our good friend and her husband in their country home. Just pizza, cupcakes and games. Pretty much the perfect celebration for a person like me. Topped off with a quiet day off at home watching movies and reading, bundled up in blankets eating chocolate chip cookies.

Mike and I discussed our New Year's Resolutions on our way home this afternoon. I won't bore you with the details, but both our lists involve the usual things…we start tomorrow (ha).

Good luck in the new year.

And here's to hoping ours is rather dull.

And I'm Back…

Don't worry, it didn't take me all that time to finish Deathly Hallows. I was done by Sunday afternoon, having possessed the book for only 23 hours. A new record for myself, I believe.

It was great, and I'm just starting to come off of the Harry Potter high. Where I found myself thinking about the story throughout the day. What can I say…it was powerful.

I took a bit of an extended blog break, read a different book I had out from the library (Second Chance by Jane Green, good, especially if you like a lighter read), as well as doing some knitting and then getting slowed down by some sort of stomach thing that left me with a sour tummy for half the week.

I've been working hard on the first of the Studio Knits Garter Stitch Fairy: Rose dresses, but still not even half way done. Working the sleeves now, and then onto the cute petals. Once there's something worth showing, I definitely will. I'd really like to get the first dress down within the next two weeks, and then onto the two scalloped baby blankets. I'm really anxious to use THE fabric, but I'm trying hard to complete projects and stay on task. Plus I don't want to get distracted by the extra yardage until I have some room on the "Crafty To Do" to actually play with it for myself.

And though I am hard at work, do not fear! I scrounged up some projects I have yet to show. These are from the package I sent Darcy for her birthday at the beginning of the month. I sat on them for awhile because she didn't get the package yet, but then I kind forgot…something about The Month O' Harry Potter and all.

I had been planning on making her one bigger gift, but got a late start and became really overwhelmed. Luckily she saw the other checkbook cover I made up for a swap, and requested one. I was able to take the easy way out, plus go shopping for silly gifts at some of the fun stores we have downtown.

I wish I had been able to find yardage of the fishy fabric at the fabric store…but no, only fat quarters. I grabbed all that I could and have been rationing it out to only those I feel are fun enough to deserve it. So far only Darcy and Bray have made the cut. Hmmm…not even myself, interesting.

And I made my own bias tape for the project. Incorrectly, granted. I didn't actually cut it on the bias, and I had to maneuver my fingers mighty close to a very hot iron (I've been thinking about investing in a bias tape maker thing because it sure is fun to be able to use whatever fabric you want as binding. I'm just not sure if I'll use it enough to warrant the expense yet.), but it turned out A-OK.

The brown and robin's egg blue fabric has been sitting in my fabric drawer for at least a year as well. Once again, only fat quarters, this time only 2, not an armful. So I've been waiting for the perfect application, and wanting something easy and hand-crafted, but useful to add to the birthday package gave me exactly that application. Heather Bailey's Hooray for Headbands! I even made one for myself (which is what I'm wearing! Not someone else's gift!), and I wore nearly every other day for a week. As laundry has piled up it's been put in a holding pattern, but I will break it out again…no worries. I have plans to make some more as well. But, again, need to wait for the Crafty To Do to clear out a bit.

In other news, I've been working away at my 101 Things.

Some things are much harder to do than I expected. I have a feeling that is because I took on a lot of daily/weekly things at once, so it's a bit overwhelming. Plus a few things involve Mike…and taking Mike away from media for an evening. He's been reluctant, but I'll keep trying to make it more routine. I'm not going to beat myself up over not having items done for the complete 134 weeks, just as long as I don't wait until the last 30 days, I'll feel like I gave it my all. So far the thing I've excelled most at is watching movies. In a month I've watched 7 of the top 100 AFI films, on a good pace so that it won't take me the entire 1001 days to finish. Thank goodness. I haven't tackled anything terribly exciting, so there's not much to talk about besides what I've already mentioned…unless you think implementing a family cleaning schedule sounds like a rockin' time. I came up with one during the first week or so of the month, but look forward to the beginning of a brand new full month to actually get started on it.

So until next time…ta ta!

101 Things in 1001 Days

In a quest for self betterment, and the urge to jump on a band wagon, I've decided to challenge myself to complete 101 goals in 1001 days. I'll keep a countdown clock on my sidebar and a monthly update of where I stand, but I won't drive you nuts with a giant sidebar of goals.


The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as new year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Some common goal setting tips:
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.

2. Stay Focussed. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.

3. Welcome Failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.

4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.

5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.



So wish me luck as I embark on a journey that I hopefully will not abandon. Onto the goals, in no particular order.
italics - in progress; bold italics - complete

Oh, The Places You Go!
1. Go on a cruise
2. Trip to Italy with Mike
3. Visit 5 states I haven’t been to before (3/5 - Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky)

I Feel Pretty, Oh So Pretty!
4. Weight down to 160
5. Run a 5K
6. Dye my hair
7. Allow myself to update wardrobe
8. Wear heels once a week (17/143)
9. Go to the dentist
10. Get a different hairstyle
11. Floss every night for 2 weeks (0/14)
12. Get eyebrows shaped and maintain them
13. Stop picking at finger nails for one month
14. Shave once a week (22/143)
15. Re-evaluate undergarments (dispose of holey/stretched/ill fitting & own a week’s worth of bras)
16. Eat 1 fruit per day for a month (0/31)
17. Go 1 week without sweets (no candy bars, ice cream, suckers, etc)
18. Maintain a food diary again
19. Wear a skirt once a month (7/34)
20. Exercise at the YMCA at least three times per week

It’s a Miracle Curiosity Survives a Formal Education
21. Take a glass class
22. Take a cooking class
23. Take a painting class
24. Read 10 banned books (0/10)
25. Learn web design technical aspects
26. Finish a Sunday crossword puzzle
27. Read 10 classic novels (0/10)
28. Read one non-fiction book a month (7/34)
29. Learn to weave
30. Obtain and read Harry Potter 1 in Spanish – work on comprehension of Spanish
31. Relearn all the states and their capitals
32. Learn to crochet
33. Learn to screen printing
34. Date night with Mike at 5 new restaurants (not chains) ( PAO, Sebastian's Hideout, An American Place, Augie's Front Burner, Saputo's) (5/5)

Hitting the Bank
35. Buy a home
36. Begin an IRA
37. Decrease Student Loan by $2000
38. Set monthly allowance and stick to it for 3 months straight

It’s All Fun and Games Until Someone Loses a Leg
39. Document PEZ collection in photos (on Flickr)
40. Watch AFI top 100 movies (85/100)
41. Make handmade pasta
42. Start block printing
43. Do annual editions of birthday cards (2/3)
44. Do annual editions of Christmas cards (2/3)
45. Listen to music for at least one hour per week (18/143)
46. Blog at least once a week (38/143)
47. Design a personal website
48. Participate in Illustration Friday at least once a month (1/34)
49. Kiss my husband at least once a day
50. Write a letter to Darcy once a month (8/34)
51. Get inspiration notebooks caught up and stay on top of them
52. Create each family member one handmade gift for Christmas in 2007 (2/8)
53. Participate in 26 Things photo scavenger hunt
54. Get a puppy
55. Start our Sunday morning breakfast tradition again
56. Crochet an Harry Potter amigurumi gang (0/13)
57. Read the entire Harry Potter series consecutively, once a year (1/4)
58. Try one new recipe a week (36/143)
59. Take a relaxing bath once a month (3/34)
60. Take a ballroom dancing class with Mike
61. Allow myself 1 splurge item every 3 months if I follow the monthly budget (amount to be set at a later time)
62. Join a book club
63. Meet one blog friend in person
64. Invest in a digital SLR
65. Own a bike
66. Buy an original piece of art
67. Create large format prints of my favorite Italy/Paris photos and frame them
68. Dress up in a full costume for Halloween – with some place to go
69. Document American Girl collection & design a book for reference
70. Get a pen pal and write once a month (0/34 - depending on when I find one)
71. Color an entire coloring book
72. Host a gathering/dinner party/BBQ/Holiday party

Turns Out I’m Not The Only One on the Planet
73. Invest in bamboo towels and use them instead of paper towels
74. Once we own a home, furnish all light sockets with energy-saving light bulbs, no matter the initial cost!
75. Donate blood
76. Find an organization to volunteer for – at least 1 hour per month (0/34 - depending on when I find one)

Out of the Comfort Zone
77. Knit myself a garment
78. Write in my journal once a week (10/143)
79. Weed through closet and donate clothes that I no longer wear
80. Make a quilt
81. Go 1 week without recreational internet usage
82. Enter a design piece into competition
83. No dishes in sink/on counter every night (dishwasher should be loaded)
84. Plan & Create the bottle cap piece of art
85. Put clothes away the same day as washing them
86. Start an Etsy shop
87. Create a household cleaning schedule for Mike and I to follow
88. Maintain car with regular cleaning inside and out, every other month (5/17)
89. Make one new friend that I feel comfortable hanging out with one-on-one
90. Pretend to be a morning person for one week (getting out of bed 2 hours before I need to leave for work)
91. One week without nagging/yelling at Mike
92. Eat together at the table everyday for a week, each month (10/34)
93. One night a week with no TV nor internet – playing games/reading/talking with Mike (4/143)
94. Make a conscious effort to say yes twice a week

And Then There’s the Stuff I Avoid Doing
95. Back up computer, then clean off the files
96. Collect information for a Family Tree and begin plans for a physical representation
97. Buy a fireproof safe for all those important documents I worry we’ll lose
98. Do a home inventory for insurance purposes
99. Have a professional portrait taken of Mike and I (look into the possibility of a painting or drawing)
100. Get our recipe box in order – Recipes on cards
101. Get prints of good digital photos on computer and archive the rest



Let the games begin…tomorrow (as today is more than half way over)!

(Updated 09/15/09)

New Year, New You…and every other New Year's cliche.

So much for a new start. I've spent the last day of 2006 and the first day of 2007 in exactly the same way. In my pajamas and robe, slumped on the couch or chair, mindlessly looking at the tv. Well, yesterday I was more productive. I knitted, I socialized, I watched entertaining tv (thank you Ugly Betty marathon), Heck! I even showered. Today…not so much.

I do have good intentions, though.

Hopefully they start tomorrow.

I do have a list of New Year's Resolutions, it's something I've been doing for many years (though usually in private, I'm not sure anyone knows that I'm a resolutionist). Last year, was the first year in a long time that I did not sit down and think about some goals for the coming year, and looking back I can see what kind of affect it had on the year. So I'm getting back on track, back to my own personal traditions.

And I think I may bore you with the list…in hopes that it will act as an outside motivator.

The Fun
• Update Craft & Clutter more frequently, improving content for a better read
• Knit myself a garment, I'm thinking of a specific sweater from Knit 2 Together but I'm resisting the urge to flip through the book again until we move and I'm bored with a lot of free time
• Join a knitting group or book club
• Learn to crochet
• Read at least 25 books through the year

And the Personal
• Increase my water intake, to the recommended 64 oz per day, like the good ole days
• No more pop, except for an occassional treat at the movie theater (once again, like the good ole days)
• Keep a food diary, so I can notice eating trends when they get out of hand
• Keep a diligent record of my personal spending

Wow, these were all things I used to do, weird.

• Participate (and hopefully finish) a 5K (that's a new one)


Here's to a new year and a new start!